A system and method for logging and storing failure analysis information on disk drive so that the information is readily and reliably available to vendor customer service and other interested parties is provided. The information, in an illustrative embodiment, is stored on a nonvolatile (flash) random access memory (RAM), found generally in most types of disk drives for storage of updateable disk drive firmware. A known location of limited size is defined in the flash RAM, to form a scratchpad. This scratchpad is a blank area of known addresses, formed during the original firmware download onto the memory, and which is itself free of firmware code. This scratchpad is sufficient in size to write a series of failure codes in a non-erasable list as failures/errors (and user/administrator attempts to unfail the disk) are logged. The log of failures always travels with the drive, and can be read by the vendor to determine the general nature of the most recent failure(s) and whether these failures represent a problematic history for the drive.

A file server is a computer that provides file service relating to the organization of information on storage devices, such as disks. The file server or filer includes a storage is operating system that implements a file system to logically organize the information as a hierarchical structure of directories and files on the disks. Each "on-disk" file may be implemented as a set of data structures, e.g., disk blocks, configured to store information. A directory, on the other hand, may be implemented as a specially formatted file in which information about other files and directories are stored.
A filer may be further configured to operate according to a client/server model of information delivery to thereby allow many clients to access files stored on a server, e.g., the filer. In this model, the client may comprise an application, such as a database application, executing on a computer that "connects" to the filer over a computer network, such as a point-to-point link, shared local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or virtual private network (VPN) implemented over a public network such as the Internet. Each client may request the services of the file system on the filer by issuing file system protocol messages (in the form of packets) to the filer over the network.
A file server's access to disks is governed by an associated "storage operating system," which generally refers to the computer-executable code operable on a storage system that manages data access, and in the case of filers, implements file system semantics. In this sense, ONTAP software is an example of such a storage operating system implemented as a microkernel. The storage operating system can also be implemented as an application program operating over a general-purpose operating system, such as UNIX® or Windows NT®, or as a general-purpose operating system with configurable functionality, which is configured for storage applications as described herein.
The storage devices in a file server environment are typically disk drives organized as a disk array, wherein the term "disk" commonly describes a self-contained rotating magnetic media storage device. The term disk in this context is synonymous with a hard disk drive (HDD), a direct access storage device (DASD) or a logical unit number (lun) in a storage device. Disk storage is typically implemented as one or more storage "volumes" that comprise physical storage disks, defining an overall logical arrangement of storage space.
In a typical file server or storage area network (SAN) implementation, hundreds of individual disk drives are arrayed to provide storage organized as a set of volumes or similar multi-drive arrangements. Given the large number of disks in a typical implementation, there is a reasonable likelihood that one or more disk drives will experience an operational problem that either degrades drive read-write performance or causes a drive failure. Some problems relate to drive firmware or hardware, including magnetic media, spin motor, read/write head assembly or drive circuitry. Such firmware and hardware problems generally dictate that the disk drive be returned to the original manufacturer for repair or replacement. Other potential problems are user-related, and often result from software problems within the storage operating system or user applications.
A typical user may not be able to differentiate between a disk drive experiencing more-serious firmware/hardware faults or less-serious software problems. Rather the user/administrator often performs only a basic diagnostic of the drive (if possible), and submits the required warranty claim with a brief explanation of the problem (usually in the form of a return merchandise authorization (RMA)) to the vendor's customer service. The explanation may, or may not, accurately describe the problem. Some drives may utilize proprietary methods to record mechanical failure information in internal logs (e.g. SMART data). However, this information is (typically) only available to disk drive vendors and does not allow for operating systems such as Data Ontap to provide input on the nature of why a disk might have been failed.
As a large volume of potentially faulty disk drives are returned, the vendor's customer service department must determine whether the drives are truly faulty or are not faulty. In order to correctly determine the type and degree of problem, each returned disk drive is subjected to a series of failure analysis tests and procedures (read/write test, zeroing of all media locations, etc.) on an appropriate test bed. If the drive passes all tests, it is either returned to the original user or zeroed and placed back into stock for reuse by other customers as so-called refurbished goods. If it fails a test, then it is usually forwarded to the original manufacturer or another facility for repairs and/or credit.
Some faults may elude customer service's diagnostic process if they are hard-to-spot or intermittent in nature. Other faults may linger even after a repair is completed. As such, customers may experience the same fault or problem in a recycled disk drive again and again. It is desirable to provide a readable and writeable storage area within a disk drive that allows error or fault information to be appended to the drive for both diagnostic and historical purposes. This would aid in correctly diagnosing the fault and determining whether a recurring, potentially irreparable fault exists. However, appending this information to the storage media (i.e. the magnetic disk platens) is not necessarily an effective approach, since the media is often one of the more failure-prone elements in a disk drive, and is susceptible to erasure under certain conditions. Rather, a more robust nonvolatile storage location is desired for storing diagnostic and fault information.

System and method for logging disk failure analysis in disk nonvolatile memory


A measuring system is disclosed with enhanced resolution for periodic structures on a substrate for semiconductor manufacture. Aperture structures of varying geometries are provided in the illumination beam path. The aperture structures differ regarding the transmission characteristics of light, and which adjust the intensity distribution of the diffraction orders in the imaging pupil of the optical system.

European Patent EP 0 938 031 B1 discloses a method for the manufacture of integrated circuits using an aperture with variable transmission. Herein, an aperture comprises areas of varying transmission. The method and device proposed here are not suitable for use in a measuring system which measures the position and/or the dimension of structures on a substrate.

Measuring system for structures on a substrate for semiconductor manufacture


There is provided an electrically conductive path device which can prevent radiation noise. An electrically conductive path device includes three bus bars electrically connecting a motor unit to an inverter unit, capacitance portions creating stray capacitance and an insulator. In terms of the electrically conductive path device, switching operation of a semiconductor switch located inside an inverter of the inverter unit creates change in voltage which is transmitted to the bus bar corresponding to a path from the inverter to the motor. At that time, the change in voltage is not transmitted further to the motor but is transmitted to the bus bar corresponding to a path from the motor to the inverter via the capacitance portion formed between the facing portions, i.e. via the stray capacitance.

In recent years, hybrid vehicles are becoming more widespread. Electric vehicles have also been developed rapidly. The hybrid vehicles and the electric vehicles are mounted with a high-voltage battery, an inverter and a motor. The inverter converts direct-current (DC) power supplied from the high-voltage battery into alternating-current (AC) power which is then supplied to the motor. Specifically, the AC power is supplied to the motor via high-voltage cables. In the hybrid vehicles and the electric vehicles, since the high-voltage cables are used for an electrical connection between the inverter and the motor as described above, there is required means for preventing radiation noise from the high-voltage cables.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a conventional technology for preventing the radiation noise which is explained below with reference to the drawing.
Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown an inverter 1. The inverter 1 is covered with a conductive shield cover 2. The shield cover 2 is connected to a vehicle body 4 via a grounding wire 3 and grounded. FIG. 5 also shows a motor 5. The motor 5 is covered with a conductive shield cover 6. The shield cover 6 is connected to the vehicle body 4 via a grounding wire 7 and grounded. The inverter 1 and the motor 5 are electrically connected to each other via three shield wires 8. The shield wire 8 includes a core wire 9, an insulation member 10 and a braid 11. Each end of the braid 11 is connected to the shield cover 2, 6 via a grounding wire 12 and grounded.
In the above-described structure, the inverter 1 is supplied with DC power from a DC power source. The inverter 1, with this supplied power, produces three-phase AC power by operating a semiconductor switch located inside the inverter 1. The core wires 9 of the shield wires 8 transmit the change in voltage created by the switching operation of the semiconductor switch.
Since the shield wires 8 connected to the inverter 1 and to the motor 5 are provided with the braids 11, it is possible to prevent the radiation of electro-magnetic wave from the core wires 9 to outside by connecting the braids 11 to ground at the shield covers 2 and 6.


An information processing device for facilitating a user's recognition of relevant information when relevant information concerning a predetermined menu item of a digital household electronic appliance, for example, is presented to the user.

The present invention is related to an information processing device for displaying an image representative of a menu item, a control method for the information processing device, and an information storage medium.
For a device such as a digital household electronic appliance, a user interface having preferable appearance and easy operability is strongly demanded. In order to meet this demand, there is available a user interface which composes a menu where an icon arranged in a two-dimensional manner is shown to represent a basic menu item which is preset to the device and a category to which the basic menu item belongs to (see Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2004-356774).
Such a device may have a function, when a basic menu item corresponds to the content possessed by the device, for example, for dynamically obtaining relevant information of the content, such as a genre, a director, and a performer of the content, from a table which stores the relevant information, and displaying the obtained relevant information. As a method for displaying relevant information in such a case, there is available a method for displaying a dedicated relevant information screen while erasing a menu screen. Another available method is such that relevant information is newly displayed on a menu screen while a basic menu item remains displayed intact without a change.
However, among the methods described above, according to a method in which a menu screen is erased, like the former method, correlation between the relevant information and the menu item is not easily understandable for a user as a selected menu item and a menu item presented as an alternative are erased.
Meanwhile, according to a method in which relevant information is displayed with a basic menu item remaining displayed intact without a change, like the latter method, although the above described problem is solved, a user needs to check a position where relevant information is displayed when the relevant information is displayed. Therefore, the user cannot recognize the relevant information at a glance. Moreover, as the basic menu item remains intact without a change on the screen, discrimination between a selected menu item and newly displayed relevant information is not easy.
The present invention has been conceived in view of the above described situation, and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide an information processing device for facilitating, when relevant information of a predetermined menu item which is pre-set in the information processing device is presented to a user, the user's recognition of the relevant information, a control method for the information processing device, and an information storage medium.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an information processing device for facilitating, when relevant information of a predetermined menu item which is pre-set in the information processing device is presented to a user, the user's discrimination between a selected menu item and newly displayed relevant information, a control method for the information processing device, and an information storage medium.

Information processing device, control method for information processing device, and information storage medium


A header for a combine harvester has a primary implement and a secondary implement with a roller unit. The roller unit has a frame element, an outer roller set with a rotatably supported roller and a central roller set with a rotatably supported roller. The central roller set is guided on the frame element to be lowerable relatively to the external roller set.

In particular, the primary implement can be the main cutting unit of the combine harvester. So, for instance, it can be a grain or a maize cutting unit. In particular, the secondary implement can be a mowing unit, a cutting unit, or a swathing unit.
The secondary implement is arranged further to the rear of the header of the combine harvester than the primary implement. This means that during normal operation in the forward travel of the combine harvester, first the primary implement fulfils its function, and after further movement, the secondary implement fulfils its function. In normal operation, the movement of the secondary implement is arranged such that it moves parallel to the ground. This ensures an even processing of the ground.
In the case that impediments—e.g. deep ground undulations, trenches, rocks, etc.—must be crossed, the whole header, including the two implements, is lifted. However, if the header is one that is used for the so-called "high-cut" operation, there is the problem that, although the primary implement has been lifted up sufficiently high to pass over the impediment, the secondary implement, which is much closer to the ground, is too low for this. Thus, there is the danger of damage to the secondary implement when passing over the impediment.
A similar problem emerges during road transport of the header when it is dismounted from the combine harvester. When the header is separated from the combine harvester and loaded onto a trailer for road transport, then both implements attached to the harvester must be lifted over the wheels of the trailer. In the above described arrangement of displacement in the vertical direction of the two implements, the problem arises that, although the primary implement is arranged above the wheels, the secondary implement will still collide with them.
The header may further comprise a link coupled with the secondary implement. Now, to overcome the problems described above, the new header can comprise a lifting device with a slide element that is formed in such a manner and that is connected with the link so that a translational movement of the slide element causes with a lifting of the secondary implement relative to the primary implement. In this way, the height difference between the lowest point of the primary implement and the secondary implement is compensated in whole or at least in part. The header can be guided and loaded onto a trailer without the danger of a collision. In this way, the construction space available for the protected arrangement of the secondary implement can be optimally used.
The header has at its rear, as seen in the direction of travel, and in its centre an intake duct. The purpose of the intake duct is to take away the crop which have been cut by the primary implement and to feed it to a next processing step. It should be understood that the term "central zone" means the central plane in the longitudinal direction of the combine harvester and the header, perpendicular to the direction of travel. In other words, the central zone means the zone of the axis of symmetry of the header, extending outwardly in both directions. This central zone is to be distinguished from both outer zones on both sides of the combine harvester.
The bottom of the intake duct is already arranged to be very low—i.e. relatively close to the ground. Furthermore, piston-cylinder units are disposed in this area to lift or lower the complete header.
When the secondary implement, after raising the complete header by means of the lifting device, is lifted with respect to the primary implement to position the cutting unit of the primary implement into a protected lifted position, then the problem arises of a possible collision of the central set of rollers with the previously described piston-cylinder units and/or the intake duct.

Lowerable roller set of a secondary cutting unit for a combine harvester

ESM Ennepetaler Schneid—und Mähtechnik GmbH & Co.


An object of the present invention is to suppress wasted power consumption while improving user friendliness for an on/off operation of an image projection device. An information processing apparatus includes: an orientation detection unit configured to detect the orientation of a lens of an image projection device; and a control unit configured to turn off the image projection unit or perform control not to turn on the image projection device when the lens of the image projection device is in an exposed state and when an angle between the orientation of the lens detected by the orientation detection unit and the vertical direction falls within a preset angular range.

For example, in a scene such as a presentation scene, an image projection device (projector), as an external device, is connected to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer to project, on a projected surface such as a screen or a wall, an image data transmitted from the information processing apparatus as a projected image. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an information processing apparatus, where a connector assembly having improved visibility in a dim environment is so provided that an external device such as an image projection device or the like can be connected easily to an external terminal of the information processing apparatus even in a dim room.
Further, an information processing apparatus equipped with an image projection device has been recently proposed.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-164839

Information processing apparatus, image projection control method, and program


Discussed are a display device and a method for controlling the same, which are capable of achieving a reduction in power consumption, through selective application of a charge share mode or a pre-charge mode in accordance with the swing width of a data voltage. The disclosed method includes the steps of determining a positive or negative polarity of input image data on the basis of reference data and outputting a pre-charge enable signal when two successive image data have the same polarity; supplying a pre-charge voltage to a corresponding output channel in response to the pre-enable signal; and converting the image data into a data voltage, supplying the converted data voltage to a corresponding data line through the corresponding output channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device and a method for controlling the same, which are capable of achieving a reduction in power consumption, through selective application of a charge share mode or a pre-charge mode in accordance with the swing width of a data voltage.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Conventional display devices employ a charge share mode or a pre-charge mode, to reduce the swing width of a data voltage, and thus to reduce power consumption and heat generation of a data driving circuit using the data voltage.
The above-mentioned modes can achieve reduction of power consumption when data voltages, which are successively output, exhibit a great level difference. However, when the successively-output data voltages exhibit a small level difference, the modes may increase the swing width of each data voltage. As a result, power consumption increases. Furthermore, in the case of a light emitting display device, there is a difficulty in selectively applying the charge share mode in accordance with the polarity of data voltage because the data voltage used in the light emitting display device does not have polarity, differently from liquid crystal display devices.

Display device and method for driving the same


The present invention is directed to compositions, methods and kits useful for the synthesis of nucleic acid molecules. More specifically, compositions, methods and kits are provided for the amplification of nucleic acid molecules in a one-step RT-PCR procedure comprising one or more agents used to increase tolerance to PCR inhibitors.

The detection, analysis, transcription, and amplification of nucleic acids are some of the most important procedures in modern molecular biology. The application of such procedures for nucleic acid analysis is especially important in the investigation of gene expression, diagnosis of infectious agents or genetic diseases, the generation of cDNA, and analysis of retroviruses, to name but a few applications. The reverse transcription of RNA, followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cDNA amplification, commonly referred to as RT-PCR or RNA-PCR, has become widely used for the detection and quantification of nucleic acid targets and is particularly important for viral gene analysis.
The study of oncoviruses and their roles in the pathogenesis of carcinomas can have important implications in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. However, variability in the detection of oncoviruses can make these studies challenging. Sensitivity and specificity of the detection method are key concerns. Earlier detection can be achieved using molecular biology techniques to detect oncoviral nucleic acids in samples that have not undergone seroconversion, and these techniques are applicable to viruses that cannot be propagated in tissue culture. Traditionally, immunological detection methods have been used to detect the presence of oncoviruses, but these methods have several drawbacks. In the case of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer, detection is difficult due to low expression of early viral proteins and a lack of sensitive and specific high-quality antibodies that can discriminate HPV types (Villa and Denny, International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 94(Suppl. 1):S71-S80 (2006)). Results can also be misleading or inconclusive when a sample exhibits residual antibody levels due to an infection that may have happened months or years prior to sample collection, as in the case of the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), which is associated with Hodgkin's lymphoma and other carcinomas (National Center for Infectious Diseases. "Epstein-Barr Virus and Infectious Mononucleosis," CDC. www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/ebv (November 2010)). PCR-based detection of viral nucleic acids not only has the advantage of being highly specific due to sequence specific primer binding, it is also less cumbersome and more sensitive than other hybridization techniques, such as the Northern and Southern blots, due to its ability to amplify shorter nucleic acid fragments. Sequence-specific probe binding adds an additional layer of specificity to real-time PCR and has the additional advantage of providing viral load information.
RT-PCR typically involves two separate molecular syntheses: (i) the synthesis of cDNA from an RNA template; and (ii) the replication of newly synthesized cDNA through PCR amplification. RT-PCR can be performed by one-step (or coupled) RT-PCR methods using two or more enzymes, in which at least two separate enzymes (e.g., a reverse transcriptase and a polymerase) are employed for initial cDNA synthesis and subsequent amplification, respectively.
In one-step RT-PCR, reverse transcription and PCR amplification are combined into a single reaction mixture which provides numerous advantages over two-step RT-PCR (where the synthesis and amplification steps are performed using two different or separate reactions). One-step RT-PCR requires less handling of the reaction mixture reagents and nucleic acid products than two-step RT-PCR (e.g., opening of the reaction tube for component or enzyme addition in between the two reaction steps), and is therefore less labor intensive and time consuming. One-step RT-PCR also allows for less sample to be used if necessary, and reduces the risk of contamination (Sellner and Turbett, Biotechniques 25:234-238 (1998)).
The use of one-step RT-PCR methods have some drawbacks, however. For example, individual optimization of the ratio of reverse transcriptase to DNA polymerase is usually not practicable for ready-to-use compositions or kits for one-step RT-PCR. Several reports have also documented interference between reverse transcriptase and DNA polymerase when used in combination in a single tube RT-PCR reaction resulting in low sensitivity or lack of results (Sellner, L. N., et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 20:1487-1490 (1992)).
Moreover, samples from which viral nucleic acids are extracted often contain additional compounds that are inhibitory to PCR. Humic acid in soil and feces, hematin in blood, immunoglobin G in serum, and various blood anticoagulants, like heparin and citrate, are all examples of such inhibitors. Such inhibitors may not be completely removed during the nucleic acid extraction and purification process, thus negatively impacting downstream PCR amplification, as reflected by an increase in Ct (i.e., threshold cycle) and decrease in dRn (i.e., difference in normalized reporter signal) when assayed by real time PCR.
A high Ct coupled with low dRn usually indicates low target nucleic acid concentration in reactions for quantitative PCR (qPCR) and reverse transcriptase-qPCR (RT-qPCR) applications. A reaction that exhibits reduced or no amplification indicates that the target nucleic acid is absent, or present in such small amounts that it is not detectable. A reaction that contains detectable amounts of target, but is inhibited by the presence of PCR inhibitors may show an artificially high Ct and low dRn, which can lead the user to believe that the amount of target nucleic acid is less than the actual amount present. If the level of inhibition is severe enough, the reaction may fail to amplify completely, thus leading to a false-negative result.
Because of the importance of nucleic acid synthesis applications to the fields of molecular biology and cellular biology, a one-step RT-PCR system, in the form of a generalized ready-to-use composition, which exhibits high sensitivity, is not restricted by the amount of sample, reduces the amount of practitioner manipulation, minimizes the risks of contamination, minimizes the expense of reagents, and maximizes the amount of nucleic acid end product, is needed in the art. In addition, a method to reduce or eliminate the negative effects of PCR inhibitors, especially when analyzing viral targets where sample sources often contain such inhibitors, is necessary to ensure accurate results.

Compositions, methods and kits for nucleic acid synthesis and amplification


A dispenser assembly for disposable plastic bowls is disclosed which includes a rectangular housing, open at the top, and a housing cover disposed thereover and defining a circular opening in the top. A slotted, flat, rectangular article supporting plate rides along raised, elongated and vertically extending rails formed on opposite inside walls of the housing which project into the slots. A coiled spring disposed in the housing supports the plate and extends around a raised circular wall formed on the bottom of the plate. A series of three elongated elements or nibs project downwardly from a ceiling of the housing cover around the circular opening and project inwardly of the opening a slight distance sufficient to interfere with and catch against the rolled rims of bowls stacked on the plate and projecting upward through the opening in the housing cover. A companion lid dispenser can be incorporated into the housing for convenience and efficient utilization of space.

This invention relates generally to assemblies for dispensing cups, bowls and lids from a container.
Such devices, generally speaking, have been known to and used in the prior art. For example, see the lid dispenser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,563 issued to Arthur Lisbin, et al. on Jan. 21, 1975. The lid dispenser thus disclosed includes a cylindrical container in which a circular article supporting plate is disposed. A coiled spring is confined in compression between two disc elements fixed to opposite ends of a chain which limits the maximum permissible separation of the discs and, hence, the maximum distance of the plate above the floor of the container. A generally semi-circular lid cover is attached to the otherwise open end of the container, which lid cover defines a sloping ceiling which causes the top lid in a stack of lids supported by the plate to tilt upward from the stack toward the opening in the lid cover for easy removal of the top lid from the stack by hand. Other spring-loaded article dispensing assemblies known to the prior art include the bottle dispenser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,397 issued to George R. Shelly, et al. on Dec. 7, 1971, the bobbin dispenser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,879,122 issued to W. F. Maves on Mar. 24, 1959, the article dispenser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,291,544 issued to W. A. Ord on Dec. 13, 1966, and the cup dispenser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,729,528 issued to H. L. Bennett on Jan. 3, 1956.
None of these article dispensers discloses a bowl dispenser. The Bennett dispenser does disclose a dispenser having the capacity to releasably interfere with and confine cone-shaped cups having a rolled rim similar to the disposable bowls presently popular in delicatessens and the fast food industry. However, the latch mechanism involved is complex and utilizes moving parts.
These and other deficiencies of prior art article dispensers are substantially overcome by means of my invention.


A wing-drive mechanism is described that permits, with proper control, movement of a wing about multiple wing trajectories. The wing-drive is capable of independent movement about three rotational degrees of movement; movement about a flap axis is independent of movement about a yaw axis, and both are independent of changes in the pitch of the wing. Methods of controlling the wing-drive mechanism to affect a desired wing trajectory include the use of a non-linear automated controller that generates input signals to the wing-drive mechanism by comparing actual and desired wing trajectories in real time. Specification of wing trajectories is preferably also accomplished in real time using an automated trajectory specification system, which can include a fuzzy logic processor or a neural network. A vehicle that derives controlled motion as a whole from the wing-drive mechanism is also disclosed.

This invention relates to vehicles that derive motion from one or more flapping wings.
Since the advent of controlled heavier-than-air flight in the early 1900's, development of aircraft has focussed primarily on fixed-wing and rotary wing technologies. Fixed-wing technologies are typified by commercial, military and pleasure airplanes, in which thrust is generated by a propeller or jet engine and the forward movement of an airfoil through the atmosphere creates lift. Rotary-wing technologies are employed in helicopters, in which lift is generated by pushing air downward with rotating rotor blades. Each of these technologies has its advantages and limitations.
Fixed-wing technologies, for example, permit very high forward velocities and maneuverability. However, both lift and maneuverability depend on the forward motion of the aircraft. Vertical short take-offs or landings (VSTOL), hovering and other maneuvers cannot be accomplished using fixed-wing technology alone. Similarly, turns cannot be executed without rolling the fuselage, and very sharp angle turns cannot be accomplished. Rotary-wing technologies offer improved VSTOL and hovering ability, but their forward and sideways velocities usually are limited, as is their ability to turn. In addition, rotary-wing aircraft often respond poorly to wind gusts.
Hybridized vehicles incorporate fixed-wing and rotary wing technologies to create a combined lift-thrust force. These vehicles have shown limited improvements in maneuverability and versatility compared to fixed-wing and rotary wing vehicles.
A third approach to heavier-than-air flight employs flapping wings to generate a combined lift-thrust force. In principle, flapping wing technology offers the possibility of creating versatile flight vehicles that can combine and in some cases exceed the performance advantages of fixed-wing and rotary-wing technologies. In particular, flapping wing technology offers the possibility of providing improved maneuverability compared to even rotary-wing technologies. Vehicles employing flapping wing technologies are referred to as "ornithopters".
Unfortunately, very few ornithopters have succeeded in flying. In 1929, Lippisch developed a human-powered ornithopter that achieved non-sustained flight. In 1986, MacCready et al. developed an ornithopter modeled on a pterosaur, an extinct flying reptile. That ornithopter was winch launched and could not sustain flight for an extended duration. More recently, Harris and DeLaurier developed an ornithopter that was capable of sustained flight. In addition, various toys have been developed that employ flapping wing technology to fly, including that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,728 to Van Ruymbeke.
Unfortunately, even those previous ornithopters that were capable of flight were very limited in their maneuverability. These ornithopters operated by flapping wings only in a single trajectory, i.e., in an up and down motion. Thus, the aerodynamic force developed by the flapping wings over the course of a series of "beats" was fixed in a fixed (relative to the vehicle), substantially vertical plane. To develop lift, these ornithopters mimicked conventional fixed wing aircraft in that in all cases lift was achieved by creating airflow past an airfoil due to the forward motion of the vehicle as a whole. Thus, these ornithopters suffered from the same maneuverability limitations as conventional fixed-wing aircraft.
In an analogous way, conventional and submersible watercraft, spacecraft and satellites also are limited in their maneuverability due to the design of their propulsion systems.
It would be desirable to provide a wing-drive mechanism, that can affect more than one wing trajectory, thereby generating a force vector over the course of a "beat" or series of "beats" which has an arbitrary but predetermined and changeable magnitude and/or direction. It would also be desirable to provide a method of controlling a wing-drive mechanism that can affect more than one wing trajectories. It would further be desirable to provide a vehicle having at least one flapping drive wing that can affect multiple wing trajectory. It would further be desirable to provide a method for improved control of the motion of an ornithopter or other vehicle as a whole.

Wing-drive mechanism, vehicle employing same, and method for controlling the wing-drive mechanism and vehicle employing same


An ostomy bag having a drain valve at a lower region thereof. The valve is formed of a short flexible tube that can be bent or kinked over a support web and a stopper which can be pushed into the open end of the kinked tube.

The construction of a stoma, or ostomy, an artificial opening of the intestinal or urinary tract to the abdominal wall, has been developed as a technique to provide both cure and palliation for benign and malignant diseases. A urinary conduit is constructed to compensate for the loss of or severe malfunction of the urinary bladder. Construction of the stoma involves isolation of a segment of small intestine and the restriction of continuity of the remainder of the small intestine. One end of the segment is brought to the abdominal wall as a stoma while the other end is closed. The ureters are implanted in the segment to allow free passage of urine to the exterior of the body.
In order to collect the urine which is discharged from the stoma, a bag or pouch is affixed to the body around the stoma. The bag includes means to drain the contents without the need for removing the bag from the body.


An intelligent multistation access unit is provided having a transmission speed detection circuit for determining the data transmission speed of an attached device attempting to gain access to a node of a multiple transmission rate digital data communications network. The intelligent multistation access unit is comprised of a speed detect circuit, which indicates the data transmission speed of the attached device, a switching circuit which directs the attached device to the speed detect circuit until switched to allow the attached device access to the network node, and a processor that controls the switching circuit and which permits the attached device access to the node depending on the data transmission speed indication.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to digital data transmission systems, and more particularly to an intelligent multistation access unit having a transmission speed detection circuit for a multiple speed data transmission system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In digital data transmission systems, composite clock and data signals in binary form are transmitted over media such as wires or fiber optic cables from a transmission line transmitter to a transmission line receiver. The transmitter and the receiver in a data transmission system may each be a single computer or may each comprise a local area network (LAN) of computers.
An individual computer or station in a LAN may both send information to other stations in the LAN and receive information from other stations. The station inserts into the LAN when it desires to communicate with another station in the LAN, and detaches from the LAN when the communications are complete. If information received by a station is destined for a station further along the network, the receiving station must pass the information along the LAN to the next adjacent station, and so forth, until the information reaches its final destination.
The signal received by a particular station in the LAN is represented by pulses in a data stream defined by positive-going and negative-going transitions. The transmitting station in the LAN outputs the data signal at a predetermined frequency. The binary data waveform, however, is degraded with respect to its phase and frequency as it propagates along the LAN transmission media due to electrical noise and dispersion. This degradation of bits in the binary waveform could result in incorrect interpretations by the receiving station of bits sent by the transmitter station across the LAN transmission media.
To prevent incorrect interpretation of data bits sent across stations in the LAN, the receiving station must reconstruct the received signal, regardless of electrical noise and transmission media degradations. Such reconstruction can be achieved by sampling the received signal at a regular rate equal to the transmitted bit rate, and at each sample instant making a decision of the most probable symbol being transmitted. Typically, a threshold level is chosen to which the received signal is compared. Transitions above and below this level are deemed to be binary ones or zeros, depending on the type of encoding of the signal.
In addition to reconstructing received data signals prior to retransmission to adjacent stations in the LAN, any new information which the station outputs to the LAN must be transmitted at the same frequency as that at which the LAN is operating. Because some LANs are capable of operating at different speeds, individual computers or stations in the LAN must be matched to the speed at which the LAN will be operating. Typically, the individual stations are programmed to the speed at which the LAN is to be operated. If the speed of the LAN is to change, the LAN must be taken down, and all the stations must be reprogrammed to the new speed at which the LAN will be operating. If a particular station is programmed to a speed of operation which is different than the speed at which the LAN is operating, any attempt by the station to attach to the LAN will result in bringing the LAN down.
A common LAN topology is the "token ring" network. The token ring is used to interconnect the devices attached to the network. The token ring network allows unidirectional data transmission between stations in a ring-like circuit, by a token passing procedure. The ring topology permits tokens to be passed from a node associated with a particular attached device, such as a personal computer, to another node in the ring. A node that is ready to send data can capture the token and thereafter insert data for transmission. A device or computer station attempting to gain access to a node of the token ring will have a token adapter which is physically connected to the token ring. This accessing device must carry out a procedure following a standard protocol in order to access the token ring.
Many LANs employ concentrators, or hubs, to connect many stations at a single network node. These multistation access units connect individually with each station along a 4-wire cable called a lobe. Multiple lobes extend out from a concentrator to individual stations to form a star-like structure. Physically, each station is individually attached to the concentrator through its lobe, where it may access the network node. When the concentrator is connected to a token ring network, the logical configuration of the network places each station connected to the concentrator at a separate node within the ring. A concentrator can individually connect the attached devices in a token ring, or it may be connected with other concentrators to form a larger token ring comprised of all the devices attached to all concentrators. An intelligent concentrator is one which includes processor controlled switching electronics for controlling access to the network.
One type of token ring product has two data transmission speeds, 4 Mbps and 16 Mbps. Both of the transfer speeds are frequently used, and often, the data transmission speed of 4 Mbps may be used in one network, while the data transmission speed of 16 Mbps may be used in another network, both of which a user may wish to access.
The speed of all devices inserted in the token ring must be the same for the ring to operate properly. Unfortunately, the end user of the accessing device may have no way of knowing the ring speed of the particular token ring he is attempting to access. If this user tries to insert onto the ring at the wrong speed, his station will cause the entire ring to go into a beacon state in which all data transmission is halted until the station is removed from the ring. This time can range from several milliseconds to 20 seconds depending on the wiring concentrator used. In addition, some non-token ring devices can be accidentally connected to a network node to cause complete failure of the ring until that device is found and manually removed.
The prior art has solved this problem of accessing multiple transmission rate networks by providing network adapters, for placement in computer workstations, which are able to detect the transmission speed of the ring and then configure the adapter to transmit at the proper rate. However, in order for the adapter's speed detect circuitry to determine the ring speed, the adapter must insert itself on the ring and sample data transmissions. Such speed detection inherently interferes with the data transmission on the ring, and further, may send the entire ring into a beacon state. Such disruptions in the data communication reduces network performance. Also, such schemes require complex clock extraction and data regeneration logic to implement. Moreover, these prior art schemes deny the token ring any facility for preventing insertion of a non-token ring device into the network, which will cause complete failure of the ring.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a system and method for inserting a device into a multiple transmission rate digital data communications network at the proper transmission speed without disrupting data flow in the network. It would be further desirable to provide a system and method of preventing non-network devices from inserting into the ring and disrupting data flow.

Intelligent concentrator for multiple speed data communications systems

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention describes a blade assembly for use with side-sealing and lap-sealing machines, which are used to seal thermoplastic film. Briefly, the cutting element is oval in shape, and has its entire outer edge profiled. This provides four distinct cutting surfaces, depending on the mounting orientation of the cutting element in the machine. This cutting element is held against a heating block, and its temperature is continuously monitored by a temperature sensor. The sensor is spring-loaded to insure solid contact with the cutting element, and thus, accurate temperature measurements. This entire assembly is then encased in insulation. Additionally, the cutting element is mounted on an adjustable platform, which permits vertical adjustments relative to the film. Thus, the specific portion of the cutting element which actually engages the film can be adjusted to improve the cutting quality or further extend the useful life of the cutting element.

Machines used to wrap and seal articles and packages in thermoplastic film are well known in the art. Two types of machines are commonly referred to as side-sealing and lap-sealing machines. In the typical side-sealing configuration, an article or set of articles travels, typically via a conveyer belt, toward the machine. A sheet of center-folded plastic film, having two layers, is fed from a direction which is preferably perpendicular to the direction of the conveyer. The two layers of the film are then separated such that the article is placed between the lower layer and the upper layer. On one side of the article is the center-fold, while on the other side, there is an open edge where the two layers are not attached. The machine has a side sealing mechanism, which typically comprises several sets of belts to hold and guide the film, a heating/sealing element that fuses or welds the two layers together and a cutting element that removes the excess material. Thus, as the article passes by the side sealing mechanism, this open edge is sealed by welding the two layers together, the plastic is cut and the waste is removed and discarded. At this point, the plastic film resembles a tube, with openings at both the leading and trailing ends of the article, but sealed along both sides. As the article continues to advance, an end sealing mechanism is then employed to seal the film at the leading end of the article. The article is then advanced and the end sealing mechanism then seals the film at the trailing end of the article.
Incomplete, inconsistent or sloppy welds can be problematic with these types of machines. One specific issue is caused by the temperature and sharpness of the cutting element. If the temperature is too low, or the cutting surface becomes dull, the ability to create a high quality seal is reduced. Thus, to maintain a satisfactory output, it is necessary to replace the cutting element when it wears. In machines of the prior art, the cutting element is typically a single blade, typically with a cutting surface having a radius. Once this blade wears or becomes covered with film, it must be replaced. Replacement of the cutting element requires removal of the used blade and the insertion of a new blade.
The cost associated with replacement blades can be significant. Also, it is imperative that a supply of replacement blades be available, since the sealing machine is completely inoperative without a blade.


A fixing device includes a magnetic flux generation unit, an auxiliary heating body formed of material that generates heat from the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generation unit, a rotatable fixing belt having opposing first and second ends in a direction of its rotational axis and a material that generates heat from the magnetic flux, a magnetic flux shield in contact with the auxiliary heating body and having first and second openings that expose the auxiliary body, the first and second openings being symmetrical with respect to a center point along the rotational axis between the first and second ends, a temperature sensor in contact with the auxiliary heating body through one of the first and second openings of the magnetic flux shield shielding member, and a driver that controls power supplied to the magnetic flux generation unit in accordance with signals from the temperature sensor.

An image forming apparatus such as copy machines or multi-function peripherals (MFP) may include a fixing device that fixes an image by heating a sheet to which a toner image is transferred.
Regarding the heating performed by the fixing device, a safety device is normally used in order to prevent an abnormal increase in a temperature. Such a safety device measures a temperature of an auxiliary heating member, and stops the heating when abnormal heating is detected. In the fixing device, a shielding member and the auxiliary heating member are physically separated from each other, so a thermostat used for measuring the temperature has access to the auxiliary heating member of which the temperature is to be measured.
In the aforementioned fixing device, because the shielding member and the auxiliary heating member are physically separated from each other, the thermal conductivity between the two members is low. When the shielding member and the auxiliary heating member are physically close to each other in order to improve the thermal conductivity, it is necessary to provide an opening in the shielding member for temperature measurement. The opening in the shielding member causes temperature variation in a fixing belt or in the auxiliary heating member.

Fixing device that can suppress variation in temperature, and image forming apparatus having the fixing device


Disclosed is a method of calculating the best focus position of a projection optical system by arranging a photosensitive substrate in the best focus position of a projection optical system, projecting measuring mark images in a plurality of focus positions on the photosensitive substrate in an optical-axis direction of the projection optical system to projection-expose mask patterns and thus obtaining the best focus position from a relationship between each of the focus positions and the measuring mark image corresponding thereto. The method comprises a first step of approximating a size of the measuring mark image with an nth-order or larger (n is an integer of 2 or larger) function relative to the focus position by a statistical operation. The method also comprises a second step of obtaining a tentative best focus position from the approximated function and a third step of calculating a weight corresponding to each of the plurality of measuring mark images on the basis of a difference between the tentative best focus position and each of the plurality of focus positions. The method further comprises a fourth step of approximating a size of the measuring mark image with an nth-order or smaller function relative to the focus position by a statistical operation to minimize a sum, relative to the focus position, of product of the weight obtained in the third step by a square of a difference between the nth-order or smaller function relative to the focus position and the size of the measuring mark image corresponding thereto and a fifth step of obtaining the best focus position of the projection optical system from the nth-order or smaller function obtained in the fourth step.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of measuring the best focus; position, which is suitable for an application to a case of setting a focus position of a photosensitive substrate with respect to a projection optical system in a projection exposure apparatus employed when manufacturing, e.g., a semiconductor element, a liquid crystal display element or a thin-film magnetic head, etc. by a lithography step.
2. Related Background Art
A projection exposure apparatus is employed for manufacturing, e.g., the semiconductor element, the liquid crystal display element or the thin-film magnetic head, etc. by the lithography step. The projection exposure apparatus exposes pattern images of a photomask or a reticle (hereinafter collectively termed a [reticle]) on a photosensitive substrate through a projection optical system. In this type of projection exposure apparatus, the pattern images of the reticle are exposed on the photosensitive substrate with a high resolving power. For this purpose, the exposure is required to be done in such a manner that a focus position of an exposure face (e.g., the surface) of the photosensitive substrate, i.e., a position in the optical axis direction of the projection optical system is aligned with the best focus position, i.e., a position of the best imaging plane of the projection optical system. It is required therefor that the best focus position of the projection optical system be previously obtained by some method.
According to a known method of measuring the best focus position, as disclosed in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,656, the best focus position is obtained by a so-called test print in which images of focus measuring marks formed on the reticle are exposed on the photosensitive substrate while shifting a focus position. In the method of thus performing the test print, for instance, a focus measuring mark image 19P as shown in FIG. 1 is exposed on a wafer defined as a photosensitive substrate coated with a photosensitive substance while shifting the focus position. This focus measuring mark image 19P is configured such that a pattern group consists of four pieces of elongate rhombic patterns arranged at a predetermined pitch in a widthwise direction, and a plurality of pattern groups are further arranged at a pitch of 8 .mu.m.
Thereafter, the focus measuring mark image 19P after developing the wafer is transformed into resist patterns exhibiting a ruggedness. Then, a length (mark length) of each mark image 19P is measured. In this case, when the exposure face of the wafer is located in the best focus position, a length L of the focus measuring mark image 19P reaches the maximum. It is therefore possible to obtain the best focus position by measuring the mark length of the mark image 19P.
Measuring the mark length thereof has hitherto involved the following steps. An area in the vicinity of each mark image 19P is irradiated sheetwise with coherent laser beams. A wafer stage is driven while monitoring a position of the wafer stage mounted with the wafer by use of a laser interferometer. Relative scanning of the laser beam on each mark image is thus effected. When the laser beam exists on the mark image 19P, a diffracted beam or a scattered beam is produced from the mark image 19P in a predetermined direction. A length at which the diffracted beam or scattered beam is detected is measured as a mark length of the mark image 19P in the relevant focus position.
Then, the mark length has hitherto been simply approximated as a biquadratic function or thereabouts by a least squares method. A focus position in which the function comes to the maximum value within a measuring range is set as the best focus position.
When measuring a size of the focus measuring mark image by use of coherent beams such as the laser beams as done in the prior arts, an intensity of a detection signal which is obtained by photoelectrically converting the beams from the mark image varies depending on a profile of the mark image. Accordingly, it happens that the mark length is measured larger or smaller than an actual mark length, depending on a degree of interference of the beams from the mark image. A further drawback is that the calculated best focus position largely shifts due to an exposure quantity or a thickness of a resist film applied on the wafer when effecting the exposure.
For example, FIG. 2 shows a result of approximating the mark length actually measured by the conventional method with a biquadratic function of a focus position F. Referring to FIG. 2, a curve 29 corresponds to a function for approximating the mark length obtained by shifting the focus position at a pitch of 0.3 .mu.m when an exposure energy is a fiducial energy. A curve 30 corresponds to an approximation function when the exposure energy is smaller by 10% than the fiducial energy. A curve 31 corresponds to an approximation function when the exposure energy is larger by 10% than the fiducial energy. Referring again to FIG. 2, if, for example, the exposure energy is larger by 10% than the fiducial energy, as seen from the curve 31, measurement data of the mark length contains data of particularly a large value. Hence, if a peak position of the curve 31 is simply conceived as the best focus position, the calculated best focus position largely deviates from the true best focus position, resulting in an error in terms of measurement.
Further, in the case of FIG. 2, an exposure time of the focus measuring mark image is changed. When shifting such a focus position that the measurement error of the mark length due to the interference by the laser beams becomes plus (+) and such a focus position that the measurement error becomes minus (-), the best focus position obtained by the conventional method shifts by the order of 0.1 .mu.m from the one in FIG. 2. Besides, the approximate curve is to be obtained even in the state where the exposure energy is larger by 10% than the fiducial energy by eliminating the data of the mark length extraordinarily larger than the one in FIG. 2. Obtained in this case are biquadratic approximation functions expressed by curves 29A-31A as shown in FIG. 3. According to characteristics of FIG. 3, however, a fluctuation width of the best focus position with respect to the changes in the exposure energy is on the order of 0.6 .mu.m. No stable measurement result is consequently obtained.
Moreover, if the intensity of the detection signal from the focus measuring mark image decreases in the conventional example, noises intrinsic to a measuring sensor disorders the detection signal. It may happen that the size of the mark image is measured remarkably long in some cases. This conduces to a drawback in which the best focus position is miscalculated or alternatively can not be calculated.

Method of measuring the best focus position having a plurality of measuring mark images and a plurality of focus positions


An well assembly having a housing with an inner surface, the assembly including a tubular member inserted in the housing and having an outer surface. The assembly further includes a plurality of protrusions extending from one of the inner or outer surfaces, the protrusions separated by gaps defined between adjacent protrusions. In addition, the well assembly includes a metal to metal seal pressed against and deformed by the protrusions. A plurality of hollow tubes are provided for insertion in the gaps between the protrusions, the tubes being collapsible upon engagement with the metal to metal seal.

1. Field of the Invention
This technology relates to oil and gas wells, and in particular to a well component having a sealing profile that includes engaging protrusions with collapsible tubes therebetween.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Typical oil and gas wells include multiple components, such as, for example, wellheads, annular seals, and tubing hangers. During some phases of operation, it is desirable to seal the interfaces between the well components to prevent fluids from passing between the well components. To increase the ability of components to seal together, some well components are equipped with protrusions, sometimes referred to as wickers, on at least one of adjacent components. These protrusions serve to engage with the surface of an adjacent well member to increase sealing between the well components.
One problem with the use of such protrusions to enhance sealing is hydraulic lock. Hydraulic lock occurs when well fluid fills the valleys between the protrusions and becomes trapped when the protrusions engage an adjacent well component surface. Because most well fluid is not compressible, the fluid filled valleys prevent or restrict movement of the protrusions toward an opposing surface. To eliminate this problem, different technologies have been used.
One such technology includes the use of collapsible foam, which fills the valleys, displacing the well fluid therefrom. The foam typically consists of a large quantity of small hollow balls, or glass beads, which are collapsible when compressed. As the protrusions engage an opposing surface, the foam is crushed by the opposing surface. The use of collapsible foam, however, can be problematic. For example, the small glass beads are difficult to embed on the valleys between protrusions, requiring a special coating process during the manufacturing of the well components. Furthermore, as the beads are crushed, the crushed pieces of the beads accumulate in the bottom of the valleys, ultimately filling the valleys enough that the "bite" between the protrusions and an opposing surface is impeded.

Tube arrangement to enhance sealing between tubular members


An accessory mounting bracket provides a quick and easy removable attachment of various devices. The method of attachment of devices to the accessory mounting bracket may be compatible with the attachment of these devices to tee-slot style track systems, allowing the accessory mounting bracket to be used interchangeably with said track systems.

This invention relates in general to the connection of accessory devices to vehicles or structures, and more particularly, to an accessory mounting system that may be fixed to an environment, providing a secure attachment point for various accessory devices.
Devices such as camera mounts, fishing rod holders, personal electronics cradles, marine depth finders, visibility beacons, and various other implements frequently require quick and easy attachment and removal from structures and vehicles, such as personal watercraft, boats, all terrain vehicles, airplanes, automobiles, military vehicles and other vehicles and structures utilizing such devices.
In addition to these devices, other items associated with various environments are commonly stored and organized as many environments contain a variety of items that need to be stored or organized. Within the scope herein, the term "device" shall refer to any item that may be stored or organized in a given environment, or a bracket designed to support such an item.
In some cases, it may be desirable to alter the deployment configuration of these devices, either by arrangement or position. It may also be desirable to interchangeably attach these devices to fixed mounts and track systems, with the fixed mount providing a rigid, low cost, single point of attachment and the track system providing a range of deployment positions that may be altered during attachment or while being used in the field.
These devices have been attached using a variety of methods, including direct and non-removable attachment to the environment, or removable attachment by means of a variety of mounting systems. While a variety of mounting systems have been utilized in some applications, they are each limited in performance by their respective designs. In most cases these attachment methods are not compatible with track systems. These mounting systems may also be too large to fit in tight spaces, and may not have a low profile design that is desirable in many applications.
There remains a need for an accessory mounting bracket that provides a secure means of removable attachment, is compatible with accessory track systems, utilizes a small footprint and low profile, and is designed for surface mounting.


A pipe end cleaner device formed in a set of sizes to be mounted in the chuck of an electric drill for cleaning the ends of pipes in preparation for connections by threading or soldering. The cleaner device has a plurality of internal grooves configured and dimensioned to secure a conventional bristle brush having external grooves on its ring.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cleaning device. More specifically, the invention is directed to a pipe end cleaning device holder used with a hand drill for preparing pipes for either a soldering or threading connection.
2. Description of the Related Art
The related art of interest describes various pipe cleaners, but none disclose the present invention. There is a need for a pipe cleaner utilizing a conventional manual wire brush to effect the cleaning of the ends of threaded pipes and copper pipes quickly for sweat soldering sleeve connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,534 issued on May 3, 1994, to Richard P. Miller describes a portable rotary copper pipe cleaner device. The device includes a rotary internal brush and reamer at one end and an external brush attached at an opposite end to chucks, powered by an internal variable speed electric motor and rechargeable batteries, and a manual switch on the cylindrical body. The device is distinguishable for its two brushing ends, when the present invention as a brush holder utilizes a known hand brush having a ribbed housing for external cleaning of a pipe.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 347,523 issued on Jun. 7, 1994, to Roger Villeneuve describes a manually operated rotary copper pipe cleaner including rotary internal and external brushes at opposite ends of a ribbed holder having a triangular cross-section. The device is distinguishable for requiring dual brushing ends.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 308,623 issued on Jun. 19, 1990, to Nobuo Nishiki describes a wire brush for attachment to a power tool comprising a hexagonal rear end section for fitting a chuck, a middle cylindrical section including an octagonal grip portion, and a cylindrical front end section including bristles directed longitudinally. The wire brush is distinguishable for its multi-faceted structure and the longitudinal arrangement of its wire bristles.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,866,212 issued on Dec. 30, 1958, to Maurice W. White et al. describes a rotatable pipe cleaning tool driven by a power drill comprising a cylindrical positioning roller on a spindle hinged to a yoke on a shaft of a cylindrical brush with copper or brass bristles. The tool with the brush either inside or outside a pipe with the roller applying pressure on the pipe. The tool is distinguishable for its requirement for a roller.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,118,162 issued on Jan. 21, 1964, to Alexander Karr et al. illustrates a wire brush stabilizer device for cleaning the scale from the sheets and beads of steam boiler fire tubes. The wire brush can be either cup-shaped or cylindrical with radially outwardly extending wire bristles. Each brush is on a threaded shaft with a ball threaded on the end. The brush can be inserted inside a pipe and rotated by a drill. The device is distinguishable for its required ball included structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,184 issued on Jun. 28, 1974, to John F. Stone describes a pipe cleaning device driven by a drill to clean only the outside of a pipe. A housing with a knob handle is attached to joined semi-annular elements having wire brush bristles extending radially inward. The housing includes a friction contact element on a drive shaft which rotates the wire brush. The device is distinguishable for its friction roller drive of a two-section collared brush unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,448 issued on Feb. 28, 1984, to Martin E. True is directed to an air powered pipe thread cleaner apparatus with a right-angled handle and having three adjustable brush bristles on arms rotatating in a cup-shaped housing for cleaning various sized pipes along with air and solvent. The apparatus is distinguishable for its pneumatic power and solvent use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,489 issued on Aug. 28, 1984, to Donald M. Begneaud discloses a hand-held power brush pipe thread cleaner apparatus comprising six rotating brushes on a carriage inside a shroud fed by a cleaning fluid and pressurized air. The apparatus is distinguishable for its requirement for pressurized air and cleaning fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,549 issued on Sep. 5, 1989, to Gerald W. Criswell et al. describes a pipe preparation device for soldering or brazing, having internal and external cleaning wired brushes, wherein the internal brush extends from a shell which can be driven by a motor powered drill or hand tools. The device is distinguishable for requiring the configuration of two wire brushes.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,629,121 issued on Feb. 24, 1953, to Severin W. Petre describes a rotatable brushing tool for cleaning pipe threads of drilling stems. A frusto-conical body having six rows of brushes made of metal, animal or synthetic material on the outside and inside is hand-driven by a crank. The body can have a spiral arrangement of the brushes on both sides. The tool is distinguishable for its frusto-conical structure with brushes on the outside and inside surfaces in either rows or spirals.
Canadian Patent No. 831,797 issued on Jan. 13, 1970, to Ernest C. Valentine describes a portable machine for fluid cleaning the inside and outside threads at the ends of oil well drill pipes by a petroleum distillate fed by a pump into a rotating brush holder in a cylindrical housing. The brushes are rotated by an electric drill at 100 rpm. The machine is distinguishable for its cleaning fluid integrated brushes.
U.K. Patent Application No. 2,147,835 A published on May 22, 1985, describes a hand tool for preparing pipe ends of two diameters, the tool having internal metal bristles housed in two adjoining housings with internal abrasive splined metal elements. The hand tool is distinguishable for its two-sided structure.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The invention is a cylindrical brush holding device to be rotated by a power drill for cleaning the ends of pipes in preparation for connections. The device has a holder element having an longitudinal axis, a smooth outer cylindrical surface, an inner ribbed cylindrical surface, an open front surface, and a rear wall having a polygonal aperture. The inner surface has a plurality of arcuate grooves disposed along the longitudinal axis of the brush holding element to interlock with a conventional cylindrical wire brush having matching ribs. A rod end having a polygonal cross-section is inserted in the aperture and fixedly held. A pair of set screws are positioned radially on the cylindrical brush element opposite each other and adapted to secure the wire brush. The polygonal rod is mounted in the chuck of an electric drill for rotating the cylindrical brush element around the end of a pipe to clean its end in preparation for joining by either threading or soldering a sleeve or elbow.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a pipe end cleaning device.
It is another object of the invention to provide a pipe end cleaning device operable by a hand drill.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a pipe end cleaning device with internal ridges for holding a conventional cylindrical wire hand brush.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a copper pipe end cleaning device for cleaning the outside surfaces of pipes to be connected by threading or by a sleeve or elbow by soldering.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.


Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for product promotion using a smart contract in a blockchain network. The method includes: receiving, by a node of a blockchain network, a creation request to create a promotion event, wherein: the promotion event is associated with multiple promotion codes and a pair of a private key and a public key, and the creation request includes the public key and a digital signature generated using the private key; determining, by the node and based on the public key and the digital signature, validity of the creation request; and in response to determining that the creation request is valid, registering, by the node, the promotion event in the blockchain network using a smart contract without storing the multiple promotion codes in the blockchain network.

Distributed ledger systems (DLSs) enable participating entities to securely and immutably store data. DLSs can also be referred to as consensus networks or blockchain networks, without referencing any particular use case. Examples of blockchain networks can include consortium blockchain networks provided for a select group of entities. A consortium blockchain network can control the consensus process for the select group of entities. The consortium blockchain network includes an access control layer.
A coupon is a type of marketing means endorsed by merchants, through which consumers can obtain cheaper products or services. In turn, merchants can get more customers. Coupons can include printed coupons or electronic coupons. When issuing electronic coupons, merchants often generate and associate unique identifiers with the coupons. The unique identifiers can also referred to as "coupon codes." Typically, the unique identifiers are stored in a centralized data store. Consumers can obtain a unique identifier of a coupon through relevant products and then redeem the corresponding rewards. If the centralized data store is invaded, hacked, or otherwise impaired, coupon information may be leaked, resulting in invalid activities, serious financial losses, and other consequences. In some instances, the unique identifier can be guessed or otherwise deciphered.
It is desirable to have an effective means to protect the coupons from being leaked, maliciously deciphered, and other consequences.

Product promotion using smart contracts in blockchain networks


The invention relates to a windscreen wiper device for a vehicle, comprising a wiper blade (2) having an elongate upper part (10) and an elongate lower part (12) which are at least partially flexible. Also provided are multiple connecting elements (18) for connecting the upper part (10) and the lower part (12), the connecting elements being mutually spaced along a longitudinal extent (8) of the wiper blade (2) and being attached to the upper part (10) and/or the lower part (12) by a rotary joint, and the connecting elements (18) being designed to allow a movement of the upper part (10) and the lower part relative to each another with a movement component along a longitudinal extent (8) of the wiper blade (2). The wiper blade (2) has a fastening arrangement (32) which is designed to be fitted into a hollow shaft (40) of a drive unit and to be connected thereto so to transmit a torque from the drive unit via the hollow shaft (40) and the fastening arrangement (32) to the wiper blade (2).

The invention relates to a windscreen wiper device for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle.
Windscreen wiper devices typically have a wiper arm or wiper lever, wherein a wiper blade is moved on the windscreen of a motor vehicle. In this case, the wiper blade is moved between a first turning point and a second turning point. To this end, the wiper arm is connected via the drive shaft to a wiper motor as a drive unit. In particular on windshields with sharp changes of curvature, the wiper blade easily loses contact with the windscreen. As a result, in particular in sharply curved windscreens, this may lead to unwiped wiping areas and/or to smearing.
Since a wiping process has to be optimized relative to a plurality of parameters, such as for example the amount of rain on the windscreen, a snow load which is potentially present on the windscreen, the speed of the vehicle and the wind pressure associated therewith on the wiper arm, smearing is not able to be reliably prevented simply by adapting the pressure of the wiper arm to the windshield. Therefore, there is a need for windscreen wiper devices to be further improved.
In the case of improvement, there is a plurality of boundary conditions which should be additionally considered. In this case there is also a need to ensure and/or improve the handling and/or the user-friendliness, for example when attaching a wiper arm of the windscreen wiper device to the vehicle and/or when removing the wiper arm from the vehicle.


A first guide includes a guiding face to support a recording medium on an upstream of a head in a conveyance direction, a recess formed on the upstream of the head in the conveyance direction, and a protrusion to protrude from the guiding face through the recess. The protrusion includes a first slope upwardly inclined from an upstream end of the protrusion toward the downstream. Atop of the protrusion is positioned on the same level as or an upper level than an upstream end of a supporter, when the supporter is at an opposing position and the protrusion protrudes from the guiding face.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus configured to record an image by ejecting liquid onto a recording medium.
2. Description of Related Art
A known recording apparatus includes a supporter and a mover configured to move the supporter so as to cause the supporter to take either an opposing position at which the supporter opposes an ejection surface of a head or a withdrawal position at which the supporter does not oppose the ejection surface. The supporter is, for example, positioned at the opposing position in recording and positioned at the withdrawal position in a maintenance operation. The supporter may include an upstream supporter and a downstream supporter both of which are positioned on an upper surface of a frame.


An apparatus for detecting quality of currency or the like. Signals representative of the transmissivity and reflectivity of a bill are subtracted from a signal representative of unity. The resulting signal, which is representative of absorptivity of light by the bill, is accumulated over the length of the bill and compared to a reference to produce digital signals representative of fit or unfit bills.

Currency, and other negotiable paper which are in circulation eventually becomes so worn as to be unfit for continued use. The U.S. Treasury Department daily removes from circulation millions of dollars which have deteriorated in quality below acceptable standards. Until recently all of this inspection was done by human inspectors who visually examine each bill and make a determination of whether a bill is fit or unfit for further circulation. While these individuals are highly skilled, such a routine function is slow, inefficient, wasteful of human resources and subject to non-uniformity in the judgment standards among different individuals.
Various techniques have been devised for processing automatically both uncirculated and circulated currency. Systems for processing uncirculated currency are primarily for the purpose of detecting flawed bills which are then prevented from entering circulation.
Systems for processing circulated currency primarily check for such things as quality, genuineness, and denomination. Both systems may employ automatic sorting arrangements.
The amount of dirt on a bill is an excellent measure of its quality since general wear, wrinkles, limpness, etc. are all closely related to the amount of dirt that has accumulated on the bill during its circulation. Thus, quality of a bill may be determined by measuring the dirt it has picked up.
One method of making such a measurement is by detecting and converting to a signal the amount of light transmitted through the bill and comparing the signal to a reference signal representative of a bill of acceptable quality. One such system is described broadly in U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,198 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Supporting Currency". The method therein disclosed measures transmissivity of light through the bill over its length during transit through an inspection station. The total amount of light transmitted through the bill is averaged or integrated to produce a signal representative of total transmissivity of the bill. This signal is compared to a known standard for determination of fitness or unfitness of the bill. Systems such as the above described patented system which rely on transmissivity alone for a quality check are prone to errors caused by circuit variations and variations in light intensity, such as, transient changes in intensity due to light source voltage variations as well as degradation of intensity in light emission over the lifetime of the light source.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring quality of currency which compensates for errors due to light source and circuit variations.

Method for determining quality of U.S. currency


A balloon structure is comprised of two heat-sealingly connected polymeric sheets forming a gas encompassing chamber and a connected inflation stem and is characterized by a separable integral tether-defining border strip surrounding at least a portion of the chamber, whereby the tether may be separated from the body of the balloon at all but an anchor point to provide a means for restraining the balloon. Optionally, the tether defining strip portions of the sheets may themselves be heat-sealingly connected, selectively to provide a double width tether or a tubular inflatable tether.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of decorative balloons.
2. The Prior Art
The use of decorative polymeric balloons and particularly polymeric balloons adapted to be filled with helium is well known. Typically such balloons are comprised of a pair of Mylar films heat-sealingly connected along a continuous line defining the balloon body and inflation stem. The stem includes a filling aperture enabling insertion of the stem over the nozzle of a helium dispenser. Typically the exterior of the balloon is coated with a reflective decorative metallic film. A multiplicity of the balloons are shipped flatwise.
For use, the balloon is inflated through the stem and a transverse heat seal formed across the stem to contain the helium filling. Thereafter a string or ribbon is tied to the stem to form a tether.
The operation of tying individual strings or ribbons to the stem represents a time consuming element of the preparation of filled balloons. Since it is not unusual to require a multiplicity of balloons to be filled and supplied in short periods of time, the operation of manually applying tethers has heretofore represented a bottleneck in the procedure, the problem being exacerbated by the fact that filling is often accomplished in gift shops or like small establishments utilizing unskilled labor. Moreover, the tying operation is rendered more difficult by the tendency
of the filled balloons to rise, requiring the operator to stabilize the balloons with one hand and knot the tether with the other.


A primary radiator includes a waveguide holding a dielectric feeder on which a radiation part, an impedance-conversion part, and a phase-conversion part are integrally formed. The radiator part widens from the aperture of the waveguide, and the phase-conversion part intersects a probe at an angle of substantially 45 degrees. Also, on the impedance-conversion part, a pair of curved surfaces are formed converging in the direction from the radiator part to the phase-conversion part, the impedance-conversion part has a cross-sectional shape which includes an approximately quadratic curve, and the thickness of the dielectric feeder converges such that the thickness gradually decreases in the direction from the radiator part to the phase-conversion part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a primary radiator which is used for a reflective antenna for satellite broadcasting, and more particularly, to a primary radiator for transmitting circularly polarized electromagnetic waves.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a conventional primary radiator of this kind. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the primary radiator, and FIG. 7 is a plan view taken from the direction of the horn part of the primary radiator. As shown in these figures, the conventional primary radiator is equipped with a waveguide 10, which has a horn part 10a at one end, a closed surface 10b at the other end, and a circular shape in cross section; a pair of ridges 11 which protrude from the internal surface of this waveguide 10; and a probe 12 which is disposed between the ridges 11 and the closed surface 10b.
The waveguide 10 is formed by die casting using a metallic material such as zinc or aluminum, and both of the ridges 11 are formed in the waveguide as a single piece. These ridges 11 have a predetermined height, width, and length, and function as a phase-conversion part (90-degree-phase converter) which converts a circularly polarized wave entering the waveguide 10 from the horn part 10a to a linearly polarized wave. As shown in FIG. 7, when setting the plane including the waveguide 10 and both ridges 11 as a reference plane, the probe 12 intersects the reference plane at about 45 degrees, and the distance between the probe 12 and the closed surface 10b is about one quarter of the guide wavelength.
In a primary radiator having such a structure, for example, when receiving a right-handed circularly polarized wave or a left-handed circularly polarized wave which is transmitted from a satellite, the circularly polarized wave is led into the waveguide 10 from the horn part 10a, and is then converted to a linearly polarized wave when passing through the ridges 11 in the waveguide 10. Specifically, since a circularly polarized wave is a rotating polarized wave which is the sum of the vectors of two linearly polarized waves which have a mutual phase difference of 90xc2x0, 90-degree-phase-shifted phases are converted into the same phase and thus are converted into a linearly polarized wave by passing through the ridges 11. Thus, by combining and receiving the linearly polarized waves at the probe 12, it is possible to convert a received signal to an intermediate frequency signal with a conversion circuit, which is not shown in the figure.
However, in a conventional primary radiator having the structure described above, since the horn part 10a which has a desired aperture diameter and length is formed in a single piece at the end of the waveguide 10, and besides, since the ridges which have a predetermined length are formed in a single piece on the internal surface of the waveguide 10, there has been a problem in that the primary radiator becomes long in the axial direction of the waveguide 10. Also, there has been a problem in that when forming such a waveguide 10 by die casting, the ridges 11 which function as a phase-conversion part has an undercut shape, thus the molding die becomes complicated, resulting in an increased cost.
The present invention is made in view of the foregoing, and an object is to provide a primary radiator which is suitable for miniaturization at low cost.
In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a primary radiator includes a waveguide, a probe which protrudes from the internal surface of the waveguide towards a central axis thereof, and a dielectric feeder, which is held by the waveguide. The waveguide is closed at one end and open at the other end. The dielectric feeder includes a radiation part which widens from an aperture of the waveguide, a phase-conversion part which has a plate shape and which intersects the probe at an angle of substantially 45 degrees, and an impedance-conversion part which stands between the radiation part and the phase-conversion part which are formed integrally. The impedance-conversion part becomes narrower while arching towards the interior part of the waveguide.
In a primary radiator with this arrangement, when a circularly polarized wave enters the waveguide from the radiation part of a dielectric feeder, the circularly polarized wave is propagated from the radiation part, and through the impedance-conversion part to the phase-conversion part, converted to a linearly polarized wave at the phase-conversion part, and then combined at the probe. At that time, since the impedance-conversion part has a shape which converges and becomes narrower in the direction from the radiation part to the phase-conversion part, it is possible to drastically decrease the reflection component of the electromagnetic wave which is propagated in the dielectric feeder. Besides, even though the length of the part from the impedance-conversion part to the phase-conversion part is shortened, the phase differences for the linearly polarized becomes large, thus the total length of the primary radiator can be shortened drastically. Also, it becomes unnecessary to form integrally the horn part and the ridges (phase-conversion parts), thereby making it possible to simplify the waveguide shape, resulting in decreased cost.
In the structure described above, it is possible to realize an arch shape of the impedance-conversion part by connecting a plurality of very small inclined planes step-wise. However, it is preferable for the impedance-conversion part to have a cross-sectional shape which includes an approximately quadratic curve, and converges. With the impedance-conversion part having such a shape, it is possible to decrease reflection effectively.
Also, in the structure described above, if the phase-conversion part has an end face on the side opposing the closed surface of the waveguide, steps are formed on the end face, and the steps have two reflection surfaces which are spaced from each other by a distance of about one quarter of the guide wavelength, the phases of the electromagnetic wave which is reflected by the two reflection surface of the steps are inverted and cancelled, thus it is also possible to eliminate impedance mismatching at the end face of the phase-conversion part.
Moreover, in the structure described above, if the radiation part has a trumpet-like shape which widens from the aperture of the waveguide, and has an end face on which annular grooves having a depth of about one quarter of the electromagnetic wave are formed, the phases of the electromagnetic wave which is reflected by the end face and the annular grooves of the radiation part are inverted and cancelled, thus impedance mismatching at the end face of the radiation part is eliminated, thereby making it possible to decrease drastically the reflection component of electromagnetic waves incident on the dielectric feeder.

Primary radiator suitable for miniaturization


The present invention relates to a peptide represented by the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, an antibacterial agent comprising the peptide as an active ingredient, a peptide gene encoding the peptide, a recombinant DNA comprising the peptide gene and a method for producing a peptide.. The peptide of the present invention exhibits an effective antibacterial activity against various Gram-negative and -positive bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus which are pathogenic bacteria causing food poisoning. Therefore, this peptide is useful as a food preservative and an antibacterial agent for medical use.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel peptide present in a silkworm hemolymph wherein an antibacterial activity has been induced, an antibacterial agent comprising the peptide as an active ingredient, a novel peptide gene encoding the peptide, a novel recombinant DNA comprising the gene and a method for preparing the novel peptide.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When bacteria invade the body cavity (coelom) of an insect, an antibacterial protein or peptide is induced in a hemolymph of the insect as one of biodefense reactions. As antibacterial proteins or peptide obtainable from a silkworm hemolymph, there are known lysozyme, cecropins and the like. Lysozyme, however, exhibits an antibacterial activity against only extremely limited Gram-positive bacteria such as Micrococcus. On the other hand, cecropins exhibit an antibacterial activity against various Gram-negative and -positive bacteria, but there is a problem that they do not exhibit an effective antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria causing food poisoning, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus.

Peptide, antibacterial agent, peptide gene, recombinant DNA and method for preparing the peptide

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Technical Information Society


An orientation-sensitive display system, includes a portable housing including a visual display; at least one source of information, such as time and/or temperature, to be displayed; a gravity-sensitive device for sensing the relative position of the housing; and a data processor receiving information from the source of information, and controlled by the gravity-sensitive device, for controlling the visual display in accordance with the orientation of the housing as sensed by the gravity-sensitive device.

The present invention relates to a data processor and display system, and particularly to a display system which is sensitive to orientation. The invention is especially applicable for displaying time and/or temperature, and is therefore described below with respect to such an application, but it will be appreciated that the invention could be used for displaying other types of information.
The present highly advanced state of the digital processor technology has enabled many types of digital display devices, such as clocks, thermometers, etc., to be developed in the form of small compact units containing their own data processors and power supplies. Most of these display devices are based on a 7-segment LCD (liquid crystal display) or LED (light emitting diode) displays, in which each digit is constituted of 7 segments which are selectively energized by a driver circuit in order to indicate the respective digit. Many of these display devices are single-purpose devices, including their own sources of information, such as a real-time watch or clock for displaying time or a thermometer for displaying temperature. However, many are multi-purpose display devices including two or more sources of information each of which may be selected for display.