A frequency-shift-keying demodulator including a phase shifter for shifting the phase of an input signal by a predetermined degree and outputting a shifted signal, a combining unit for combining the input signal and the shifted signal and for outputting a corresponding signal, and a low-pass filter for filtering the signal output by the combining unit and outputting a low-pass filtered signal, the bandwidth of the low-pass filter being matched with the bandwidth of a data signal included in the input signal, such that the combining unit includes at least one adder for adding the input signal and the shifted signal, and outputting an added signal, and at least one square law detector for receiving the added signal output by the adder and outputting a squared signal which is the square of the added signal, wherein the combining unit outputs the squared signal to the low-pass filter.

The present invention relates to a frequency-shift-keying demodulator comprising the features of the preamble of independent claim 1 and to a method of frequency-shift-keying demodulating an input signal comprising the steps of the preamble of independent claim 7.
In order to reduce the power consumption of a power amplifier for wireless communication from a transmitter side and to realise bandwidth efficient wireless transmission, various continuous phase frequency-shift-keying (FSK) type modulation schemes are known. For example, minimum shift keying (MSK) and Gaussian frequency shift keying (GFSK) are widely used in wireless communication systems, e.g. according to the GSM or Bluetooth standard.
With respect to demodulation of a signal, frequency discriminators or FM-AM converters are the most popular forms of demodulators due to their simplicity.
In the following, a receiver and a demodulator for frequency-shift-keying modulation according to the prior art is described by reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional receiver architecture comprising an antenna 20 for reception of transmitted signals.
The antenna 20 is connected via an RF-bandpass filter 16 and a low-noise-amplifier 17 to a mixer 21.
The mixer 21 multiplies the signal received by the antenna 20 with a signal generated by a local oscillator LO to downconvert the signal to intermediate frequency (IF).
The IF signal further goes from the mixer 21 via a channel selection filter 18 and a further amplifier 19 to a conventional frequency-shift-keying FSK demodulator 11. The frequency-shift-keying demodulator 11 receives a FSK input signal i(t).
The differential frequency-shift-keying demodulator 11 demodulates the FSK input signal i(t) and outputs a low-pass filtered output signal rLP(t).
FIG. 2 shows the internal structure of a differential frequency-shift-keying demodulator according to the prior art.
The conventional differential frequency-shift-keying demodulator 11 shown in FIG. 2 consists of a phase shifter 12, a mixer 13 and a low-pass filter 15.
The input signal i(t) is supplied to both the phase shifter 12 and the mixer 13.
The phase shifter 12 shifts the phase of the input signal i(t) by a predetermined degree and outputs a shifted signal Id(t) to the mixer 13.
The mixer 13 multiplies the input signal i(t) and the shifted signal Id(t) and outputs a mixed signal r(t) to the low-pass filter 15.
The low-pass filter 15 low-pass filters the mixed signal r(t) and outputs a low-pass filtered signal rLP(t).
The FSK input signal i(t) of the above described differential frequency-shift-keying demodulator 11 can be written as
            i                    (        t        )              =                            s                                (            t            )                          +                  n                                (            t            )                              =                        A                                                                          cos                                      [                                                2                                    π                                                                                f                    i                                                      t                                +                                  2                                    π                                                                                h                                                                              ∫                                              -                        ∞                                            t                                                                                m                                                                          (                          τ                          )                                                                                ⅆ                        τ                                                                                ]                                      +                  n                                (            t            )                                ,wherein A is the amplitude, fi is the carrier frequency, m(τ) is the filtered data signal, n(t) is additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and h is the modulation index of the signal i(t).
The modulation index h of the signal i(t) is defined as h=2fdTs where fd is the frequency deviation and Ts is the symbol duration.
The goal of the above-described differential frequency-shift-keying FSK demodulator 11 is to provide an output signal rLP(t) that is proportional to the instantaneous frequency of the input signal i(t).
The frequency response of the phase shifter 12 of the FSK demodulator 11 isφ(f)=−π/2+2πK(f−fi).
Thus, the output Id(t) of the phase shifter 12 is
      Id              (      t      )        =                              s          d                                  (          t          )                    +                        n          2                                  (          t          )                      =                  A                                                            cos                                [                                          2                                π                                                                                f                  i                                                t                            +                              2                                π                                                                                h                                                                      ∫                                          -                      ∞                                        t                                                                                m                                                                    (                        τ                        )                                                                                ⅆ                      τ                                                                                -                              π                /                2                            +                              2                                π                                                                                Khm                                                        (                    t                    )                                                              +                                                n                  1                                                                  (                  t                  )                                                      ]                              +                        n          2                                  (          t          )                    where n1(t) and n2(t) are the noise terms generated by the phase shifter 12 due to the co-existence of n(t) in the input signal i(t).
The low-pass filtered signal rLP(t) output by the low-pass filter 15 after eliminating the double frequency terms is
            r      LP                  (      t      )        =            (                                                  A              2                        2                                          sin                                      [                                                2                                    π                                                                                Khm                                                              (                      t                      )                                                                      +                                                      n                    1                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                              ]                                      +                  [                                                    s                                                  (                  t                  )                                            ×                                                n                  2                                                                  (                  t                  )                                                      +                                                            s                  d                                                                  (                  t                  )                                            ×                              n                                                  (                  t                  )                                                      +                                          n                                                  (                  t                  )                                            ×                                                n                  2                                                                  (                  t                  )                                                              ]                    )                  ❘      LP        .
When the term 2πKhm(t) is small and the noise terms are negligible, the resulting low-pass filtered signal rLP(t) is
            r      LP                  (      t      )        ≈                              A          2                2            ·      2            π                                        Khm                          (          t          )                    .
Thus, the transmitted data comprised in the input signal i(t) can be recovered correctly.
Corresponding differential frequency-shift-keying demodulators are described in the paper "A 1.8-V Operation RF CMOS Transceiver for 2.4-GHz-Band GFSK Applications" of Hiroshi Komurasaki, Tomohiro Sano et al. The paper was published in the IEEE journal of solid-state circuits, volume 38, no. 5, May 2003.
The above paper describes a single-chip RF transceiver LSI for 2.4-GHz-band Gaussian frequency-shift-keying applications, such as Bluetooth. This chip uses a 0.18 μm bulk CMOS process for lower current consumption. The LSI consists of almost all the required RF and IF building blocks, a transmit/receive antenna switch, a power amplifier, a low-noise-amplifier, an image rejection mixer, channel-selection filters, a limiter, a received signal strength indicator, a frequency discriminator, a voltage controlled oscillator, and a phase-locked loop synthesizer. The bandpass filter for channel selection operates at a low supply voltage. However, because large interference is roughly rejected at the output of the image rejection mixer and a wide-input-range bandpass filter with an optimized input bias is realized, the transceiver can operate at a supply voltage of 1.8 V.
Another differential frequency-shift-keying demodulator according to the prior art is described in the paper "A Low-Power CMOS Bluetooth RF Transceiver With A Digital Offset Cancelling DLL-Based GFSK Demodulator" published by Sangjin Byun, Yongchul Song, et al in the IEEE journal of solid-state circuits, volume 38, no. 10, October 2003.
This paper presents a fully integrated 0.18 μm CMOS Bluetooth transceiver. The chip consumes 33 mA in receive mode and 25 mA in transmit mode from a 3-V system supply. The receiver uses a low-IF (3-MHz) architecture, and the transmitter uses a direct modulation with ROM-based Gaussian low-pass filter and I/Q direct digital frequency synthesizer for high level of integration and low power consumption. A new frequency shift keying demodulator based on a delay-locked loop with a digital frequency offset canceller is proposed. The demodulator operates without harmonic distortion, handles up to ±160-kHz frequency offset, and consumes only 2 mA from a 1.8-V supply. The receiver dynamic range is from −78 dBm to −16 dBm at 0.1% bit-error rate, and the transmitter delivers a maximum of 0 dBm with 20-dB digital power control capacity.
It is a disadvantage with the above-described differential frequency-shift-keying demodulators according to the prior art that an active mixer is required to achieve a sufficient signal strength of the FSK signal. The active mixer requires a strong local oscillator (LO) signal that consumes much power for high frequencies (e.g. 60 GHz) applications.
Furthermore, mixers working at high frequencies (e.g. 60 GHz) are very complicated and thus expensive elements.

Frequency-shift-keying demodulator and method of frequency-shift-keying


A portable electronic device includes a housing and a main body. The housing has an image pickup window. The main body is accommodated in the housing. The main body includes a first lens module, a second lens module, a rotatable base and a driving element. The rotatable base carries the first lens module and the second lens module thereon. The driving element is configured for driving the rotatable base to rotate to selectively allow the first lens module or the second lens module to be aligned with the image pickup window.

1. Field
The present invention generally relates to portable electronic devices, and particularly to a portable electronic device with an image pickup device.
2. Description of Related Art
Currently, portable electronic devices, such as portable computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular telephones are now in wide spread use. Along with the increasingly widespread use of such devices, there is a demand for developing portable electronic devices with multifunction, such as incorporating an image pickup function. Meanwhile, volume reduction is also a trend for such products.
Camera module of the portable electronic devices are generally equipping with, for example, a wide-angle lens module and a zoom lens module for achieving wide-angle image pickup function and zooming image pickup function, respectively. However, with both the wide-angle lens module and zoom lens module arranged in the portable electronic devices, volume of the portable electronic devices increases dramatically.
What is needed, therefore, is a portable electronic device with multiple image pickup functions and having reduced volume.


Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for insuring better query consistency between at least two different databases, where one faster database has more up-to-date information than another slower database, and wherein updates are typically applied to the faster database first and then to the slower database. In embodiments, the systems and methods also insure that a query to the slower database is not performed until a set of one or more updates from the faster database have been applied to that slower database.

1. Field of Invention
The present patent document is directed towards systems and methods for data processing. More particularly, the present patent document is directed towards systems and methods that facilitate the handling of information between an in-memory database system and a data warehouse/analytics system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As more people and businesses use computers and as more services are provided electronically, today's modern applications are being required to receive, processes, and store vastly larger amounts of data. Furthermore, today's modern applications are also being required to respond faster and capture more information to allow businesses to perform the analyses needed for the making the best business decisions. Problems arise, however, because different processes have inherent weaknesses. When these systems interact, these weaknesses can compound, resulting in a system that, in some ways, is less than the sum of its parts.
Consider, for example, the current implementation of online transactional processing (OLTP) products and online analytical processing (OLAP) products. FIG. 1 depicts an in-memory database 105, which is an OLTP product, communicably coupled to a data warehouse 110, which is an OLAP product. OLTP products are systems that usually deal with a large number of real-time transaction-related applications. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the in-memory database system 105 receives a plurality of real-time transactions 150. OLTP products' relative simplicity and efficiency allow them to be very responsive to these interactions—thereby allowing them to support near real-time data analysis and decision making. Hence, such products are referred to as "Fast Data." However, these "Fast Data" systems tend to operate on limited amounts of data that may be stored in its in-memory database. Huge volumes of data present significant challenges to OLTP products. Limited by the in-memory database(s), they cannot handle enough data needed for deep analytics.
Online analytical processing (OLAP) products, such as data warehouse products, are able to store and analyze much larger quantities of data. The vast data storage allows for more complex, deep, and spanning analytics to be performed; and hence, such products are sometimes referred to as "Big Data." However, like all things that are big, they tend to be slower. OLAP systems are slower for at least two reasons. First, because OLAP products receive and process significant amounts of data, they tend to receive the data in large batches, such as overnight batch jobs. For example, the in-memory database 105 might receive many data transactions 150 during the course of a certain time period, like a single day. The in-memory database 150 stores these transactions in its database for that day, and then during the evening, it 105 transmits the data in a batch 155 to the data warehouse 110. Because the data warehouse only receives updates at certain intervals, there is inherently a delay in its ability to act upon that data. Put simply, delays in receiving the data means delays in processing the data. And second, the structure and components of OLAP products tend to operate slower than in-memory systems.
While the currently-used implementation depict in FIG. 1 is useful, its "Big Data/Fast Data" duality has significant drawbacks. This two system approach results in data being stored in different systems, spanning different times, and with different abilities to analyze the data. Thus, a significant problem exists if someone wants to, in real-time (or near real-time) analyze newly received data with historical data. The current implementations cannot meet these demands due to limited query performance, limited amounts of data, and inaccessibility of the data.
Accordingly, what is need are systems and methods that can overcome the limitations of the bifurcated Big Data/Fast Data system to produce better, more comprehensive, and faster data analyses.

Big-fast data connector between in-memory database system and data warehouse system


A spring storage cylinder, for the generation of braking forces for the auxiliary and parking brake effect, comprises a piston, arranged in a housing, which may be displaced for the operation of a brake lever. The piston is pretensioned against the brake lever by a spring. A release spindle is provided, by which the piston may be moved from an extended position, operating the brake lever, in the braking position, against the force of a spring into a withdrawn position, releasing the brake. A primary chamber is provided in the housing, pressurized to a certain pressure, in which, when an operating pressure is exceeded, the piston is moved into the withdrawn position against the pressure of the spring. At least one contact switch is provided to determine the position of the piston in the housing. The operating status of the spring storage cylinder may be monitored by the contact switch(es), the storage function and the release function controlled and any damage to the storage spring determined.

The present invention relates to a spring-loaded cylinder which permits the detection of the emergency braking and parking braking functions.
Spring-loaded cylinders for generating an emergency braking or parking braking function are known, which cylinders are released in the driving operation and, in the parking mode, act by means of a spring upon a brake lever for securing the vehicle in its parked position. The released position is achieved as soon as the pneumatic pressure in a primary chamber of the spring accumulator has displaced the spring-loaded piston against the force of the pre-loaded spring into the withdrawn position. The working stroke required for securing the vehicle in its position is triggered by the pressure drop in the primary chamber of the spring accumulator until, as a result of the excess force of the pre-loaded spring, the spring-loaded piston starts to move and carries out its working stroke. A possibly remaining pressure in the primary chamber and the reaction force of the brake itself act against the working stroke.
Such a spring-loaded cylinder also comprises a release screw so that, in the event of an energy loss of the pneumatic brake system, a release of the spring accumulator can take place. The release screw can be operated in order to move the piston into a withdrawn position for releasing the brake lever. When the release screw, as the emergency release device, renders the parking brake or emergency brake system ineffective, this has to be visually noticeable, so that the driver or the shop personnel can recognize the respective operating condition.
In the case of the known spring-loaded cylinders, the release screw projects out of the spring-loaded housing in the emergency release condition, or a pin connected with the release screw moves out of the housing. As a result, the operating condition of the emergency release device can be recognized from the outside. However, the visual checking of the operating condition is disadvantageous because, in view of the small installation spaces, the checking is relatively difficult, and the operating condition may be judged incorrectly by the observer.
In addition, up to six spring accumulators are situated at the vehicle, so that performing a visual check requires considerable time. Also, the release screw can only be screwed partially out of the spring-loaded housing. The resulting intermediate position is undefined and may be overlooked or interpreted incorrectly. An emergency release system operated in this manner may reduce the parking braking and emergency braking function, because the working stroke of the piston is limited.
For a secure and economical operation of the vehicle, the driver requires information concerning the actual operating position of the parking brake at any time. This is important when the vehicle is started with empty air reservoirs, because a driving start should not take place before the parking brake is released. Also, a possible defect of the parking brake system, for example, as a result of a loss of pressure, should be immediately detectable, so that an uncontrolled braking operation by means of the parking brake while driving is prevented.
The reaching of the release position of the spring-loaded cylinder is usually indirectly ensured by the control of the pressure in the primary chamber, in that a pressure switch responds at a defined release pressure and extinguishes a warning light in the dashboard. At a full operating pressure, the spring-loaded piston is pressed against the effect of the spring into the withdrawn position in stroke position 0. The extinguishing of the warning light in the dashboard takes place by the pressure switch, whose switching pressure is defined to a certain value which is above the actual release pressure of the spring-loaded cylinder. This is a result of the fact that the release pressure has considerable tolerances because of the relatively high force output tolerances of the pre-loaded spring caused by the manufacturing and other factors, such as changed friction forces at the dynamic seals of the spring-loaded piston as well as a drop of force because of relaxation. These influences have the effect that the stroke of the piston acts differently at the same pneumatic pressure. The release position can therefore not be clearly assigned to a precise operating pressure. On the contrary, these influences have to be taken into account when defining the switching pressure of the pressure switch, so that, also when the tolerance situation is unfavorable, the switching signal will not be triggered too early.
However, as a result, the switch as a rule triggers the signal too late; that is, after the release position of the spring-loaded piston has been reached, which leads to a loss of time which, although not necessary, delays the driving readiness of the vehicle for the driver. Inversely, when the parking brake is activated, the warning light function occurs unnecessarily early because, when the pressure controlled-signal is triggered, the spring-loaded piston has not yet been moved. The use of a pressure switch in the case of a spring-loaded cylinder also has the disadvantage that the spring-loaded cylinder is always pressurized with the full operating pressure, for example, 8 bar, while for the release, the release pressure of, for example, 5.1 bar is sufficient. The energy, which is required for generating the pressure difference, remains completely unutilized and increases the energy consumption of the vehicle. This is particularly important when the parking brake system is used frequently, as, for example, in the case of vehicles in distributor traffic situations. Furthermore, time is lost until the emergency braking or parking braking becomes effective because first the differential pressure between the operating pressure and the release pressure has to be reduced before the start of the working movement of the spring-loaded piston.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to create a spring-loaded cylinder of the above-mentioned type which avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages and permits a simple and fast detection of the operating condition of the emergency or parking brake.
This object is achieved by a spring-loaded cylinder for generating braking forces for the emergency braking and parking braking effect, having (a) a piston arranged in a housing which can be moved for operating a brake lever, and which is pretensioned by way of a spring toward the brake lever, (b) a release screw, by which the piston can be moved from an extended position operating the brake lever in the braking position against the force of the spring into a withdrawn position releasing the brake, and (c) a primary chamber, which is arranged in the housing and can be acted upon by pressure and in which, when a response pressure of the piston is exceeded, is moved against the force of the spring into the withdrawn position. For detecting the position of the piston in the housing, at least one contact switch is provided between the release screw and the piston.
According to the invention, for detecting the position of the piston in the housing, at least one contact switch is provided so that the operating position of the spring-loaded cylinder can be monitored. As a result, the usual control of the spring-loaded cylinder by the use of pneumatic pressure, which has considerable tolerances, is eliminated because the position of the spring-loaded piston to be sensed is not detected indirectly, but rather directly. This leads to a clearly earlier triggering of the signal, which can indicate the driving readiness of the vehicle to the driver at the earliest possible point in time. When the parking brake is activated and the pressure in the spring-loaded cylinder is therefore decreased, a signal is generated which, in turn, switches on the warning light and thus draws the driver's attention to the engaged parking brake. When a defect is present in the system, for example, because of a leakage in the compressed-air system, a broken accumulator spring or because of another circumstance, the defective condition can be directly detected by means of the contact switch and a corresponding warning light can be switched on in the dashboard.
It is also possible to carry out a matching of the signals of the individual pre-loaded cylinders in order to permit an indirect detection of defects. Normally, several spring-loaded cylinders are used on a vehicle, which cylinders have approximately the same switching times. If considerable differences exist here with respect to the switching time, which can no longer be explained by normal deviations in the release time caused by tolerances, a warning signal may be emitted. This possibility of the mutual controlling of the individual spring-loaded cylinders is of great significance for traffic safety. When the emergency brake is used, a pre-loaded spring, which has a reduced effect, or a reduced braking effect may result in a critical brake pull of the vehicle, or the parking braking function may be reduced in an unacceptable manner. These problems have to be immediately detected and indicated by the control system of the vehicle, which was not possible by means of the previous manual testing methods.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a contact switch is provided between the release screw and the piston. As soon as the piston is moved into the stop position and rests mechanically against the cylinder bottom, a circuit is switched in the contact switch. As a result, by the use of the contact switch, the operating condition of the spring-loaded cylinder can be detected when the piston is in the completely withdrawn position and the brake is in the unbraked condition. Thus, by means of the contact switch, the above-described warning light can be extinguished in the dashboard. In comparison to the control by the use of a pressure switch, a clearly earlier triggering of the signal is achieved because the end position of the spring-loaded piston to be sensed is detected directly.
When the contact switch is provided between the release screw or a release screw head and the piston for detecting the withdrawn position, a moving piston can be detected, for example, on the basis of a leakage in the compressed-air system. This type of a malfunctioning could previously only be indicated by way of the warning light when the operating pressure had fallen below the release pressure in the parking brake system and the pressure switch could therefore respond. In a different typical case of leakiness at the seal of the spring-loaded piston, compressed air can enter into the spring chamber of the spring-loaded cylinder and cause a pressure buildup there which supports the spring force and, starting at a certain pressure level, causes the spring-loaded piston to move. As long as the operating pressure in the parking brake system does not fall below the release pressure as a result of this leakage, however, the pressure switch will trigger no signal. Under corresponding conditions, the entire process may occur in an incremental manner, so that the release play of the brake is used up without being noticed by the driver and the brake may overheat. Such defects may result in a vehicle fire and represent a great risk to the driver and other traffic participants.
In addition, there are situations in which the release screw is operated for moving the piston into the withdrawn position and thereby activate the emergency release function. As a result, the contact switch is no longer activated even if the piston is arranged in the withdrawn position. Therefore, a warning light may be switched on or remain switched on which indicates a fully activated or partially activated emergency release mechanism. This is important for the driver because an adjusted release screw, corresponding to its function, completely or partially limits the stroke of the spring-loaded piston, whereby the parking brake is completely or partially rendered inoperative.
In a similar manner, a release screw can be detected which has become loose in the driving operation and is unintentionally unscrewed from the cylinder body. A release screw is also detected in this manner which is not completely screwed back in, for example, after a vehicle repair, because the warning light is not extinguished when the parking brake system is released pneumatically. This is also particularly important because the threaded connection of the release screw in the cylinder body has a sealing effect only in the completely screwed-in condition. Without any sealing effect at this point, moisture and dirt would penetrate into the spring chamber by way of the backlash of threads and cause corrosion or leakiness which may extend to the failure of the emergency braking and parking braking function.
The contact switch thereby contributes to the increase of the operating reliability of the brake system and thus to improving traffic safety in general.
Furthermore, beyond the actuating of the warning light, the signal of the contact switch can be used for control purposes in the brake system. For example, the electrical signal triggered with the reaching of the release position of the spring-loaded piston can be used for controlling the relay valve connected in front of the spring-loaded cylinder in the parking brake system.
In conventional systems, the spring-loaded cylinders are pressurized with the full available operating pressure for releasing the parking brake, which operating pressure is normally 35 to 50% above the release pressure. The suggested switching-off of the relay valve is to take place when the release position of the spring-loaded piston has been reached. For this purpose, a relay valve has to be present, which is either directly controlled electrically or is controlled pneumatically by way of electrically switched solenoid valves. By means of the signal of the switch, the relay valve is controlled such that a further pressure buildup in the spring-loaded cylinder will not take place. As a result, on the one hand, the energy is saved for generating the air volume additionally pressurized at the full operating pressure, which air volume is required for raising the pressure in the spring-loaded cylinder from the release pressure to the full operating pressure. On the other hand, generally the air consumption of the spring-loaded cylinders is reduced by the described volume during each actuation. Since, according to the legal provisions, the air reservoir of the spring-loaded brake system has to be dimensioned as a defined function of the required compressed-air volume of the parking brake system, this advantage of the suggested device permits a reduction of the size, cost and weight of the air reservoir with the accompanying gain of space.
Another advantage of the control function of the electric contact switch is the decreased response time of the parking brake because a bleeding only has to still take place starting from the release pressure and no longer starting from the full operating pressure level. This eliminates the time for reducing the pressure difference, which is advantageous particularly in driving situations which require a fast responding of the parking brake, which applies, for example, when stopping on a hill during stop-and-go driving or during an emergency braking by means of the emergency brake. The effect is an increase in driving comfort and traffic safety.
Finally, another advantage of the invention is a saving of costs for the braking system because the low additional expenditures for using the electric switch are offset by a clear cost reduction as a result of the elimination of the pressure switch. Furthermore, because of the reduced pressure level in the spring-loaded cylinder, a correspondingly adapted smaller dimensioning of different components of the spring-loaded cylinder can take place, which results in additional savings with respect to cost and weight.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one duct for receiving the conductor lines to the contact switch is provided in the release screw. As a result, the lines from the contact switch can extend in a protected manner and do not require a separate space.
Contact elements connected with the contact switch are preferably provided on a section of the release screw projecting out of the housing, which contact elements can be contacted by means of a plug. This permits a fast operation of the emergency release device after the withdrawal of the plug, and the connection to the switch or the switches can be established in a simple manner.
According to another embodiment, a contact switch may be provided for detecting the position of the piston at a narrow spacing from the withdrawn position which completely releases the brake. Such an adjustment of the switch may take place, for example, at approximately 10 to 20 mm in front of the withdrawn position. This contact switch will then detect an operating condition in which, during a release operation, the brake linings just barely no longer rest against the brake disk or, during a braking operation, do not quite yet rest against the brake disk and thus no braking torque is present. The further release stroke of the piston to the withdrawn position will then be necessary in order to provide the full release play between the disk and the brake linings. A switch adjustment to the above-mentioned value permits the obtaining of a switch signal which is emitted as close to the time of the functional release or the start of the effect of the brake. By means of this signal, for example, an electronic control can be supplied, which then assists the starting on a hill or the "hill holder" function. In this further development, a switch with two switching positions can also be used, which emits a signal in the completely withdrawn position as well as in the spaced position of the piston.
A proximity switch can also be used which responds at a defined spacing of the triggering components.
According to another embodiment, the release screw comprises a thickened release screw head at the end side. At the ring-shaped side of the release screw head facing the release screw, a contact switch is provided for detecting the engagement of the release screw head with the piston. A contact switch arranged in this manner forms a stationary point of reference for the detection of the position of the piston as well as for the release nut moving on the screw. In this case, two switches may be used, one being arranged between the head of the release screw and an inner face of an element fixed to the spring-loaded piston tube, while the other is arranged between the release nut and the circular face of the release screw head. In this manner two separate signals can be received—one for the release position of the piston and the second signal for the driving operation position when the emergency release system is activated.
The contact switch may also be installed at the bottom of the cylinder body so that the contact switch is actuated in the completely withdrawn position of the piston.
Further, the contact switch may also be mounted on a piston rod which is arranged between the spring-loaded piston and the brake lever and forms a unit with the latter, because it is constantly held in a pressed manner against the piston.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Knorr-Bremse Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH


The wireless control system of the present invention constitutes a wireless AV system (101) which forms a wireless transmission network (1) in which a wireless center unit (102) and a TV main body unit (103) are connected with each other by a wireless LAN. The wireless center unit (102) transmits to the TV main body unit (103) control data having, in a control command, a discrimination code for discriminating between devices in the wireless AV system (101). The TV main body unit (103) reads out the discrimination code included in the received control data, discriminates a device to carry out the control command included in the control data, and transmits the control data to the discriminated device. As a result, even when the number of controlled devices that a controlling device has to control increases, a throughput of the controlling device for discrimination of control data does not increase, and therefore the whole system constituted of the controlling device and the controlled devices can be smoothly operated.

Recently, with the explosive prevalence of the Internet, a LAN (Local Area Network) is frequently constructed in offices, houses and the like.
Because cable wiring is troublesome, there is an increasing need for so called wireless LANs which construct a LAN wirelessly, which is aided by progress in digital wireless communication technologies. Further, wireless communication devices which constitute such a wireless LAN are expected to be used in large numbers, because the devices can be used in mobile terminals, such as notebook computers in mobile environments.
As a representative technology of the wireless LAN, there is IEEE 802.11 which has already been standardized by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). This standardized technology defines from a physical layer to a MAC (Media Access Control) layer, being a lower layer of a data link in an OSI model, and can be replaced with Ethernet™ which is a wired LAN transmission channel. Further, IEEE 802.11 can provide a roaming function as an additional function due to being wireless.
Recently, in order to transmit/receive video image data or audio data wirelessly, a wireless AV system using such a wireless LAN is proposed.
Generally, a wireless AV system has a problem that video image data to be transmitted/received deteriorates due to transmission errors.
Patent Document 1 (PCT international publication No. WO 01/006795 (publication date; Jan. 25, 2001)) discloses an image decoding method in which a transmission error is detected by an image header included in video image data, and when a transmission error is detected, video image data is temporarily stored, repetition of a header different from the image header is detected, and based on this repeated header, temporarily stored video image data is decoded, and thereby deterioration of the video image data is prevented.
In a conventional wireless AV system, when one controlling device (such as an AV amplifier) controls a plurality of controlled devices (such as a video deck, a DVD player, a stereo, and a TV), the controlling device transmits control data by wireless to each of the controlled devices. Namely, the controlling device causes a data transmitting/receiving unit thereof to sort and transmit control data to each of the controlled devices.
As a result, the more controlled devices one controlling device has to control, the larger throughput is necessary for sorting of control data items in a data transmitting/receiving unit included in the controlling device, that is, the larger throughput is necessary for discriminating control data items, which makes it difficult for the controlling device to promptly control the controlled devices, with a result that the whole of the wireless AV system does not operate smoothly.
The present invention is made in view of the foregoing problems, and its object is to realize a wireless control system in which, even when the number of controlled devices which the controlling device has to control increases, a throughput for discriminating control data in the controlling side does not increase, and the whole of the wireless AV system can be smoothly operated.

Wireless control system, control device, controllable device device control method, control program, and computer readable recording medium containing the same


An antenna with adjustable tilt angle includes: a mounting structure; an antenna mount fixed to the mounting structure; an antenna mounted to the antenna mount, the antenna configured to produce an antenna beam; a remote electrical tilt (RET) unit operatively associated with the antenna to adjust a pointing tilt angle of the antenna beam; a tilt pointing direction sensor mounted to the antenna, the pointing direction tilt sensor configured to detect the a pointing angle of the antenna relative to a baseline standard; and a controller operatively connected with the RET unit and the pointing direction tilt sensor, the controller configured to receive signals from the pointing direction tilt sensor and transmit signals to the RET unit to adjust the tilt pointing angle of the antenna beam based on the detected angle of the antenna.

Sectors for cellular networks have evolved over time, with the number of sectors increasing over time. FIG. 1 schematically illustrates three different versions of cellular antenna configurations: an omnidirectional single antenna (common for 1G communications); a tri-sector system in which each of three antennas covers approximately 120 degrees in the azimuth plane (more common for 2G and 3G communications); and a six-sector system in which each antenna covers approximately 60 degrees in the azimuth plane (designed for 4G/LTE and newer systems). Three-sector systems are still relatively common with 4G communications, but 6-sector configurations are becoming more popular as time goes on (and even higher numbers of sectors) are possible.
The performance of a cellular base station in the regions of the coverage area for the base station that are between adjacent sectors (one such region is identified in FIG. 1 at dot A) where the beams slightly overlap is becoming critical. Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems require that the size of these areas be reduced as much as possible so that interference from one sector to another is reduced or minimized. Reducing the area of overlap may be achieved by using narrower antenna beams. However, as the beams become more narrow, the beam pointing direction (both in the azimuth and elevation planes) becomes more critical to avoid interference and/or gaps in coverage. A representative gap in coverage is illustrated in FIG. 1 in the six sector image at dot B. As can be seen, these coverage gap areas refer to areas where none of the antenna beams provide coverage to the area. It may be possible to arrange an adjacent cell site such that the gaps in coverage are "filled in" by the antenna beam from the adjacent cell site.
Some network operators use network planning tools to plan for the number of sectors, desired antenna beam shapes etc. They input the possible location of the cellular base station, population and crowd information, terrain, etc., then simulate predicted coverage and iterate on antenna models, pointing directions, radio power levels etc. to achieve the best possible predicted coverage area for the base station. They then order the base station antennas that will produce antenna beams having the necessary beamwidths, gains etc. that the planning tools indicated. They then generate instructions as to which antennas get installed on which tower, the azimuth angles to which each antenna should be pointing, and the downtilt in the elevation plane (if any) for each antenna. The installers then install the base station antennas on the towers or building tops using external tools to point the antennas to the specified directions in the azimuth and elevation planes.
There are some perceived shortcomings of these systems. In some instances, the installers may misalign the base station antenna during installation, with the pointing direction being off by, for example, several degrees. In other instances, the antenna may be installed correctly but then moved due to wind, an accidental bump by a technician, or some other event, such that the antenna is no longer pointing where it should be. In further instances, the technicians may make an error in data recording, with the result that the operator thinks that the antenna is installed differently than it actually is. In still further instances, the location of the tower may be slightly off (e.g., by several meters or more), such that the beam is not pointing exactly where it should be.
Further complicating matters, on some support structures (especially monopoles), the sway at 60 mph wind conditions can approach+/−2 degrees and at 90 mph can be as severe as +/−8 degrees. The amount of sway may be a function of, among other things, the structural integrity and height of the tower. Thus, the sway of the mounting structure may be sufficient to negatively impact antenna performance. In addition, in many instances mounting hardware that was designed to support, for example, antennas is now being used to additionally mount several remote radio units (RRUs). This added weight and wind loading is causing antenna mounts (and hence the antennas attached thereto) to move an additional amount in windy conditions, thereby exacerbating performance issues.

System and method of adjusting antenna beam on antenna tower


A flip chip power device having an integrated low inductance ground and heat sink path and an isolation structure is provided. A substrate is formed having transistors and an ohmic contact region circumscribing the transistors. Dielectric layers are formed on the substrate, and a common metal layer is formed on the dielectric layers. An isolation metal layer is formed on the dielectric layers above the ohmic contact region. The common metal layer is coupled to a first region of each of the transistors, and the isolation metal layer is coupled to the ohmic contact region. A first bump is formed on the common metal layer, and a second bump is formed on the isolation metal layer. When the power device is attached to a second substrate, the first bump forms a low inductance ground and heat sink path to the second substrate, and an isolation structure is formed.

Typically, power amplifiers and digital components for mobile terminals are fabricated as separate modules. As the desire for integrated devices continues to grow, a need has arisen for a power amplifier device capable of integration with digital circuitry on a single semiconductor die. Integration of a power amplifier requires a low inductance ground to have increased gain at high frequencies, heat conduction from the substrate to the environment, and isolation from nearby digital components. For a conventional silicon substrate, a low resistivity (typically less than 0.1 Ohm-cm) wafer is used along with high temperature thermal drives of high dose implants and is subsequently thinned for better thermal performance. However, for high levels of integration, the thermal drives of the high dose implants begin to distort nearby implant regions. Thus, the thermal drives of high dose implants have not been feasible with high levels of integration or are prohibitively complex. Further, adequate isolation is difficult to achieve. Accordingly, there is a need for a power device having an integrated low inductance ground and heat sink path and an improved isolation structure that is formed using mainstream foundry technologies.

Integrated power devices and signal isolation structure


A linkage positioner for a drum brake, which is used to compensate for braking-related wear, especially on the brake linings, has an overload clutch and a one-directionally rotating or one-way clutch. The overload clutch is embodied as a ball ramp clutch, which is biased by a pressure spring.

This invention relates to a linkage adjuster for a drum brake to compensate for braking-induced wear at friction linings, having an overload clutch, and having a one-way rotational clutch or directional clutch.
In heavy utility vehicles, pneumatically actuated drum brakes are often used as friction brakes. A preferred type of construction is the so-called S-cam drum brake.
In order to generate a braking force, brake pads that form or support brake linings must be pressed in the radial direction from the inside against the drum of the drum brake. In the S-cam drum brake, this takes place by rotating a brake shaft, which has, at one end, a double involute in an S-shape. The two brake pads are supported with their ends on the cam, with the ends that are situated opposite these ends being fastened, for example, to a brake carrier so as to be pivotable about a bolt. For braking, the brake shaft with the S-cam must be rotated until the brake pads come into contact against the drum with the desired force. The rotation of the brake shaft takes place by way of a compressed-air-actuated brake cylinder, which generates a torque by way of a lever and transmits that torque to the brake shaft.
Since the brake pads or the brake linings become worn during braking, it is necessary to compensate for the brake lining wear with an alignment device. For this purpose, the brake shaft with the S-cam must be rotated by a corresponding magnitude in the direction in which the brake linings are adjusted towards the drum during the braking process, in order to move the brake pads closer to the inside of the drum. This direction is referred to as the application direction. However, in the rest position, a small gap must remain in order to ensure an efficient release behavior. Re-alignment can be carried out at regular intervals, and also manually. For this purpose, re-alignment must be carried out at the brake lever of the brake shaft on which the brake cylinder engages with its piston rod. Since manual adjustment is carried out neither according to requirements nor continuously, so-called automatic linkage adjusters are standard equipment on vehicles with S-cam drum brakes.
There are various linkage adjuster systems. The basic design is very similar, and is composed substantially of a worm gear, a worm, an overload or load shift clutch, a one-way clutch (usually operating on the wrap spring principle), a gearwheel, a toothed rack, and a so-called control disk. Such a mechanism is situated in a housing, which has a lever to which the brake cylinder is articulately connected. The brake shaft is coupled by way of a spline toothing to the worm gear.
With these linkage adjusters, there are two functional principles. According to one adjusting principle, adjustment takes place at the start of the braking process, while, according to the other adjusting principle, adjustment is carried out at the end of the braking process, or during the release process.
Reference is made as an illustrative example to European document EP 0 614 025 B1. This document describes an adjusting device for a disk brake, with both of the above-stated functional principles being used together by way of adjustment carried out at the start of the braking process and tensioning an elastic element. The elastic element is relaxed during the release process and brings about a further adjustment.
Linkage adjusters that are presently on the market do not always meet the expectations or demands with regard to durability and permanent functionality. A one-way clutch in the form of a wrap spring has been proven to be a component which is susceptible to wear. The function of this component is highly dependent on friction conditions, on the shaping, and on the dimensional stability of the mating faces. If wear and/or changes to the friction conditions occur over the course of time, failure of the component, and therefore of the entire linkage adjuster, can occur.
An object of the present invention is to create a linkage adjuster of the above-specified type with a mechanism that has a high level of robustness and that has a functional behavior that is influenced as little as possible by friction value fluctuations and production tolerances. A further object is to provide the most cost-effective production possible.
According to the invention, therefore, a linkage adjuster for a drum brake that compensates for braking-induced wear in particular at friction linings includes an overload clutch and a one-way rotational clutch or directional clutch. The overload clutch is configured as a ball ramp clutch that is preloaded by a pressure spring.
Again, a linkage adjuster according to the invention is for adjusting the braking-induced wear at the friction linings.
In one preferred embodiment, the directional clutch is embodied as a clamping body freewheel. This results in precise functional behavior by the use of precise and friction-independent components.
In a further embodiment, the ball ramp clutch is composed of oppositely arranged end faces, each of which is formed with ball pockets for balls arranged between those faces. Here, it is particularly advantageous for all the moving components of the adjuster mechanism to be mounted by ball bearings, since a high level of efficiency is permitted in this way.
In another embodiment, the overload clutch and the directional clutch together form a ball lock clutch. Here, it is preferable for the ball lock clutch to be composed of two oppositely arranged ramp contours with balls arranged between the contours. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the ramp contours have at least two different gradients. This is advantageous, since it results in a precise functional behavior, because the freewheel function and the overload function are defined only by the shaping and the preload force, and therefore friction has no influence on the functional behavior.
In an alternative embodiment, the ramp contours have a curved design.
It is advantageous for the ball lock clutch to have a cone clutch, since, in this preferred embodiment, favorable production of the components is possible because the significant components of the adjuster mechanism are to be produced by non-cutting shaping processes.
The ramp contours and the balls arranged in between those contours are additionally held against one another by a torsion spring.
A drum brake according to the invention has a linkage adjuster according to the invention.
Further advantages, details and features of the invention can be gathered from the following detailed description in connection with the appended drawings.


A magnetic recording medium comprising; a nonmagnetic support; a first under layer which is constituted by a nonmetal element, per se, a compound consisting of nonmetal elements, or a compound containing titanium and a nonmetal element; a second under layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of chromium, titanium, iridium, platinum, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, rhenium and osmium; and a magnetic layer which contains a ferromagnetic metal alloy containing at least cobalt, platinum and chromium, and a nonmagnetic compound, in this order.

With the spread of the Internet in recent years, the use form of the computer has been changed, e.g., to the form of processing a great volume of moving picture data and sound data with a personal computer. Along with these trends, the storage capacity required of the magnetic recording media, such as hard discs, has increased.
In a hard disc apparatus, a magnetic head slightly floats from the surface of a magnetic disc with the rotation of the magnetic disc and magnetic recording is performed by non-contact recording. This mechanism prevents the magnetic disc from breaking by the contact of the magnetic head and the magnetic disc. With the increase of density of magnetic recording, the floating height of a magnetic head is gradually decreased, and now the floating height of from 10 to 20 nm has been realized by the use a magnetic disc comprising a specularly polished hyper-smooth glass substrate having provided thereon a magnetic recording layer (a magnetic layer). In a magnetic recording medium, the layer structure of a CoPtCr series magnetic layer/a Cr under layer is generally used, and the direction of easy magnetization of the CoPtCr series magnetic layer is controlled in the direction of in-plane of the film by the Cr under layer by increasing the temperature in forming the magnetic layer and the under layer as high as 200 to 500° C. Further, the magnetic domain in the magnetic layer is segregated by accelerating the segregation of Cr in the CoPtCr series magnetic layer. Areal recording density and recording capacity of hard disc drive have markedly increased during the past few years by technological innovation, e.g., the floating height reduction of a head, the improvement of the structure of a head, and the improvement of the recording film of a disc.
With the increase of throughput of digital data, there arises a need of moving a high capacity data, such as moving data, by recording on a commutable medium. However, since the substrate of a hard disc is made of a hard material and the distance between a head and a disc is extremely narrow as described above, there is the fear of happening of accident by the collision of a head and a disc and entraining dusts during operation when a hard disc is used as a commutable medium such as a flexible disc and a rewritable optical disc, and so a hard disc cannot be used.
Further, when a high temperature sputtering film-forming method is used in manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, not only productivity is poor but the cost in mass production increases, thus hard discs cannot be manufactured inexpensively.
On the other hand, the substrate of a flexible disc comprises a flexible polymer film and is excellent in commutability, since it is a medium capable of contact recording, and so flexible discs can be manufactured inexpensively. However, commercially available flexible discs of nowadays have such a structure that the recording layer is formed by coating a magnetic powder on a polymer film together with a polymer binder and an abrasive. Therefore, the high density recording characteristics of the magnetic layer of flexible discs are inferior to those of hard discs having a magnetic layer formed by sputtering, and the achieved recording density of flexible discs is only 1/10 or less of that of hard discs.
Accordingly, a ferromagnetic metal thin film type flexible disc having a recording film (a magnetic layer) formed by the sate sputtering method as in hard discs is suggested. However, when the same magnetic layer as that of hard discs is tried to be formed on a polymer film, the polymer film is greatly damaged by heat and it is difficult to put such a flexible disc to practical use. Further, since the contact of a head with a medium is inevitable, a hard protective layer is indispensable. Therefore, it is also suggested to use highly heat resisting polyimide and aromatic polyamide films as polymer films, but these heat resisting films are very expensive and it is also difficult to put them to practical use. When a magnetic layer is tried to be formed with cooling so as not to give thermal damage to the polymer films, the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic layer are insufficient, thus recording density can be hardly improved.
On the other hand, it has come to be known that when a ferromagnetic metal thin film comprising a ferromagnetic metal alloy and a nonmagnetic oxide is used, almost the same magnetic characteristics as those of the CoPtCr series magnetic layer formed under a high temperature condition of from 200 to 500° C. can be obtained even when a recording layer is formed under room temperature. As such a ferromagnetic metal thin film comprising a ferromagnetic metal alloy and a nonmagnetic oxide, ferromagnaticmetal thin films having a so-called granular structure which is proposed in hard discs can be used (refer to, e.g., JP-A-5-73880 and JP-A-7-311929).
However, even when a magnetic layer having such a granular structure is formed at room temperature, since heat by sputtering is applied, the gas contained in the polymer film support is released, so that the crystal growth of the under layer and the magnetic layer extremely lower as shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, the control of crystal orientation is very difficult, so that satisfactory characteristics have not been obtained yet.
On the other hand, in direct read after write and rewritable optical discs represented by DVD-R/RW, the head and the disc are not close to each other as in a magnetic disc, and so they are excellent in commutability and widespread. However, from the thickness of light pickup and economical viewpoints, it is difficult for the optical disc to take such a disc structure that both surfaces can be used as recording surfaces as in a magnetic disc which is advantageous to improve capacity. In addition, the optical discs are low in areal recording density and in data transfer speed as compared with a magnetic disc, so that their performance cannot be said to be sufficient to be used as rewritable type high capacity recording media.


An improved process for inhibiting the formation and deposition of polymer-based fouling materials after caustic scrubbing of hydrocarbon streams contaminated with oxygenated compounds with a basic washing solution having a pH>7 comprising adding to the hydrocarbon stream after caustic scrubbing a sufficient amount for inhibiting formation and deposition of polymer-based fouling materials of a composition comprising at least one hydrazide compound characterized by the formula ##STR1## where R is selected from the group consisting of H, NHNH.sub.2, and ##STR2##

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved process for inhibiting the formation and deposition of polymer-based fouling materials after caustic scrubbing of gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon streams contaminated with oxygenated materials with a basic washing solution having a pH>7.
2. Background
Manufacture of ethylene and other olefins entails the use of pyrolysis or "cracking" furnaces to manufacture olefins from various gaseous and liquid petroleum feed stocks. Typical gaseous feed stocks include ethane, propane, butane and mixtures thereof. Typical liquid feed stocks include naphthas, kerosene, gas oil and crude oil.
In cracking operations, such as the pyrolytic cracking of ethane, propane, and naphtha to produce olefins, oxygenated compounds, including carbonyl compounds, are formed. The amount of carbonyl compounds, such as aldehydes and ketones, formed in such operations can vary widely, but is typically about 1-100 ppm in the hydrocarbon stream, with concentrations as high as 1000 ppm occasionally being encountered because of the utilization of various feed stocks and cracking temperatures.
Following cracking of the petroleum feed stock, the hydrocarbon effluent from the cracking furnace is subjected to a caustic, or basic, wash to remove various contaminants. Generally, this entails contacting in a caustic wash tower a basic washing solution (e.g., an aqueous solution having a pH>7) with a gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon stream to remove acidic components, such as hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide, and oxygenated compounds, such as carbonyl compounds. The oxygenated compounds, however, undergo polymerization in the presence of the caustic scrubbing or basic wash conditions. Deposition of the polymer leads to fouling. Eventually, depending on the polymer deposition rate, the unit must be shut down for cleaning--obviously a costly operation. Consequently, methods of preventing fouling, or at least significantly reducing the rate of fouling are constantly being sought. Basic wash systems which require treatment to inhibit polymer-based fouling include amine acid gas scrubbers (e.g., MEA, DEA, isopropyl amine, butyl amine, etc.) and caustic wash systems.
In particular, during ethylene production, the major component of the oxygenated compounds contaminating the ethylene effluent from the cracking furnace is acetaldehyde. The ethylene effluent from the cracking furnace, containing acetaldehyde, is washed in a caustic tower. On contact with a caustic solution, acetaldehyde undergoes multiple base catalyzed Aldol condensation reactions. This results in formation of a water insoluble polymer which can coat the surfaces of the caustic tower and reduce operation efficiency.
In some ethylene production units, an amine acid gas scrubber is used in front of the caustic tower to remove most of the acid gases. On contact with an amine solution, as on contact with a caustic solution, acetaldehyde undergoes base catalyzed Aldol condensation reactions. The result of these Aldol reactions is formation of a water insoluble polymer.
At some ethylene manufacturing facilities, a vinyl acetate plant is also present. Ethylene is used in the vinyl acetate production process. Unreacted ethylene is recovered by distillation and sent back through the ethylene unit fractionation train. Vinyl acetate can be entrained with the unreacted ethylene and enter the fractionation train. When vinyl acetate reaches the caustic tower it is hydrolyzed to produce a salt of acetic acid and vinyl alcohol. Vinyl alcohol tautomerizes to acetaldehyde, a source of the fouling polymer.
Current industry practice is to add specialty chemicals directly to the caustic tower to prevent or minimize formation of polymer-based fouling materials or aid in their removal from the tower.
However, caustic wash solutions can be entrained into the compressor section of an ethylene plant. Often, the caustic tower is located between two stages of the plant's compression section. For example, if the plant's compression section consists of four stages, the caustic tower may be located between the third and fourth stages. If a problem occurs in the caustic tower, foaming for example, caustic wash solution may be carried into the succeeding stage (the fourth stage in the example) of compression. It is known that approximately 20-30% of acetaldehyde which enters the caustic tower is distilled overhead and proceeds to the next stage of compression. Entrained caustic wash solution reacts with acetaldehyde which is carried into this succeeding stage of compression.

Process for the prevention of polymer formation in compressor systems


Methods are provided for defining and determining a formal and verifiable mobile document image quality and usability (MDIQU) standard, or Standard for short. The Standard ensures that a mobile image can be used in an appropriate mobile document processing application, for example an application for mobile check deposit. In order to quantify the usability, the Standard establishes 5 quality and usability grades. A mobile image is first tested to determine if the quality is sufficient to obtain content from the image by performing multiple different image quality assessment tests. If the image quality is sufficient, one or more document usability computations are made to determine if the document or content in the image is usable by a particular application. A ranking is then assigned to the image based on the results of the tests which is indicative of the quality and usability of the image.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments described herein relate to processing images captured using a mobile device, and more particularly to developing standards for processing the images and assessing an image processing system to determine whether it meets the standards.
2. Related Art
The use of mobile devices to capture images is ubiquitous in modern culture. Aside from taking pictures of people, places and events, users are utilizing the cameras on their devices for many different purposes. One of those purposes is capturing images of content that the user later wants to review, such as a description of a product, a document, license plate, etc.
Financial institutions and other businesses have become increasingly interested in electronic processing of checks and other financial documents in order to expedite processing of these documents. Some techniques allow users to scan a copy of the document using a scanner or copier to create an electronic copy of the document that can be digitally processed to extract content. This provides added convenience over the use of a hardcopy original, which would otherwise need to be physically sent or presented to the recipient for processing. For example, some banks can process digital images of checks and extract check information from the image needed to process the check for payment and deposit without requiring that the physical check be routed throughout the bank for processing.
Mobile devices that incorporate cameras are ubiquitous and may also be useful to capture images of financial documents for mobile processing of financial information. The mobile device may be connected with a financial institution or business through a mobile network connection. However, the process of capturing and uploading images of financial documents using the mobile device is often prone to error, producing images of poor quality which cannot be used to extract data. The user is often unaware of whether the captured document image is sufficient and capable for processing by a business or financial institution.
Attempts have been made to improve the quality of mobile images of financial documents to improve the accuracy of information extracted therefrom. There are numerous ways in which an image can be improved for extracting its content, some of which are implemented individually and some of which are implemented together. However, it is difficult to determine which methods are the best at improving image quality and content extraction. Of the methods often used, it is even more difficult to select a threshold of that particular method which will provide an accurate capture in as little time as possible. Finally, determining whether an image processing system is capable of performing adequate image capture, processing and content extraction has not been explored.
Therefore, there is a need for identifying image processing techniques which will provide optimal image correction and accurate content extraction.

Systems and methods for assessing standards for mobile image quality


A photonic lantern couples light from several fibers or fiber cores into one or more fibers or fiber cores. Photonic lanterns are often used to combine several lower-power beams into a single higher-power beam. They can also be used to couple light from multi-core fibers into single-mode, multi-mode, or other multi-core fibers. By modulating the phases of the input beams, the light can be switched from output to output—for example, between output cores of a multi-core output fiber. If desired, the beams can also be amplified using an active fiber in or coupled to the photonic lantern. A first photonic lantern couples signal light and pump light into the core and cladding, respectively, of an active multi-mode or multi-core fiber. And the active multi-mode or multi-core fiber couples amplified signal light into output fiber(s) via a second photonic lantern.

FIG. 1A shows a double-clad, doped (active) optical fiber 100. It includes a doped core 110 surrounded by a glass inner cladding 120, which in turn is surrounded by a polymer outer cladding 130. The doped core 110 has the highest index of refraction, followed by the inner cladding 120, then the outer cladding 130. The core 110 guides and amplifies light at a signal wavelength, and the inner cladding 120 guides pump light at a shorter pump wavelength. As the pump light propagates along the fiber 100, it crosses the core 110, where the dopant absorbs the pump light and amplifies the signal light.
These double-clad, doped optical fibers have been key to the development of high-power fiber lasers and amplifiers. They allow coupling of multiple kilowatts of low-brightness pump light into the cladding glass for pumping laser dopants and signal confined to the fiber core region. In the case of ytterbium-doped fiber lasers the pump wavelength is typically 910-980 nm and the signal (emission) wavelength is typically 1020-1090 nm. Other dopants with their own corresponding pump and emission wavelengths also exist (e.g., thulium, erbium, etc.).
The laser process and associated quantum defect, together with absorption of pump and signal light that is greater than the absorption of passive (undoped) fiber, cause significant heating of the doped fiber in multi-kilowatt fiber lasers and amplifiers.
FIGS. 2A-2D show different multi-core optical fibers 200a-200d (collectively, multi-core fibers 200), which are recent variants of the more traditional single-core (waveguide) fiber shown in FIG. 1. Each multi-core fiber 200 has multiple (doped) cores 210 embedded in a glass inner cladding 220 and an optional acrylate coating 239. The cores and inner cladding have parallel longitudinal axes. The polarization-maintaining (PM) multi-core fibers 200a and 200b also have glass stress rods 212 in the inner cladding with longitudinal axes parallel to the longitudinal axes of the cores 210.
The optical fibers shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A-2D are used in fiber lasers and amplifiers for industrial laser processing equipment. Fiber laser machines cover many applications of material processing, including but not limited to high-speed thin metal (or other material) cutting, thick metal cutting, welding, brazing. surface treatments (e.g., hardening, cleaning, etc.), micro-machining, hole drilling, 3D printing and sintering, and medical applications (e.g., laser surgery). Many of these applications of high-power fiber lasers require laser beams with a beam quality factor M2 approaching 1.0. The beam quality factor, also called the beam propagation factor, is defined as the product of the beam radius, the beam divergence half-angle, and π divided by the beam wavelength. A diffraction-limited beam has a beam quality factor of M2=1.
Achieving very high beam quality factors with fiber lasers can be challenging. Many of the challenges involve scaling the power in an optical fiber that guides a single mode or a few modes and filtering the output to ensure (near) single-mode operation. Scaling the power past about 1 kW with a single-mode fiber laser or amplifier becomes increasing difficult due to unwanted optical non-linearity in the fiber such as stimulated-Brillion-scattering (SBS). The general solution is to use a large mode area (LMA) fiber, but an LMA fiber allows some higher-order modes and the onset of multi-mode instability (MMI), which is also known as transverse-mode instability (TMI). MMI is a thermo-optical effect which is couples light out of the core LP01 mode to higher-order modes, degrading the beam quality factor. This degradation in beam quality causes material processing problems, such as a wider affected heat zone, poor quality cutting edge, reduced cutting speed, inability to machine to small feature sizes on the material, etc.
FIGS. 3A and 3B show optical fiber photonic lanterns 300a and 300b, respectively, for combining beams in different optical fibers into a single, higher-power beam. The photonic lantern 300a in FIG. 3A combines multiple SM, PM input fibers 310a with one transverse spatial mode per input fiber on the input side into a single SM output fiber 320a that supports orthogonal polarizations of a fundamental transverse spatial mode. Ideally, the number of input modes is equal to the number of output modes—in this case, two input modes (one per input fiber) and two output modes (one per polarization). By controlling the relative phase(s) of the input signals, a specific output mode and polarization or superposition/combination of output modes and polarizations can be selected.
A photonic lantern can have more than two input PM fibers and an output fiber that supports more than just two modes. For example, the output fiber could be a MM output fiber that supports the first three fundamental modes (each with two polarizations), totaling six modes or degrees of freedom, from six PM input fibers. Likewise, a cascaded photonic lantern can have input fibers that guides more than one spatial mode and/or polarization each and an output fiber that guides all of the spatial modes and polarizations from the input fibers. For example, the photon lantern 300b in FIG. 3B combines beams from three SM input fibers 310b into a single MM output fiber 320b. If each input fiber 310b supports two orthogonal polarizations (e.g., as outputs from the photonic lantern 300a in FIG. 3A), then up to six modes could propagate through the single MM output fiber 320b.


According to one embodiment, a semiconductor includes a memory cell, a bit line, a word line, a sense amplifier, and a control circuit. The memory cell stores n levels (where n is a natural number of two or greater). The control circuit controls potentials of the word line and the bit line. In a read of k−1 levels (k≦n) stored in the memory cell, the control circuit, upon applying a given voltage to the word line, determines read data based on first data corresponding to the voltage of the bit line read at a first timing by the sense amplifier and second data corresponding to the voltage of the bit line read, by the sense amplifier, at a second timing different from the first timing.

NAND flash memories tend to have their threshold voltage distributions broadened and their data retention properties degraded as memory elements are miniaturized. Thus, error checking and correction (ECC) such as a low-density parity check (LDPC) may be used which has a powerful correcting capability. However, ECC such as LDPC requires information referred to as soft values and which is different from values read at a normal read level. Thus, a read operation (soft bit read) is performed at a level different from the normal read level, and the results are used as soft values used for ECC such as LDPC. However, this disadvantageously extends read time.


A molded case circuit breaker is provided with ground fault protection by a modular unit which drops into a pole compartment in the molded casing in place of a pole assembly. The modular unit includes a housing forming an open faced cavity across which is mounted a printed circuit board with the ground fault circuit components and trip solenoid projecting into the cavity. The housing also supports the ground fault sensing toroid in a position for the appropriate conductors to pass through the coil. A bell switch and auxiliary switch are positioned by the housing for actuation by levers mounted on the cradle pin and crossbar, respectively. An integral leaf spring molded into the housing accommodates for manufacturing tolerances and fixes the positions of the various components.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to molded case circuit breakers, and more particularly, to a molded case circuit breaker provided with ground fault protection and signaling switches incorporated into a modular unit insertable into the circuit breaker molded case.
2. Background Information
Molded case circuit breakers for light to medium industrial and commercial applications have a case molded from an electrically insulative resin. Such circuit breakers can be single pole or multi-pole. In the latter case, the multiple poles are housed in side-by-side compartments formed in the molded case. Each pole has a trip device which actuates a common trip bar in response to over current conditions. The common trip bar unlatches a latchable spring powered operating mechanism which through a common crossbar opens the contacts in each pole to interrupt all phases of load current.
It is common to provide ground fault protection in the smaller residential circuit breakers also known as miniature circuit breakers. A common ground fault circuit used in such applications includes a toroidal coil for differential current sensing. Both the line and neutral leads are passed through the sensing coil. Normally the currents in the leads are equal and opposite, but a ground fault causes an imbalance which generates a signal in the winding of the toroidal coil. This signal is processed, typically by circuitry implemented on a printed circuit board, and energizes a solenoid which actuates the trip mechanism. The purpose of the ground fault detector in residential circuit breakers is to protect persons from electrical shocks and the accepted level for tripping is 5 ma of ground fault current.
In industrial applications, ground fault detection is provided to protect the equipment serviced by the circuit breakers. The threshold for protection in these applications is typically 30 ma. Such equipment protection has not been provided in molded case circuit breakers in this country, although it is in use in similar circuit breakers in Europe. There is an interest now in providing similar capability in domestic molded case circuit breakers.
It is common to provide remote signalling switches in molded case circuit breakers. Typically, the switches are of two types: auxiliary switches which provide an indication of the state of the contacts, open or closed, and bell alarms which provide a signal indicating that the circuit breaker has tripped. Such switches are commonly separately mounted inside the circuit breaker molded case.
There is a need therefore for a molded case circuit breaker having ground fault protection and in particular ground fault protection for equipment.
There is a related need for ground fault protection which can be added to a molded case circuit breaker with minimum modification of the existing breaker design.
There is also a need for such ground fault protection which can be selectively provided without undue additional manufacturing costs or time.
There is a further need for such ground fault protection which can be implemented easily together with remote signalling switches such as auxiliary switches and bell alarms.
There is an additional need for an arrangement which is flexible enough to allow for varied customer requirements for ground fault protection and remote signaling.

Molded case circuit breaker with ground fault protection and signaling switches


A heat apparatus for an electromagnetic induction heating system comprises a heat roller that comprises magnetic and conductive material. The heating apparatus also comprises a magnetic excitation coil that is positioned around a portion of the periphery of the heat roller. The magnetic excitation coil is configured to generate a magnetic field that extends to the heat roller, to generate an eddy current within the heat roller, and to generate Joule heat within the heat roller. The magnetic excitation coil is configured to generate a smaller magnetic field at the center area of the heat roller than at the side areas of the heat roller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heating apparatus for an electromagnetic induction heating system. In particular, the present invention relates to a fusing apparatus using the heating apparatus and to an image forming apparatuses such as a copying machine, a facsimile or a printer that uses an electrostatic recording system.
2. Description of Related Art
Normally, fixing devices that use an electromagnetic induction heating system as a heating source changed to, for example, a halogen lamp, have come to be widely used in order to save energy and increase speed of fixing devices used for image forming apparatuses such as printers and copying machines. In related fixing devices that use an electromagnetic induction heating system, a magnetic field generated by a magnetic field generator acts on a heat generator with this eddy current causing this heat generator to generate Joule heat. As an example, this heating apparatus can be used as a fixing device of an image forming apparatus that heats images not yet fixed which are formed on a recording medium (such as transfer or an OHP sheet) by applying an image forming technique.
In order to shorten the heating time, fixing devices, which used the heating apparatus applying the electromagnetic induction heating system, utilized a thin conductive film layer with a small heat capacity. This film would generate an eddy current in the magnetic field of the magnetic excitation coil and thereby generate heat. However, when comparing the center and the end of the film in the lengthwise direction of the fixing belt, heat is lost to the bearing that supports the film at the end and in addition because the heat radiating surface area of the opening is large, the amount of heat radiating along the end becomes larger. Because of this, the temperature at the end of the fixing belt reduced compared to the temperature at the center of the fixing belt thereby making it impossible to supply enough heat energy to the recording material and the toner on the recording material at the end leading to a problem of offset that resulted in incomplete toner fixing at the end. Conventionally, in order to improve the phenomenon of temperature reductions at the end of these fixing belts, a composition was used in which the distance between the magnetic excitation coil and the heat generator was varied (for example Related Art 1). [Related Art 1] Japanese Patent Publication H9-26719
The length of the magnetic path in the composition that varies the distance between the magnetic excitation coil and the heat generator disclosed in Related Art 1 above becomes longer, increasing the magnetic resistance and thereby increasing the electric power supplied to the heat generator. Because the upper limit of the electric power that can be supplied from a power outlet to household appliances and office equipment (to an image forming apparatus in this invention) is restricted by laws and regulations, there are also restrictions on the amount of electric power that can be supplied to a magnetic excitation coil used for electromagnetic induction heating. Consequently, there are problems of the portion of the amount of electric power that effectively increased the magnetic resistance becoming a loss thereby making it impossible to supply enough electric power to a heat generator resulting in the time the temperature of the heat generator rises becoming slower.

Heating apparatus fusing apparatus and image forming apparatus

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A frequency band allocation device is disclosed. The frequency band allocation device comprises a frequency band selection unit for selecting usable frequency bands from a dedicated frequency band, a registered frequency band and an unlicensed frequency band; and a frequency band allocation unit for allocating a frequency band out of the selected usable frequency bands to a user, so as to satisfy user required QoS and maximize system frequency utilization factor.

The present invention generally relates to a frequency band allocation device and a frequency band allocation method employed in mobile communications systems in which plural frequency bands are utilized for plural communications systems.
Nowadays, the technology area for radio communication systems is developing from conventional telecommunications to a variety of schemes such as Bluetooth and radio LAN. For example, a short distance connection such as a several centimeter distance connection was done by a cable in the past, but recently radio connection technology for such short distances has been under development.
In general, radio communications systems at present, in the same area and same time, employ a single worldwide standard system, such as GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) or IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunication 2000). However, in the futures required communication systems will be diversified depending on their purposes per area and operators. In this situation, plural different systems each of which has a different purpose should be co-mingled in the same time and the same area. For that purpose, mobile stations and base stations should be compatible with these different systems.
Conventionally, a single radio device can be connected to a dedicated single network. Currently, by having several different kinds of software, a single hardware radio device can be adaptively connected to different networks. Reconfigurable radio devices are also being developed.
On the other hand, application oriented communications are required. It is tedious for users to select a radio communication route per application, and therefore a radio device is required to automatically select the optimum radio communication route for each application.
A radio communication device executing different characteristic applications is known, which can select one of plural radio communications systems for each application, based on the application's characteristics, and can determine a frequency band to be used in the selected radio communications system. Such a device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 2004-179693.
However, most part of spectrum has already been allocated to various radio communication systems, and therefore it is difficult to obtain new spectrum for new radio communications systems.
When new and existing systems have to co-exist during a transition period in the same operator's service, it is required to establish a co-exist control system and method for smoothly transferring from the old system to the new system. In a case where different generation systems co-exist, for example, while a mobile communications system is transferred from the second generation system to the third generation system in the same frequency bands, one frequency band is shared by plural systems. In this case, it is required to establish a control system and method for allowing plural systems to co-exist. It is also required to establish a control system and method for allowing different operators such as public telecommunication operators, broadcasting operators, etc., to co-exist.
In the future, radio governmental policy regarding frequency band allocation may be changed from the license system in which operators exclusively utilize their licensed frequency bands to the registration system in which any registered operators satisfying certain standards can share and utilize certain frequency bands.
Frequency bands allocated by the registration system may be utilized by other operators, and therefore it is required to establish an efficient signal transmission system which can avoid interference from and to other systems.
It is also difficult to obtain a continuous broad bandwidth.
When a high speed transmission is required, a broad bandwidth is needed, but broad bandwidth is no longer available in spectrum which is suitable for radio communication.
Since only fragmented frequency bands are available, it is required to establish a multi-band signal transmission technology and an optimum traffic allocation method in order to utilize the fragmented frequency bands. For example, a method for separately allocating frequency bands per each use and a method for controlling resources are required to be established.
There is only one frequency band that can be utilized by one communications system. Within the same frequency band, control channels and data channels co-exist. Therefore, in order to transmit more important control information without error, it is necessary to increase a transmission power level and perform a low rate channel coding. Accordingly, frequency utilization factor degrading cannot be avoided.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Frequency band allocation device and method


A nuclear gauge for making measurements of traveling webs in continuous sheet-making processes includes an enclosure, an encapsulated nuclear source, and a wheel-like member mounted in the enclosure means for carrying the encapsulated nuclear source between two angularly-displaced positions. The first of the angularly-displaced positions is the position where the encapsulated nuclear source makes measurements of a web that travels past the gauge and the second position is the location where the encapsulated nuclear source faces a sidewall of the enclosure means at a location remote from the first position. The nuclear gauge also has an aperture which is formed through the enclosure for providing a window through which the encapsuled nuclear source, when located in the first position, can emit radiation onto a web that travels past the window.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to nuclear gauges for making measurements of traveling webs in continuous sheet-making systems.
2. State of the art
In continuous sheet-making systems, on-line measurements are highly desirable. The on-line measurements can provide, for instance, early indications of upsets in process conditions, thus allowing process controls to be effected before substantial quantities of substandard material are produced. In practice, however, accurate on-line measurements are difficult to make. The measurement difficulties arise, in part, because modern sheet-making machines are large and operate at high speeds. Some paper-making machines, for example, produce paper webs that are 100 to 400 inches wide at rates of up to 100 feet per second.
For making on-line measurements of properties of traveling webs in continuous sheet-making systems, it is common to employ sensors that periodically traverse, or scan, the webs. One type of scanning sensor is the nuclear gauge. In operation, nuclear gauges direct nuclear radiation (beta rays) against a surface of a traveling web while detecting the absorbed (or transmitted) radiation. (The quantity of nuclear radiation absorbed over a given area is a measure of the basis weight of the absorbing material.) Nuclear scanning gauges typically use radioactive krypton gas as the beta-ray source.
When using nuclear gauges, safety is a major concern. For safety reasons, it is important that nuclear sources are appropriately shielded, especially when not in use, to prevent accidental exposure of personnel who might be working near the gauge. In conventional practice, shielding of a nuclear gauge is accomplished by mounting the nuclear source material to a protective housing that has a shuttered window. When the nuclear gauge is in use, the shuttered window is opened to allow radiation to be emitted onto a traveling web. When the gauge is not in use, the shuttered window is closed, thus blocking radiation and reducing the opportunities for accidental exposure.
Although shielding of nuclear gauges is necessary, the design of the shielding must not impair the accuracy of measurements that are made by the gauge.