A flexible pressure vessel is constructed from at least one pair of upper and mating lower dome shaped cell portions. The dome portions are molded from sheets of resilient material and joined together by radio frequency welding or high-strength adhesives. Upper and lower passageway portions extend outwardly from each cell portion to the surrounding sheet material. When the cell portions are joined the passageway portions are joined to form a passageway for connection to a valve or another cell. Upper and lower rings surround the upper and lower cell portions to provide reinforcement for the cells. First and second blankets of heavy-duty fiber reinforced material are attached over the upper and lower cell portions and stitched in place with heavy-duty stitching extending through the resilient material surrounding the cell portions. Cell shaped sponges impregnated with absorbent materials are encased in liquid and gas impermeable plastic tubing and inserted into the cells prior to joining of the cell portions. Heat-reflecting plastic film or metal foil is inserted between blankets and the cell portions. The heavy duty stitching is high-pressure loop and lock braiding. The passageway has a cross-section of between 0.050 and 0.100 inches. An apparatus and method are described for constructing the flexible pressure vessel.

Typically, pressure vessels capable of containing liquids or gases at significant pressures have involved fixed shape cylinders or spheres formed of high-strength metals such as steel or aluminum. Such pressure vessels, while successful for their designed applications, involve a number of problems. First, such metallic cylinders are relatively heavy compared to the gases or fluids that they contain. Second, pressure cylinders contain all of the gas or liquid in a single space. Should the vessel rupture, the entire vessel is destroyed, often with a violent explosion sending shards of metal in all directions. Third, metallic cylinders have a definite shape and cannot be adapted to fit readily in many space-constrained applications. The present invention involves a number of small cells linked to each other by small conduits. The cells are collected in a flexible manifold that allows the collection of cells to be arranged in a variety of different configurations. A pressure vessel of this type can be lightweight, adaptable to a variety of spaces and unusual applications, and is inherently safer in rupture situations.
The present invention is easily adapted to a number of valuable applications through the use of modern, high-strength materials and manufacturing techniques. The pressure handling capability of the vessel can be enhanced through the use of braiding, hoop-winding and overlayment with flexible, high-strength fabric and braiding materials. The pressure vessel may then be further strengthened through the use of plastic resin coatings or the addition of external reinforcement rings. The purity of liquids or gases contained in the vessel may be controlled through the use of special lining tubes placed within the vessel cells during construction. The vessel cells may be prevented from collapsing as gasses or liquids are removed by the introduction of special sponges to the cells during fabrication. For certain special applications, the pressure vessel cells may be fitted with removable, resealable ports, permitting the introduction of relatively large matter into the cells.
Various designs have been developed using linked cell technologies. U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,860 issued to Sanders, the present inventor, is directed to a container system for pressurized fluids. The system includes a plurality of ellipsoidal chambers connected by a tubular core. The apertures into each of the chambers are of comparatively small size so that the rate of evacuation may be controlled if a single chamber is ruptured. Thus, the vessels are resistant to explosive rupturing. The container system comprises a plurality of chambers and a tubular core. The size of the apertures in the core are pre-selected so as to control the rate of evacuation of pressurized fluid from chambers. Each of the chambers is generally ellipsoidal and molded of a synthetic material with open front and rear ends. The tubular core is sonically welded to the chamber shells and the exterior of the shells are wrapped with pressure resistant reinforcing filaments. A protective plastic coating is applied to the exterior of the filament wrapped shells.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,222,762 issued to Bebor et al, discloses hollow metal bodies and means for producing them. The hollow bodies described in this invention are particularly adapted for use as pressure vessels and may be produced from tubular bodies by expanding the walls. The zones may comprise spaced spheroids joined together by parts of the initial tube. The hollow bodies described are made by placing a cylindrical tube into a suitable mold and then heating until the metal possesses the plasticity for expanding. By exerting an axially directed compressive force against the ends of the tube and simultaneously applying a high fluid pressure within the tube, the tube ball is axially compressed or upset while portions of the wall are expanded against the walls of the mold surrounding the tube. By suitably adjusting the axial thrust and expanding pressures, the hollow body is formed to possess the same wall thickness and resistivity to pressure yet to have the form of a plurality of spaced spheroids adjoined together by parts of the initial tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,056, issued to Stannard, is directed to a fabricated pressure vessel that is used for the containment of pressurized fluids. The multi-lobed tank comprises a series of cylindrical lobes connected side by side and separated by a septa. Openings or ports in the septa enable fluid communication between the lobes.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,823,668 issued to Van Court et al. describes an inflatable splint. The wrapper of the splint comprises a double layer of material defining a series of flexible fluid chambers divided into elongated enclosures by cementing or heat sealing. It should be noted that the chamber walls are left open at their upper and lower ends whereby all of the elongated fluid chambers are in fluid communication with one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,512 issued to Falk et al., discloses a vessel that is used for a pressure vessel and made of plastic. The vessel includes a centered tubular part interconnected to a plurality of interconnected fluid compartments distributed peripherally in an annular fashion and thus enclosing the central compartment. The vessels described in this invention may be used to hold liquefied petroleum gas, compressed air, as well as various fire-fighting materials.
While other variations exist, the above-described designs involving linked cell technologies are typical of those encountered in the prior art. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a flexible pressure vessel that is capable of maintaining gasses or liquids at relatively high pressures. It is a further objective to provide this capability in a vessel that is light in weight and that presents a significantly reduced risk of injury in rupture situations. It is a still further objective of the invention to provide a pressure vessel that may be easily adapted to a variety of space constraints. It is yet a further objective to provide a pressure vessel that is durable, easily serviced, and that may be produced inexpensively. It is still a further objective of the invention to provide means for easily increasing the pressure handling capability of the vessel through the addition of external overwrapping, banding or overlayment with high-strength materials. It is another objective to provide means for controlling the purity of liquids or gasses introduced into the vessel. Finally, it is an objective of the invention to provide means for introducing solid material into the pressure cells of the vessel through resealable ports in the vessel pressure cells.
While some of the objectives of the present invention are disclosed in the prior art, none of the inventions found include all of the requirements identified.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Ovoid flexible pressure vessel, apparatus and method for making same


A tuner includes an analog block, a digital block, and an analog/digital conversion stage connected therebetween. The analog block includes a first attenuator/controlled-gain amplifier stage connected upstream to a frequency transposition stage. The overall mean power of the entire signal received by the tuner is calculated during a phase of initialization. This overall calculated power is compared in the digital block with a first predetermined reference value corresponding to a maximum power desired at a predetermined location of the analog block. The gain of the first attenuator/amplifier stage is adjusted to minimize the deviation between the overall calculated power and the reference value. In a phase of normal operation, one of the channels of the signal received is selected, with the gain of the first attenuator/amplifier stage being fixed.

The television signals originating from a satellite are amplified and converted into a predetermined frequency band, typically 950 MHZ to 2,150 MHZ, by way of a parabolic dish and a low-noise converter located at the focus of the parabolic dish. This signal is then dispatched to the input of the tuner of the receiver. The purpose of the tuner is to select the desired channel and to output a baseband signal on the in-phase path (I path) and on the quadrature path (Q path). This signal is then converted into a digital signal and demodulated.
The channel decoding processing also comprises a block which distinguishes the zeros from the ones, typically by means of majority logic, then performs the entire error correction. Error correction may typically be Viterbi decoding, deinterlacing, Reed-Solomon decoding and deshuffling. The channel decoding device outputs packets which are decoded in a conventional manner in a source decoding device in accordance with the MPEG standards to redeliver at the output, the initial audio and video signals transmitted via the satellite.
At the input of the receiver, the signal received is composed of the collection of channels which are transmitted from the satellite and are transposed into the 950 MHZ to 2,150 MHZ frequency band. The overall power received is substantially equal to the mean power on a channel increased by ten times the Napierian logarithm of the number of channels. This signal possesses a considerable variation on the order of 50 dBm.
At present, in receivers as a whole, the signal received at the input is normally filtered by a wide band type filter, whose passband is on the order of several hundred MHZ, which is placed just after the low-noise input amplifier. This is done to avoid the saturation of the subsequent stages of the tuner, especially the controlled-gain amplification stages as well as the mixers of the frequency transposition stage.
Furthermore, current approaches provide for the low-noise input amplifier and the wide band filters to be made external from the chip containing the controlled-gain amplifying stage as well as the frequency transposition stage. These filters, whose cut-off frequencies can be tailored by selecting the desired channel, are then embodied as discrete components, such as varicap diodes. Such components, are of an overly large size which is incompatible with a fully integrated embodiment of the tuner.

Tuner of the type having zero intermediate frequency and corresponding control process


A removable, uni-body, low voltage device adapter clip for an electrical device housing having an opening that is sized to accommodate a standard N-gang outlet box, makes it possible to mount a low voltage device in the sized-opening. The clip includes a longitudinal body portion having opposite ends defining an N-gang length there between. The clip has a finger structure that is configured to engage a front and a rear surface of an edge of the sized opening. It further has N device mounting bores disposed between the opposite ends, each of which is aligned with a longitudinal centerline of each one of the N-gang-sized openings. An electrical device housing assembly includes an electrical device housing having a plurality of recessed walls, wherein at least one of the walls has an opening that is sized to accommodate a standard N-gang outlet box, and a pair of removable, uni-body, low voltage device adapter clips. The assembly may include a low voltage device. The assembly may further include integrated mounting flanges and flange covers.

As used herein, the term "low voltage device" is meant to include, but is not limited to, coaxial sockets, telephone sockets, data sockets, RCA ports, HDMI ports, S-Video ports, low voltage ports, DC voltage ports, etc., as a person skilled in the art would understand to be low voltage devices.
As used herein, the term "wiring device" is meant to include, typically single-gang, 120 V or 240 V receptacles, fixture ON/OFF switches, ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), surge protective devices (SPDs), transient voltage suppressors (TVSSs), arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs), proximity sensors, dimmers, decorator style devices, duplex devices, combinations thereof, etc. Wiring devices are typically used in institutional and residential wiring distribution systems for providing power to a load. They are required by the electrical code to be mounted in outlet boxes having predefined outlet box opening sizes. The family of sizes are referred to as "gangs", the smallest opening being a single gang opening.
As used herein, the term "TV wall box" or "recessed TV wall box", expressed as a unit or an assembly, refers to an electrical device housing structure that mounts in a wall and, which, provides a recessed space and dedicated openings for either wiring devices or low voltage devices, while providing a flush mounting on the wall. Accordingly, a flat screen TV, for example, could be hung on the wall without any structural interference with the TV wall box. It is to be further noted that TV wall boxes as well as the wall box assembly according to embodiments of the instant invention are not to be construed as limited to use with televisions, monitors, or the like; rather, there are various utilities adapted to a flush mounted wall box assembly as a person skilled in the art would appreciate. One non-limiting example would be behind a cabinet.
Known TV wall boxes are provided with dedicated openings for either wiring devices or low voltage devices. The openings are all essentially rectangular. The top and bottom wall surfaces surrounding the opening typically include a set of integrally molded bosses having bored holes, which are provided for mounting a low voltage device. The bosses intrude into the rectangular opening and although they accommodate the attachment of the low voltage device, this intrusion prevents the insertion of an outlet box. Conversely, the opening for a wiring device box typically has smooth perimeter edges that merely surround an outlet box otherwise affixed to a wall stud or attached to the wall. As a result, a wiring device cannot be installed at the "low voltage device locations" even if the low voltage device opening size would accommodate a wiring device. Since there are no bosses and no bored holes, a low voltage device cannot practically be installed at the "wiring device locations," unless, perhaps an adapter is provided to attach a low voltage device, as discussed further below.
Furthermore, since low voltage device mounting bosses/holes are integral to the TV wall box, these structures are necessarily formed during the TV wall box molding process. They have to be substantially parallel to the draw of the mold, i.e., normal to the mounting plane (established by mounting flanges) of the box. If the holes were not substantially parallel to the draw, very complex and expensive slides in the mold would be required. This restriction on hole orientation thus limits the quantity and the orientation of low voltage openings. These known boxes have to have at least one opening that is substantially parallel to the mounting flange of the TV wall box, otherwise low voltage device mounting holes cannot be molded into the box. Conversely, low voltage openings cannot be angled with respect to the mounting flange since mounting holes cannot be provided at such locations. If more than one low voltage opening is required, it must be placed in the plane parallel to the mounting flange. This considerably increases the width of the TV box.
Installers may face any number of consumer-desired wiring device and low voltage device combinations. The options currently available to the installer, however, are limited because of the dedicated nature of the openings as discussed above. One solution has been to commercialize a family of recessed TV wall box configurations. Whereas the family of boxes may address all foreseeable combinations, it is done so at considerable expense. Another solution has been to provide an over-sized TV wall box having more openings, but this adds difficulty to the installation. A further solution has been to let the installer "just take care of it", whereupon the installer may, e.g., install a pair of TV wall boxes that in combination provide the necessary openings. This solution is neither time- nor cost-efficient.
For certain commercially available TV wall boxes, the necessary installation hole in the sheetrock wall is sized by flipping the box around and hitting the box with a hammer, for example. The box thus makes indentations into the sheetrock. Unfortunately these marks are not always readily visible.
Known TV wall boxes opt for recessed side walls that enter the wall space at a steep angle. Since the openings in these walls are likewise at the steep angle, the boxes are necessarily very large in size to allow access to the outlet box and wiring device mounting screws. A smaller wall box would cause a screwdriver to misalign with respect to the mounting screw heads.
Other known TV wall boxes have a shallow-recessed, low voltage device opening, making these boxes unduly wide. They come as an assembly in which one housing nests inside the other. Unfortunately the wires may be routed between the two housings and become damaged as a result.
As mentioned above, an adapter may be provided to accommodate a low voltage device in an electrical device sized opening in a housing. FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary adapter 100-1. The adapter has a rectangular shape that is sized to slide fit into an electrical device opening in a housing. The horizontal top and bottom sections of the adapter 100-1 have flanged surfaces that rest against outer wall surfaces surrounding the wall box opening in the housing and prevent the adapter from passing through the opening. The adapter 100-1 also includes a separate pair of screw-type mounting brackets 102 assembled in the flange sections as shown. The face of each bracket is drawn against the inner wall surface surrounding the electrical device opening upon tightening of the associated screw. A low voltage device can now be assembled to the adapter via the threaded bores 103 that are molded into the top and bottom sections of the adapter. The adapter has a number of disadvantages. These include its multi-component structure, its cost of manufacture, and the ability to remove it from the housing assembly while the low voltage device is assembled to the adapter. Another disadvantage is that a tool is required for fastening the adapter to the TV wall box, making the installation process more time-consuming.
In view of the foregoing and other reasons that will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the inventors have recognized a need for a convertible wiring device/low voltage device housing assembly and a low voltage device adapter that provide solutions and/or improvements over the currently available products and technology.

Recessed electrical device housing assembly and clip


A data processing device, includes a central processing unit configured to operate in accordance with a program; a register capable of setting a first mode and a second mode; a non-volatile memory; a sequencer configured to control the non-volatile memory; and a first clock circuit for supplying a first clock to the central processing unit and the non-volatile memory, wherein the first mode is a mode in which the central processing unit is operated within a first range of an external supply voltage, wherein the second mode is a mode in which the central processing unit is operated within a second range of the external supply voltage, the second range includes the first range and a relatively low voltage lower than the lower limit voltage of the first range.

In addition to voice communication, data communication via connection to a network such as the Internet has become a main function of a mobile phone.
When performing voice communication, a central processing unit (CPU) provided in a mobile phone converts voice into digital information and transmits the digital information to a base station. Further, central processing unit CPU receives digital information from the base station and executes codec processing for converting the received digital information into voice.
On the other hand, when performing data communication, the CPU executes codec processing for expanding digital information, including compressed information of a still image, a moving image and the like, received from the base station and an access point of WI-FI (registered trademark), and storing the expanded digital information in a non-volatile memory or providing a view of a moving image and the like.
Such mobile equipment as represented by a mobile phone is driven by a battery. Therefore, it is required to have a longer battery run time.
Therefore, during a standby period, a data processing device of a baseband processing unit which performs wireless communication operates intermittently to communicate with a base station and the like. Further, a data processing device of an application processing unit lowers the frequency of a clock supplied to an internal functional block and stops the supply, and lowers the supply of the voltage and stops the supply (refer to PTL 1 and PTL 2).
Further, a flash memory is generally used as a non-volatile memory adopted in such a data processing device. As a measure to lower electric power consumption in this flash memory, electric power consumption at the time of performing writing operation is reduced (refer to PTL 3).

Data processing device and data processing system with wide voltage range operation mode


The present invention relates to a Lactuca sativa seed designated 45-158 RZ, which may exhibit a combination of traits including resistance to downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) races B1:1 to B1:31 and CA-I to CA-VIII, currant lettuce aphid (Nasonovia ribisnigri) biotype Nr:0, root aphids (Pemphigus bursarius), as well as having a medium head size, large outer leaves, and moderately glossy leaves. The present invention also relates to a Lactuca sativa plant produced by growing the 45-158 RZ seed. The invention further relates to methods for producing the lettuce cultivar, represented by lettuce variety 45-158 RZ.

All cultivated forms of lettuce belong to the highly polymorphic species, Lactuca sativa, which is grown for its edible head and leaves. As a crop, lettuces are grown commercially wherever environmental conditions permit the production of an economically viable yield.
Lactuca sativa is in the Cichoreae tribe of the Asteraceae (Compositae) family. Lettuce is related to chicory, sunflower, aster, scorzonera, dandelion, artichoke and chrysanthemum. Sativa is one of about 300 species in the genus Lactuca.
Lettuce cultivars are susceptible to a number of pests and diseases such as downy mildew (Bremia lactucae). Every year this disease leads to millions of dollars of lost lettuce crop throughout the world. Downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) is highly destructive on lettuce grown at relatively low temperature and high humidity. Downy mildew is caused by a fungus, Bremia lactucae, which can be one of the following strains: NL1, NL2, NL4, NL5, NL6, NL7, NL10, NL12, NL13, NL14, NL15, NL16, B1:17, B1:18, B1:20, B1:21, B1:22, B1:23, B1:24, B1:25, B1:26, B1:27, B1:28, B1:29, B1:30, B1:31 (Van Ettekoven, K. et al., "Identification and denomination of 'new' races of Bremia lactucae," In: Lebeda, A. and Kristkova, E (eds.), Eucarpia Leafy Vegetables, 1999, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic, pp. 171-175; Van der Arend et al. "Identification and denomination of "new" races of Bremia lactucae in Europe by IBEB until 2002." In: Van Hintum, Th et al. (eds.), Eucarpia Leafy Vegetables Conference 2003, Centre for Genetic Resources, Wageningen, The Netherlands, p. 151; Plantum NL (Dutch association for breeding, tissue culture, production and trade of seeds and young plants), Van der Arend et al. "Identification and denomination of "new" races of Bremia lactucae in Europe by IBEB until 2002." In: Van Hintum, Th et al. (eds.), Eucarpia Leafy Vegetables Conference 2003, Centre for Genetic Resources, Wageningen, The Netherlands, p. 151; Plantum NL (Dutch association for breeding, tissue culture, production and trade of seeds and young plants); IBEB press release "New race of Bremia lactucae B1:27 identified and nominated", May 2010; Plantum NL (Dutch association for breeding, tissue culture, production and trade of seeds and young plants), "New race of Bremia lactucae B1:28 identified and nominated", March 2011; Plantum NL (Dutch association for breeding, tissue culture, production and trade of seeds and young plants), IBEB press release, "New races of Bremia lactucae, B1:29, B1:30 and B1:31 identified and nominated", August 2013), Ca-I, Ca-IIA, Ca-IIB, Ca-III, Ca-IV (Schettini, T. M., Legg, E. J., Michelmore, R. W., 1991. Insensitivity to metalaxyl in California populations of Bremia lactucae and resistance of California lettuce cultivars to downy mildew. Phytopathology 81(1). p. 64-70), and Ca-V, Ca-VI, Ca-VII, Ca-VIII (Michelmore R. & Ochoa. O. "Breeding Crisphead Lettuce." In: California Lettuce Research Board, Annual Report 2005-2006, 2006, Salinas, Calif., pp. 55-68).
Downy mildew causes pale, angular, yellow areas bounded by veins on the upper leaf surfaces. Sporulation occurs on the opposite surface of the leaves. The lesions eventually turn brown, and they may enlarge and coalesce. These symptoms typically occur first on the lower leaves of the lettuce, but under ideal conditions may move into the upper leaves of the head. When the fungus progresses to this degree, the head cannot be harvested. Less severe damage requires the removal of more leaves than usual, especially when the lettuce reaches its final destination.
Of the various species of aphids that feed on lettuce, the currant-lettuce aphid (Nasonovia ribisnigri) is the most destructive species because it feeds both on the leaves of the lettuce as well as the heart of the lettuce, making it difficult to control with conventional insecticides. The lettuce aphid feeds by sucking sap from the lettuce leaves. Although direct damage to the lettuce may be limited, its infestation has serious consequences because the presence of aphids makes lettuce unacceptable to consumers.
Lettuce root aphids (Pemphigus bursarius) form clustered colonies on lettuce roots, covering them with a white powdery wax. Feeding on the roots cause the plants to wilt during the day. Individually affected rootlets turn brown and die. The developing heads remain soft, may fail to develop, and yields thus become reduced. Prolonged periods of infestation can cause the collapse and death of the plant.
The head size of iceberg lettuce is a measure of yield. This is especially true in the production of iceberg lettuce heads to be used in processing, where yield is a very important trait. An iceberg lettuce variety used in processing should have at least a medium head size.
The outer leaves, although not harvested, are considered important by iceberg lettuce growers because of their photosynthesis potential, and their ability to protect the final product, the iceberg head, from environmental damage such as extreme sunshine exposure, frost, or hail, and other potentially damaging external factors. The protective and production potential of large outer leaves are thus preferred over small outer leaves.
Vegetables are generally considered healthy foods. Both consumers as well as producers benefit from an increase of vegetable consumption. Higher vegetable consumption can be promoted by education, marketing, and improvement of certain product traits, such as taste, aroma, and visual attractiveness. Visual attractiveness of iceberg lettuce heads is promoted by the absence of leaf damage and related discolorations, and a fresh, shiny green color. Amongst iceberg varieties there exists genetic variability in the glossiness of the head leaves. With respect to visual attractiveness of iceberg lettuce heads, moderately glossy green head leaves are desirable over dull green head leaves.
Citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention.


A method for data communication includes providing an order for assigning bits of an input data stream to tones in a multi-tone modulation scheme, and allocating respective bit-loading values to the tones, such that some of the tones are allocated a first bit-loading value and other tones are allocated at least one second bit-loading value. The order is modified so as to form pairs of the tones that are allocated the first bit-loading value, with one or more of the other tones intervening between at least some of the pairs. The input data stream is modulated by assigning the bits to the tones in accordance with the modified order and the respective bit-loading values, and encoding the bits that are assigned to each of the pairs of the tones as a constellation point.

Discrete multi-tone (DMT) modulation is used in many types of data communication systems, among them multi-carrier Very-high-speed Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL) modems, as well as Asymmetric DSL (ADSL). In these systems, N tones (also known as subcarriers) are modulated by QAM two-dimensional input frequency-domain symbols. A 2N-point Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) then produces a corresponding time-domain symbol, expressed as a real baseband time-domain output signal of 2N real samples in each symbol period. At the receiving side, 2N samples are extracted from the time-domain signal during each symbol period. A FFT is used to demodulate the signal and recover the original QAM symbols on the N tones.
The number of bits to be encoded by each tone, known as the bit loading (or bit allocation), is determined by the receiver according to the line conditions, which are measured as a function of frequency during a training period. The bit-loading value for each tone may take any value from zero up to a preset maximum. The receiver passes a table of these values, known as the bit-loading table (or bit allocation table), to the transmitter, which thus determines how many bits of the input data stream to allocate to each successive tone in the tone order.
In some schemes, the transmitter simply encodes the tones in order of frequency. More advanced schemes, however, permit the receiver to determine the tone order arbitrarily. For example, the receiver may choose an interleaved tone order so that successive bits in the input data stream are carried by tones that are relatively far apart in frequency. Interleaved tone ordering may be combined with trellis coding for purposes of forward error correction, in order to prevent data loss due to narrowband interference. A scheme of this sort may be used, for example, in ADSL2 systems, as described in section 8.6 of ITU-T Recommendation G.992.3, entitled Series G: Transmission Systems and Media, Digital Systems and Networks; Digital Sections and Digital Line System—Access Networks; Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line Transceivers 2 (ADSL2) (International Telecommunication Union, 2002), which is incorporated herein by reference. According to this scheme, the receiver determines a tone-order table listing the tones in the order in which they are to be encoded, and passes this table to the transmitter along with the bit-loading table.
The trellis coding scheme that is mandated by the above-mentioned ADSL2 standard uses a 16-state, four-dimensional trellis code, which accepts two-dimensional constellation points as inputs. In other words, each input to the trellis encoder must be at least two bits. The ADSL2 standard therefore requires that the bit-loading table include an even number of one-bit tones (i.e., tones i whose bit loading B(i)=1), and that these one-bit tones be grouped together at the end of the tone order. For this purpose, the transmitter must reorder the tone table that it received from the receiver to generate a reordered tone table with all the one-bit tones at the end of the table. The one-bit tones are then paired to form two-dimensional constellation points as input to the trellis encoder. The bit-loading table is reordered in accordance with the reordered tone table.

Efficient tone ordering for multitone transmission


The disclosure has application for use in establishing a communication link between a first location and a second location, the first location having an electrical driver circuit that receives input data to be communicated, and the second location having an electrical receiver circuit for producing output data representative of the input data. The method includes the following steps: providing a tilted charge light emitting device at the first location and coupled with the driver circuit such that the light produced by the tilted charge light-emitting device is a function of the input data; providing an optical fiber between the first and second locations; coupling light from the tilted charge light emitting device into the optical fiber; and providing, at the second location, a photodetector coupled with the optical fiber and with the receiver circuit; whereby electrical signals representative of the input data are output from the receiver circuit.

Cable links commonly serve the functions of transmitting electrical power and transmitting electrical signals. When used to transmit signals, the cable links are called data interconnects. When the cable link media is made of an electrically conductive material, it is conventionally called a copper data interconnect, or copper link, whether the metal is strictly copper, or another conductor such as aluminum or an alloy. This convention will be used herein.
Copper cables used in copper links are intrinsically lossy media wherein the signal's higher frequency components are attenuated at higher rates (dB/m) than low frequency components. Attenuation can be reduced, but not eliminated, by using larger gauge wires. Therefore, as the speed of data rate increases to the presently used 3.4 Gbits/s per channel (HDMI), or even 4.8 Gbit/s (for USB 3.0), copper cable wires have become increasingly bulky and expensive, and the overall cable package is unattractive even for transmission distances of less than 5 meters. To compensate for losses in wires, copper transmitter chips have built in pre-emphasis circuitry that amplifies high frequency components of the digital signal before driving the signal over the copper line. On the copper receiver side, a cable equalizer is generally built-in to re-amplify high frequency components (or attenuate low frequency components) of the digital signal. A complete copper link may include the use of either or both pre-emphasis and equalizer.
An example is shown in FIG. 1, in which a transmitter chipset is represented by block 110, a receiver chipset is represented by block 120, and a copper cable 150 connects the transmitter and receiver locations. At the transmitter, input data is received by driver circuitry 112, which operates in conjunction with pre-emphasis circuitry 114 to generate the signal transmitted over cable 150. At the receiver, the received signal is coupled with equalizer 122 and limiting amplifier and driver 124, which produces the output data.
In addition to the limitations and disadvantages already mentioned, the copper link consumes relatively high power, can require expensive EMI shielding, and involves use of substantial amounts of non-recyclable materials.
An optical link can eliminate certain copper link disadvantages, but at a higher initial cost and higher power consumption. The use of fiber cable to directly replace a copper channel requires the addition of an E-O (electrical to optical) transducer and an O-E (optical to electrical) transducer, each of which has to be powered and managed using the existing power sources and control circuitry from the copper transmitter chipset and copper receiver chipset. The E-to-O function for gigabit data transmission via fiber has been traditionally achieved through the use of directly modulated laser diode devices or with external modulation techniques, such as electro absorption modulators or photonic switches. However, these techniques require additional feedback control integrated circuitry (ICs) and additional drivers (optical drivers) that consume substantial power and significantly add to cost. For receiver chipsets where the copper cable equalizer transfer functions are fixed, signal exiting from the OE transducer may need to be re-shaped (i.e attenuation of high frequency component signals) in order to match to the copper cable equalizers.
FIG. 2 shows an example of the FIG. 1 data link in which the copper cable has been replaced by a fiber cable 250 with the typical further required circuitry. The transmitter chipset and receiver chipset correspond to components in FIG. 1 of like reference numerals. In FIG. 2, an electrical-to-optical transducer is represented at 232 and an optical-to-electrical transducer is represented at 262. When the EO transducer comprises a laser diode, or a combination of laser diode and modulator, it requires additional control and driver circuitry, represented at 235. Additionally, because the built-in equalizer of the receiver chipset has a particular transfer function if optimized for losses in copper cable, additional signal re-shaping circuitry (including, for example, a limiting amplifier and/or transimpedance amplifier), represented at 265, may be required to match OE output characteristics to the built-in equalizer. As above-indicated, this additional circuitry is expensive and consumes relatively high power. Therefore, for short distances, (e.g. less than 30 meters), transfer of signal over copper media is generally still preferred due to its relatively lower implementation cost.
It is among the objects of a first aspect of the invention to provide a solution to the problems and limitations associated with converting a copper data link to a data link using an optical cable.
The bulk of high speed transmission based on copper data links or interconnects utilizes differential signaling methods. In differential signaling, two signals, identical in magnitude but exactly 180° out-of-phase, are used in order to maintain signal integrity. Since all data processing and data generation has its roots in integrated circuits, which are electrical devices and therefore generate electrical signals, copper based transmission utilizing differential signaling is the dominant method of data transfer for electrical systems. Existing differential signaling is illustrated in the simplified diagram of FIG. 3. At copper driver 330, the differential signal comprises data signal V+ and data signal V−, and these are coupled over copper transmission line or link 350 which, in this example, also carries ground reference potential.
When trying to establish or extend a high speed data interconnect over relatively long distance, an optical fiber based interconnect utilizing a diode emitter such as a laser, VCSEL, or light emitting diode, may be used to extend the transmission line of the copper interconnect. As indicated previously, the optical high speed data interconnect starts with a copper driver and eventually ends with a copper receiver, since all present data systems originate and terminate from and into electrical processes.
In FIG. 4, a schematic of an existing optical interconnect link extender is illustrated. Shown in the diagram are copper driver 430, equalizer 435, optical driver 440, diode emitter 445, fiber optical waveguide 450, diode detector 455 transimpedance amplifier 460, limiting amplifier 470, and copper receiver 480. The Figure demonstrates that since diode light emitters are single ended devices, only one of the data signals (V1+) is used while the other signal is terminated (wasted), via 50 ohm resistor 439 in this example. The signal V1+ from copper driver 430 is passed though equalizer 435, generating a conditioned output V2+ which is fed into optical driver 440. The optical driver converts the input voltage signal into an equivalent current signal (I1+). This step is necessary since present state of the art VCSELs, lasers and LEDs are operated as current driven devices. The current signal is fed into the diode emitter, generating photon signals. The emitted photon signals can then be coupled into optical waveguide 450 (i.e. fiber) or simply via free space. At the output end of the optical waveguide is diode detector 455 which converts photons into photocurrent (I2+). The photocurrent is coupled to transimpedance amplifier (TIA) 460 which converts the photocurrent into an amplified voltage signal and also converts the single ended signal into a differential signal (V3+ and V3−). The differential signal is fed into limiting amplifier 470 to further amplify the signal (V4+ and V4−). Finally, the amplified differential signal is coupled into a copper receiver, completing the data transmission.
It is among the objects of a further aspect of the invention to provide improvements to high speed electro-optical data interconnects of the type just described, including making them more efficient and less expensive.


A manual dispenser for severing a segment of paper from a note paper roll comprised of a narrow elongate sheet of paper helically wound upon itself, with one surface of the sheet having one or more strips of low-tack pressure adhesive extending longitudinally thereof. In one embodiment, the manual dispenser includes a tear bar that that is manually engagable with one side of the roll.

The "POST-IT" pads of the 3M Company provide individual pieces of paper, each of a predetermined size, having a band of low-tack pressure sensitive adhesive along one edge. The pads are held together by the adhesive and the user simply peels off the pieces of paper, as they are needed. The paper pieces can then be attached to a document by simply pressing them into place. They can also be readily removed, without damaging the document.
The 3M Company also has a product which utilizes plastic flags, with semi-transparent low-tack adhesive strips which may be used to removably secure the flags to a document. The flags are stuck to one another and provided in a dispenser which dispenses the flags one at a time. When in place on a document, the document can be read through the semi-transparent adhesive strips.
Both of the 3M products discussed above consist of a plurality of stacked individual tape segments. With either type, a separate pad or dispenser is required for each size of note or flag.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,916 to Olsen teaches a tape dispensing system employing a tape having segments of a predetermined size, with bands of transversely extending low-tack adhesive extending thereacross. In use, the segments are severed from the tape, and the adhesive bands enable the individual segments to be secured in place on a document. Like the 3M pads, this system dispenses a segment of a predetermined size.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,283 by Maurice S. Kanbar, the inventor herein, discloses a roll of note paper having a low-tack adhesive extending along its center-line on one side, and a dispenser for severing segments from the roll, of a length determined by the user. The dispenser employs a motor driven endless conveyor belt to which the adhesive on the roll is temporarily adhered, whereby movement of the belt functions to draw paper from the roll.


A surgical saw blade comprises a cutting edge, blade body and hub for connecting the blade body to a handpiece. The cutting edge comprises two rows of cutting teeth. Each tooth has a face and an opposing hollow trough at the base thereof, the distal end of the trough terminating at beveled sides. The beveled sides and face opposing the hollow trough terminate at a cutting point. The hollow trough and cutting point combine to provide a straight, fast and accurate cut with no cutting debris build up. The dispersion of cutting debris dramatically reduces the danger of thermal necrosis, produces a cooler cut and extends the saw blade life.

In the prior art, it is known to use surgical saw blades in conjunction with a blade oscillating tool to remove tissue, cartilage and/or bone.
In knee surgery, saw blades are used in conjunction with slotted jigs which may be fixed to a femur and act as a blade guide. Typically, prior art saw blades include a plurality of teeth which are cant or set in an angled configuration. This type of surgical blade is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B and is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The surgical blade 10 is seen to include a cutting edge 1 and a blade body 2. The cutting edge comprises a series of alternating teeth 3 and 5, respectively. As can be seen from the side view, the teeth 3 are angled with respect to the blade surface 4 with the teeth 5 having a reversed cant or set as compared to the teeth 3.
These types of saw blades are disadvantageous in that the cutting edge 1 of the blade is 30 to 40% thicker than the blade body itself. This thicker cutting edge requires a wider slot in a surgical jig to permit insertion of the blade therethrough for contact with the tissue or bone to be cut. As a result of the wider slot, play exists between the slot faces and the blade body which can result in unwanted variances in cutting of tissue and/or bone.
The thicker cutting edge also contributes to increased bone loss which interferes with delicate cutting operations. These types of prior art blades also have a tendency to build up heat which causes thermal necrosis. The heat build up also contributes to wear and tear on the handpiece oscillating the blade as well as premature dulling of the blade edges.
In response to these deficiencies in prior art blade designs, a need has developed to provide a surgical saw blade which minimizes thermal necrosis, provides a cleaner and faster cut and further provides a more durable cutting edge giving longer useful blade life.
In response to this need, the present invention provides an improved surgical saw cutting blade overcoming the above-mentioned deficiencies.


An automated attendant system is made multimedia capable by adding a combined user agent to the automated attendant. A search is done to verify that the caller to the automated attendant has combined user agent capabilities. If so, the caller receives multimedia content from the automated attendant's combined user agent so that the content may be presented on the caller's computer to assist the caller in navigating through the automated attendant's menus and options. Upon selection of a desired connection from the menus and options, the automated attendant's combined user agent helps the caller be connected by voice to the selected connection.

Traditional telephony services provided by digital switches, such as digital multiplexing switches, have reached their functional limits with existing user interfaces, which essentially are telephone sets having limited displays and simple keypads. Further, the telephone sets have limited bandwidth. Over newer packet networks, multimedia services are flourishing and are capable of exploiting the capabilities of advanced user terminals, desktop computers, and network appliances.
Currently, the vast majority of voice telephony is provided, at least in part, by traditional circuit-switched networks. Given the extensive infrastructure, reliability, and quality of service, the traditional telephony systems are likely to remain a significant part of communications for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, there has been difficulty integrating voice sessions over the traditional telephony network with multimedia sessions over packet networks. Users prefer the traditional telephony network for voice, yet the voice network is unacceptable for facilitating advanced multimedia services, such as screen sharing and video conferencing.
The difficulties of integrating voice and multimedia sessions have, to some extent, been solved in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/028,510, filed 20 Dec. 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The applications to which this solution may be put are myriad. For example, many telecommunication service users are frustrated with automated attendants. In particular, a user may place a call and have the call answered by seemingly countless menus and prompts before they can talk to a real person. Thus, there is a need for an option that allows a user to use the multimedia capabilities of their communications equipment to help facilitate the navigation of automated attendants.


A torque converter assembly is disclosed herein. The torque converter assembly includes a thrust washer having a radially inner surface configured to engage against a drive shaft. A first axial surface of the thrust washer is configured to contact a cover. A second axial surface of the thrust washer is configured to contact a damper flange. The second axial surface of the thrust washer partially defines a first flow path. The thrust washer further comprises a second flow path configured to direct fluid in a first direction and a third flow path configured to direct fluid in a second direction. The thrust washer disclosed herein both provides an axial thrust bearing feature, and also provides three distinct flow paths or passages.

Torque converter assemblies are well known. One known type of torque converter is a three-pass torque converter which includes three ports. The first two ports can generally be used for a charging function for the torque converter which requires fluid to be constantly flowing into the torus. This flow is also used for cooling friction facings which are in operation during steady state points while the vehicle is in motion to improve efficiency. A third port can be provided to actuate a piston with an isolated static pressure chamber to actuate the piston, which forces friction facings to compress and transmit torque and bypass the torus. In one aspect, this configuration requires higher pressure than the charge region or chamber but allows the area of the torque converter receiving charge pressure to operate at a lower pressure.
In certain conditions, the torus will exert a thrust load because of the fluid dynamics. Generally, conventional thrust washers or thrust bearings are used for supporting the load.
FIG. 1 illustrates one type of arrangement for a known torque converter design that includes a machined or forged component 5 that defines flow paths to keep the apply pressure separated from the charge pressure. Component 5 can function as a flow diverter, and can be arranged generally between a cover 1, pressure plate 2, and seal plate 3. Component 5 can be expensive to manufacture due to its geometry and specific design requirement.
It would be desirable to provide an improved configuration for a multi-pass (i.e. at least three-pass) torque converter that is inexpensive, durable, provides a reliable separation between different fluid chambers, and serve the purpose of supporting thrust loads coming from the turbine-damper assembly.

Torque converter assembly including thrust washer


An in-vehicle electronic device is provided which can ensure resistance to static electricity for the in-vehicle electronic device covered with a resin case, is more downsized smaller in the number of components, and inexpensive. An in-vehicle electronic device 43 includes: a resin housing (resin case) 5; a control board 7 that is covered with the housing, and accommodated within the housing a battery harness 27 that is a power wiring which supplies power to the control board; a signal harness 31 that is an input/output signal wiring that transmits an input/output signal to the control board; and a metal bracket 1 that fixes the resin housing to a vehicle main body. In the device, a distance between a projection 35 of the metal bracket 1 and the battery harness 27 is set to be shorter than a distance between the projection 25 of the metal bracket 1 and the signal harness 31 to form a discharge gap 33.

Up to now, as an in-vehicle electronic device of this type, and a vehicle having the electronic device, there is a configuration including a conductive housing, a control hoard accommodated in the housing, and a discharge gap that discharges when a high voltage of a given voltage or higher is applied between a conductive pattern formed on the control board and the housing, and further including a conductive plate that covers the control board, and is electrically connected to the conductive pattern, in which the discharge gap is formed between the conductive plate and the housing (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1).

In-vehicle electronic device and vehicle having the electronic device


A toothbrush assembly has two main sections, a toothbrush head that incorporates toothbrush bristles and toothpaste holder. The toothbrush head has a bristle end and a shaft with an enclosed channel connecting the bristle end to a threaded end. A flexible tube extends from an opening in the channel to near the top of bristles. The threaded end mates to the chamber. The chamber is coupled to a plunger assembly having a plunger head that seals against the sides of the chamber. The plunger head pulls a vacuum on the chamber when moved laterally in a first direction and pressurizes the chamber when moved laterally in a second direction. A toothpaste tube is threaded into the threaded end of the chamber and toothpaste is extracted from the toothpaste tube into the chamber or delivered from the chamber to the bristles. A universal adapter is used for non-compatible toothpaste tubes.

Toothbrushes with self-dispensing toothpaste chambers have been suggested that combine the toothbrush and toothpaste container into one object. This eliminates the need for the user to carry both a toothbrush and toothpaste container and enables the user to conveniently brush wherever a water supply is available. Previous designs, however, do not lend themselves to versatility whereby a variety of different styled toothbrushes can be constructed using interchangeable parts. Patents that describe travel-ready, self-dispensing toothbrushes as finished products are not intended to be used as subassemblies or components. Therefore, the nature of those designs differs from this patent, which is used as a building block for constructing various finished toothbrush designs.
Several patents relating to travel-ready, self-dispensing toothbrushes are described below. One of the most popular travel ready, self-dispensing toothbrush is described in U.S. Re. Pat. No. 6,142,694. The invention describes a finished toothbrush and not a subassembly. In addition, the functionality of this toothbrush has several drawbacks. First is the fact that the toothbrush is disposable and not refillable. The user is not able to choose the brand of toothpaste used. In addition, the disposable nature necessitates the use of lower quality, low usage bristles. Another drawback is that this toothbrush is prone to water leakage and does not lend itself to being carried in the pocket of an expensive garment, handbag, or computer case without a watertight container. Another drawback is that that toothbrush is not appealing to the discretionary user.
There are two fundamental problems with prior art designs. First the dispensing portion of the toothbrush assembly is not designed to be disassembled. Toothpaste is a material that has different qualities and with time may tend to clog or get too rigid to be properly dispensed. A workable dispensing toothbrush assembly needs to be designed so that it can be disassembled for cleaning. Secondly, the chamber that holds the toothpaste also holds the elements that are used to facilitate loading toothpaste into the chamber and dispensing toothpaste from the chamber. Prior art designs did not isolate the toothpaste holding chamber from the elements that dispensed the toothpaste. For example, most designs have a threaded shaft that extends into the toothpaste and also engages threads in the element used to push toothpaste from the chamber. This threaded shaft may get contaminated with material that gets transferred to the toothpaste.
There is, therefore, a need for a toothbrush assembly comprising a threaded toothbrush head section, a delivery tube integral to the threaded toothbrush head section for delivering toothpaste to the top of the toothbrush bristles, and a chamber section operable for storing toothpaste and selectively receiving toothpaste from a toothpaste tube and delivering the toothpaste to the toothbrush bristles or back to the toothpaste tube. The toothbrush assembly needs to be made of component parts such that the chamber section can be disassembled for cleaning.


A call center support and documentation system is provided. The call center support and documentation system assists an agent of a call center in processing calls. Specifically, the system assists the agent in processing calls more quickly by providing, on a single display screen, all of the information to process a call (including the customer's information, troubleshooting steps, and documentation). The system also assists the agent in documenting calls in an efficient and standardized manner. Documentation, such as the customer information and troubleshooting steps for a call, may be automatically populated in a uniform manner so that the agent may update the documentation database.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to systems for processing calls to a call center. In particular, the invention relates to systems for processing and/or documenting incoming calls to the call center.
2. Related Art
Call centers are typically utilized to support a product or service for a business. The support may be in answering a customer's question or in receiving information from the customer. For example, call centers may be staffed by one or more agents to answer questions relating to the business' product or service, such as setup or operation of the product. As another example, call centers may receive information from customers or potential customers, such as warranty information, complaints, credit-card activation, or the like.
The call center may receive a request from the customer, either in the form of an incoming telephone call, an e-mail, or some other electronic message. The agents who staff the call center may respond to the request of the customer, such as by answering the telephone call, responding to the e-mail, or the like. Thus, the call center may include interacting with the customer via telephone, and may also include interacting with the customer via e-mail, or other electronic means.
In processing the request of the customer, the call center may have two goals: (1) responding to the request of the customer (such as answering the customer's questions and/or receiving information from the customer); and (2) documenting the call (such as documenting the question of the customer, the recommended solution provided the customer, etc.). The time it takes to process a call (such as respond to the customer's request and/or document the call) is called the handle time.
One example of a business that may request call center services is an Internet Service Provider (ISP) wherein Narrow band (Dial up) and/or broad band (Digital Subscriber Line) customers of the ISP may call the call center to troubleshoot connectivity or related issues faced by them and the call center may handle these calls. Typically, agents in the call center attempt to resolve the customer's issue with the help of backend knowledge bases that they have access to. Moreover, the agents may be required to document details of the customer contact, such as on a backend application of the client where customer information is stored. A call may last between 10-40 minutes. The average handle time (across all calls) may be approximately 20 minutes. This average handle time is merely an example, and may be longer or shorter.
It is not uncommon to have many agents, such as 1000 agents, handle a large number of calls every month, such as 300,000 calls every month. One may wish to reduce the handle time of calls, thereby reducing the average handle time. There are a variety of activities which may result in the length of handling of a call. One activity may be the time it takes for the agent to diagnose the problem and determine the necessary steps that need to be taken to resolve the problem. Another activity that may contribute to the length of time to handle a call is the agent's documenting details of the customer contact on the backend. While there is a knowledge base to support diagnosing and determining the problem, even toggling between windows is time intensive leading to longer handling of the call. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the length of handling a call in a call center.

Call center support and documentation system


The effect of non-linear distortion on a received signal point is reduced by the use of a circular limiter. In particular, the circular limiter computes the distance of the received signal point from the center of the signal point constellation. If this distance exceeds a desired limit, then both dimensions of the received signal point are reduced by the same factor to maintain the original phase. This reduction in the dimensions of the received signal point decreases the corresponding error signal that is calculated by a Viterbi decoder. As a result, this further reduces the value of the accumulated path metrics of the Viterbi decoder which results in an improvement in system performance. In addition, the circular limiter also realizes a slight improvement in system performance against additive white Gaussian noise. The value of the limiting distance can either be predefined, or determined adaptively to match channel conditions of the communications system.

The present invention relates to data communications systems, particularly the transmission of data over voiceband telephone channels using modems.
Today, information and data services are provided to both the business and residential sectors through the use of modems in the telephone network. Over the years, the amount of information and the complexity of data services has increased and, as a result, modem speeds have also increased. For example, currently, modem speeds over the telephone network are as high as 28.8 kilobit per second. Indeed, continued growth in information and data services will require that modem speeds continue to increase.
However, in order to support high speeds, a modem uses a dense constellation of signal points to transmit data through the telephone network from a transmitting modem to a receiving modem. Unfortunately, any telecommunications system (like the transmitting modem, telephone network and the receiving modem) introduces distortion that is proportional to the transmitted signal level. Sources of such distortion include quantization noise, adaptive differential pulse code modulation, and inter-modulation distortion. This amount of distortion is proportional to the transmitted signal power, which itself is proportional to the distance of a signal point from the center of the signal point constellation. In other words, the signal points that are further away from the origin of the constellation, i.e., that have more transmitted signal power, are the most affected by any distortion when finally received by the receiving modem. Consequently, the amount of distortion that can be tolerated in a communications system may limit the data rate, or speed, of the system.
In order to reduce the effect of distortion on transmitted data signals, those in the art have designed, with particularity, the transmitter and receiver components of the communications system. For example, the co-pending, commonly assigned, United States patent application of W. Betts et al. entitled "Non-linear Encoder and Decoder for Information Transmission Through Non-linear Channels," Ser. No. 07/754,107, filed on Sept. 3, 1991, discloses a technique for changing the shape of the transmitted signal point constellation prior to transmission of any signal point to a receiving modem. In particular, the transmitted signal point constellation is "warped" inversely to the expected distortion. As a result, the receiving modem must compensate for the altered shape of the signal point constellation in processing any received signal point. Since the transmitter and receiver are, in a sense, "matched," the effect of distortion on a transmitted data signal is reduced.

Circular limiter for use in a receiver to reduce the effects of signal distortion


A stagger signal generation circuit is provided. The stagger signal generation circuit includes: a stagger pulse generation circuit, configured to generate a first pulse signal according to a first control signal and generate a second pulse signal according to a second control signal, the first control signal and the second control signal being inverted signals, and the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal being stagger pulse signals; and a delay signal output circuit including G signal output circuits, G being an integer greater than or equal to 2. Each non-first-stage signal output circuits receives a delay output signal outputted by a respective previous-stage signal output circuit as an input signal of a current-stage signal output circuit, and a first-stage signal output circuit receives an initial input signal as an input signal of the first-stage signal output circuit.

In design of semiconductor circuits, equidistant stagger signals are often used, and the equidistant stagger signals refer to signals generated at an interval of a fixed delay.
For a synchronous signal, an equidistant stagger signal is generally generated by virtue of a clock signal. For an asynchronous signal, a required equidistant stagger signal is generated by inserting a delay cell, and a delay between signals can be implemented by inserting a corresponding delay cell according to demands.
However, studies have found that in the manner of generating an equidistant stagger signal by using a synchronous signal, the delay between equidistant stagger signals is necessarily an integer multiple of a clock period, and the controllability of the delay between equidistant stagger signals is poor. In the manner of generating an equidistant stagger signal by using an asynchronous signal, although the controllability of the delay between signals is good, the area of the formed circuit layout and the power consumption of a circuit may be significantly increased.


A oneway clutch assembly comprises an outer race and an inner race, torque transmitting members disposed between the outer race and the inner race, a biasing spring for biasing the torque transmitting members, side plates disposed on the both sides of the torque transmitting members in the axial direction thereof, and detachment preventing means for restricting movements of the torque transmitting members, the biasing spring, and the side plates in the axial direction, and being elastically engaged with the outer race or the inner race. One of the side plates is provided with an engagement projection extended in the axial direction and the engagement projection is fitted in the detachment preventing means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a one-way clutch assembly which is used, for example, in a starter of a motorcycle or the like.
2. Related Background Art
In the oneway clutch assembly, the constituent members thereof except an outer race, an inner race and a C-shaped retaining ring (hereinafter called the main body unit of the oneway clutch) are rotated slowly between the outer and inner races depending on increase, decrease, or the like, of vibrations or the number of rotations of the engine. This rotation is required for preventing a local abrasion of the outer race or the inner race, and the speed of this rotation is adjusted by an elastic ring or the like provided on a side plate or the like. The technologies therefor are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Nos. 63-94330, 63-139334 and 4-32335.
For example, in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-94330, the oneway clutch is provided with a plurality of sprags which are annularly interposed between the inner race and the outer race, a garter spring for biasing these sprags in the direction of engagement between the inner and outer races, an annular wire retainer alternately having axial parts and circumferential parts for retaining the respective sprags, and an annular side plate interposed between an end surface of the sprag and the retainer to be slidably retained between the inner and outer races.
A window portion is provided on the outer peripheral part of this annular side plate, and an engagement projection of a frictional engagement ring (C-shaped retaining ring) is inserted in this window portion to be engaged therewith. This frictional engagement ring is arranged to be expanded and elastically contacted with the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring.
With this arrangement, at the time of non-engagement of the sprags, that is, at the time of idling rotation of the outer race or the inner race, the engagement projection of the frictional engagement ring which is inserted into the window portion of the annular side plate and expanded to be elastically contacted with the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring rotates the annular side plate to follow the idling rotation of the outer ring. This rotation of the annular side plate causes rotation of a group including the retainer and the sprags (the main body unit of the oneway clutch) in a body.
As a result, though rotating substantially together or in a body with the idling rotation of the outer race, the main body unit of the oneway clutch is rotated gradually around the outer race relatively thereto, depending on an increase or a decrease in the vibrations or the number of rotations of the engine. Thereby, it is rendered possible to prevent local abrasion of the outer race or the inner race, and at the same time, to securely shift an idle rotation of the oneway clutch to a meshing operation without sliding.
In Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-94330, a window portion is provided on the outer peripheral part of the annular side plate, and an engagement projection of a frictional engagement ring (C-shaped retaining ring) is inserted in this window portion to be engaged therewith.
However, the annular side plate has a flange which is projected in the axial direction on the outer peripheral end thereof and the above-described window portion is provided on this flange, so that the width dimension in the axial direction thereof is disadvantageously increased by the projected portion of the flange.
There is also a demand for further increase of a frictional torque between the main body unit of the oneway clutch and the outer race or the like at the idling rotation time of the outer race or the like.


A sheet post-process apparatus of the present invention, when sending sheets of paper collected on a standby tray to a processing tray, has a standby tray realizing an improved lining capacity of sheets of paper and a pair of tray members for loading ejected sheets of paper is formed so as to project from the wall face of the standby tray.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet post-process apparatus for post-processing sheets of paper ejected from an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, or a composite device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in an image forming apparatus, to post-process sheets of paper after image forming such as sorting or stapling sheets of paper, a sheet post-process apparatus may be installed in the neighborhood of the paper ejection unit of the image forming apparatus body. In such a sheet post-process apparatus, after waiting for ending of the sheet post-process of preceding sheets, the post-process of succeeding sheets is performed. To make the succeeding sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus body stand by like this, conventionally, a shifting path such as a stand by tray may be installed halfway the path toward the stapling unit (for example, Japanese Patent Application 2004-155551).
However, even if the countermeasure by the prior art is taken, when sheets of paper are curled or get damp, the conventional standby tray can hardly realize a satisfactory lining capacity.


Hydrolytically stable phosphites as secondary antioxidants for polymer resins comprising a phosphite and an amine compound. The phosphite may be a liquid phosphite composition. The amine compound may have the structure of formula I:

Organic phosphites are known in the art as secondary antioxidants for polymeric resins such as polyolefins and elastomers. As an antioxidant, these phosphites are oxidized to phosphates to prevent oxidation of the polymer. Examples of such phosphites are disclosed in H. Zweifel (Ed) Plastics Additives Handbook, 5th edition, Hanser Publishers, Munich 2000. One common problem for most phosphites is the tendency to undergo unfavorable hydrolysis upon exposure to moisture or water, even trace amounts, during storage or handling. Initially, hydrolysis of the phosphite generates acidic P—OH and PH═O protons that are good reducing agents that react directly with oxygen or hydroperoxides. However, if hydrolysis continues past this initial stage, stronger acids are formed that greatly accelerate the formation of oxidized products. Additionally, other acids from impurities arising from residues of polymerization catalysts may further catalyze the phosphite hydrolysis. These oxidized products lessen the overall ability of the phosphite stabilizer to function as an antioxidant. As a result of exposure to water, hydrolyzed phosphites become a lumpy, sticky mass that leads to corrosion of processing equipment.
Conventionally, to prevent hydrolysis, producers have sought phosphites that are slow to hydrolyze and have added various hydrolysis stabilizers to the phosphites. U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,537 describes a triisopropyl phenyl phosphite ester that is slow to hydrolyze in combination with a heavy amine to further increase the stability to hydrolysis.
Trialkylaryl phosphite stabilizers having hindered alkyl groups at the ortho and para positions are resistant to hydrolysis due to steric hindrance. One of the most widely used phosphites is tris(2,4-di-t-butylphenyl)phosphite, which is commercially sold under the trade name Alkanox™ 240, Irgafos™ 168 or Doverphos™ S-480. This phosphite is a solid and is commercially available without a hydrolysis stabilizer.
Other trialkylaryl phosphite stabilizers, such as the widely used tris(p-nonylphenyl) phosphite (TNPP) are susceptible to hydrolysis. TNPP is a liquid at room temperature. Commercial grades of TNPP, such as Weston™ 399 (Chemtura Corporation), usually contain up to 1 wt % of triethanolamine or triisopropanolamine, which acts as an hydrolysis stabilizer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,181 discloses a highly ortho-substituted TNPP that is more hydrolytically stable than para-substituted TNPP.
EP0167969 discloses a phosphite that is hydrolytically stabilized with a long-chain aliphatic amine, such as coconut-alkyl diethanolamine. EP0143464 discloses a pentaerythritol diphosphite that is hydrolytically stabilized with a long-chain aliphatic amine, such as octyldecyl diethanolamine.
There is, however, a need to replace TNPP owing to alleged estrogenicity concerns associated with nonylphenol, which is used in synthesizing TNPP.
Thus, the need exists for safe and effective liquid phosphite compositions for use as secondary antioxidants in polymers that may be hydrolytically stabilized.
In addition, there is a need for amine compounds that are suitable for the hydrolytic stabilization of a wider range of phosphite antioxidants.

Hydrolytically stable phosphite compositions

Abstract: wherein x is 1, 2 or 3; R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, and straight or branched C1-C6 alkyl, and R2 is selected from the group consisting of straight or branched C1-C30 alkyl.


There is provided a portable terminal including a display panel having a display surface with a touch pad, an area management unit which defines a plurality of display areas formed by dividing the display surface, and a display control unit which performs control on an image display in each display area. In a state where two display areas are defined with a first boundary line, in response to a touch operation on the touch pad, the area management unit determines, based on a touch position of the touch operation, a second boundary line passing one point on the first boundary line and one point within a predetermined range from the touch position and defines two areas which are formed by dividing an object area of the two display areas with the second boundary line, as first and second display areas in place of the object area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable terminal such as portable phone including a display panel having a touch pad, and more particularly, to an improvement on a user interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been known a technique of dividing a display surface of a display panel into a plurality of display areas, each of which is a unit of performing control relating to an image display, in a portable terminal such as portable phone (for example, refer to JP-A-H9-134270 or JP-A-2008-28785). According to the technique disclosed in JP-A-H9-134270, a user drags an icon at a left end on a screen to a right end in a horizontal direction on a display panel having a touch pad, thereby dividing a display surface into two upper and lower display areas. Then, in the respective display areas, schedules having different time units such as schedule of one day and schedule of one week are displayed.
Also, according to the technique disclosed in JP-A-2008-28785, a display screen of a television receiver is divided into three display areas at predetermined positions and different images (two different program images and a web screen, and the like) are displayed in the respective display areas.
According to the above techniques, the user can see the images displayed in the respective display area at the same time without performing an operation of replacing a display object image.
In recent years, portable terminals having a relatively large screen size have been used. Hence, it is thought that it is useful to divide the display surface into more display areas and to see the images displayed in the respective display areas at the same time.

Portable terminal, control method and program


A sunroof apparatus includes: a movable panel adapted to open and close an opening formed in a roof of a vehicle; a guide rail provided in each edge portion of the opening in a lateral direction, and including upper and lower flanges extending in the lateral direction and a connecting wall through which the respective outside ends of the upper and lower flanges in the lateral direction are connected to each other in the vertical direction; and a shielding body attached to each edge portion of the movable panel in the lateral direction, and including an extending piece that extends to the outside in the lateral direction while being interposed between the upper and lower flanges, wherein the shielding body includes first and second projections which are provided in the extending piece and can be respectively brought into contact with the upper and lower flanges.

In the related art, a sunroof apparatus disclosed in JP 2011-93471A (Reference 1) is known. This sunroof apparatus includes a shielding body, an upper end side of which is mounted to each edge portion of a movable panel in a lateral direction of a vehicle where the movable panel opens and closes an opening formed in a roof of the vehicle, and a lower end side of which is slidably engaged with a long guide portion disposed in each edge portion of the opening in the lateral direction of the vehicle. The shielding body shields an operation mechanism of the sunroof apparatus from a vehicle interior side. The shielding body is moved together with the movable panel while being slid against the guide portion during an opening and closing operation of the movable panel.
Specifically, the guide portion (a second guide groove) has a substantially U-shaped constant section, opens to the inside in the lateral direction of the vehicle, and extends in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The guide portion includes a pair of an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion which extend parallel to each other inward in the lateral direction of the vehicle. In contrast, a lower end piece portion is formed in a lower end portion of the shielding body (side garnish) such that the lower end piece portion extends outward in the lateral direction of the vehicle, and is interposed between the upper wall portion and the lower wall portion. The lower end piece portion also extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The shielding body is moved in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle while the lower end piece portion interposed between the upper wall portion and the lower wall portion is slid.
In the sunroof apparatus disclosed in Reference 1, a gap in a vertical direction of the vehicle may occur between the upper wall portion and the lower end piece portion and between the lower wall portion and the lower end piece portion due to variations in a mounting position or component accuracy. Accordingly, when, during sliding, the lower end side (the lower end piece portion) of the shielding body is inclined in the lateral direction of the vehicle, and is brought into unbalanced contact with and interfere with the guide portion, sliding resistance may be increased or decreased, and abnormal noise may occur.
It can be considered that the upper wall portion, the lower wall portion, and the lower end piece are set to be in close contact therebetween in the vertical direction of the vehicle no as to prevent the occurrence of a gap therebetween. In contrast, when these portions excessively overlap with each other in the vertical direction of the vehicle due to variations in component accuracy or the like, sliding resistance is excessively increased, which is another problem.


According to the inventive method, a network, including its software environment, is suspended in a manner that completely preserves the previous running environment and frees the network to perform other tasks for a period of time, and then to resume the original test as if it had never been interrupted. The method suspends a computer network that is running a test of a first software environment. It suspends the first software environment by a software suspension and then runs a second software environment on the computer network. At the completion of the run of the second software environment, the first software environment can be resumed, as if it had not been interrupted. A sequence of steps allows for the orderly shutdown and persists the entire network's operating state at the time of suspension.

Most business and financial institutions use computer systems that exploit the power of computer networking. By networking, individual computers can effectively increase their storage and processing ability, as well as gain access to processed data and live data streams. Such networks range in size from a few computers on a local area network (LAN) in a single office to hundreds or perhaps even thousands of computers spanning many offices and locations. These networks range in size from those confined to a single organization (Intranets) to those built on the global Internet.
To achieve the best utilization of the networked environment, organizations employ complex suites of software. Typically these suites are a mix of commercial software packages, customized commercial software, and software written entirely in house. For example, in a financial trading environment, traders can use desktop computers to view current market prices, to analyze various markets and instruments, and to buy and sell financial instruments. Teams of computer specialists including systems analysts and computer programmers write, integrate, and manage the systems of computer programs that create a financial institution's trading software environment.
These complex suites of software need to be periodically updated or replaced. This need may arise from changed business practices, or the availability of faster software packages or packages with new enhanced features. Any benefits that can be obtained from the installation of new software must be balanced against the risk of making changes on an otherwise properly operating network. Such changes can cause intermittent or event total network failure. Network failures can cause organizations to suffer large financial losses, such as lost trades in a financial instrument trading environment.
Rather then risk catastrophic network failure during testing, many institutions invest in relatively large networks of computers to create a "safe" simulation environment for testing complex software systems as thoroughly as practical. Networks comprising tens or hundreds of computers, including servers and client terminals, are often dedicated solely to testing complex software. Such systems can cost tens of millions of dollars and approximate or match the size and resources of some of an organization's production network systems.
While relatively safe, testing on the simulation network is not efficient. This is because each new software package is typically tested one at a time. Test runs are often paused for debugging and software re-writes. During the pause times, the test network remains idle. It is not practical to terminate a particular test and restart the system for other tasks because then all of the test time before termination would need to be repeated. The problem is that there is currently no process for suspending an entire network of computers to allow it to temporarily stand in for another entirely different network software environment, or to temporarily take over the software environment of an operational network in an emergency.
What is needed is a method to suspend a complex software testing environment in an orderly way so as to completely free the test network to run another test, or even to momentarily commandeer the test network to run a production processing environment in the event of a necessary shutdown or unanticipated failure of an equivalent production system, with the ability to seamlessly resume the original testing environment after the network resources have been returned.

Method using control interface to suspend software network environment running on network devices for loading and executing another software network environment


A device for producing bypasses under pressure in fluid piping systems, including a horizontal T-shaped body having a radial conduit which can be connected to a connecting collar or seat of the pipe to be bypassed and a radial conduit with a mouth for extracting fluid from the bypass. The device includes an inverted cup-shaped cutter with an overdimensioned tooth crown and, on the rear part thereof, a stepped extension with two threaded areas. One of the threaded areas is attached to the upper neck of the radial conduit and is closed with a cover and gaskets. The device further includes an actuation means which can be positioned on the neck and which is equipped with a feed screw and a shaft which can be connected to the end threaded area of the cutter by means of a male connector and a nut. The actuation means also includes a lateral valve which connects the outside with the inside of the radial conduit and the bypassed pipe by means of a chamber inside said actuation means and which can be used to inject an inert gas, check the sealing and purge the bypassed pipe.

Currently, there are a wide variety of bypass devices available on the market for carrying out an extraction of a piping which is subjected to pressure and in service. For example, the use of these devices by water and gas supply companies is common, since it enables carrying out system bypasses or the connection of the pipe of a new client to the general distribution pipe which is usually in service and which cannot cease to be used for the distribution of the fluid. Some of these devices generally comprise a collar for coupling to the pipe and the specific T-shaped bypass thereon. Said collar is joined to the pipe by means of a mechanical joint, whether it is by directly screwing, by welding on its surface or gluing. The T-shaped bypasses, also joined by mechanical means, gluing, welding or integrally manufactured, are arranged on said seats.
Said T-shaped bypasses are constituted of a main conduit having internal threading along its entire length. A cutting tool, such as a drill bit, cutter or the like having a matching helical thread in its outline is coupled in said thread, such that it can move longitudinally in the threaded inside of the conduit by means of an external wrench. When this cutting tool reaches the lower portion of the conduit, it makes contact with the surface of the pipe to then perforate it due to its progressive feed. Once the hole is made, the bypass is sealed at its upper portion to prevent leaks existing between the cutter and the conduit. In current T-shaped bypass systems, leaks of fluid to the outside during the drilling process cannot be prevented, nor can pressure be checked, nor inert gas injected, necessary in gas installations to evacuate the air from inside the new conduits. Due to the constructive methods used, the current T-shaped bypasses have a size limit.

Device for producing bypasses under pressure in fluid piping systems


This specification relates to a semiconductor laser in which an n-type semiconductor layer (13), an active layer (101), and a p-type semiconductor layer (24) are stacked in this order on a substrate (11), the active layer (101) comprising a well layer composed of InGaN, the semiconductor laser comprising an intermediate layer (21) sandwiched between the active layer (101) and the p-type semiconductor layer (24), and the intermediate layer including no intentionally added impurities and being composed of a gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor. This semiconductor laser has an extended lifetime under high optical output power conditions.

Due to the growing demand for violet-light-emitting laser diodes for use as a light source for next-generation high-density optical discs, Group III-V compound semiconductor light-emitting devices, especially those of gallium nitride (GaN)-based compounds that are operable in the short wavelength region of violet-ultraviolet light, have been actively researched and developed in recent years. Further, high-density and high-speed recording capabilities are desired for optical disc devices for use as a recorder, thus creating a demand for highly reliable GaN-based semiconductor lasers with high optical output power.
A technique that has been used recently for extending the lifetime of GaN-based lasers involves partially disposing an insulating film, such as one of silicon dioxide (SiO2), on a GaN-based semiconductor film grown on a sapphire substrate and then selectively growing GaN-based semiconductors on the insulating film, thereby reducing the dislocation density. This process of selective growth is described, for example, in Publication No. 1, "IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, Vol. 4 (1998): 483–489". Based on this publication, an SiO2 film is formed in such a manner as to form a periodic line-and-space pattern in the GaN <1–100> direction, so that the GaN film grown above the SiO2 film in the lateral direction (ELO: Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth) joins to form a flat surface, thereby producing a substrate with low dislocation density.
Such an ELO selective growth technique is applied to lasers, as is reported, for example, in Publication No. 2, "Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 77 (2000): 1931–1933", and Publication No. 3, "IEICE Transaction Electron, Vol. E83-C (2000): 529–535". Publication No. 2 explains that the dislocation density in the active layer part of the laser structure was reduced from about 1E10 cm−2 to about 1E7 cm−2 by using a selective growth technique. Further, based on Publication No. 4, "Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 40 (2001): 3206–3210", reductions in the operating current and operating voltage of GaN-based lasers reduce the power consumption (i.e., the product of operating current and operating voltage) and thus may prevent the lasers from generating heat, thereby effectively helping to extend the lifetime of the lasers.
Semiconductor lasers, including GaN-based lasers, commonly have a structure in which an active layer is sandwiched between two pn-junction-forming layers for the purpose of carrier injection. Hence, the control of p-type and n-type dopants in the vicinity of the active layer, i.e., the interface abruptness, is important for improving the laser characteristics because the above dopants, if diffused into the active layer, may act as non-radiative recombination centers and may therefore lead to a reduction in the luminous efficiency of the active layer. Described below is a conventional method employed for controlling p-type dopants in GaN-based semiconductors.
Biscyclopentadienylmagnesium (Cp2Mg) is generally used as a p-type dopant for GaN. However, Publication No. 5, "Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol. 189/190 (1998): 551–555", points out the problem that, in crystal growth by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE), Mg p-type dopants diffuse to areas other than the desired crystals. This publication also mentions that the unwanted diffusion is more distinctly observed when the dislocation density is high. Publication No. 6, "Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol. 145 (1994): 214–218", cites the memory effect from Mg adhering to the quartz reactor of the MOVPE apparatus. According to this publication, the memory effect of Mg causes a doping delay that degrades the interface abruptness in the Mg concentration distribution.
Other conventional methods used for controlling Mg diffusion are described, for example, in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1994-283825 and the Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 1999-251687.
We attempted to reduce the dislocation density of a GaN film by ELO selective growth with the intention of extending the lifetime of GaN-based lasers, in much the same way as the above Publication Nos. 1 and 2, but did not obtain satisfactory results in terms of extending lifetime. It was found accordingly that the lifetime of GaN-based lasers could not be sufficiently extended only by reducing the dislocation density.

Semiconductor laser and process for manufacturing the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.