The system includes a hydraulic circuit for supplying a flow of coolant to the engine, comprising a circulation pump, a radiator connected to the engine, a by-pass duct parallel to the radiator, and a regulating valve capable of adjusting the ratio of the flows of liquid supplied to the engine through the by-pass duct and the radiator respectively. The output of the circulation pump varies as a function of a control signal. A sensor provides signals indicating the temperature of the liquid flowing through a predetermined zone of the engine or the hydraulic circuit. An electronic unit connected to the sensor controls the pump such that the output of this latter varies depending on the temperature detected by the sensor. The regulating valve modifies the ratio of the aforesaid flows of liquid as the output of the pump varies.

The present invention concerns cooling systems for internal combustion engines, particularly for motor vehicles.
More specifically, the object of the invention is a cooling system for an internal combustion engine comprising a hydraulic circuit for supplying coolant to the engine, including
a circulation pump, PA1 a radiator connected to the engine, PA1 a by-pass duct essentially parallel with the radiator, and PA1 a regulating valve capable of adjusting the ratio of the flows of coolant supplied to the engine through the by-pass duct and radiator respectively. PA1 the output of the circulation pump varies as a function of a control signal; PA1 a sensor is provided capable of providing signals indicating the temperature of the liquid flowing through a predetermined zone of the engine or the said hydraulic circuit; PA1 an electronic unit for controlling the pump is connected to the sensor such that the output of the pump varies in a predetermined manner depending on the temperature detected by the sensor; and PA1 the regulating valve adjusts the ratio between the aforesaid flows of coolant as the output of the said pump varies.
In cooling systems of this kind produced until now, the circulation pump is a mechanical pump, in practice incorporated in the internal combustion engine and rotated thereby. The regulating valve in these systems is a thermostatic valve.
These known systems are structurally complex and expensive and, although they operate satisfactorily, they enable only a relatively inflexible control of the engine temperature.

Cooling system for an internal combustion engine, particularly for motor vehicles


Only a first EEPROM 2 can output data according to an output signal of a selector circuit 5 when a "High" logical value signal and a "Low" logical value signal are output from first and second input/output terminals of a CPU 1 respectively. Conversely, only a second EEPROM 3 can output data according to the output signal of the selector circuit 5 when the "Low" logical value signal and the "High" logical value signal are output from the first and second input/output terminals respectively. The selector circuit 5 causes all the EEPROMs 2, 3 to turn into their inoperative states when the "High" logical value signals or the "Low" logical value signals are output from both the first and second input/output terminals respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of selecting a semiconductor device applied to a circuit into which a plurality of semiconductor memory devices such as so-called ROMs, RAMs, etc. are incorporated and a circuit for embodying the same and, more particularly, improvements in a method of selecting one of a plurality of semiconductor memory devices without fail and a circuit for embodying such method.
2. Description of the Related Art
As one example of this kind of circuit in the prior art, there has been a circuit in which, for example, a so-called CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a plurality of ROMs are incorporated and the CPU can make desired one of the ROMs selectively turn into an operative state according to its own operation sequentially so as to read data from the desired ROM.
In FIG. 6, an example of the above circuit in the prior art is shown. Then, a configuration and an operation of the circuit for selecting the semiconductor memory device in the prior art will be explained in brief hereunder.
In this circuit, a predetermined program is carried out by a CPU 1 to execute operation control of respective portions of the circuit (not shown) and data processing. First and second EEPROMs (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memories) 2, 3 in which data necessary for execution of the program are stored respectively are connected to the CPU 1. More particularly, a negative logic chip enable input terminal (portion labeled as "/CE" in FIG. 6) of the first EEPROM 2 is connected to a first input/output terminal (portion labeled as "I/O (1)" in FIG. 6) of the CPU 1. Similarly, a negative logic chip enable input terminal (portion labeled as "/CE" in FIG. 6) of the second EEPROM 3 is connected to a second input/output terminal (portion labeled as "I/O (2)" in FIG. 6) of the CPU 1. Respective serial data output terminals (portions labeled as "SOUT" in FIG. 6) of the first and second EEPROMs 2, 3 are connected together and then connected to a data input terminal (portion labeled as "DATA" in F1G. 6) of the CPU 1 such that a data output line can be used commonly.
According to the above configuration, reading of data from the EEPROMs 2, 3 to the CPU 1 can be effected by outputting a so-called chip enable signal as a control signal from the first input/output terminal I/O (1) or the second input/output terminal I/O (2) of the CPU 1 to select desired one of the first and second EEPROMs 2, 3.
Meanwhile, in the above circuit in the prior art, since the chip enable signal which is output from the CPU 1 to the first and second EEPROMs 2, 3 has to be output based on the program executed by the CPU 1, essentially such chip enable signal should be output only to either one of the first and second EEPROMs 2, 3. However, if there is some trouble, i.e., so-called bug in the program, sometimes the chip enable signal has been output simultaneously to both the first and second EEPROMs 2, 3. In this case, since the serial data output terminals SOUT of the first and second EEPROMs 2, 3 are connected together and then connected to the CPU 1, both the first and second EEPROMs 2, 3 are set to their data output states. In the worst case, there has been such a possibility that both the first and second EEPROMs 2, 3 are damaged. As a result, sufficient reliability has not been able to be assured in the above circuit in the prior art.

Semiconductor memory device selection method and circuit for embodying the same


A contention-based network which allows real-time traffic to be assembled into multiple linked-list chains. A time separation is enforced between the various multiple chains, which are limited to a predetermined maximum number of stations that each can have in order to allow non-real-time stations to obtain timely access to the medium. Ones of the multiple chains may also be joined into a single chain. Blackburst contention is used to enable a chain to be reconstituted robustly from non-anticipated interruptions, such as the failure of one of its stations.

Contention-based networks, including local area networks such as Ethernet.RTM. networks, were originally designed with bursty data transmission in mind. More recently, such networks have been looked toward to support real-time applications such as voice and video. However, using contention-based networks to carry real-time traffic may be problematic because of such networks' inability to guarantee a maximum, or bounded, delay service and thus their inability to guarantee a desired level of service quality for real-time applications.
In order to address this issue, techniques have been proposed which give a certain degree of priority to real-time traffic. One approach is a pre-emptive approach wherein a station desiring to transmit a real-time packet simply comes on to the network's communications medium, e.g., coaxial cable, and transmits a fixed-length preamble. This causes a collision with any then existing traffic. Pursuant to conventional protocol schemes, the station that was transmitting the existing traffic ceases transmitting upon detecting that the collision occurred. At that point the real-time station which caused to collision simply continues with the transmission of its real-time packet. While serving to provide immediate access for the real-time station, this approach has the disadvantage that any packet that was being transmitted at the time of the collision will have to be retransmitted, thereby reducing the overall efficiency of the network. Moreover, the probability of such a collision increases with increasing network load, thereby increasing the number of collisions and further reducing efficiency at higher network loads.
A more efficient approach is that described for example, in I. Chlamtac, "An Ethernet Compatible Protocol for Real-Time Voice/Data Integration," Computer Networks and ISDN Systems, 10 (1985), Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (North-Holland), pp. 81-96, in which the various currently active real-time stations establish an order of transmission among themselves and use, for example, the notion of a succession, or chain, wherein the real-time stations transmit one after the other in a way which does not allow the medium to be perceived by the non-real-time stations as being idle. It is only after all the real-time stations have had an opportunity to transmit packets they then have ready that the medium again becomes idle, and thus available to any station then having data to send. See also, for example, Szabo, "An Ethernet compatible protocol to support real time traffic and multimedia applications," Computer Networks and ISDN Systems, Vol. 29, page 335-42, 1997.
The nature of real-time traffic is that packets carrying that traffic originating from a particular node, once initiated, will continue over an extended period of time at regular intervals. In order to ensure robust operation, each of the real-time stations, having transmitted a packet, sets a timer which is to expire after another such interval has elapsed. If the timer of particular node expires without that node having transmitted a packet, remedial action needs to be taken. For example, a non-anticipated interruption may occur in that a station that is somewhere in the middle of the linked-list chain fails to transmit at the appropriate time, i.e., upon the termination of the transmission of the previous station in the list. This may be due, for example, to some kind of failure, or at least an untoward delay, in the application that is generating real-time data for the station, or there may have been a problem with the station itself, e.g., a hardware failure. The station which follows the failed station in the linked list chain will not transmit until it "sees" a transmission from the latter and thus if nothing more were done, neither that station nor any of those following ones--referred to herein as the "detached stations" are able to transmit, since they are waiting to observe that their predecessor in the chain has transmitted. However, expiry of a timer alerts its station that something untoward has occurred and recovery procedures are taken which have as their ultimate result the reconstruction of the linked list chain with those stations still active and wanting to transmit. If the network were to use a pre-emptive approach for the real-time traffic (meaning that a real-time station having a packet to transmit is allowed to access, and ultimately gain control of, the medium even though a non-real-time packet is in progress) the timer of the first detached station after the break would be the first and only one to have expired before recovery actions are initiated. As a result, each of the other detached stations would observe a transmission on the part of its predecessor in the linked list chain before its own timer expires and would therefore access the medium in the normal way after that predecessor has finished transmitting.

Priority access for real-time traffic in contention-based networks


In a digital camera including an electronic flash device using a light-emitting diode as a flash light source, white balance correction is performed by using a white balance correction value corresponding to a color temperature of light actually emitted from the electronic flash device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital camera and particularly relates to a digital camera comprising an electronic flash device using a light-emitting diode (LED) as a flash light source.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a xenon tube is used as a light source in an electronic flash device of a camera. However, an electronic flash device using a xenon tube as a light source can emit only instant light of several milliseconds, so that flash shooting cannot be performed while a shutter is released slowly. Further, since a xenon tube has a spectral characteristic close to a daylight color, flash shooting for backlight correction in the morning and evening results in a picture with an unnatural color. Hence, in order to solve the defect of such an electronic flash device using a xenon tube as a light source, an electronic flash device using an LED as a light source is proposed (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-116481).
However, since an LED emits light varied in color temperature among products, when an LED is used as a flash light source of a digital camera, a white balance correction result is varied among products.
Moreover, an LED emits light varied in color temperature according to an ambient temperature and an applied current, and a white balance correction result is varied according to an ambient temperature and an applied current.
The present invention is devised in view of such circumstances and has as its objective the provision of a digital camera achieving an image of a stable color shade during flash shooting using an LED as a flash light source.

Digital camera having an electronic flash device LED as a flashlight source


A bearing system for dynamically varying loads and load vectors comprising a plurality of bearing assemblies interference fit to a stationary component and interface fit to a rotatable component to establish relative rotational movement between the components. Each bearing system configured to establish a lubrication pathway through the bearing assemblies.

Field of the Invention
The inventions disclosed and taught herein relate generally to bearing systems; and more specifically relate to bearing systems for dynamically varying loads.
Description of the Related Art
A wide variety of rotating equipment utilizes one or more rolling assemblies to react loads as well as facilitate rotational motion. For example, railroad car wheels may be considered rolling assemblies and use bearing systems to react the load of the railcar and to facilitate rotational motion.
Low profile pumping units, such as those available from Lufkin Industries, LLC, utilize rolling assemblies with bearing assemblies to react loads and facilitate rotation.
When these loads on the rolling assemblies vary in direction and/or magnitude over time, such as during a rotational cycle, the longevity of the bearing systems may be compromised.
The inventions disclosed and taught herein are directed to improved bearing systems for dynamically varying loads.

Bearing system for dynamically varying loads


A weatherstrip structure for an automotive vehicle includes a reversed U-shaped main body to define a space which is open toward an upright mounting flange provided at a vehicle body opening edge. A first grasping lip is provided in the space extending from one of side sections of the main body defining the space. A second grasping lip is further provided extending into the space from a lower end of the other of the side sections. The second lip is adapted to make a tilting movement relative to the other of the side sections so as to facilitate insertion of the mounting flange into the space. A stopper projection is provided between the second lip and the other of the side sections for limiting the tilting movement of the second lip toward the other of the side sections so as to prevent the second lip from excessively tilting toward the other of the side sections. A sponge rubber projection may be provided independently of or along with the stopper projection at an inward tip portion of the second lip. The sponge rubber projection is adapted to be pressed against the mounting flange by a reaction force of the second lip after the second lip is tilted toward the other of the side sections to allow the insertion of the mounting flange into the space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a weatherstrip structure for an automotive vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a weatherstrip structure for an automotive vehicle which can provide a highly reliable sealing effect at a vehicle body opening edge, i.e. between inside and outside of a vehicle body.
2. Description of the Background Art
A weatherstrip for sealing a space between, such as, a vehicle body opening edge and a trunk lid, is disclosed such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,035 issued on Jul. 18, 1989.
In this background art, the weatherstrip includes an elongate main body made of a solid rubber. The main body includes an elongate upper section and a pair of elongate side sections facing each other so as to have a substantially reversed U-shaped cross-section. First and second grasping lips are provided extending inward from the corresponding opposite side sections at vertically intermediate positions thereof for holding therebetween an upright flange provided at the vehicle body opening edge. Specifically, the first grasping lip extends from one of the side sections located inside the vehicle body with respect to the flange (hereinafter referred to as "inside section"), while, the second grasping lip extends from the other of the side sections located outside the vehicle body (hereinafter referred to as "outside section"). A third grasping lip is further provided extending inward from the inside section at a vertical position lower than the first grasping lip.
A seesaw lip is further provided at a lower end of the outside section and connected thereto through a linkage section. The linkage section is formed thinner in width than the other portions of the outside section. Specifically, the seesaw lip has a grasping lip section extending inward from the linkage section and a sub-lip section extending outward from the linkage section substantially in a direction opposite to that of the grasping lip section. The first to third grasping lips and the seesaw lip are made of the same material as the main body except for an outward tip of the seesaw lip, i.e. a tip of the sub-lip section. The tip of the sub-lip is made of sponge rubber (rubber foam) other than the solid rubber.
When the weatherstrip is depressed to receive the upright flange therein, the flange is grasped under pressure between the first and second grasping lips and between the third grasping lip and the grasping lip section of the seesaw lip so that the weatherstrip is firmly retained on the upright flange. Further, during the insertion of the upright flange into the weatherstrip, the seesaw lip is arranged to pivot or tilt with the linkage section working as a fulcrum. Accordingly, assembling of the weatherstrip onto the upright flange is facilitated. Simultaneously, the pivotal or tilting movement of the seesaw lip allows the sub-lip section to pivot inward until the sponge rubber tip of the sub-lip is pressed against a planar surface which is an outward extension from the upright flange and arranged substantially in perpendicular to the upright flange, so as to ensure a sealing effect therebetween.
On the other hand, since the seesaw lip is rather easily pivoted using the linkage section as the fulcrum, it is likely that the seesaw lip is tilted excessively during assembling of the weatherstrip onto the upright flange. This excessive pivotal movement of the seesaw lip causes less pressure applied between the grasping lip section of the seesaw lip and the upright flange, and further causes the sponge rubber tip of the sub-lip section to partially bend or turn up inward so as to generate small gaps between the outward extension of the flange and the sponge rubber tip of the sub-lip section. Accordingly, the sealing effect provided by the grasping lip section and the sub-lip section of the seesaw lip inevitably becomes significantly less to allow invasion of water and dust into the vehicle body.
Further, since the grasping lip section of the seesaw lip is made of the solid rubber having a relatively high rigidity, the inward tip of the grasping lip section can not precisely follow configuration of an outer surface of the upright flange against which the inward tip of the grasping lip section is pressed. For example, when a difference in level or a step is formed on the outer surface of the upright flange due to superposition of another flange at a joint portion therebetween, or a seal paint is applied to the above-noted stepped portion to provide a rugged surface thereon, the inward tip of the grasping lip section can not precisely follow such a configuration on the outer surface of the upright flange so that gaps are generated therebetween to allow invasion of water and dust into the vehicle body.

Weatherstrip structure for automotive vehicle


A method of processing a message in a short message service in which a router or alternatively a gateway makes a first attempt to deliver the message, the deliver attempt failing the router or gateway sends the message and other supporting information to a service center that can store the message and re-attempt delivery of the message. The supporting information provided by the router or gateway enables the service center to process the message in an efficient manner. The supporting information can include a failure type indicator, a charge indicator, a charge reference number, a virtual mobile indicator and a reply indicator.

The following glossary of terms can be referred to by the reader to assist in understanding acronyms and terms used herein.
AcronymDefinitionCDMACode Division Multiple AccessCOPSCommon Open Policy Service protocolESMEExternal Short Messaging EntityFOFixed Network OriginatedFTFixed Network TerminatedGSMGlobal System for Mobile communication. The dominantmobile radio technology at the time of writing.IMSIInternational Mobile Subscriber IdentityHLRHome Location Register. This is the GSM term for the net-work database that holds those subscription details necessary to deliver service. For example the network address of the node currently serving the subscriber, the services subscribed to, and what supplementary services the subscriber has acti-vated. The American standards have an equivalent database.MAPMobile Application Part. The protocol layer that sits betweenthe top of the SS7 stack (TCAP) and the SMS application protocol. In general I refer to GSM MAP, but the equivalent protocol layer exists in the American standards too.MOMobile Originated.MTMobile TerminatedMSMobile Station. The combination of a subscriber identity module (SIM) with a handset to create a working mobile telephone.MSCMobile Switching CenterMMSMultimedia Message ServiceMSISDNMobile Station Integrated Services Digital NetworkMWDMessage Waiting Data. That part of the HLR database that records for each mobile subscriber the list of addresses of service centres that have messages queued for the subscriber. When the subscriber connects to the network and becomes reachable the HLR notifies every service centre in the list for that subscriber that the subscriber is now available to receivemessages.PDPA COPS Policy Definition PointPEPA COPS Policy Enforcement PointSIGTRANSigtran is a working group of the IETF, formed in 1999, and tasked with defining an architecture for the transport of real-time signalling data over IP networks. Its work culmi-nated in not just the architecture, but also the definition of a suite of protocols to carry SS7 and ISDN messages over IP.This protocol suite is made up of a new transport layer—theStream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP)—and a set of User Adaptation (UA) layers which mimic the services ofthe lower layers of SS7 and ISDN. In this paper the term SIGTRAN is used to refer to the stack rather than the com-mittee that invented it.SMShort MessageSMPPShort Message Peer to Peer protocolSMSShort Message ServiceSMSCShort Message Service CentreSRStatus Report. This is the GSM MAP term for a notificationsent back to the originator of an SM informing them of the progress to date in attempting delivery. In this paper I intend the term to include equivalent messages in other protocols—such as SMPP Delivery Receipts.SS7Signalling System 7, a telecommunications protocol defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).TDMATime Division Multiple AccessUDHUser Data Header
The following documents are referred to in this document by their respective reference numbers. The below cited documents can help the reader to understand this document and each is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference.                [1] Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Technical realization of the Short Message Service (SMS), V6.5.0, ETSI TS 23 040, 3GPP, September 2004        [2] Mobile Application Part (MAP) Specification, 6.7.0, ETSI TS 29 002, September 2004        [3] Short Message Peer to Peer; Protocol Specification v3.4, 1.2, SMS Forum, October 1999        [4] Short Message Peer to Peer; Protocol Specification v5.0, SMS Forum, February 2003
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an exemplary existing messaging service architecture 100. In the architecture 100 represented in FIG. 1 both a router 104 and a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) 103 have International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Signaling System 7 (SS7) or SIGTRAN interfaces to a mobile network (a.k.a. PLMN) 105. Mobile Application Part (MAP) is used over SS7 or SIGTRAN (see references [1] and [2]). The interface between the router 104 and the SMSC 103 typically uses the same protocol stack as that used to connect these systems to the mobile network 105. The paragraphs that follow describe the main traffic flows through the exemplary messaging service architecture 100.
MO-MT Messages (a.k.a. Person to Person Messages)
MO SM are handled initially by the router 104. Typically 80% or more of MT SM are delivered on the first attempt so the router 104 will immediately attempt to deliver 112 the SM to the intended receiver. If the delivery attempt fails then the router passes 110 the SM to the SMSC 103. The SMSC 103 stores the SM and at a later time makes further attempts to deliver it 109 to the MT receiver.
In this architecture it is possible for MO SM to bypass the router (not illustrated) if the originating mobile is programmed with the address of the SMSC 103 rather than the address of the router 104. Although this is discouraged, it nonetheless is fairly common.
MO-FT Messages (a.k.a. Person to Application Messages)
MO SM 111 are handled initially by the router 104. Typically in excess of 95% FT SM are delivered at the first attempt so the router 104 will immediately attempt to deliver 108 the SM to the intended receiver via the gateway 102. If the delivery attempt fails then the router 104 passes 110 the SM to the SMSC 103. The SMSC 103 stores the SM and at a later time makes further attempts to deliver it 107. All MO SMS-COMMAND (or the CMDA, TDMA or other protocol equivalents) operations messages are sent to the SMSC 103.
FO-MT Messages (a.k.a. Application to Person Messages)
FO SM are initially handled by the gateway 102. If the originator selects single-shot quality of service then the SM is forwarded 113 directly to a router 104 for delivery. If store-and-forward quality of service is selected then the gateway 102 forwards 114 the SM to the SMSC 103 instead. All messages containing update, delete and enquiry operations are sent to the SMSC 103.
Alternatively the gateway 102 can send 113 all FO-MT SM to a router 104 for an initial delivery attempt, and if this fails the gateway 102 can forward them to the SMSC 114 for storage and later re-attempted delivery 109.
Shortcomings of the Existing Implementations
The well known implementations of the messaging architecture suffer from a number of shortcomings. These include:                The protocol used between the router 104 and the SMSC 103 is in most cases MAP over SS7. SS7 connectivity tends to be expensive and restricted in bandwidth. Some of the drawbacks of this protocol will be alleviated by the rollout of SIGTRAN, but in many networks this is still years away.        Because the SMSC 103 does not know what the router 104 has done with the message before forwarding it, the SMSC 103 has to make an attempt to deliver the message to determine the message status, register itself with the HLR and determine what retry schedule to use for the message.        Because the SMSC 103 does not know what the router 104 has done with the message before forwarding it, the SMSC 103 does not know if pre-pay charges have been applied to the SM or not.        Load balancing between the elements of the solution is difficult to achieve because the protocols used do not support congestion reporting.        Load balancing between elements of the solution makes the routing of queries, updates and deletion commands difficult. Some implementations address this by simply copying the commands to every SMSC, but this is inefficient.        Most implementations of this architecture do not cater effectively for the situation where Status Reports are generated by the router or gateway but cannot be delivered.        The GSM SMS standards allow the originator of an SM to specify that the recipient should be allowed to reply to the SM using the original originators home SMSC 103. For this to work the SMS must keep track of who has sent such SM to whom and to allow exactly one reply. The router 104 needs to be able to police these replies, but it is also necessary for the SMSC 103 to have this information. Existing implementations do not provide a means for the SMSC 103 and router 104 to share this information.        Typically implementations of the messaging architecture do not handle multi-part messages (i.e. concatenated) well and this can result in either parallel delivery attempts or out of sequence delivery.
The remainder of this section describes each of these issues in turn in more detail. In this document references are made that are specific to GSM. Except where otherwise stated, the analogous technologies related to other well known mobile telephony (e.g. TDMA, CDMA) and message services apply equally.
Interconnect Protocol
Because all SMSC 103 have a MAP/SS7 interface router 104 products use this as the basic interconnect between the router 104 and the SMSC 103. Use of this protocol stack imposes a number of limitations on the interface between routers 104 and SMSC 103:                MAP is network specific. You need different protocol implementations for different mobile networks (e.g. GSM, CDMA, TDMA)        The SS7 stack imposes limitations on the size of the messages that can be sent without segmentation. Existing implementations are supposed to, but may not cope with very large "short" messages. This limits the extent to which MAP messages can be safely extended even when the approved extension mechanism is used.        The basic SS7 infrastructure is expensive for a given bandwidth when compared with TCP/IP over a LAN.        There is no easy way of adding proprietary operations to MAP.
The de-facto standard for connecting gateways 102 to SMSC 103 is SMPP v3.4, see reference [3]. This protocol has some limitations but is extensible and is widely supported. SMPP v5 (see reference [4]) is technically a superior protocol to SMPP v3.4 that addresses some, but not all, of the above described limitations.
Superfluous Deliveries
When an SMSC 103 receives an SM from a router 104 or a gateway 102 most SMSC 103 immediately attempt to deliver the SM. If the router 104 or the gateway 102 did not attempt to deliver the SM then this is not a problem, but if it did then this immediate delivery attempt often represents a wasted effort because it will probably fail for the same reason as the failed router or gateway delivery attempt.
In a typical GSM network the breakdown of delivery failures for delivery attempts to the mobile network is as follows:
Percentage of allErrordelivery failuresUnknown Subscriber (Permanent Error)2Call Barred by Operator (Permanent Error)1Memory Capacity Exceeded20Absent Subscriber - IMSI Detached64Absent Subscriber - Paging Failure3System Failure9Error in MS1
So 3% of MT delivery attempts fail with permanent errors and the SM should be discarded by the router 104 or the gateway 102 rather than forwarded to an SMSC 103. Of the SM forwarded 84% failed their original delivery attempt for reasons that will cause an immediate retry by the SMSC 103 to terminate with an error indication from the HLR. However this retry/delivery attempt must be made in order to register the SMSC 103 in the MWD of the HLR. The remaining 13% of failures are errors that if delivery is immediately retried will result in both a sendRoutinglnfoForSM operation and a mt-ForwardSM operation being sent. In many of these cases this immediate retry will probably succeed.
Congestion Management
In a heavily loaded network both routers 104 and gateways 102 need to direct traffic to those delivery & storage systems that still have capacity to spare. Although SS7 adequately handles the situation where a system has reached capacity it does not provide adequate facilities to allow one application to signal its load state to another system. Standard SMPP v3.4 has no overload handling mechanism.
Multiple Parallel Deliveries
Mobile networks generally do not allow the delivery of multiple short messages to an MS in parallel. One of the problems that a router based load sharing architecture introduces is that SM for a single MS can end up on multiple SMSC 103. If the SMSC 103 all register with the HLR to receive alerts then when the MS becomes available all of the SMSC 103 attempt delivery to it at the same time. This typically results in one SMSC 103 succeeding and the others all receiving error indications.
Routing of Commands and Network Alerts
The dynamic load sharing of messages between multiple SMSC 103 creates difficulties for routers 104 and gateways 102 when they need to send delete, query or update commands for an SM to the SMSC 103 holding the message.
Addressing the problem of superfluous deliveries discussed above can result in the router 104 having difficulty knowing which of multiple SMSC 103 it needs to trigger delivery from when it receives an alert from the network.
Charging
Many networks charge pre-pay subscribers for their MO SM in real-time before the first attempt is made to deliver the SM. However if the first delivery attempt fails and the SM is forwarded to the SMSC 103 which also fails to deliver it then it may be necessary for the SMSC 103 to issue a refund. Some pre-pay systems may require the reference of the original charge in order to issue the refund. Current router 104 implementations do not convey this information to SMSC 103. Also in some networks it may be desirable to pass messages that cannot be charged for immediately to the SMSC 103 to store until such time as the charge can be successfully made (e.g. temporary unavailability of the charging system). In this case the SMSC 103 needs to be able to discriminate between those SM that have been charged for and those that have not.
Many networks charge for reverse charge SM from applications to mobiles in real-time just before they are delivered. If an SM cannot be charged for then the delivery attempt must be aborted and the SM sent to an SMSC 103 for storage and delivery at a later date. If the SMSC 103 is going to make deliveries directly then it needs to know which messages have been charged for and which have not. Current router 104 implementations do not convey this information to SMSC.
Status Reports
Most routers 104 that have the capability to deliver SM are also capable of generating SR to report the outcome of a delivery attempt. If the original SM submitter is no longer reachable at that point then the SR must either be discarded or the router 104 must save it and retry delivering it later. Neither of these options is desirable.
Most gateways 102 do not currently generate SR. They leave this to the SMSC 103 that is delivering through them. However in theory future gateways 102 could generate SR and in this case they will also need the capability to forward SR that they cannot deliver to SMSC 103.
Virtual Mobile Handling
There are many implementations of the concept of attaching a fixed network application to a mobile network as if it were a mobile. This is generally achieved by adding a device to the SS7 network that emulates an MSC that is supporting a population of "mobiles" that are actually fixed network devices.
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of message flow sequence 200 in an exemplary virtual mobile service. When the Virtual Mobile feature is used in a router the fact that the original SM was a virtual mobile SM is lost when the SM is forwarded to an SMSC. This means that the SM arrives at the SMSC as if it was a normal MO SM and will almost certainly be rejected by either the MSISDN or IMSI barring checks in the SMSC (because the SM was originated by the subscriber of another network).
The originating SMSC 204 has accepted an SM and is attempting to deliver it to a fixed network application 203 that is masquerading as a Mobile Station.                1. The originating SMSC 204 sends the SM over SS7/SIGTRAN 207 to a router 202 that is emulating and MSC over the mobile network backbone. Typically this will involve the originating SMSC 204 first obtaining the address of the router 202 by interrogating a real (or simulated) HLR (not illustrated). Then the message is sent 207 to the router 202. This usually means exiting the home network of the originating SMSC 204 through one gateway switch and entering the destination network through another (not illustrated).        2. The router 202 attempts to deliver 206 (either directly or via a gateway 208) the SM to the application 203, but is unsuccessful.        3. The router 202 forwards 205 the SM to another SMSC 201 that for storage and delivery at a later date. The router 202 acknowledges receipt of the message to the originating SMSC 204. This step is typically fails as the router 202 fails to inform the SMSC 201 that the SM is a virtual mobile message rather than a normal message and the SMSC 201 rejects it. If the SMSC 201 accepts the SM the SMSC 201 will subsequently attempt to deliver 209 it (either directly or via a gateway 208) to the application emulating an MS 203.
An alternative implementation is for the router 202 to return an error to the originating SMSC 204 if the delivery attempt to the application (see reference [2]) is unsuccessful. This puts the onus for retrying delivery on the originating SMSC 204. This latter solution puts more load on the network and particularly on the inter-network gateway and the HLR.
Replies
Referring again to FIG. 1, the router 104 keeps track of those SM that it has delivered and that specified that a reply was allowed via the router 104 (for example, in a GSM SMS this is done by setting the TP-REPLY-PATH field) and so do the SMSC 103 for the SM that they handle. This means that when a reply is sent back to the SMSC 103 or router 104 that delivered the original message special handling can be invoked to ensure that the reply is accepted. If the router 104 fails to deliver the reply it must forward it to the SMSC 103. However the SMSC 103 will not recognize the SM as a reply (if it did not handle the original SM) and will reject it.
Concatenated SM Handling
Problems can arise when the router 104 attempts to deliver concatenated SM. If for example the first part (i.e. part 1) is successfully delivered by the router 104, but part 2 cannot be delivered then part 2 is sent to the SMSC 103. If part 3 then arrives at the router 104 and is delivered by the router 104, part 3 may arrive at the MS before part 2. Typically this happens because the router 104 drops the dialogue to the MS after part 1, and part 2 fails because the MSC is still in the process of tearing down the air channel when part 2 arrives.


A multiphase flow metering device may have a conduit through which a multiphase fluid can flow and a structured packing insert positioned in the conduit. The structured packing insert may have a water-wet packing structure zone and/or an oil-wet packing structure zone. The multiphase flow metering device may also have a Halbach pre-polarizing magnet array positioned around the conduit, an RF coil, an electromagnet, an NMR console adapted to detect NMR signals from the multiphase fluid, and a control system configured to vary a polarization of the Halbach pre-polarizing magnet array. The Halbach pre-polarizing magnet array may be positioned or positionable over one or both of the oil-wet and water-wet packing structure zones. In some embodiments, the structured packing insert may include immobilized radicals, providing for dynamic nuclear polarization of the multiphase fluid.

Current multiphase metering methods have limitations with regards to the high accuracy and repeatability of the measurements. For example, many industrial fluid streams, such as those encountered in oil drilling operations, are highly complex due to the wide range of possible flow regimes. The signals produced by some multiphase metering methods are dependent upon flow regime, which may ultimately lead to unreliable data for complex systems. In the case of multiphase flow metering based on the principles of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), an additional challenge occurs in measurement applications for wet gases, such as those having a minority liquid phase. In this case, the NMR signal from the liquid phases will be swamped by the signal from the much more dominant gas phase. Furthermore, and more broadly relevant, the existing NMR phase quantification relies on a reasonably different T1 (or other NMR signal relaxation parameter) value for the oil and water content. This is not always the case, in particular for light oils and condensates.

Liquid NMR signal boost during NMR flow metering of wet gas flow using enhanced signal relaxation and/or dynamic nuclear polarisation using immobilised radicals


Disclosed are a filament device for an illumination device, the illumination device, and a dimming method for the illumination device. The illumination device comprises: a dimming unit electrically connected to an external power supply, a first illumination unit which is electrically connected to the dimming unit and to which an input voltage from the external power supply is applied, a second illumination unit which is electrically connected to the dimming unit and to which an input voltage from the external power supply is applied, a unidirectional conduction unit electrically connected to the first illumination unit and the second illumination unit, a first current-limiting unit electrically connected to the first illumination unit; and a second current-limiting unit electrically connected to the second illumination unit, wherein the amplitude of the input voltage varies on the basis of a phase-cut angle of the dimming unit, when the amplitude of the input voltage varied on the basis of the phase-cut angle satisfies a first predetermined condition, the unidirectional conduction unit is in a turn-on state, and the illumination device operated in a first operation mode; and when the amplitude of the input voltage varied on the basis of the phase-cut angle satisfies a second predetermined condition, the unidirectional conduction unit is in a turn-off state, and the illumination device operates in a second operation mode. The effect of deepening the dimming depth is achieved.

For example, solid state illumination panels have been commonly used as illumination sources in architectural illumination. A solid state illumination panel may include a packaged light-emitting device of one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that emit visible light. The visible light may include light having different wavelengths. The apparent color of visible light can be illustrated with reference to a two-dimensional chromaticity diagram (e.g., a CIE chromaticity diagram and a 1976 CIE u′v′ CIE chromaticity diagram). For example, white light emitted by a solid state illumination panel may be a mixture of different wavelengths of light. Some "white" light may appear yellowish in color, while other "white" light may appear bluish in color. In the field of illumination, Planckian locus is used, so that temperature listings along the Planckian locus show the color path of light emitted by a black-body radiator heated to various temperatures. When the heated object becomes incandescent, since the wavelength associated with the peak radiation of the black-body radiator becomes progressively shorter with the increased temperature, it first glows reddish, then yellowish, then white, and finally bluish. Thus, the light-emitting body that emits light on the Planckian locus can be described in terms of correlated color temperature (CCT). White light typically has a CCT of between about 2000K and 10000K, white light with a CCT of 3000K may appear yellowish in color, while white light with a CCT of 8000K may appear bluish in color.
According to practical use requirement, it would be desirable to provide an illumination device capable of adjusting the color temperature of illumination light. FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram of an illumination device 10 with a color temperature adjustment function in the prior art, and FIG. 2 shows a dimming knob of the illumination device shown in FIG. 1 and a dimming graph. As shown in FIG. 1, a dimming unit (TRIAC) 102 is electrically connected to an external alternating current (AC) power supply, and a phase-cut angle of the dimming unit (TRIAC) 102 is varied according to a user's operation on a dimming knob 202 shown in (A) of FIG. 2. The amplitude of the input voltage from the external alternating current (AC) power supply varies on the basis of the phase-cut angle, then the input voltage having a varied amplitude is applied across the capacitor 104 by means of the rectification circuit (i.e., the rectifier bridge consisting of the diodes D1, D2, D3 and D4) shown in FIG. 1, and thus the voltage across the capacitor 104 is applied to the illumination unit 106, and the LED driving unit 108 drives the illumination unit. Some of the dimming methods used in the prior art are linear, when the voltage applied across the illumination unit is less than the turn-on voltage of the illumination unit (the turn-on voltage of the LED in the illumination unit is high, and in general, the turn-on voltage is 120 Vdc to 140 Vdc), the illumination unit may be turned off during the dimming process. As shown in (B) of FIG. 2, when the dimming knob 202 is rotated to point A, the input voltage at point A is less than the turn-on voltage 204 of the LED, and the dash area in (B) of FIG. 2 causes the dimming stroke of the illumination device to be excessively short. However, with regard to other driving solutions, such as a switch power supply, a dimming stroke thereof is long enough, but deep dimming cannot be achieved, i.e. when a phase-cut angle is low, an LED is still bright and is not dark enough, and thus the problem of insufficient depth cannot be solved.

Filament device for illumination device, illumination device, and dimming method for illumination device


A spatially positioned assembly comprising, in preferred embodiments, a fluid inlet in fluid flow communication with a fluid connection adapter. A plurality of boom sections are concatenated in articulated fashion. The plurality is rotatably connected to a turret at a proximal thereof, and is rotatably connected with the fluid connection adapter at a distal end thereof. The fluid connection adapter is disposed for connection to a mating fluid connection housing assembly provided on a wellhead. Independent control of rotation at multiple axes on the spatially positioned assembly allows an operator to establish measured directional bearings at axes, such that sets of measured directional bearings values contribute to defining corresponding spatial positions for the assembly.

Wells drilled through subsurface formations are used for, among other purposes, extracting useful fluids such as oil and gas. Some subsurface formations are treated ("stimulated") by pumping fluid under pressure into such formations for the purpose of creating, propagating and propping open networks of fractures to enhance extraction of oil and gas. This technique is commonly known as "fracking". It is known in the art to drill wells for fracking substantially along the geologic trajectory of certain subsurface formations, while drilling a plurality of such "directional" or "lateral" wells from proximate surface locations. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0030963 filed by Demong et al. ("Demong") discloses an exemplary arrangement of wells having proximate surface locations. Demong also describes controlled fluid pumping and valve equipment enabling selective opening of one or more wells to (1) fracking fluid delivery into selected wells or (2) flow from the subsurface formation to the surface.
Demong's background disclosure provides a useful general discussion of at least some aspects of the state of the current art. Demong's background is also applicable background to the technology described in this disclosure. The following background discussion includes adaptations of Demong's background disclosure where applicable to this disclosure.
During typical fracking operations, fluid is pumped into the formation at pressures that exceed the fracture pressure of the formations. The fractures in the formation thus opened up may be held open by pumping of material (proppant) that supports the fracture structurally after the fluid pressure on the formation is relieved. Other fluid treatments may include, for example, pumping acid into the wellbore to dissolve certain minerals present in the pore spaces of the formations that reduce the formation permeability.
Wellbores may be drilled into hydrocarbon-bearing formations along directed trajectories that may deviate from vertical. In land-based fracking deployments, such deviated wellbores may be drilled, for example, so that the surface locations of the wellbores are closely spaced on a relatively small land area called a "pad", while the lowermost portions of the wellbore extend laterally from the respective surface locations in a selected drainage pattern. Such arrangement reduces or minimizes the amount of land surface affected by the fracking operations.
Conventionally, fracking operations on multiple wells drilled from a common surface pad typically require multiple connections and disconnections in order to (1) connect the pumping equipment hydraulically to one well, (2) pump the fluid, then (3) disconnect the pumping equipment from the well before another well can be fluid treated. Such conventional piping configurations often involve laying pipe from each fracking fluid delivery truck to a central collection manifold and then in single or multiple lines to the well being treated. The result is that a costly separate rig-up and rig down is required for every fracture treatment. Such operations can create, among other exposures, safety risks to personnel working on or near the pad or platform, and interference with the operation of wellbores that are producing oil and/or gas while the fluid treatment equipment is connected and disconnected from various wellbores on the pad or platform. Such connection and disconnection operations may also take considerable amounts of time to perform.
FIG. 1 illustrates "zipper fracking", a conventional (prior art) approach to optimizing the multiple pipe connections described immediately above. On FIG. 1, pumping units 10 deliver fluid at pressure into manifold M1. Pumping units 10 may be conventional fracking pump and delivery trucks such as illustrated on FIG. 1. Manifold M1 may be known colloquially as a "missile" in some embodiments. Fluid transfer lines 20 on FIG. 1 deliver fluid from manifold M1 to manifold M2. Manifold M2 may be known colloquially as a "zipper frack" in some embodiments. Manifold M2 provides a plurality of control outputs 30. Control outputs 30 are each connected by one or more fluid delivery pipes to a "goat head" style manifold 40 atop a wellhead W. In oilfield fracking and well completion parlance, "goat head" refers to a style of manifold with a hollow body providing multiple fluid line connection points (e.g. flange faces).
Fluid delivery to wellheads W on FIG. 1 is controlled by actuation of control valves on control outputs 30. Advantageously, flow through each fluid delivery pipe connecting a control output 30 to a corresponding goat head 40 is independently controlled by a separate control valve. In this way, an operator may actuate different control valves at different times to deliver fluid from manifold M2 to selected wellheads W as desired.
The drawbacks of "zipper fracking" according to FIG. 1 include that the setup is very inefficient in use of hardware such as control outputs 30 and corresponding control valves. The setup of FIG. 1 calls for considerable hardware spending its time idle. Likewise, the labor required for setup and teardown is high, since each control output 30 requires multiple fluid delivery pipes to be physically connected and then disconnected from a goat head 40.
FIG. 2 illustrates another conventional (prior art) approach to delivering fracking fluid to a wellhead. Crane truck CT is positioned nearby a wellhead W into which fluid is desired to be delivered. Crane C on crane truck CT advantageously provides telescoping boom TB. As shown on FIG. 2, crane C and telescoping boom TB bring wellhead connector WC nearby wellhead W. A first operator, also nearby wellhead W, then manhandles wellhead connector WC onto wellhead W as wellhead connector WC hangs suspended from telescoping boom TB. Meanwhile, a second operator (not illustrated on FIG. 2) assists by making adjustments to the suspended position of wellhead connector WC via operation of crane C and telescoping boom TB.
Once the first operator has secured wellhead connector WC to wellhead W, piping P on crane truck CT may be connected to fracking fluid at operating pressures and delivery volumes. Fluid delivery to wellhead W may commence.
At the completion of fluid delivery, fluid flow through piping P is terminated, and the first operator may disconnect wellhead connector WC from wellhead W. The second operator then actuates crane C and telescoping boom TB to move wellhead connector WC towards a second wellhead W in range to be connected in the same manner as the first. Alternatively, the second operator moves wellhead connector WC onto crane truck CT with crane C. Crane truck CT may then be physically relocated to a position nearby a new wellhead W to be serviced.
There are several drawbacks to prior art fluid delivery according to FIG. 2. There are operator safety issues, particularly with the first operator required to manhandle wellhead connector WC onto wellhead W. The operation also optimally requires two operators. The operators must be skilled. Depending on local conditions and the skill level of the operators, manual connection of wellhead connector WC onto wellhead may be slow and imprecise. It is also likely that only a small number of wellheads W will be in range of crane truck CT without need for physically relocating crane truck CT.
There is therefore a need in the art for an improved fluid connection and delivery system for multiple wellheads that can reduce the amount of and complexity of conduit between fluid apparatus and selected wellheads in a multiple well system. Such an improved fluid delivery system will advantageously reduce risks to operating personnel safety. Embodiments of such an improved fluid delivery system will further optimize fluid delivery in high-pressure, high-volume fracking operations. Such optimizations will advantageously include automated and robotic control over spatial positioning of the fluid delivery system with respect to wellheads to be serviced.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Articulated fluid delivery system with enhanced positioning control


An improved staple-in fabric awning system is provided. The awing has a frame made of ribs with outwardly exposed longitudinally extending staple slots. A fabric canopy covers the frame and is tucked into and secured within the staple slots. A vinyl strip is configured to snap into the staple slots of the awning atop the canopy to span and hide the tucked in portions and cover the staples therein. The vinyl strip is covered at least on its exposed top portion with fabric that may visually blend into the fabric of the canopy or that may visually contrast with the fabric of the canopy. The system includes snap-in and snap-on plastic perimeter flanges and out rod flanges that are mounted on the perimeter ribs and out rods that form a grid on the underside of the awning. The plastic flanges form inwardly projecting lips around the openings of the underside grids that support egg crate ceiling panels to form an aesthetically pleasing underside ceiling of the awning.

So-called staple-in awning frames, across which canvas or other cloth material is stretched to form an awning, canopy, or other framed fabric structure, have become popular in recent years (the term "awning" will be used hereinafter to encompass all such structures). In general, a staple-in awning frame is fabricated with metal ribs that form the skeleton of the awning. At least some of the ribs, which generally are square or rectangular in shape, have a slot along their outside edges and a staple deck recessed within the slot. When a cloth material is stretched over the frame, it is tucked into the slots of the frame ribs and staples are driven through the cloth and through the staple deck to secure the material to the ribs. Once the cloth material is attached in this way, lengths of plastic or vinyl filler strips are snapped into the slots to hide the staples, cover the slots, and form an aesthetically pleasing appearance. This method of fabricating cloth awnings has proven superior to old tie-on and other methods.
In many cases, fabric awnings are provided with ceiling panels that are mounted in the underside rib grid of the awning to hide internal awning structure and provide an aesthetically pleasing undesired appearance. Often, these ceiling panels are made of so-called egg crate, which is a molded plastic panel formed with crisscrossed ribs that define a multitude of small square openings. Florescent lighting fixtures in suspended ceilings often employ such egg crate panels to diffuse the light and hide the florescent bulbs of the fixtures. When mounting egg crate panels in the underside of a staple-in awning, an inwardly extending lip or ledge must be provided around the grid openings formed by the ribs of the awning's underside. The panels are then mounted in the openings, where they are supported around their perimeter edges by the lips in much the same way that suspended ceiling panels are mounted within the grid of a suspended ceiling.
In the past, the lips for supporting ceiling panels in fabric awnings have been formed by awning installers in a variety of ways. Installers have been known, for instance, to rivet or screw strips of aluminum along the bottoms of the underside ribs of the awning to form lips. Manufacturers of awing rib stock also offer a variety of specialized extruded ribs that have the lip structure unitarily formed with the rib itself. These and other prior methods of forming the lips that support ceiling panels in fabric awnings have inherent problems. For example, ribs formed "on the fly" by attaching aluminum strips to the awning ribs often are considered unattractive, can be labor and time intensive to install, and provide no means for securely holding ceiling panels in place. Extruded ribs with pre-formed lips structures look better, but require that an inventory of specialized ribs for this purpose be fabricated, stocked, ordered, and shipped. In either case, lips made of aluminum or other metal do not match the white color of the egg crate ceiling panels, do not provide a clean perimeter around the underside of the awning, and are considered by some to be unsightly.
There exists a need for an awning system that addresses and solves the above and other problems and shortcomings. It is to the provision of such an awning system that the present invention is primarily directed.

Awning system with snap-on functional components


Apparatus and methods for controlling radio frequency (RF) switches are disclosed. Provided herein are apparatus and methods for controlling RF switches. In certain configurations, an RF system includes a charge pump for generating a charge pump voltage, an RF switch, a level shifter for turning on or off the RF switch, and a level shifter control circuit for controlling the level shifter. The charge pump receives a mode signal used to enable or disable the charge pump. Additionally, the level shifter receives power in part from the charge pump voltage, and controls the RF switch based on a switch enable signal. The level shifter control circuit receives the mode signal and biases the level shifter with a bias voltage that changes based on a state of the mode signal.

Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to electronic systems, and in particular, to switch controllers for radio frequency switches.
Description of the Related Technology
Radio frequency (RF) switches can be included in a variety of electronic systems.
In one example, an RF system can include an antenna for receiving and/or transmitting RF signals. However, there can be several components in the RF system that may need to access to the antenna. For example, the RF system can include different transmit or receive paths associated with different frequency bands, different communication standards and/or different power modes, and each path may need access to the antenna at certain instances of time. Accordingly, the RF system can include RF switches that can be used to electrically connect the antenna to a particular transmit or receive path of the RF system, thereby allowing multiple components to access the antenna.
The performance of RF switches can be important, since the RF switches can introduce noise and/or insertion loss.

Apparatus and methods for controlling radio frequency switches


Cable managers of the present invention include a panel, at least two adjacent spaced-apart projections, which define an opening therebetween, and a tab connected to at least one of the projections. The tab assists in cable routing and retention. In one embodiment, the tab extends to a distance at least midway between a top surface of the one projection and the bottom surface of the other projection. In another embodiment, a distance between a top surface of the tab on one projection and the bottom surface of another adjacent projection is between about 0.10 inches and about 0.30 inches. In yet another embodiment, a cable manager comprises separable portions, and at least one spacer member which is adapted to be attached to each of separable first and second portions. The spacer member increases the width of the manager to provide additional space to run cable within the manager.

A variety of cable managers (e.g., wiring duct and raceway systems) are known for routing the wires and cables of electronic equipment, such as telecommunications equipment and computers. In some cases, cable managers comprise a base member and a plurality of channels adapted to receive and route the wires and cables to and from the electronic equipment. Covers, which may be hinged, snap-latched, or otherwise engageable with the cable manager, may enhance cable retention and concealment. As the applications for telecommunications systems grow ever numerous and diverse, the need for more efficient communications management systems is increasing.


An LED illumination system includes control circuitry and first, second and third colored LEDs. The control circuitry sequentially drives the first, second and third colored LEDs in a color cycle frame with relative duty cycles having a known relationship that achieves a color balance. The control circuitry also operates to introduce at least one spoke period in the color cycle frame, during which the first, second and third LEDs are driven in a manner that is controlled to provide brightness adjusting light that matches the color balance achieved by the relative duty cycles of the first, second and third LEDs during sequential driving thereof.

The present invention relates to a light emitting diode (LED) illumination system, and more particularly to a system and method for controlling an LED illumination system to provide brightness adjusting light during one or more spoke periods inserted into a color cycle frame.
Projection display systems can include a source of light, illumination optics, an image-forming device, projection optics and a projection screen. The illumination optics collect light from a light source and direct it to one or more image-forming devices. The image-forming device(s), controlled by an electronically conditioned and processed digital video signal, produces an image corresponding to the video signal. Projection optics then magnify the image and project it onto the projection screen. White light sources, such as arc lamps, in conjunction with color wheels have been and still are used as light sources for projection display systems. However, recently light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been introduced as an alternative source of light. Some advantages of LEDs include longer lifetime, higher efficiency and superior thermal characteristics.
Examples of image-forming devices frequently used in digital light processing systems are digital micro-mirror devices (DMDs) and liquid crystal type imaging devices such as liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) and high temperature polysilicon (HTPS) imagers. These imagers feature an array of individually controllable elements, with the states of the elements being individually controlled by the data loaded in a memory cell associated with each element, to steer reflected or transmitted light and spatially map a pixel of video data to a pixel on a projection screen. Light reflected or transmitted by an element in an ON state passes through the projection optics and is projected onto the screen to create a bright field. On the other hand, light reflected or transmitted by an element in an OFF state is not passed through the projection optics, which results in a dark field. A color image may also be produced using these imagers, such as by utilizing color sequencing or alternatively by using three imagers, one for each primary color (red, blue and green).
Traditionally, color sequencing has been employed in projection displays that utilize an arc lamp light source and a color filter wheel. As LED light sources become more prevalent in projection displays, there will be an increasing need for a color sequencing system and method that is specifically designed to account for the unique operation of the LED light sources.

Light emitting diode (LED) illumination control system and method


A fuel feed apparatus is provided for supplying fuel from a fuel tank to an internal combustion engine, which is controlled using an engine control unit. The fuel feed apparatus includes a pump module that is provided to the fuel tank. The pump module includes a fuel pump that is accommodated in the fuel tank for pumping fuel from the fuel tank. The fuel feed apparatus further includes a pressure detecting unit that is provided in a downstream of the fuel pump for detecting pressure of fuel. The fuel feed apparatus further includes a pump control unit that is provided separately from the engine control unit for controlling a driving signal of the fuel pump in accordance with a detection signal of the pressure detecting unit.

Conventionally, a fuel feed apparatus has a fuel pump accommodated in a fuel tank. The fuel pump is applied with constant voltage to pump fuel to an internal combustion engine. The engine returns surplus fuel, which is not consumed in the engine, into the fuel tank through a pressure regulator provided in the vicinity of the engine. Alternatively, a fuel feed apparatus has a pressure regulator for controlling pressure of fuel discharged from a fuel pump, thereby supplying the pressure-controlled fuel by an amount consumed in the engine.
In such a fuel feed apparatus, the fuel pump regularly discharges the maximum amount of fuel equivalent to the capacity of the engine, and surplus fuel, which is not consumed by the engine, is exhausted from either the engine or the fuel feed apparatus. Consequently, the fuel pump consumes a large amount of energy. Furthermore, the surplus fuel is exhausted into the fuel tank, consequently, a large amount of fuel vapor is produced in the fuel tank produces.
A fuel feed apparatus, disclosed in JP-A-7-293397, includes a fuel pump for supplying fuel from a reservoir tank into each of injection valves provided respectively to cylinders. A pressure sensor is provided for detecting pressure of the fuel supplied from the reservoir tank. The fuel feed apparatus controls the fuel pump in accordance with an operation of the engine so as to maintain pressure of fuel in the reservoir tank at predetermined pressure. Such a fuel feed apparatus has a return-less structure, in which production of surplus fuel is suppressed by controlling an amount of fuel to correspond with the capacity of the engine.
In this fuel feed apparatus of JP-A-7-293397, one engine control unit (ECU) controls the fuel injection valve to control the operation of the engine, in addition to controlling the fuel pump. Consequently, the engine control unit is operated under heavy load.
By contrast, each of JP-A-2001-214826, JP-A-2001-214827 discloses a pump control unit (fuel pump controller: FPC). The FPC is provided separately from the engine control unit, thereby reducing load imposed on the engine control unit.
However, in each of the fuel feed apparatuses of JP-A-2001-214826, JP-A-2001-214827, the FPC controls the fuel pump in accordance with both the pressure of fuel discharged from the fuel pump and information, which indicates the operating condition of the engine, transmitted from the engine control unit. Accordingly, the FPC cannot control the fuel pump without the information transmitted from the engine control unit.

Fuel feed apparatus having control unit for fuel pump


A multi-layer circuit board with heat pipes and a method forming a multi-layer circuit board with heat pipes is disclosed. The circuit board includes a heat pump which communicates with the heat pipe to circulate an amount of cooling material within the heat pipe effective to efficiently dissipate heat from the circuit board.

The present invention relates to a method for making an electrical circuit board and more particularly, to a method for making a multi-layer electrical circuit board having pipes, tunnels and/or caverns which are formed within the circuit board and/or through various portions of the circuit board, and heat pumps which communicate with the pipes, tunnels, and/or caverns and which allow heat emanating from components which are contained within the circuit board to be efficiently dissipated.
Multi-layer circuit boards contain and/or include electrical components which selectively and operatively populate opposed first and second surfaces (i.e., top and bottom surfaces) of each board (or other respective interior portions of each board), thereby desirably allowing each of the electrical circuit boards to contain and/or include a relatively large amount of electrical components which efficiently and densely populate the respective boards.
Because many components densely populate these circuit boards, during use and/or operation of the circuit boards, substantial amounts of heat are produced and/or generated within relatively small areas of the circuit boards. This generated heat undesirably prevents the components from properly functioning and may even irrevocably damage or destroy these components. Therefore it is desirable to form, create and/or manufacture circuit boards that are adapted to disperse and/or dissipate heat away from such heat producing components.
Pipes, tunnels and/or caverns (e.g., heat pipes) may be used to disperse, dissipate and/or translate heat within these multi-layer circuit boards. Conventional heat pipes typically comprise an elongated material having an opening which extends through the length of the pipe. By way of example and without limitation, a conventional heat pipe is typically placed in electronics equipment with a first portion of the pipe being disposed near a warm or heat emitting portion of the equipment and a second portion of the pipe being disposed near a cool or heat absorbing portion of the equipment, thereby allowing the pipe to transfer heat away from the warm or heat emitting portion toward the cool or heat absorbing portion.
One drawback associated with these conventional heat pipes is that they are typically made and/or manufactured from additional materials that are not needed for the functioning of the electronics equipment within which the heat pipes reside. Employing heat pipes which use additional materials is especially undesirable in a multi-layer circuit board which is designed to support and/or contain several electrical components in a relatively small amount of space. For example and without limitation, such additional material would add both unwanted size and weight to multi-layer circuit boards. Additionally, the material within these types of heat pipes is typically stationary or motionless, which causes the transfer and/or dissipation of heat within these types of heat pipes to be relatively slow.
Consequently, there is a need for circuit boards created by a method which allows many small electrical components to densely populate respective layers within the circuit boards, while still allowing heat to be relatively quickly dissipated and/or dispersed away from components which emit substantial amounts of heat. Specifically, there is a need for a method of creating integrated acoustic cooling pipe arrays within multi-layer circuit boards wherein the pipe arrays are integrally formed within the circuit board such that no or very little excess material is needed to create the pipes, and which include fluid which is circulated within these pipes and which is effective to accelerate the dissipation of heat within these pipes.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide a method for forming heat pipes within multi-layer circuit boards which overcome the various previously delineated drawbacks of conventional heat pipes.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a circuit board having heat pipes that are integrally and substantially formed within the circuit board, and which include a cooling material which is circulated through the heat pipes, thereby quickly and efficiently dissipating heat from the circuit board.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide a multi-layer circuit board including integrated acoustic cooling pipe arrays which allow heat energy to be efficiently and repeatedly transferred from warmer areas of the circuit board to cooler areas of the circuit board.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a circuit board assembly is provided. The circuit board assembly includes a first circuit portion in which an amount of heat is generated; a heat pipe which is integrally formed within the first circuit portion; an amount of fluid which is disposed within the heat pipe; and a heat pump which is operatively disposed within first circuit portion and which communicates with he heat pipe and the amount of fluid, the heat pump being effective to produce pressure fluctuations within the amount of fluid, thereby causing the amount of fluid to circulate within the heat pipe and dissipate the amount of heat.
These and other objects, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in combination with the accompanying drawings.

Electrical circuit board and method for making the same


A supercharged diesel engine having at least one charged air conduit for distributing charged air and having a first chamber for conveying the charged air. Air inlet openings of the cylinder head are connected to the first chamber in a gastight manner. The charged air conduit has at least one second chamber, which is separate from the first chamber and has a removable lid. The fuel reservoir is secured in the second chamber, which is provided with a first passage allowing the high pressure fuel line and the fuel reservoir to communicate with one another. The second chamber has at least one second passage, facing the cylinder head, allowing the fuel injection lines and fuel connections on the cylinder head to communicate with one another. With the lid in place, the second chamber encloses the fuel reservoir, the fuel injection lines and the fuel connections such that in the event of leakage at any of them, leaking fuel flows into the second chamber.

The invention concerns a supercharged diesel engine with a Common-Rail injection system.
Common-Rail injection systems are increasingly used for better fuel efficiency and optimization of pollutant emissions of diesel engines. The system pressure obtainable in such fuel injection systems is very high. It does not depend on load and engine speed and allows optimal control of the injection process. In combination with an appropriate characterization of the charging, the result is an optimization of the combustion in all load ranges.
Besides the advantages described above, Common-Rail injection systems also have a disadvantage. The very high injection pressures that range from 1500 bar to 2000 bar today and will be even higher in future systems have to be controlled. This implies an extraordinarily high material stress, especially in areas of high fuel pressure such as the high-pressure fuel reservoir and the fuel injection lines of the injection system. In case of a breakage or leakage in such a high-pressure section of the injection system, fuel might leak out in the form of fine mist. To prevent ignition and hence explosive combustion, it is essential for leaking fuel to be collected safely and without reaching the surroundings, especially if engines with such injection systems are used in safety relevant locations.
In order to meet the mentioned safety requirements, it is known from DE 197 16 513 C2 to provide a casing for the fuel reservoir and the injection lines. The casing is realized in such a manner that the high-pressure fuel reservoir is integrated into a duct or channel, which is at least partly formed of the walls of the crankcase. This arrangement allows a safe casing of the endangered areas of the injection system, yet it has significant disadvantages in practical use. The crankcase has to be constructed a certain way if the casing is to be placed in it or next to it. Changes to the structure of the crankcase are a disadvantage, because it is a complex and very expensive component that often doesn't change throughout several engine generations or is used for various different engine types with different types of injection systems. Especially if a mass-produced engine was to be retrofitted with a casing, this would mean an expensive modification of the crankcase. In addition to that, the location of the crankcase is a highly unsuitable place for the high-pressure fuel reservoir because the large masses moved in the crankcase result in an increased vibration stress for the high-pressure fuel reservoir and the connected injection lines. Since the material stress is high anyway, increased vibration stress is to be avoided. Furthermore, the arrangement described above makes it complicated to collect, drain off and detect leaking fuel for there are different places where leaking fuel might accumulate.
Another fuel injection system is known from EP 0 690 221 A1. In this system, a high-pressure fuel reservoir supplied by a high-pressure fuel pump is integrated into the wall of a cylinder head cap of a diesel engine. Injection lines lead from the high-pressure fuel reservoir to fuel injection valves located in the cylinder head. This system is supposed to be advantageous because the high-pressure fuel reservoir is protected from vibration and damage. But placing the high-pressure fuel reservoir as described above has a significant disadvantage. Every time the cylinder head cap is demounted, which has to happen frequently for maintenance purposes, all connections from the high-pressure fuel reservoir to the fuel injection lines and to the high-pressure fuel pump have to be detached. Detaching of those sensitive connections, though, has to be avoided, both because screwing on and fastening of the fuel lines causes states of stress in them and because the system has to be kept extremely clean. Besides, a complete casing of the fuel injection lines is impossible because they have to be installed after the cylinder head cap has been mounted. Therefore, mounting openings are indispensable. Another disadvantage of the arrangement described above is that it cannot be used on individual cylinder heads, which are often part of diesel engines.
Another system known from DE 75 15 413 U1 shows an internal combustion engine on which all linesnecessary for fuel supply are placed in an extrusion, running parallel to one another. The extrusion can be integrated into an engine cowling or into a cooling air guidance means. Supposedly, the advantage of this arrangement lies in a grouping of the fuel lines that is easily understandable, safe to operate, easy to install and space saving. Meanwhile, it is a disadvantage that all fuel lines connected to the engine have to be detached when the engine cowling is demounted for maintenance purposes. Detaching of the fuel lines and especially of the high-pressure connections of Common-Rail injection systems has to be avoided for the reasons explained above. Besides, it is impossible to use this arrangement in combination with individual cylinder heads. Finally, an extrusion is not suited for a high-pressure fuel reservoir. The strength factors of such an extrusion are by far not enough regarding the pressures that need to be controlled.
Proceeding from this state of the art, it is an object of this invention to develop a diesel engine with a Common-Rail injection system in such manner, that the high-pressure section of the injection system is securely cased and well positioned concerning vibration. In addition to that, it is of importance that the position and casing of the high pressure reservoir and the fuel injection lines not require structural modifications of the crankcase or of the cylinder head and that the mounted casing not have negative effects on maintenance or repairing of the diesel engine.

Supercharged diesel engine with a common-rail injection system


A document holder comprising two supporting members. Each supporting member includes an upper member which is aligned with an upper part of the document, a lower member which is aligned with a lower part of the document, and a resilient member which connects the upper portion to the lower portion and which exerts a bias force to make the upper portion substantially colinear with the lower portion. The newspaper is inserted between the two supporting members such that the horizontal crease of the document is aligned or overlaps with the resilient member. The resilient member allows the document to be folded up into a smaller size to facilitate reading, and exerts a bias force to open the document after a page has been read to facilitate page turning. The supporting members may include one or more mortise and tenon joints which allow the supporting members to be disengaged and folded for compact storage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a document holder, and more particularly, to a collapsible document holder which includes a resilient member.
2. Description of the Related Art
Newspapers and other periodicals have long been considered to be unwieldy and difficult to handle when reading because of the lack of a supporting binding and because of their relatively large size. For example, it is difficult to turn the large pages of a newspaper when the pages have shifted relative to each other, taking the central creases of the pages out of alignment. It is also difficult to fold the pages of a newspaper when the creases are not aligned. These and other factors may prevent a reader from full enjoyment of reading a newspaper, especially in a crowded or windy environment.
To assist readers in handling newspapers, holders have been devised which provide support to the newspaper so that the pages may be more easily manipulated. U.S. Pat. No. 1,240,691 to Feddern, for example, discloses a newspaper holder which includes U-shaped members into which the newspaper is inserted for support. The U-shaped members are connected via tubular sections to a pivot member which allows the device to be collapsed after use.
U.S. Pat. No. 489,074 to Edwards discloses another example of a newspaper holder which includes two or more sections connected by hinges. The hinges allow the holder and the newspaper to be bent backward for the convenience of a reader who wishes to be seated while perusing the newspaper.
Although the above-described newspaper holders may provide some degree of assistance to the reader, they have relatively limited utility due to their structure. For example, transporting the Feddern device is cumbersome since it is relatively bulky even in the collapsed state The pivot mechanism is unduly large and complicated. The device has many sharp edges which may tear a user's clothing during use or during storage in the collapsed position. In addition, the Feddern device is intended to remain in the unfolded position during use, making it difficult to use in crowded areas.
The Edwards device is not meant to be carried in a collapsed state by a user, but rather, is intended to be used in a library in a fully extended state. Also, the hinges of the Edwards device allow rotation only in one direction, so that the newspaper can only be folded in certain directions.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a newspaper holder that overcomes the drawbacks of the above-mentioned devices. In particular, there is a need for a newspaper holder that can be readily collapsed or folded into a smaller size for ease of storage or transport, and that has greater flexibility in folding the newspaper.


A method for analyzing transmitted protocol data units of a protocol for communication between two object request brokers to obtain a representation of messages included in the transmitted protocol data units includes collecting and correlating incomplete sets of information derived from the individual protocol data units for respective objects, and obtaining, from a plurality of necessary conditions, an adequate selection criterion for an interface definition to be used in a decoding operation. The decoding operation is performed using an initialization phase, a learning phase and a decoding phase. The initialization phase includes forming at least one list of possible interface definitions. The learning phase includes introducing exclusion criteria for reducing a number of the possible interface definitions so as to uniquely determine which interface definition underlies a first object. The decoding phase includes decoding a first message transmitted from or to the first object.

The present invention relates to a method for analyzing transmitted protocol data units (PDUs) of a general protocol for communication between Object Request Brokers (ORB).
Methods for analyzing transmitted protocol data units of a general protocol for communication between Object Request Brokers (ORB) for the purpose of representing the contained messages as completely as possible are generally known.
CORBA is described in "Wissen" [Knowledge], pages 108–113 in the article "CORBA, tibemehmen Sie", Services: Basisdienste für den ORB, ["CORBA, Take Over", Services: Basic Services for the ORB], by Uwe Seimet. It was also described in a publication entitled "Validating Interaction Patterns of CORBA Based Network Management Systems" by Guido Carl Gerd Aschemann and Ying Lu within the frame work of "NOMS 2000, 2000 IEEE/IFIP, Network and Management Symposium" "The Networked Planet: Management Beyond 2000", Apr. 10 through 14, 2000, Hilton Hawaiian Village, Honolulu, Hi., and is used to distribute applications over several operating system processes. CORBA allows non-proprietary, interhost communication of distributed applications. In this context, a distinction is made between the roles of client and server. An application in the client role transmits a request to another application which works in the server role. This request is processed by the application in the server role, and a corresponding response is returned to the client. The general protocol for communication between two Object Request Brokers is used as the protocol for conveying these messages. In TCP/IP-based networks, one uses its special form, the so-called "Internet Inter-ORB Protocol (IIOP)". The information as to which contents can be exchanged between client and server is established using an object-oriented interface description language (IDL).
In the event of an unexpected behavior of a distributed application or during its acceptance test, it may be necessary to monitor the communication between client and server to be able to draw conclusions on the behavior of the individual application components. For example, the literature reference cited above describes the following procedures:    the distributed application can be extended on the client side or on the server side in such a manner that the exchanged GIOP messages are also completely or partially routed to a component of the distributed application that is intended for recording and evaluation;    the PDUs exchanged between client and server can be recorded by a trace tool and decoded using additional knowledge on the type of the exchanged messages and on the products used. The decoding of the messages can be carried out manually or in an automated manner.    an application, which has been developed exclusively for test purposes, is integrated into the communication between client and server. As a server, this application receives a request from the client and, as a client, routes this request to the server. The response is returned accordingly. As a result of this, all PDUs can be monitored and evaluated by this test application.
These known methods have the disadvantage that the passive recording of the General Inter ORB Protocol (GIOP) PDUs exchanged between client and server alone is not sufficient to completely decode the message. This results from several causes, which will be shown below.    As a rule, only the values, for example, 123, but not their type code, for example, whole number, are encoded in a GIOP PDU. Therefore, it is not possible to determine just from a PDU the number of parameters contained in a PDU or the type of the values.    The name of the invoked method is not encoded in an invocation in its full context. There is missing a unique identification of the interface definition in which this method is declared. If identical methods should have been defined in different interface definitions with different signatures, then it is not possible to identify the method that is actually encoded, given identical value encoding length.    While the agent on the server side, via the auto-generated and published "target address", is able to associate incoming requests with a particular CORBA object, a trace tool according to CORBA standard is indeed able to check the content of the target address for equality according to the index but unable to make an association with a concrete object and with the interface definition underlying the object. Only with the aid of proprietary extensions of the CORBA standard is it possible to obtain information from the content of a target address using a trace tool.    In CORBA, provision is made for an object reference to be transferred from the server to the client, circumventing the GIOP protocol, for example, as a text file on a diskette. When this object reference, which is exchanged as an interoperable object reference (IOR) which serves to uniquely address CORBA objects on the basis of the IIOP protocol, also contains information on the associated interface definition, this item of information is generally never exchanged between client and server again. Consequently, there is no way for a CORBA trace tool to obtain this information without actively querying the application components involved in the communication. This, however, would be contrary to the paradigm that a trace tool is only allowed to monitor passively.
Consequently, the problem exists that it is indeed possible for a single GIOP PDU to be uniquely correlated and decoded in the context known to client and server but that there is no unique and standard-compliant possibility for a recorded PDU to be decoded outside of this known context.

Method for analyzing transmitted protocol data units


Methods and apparatus of efficient communication of resource allocation are described. A base station transmits a resource assignment message, e.g., a state transition message, to a wireless terminal including a first part, e.g., a base station assigned wireless terminal On state identifier, identifying a resource being assigned and a second part, e.g., an ON state mask, identifying a portion of the resource allocated to the wireless terminal. The same resource allocation message information also communicates one of a plurality of different modes of commanded On state operation. The resource allocation message structure supports flexible allocation of available resources facilitating a resource to be partitioned differently at different times accommodating current needs. A predetermined recurring channel structure and association of segments with particular mask bits, facilitates allocated control segments to be used unambiguously without the need to include an overhead wireless terminal identifier field with the control report bits being communicated.

As the popularity of wireless communications systems increases and the variety of types of data communications services offered increases, there is an ever increasing demand for the limited available air link resources, e.g., frequency spectrum, allocated to a given base station for its cell. In addition, the number of users and user demand for resources can vary as a function of time and events which can cause anticipated and unanticipated peaks in demand. High numbers of concurrent active users in a cell create challenges to satisfy the users' needs to communicate uplink and/or downlink user data in a timely manner while not expending a large portion of those air link resources for control signaling purposes. Resources that are utilized for control signaling purposes such as assignments reduce the amount of resources available to communicate user data. Complicating the efficient use of resources is the fact that, there are typically a variety of different types of users and/or applications which may have different resource demands and requirements.
One method of allocating control resources is for a base station to subdivide a particular control resource into uniform portions, for a wireless terminal to send a resource request when it needs to communicate an individual message or report and for the base station to individually assign one of the resource portions to that wireless terminal if available. Then the wireless terminal sends the control message or report over the assigned resource portion. This approach involves significant overhead signaling. Another alternative is to implement shared control channel resources. A wireless terminal sends control messages including wireless terminal identification information using the shared resources as needed; however, collisions may occur with other wireless terminals attempting to use the same resources concurrently resulting in unsuccessful communication and the need for retransmission. In some such approaches acknowledgement signaling is also used to improve communications, but this also adds overhead. Another approach involves setting aside a fixed amount of control channel resources for each wireless terminal to be operated in an On state concurrently; however this approach may result in inefficiencies as different wireless terminal types may have different resource needs and/or the same wireless terminal may have different resource needs at different times, e.g., due to different channel condition, applications being used, power availability, etc.
While the known resource allocation methods may be adequate for some applications, it would be beneficial if new and improved methods and apparatus were available for resource allocation. It would be desirable if at least some new methods and apparatus could efficiently support a high number of users, provide flexibility in terms of accommodating different types of users/applications/current needs, and/or limit control signaling overhead as compared to other techniques. Methods and apparatus that efficiently communicate resource allocation and/or support a plurality of different level of On state operation would be beneficial.

Methods and apparatus related to resource allocation in a wireless communications system