Embodiments for a turbocharged engine are provided. In one example, a method for operating a supercharged internal combustion engine including at least one exhaust-gas turbocharger which has a turbine arranged in an exhaust-gas discharge system and a compressor arranged in an intake system, comprises during a load increase Δpme, retarding ignition timing away from an ignition time αZ,opt optimized with regard to efficiency and beyond an ignition time αZ,knock, where αZ,knock is an earliest ignition time to avoid knocking combustion.

On account of the limited resources of fossil fuels, in particular on account of the limited availability of mineral oil as a raw substance for the extraction of fuels for internal combustion engines, constant efforts are being made in the development of internal combustion engines to minimize fuel consumption, wherein the focus of the efforts is on obtaining more effective combustion.
A problem is fuel consumption in particular in applied-ignition engines. The reason for this lies in the basic operating process of the traditional spark-ignition engine, which operates with a homogeneous fuel/air mixture which is prepared by means of external mixture formation by virtue of fuel being injected into the intake tract, and in which the desired power is adjusted by means of quantity regulation.
Load control is generally carried out by means of a throttle flap provided in the intake tract. By adjusting the throttle flap, the pressure of the inducted air downstream of the throttle flap can be reduced to a greater or lesser extent. The further the throttle flap is closed, that is to say the more said throttle flap blocks the intake tract, the higher the pressure loss of the inducted air across the throttle flap, and the lower the pressure of the inducted air downstream of the throttle flap and upstream of the inlet into the combustion chamber. For a constant combustion chamber volume, it is possible in this way to adjust the air mass, that is to say the quantity, by means of the pressure of the inducted air. Quantity regulation by means of a throttle flap has thermodynamic disadvantages in particular in the part-load range. This is because low loads require a large pressure drop in the intake tract, and therefore a high degree of throttling. To reduce throttling losses, various strategies have been developed, for example the dethrottling of the spark-ignition engine operating process through the use of a variable valve drive.
Internal combustion engines may be supercharged. Supercharging is primarily a method for increasing power, in which the air for the combustion process in the engine is compressed, but is generally a suitable means for increasing the power of an internal combustion engine while maintaining an unchanged swept volume, or for reducing the swept volume while maintaining the same power. In any case, supercharging leads to an increase in volumetric power output and an improved power-to-weight ratio. For the same vehicle boundary conditions, it is thus possible to shift the load collective toward higher loads, at which the specific fuel consumption is lower. This is also referred to as downsizing.
Supercharging consequently assists in the constant efforts to minimize fuel consumption, that is to say to improve the efficiency of the internal combustion engine.
For supercharging, use may be made of at least one exhaust-gas turbocharger in which a compressor and a turbine are mounted on the same shaft, wherein the turbine is arranged in the exhaust-gas discharge system and the compressor is arranged in the intake system of the internal combustion engine.
The hot exhaust-gas flow is supplied to the turbine and expands in the turbine with a release of energy, as a result of which the shaft is set in rotation. The energy supplied by the exhaust-gas flow to the turbine and ultimately to the shaft is used for driving the compressor which is likewise arranged on the shaft. The compressor delivers and compresses the charge air supplied to it, as a result of which supercharging of the cylinders is obtained. Furthermore, a charge-air cooler may be provided by means of which the compressed charge air is cooled before it enters the combustion chamber. The charge-air cooler lowers the air temperature and thereby increases the density of the air, as a result of which the cooler also contributes to improved charging of the combustion chamber with air, that is to say to a greater air mass.
One advantage of the exhaust-gas turbocharger for example in relation to conventional mechanical chargers is that no mechanical connection is utilized between the charger and internal combustion engine.
Problems are encountered in the configuration of the exhaust-gas turbocharging, wherein it is basically sought to obtain a noticeable performance increase in all rotational speed ranges. According to some systems, a severe torque drop is however observed in the event of a certain rotational speed being undershot. Said torque drop is understandable if one takes into consideration that the charge pressure ratio is dependent on the turbine pressure ratio. In the case of a spark-ignition engine, for example, if the load is reduced, this leads to a smaller exhaust-gas mass flow and therefore to a lower turbine pressure ratio. This has the result that, toward lower rotational speeds, the charge pressure ratio likewise decreases, which equates to a torque drop.
In practice, the described relationships often lead to the use of a small exhaust-gas turbocharger, that is to say an exhaust-gas turbocharger with a small turbine cross section, or of a plurality of exhaust-gas turbochargers.
In the optimization of the exhaust-gas turbocharger arrangement, the response behavior of the exhaust-gas turbocharger arrangement or of the internal combustion engine supercharged by means of the exhaust-gas turbocharger arrangement is likewise of particular interest. It is a problem here that, in certain situations, the internal combustion engine can follow up on the power demand of the driver only with a delay. In particular in the event of a so-called load step, in which the load demand rises abruptly, the exhaust-gas turbocharger reacts with a time offset to provide, that is to say build up, the charge pressure for the demanded load.
An example of such a load step is an overtaking maneuver, in which the power demand is increased abruptly and considerably, generally by several times, as a result of a kickdown of the accelerator pedal. Proceeding from operation of the internal combustion engine at part load, in which the ignition time αZ,opt is set with regard to the highest possible efficiency and therefore the ignition takes place relatively early, upon the initiation of a load step, the ignition time αZ is shifted abruptly in the late direction, that is to say follows up the abruptly increasing load. Here, the shift of the ignition time in the late direction with increasing load is basically utilized in order to avoid knocking combustion. It is nevertheless sought to perform the ignition as early as possible in order to realize as high an efficiency as possible, that is to say as early as is permitted while still avoiding knocking combustion.
The inventors herein have recognized the above issues and provide an approach to at least partly address them. Accordingly, a method for operating a supercharged internal combustion engine including at least one exhaust-gas turbocharger which has a turbine arranged in an exhaust-gas discharge system and a compressor arranged in an intake system, comprises during a load increase Δpme, retarding ignition timing away from an ignition time αZ,opt optimized with regard to efficiency and beyond an ignition time αZ,knock, where αZ,knock is an earliest ignition time to avoid knocking combustion.
In this way, in the event of a load increase or step Δpme, the ignition time αZ is shifted in the late direction proceeding from an ignition time αZ,opt optimized with regard to efficiency. Contrary to the conventional approach, however, the ignition time αZ is shifted further in the late direction than is necessary to avoid knocking combustion. Whereas it is was case in previous systems that even during the course of a load step, the principle of as early as possible an ignition is adhered to, that is to say ignition takes place as early as possible, in order to ensure high efficiency, it is the case according to the disclosure that the ignition time αZ is shifted in the late direction beyond an ignition time αZ,knock. Here, αZ,knock denotes the earliest ignition time at which no knocking combustion is observed.
The shift of the ignition time in the late direction leads to a shift of the combustion or of the focal point of the combustion in the late direction, that is to say in the direction of the expansion phase.
In this way, the energy released during a first portion of a response to a step load increase of the course of the combustion by the exothermic chemical conversion of the fuel is utilized proportionally less in the form of expansion work, that is to say for increasing the gas forces acting on the piston, and more for increasing the exhaust-gas enthalpy, that is to say for increasing the exhaust-gas temperature and the exhaust-gas pressure. Conversely, a second portion of the response is applied more for expansion work and correspondingly less for exhaust enthalpy. The transition between the first and second portions may be based on a size of the load step (later for larger step increases as compared to smaller step increases), a starting speed of the turbocharger (earlier for higher starting speeds of the turbocharger than for lower starting speeds), etc.
As a result, the hot exhaust gases in the exhaust-gas discharge system at the inlet into the turbine also have a higher exhaust-gas enthalpy which is determined significantly by the exhaust-gas pressure and the exhaust-gas temperature. The response behavior of the turbine, of the exhaust-gas turbocharger and of the supercharged internal combustion engine is improved in this way.
The above advantages and other advantages, and features of the present description will be readily apparent from the following Detailed Description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Method and internal combustion engine for a supercharged internal combustion engine


An apparatus and method are disclosed for controlling fluid flow in a motor vehicle transmission. At least one friction engagement device is fluidly coupled to a first pump, and a lubrication and cooling sub-system is normally fluidly coupled to a second pump. Illustratively, when a flow rate of the fluid in the first fluid passageway is less than a threshold fluid flow rate, a temperature of the fluid is greater than a temperature threshold and a fluid flow demand is greater than a fluid flow demand threshold, fluid flow from the second pump to the lubrication and cooling sub-system is blocked and fluid supplied by the second pump is instead directed to the at least one friction engagement device such that fluid is supplied by both the first and second pumps only to the at least one friction engagement device.

Conventional transmission fluid supply systems in motor vehicle transmission may include one or more fluid pumps that supply the transmission fluid to various components and sub-systems of the transmission. In transmissions which include two or more such fluid pumps, it is desirable to control the pressure and/or flow of fluids supplied by such pumps to satisfy fluid flow demands during various fluid pressure, temperature and/or flow conditions.

Dual pump regulator system for a motor vehicle transmission


In a method for fabricating a semiconductor device of the present invention, photoresist layers are not formed on a scribe line regions entirely. Therefore, electric charge can be transferred from device regions to out of a wafer by surface conduction, when impurity layers are formed on a substrate by ion implantation.

Recently, a plurality of semiconductor devices are fabricated, being separated from each other by a scribe line region, on a wafer.
In fabrication, a field oxide layer is formed on a p-silicon substrate whereby a plurality of device regions and a scribe line region are formed on the substrate. Then, a photoresist layer is formed on the scribe line region entirely, and an n-impurity layer is formed on the substrate by an ion implantation using the photoresist layer as a mask. After that, the photoresist layer is removed, and a p-impurity layer is formed on the p-silicon substrate. Next, an interconnection line is formed on a periphery portion of the scribe line region entirely, whereby the interconnection line is connected through the p-impurity layer to the substrate.
According to the conventional method for fabricating semiconductor devices, however, there is a disadvantage in that electric charge which is generated by ion implantation is accumulated in the device regions, because the scribe line region is covered with the photoresist layer when ion implantation is carried out to form the n-impurity layer on the substrate. Therefore, the electric charge can not be transferred through a surface of the substrate due to low surface conduction by the encircling photoresist layers, whereby electrostatic discharge occurs in the device regions. As a result, semiconductor devices to be fabricated on the wafer may be broken by the electrostatic discharge.

Method for fabricating semiconductor devices which lessens the effect of electrostatic discharge


A gable top packaging container has a plurality of upstanding side walls including a first side wall, a front wall, a rear wall and a second side wall, wherein the front wall connects to a front gable panel and the back wall connects to a back gable panel, both extending up to a sealed top fin, the first side wall connects to a first side gable panel, and the second side wall connects to a second side gable panel, wherein the walls are separated by crease lines extending in a longitudinal direction of the packaging container, characterized in that the front wall is continuous with the front gable panel, and the back wall is continuous with the back gable panel.

The present invention relates to a packaging-container blank, particularly to a packaging-container blank for a novel packaging container of a gable top type.
Gable top cartons as such have been used for quite some time and many such gable top carton appear quite similar. Typically, they have four upstanding side walls that are generally rectangular panels that are closed by a gable-shaped top. The typical gable top has equal-sized front and rear gable panels that are joined by a sealed top fin. The front panel can include a closure, such as a spout mounted to the panel to facilitate access to the contents of the carton. A threaded cap can be fitted to the spout to close the package.
After filling of the above type of containers, they are commonly loaded onto crates or similar and forwarded in the value chain, to a store, the end consumer, and recycling of the material. When loading gable top packages the sealed top fin has to be considered. Too high loads on the fin from above by bend the fin. This bending may be acceptable. Loads from above will also be distributed throughout the length of the container, with the risk of inducing structural damage to various portions of the packaging container. Presently, due care is taken during stacking of containers for this not to happen, yet a packaging container being able to withstand higher loads from the above would be advantageous.

Packaging container and blank for a packaging container


A memory cell structure for a semiconductor memory device and fabricating method thereof, which is suitable for DRAM memory devices of 256M or more capacity requiring a very high degree of integration, which comprises the steps of forming sequentially first and second random layers on a semiconductor substrate; patterning a first photoresist layer having a limited line width on the second random layer; patterning the second random layer using as a mask the patterned first photoresist layer; removing the first photoresist layer, and then patterning the second photoresist layer having the limited line width between the pattern of the second random layer; patterning the first random layer using as a mask the second photoresist layer which is so patterned so as to be placed between the pattern of the second random layer; and removing the second random layer and the second photoresist layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory cell structure of of semiconductor memory device, and particularly to a memory cell structure of semiconductor memory device and fabricating method thereof suitable to a highly integrated memory device by using a line patterning method to overcome a resolution limitation.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
There have been proposed many kinds of cell arrays and structures for a highly integrated semiconductor dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device.
The conventional semiconductor memory device as shown in FIG. 1A and 1B adopts a capacitor under bit line (CUB) structure in which a capacitor is formed in a rectangular active region a on a silicon substrate, and then a bit line is formed. In the figure, the capacitor consists of a node electrode 1a and a plate electrode 1b. The reference signal WL designates word lines. In a memory cell of the CUB structure, the capacitor being below the bit lines, is restricted in its area. In order to obtain the same capacitance in a highly integrated memory device as in an existing one, it is required to increase the topology of the capacitor. However, this, results in an increase of the aspect ratio of the bit line contact hole, which is accompanied by a technical difficulty in filling up the contact hole with a conductive layer and in line patterning. therefore, such a memory cell structure is not suitable for a highly integrated memory device.
For 16M or 64M DRAM semiconductor elements, a new cell array and a structure thereof are required. FIGS. 2A and 2B show a semiconductor memory element of a capacitor over bit line (COB) structure as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,389 which designed to increase the capacitance by first forming the bit lines and securing the area for the capacitor above the upper part of the bit lines (BL) . The capacitor consists of a node electrode 1a and a plate electrode 1b. In such structure, it is inevitably to design the active region a in a diagonal form so as to make the bit lines (BL) and word lines (WL) cross after the capacitor is formed on the bit line BL. Consequently, there have arisen the problems that the phenomena of a significant reduction or distortion of the pattern can occur upon forming the active region a in a diagonal form, it is difficult to secure space for the active regions and to form an exact pattern, and the packing density is reduced. For this reason, a new memory cell array and structure is required for a very highly integrated memory device (256M or more DRAM).
As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3I, the memory cells for semiconductor memory devices adopting the COB structure as shown in FIG. 2 are fabricating through the following steps:
(a) implanting boron ions B.sup.+ into the substrate 1. forming an oxide film 2 of SiO2 on the substrate 1 in a thickness of about 100 .ANG., and then depositing a nitride film 3 of Si3N4 in a thickness of about 1400 .ANG. by means of a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD); PA1 (c) patterning the active regions a by forming a photoresist layer 4 on the nitride film 3, and then forming a field channel stop layer by implanting boron into the substrate; PA1 (d) removing the patterned photoresist layer 4, removing the nitride film 3 after forming a field oxide film 5, and then growing a gate oxide film 6 in a thickness of about 100 .ANG.; PA1 (e) depositing a doped polysilicon on the substrate 1, forming gate electrodes 7 on the active regions by patterning the polysilicon, and then forming lightly doped source/drain regions which are lightly doped drain (LDD) regions, by means of ion-implantation of phosphorous ions P+; PA1 (f) depositing an insulation film on the surface of the substrate 1, forming side wall spacers on the gate electrode 7, and then forming doped n+ source/drain regions by implanting arsenic ions As+ into the substrate 1; PA1 (g) coating an insulation film 10 on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 1, forming contact holes for bit line contact by exposing a part of each active region of the substrate 1, forming sequentially a polysilicon film 11, a tungsten silicide WSi2 film and an insulation film 13 so as to fill up the contact hole, and forming, after patterning the insulation film 13, the bit lines in the polysilicon film 11 and then the tungsten silicide film 12 using the insulation film 13 as mask; PA1 (h) forming contact holes by exposing a part of the substrate 1 on which the bit lines are formed, depositing and patterning a polysilicon film 14 on the substrate 1 so as to fill up the contact holes and to form the capacitor node electrodes; and PA1 (i) depositing a dielectric film 15 on the node electrodes, forming a plate electrode of the capacitors, and depositing a polysilicon film 1L6 on the dielectric film 15.
The semiconductor memory device adopting the conventional COB structure as described above, has problems in that because the active pattern is in a diagonal form and has so many corners, a considerable reduction or distortion of pattern can occur, the photolithography process is difficult, and the packing density to be formed in the same area is so los that it is disadvantageous to a high integration device.

Memory cell structure for semiconductor memory device and fabricating method thereof


A tamper resistant bottle cap and neck for a threaded blow molded bottles which hold liquid, such as milk. The bottle cap and neck combination has an enhanced tamper evidency feature wherein a circumferential lip is formed at the outside edge of the interface between the cap and the neck. The lip protects the contents of the bottle by limiting the ability of potential tamperers to pry or bend upwardly the rachet ring at lower edge of the cap.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to closure devices, and in particular, relates to an injection molded tamper resistant bottle cap and neck for bottles which hold liquids, such as milk or juice.
2. Description of the Related Art
Injection molded caps for blow molded bottles have been used for many years. Generally, two types of bottle caps are available, push-on caps and thread-on caps. Push-on caps are installed by aligning the cap with the opening of a bottle and simply applying an axial force to the top of the cap. Thread-on caps generally require that the cap and bottle be aligned and that a rotative force be applied to the cap. In some cases, threaded caps, if carefully designed in conjunction with the bottle to which it is applied, can be made so that the rotative force required to install the cap is minimized or even eliminated. These kinds of injection molded caps are often made with low density polypropylene, a common material used in injection molding.
One of the problems associated with injection molded caps relates to the tamper-evident connection which must be created between the bottle cap and bottle. One method of forming a tamper-evident connection is to use a threaded bottle cap which includes a ratchet ring having internal ratchet teeth in combination with a bottle neck having external ratchet teeth. When the bottle cap is screwed on the bottle neck, the ratchet teeth of the bottle cap ride over the mating ratchet teeth on the bottle neck, thereby enabling the bottle cap to be fully tightened on the bottle neck. However, when a user attempts to unscrew the bottle cap using low-to-medium twisting force, the ratchet teeth of the bottle cap positively engage the mating ratchet teeth of the bottle neck, thereby preventing unthreading and unsealing of the cap. When higher levels of twisting force are applied to the bottle cap in the direction of unscrewing, the ratchet ring breaks away from the bottle cap and the bottle cap may be unscrewed from the bottle neck. In this manner, removal of the ratchet ring from the bottle cap serves as visual evidence that the bottle has been opened.
While the combination of a bottle cap with a tamper evidencing ring and a bottle neck with ratchet teeth provides for an acceptable tamper-evident connection, this combination does have its limitations. Specifically, it may be possible for a person to pull the lower edge of the ratchet ring outward and then upward toward the cover of the bottle cap in order to defeat the locking action of the ratchet teeth of the bottle cap and bottle neck. It would then be possible to unscrew the bottle cap without breaking the ratchet ring away from the bottle cap and to screw the bottle cap back on the bottle neck. If this were to occur, there may be little visual evidence that the cap has been unscrewed and subsequently screwed back on the bottle neck. Therefore, present tamper-evident connections between a bottle cap and bottle neck may not provide optimum tamper resistance in certain circumstances.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an improved tamper resistant bottle cap and bottle neck which further limit the ability of a person to tamper with the contents of a bottle. Specifically, there is a need for a tamper resistant bottle cap and bottle neck which limit the ability of a person to pry a tamper evidencing ring with ratchet teeth away from the mating ratchet teeth on a bottle neck, unscrew the cap from the bottle neck, and subsequently screw the cap back on the bottle neck.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved tamper resistant bottle cap and bottle neck for use in bottles which hold liquids, such as milk and juice.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved tamper resistant seal between a bottle cap and a bottle neck.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tamper-evident threaded bottle cap with an improved ratchet ring which limits the ability of a person to pull the lower edge of the ratchet ring outward and then upward toward the cover of the bottle cap in an effort to defeat the locking action of the ratchet teeth of the bottle cap and the ratchet teeth of the bottle neck.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a bottle neck with an improved circumferential ring which makes it is very difficult to insert an object under the outer lower corner of a ratchet ring of a bottle cap and pry the ratchet ring of the bottle cap away from the bottle neck in an effort to defeat the locking action of the ratchet teeth of the bottle cap and the ratchet teeth of the bottle neck.


A first beam source radiates, as a reference beam, 905 nm of near infrared beam having a characteristic in which light tends not to be absorbed in water toward a leaf of a plant. A second beam source radiates, as a measuring beam, 1550 nm of near infrared beam having a characteristic in which light tends to be absorbed in water toward the leaf of the plant. A threshold level setter/water content index detector calculates a water content index of one leaf which is a total sum Σ Ln (I905/I1550) of the reflection intensity ratio. A controller displays a graph representing the time-serial change of the water content contained in the plant from the start to the end of the measurement period on a UI screen of a monitor. Further, the controller is connected to an environmental control device that controls environmental conditions surrounding the plant, and instructs the control device to change or maintain the environmental conditions based on a change of increase and decrease in the water content contained in the calculated plant.

There is a potential difference inside and outside of a cell in a normal plant and electromotive force is generated. It is possible to describe a mechanism which generates such electromotive force based on, for example, an electrophysiological model of an axial organ of a higher plant. In particular, various methods are suggested in which a state of a root of the plant (for example, water stress) is examined non-destructively utilizing electromotive force between the root and soil.
As a technique in which water stress in a plant is measured utilizing the method described above, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses connecting a first nonpolarizable electrode to the plant, connecting a second nonpolarizable electrode to soil in which the plant is planted, providing a potentiometer between the two nonpolarizable electrodes, and being able to measure water stress which is received by the plant by measuring electromotive force between both nonpolarizable electrodes using the potentiometer.
In order to increase a sugar content of a fruit such as a tomato as an example of a plant, the amount of water content contained in a leaf or the like of the tomato is considered. The water content of a leaf of the tomato is fluctuated under the influence of a water supply content by manual irrigation by a user (farmer) or automatic irrigation of an irrigation device (for example, an irrigator), or surrounding environmental conditions (for example, temperature and humidity).
As one means for improvement of a value (that is, unit price) of the tomato, it is considered to improve the sugar content of the tomato. Here, the kind of irrigation to be performed and the timing of the irrigation for increasing the sugar content is mainly attributable to artificial arrangements such as farmer's past experience and intuition.
Increasing a sugar content of a fruit such as a tomato leads to quality improvement, and thus the unit price rises. On the other hand, if it is not easy to cultivate, the yield is decreased and thereby production may be decreased. In other words, there is a trade-off relationship between high performance of fruits and the yield. For this reason, in the future, it is expected to increase the productivity by improving the yield.
Further, there is a need for a technique for measuring the water content that can be performed so as not to hurt a measurement target of the plant.
An object of the present disclosure is to quantitatively and time-serially suggest a change of a water content contained in a plant and teach the timing of irrigation to the plant and the amount of the irrigation.

Device for observing water content, method for observing water content, and cultivation device

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A non-complex imaging arrangement is aligned along an imaging axis. A mirror assembly is configured to reflect an image from an optical axis, which intersects the imaging axis, toward the optics assembly. The imaging arrangement includes at least one fixed image sensor for imaging thereon an optical code or target, such as a one-dimensional or two-dimensional barcode symbol, or label, signature, marking, picture, etc. The imaging arrangement provides an extended working range of approximately 5–102 cm. The imaging arrangement is capable of being incorporated within a barcode imager to provide a non-complex barcode imager having an extended working range which is comparable to or greater than the working ranges of conventional image-based barcode imagers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of imaging, and specifically to an imaging arrangement and barcode imager for imaging an optical code or target at a plurality of focal planes.
2. Description of the Related Art
CCD or CMOS-based imaging devices, such as conventional barcode imagers, generally have limited working ranges on the order of 5–61 cm (˜2–24 inches). Furthermore, the aiming axis is often misaligned with the imaging axis of the imaging device. In many cases, the imaging device is designed to be handheld or at least moveable within a given area, thus compensating, somewhat, for the limited working range and skewed axis. However, the operator is still required to position the imaging device within the proper range and angle to produce an adequately sharp, i.e., substantially focused image. This may require a trial and error approach on the part of the operator in order to obtain the proper distance and angle from the target to be imaged.
In applications where the imaging device is kept stationary (e.g., fixed mount applications), such as in an assembly line where the imaging device is generally fixed for imaging barcode symbols on objects being moved along the assembly line, the conventional working range (i.e., 5–61 cm) is generally acceptable. In many applications where an increased working range is necessary, expensive and complex imaging arrangements having state-of-the-art automatic focus systems, such as zoom capabilities, are generally incorporated within or used in conjunction with barcode imagers to increase their working range. However, such imaging arrangements, besides being expensive, generally require constant maintenance. Therefore, when an application calls for imaging and decoding one-dimensional and two-dimensional barcode symbols, these imaging arrangements do not compete well in the marketplace against laser-based barcode readers which have comparable or even greater working ranges, and generally are less expensive.

Arrangement and method of imaging one-dimensional and two-dimensional optical codes at a plurality of focal planes


A thermal cutoff at least includes a current-carrying fusible element having two ends connected to a first electrode and a second electrode. The current-carrying fusible element is provided in a closed cavity bounded by a housing having an opening at one end, a cover plate, and a sealant. The thermal cutoff further includes a first lead wire and a second lead wire each wrapped by an insulating sheath. One end of the first lead wire and one end of the second lead wire are electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode. The sealant is filled in the opening of the housing, covers an electrical joint between the first lead wire and a first electrode plate and an end of the first lead wire, and also covers an electrical joint between a second electrode plate and the second lead wire and an end of the second lead wire.

Sealing protection requirements on internal high-voltage circuits and electronic components of electric vehicles are significantly more strict than those used in conjunction with traditional fuel vehicles, especially the requirements on thermal management and design of battery packs. To ensure the safety performance of electric vehicles in extreme environments such as torrential rain or submersion in water, the positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater preferably requires a waterproof rating of IPX7 or higher to avoid electric shock inside or around the vehicle. Due to the high voltage of electric vehicles, an electrical leakage may cause more severe injuries. At present, adding a high-voltage thermal cutoff to the main circuit of the PTC heater has become a standard routine. However, waterproof high-voltage thermal cutoffs are currently unavailable on the market.
For example, the applicant previously proposed a thermal cutoff, as disclosed in Chinese patent No. CN208093500U, in which the electrodes of the thermal cutoff are exposed. However, when the thermal cutoff is applied to an air conditioning system, an emphasis must be placed on waterproofing the lead terminal to meet safety requirements. In this regard, when the thermal cutoff is used at the client end, it is necessary to seal the entire mounting area with silicone rubber to waterproof it, which is clearly inconvenient in practical application. Adding to complications is the fact that the thermal cutoff is arranged axially. Consequently, since the wiring of the PTC heater is introduced from one side, when such an axial thermal cutoff is mounted, the wire harness at one end has to be folded back, and it is also necessary to weld a multi-stranded wire to at least the electrode at this end for folding back. This arrangement is not only inconvenient and requires substantial manhours, but also exposes the electrode and the weld, and thus cannot meet the sealing protection requirements.


In a lever for a transmission device comprising a lever body including a shoe and a support on the back of the shoe, the lever body is integrally molded of a synthetic resin, and a metal reinforcing plate is held on the support so that it extends along the longitudinal direction of the lever body. The lever body and the metal reinforcing plate are integrally formed by insert molding using the metal reinforcing plate as an insert fitting.

In an internal combustion engine, an endless chain is typically used as a transmission medium for transmitting rotation from the engine crankshaft to one or more valve-operating camshafts. The chain is in mesh with sprockets on the crankshaft and camshafts, which are of a size such as to transmit rotation from the crankshaft to camshafts at the required ratio. In such a transmission device, to ensure smooth power transmission, a lever is pressed by a tensioner into sliding contact with the traveling chain or other endless, flexible power transmission medium in order to apply appropriate tension to the medium. A side of the lever extending in the longitudinal direction forms a shoe which has a surface adapted for sliding contact with the transmission medium. The lever is pivoted at one end to the frame of an engine on a bolt, pin or the like, and a plunger of the tensioner abuts the lever near its opposite end on the side opposite the shoe.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show a lever 300 described in Japanese Patent No. 3253951. This lever comprises a lever body 301 having a shoe 302 with a surface for sliding contact with a traveling chain C, and a support 303 extending longitudinally on the back of the shoe 302 is integrally molded with the shoe, from a synthetic resin. A reinforcing plate 308 made of a rigid material fits into a longitudinally extending slot 307, the opening of which is located centrally with respect to the width of the support 303. Adjacent one end, the support 303 is provided with a mounting hole 305, through which a shaft 310 extends for pivoting the lever to the frame of an engine. The reinforcing plate 308 has a hole 308A located so that it can come into register with the mounting hole 305 when the reinforcing plate is inserted into the slot 307. The lever body 301 and the reinforcing plate 308 are held together by virtue of the fact that the shaft 310 extends through both the mounting hole 305 of the support, and the hole 308 A of the reinforcing plate.
Since the lever body comprises the shoe 302, integrally molded with the support 303 from a synthetic resin, the lever body 301 itself provides a surface on which the flexible transmission medium can slide, and it is not necessary to provide a separate shoe. As a result, the number of parts and production steps is reduced. Furthermore, since the opening of slot 307 faces in a direction perpendicular to the shoe and extends longitudinally along the lever, the reinforcing plate 308, which fits into the slot 307, increases the strength of the lever in the direction of the plane in which the pivoting movement of the lever takes place. As a result, the rigidity against bending, the toughness, and the strength, of the lever 300 is significantly improved.
In the above-mentioned lever 300, which is known as a "slide-in lever", the lever body 301 and the reinforcing plate fitted are separately molded. Thus, the lever presents some further problems. Specifically, in order for the reinforcing plate 308 and the slot 307 conform to each other, the support 303 must be molded with a high degree of accuracy.
Another problem is that significant assembly effort is required to align the mounting hole 305 and the hole 308A of the reinforcing plate 308 during assembly.
Still another problem is the prevention of shifting of the reinforcing plate in the lever as the lever is mounted on an engine frame.
Noises are also generated at the location at which the reinforcing plate is mounted rotatably on shaft 310 and at the location at which the plunger of the tensioner abuts the reinforcing plate.
Accordingly, objects of the invention are to solve the problems of the conventional slide-in tensioner lever, and to provide a tensioner lever that does not require high molding accuracy, does not require alignment of the lever body and the reinforcing plate when the assembly is mounted on a pivot shaft, and reduces noise due to contact of the reinforcing plate with the pivot shaft and the tensioner plunger.


A hybrid electric vehicle includes a lead-acid traction battery made up of a plurality of series-connected modules. During operation of the vehicle, the traction battery is discharged for acceleration, and charged by an ancillary power source. To maximize the capacity of the traction battery to accept regeneration charge current from dynamic braking, and to produce useful traction motor current, the modules of the traction battery are equalized during normal operation of the hybrid electric vehicle.

Hybrid electric vehicles are widely viewed as being among the most practical of the low-polluting vehicles. A hybrid electric vehicle includes an electric "traction" battery which provides electric power for an electric traction motor, which in turn drives the wheels of the vehicle. The "hybrid" aspect of a hybrid electric vehicle lies in the use of a secondary or supplemental source of electrical energy for recharging the traction battery during operation of the vehicle. This secondary source of electrical energy may be solar panels, a fuel cell, or a generator driven by an internal combustion engine. When an internal combustion engine is used as the secondary source of electrical power, it commonly is a relatively small engine which uses little fuel, and produces little pollution. A concomitant advantage is that such a small internal combustion engine can be operated within a limited RPM range, so that pollution controls of the engine may be optimized.
The terms "primary" and "secondary" when used to describe the sources of electrical energy merely relate to the way energy is distributed during operation, and are not of fundamental importance to the invention.
The traction battery of a vehicle is often made up from a plurality of series-connected modules, each of which in turn is made up from one or more interconnected battery cells. One traction battery which is contemplated for use with the invention has a nominal voltage of 550 volts, and is made up of forty-six series-connected 12-volt modules. Each module may, of course, be made up of one or more common automobile-type batteries. A hybrid electric vehicle, unlike a purely electrically powered vehicle, is at least partially recharged during operation; that is to say, that the traction battery ordinarily does not arrive at a depot in a substantially discharged state, and consequently will not be in dire need of recharging. As a result, a hybrid electric vehicle is used much as an ordinary internal-combustion driven vehicle; it can be parked after a day's use, and started in the morning without recharging.
The most commonly available rechargeable batteries are the ordinary automotive-style lead-acid batteries, which use porous lead or lead composition plates, and use a dilute sulfuric acid electrolyte. It is desirable for reasons of cost and availability to use such batteries for hybrid electric vehicles. One disadvantage of lead-acid batteries is their weight, and another is the reduction of the electric charge capacity of the battery with use. The reduction of charge capacity manifests itself as an increase of impedance, which in turn reduces the current which can be drawn from the battery at any given voltage. The reduced charge capacity arises, at least in part, from "sulfation" or formation of a sulfate coating on the plates of the battery. This sulfation tends to occur when the battery is allowed to remain for long periods of time in a partially charged condition. Thus, when a hybrid electric vehicle is repeatedly parked overnight, sulfation tends to occur, with the result of loss of traction battery charge capacity.
Improved methods for maintenance of the batteries of hybrid electric vehicles are desired.

Method for equalizing the voltage of traction battery modules of a hybrid electric vehicle


Method and apparatus are presented for the generation, regeneration, and transplantation of field enhancing whiskers to provide for an improved cathode in flat panel displays in particular, and in other applications. Such applications comprise devices in which there is an emissive cathode structure for producing electrons. There are dear advantages for the instant invention in the case of a flat panel display which requires a relatively large cathode area, because the present invention avoids excessive power loss due to radiation and conduction loss by permitting operation of the cathode at a significantly lower temperature than if it operated solely as a thermionic emitter. The combination of moderately elevated temperature and enhanced electric field allows the advantages of thermo-field assisted emission.

1. Field of the Invention
There is presently intense interest in flat panel displays not only to replace the ordinary cathode ray tube but also to go beyond the limits of liquid crystal displays. A flat panel display is one in which the display area is maximized and the operating volume of the device minimized to yield a maximization of display area to volume. An emissive flat panel display is one in which electrons are emitted from the cathode, and then directed to discrete positions on a luminescent screen. The instant invention relates to a greatly improved emissive cathode which combines thermionic emission with a moderately high to high electric field for barrier reduction and field emission in a novel structure that is less expensive to manufacture and more rugged than its existing counterparts. The combination of thermionic emission and a moderate electric field is called Schottky emission. Since the electric fields in this invention go from moderate to high, the emission can greatly surpass Schottky emission.
Furthermore the present invention provides method and apparatus for generation and regeneration of sharp asperities to increase the useful lifetime of the cathode. These asperities (whiskers) are responsible for providing the field emission component of the current. A deficit of extant field emission flat panel displays is that when the asperities lose their sharpness or length (tips become dulled), sufficient emission ceases, the asperity cannot be restored, and the whisker becomes ineffective.
As practiced in the present invention, it is possible to reduce the effective work function by about 1 eV due to the Schottky reduction in barrier height. As is shown in the accompanying tables, about a 1 eV decrease in work function can increase the current density by as much as .about.10.sup.6. The actual increase is even greater than this because Schottky modified the equation for thermionic emission to include only the effect of barrier height reduction by a moderate field. He did not include the effects of tunneling through a barrier that has been appreciably thinned by a high electric field. For a very high electric field, tunneling effects produce an even much higher emission rate; and the effects of combined thermionic emission and field emission are much more complicated than mere Schottky emission.
Whereas, the improved cathode of the immediate invention is presented in the context of flat panel displays, it may be utilized in a number of other applications, with or without the regenerative capability. Such applications comprise devices in which there is an emissive cathode structure for producing electrons. There are clear advantages for the instant invention in the case of a flat panel display which requires a relatively large cathode area, because the present invention avoids excessive power loss due to radiation and conduction loss by permitting operation of the cathode at a significantly lower temperature than if it operated solely as a thermionic emitter. Additionally the moderate to high electric field mitigates against space charge limitations of the current. There are also clear advantages for the present invention over purely field emitting cathodes in a flat panel display: 1) as there is an additional control over the emission current; 2) the effects of asperity tip dulling are mitigated both by regeneration and separate control of emission; 3) expensive processes for making a precisely similar and precisely arranged multitude array of field emitting cathodes are avoided; and 4) the immediate invention results in a more robust cathode than the field emission cathode in which microscopic spacing between anode and cathode and its maintenance is critical.

Emissive flat panel display with improved regenerative cathode


A process for the manufacture of 2-hydroxy-3-methylcyclopent-2-ene-1-one, in which an ester of alpha-methyl glutaric acid and an ester of oxalic acid react in a polar aprotic solvent in the presence of an alkali metal alkoxide to form an intermediate compound which, after removal of said polar aprotic solvent and alcohols formed in the reaction, is hydrolyzed and decarboxylated to form said 2-hydroxy-3-methycyclopent-2-ene-1-one.

It is generally accepted that the natural flavor of maple sugar and maple syrup and the synthetic flavor produced by 2-hydroxy-3-methylcyclopent-2-ene-1-one are the same and that the responsible compounds are the same compounds. The synthetic flavor compound is often called maple lactone because of its flavor and because of its existence in maple sugar and other maple products even though it is not truly a lactone, that name having been given before its chemical structure was known.
Maple lactone finds immediate and practical utility as a flavoring agent in the preparation of maple syrup and other artificially flavored maple products
Because some the sources of natural maple flavoring substance have declined and because the number of people who consume maple products has increased, there is a need for efficient and economical methods for producing maple lactone.
The Dieckmann reaction for producing maple lactone is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,922,296 issued to McFearin (hereinafter McFearin '296). The McFearin process requires a step of adding methyl bromide, which adds to the cost and complexity of the process, and adds to the waste disposal expense. Several of the U.S. Patents which the inventors hoped would be useful toward the end of preparing maple lactone or related compounds are discussed in McFearin '296.

Process for the manufacture of 2-hydroxy-3-methylcyclopent-2-ene-1-one


A method of transacting sales over a computerized network correlates in a first database record a first product and a plurality of first purchasers to form a pool; further correlates a plurality of second purchasers; issues an offer to a vendor of the first product; and consummates a transaction between the vendor and the first and second purchasers. The offer is issued to the vendor responsive to a time rate of accumulation of buyers in the pool. A first commitment price for buyers is responsive to historical sales performance of the first product; a price trend of an article similar to the first article; or a price trend of the first article itself over time. A second product desired to be purchased by a first purchaser is defined, and an offer is made to a vendor for the purchase of the second product.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to systems for conducting commercial transactions over a computerized network, and more particularly, to a system wherein buyers and or sellers are pooled to effect price reductions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional auction arrangements are generally directed toward increasing the price at which the auctioned goods are sold by causing the buyers to bid against each other. There is a need, however, for a system of conducting sales of products and services whereby buyers are aggregated and the consequently increased purchasing power is applied to reduce the price at which the products or services are sold. Thus, vendors compete for the larger sale.
There is additionally a need to engage in price determination based on actual manufacturers' suggested retail priced ("MSRP") or actual prices at which such products or services are available from other vendors ("Street Prices"), and actual price trends and price break points. In situations, for example, where the number of aggregated buyers is too great for a single vendor, there is a need for a system of conducting sales of products and services whereby vendors are aggregated.

Method of transacting pooled sales based on an accumulated time rate


Programmable test pattern driver and capture mechanisms for boundary scan cluster or functional block testing. A boundary scan test system includes at least one device under test. The device may include a Test Access Port (TAP) controller, a plurality of output AC boundary scan cells (BSCs), and a plurality of input AC BSCs. The device may further include a programmable AC_Pattern_Source signal generator configured to produce AC signal patterns that selectively remain unchanged for at least one cycle before and after an original capture cycle location, a programmable AC_Sync signal generator configured to independently control the AC_Sync signal to lead or lag an original cycle location at full cycle increments, a programmable phase controller configured to independently control either the rising or falling edge aligned AC_Pattern_Clock signal or AC_Counter_Clock signal, and an AC_Test_Clock signal switcher configured to selectively utilize one of a plurality of clock signals including a TCK signal.

Electronic systems generally include at least one printed circuit board (PCB) containing one or more integrated circuit (IC) chips or ICs. ICs typically include input/output (I/O) pins which may be coupled to various interconnects of the PCB. Testing performance of electronic systems which include PCBs and ICs typically requires testing at multiple levels including at the chip level, at the board level, and at the system level. Testing at the board level includes testing interconnects of the PCB. Testing at the system level requires analysis of interconnections between and among the ICs, the PCBs, and other devices both on and off the PCB.
To enhance testability at the board level as well as at the system level, a common design practice at the chip level is to incorporate boundary scan test logic into an IC in accordance with IEEE Standard 1149.1. 1149.1 specifies the function of boundary scan logic known as JTAG, which is named for the Joint Test Action Group, for control of boundary scan testing. Two basic elements of an IC are a core logic and the I/O pins. In accordance with 1149.1, boundary scan cells (BSCs) are inserted between the core logic and the I/O pins of the IC. BSCs are typically inserted for all I/O pins of the plurality of ICs on the PCB and may be used to test the integrity of the interconnections between the plurality of ICs.
Each IC may be controlled by boundary scan logic, in accordance with 1149.1, to operate either in a system mode or in a JTAG test mode. In the system mode, system data signals relating to core functions of the IC are passed through the I/O pins to and from devices external to the IC. In the JTAG test mode, test data are provided by the boundary scan chain for the purpose of testing interconnections between the IC and devices external to the IC. The boundary scan test access port (TAP) controller also provides test control signals which include mode signals, shift signals, clock signals, and update signals, among others, each of which is well known. The mandated public instructions include a bypass instruction, a sample instruction, a preload instruction, and a extest instruction. The extest instruction controls BSCs to perform a boundary scan test among the various ICs.
The IC further includes a test data input (TDI) demultiplexer, a test data output (TDO) multiplexer, a test access port (TAP) controller, and a plurality of test registers such as a bypass register, an instruction register, and an identification register. The TDI demultiplexer includes an input coupled to receive a test data signal from the boundary scan logic which is typically driven externally to the IC. The TDI demultiplexer includes a first output coupled to a TDI input of a first BSC of the plurality of BSCs in the IC. Each of the BSCs includes a TDI input and a TDO output. Each of BSCs is connected serially from a TDO output to a TDI input to propagate test data signals from one BSC to the next BSC in the chain. The TDI demultiplexer further includes a second output coupled to an input of the core logic, a third output coupled to an input of the bypass register; a fourth output coupled to an input of the instruction register; and a fifth output coupled to an input of the identification register.
The TDO multiplexer includes an output which is coupled to provide a test data signal to another IC or to the boundary scan logic. The TDO multiplexer further includes: a first input coupled to a TDO output of a last BSC of the plurality of BSCs in the IC, a second input coupled to an output of the bypass register; a third input coupled to an output of the instruction register, and a fourth input coupled to an output of the identification register. The identification register includes inputs coupled to outputs of the TAP controller. The TAP controller includes inputs coupled to receive a TMS signal, a TCK signal, and a TRST signal from the boundary scan logic.
In general, there are three possible I/O structures for an IC including a two-state I/O structure, a three-state I/O structure, and a bi-directional I/O structure. Each of the three I/O structures provides coupling between the core logic and at least one I/O pin. Any or all of the I/O structures may be used in an IC depending on the particular circumstances. The two-state I/O structure includes a two-state output buffer having an input and an output. The input of the two-state output buffer is coupled to a system data output of the core logic. The output of the two-state output buffer is coupled to an I/O pin. The three-state I/O structure includes a three-state output buffer having an input, an output, and a control input. The input of the three-state output buffer is coupled to a system data output of the core logic. The output of the three-state output buffer is coupled to an I/O pin. The control input of the three-state output buffer is coupled to a three-state system control signal output line of the core logic. The bi-directional I/O structure includes a bi-directional buffer. The bi-directional buffer includes an output buffer element having an input, an output, and a control input and an input buffer element having an input and an output. The control input of the output buffer element is coupled to a bi-directional control signal output line of the core logic. The input of the output buffer element is coupled to a system data output of the core logic. The output of the input buffer element is coupled to a system data received input of the core logic. The output of the output buffer element and the input of the input buffer element are coupled together with an I/O pin.
According to conventional methods and apparatus for boundary scan testing, the BSCs are inserted into the I/O structures between the buffers and the core logic. For a two-state output structure, a BSC is inserted between the core logic and the input of the two-state output buffer. For a three-state output structure, a BSC is inserted between the system data output of the core logic and the input of the three-state output buffer. Also, a BSC is inserted between the three-state control signal output line of the core logic and the control input of the three-state output buffer. For a bi-directional output structure, a BSC is inserted between the system control signal output line of the core logic and the bi-directional output buffer. Also, a bi-directional BSC is inserted between the core logic and the bidirectional output buffer.
IEEE Standard 1149.1 was first adopted in 1990. It has been widely used and has proved to be very successful. 1149.1 has been amended twice to improve it. However, 1149.1 does not address all situations and design practices. One such practice is the inclusion of capacitive coupling in the interconnections between ICs. A capacitor is added either to the connection between the ICs or to one, the other, or both of the I/O pins of the ICs or the PCBs with connectors. The capacitor is designed to reduce noise and block unwanted common mode voltage differences in the interconnection. For discussion, this will be referred to alternatively as either being AC coupled or DC de-coupled.
Turning first to FIG. 1, a block diagram of ten possible combinations of DC and AC coupled interconnections between two devices is shown. The choice of which of the combinations shown that are actually used depends on the circumstances. Because of the capacitor, the value of a signal at the receiving end of the interconnection is no longer the same as the value at the driving end. This assumes that the steady state condition has been reached where all transient values of driven data have subsided. The square wave input signal is transformed at the receiving end into a series of decaying signal spikes corresponding to the transitions of the square wave. The rate of the spike decay depends on the value of the capacitor and the inherent resistance, that is, the RC constant. The result is that conventional 1149.1 testing becomes impractical on AC coupled interconnections. One will note that there are seven possible AC coupled combinations where 1149.1 will not work as compared to only three DC coupled combinations where 1149.1 will work. As the quest for higher signal speeds continues in the future, the use of AC coupling will increase. This becomes especially true with the development of optical communication signals. The consequence will be less and less reliance on conventional 1149.1 testing.
Beyond the direct connected AC coupled testing are the areas of AC coupled cluster testing and AC coupled functional block testing. Under certain circumstances, one might want to test a cluster or functional block of components. As these components might not be directly connected to one another, further testing difficulties might arise. For example, the components might have multiple AC coupled connections in series or they might have non-electrical connections. If so, the test signal propagation may require continuous streams of alternating patterns in order to maintain minimum cutoff frequency requirements of the signal path or to maintain prolonged test signal application to compensate for long signal delays. Delay is one of the difficulties that might be encountered and is a measure of the time that a signal takes to propagate from the transmitter to the receiver. Another way to express the delay of the signal is in terms of the latency of the communication path. Generally the delay is constant but initially unknown. Another potential difficulty is pin skew which is a measure of the variation of two or more signals that are designed to be simultaneous in theory but are not quite in practice. Generally the skew is constant but initially unknown. Yet another potential difficulty is jitter which is a measure of the variation of a signal over time, that is, a signal that is supposed to have uniform timing in theory is not quite in practice. Jitter can be especially problematic when it arises in one or more of the clock signals as a consistent clock signal can be important for accurate timing. Generally the jitter is within bounds that are not initially known. It is not strictly necessary that each of these three difficulties be precisely measured in order to compensate for them, but they should be accounted for to produce accurate testing results. A flexible approach is proposed.

Programmable test pattern and capture mechanism for boundary scan


A system and related techniques detect and manage the set of rights associated with a componentized electronic document, including to separately protect and manage individual text, graphic, audio, video or other parts of a multimedia presentation. Unlike prior digital asset management platforms which could enforce encryption or other protection simply around the entire object, the invention permits individualized control over separate media components, to permit distribution for example of some parts, such as text passages, while preventing unauthorized access or copying of audio, photographic, video or other files or content. The electronic document may maintain a list of media components and the set of rights associated with each such component, and a content server or other source may apply key encryption or other safeguards to guide the delivery of the overall media object or its parts, for instance to view in a browser, print on a printer or otherwise access, manipulate or output the content.

The ease with which digital music, books and other written content, digital photographs and graphics, digitized video and other media and content may be shared, stored and retransmitted has highlighted the challenge of copyright and other ready rights management in the Internet era. While authors, composers, artists and others can take advantage of certain digital rights management (DRM) or digital asset management (DAM) technologies and platforms today, those approaches have drawbacks and limitations.
For example, photographers, publishers and others may retain or attempt to retain the rights in digital photographs posted on the Internet through embedded digital rights metadata inserted into image files such as TIFF, JPEG or other formats. In such cases, the original artist or other rights holder may embed an image header with date, file size and possibly encryption or password-protection data, to prevent the unauthorized use or reproduction of the graphical or other work. Thus, members of the viewing public may not be able to use a browser to save a copyrighted news photograph to their hard drives without a passcode or encryption key, for example.
However, even platforms which are aware of provisioning rights and include mechanisms to enforce copy protection may be insufficiently sophisticated to manage digital works which are more than simple texts or unitary images. For example, a news or other media Web site may present up-to-date stories in a more flexible format including text, associated photographs inserted in the story at a designed point, clickable audio clips, or streamed or other video or other media components. There is no way to effectively protect and manage the various modular parts of such a media object in an independent fashion.
That is, even if current rights management schemes may or could be extended to multimedia news or other Web presentations, the viewer of that content mat or would be limited to an encryption key or other mechanism which would merely lock or unlock the overall combination of media components in monolithic fashion, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Separate components of that content, such as individual photographs, sections or chapters of texts, video clips or other components, could not be accessed, checked out, copied or otherwise processed individually.
Because the constituent parts of the content can not be individually manipulated, the management and exploitation of rights in the overall media package may be constrained. For instance, a Web publisher or other may desire to make newspaper text redistributable but withhold the redistribution of associated video files, but this is impossible under current digital asset management platforms which place the entire object into an encrypted container. Other problems exist.

System and method for management of a componentized electronic document retrievable over a network


A method of protecting a brake caliper is provided. The method includes the steps of cleaning an outer surface of a brake caliper and blending a liquid protective covering solution in an applicator mix the coating composition. The applicator is primed to start the flow of the solution. A first coat of the protective solution is applied to the brake caliper and allowed to dry. Additional coats can be applied as desired. The protective solution includes a water based or alcohol based solvent, a binder selected from the group consisting of an acrylic, a polyurethane, a polyester melamine and acrylate resins or blends thereof and an acrylic copolymer.

Most cars today have disc brakes on at least the front two wheels of the vehicle. Many cars have disc brakes on all four wheels. The brake disc or rotor is usually made of cast iron or a ceramic based material. The brake disc has brake pads mounted on a caliper that are forced on to the rotor where friction causes the wheel to stop turning. The brake pads can be powered by a variety of different means. For example, the brake pads can be powered mechanically or hydraulically. The pads can also be powered pneumatically or electromagnetically.
The brake caliper is an assembly that houses the brake pads and pistons. There are fixed calipers that do not move relative to the disk. The fixed caliper uses one or more pairs of opposing pistons to clamp from each side of the disk. This type of caliper is more complex than the floating caliper. A floating caliper also known as a sliding caliper with respect to the disk. The caliper moves along a line that is parallel to the axis of rotation of the disk. A piston on one side of the disk pushes the inner brake pad until it makes contact with the braking surface. Then the piston pulls the caliper body with the outer brake pad so pressure is applied to both sides of the disk.
The caliper typically has a housing that is made from metal or other suitable material. Many of the vehicles today have alloy wheels. These alloy wheels are usually fairly open to reduce the weight of the wheels and to permit air to cool the brake pads. Because of the open nature of many of today's wheels, there is a greater likelihood the caliper can be seen through the wheels. In addition, because the caliper is open to the air there is a risk of corrosion on the caliper from moisture and road salt.
In order to protect the caliper from the elements and reduce the amount of corrosion, it is sometimes desirable to protect the surface of the caliper with a protective coating. The protective coating can be a paint based product or other material. The paint or other protective material must be able to withstand the high temperatures that are generated by the calipers during use. Thus, a high temperature paint is preferable; one such paint is high temperature engine paint.
Painting the calipers is a time consuming process. First, the car should be jacked up and the tires and rims are removed. The entire car should be covered including the wheel well. A drape or newspapers and tape are preferable. The caliper should be cleaned with a wire brush and a cleaning solution. The better the caliper is cleaned the better the paint will stick. The caliper should be removed using the bolts on the back side of the caliper. Once the caliper is removed it should be cleaned again with brake cleaner and a tooth brush. All exposed cylinders should be masked. The caliper should be positioned so that all sides can be accessed and then thoroughly spray painted. The paint should be allowed to dry and then additional coats should be applied with suitable drying between each coat.
It will be appreciated that the traditional manner of painting brake calipers is fairly time consuming, and unless great care is taken in cleaning the caliper, there is a high risk that the paint will not adhere. In addition to being time consuming, it can be difficult for anyone but an experienced mechanic to remove the caliper in a simple and expeditious manner.


A print system includes a computer and a printer. Image data having pseudo gradation with a dither pattern are printed by the printer. The computer divides the image data into predetermined areas, determines whether or not a dot arrangement pattern of image data in each of the areas matches a dither pattern that was used for generating the pseudo gradation, determines a representative value concerning a density of image data within the area if they match one another, and sends data related to the determined representative value to the printer. The printer obtains a representative value of each area from compressed data received from the computer and compares the obtained representative value with the dither pattern so as to reproduce a dot pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer system and a printer in which image data having pseudo gradation generated by using a dither pattern are compressed by a computer and transmitted so that a printer can receive and expand the compressed data for printing out.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, there is a print system that includes a computer and printers. For such print systems, there is a system in which image processing such as pseudo gradation for image data to be printed is performed on the computer side, and a printer side receives the image data from the computer and outputs the image data without a special process for printing on a sheet of paper.
Conventionally, there is a printer that is used for this system, which is called a raster printer. The raster printer can be realized at low cost by using a small scale of hardware because a special image processing is not performed on the printer side. However, it has a disadvantage that data quantity to be transmitted becomes large because it is necessary to transmit image data that can be printed on a sheet of paper as it is to the printer. In addition, if the image data includes character data, a resolution should be raised for a clear print of characters. As a result, the quantity of data to be transmitted to the printer becomes larger. Therefore, the transmission of image data from a computer to a printer requires a lot of time.
In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to compress the image data on the computer side. However, if a compression process is complicated, the compression process itself may require a lot of time, and the printer side may also require a lot of time for an expansion process so that a scale of hardware and its cost increase.
Therefore, a compression technique is desired in which the compression process is light, a small scale of hardware is sufficient for expanding data and a high compression rate can be realized in order to realize a print system in which an inexpensive printer can be used and that enables a high speed process as a whole.
In order to print image data of multi gradation by a printer, it is necessary to realize the pseudo gradation of the image data in many cases. Conventionally, a dithering method is known well as a method for realizing the pseudo gradation. The dithering method uses a dither pattern and compares each of threshold values of the dither pattern with a value of each pixel in the image data for producing binary values.
There is a compression method that notes a dither pattern as disclosed in Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 6-152986. According to this method, the binarized image data are divided into blocks having a predetermined size. A reference pattern that corresponds to the number of dots included in any image block is compared with the image block. If the image block is identical to the reference pattern, a code indicating the reference pattern is assigned. Otherwise, a result of the comparison is coded.
In addition, as a compression technique for the binarized image data, there is a JBIG format that is approved to be adopted by ITU (International Telecommunications Union)-T recommendation.
However, according to the former method described in Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 6-152986 mentioned above, data quantity to be sent increases by the quantity of codes of the reference pattern because the reference pattern is coded when the designated image block is identical to the reference pattern.
On the contrary, according to the latter method of JBIG, the compression process is relatively light so that a computer can perform the compression process at a high speed. However, a data compression ratio of the JBIG method is not so high as other method such as an LZS method or an LZW method. Especially, the data compression ratio has tendency to decrease if half tone data increases.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A mobile communication subscriber apparatus such as a portable phone allows its user to make prompt contact with someone who places a call to a specific phone served as a local base station to the subscriber apparatus. The mobile communication subscriber apparatus is arranged to register its position to a base station when it is used at an external mode. This subscriber apparatus provides a mechanism for transmitting a control signal for indicating change of the settings of an answering function of the local base station.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication subscriber apparatus such as a portable phone which has a function of position registration to a base station, and more particularly to a method for setting a function of an answering machine for use with such a mobile communication subscriber apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A mobile communication subscriber apparatus is a portable terminal device for information communication. Examples of such apparatus include a portable phone such as digital cordless phone and cellular phone or a small-sized portable personal computer (PDA: Personal Digital Assistants). The portable phone contains a digital cordless phone and a cellular phone. The small-sized portable personal computer contains a personal handyphone system (PHS) used in Japan and a CT-2 used in Europe.
Of such mobile communication subscriber apparatuses, some apparatuses may share an external mode and an internal mode and utilize either one properly. Herein, the external mode indicates a mode at which information is communicated through a base station that is a terminal for sending and receiving information is installed for public use. This mode is normally used outdoors when the mobile communication subscriber apparatus is operated independently. When the mobile communication subscriber apparatus is used at the external mode, normally, it is necessary to do a registration, in advance of a position of the apparatus itself to the base station. In general, this registration is called position registration.
On the other hand, the internal mode indicates a mode at which information is communicated through a specific phone installed at home. This mode is normally used when the mobile communication subscriber apparatus is served as a local subscriber to the local base station of the specific phone installed at home or the like.
Additionally, with the internal mode, normally, a phone number of the phone acting as a local base station (called a station phone number) is different from a phone number set to the mobile communication subscriber apparatus served at the external mode (called a subscriber phone number).
Hence, when the mobile communication subscriber apparatus is used at the external mode, someone who does not know the subscriber phone number cannot make contact with a user of the mobile communication station apparatus if he or she knows the subscriber phone number. That is, since the station phone number is different from the subscriber phone number, the user of the subscriber apparatus cannot often receive a contact from another if he or she carries the subscriber apparatus.
Further, if the phone machine acting as a local base station provides an answering function of recording a message from another person, that is, of automatically responding to a received signal, the user of the subscriber apparatus may receive a contact from another person as a recorded message. However, this kind of answering function has a shortcoming in that a message from another person is allowed to move to the user of the subscriber apparatus until he or she reproduces the message recorded in the local base station.
Moreover, if the phone machine acting as a local base station provides the answering function, a message indicating a subscriber phone number be contained in the message of the local base station and may automatically answer a received signal from another person. However, if the local base station is set to have the answering function, the mobile communication subscriber apparatus is not always usable. Hence, if the message indicating the subscriber phone number is contained in the message of the local base station automatically answers any received signal, this message may be improper if the subscriber apparatus is not in use.

Mobile communication subscriber apparatus and method for setting a function of answering machine


A device providing a sensory indication that the hands of a user executing a sit-up have moved a selected distance desired for proper execution of the sit-up, including an adjustable width base plate having substantially parallel channels disposed on opposite sides thereof, and slide plates disposed in each channel and having an upper surface engageable with the hands of a user, the slide plates being movable the selected distance in the channels between the channel ends. Users of the device consistently, uniformly perform a sit-up which minimizes unnecessary strain on the person's back by first positioning themselves in a starting position on their backs and on the device with their arms extended lengthwise of and parallel to their body. Their hands are then positioned on top of the slide plate positioned with its back end abutting the trailing end of the channel. Each sit-up is then performed by the person elevating his head and shoulders to cause lengthwise movement of his arms which in turn moves the plate in the channel, halting the elevating of his head and shoulders upon feeling the front end of the slide plate strike the leading end of the channel, and finally lowering his head and shoulders to the starting position.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed toward an exercise apparatus and, more particularly, toward an apparatus for facilitating proper execution of a situp.
2. Background Art
For many years, a person wishing to exercise his abdomen by performing situps would do so by lying with his back on the floor, his knees bent, his feet flat and secured to on the floor and his hands behind his head with his elbows sticking forward. The person would then lift his head and shoulders using his abdomen muscles to the point where his elbows touched his knees. This form of executing situps was found to put undue stress on a person's back, resulting in discomfort and, sometimes, injury.
Subsequently, "crunch-type" situps or "crunches" became widely used. This type of situp was executed in the same manner as the traditional situp, except the person would raise his head and shoulders a limited distance, for example, six inches, off the ground and then return to the starting position. This type of situp, while relieving the stress on the back, was found not to optimize the exercise on the abdomen as a person would often achieve additional leverage by pulling his head toward his chest by the use of his hands behind his head.
Health professionals and exercise consultants then recommended that people perform crunches with their arms extended parallel to and lengthwise of their body and then lifting their head and shoulders a prescribed distance to execute the situp. Health professionals and exercise consultants determined that for an adult the optimum distance to move the hands forward was four and one half inches and for a child the distance was three inches. Further, such a procedure is used not only for exercise, but for testing. However, if these "crunches" are not consistently performed, medical personnel cannot reliably compare test results with results from previous tests on the same person, or with other tests performed by other persons.
Heretofore, the prior art has failed to provide a satisfactory device for ensuring that such crunches be consistently performed as desired. For example, one method typically used has been to position a person flat on the floor with their arms extended and then place a piece of tape on the floor four and one half inches from the person's fingertips. However, this method has numerous disadvantages. First, placing tape on some floors is highly undesirable (for example, the tape may not stay in place on carpeted floors, and on tile floors may be difficult to remove). Second, if the person does not slide their fingertips along the floor, they may miss the tape and "crunch" too far. However, if they do slide their fingertips on the floor, they will typically both irritate their fingers (particularly on carpeted floors) and get very dirty hands. Third, the person will often slides along the floor to some degree while they do the "crunches", so that the tape will no longer be positioned precisely four and one half inches from the person's fingertips at the beginning of those "crunches", with the result being that many of the "crunches" will not be correct.
The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above.

Abdomen exerciser and method of using same


A method of expanding a hot flue-gas flow in a turbine through which a hot flue-gas passes. A structural component of the turbine is cooled by a cooling-gas flow which flows through the structural component and is fed to the hot flue-gas flow. Fuel is added in a metered fashion to the flue-gas flow in the turbine in such a way that a temperature drop in the flue-gas flow, which temperature drop results from the feeding of the cooling-gas flow without a metered addition of the fuel, is largely compensated for by the combustion of the fuel added in a metered fashion to the hot flue-gas flow. A corresponding turbine is also taught.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of expanding a hot flue-gas flow in a turbine through which the flue-gas flow passes. In the turbine at least one structural component is cooled by an associated cooling-gas flow, which flows through the structural component and is fed from the latter to the flue-gas flow. A fuel is added in a metered fashion to the flue-gas flow in the turbine for temperature compensating purposed. The invention also relates to a corresponding gas turbine system.
Such a method and such a turbine system are disclosed in Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Applications DE 43 30 612 A1 and DE 43 30 613 A1. There are references recited therein pertaining to the field of the invention, which are also of importance in connection to the invention described below. Reference is therefore specifically made to the entire contents of both publications.
The Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 43 30 613 A1 relates to so-called interheating, with the aim of increasing the exhaust-gas temperature of the flue-gas flow in order to make a subsequent steam process more efficient. The principle of reheating consists in increasing the temperature of the combustion air in the combustion chamber and additionally increasing the temperature again at a lower pressure during the expansion phase of the burned combustion air. This ultimately results in a higher outlet temperature of the flue-gas flow after complete expansion to atmospheric pressure. Such reheating is preferably effected up to the maximum temperature permissible in the gas turbine, as a result of which an especially high outlet temperature of the flue-gas flow is achieved.
A gas turbine having a plurality of compressors fluidically connected in series is disclosed in the published British Patent Application GB 2 288 640 A. In that turbine, multiple inter-heating takes place, with the aim of achieving an especially high outlet temperature of the flue-gas. As in the Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 43 30 613 A1, the aim of achieving an increase in the efficiency via a change in the thermodynamic process is thus described. In particular, the multiple reheating is intended to permit a modification of the Joule process and an approximation of the so-called Ericson process. The temperature of the flue-gas flow is preferably increased here to about 1400.degree. C. in each individual gas turbine. Incomplete combustion takes place in a combustion chamber disposed between the gas turbines and the compressors, where all of the fuel is fed to the combustion chamber. An air quantity fed via a respective compressor flow is in each case greater than the air quantity required for the cooling. The published British patent application No. 2 288 640 A therefore pursues the aim of compensating for a temperature loss as a result of the occurring expansion.
A gas turbine whose axial flow duct is divided into two sectional passages through which the moving blades move is described in German Patent DE 35 00 447 C2. The flue gas flows in a combustion-gas sector and cooling air for cooling the moving blades flows in an air sector. A reduced output of the turbine on account of the fact that the hot combustion air is not admitted to the moving blades over the entire cross-section of the flow passage but only in the combustion-gas sector is believed to be rectified by a modification of the gas turbine specified. To this end, combustion chambers disposed axially one behind the other are provided in the combustion-chamber sector. Therefore, the German Patent DE 35 00 447 C2, like the Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 43 30 613 A1, also deals with a form of interheating, which in this case, however, is restricted solely to the combustion-gas sector.

Method of expanding a flue-gas flow in a turbine, and corresponding turbine


A profile of a developed resist is exactly simulated irrespective of whether or not a resist pattern is dense. A dissolution rate of a film to be processed, which film is provided on a substrate, is varied in accordance with a concentration of a developer and the profile of the developed resist is simulated with use of the varied dissolution rate. In addition, a spatial average of an optical image of a resist, which is averaged in the thickness direction of the resist, is calculated and the dissolution rate of the resist is modulated by using the calculated spatial average. The profile of the resist is simulated by using the modulated dissolution rate. Therefore, the profile of the resist on the substrate, which profile varies when the resist is exposed in a desired pattern and developed, can be exactly estimated.

The present invention relates generally to a profile simulation method, and more particularly to a profile simulation method for forming an optimal resist pattern by estimating a variation in profile of a resist which is to be dissolved with a developer when a semiconductor device, etc. is manufactured by a lithography process, as well as a storage medium storing a program for carrying out the profile simulation method.
In a method of fabricating a semiconductor device, etc. by a lithography process, an image of a mask pattern is projected on a resist (photosensitive film) coated on a wafer and the image on the resist on the wafer is developed. For example, when the resist is of a positive type, a portion of the resist, which has been exposed to light to a greater degree, is dissolved with a developer and a resist pattern is formed.
The developed resist pattern varies depending on the focusing/defocusing state of a mask pattern image projected on the wafer, conditions for exposure (numerical aperture, coherence factor, shape of light source, pupil filter, etc.), a development time, the mask pattern itself, etc. Thus, a great number of experiments of exposure need to be conducted to find the conditions of the optical projecting system for producing a desired pattern with a predetermined focal depth and to find a mask pattern.
It is thus desirable to find, by computer simulation, the conditions in advance, under which an optimal resist profile will be developed. A method for estimating a developed resist profile is known as resist profile simulation, which will now be described.
When a two-dimensional profile alone is treated, a resist profile is expressed by a succession of minute line segments. When a three-dimensional profile is treated, a resist profile is expressed by a succession of minute plane segments. The direction of movement of the minute line segment or minute plane segment is set to be perpendicular to the surface of the resist. This technique is called "string model." On the other hand, in "ray tracing model", the direction of movement is found by a differential equations similar to those for light rays.
In addition, a method called "cell model" is known, wherein an object is divided into a group of small cells, and a variation in profile is expressed by deletion or addition of cells on the surface of the object. Moreover, there is known a distribution function method wherein the profile of an object is expressed by equivalent faces of a distribution function and a time-basis variation of the profile is found by solving a differential equation similar to a diffusion equation.
Besides, there is known a simplified development model wherein a point on a resist surface, where a dissolution rate is highest in a development process, is set as a start position and it is supposed that development progresses in a direction perpendicular to the substrate and then progresses in a direction parallel to the substrate and that the change in direction of development occurs at any point perpendicular to the substrate. According to this method, the profile of a developed resist is estimated on the basis of a group of end points.
However, the above methods have the following problems. In the prior art, the dissolution rate of a resist depends only on the exposure, photosensitivity characteristics of the resist and process conditions, or, in addition to these, the profile of a dissolved portion of the resist.
For example, when an isolated pattern portion and a dense pattern portion are coexisting, the concentration of a reaction product of a resist dissolved in a developer, that is, the OH.sup.- concentration in the developer, varies between a region near the isolated pattern portion and a region near the dense pattern portion. Consequently, the dimensions of a finished isolated pattern portion and those of a finished dense pattern portion cannot exactly be estimated at the same time.
As has been described above, various simulation methods have been proposed to estimate a resist pattern profile. In each method, it is not possible to exactly estimate the dimensions of a finished isolated pattern portion and those of a finished dense pattern portion at the same time. This problem arises not only in the case of forming a resist pattern but also in the case of treating a film by means of etching, etc.