A printed circuit board includes a first conductive plane and a second conductive plane substantially parallel to the first conductive plane. The printed circuit board includes a via signal barrel transecting the first and second conductive planes and a first anti-pad positioned between the first conductive plane and the via signal barrel. The first anti-pad has a first voided area. The printed circuit board includes a second anti-pad positioned between the second conductive plane and the via signal barrel. The second anti-pad has a second voided area. The first voided area does not completely overlap the second voided area.

High speed serial communications implemented on printed circuit boards (PCBs) are becoming increasingly popular for high bandwidth data transfer. PCBs typically are made up of multiple layers or planes including power planes, ground planes, and signal planes. Vias are employed to route traces for transmitting signals from the top layer of a PCB to a lower layer of a PCB, or to route traces from one layer to another layer within the PCB. Vias are conductors that connect traces from one layer in a PCB to traces in another layer in a PCB. When vias pass through a power or ground plane, the conducting material around the via on the power or ground plane is removed to prevent a short between the via and the power or ground plane. The area that is removed creates a void called an anti-pad.
A stray or parasitic capacitance is formed between the via barrel and the conductive material of the power or ground plane near the via barrel. This stray capacitance is inversely proportional to the size and surface area of the anti-pad. In other words, as the size and surface area of the anti-pad increases, the stray capacitance decreases, and as the size and surface area of the anti-pad decreases, the stray capacitance increases. For low speed signals, such as signals less than approximately 2 GHz, the stray capacitance typically does not have an appreciable effect on signal integrity. As signal speeds increase to greater than approximately 2 GHz, however, the stray capacitance has an increasingly more significant effect on signal integrity. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the stray capacitance when transmitting high speed signals through vias on PCBs.
Various approaches have been proposed to reduce the stray capacitance. One approach is to increase the size of the anti-pad. This approach, however, can result in non-planarity issues of layers or planes within PCBs. Non-planarity typically occurs during the manufacturing of a PCB when dielectric material settles into the voided area of the anti-pad. The settled dielectric material causes dips on the board surface around the via, thereby reducing the planarity of the board surface. As the anti-pad size is increased to reduce stray capacitance, the non-planarity of the PCB also increases due to the increased voided anti-pad area in which dielectric material settles.
Increasing the size of the anti-pad may also lead to a choking off of power or ground planes in areas where there are many vias situated close together, such as where an integrated circuit is mounted to a PCB. Power or ground planes can be choked off when too much conductive material is removed from the power or ground planes to form the anti-pads of increased size. The choking off of power or ground planes typically prevents signal traces running between the vias on adjacent signal layers from having a good power or ground reference on the power or ground layer where the anti-pads are formed.
Other approaches reduce the stray capacitance by removing or not fabricating unused portions of the via. The stray capacitance is reduced by decreasing the number of power or ground planes that a via must pass through. One such approach uses blind vias or buried vias, which are vias that do not pass completely through a PCB. The disadvantages of this approach are that blind or buried vias may increase fabrication costs and may not support known soldering techniques, such as pin-in-hole soldering techniques. Another approach utilizes a drill to counter bore and remove unused portions of a via. A disadvantage of this approach is an increase in fabrication costs.
Another approach takes an entirely different avenue to dealing with stray capacitance. Rather than attempting to minimize the stray capacitance, this approach actually increases the capacitance to set values. The set values of capacitance are used in an attempt to optimize the frequency response characteristics of a via or as part of a filter for signals transmitted through the via. The disadvantage of this approach is that different via and anti-pad designs are required based upon the signal that will be transmitted through the via.
High speed signals on a PCB commonly originate within an integrated circuit such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) mounted to the PCB. The integrated circuit may be mounted to the PCB in any number of ways, including using different soldering techniques and sockets that allow the integrated circuit to be removed and remounted on the PCB. To mount integrated circuits to a PCB, the planarity of the PCB must be maintained to a tight tolerance to maintain a high integrity signal between the integrated circuit and the PCB. Non-planarity of the PCB reduces this tight tolerance and therefore the integrity of the signal.
For reasons stated above and for other reasons presented in the present specification, there is a need for a PCB that includes anti-pad designs associated with vias that will minimize capacitance, maximize board planarity, and minimize signal trace routing issues, thereby allowing high speed serial communications regardless of the environment or application.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Methods and apparatuses are described to convert analog signals to digital signals using a local charge averaging capacitor array (LCACA) in an analog-to-digital converter (ADC.) An apparatus includes a comparator. The comparator is configured with a first high input, a first low input, and is configure to receive a clock signal. A logic/latch block is configured to receive the clock signal and an output from the comparator. The logic/latch block is configured to output a control signal and a digital N-bit output signal. A local charge-averaging capacitor array (LCACA) is configured to receive the control signal and a reference voltage. An output of the LCACA is coupled to the first low input. The first LCACA is divided into a high sub-array and a low sub-array. The high sub-array is pre-charged to a high reference voltage and the low sub-array is pre-charged to a low reference voltage. The high reference voltage is greater than the low reference voltage. In operation, an analog signal is input to the first high input and the digital N-bit output signal is the digital conversion of the analog signal.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to analog-to-digital conversion of a signal, and more specifically to apparatuses and methods pertaining to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) which can span a wide range of input frequency range, i.e., large bandwidth.
2. Art Background
In the field of electronics, signals exist in an analog form or in a digital form. The analog signal is said to have a continuous variation with respect to an independent variable such as time or space, etc. An amplitude of an analog signal typically represents some information of interest. Variation in time is characterized in some cases by sinusoidal variation. The digital signal is characterized in the simplest form as a signal which exists in two states. Zero (0) and one (1) are two states commonly associated with a digital signal. Digital signals can also be configured to take on more than two states and in such cases digital signals are constructed to have a number of states that are a power of 2. A code using the number of desired states in the digital signal is used to encode the digital signal with the information of interest.
Electronic devices such as computers, mobile phones, tablets, network equipment, communication channels, etc. often utilize an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) which converts a signal from the analog form to the digital form. As electronic devices become faster, clock frequencies associated with the systems increase. Increasing clock frequency require an internal clock to operate at higher and higher frequencies, this requirement increases the bandwidth required for an ADC used in the system. Higher ADC bandwidths usually result in increased power consumption. This can present a problem.
Some existing analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are made to satisfy the Nyquist sampling theorem, thereby providing a sampling clock with a frequency at least twice as large as the highest analog frequency input thereto, sometimes referred to as the Nyquist frequency. Some examples of ADCs which are designed to accomplish Nyquist sampling are known in the art as Flash ADC, Pipelined ADC, SAR (Successive Approximation Register) ADC, Single-slope ADC, Dual-Slope ADC, and Sigma-Delta ADCs. ADCs that use a capacitive array place the capacitive array on the input pin such as an input pin into a comparator, sense amplifier, etc. An example of a SAR ADC is shown in FIG. 1 note that input 102 and 104 are directly in-line with capacitive array 106. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a Pipelined ADC where capacitor 202 C2 is directly in-line with input 204. Existing capacitive arrays are binary weighted and as such place significant capacitance on the input pin thereby presenting a limitation to the achievable bandwidth of the input analog signals. This can present a problem.
Other ADCs are designed to operate in an under-sampling mode where the clock frequency is less than the Nyquist frequency. In under-sampling mode designs, the high end of the input frequency range of the analog signal can be quite large. For such high-frequency input signals the capacitive loading of the capacitive array becomes the limiting feature for the input signal frequency bandwidth. This can present a problem.
In both Nyquist sampling ADC designs and under-sampling ADC designs when the capacitive array is connected to the input pin of an ADC the bandwidth is reduced, especially with high precision ADCs, i.e., ADCs with a large number of bits, e.g., 8, 12, 24 bit, etc. There are tradeoffs between resolution, speed, silicon size, and power consumption (high precision ADCs need many bits, and the unit capacitor should be large enough to ensure low noise and acceptably small mismatch). Meeting these criteria result in very large capacitive loading on the input pins. Large capacitive loading results in lower bandwidth, longer processing time, and larger power consumption. All of which can present a problem.

Methods and systems for analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) using an ultra small capacitor array with full range and sub-range modes


A method of producing a polymer or a stellar polymer which comprises polymerizing a vinyl monomer in the manner of living radical polymerization and adding a compound having two or more polymerizable carbon-carbon double bonds at the end point of the polymerization.

A stellar polymer is a polymer comprising a central portion and linear polymer arms radially extending therefrom and is known to have various properties differentiating itself from linear polymers. The methods of producing stellar polymers are roughly classified into two groups. In one group, polymer arms are grown from a compound constituting the center and, in the other, polymer molecules to constitute arms are first produced and then joined together to form a stellar form. As a method usable for joining the arms, there can be mentioned the method comprising reacting the arms with a compound having a plurality of functional groups capable of reacting with the terminal functional groups of the arms and the method comprising adding a compound having a plurality of polymerizable groups following polymerization of the arms.
The polymers capable of constituting such stellar polymers may be homopolymers or copolymers, including various species such as polystyrene, poly(meth)acrylates, polydienes, polyethers, polyesters and polysiloxanes, among others. For obtaining controlled stellar structures, it is necessary that the polymerization be controlled irrespective of which method is employed, so that anionic polymerization, living cationic polymerization or polycondensation is employed in most instances.
Apart from those polymers obtained by ionic polymerization or polycondensation mentioned above by way of example, vinyl polymers obtained by radical polymerization and having a stellar structure have virtually not been put to practical use. In particular, the method of achieving chain extension or constructing a stellar structure by joining polymerization growing termini has failed. Among vinyl polymers, (meth)acrylic polymers have some characteristics, such as high weathering resistance and transparency, that are not possessed by the above-mentioned polyether polymers, hydrocarbon polymers or polyester polymers. Thus, (meth)acrylic polymers having an alkenyl group or crosslinking silyl group on a side chain have been used in high weathering resistance paint compositions and so forth. However, it is not easy to control the polymerization for acrylic polymers owing to side reactions, and therefore it is very difficult to realize chain extension or construct a stellar structure.
Accordingly, the present invention has for its object to provide a method of producing a polymer comprising a radical polymerizable vinyl monomer and having extended chains or a stellar structure on polymerization as well as the polymer, further, to a composition in which said polymer is used.

Polymer and process for producing polymers

Abstract: A composition which comprises, as an essential component, a hydroxyl-terminated polymer falling under said polymer and a compound having, in each molecule, not less than two functional groups reactive with the hydroxyl group.


A system and method for optically, serially transmitting data to a remote device using an interlaced display device. The data bits to be transmitted are ordered so that the bits are received in proper temporal order by the remote device. At least one of the data bits can be transmitted using the even-numbered horizontal scan lines of the interlaced display device. If all of the data bits can not be transmitted using the even-numbered horizontal scan lines of a usable transmission area, then at least one of the data bits can be transmitted using the odd-numbered horizontal scan lines of the interlaced display device. The binary data bits can be represented by illuminated and non-illuminated horizontal scan lines. An optical detector in the remote device can be used to receive the pulses of light, representing the data bits to be transmitted, from the horizontal scan lines.

Information is vital in today's fast-paced world. The plethora of information, such as phone numbers, fax numbers, birthdays, anniversaries, and e-mail addresses, can be overwhelming. Many people use calculator-sized personal information managers to help them organize information that is important to them. Personal information managers can be used to store and access the information that people desire to have at their fingertips.
Although calculator-sized personal information managers are widely popular, their size and shape often make them inconvenient to transport from place to place and easy to misplace. Therefore, a personal information manager, incorporated into a wristwatch, has been developed that is more convenient to transport than a calculator-sized personal information manager. However, one problem encountered in the development of wristwatch personal information managers was the entry of information. A calculator-sized personal information manager usually has a keyboard to enter information into the device. However, a wristwatch personal information manager that includes a keyboard is either too large to wear comfortably or has keys so small that it is difficult to depress the keys to enter information into the wristwatch. Therefore, systems for transmitting information to the wristwatch personal information manager that do not require a keyboard were developed.
One known system for transmitting information to a wristwatch personal information manager is the "DATALINK" wristwatch personal information manager system from Timex Corporation of Middlebury, Conn. In the "DATALINK" system, a program module running on a personal computer includes information such as appointments, phone numbers, etc. The program module can be used to download the information from the program module to a wristwatch personal information manager so that this information can be accessed when the user is away from his personal computer. To download information, the wristwatch personal information manager has an optical sensor that receives a serial bit transmission in the form of light pulses at a fixed bit rate from the monitor of the personal computer.
To facilitate an understanding of data transmission in the "DATALINK" system, the basic operation of a display device will be described below. A display device, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), typically includes an electron gun and a screen. The screen of the display device includes horizontal rows of pixels. To display the pixels and, in turn, an image, an electron beam from the electron gun individually illuminates phosphors coating the inside of the screen by scanning the horizontal rows of pixels. There are two different types of well-known display devices, noninterlaced and interlaced.
In a noninterlaced display device, the electron beam scans each horizontal scan line of the screen once during each sweep of the screen. Each sweep of the screen is known as a display frame, a refresh cycle, a field, or generating a raster image. Noninterlaced display devices effectively operate on every pixel on each horizontal scan line of the screen as the electron beam sweeps across and down the inner surface of the screen. For example, for a 60 Hertz noninterlaced display device, every horizontal scan line of the screen is updated 60 times in a second.
In an interlaced raster display device, the electron beam updates, or refreshes, all odd-numbered scan lines in one sweep of the screen and all even-numbered scan lines in the next sweep of the screen, or vice versa. By refreshing alternate sets of lines on the display, interlacing halves the number of lines that must be updated in a single sweep of the screen and also halves the amount of information that must be carried by the display signal at any one time.
In the "DATALINK" system, the personal computer is programmed to display a sequence of display frames in which the horizontal scan lines represent individual bits of data to be transmitted. In this known system, an illuminated scan line represents a binary `0` and a non-illuminated scan line represents a binary `1`. To transmit data to the wristwatch personal information manager, the wristwatch is held near and facing the cathode ray tube. Each horizontal scan line appears as a pulse of a finite duration to an optical detector in the receiving wristwatch. Thus, data can be transmitted from the personal computer to the wristwatch personal information manager.
One drawback of the "DATALINK" system is that, when using a display device operating in interlaced mode, it is only possible to transmit on the even-numbered scan lines or odd-numbered scan lines, but not both. Thus, half of the scan lines of the display device operating in interlaced mode are not used to transmit data under the known methods. Therefore, there is a need in the art for a system that supports interlaced CRT data transmission in which both even-numbered and odd-numbered scan lines can be used to transmit data.

System and method for interlaced display device data transmission


There is furnished a method for providing an individual temporary access to a commonly accessible computer processing system (CA computer). The CA computer has a plurality of application programs associated therewith. The method includes the step of detecting the coupling of a portable storage device to the CA computer. The storage device has stored therein an access code for indicating whether the user is authorized to temporarily access the CA computer and information including computing preferences of the individual. It is determined whether the individual is authorized to temporarily access the CA computer, based on the access code. The CA computer is modified in accordance with the information stored in the storage device and temporary access is provided to the CA computer, when the individual is authorized to temporarily access the CA computer. The activity of at least one of the individual and the CA computer is monitored, until the storage device is de-coupled from the CA computer. A bill is generated based on the monitoring. The bill is automatically provided to a predetermined billing mechanism.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to computer processing systems and, in particular, to a method for providing temporary access to a commonly accessible computer processing system. The method allows a mobile (e.g., traveling) individual to temporarily use a commonly accessible computer other than his or her own desktop or laptop computer and, optionally, application programs on the computer. Moreover, the method allows for the automatic customization of the computer in accordance with the preferences of the computer user. The computer is commonly accessible in that multiple users may be provided temporary access to the computers and the application programs thereon.
2. Background Description
Mobile computing using laptops is a constant compromise between usability, weight, performance, and power consumption. For example, laptop computers generally include less memory than desktop computers. Most laptop computers are predominantly used as desktop replacements, both in offices and while traveling. Current application programs (also referred to herein as "applications") require significant amounts of storage, often several tens of megabytes. Accordingly, depending on the memory size of the storage device contained in the laptop, all the applications may not fit on the storage device. As such, the user may be forced to exclude some or all of the applications from the laptop. This results in the user being unable to use these excluded applications until he or she returns to the "base", desktop system. Accordingly, there is a need for technique that allows a mobile user to obtain access to his or her applications while away from a base system.
Application hosting has been used previously in client-server environments to avoid storing critical or common applications on client computers. Traditionally, server-side installation of applications has been performed to reduce: the cost of application maintenance by keeping a centralized copy of the application files; (2) the amount of client-side storage by installing the bulk of the application files on the server; and (3) the cost of license fees for the application by purchasing a limited number of licenses that can be assigned dynamically to different clients. It is clear that application hosting is predominantly employed to lower expenses for deploying applications throughout an organization. The benefits of application hosting disappear as soon as the user cannot access the server, such as, for example, when the user is traveling. In such situations, the user is prevented from using the application unless there is an alternate way of gaining access to his or her applications. Accordingly, there is a need for a technique that allows a mobile user to obtain temporary access to his or her applications while away from a base station.
Travelling users may be able to obtain access to computers. However, these computers are unlikely to be configured similar to the user's own system. For example, the desktop settings (icons, colors, screen resolution, etc.) will likely be different. This will require the user to be familiar with the new system before he or she is able to work productively. Accordingly, there is a need for a technique that enables the personalization of a computer in accordance with the preferences of a transitory computer user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,781, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Creating Portable Personalized Operating Environment", issued on Feb. 4, 1997, and incorporated herein by reference, discloses the use of Smartcards to personalize application and operating environments. This patent documents the feasibility of quick system personalization based on information carried in a small storage device.
It is evident that it would be highly advantageous to have a method for allowing a mobile computer user to gain temporary access to application programs and to quickly change customizable system features in accordance with the preferences of the user.

Method for providing temporary access to a commonly accessible computer processing system

International Business Machines Corporation


An image-forming device includes an image forming unit, a patch forming unit, a monitor, a measuring unit and a correcting unit. The image forming unit provides an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photosensitive drum with charged developer to form a developer image based on an image forming condition, and transfers the developer image to an recording medium to form an image. The patch forming unit controls the image forming unit to form a patch with the developer. The monitor monitors an operating state of the image forming unit after one patch is formed before next patch is formed. The measuring unit measures density of the patch. The determining unit determines a correcting amount used to correct the image forming condition, based on the measured density of the patch. The correcting unit corrects the image forming condition based on both the correcting amount and the operating state.

This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-069512, filed Mar. 11, 2005, the entire subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-forming device capable of forming an image with proper density at constant.
2. Description of Related Art
In conventional image-forming devices, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of a photoconductor, and thereafter, a developer is applied to the surface of the photoconductor to form a developer image. The developer image is transferred to a recording medium to form an image. Since the developer deteriorates due to aging, density of an image developed with a new developer differs from density of an image developed with an aged developer. Therefore, in conventional image-forming devices, density correction is performed to adjust properly density of images to be formed.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 2532073 provides a known method of density correction. In Japanese Patent Publication No. 2532073, at first, a patch is formed on a conveyer belt which conveys recording medium for every predetermined times of image formation. Then, density of the patch formed is measured by a sensor. Corresponding to a difference between the density of the formed patch and preset target density, a correction amount is determined.
Normally, as a developer deteriorates in accordance with increase in number of times of image formation, the developer becomes charged less. Therefore, if development is carried out at an equal developing bias voltage, the amount of developer sticking on the surface of the photoconductor increases gradually, causing rising of density of formed images. In particular, this phenomenon is conspicuous when positively charged polymerized toner is used as the developer.
However, in the method described in the above patent publication, deterioration of a developer due to increase in the number of times of image formation is not considered. Therefore, even if a correction amount is once determined, the difference between density of a formed patch and preset target density increases as the developer deteriorates in accordance with increase in the number of times of image formation.


Contrary to conventional wisdom, which holds that light-emitting diodes (LEDs) should be cooled to increase efficiency, the LEDs disclosed herein are heated to increase efficiency. Heating an LED operating at low forward bias voltage can be accomplished by injecting phonons generated by non-radiative recombination back into the LED's semiconductor lattice. This raises the temperature of the LED's active rejection, resulting in thermally assisted injection of holes and carriers into the LED's active region. This phonon recycling or thermo-electric pumping process can be promoted by heating the LED with an external source (e.g., exhaust gases or waste heat from other electrical components). It can also be achieved via internal heat generation, e.g., by thermally insulating the LED's diode structure to prevent (rather than promote) heat dissipation. In other words, trapping heat generated by the LED within the LED increases LED efficiency under certain bias conditions.

In theory, a light-emitting diode (LED) may emit optical power higher than the driving electrical power, with the difference between the optical power and electrical power drawn from lattice heat. In other words, an LED's wall-plug efficiency η, which is the ratio of optical output power to electrical input power, that is greater than 100%. This phenomenon is known as electro-luminescent cooling, electro-luminescence refrigeration, opto-thermionic cooling, the operation of a "Thermischer Konverter," and thermo-photonic cooling.
In an electro-luminescently cooled LED, electrons and holes are first excited by small forward bias voltage V, which may be small enough that qV<ω, where q is the charge of an electron and ω is the energy of the emitted photon. The total amount of electrical work supplied per excitation is the product of the electron's charge q and the bias voltage V; when qV is zero, the device is in thermodynamic equilibrium. Upon excitation, some of the electrons and holes relax by radiative recombination and generate photons that exit the LED. The fraction of electrons and holes that relax by radiative recombination is defined as the external quantum efficiency ηEQE. If each injected electron-hole pair emits a photon of energy ω with an external quantum efficiency ηEQE but requires just qV in work for excitation, the wall-plug efficiency η may be expressed as:
  η  =            ℏω      qV        ·          η      EQE
The observation of light emission with photon energy ω in excess of the electrical input energy per electron qV is readily accessible in LEDs at a variety of wavelengths. At these operating points, the electron population is pumped by a combination of electrical work and Peltier heat originating in the semiconductor's lattice; this thermo-electric heat exchange is non-uniformly distributed throughout the device. This phenomenon has been experimentally observed in a SiC emitter and connected physically to the Peltier effect. Nevertheless, net cooling, or equivalently electro-luminescence with wall-plug efficiency greater than unity, has eluded direct observation until recently.
Early measurements of light emission from semiconductor diodes were followed closely by theoretical developments. Beginning in 1957, a body of literature theoretically establishing the basic thermodynamic consistency of electro-luminescent cooling and exploring its limits began to emerge. In 1964, experimental results demonstrated that a GaAs diode could produce electro-luminescence with an average photon energy 3% greater than qV. Still, net cooling was not achieved due to competing non-radiative recombination processes, which led to a conclusion that a high value of ηEQE was required for direct experimental observation of net electro-luminescent cooling.
More recently, several modeling and design efforts have aimed to raise the external quantum efficiency ηEQE toward unity by maximizing the fraction of recombination that is radiative and employing photon recycling to improve photon extraction. More recent attempts to observe electro-luminescent cooling experimentally with a wall-plug efficiency η near 100% have focused on the regime in which qV is equal to at least 50% of the material bandgap Eg≈ω. As qV is lowered well below Eg, the electron and hole populations decrease exponentially following a Boltzmann distribution with decreasing chemical potential. Since an excited electron in a direct bandgap semiconductor may relax either by recombining with a hole and emitting a photon, or alternatively by scattering into a state associated with a lattice imperfection and emitting phonons, small forward bias voltages qV<<Eg may be precluded by a requirement for high external quantum efficiency ηEQE.


A system and method to inspect objects for a characteristic parameter. The system includes at least one electromagnetic source for emitting at least two separate wavelengths of electromagnetic energy. At least one electromagnetic detector is positioned at a predefined distance from the electromagnetic source to measure an incident intensity value of the electromagnetic energy at the two wavelengths. An object, placed between the electromagnetic source and the electromagnetic detector is irradiated with electromagnetic energy at the two wavelengths and the electromagnetic energy transmitted through the object is measured by the electromagnetic detector. The system includes a computer-based platform operationally connected to the electromagnetic detector for receiving intensity data values from the electromagnetic detector and for computing attenuation ratio values. The attenuation ratio values are used to determine a level of the characteristic parameter.

During a production process, objects such as glass bottles typically go through an annealing oven to take all of the internal stresses out of the bottles. Glass, for example, is made soft by heating and then slow cooling to eliminate internal stresses. Such objects are still somewhat fragile and can break or crack rather easily when subjected to a rather moderate external force.
On the other hand, during a production process, objects such as glass car windows may go through a tempering process to deliberately set up stresses in the window. Such a tempering process allows the window to better resist impact forces to help prevent the window from failing. Even when the impact forces are large enough to damage the window, the window fails in a safer, more graceful manner. For example, the window may crack but will not shatter and spread glass shards all around.
Tempering and annealing are two opposite extremes that can be achieved when producing, for example, glass or glass-based objects. However, it is often desirable to produce an object having a certain characteristic parameter (e.g., a "hard" object" or a "hardened" object) which is between the annealed state and the tempered state to make it stronger. Glass bottles, for example, may be hardened by cooling the bottles in a particular manner when they come out of the mold as described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,309,290 to Aksomitas entitled "Cooling Nozzle for Tempering Hollow Glassware".
The benefits of such hardened objects are clear for the glass container industry. First of all, the consumer will not be able to accidentally break a hardened glass container as easily. In addition, today, the speed of glass container processing lines (e.g., a bottle filling processing line) are often limited by how easily the glass object will break.
For example, if glass bottles are traveling down a filling line and a bottle gets jammed, then a next bottle coming down the line may crash into the jammed bottle causing one or both bottles to shatter if the next bottle is traveling too fast. Therefore, the speed of such processing lines are deliberately limited today in order to avoid such catastrophic crashes. However, if the glass bottles can be hardened, the speed of the processing line could be significantly increased, generating improved processing efficiencies.
However, when producing many glass objects, such as glass bottles or jars, using a particular hardening process, it is often difficult to determine if any particular glass object has been properly hardened, or if the hardening process is deviating from a specified range. For example, if a glass bottle is hardened improperly such that unbalanced stresses are set up within the bottle, then a very minimal external force experienced by the bottle may cause the bottle to catastrophically fail (e.g., shatter or explode). Similarly, if a glass bottle is not properly hardened, the bottle may end up being too soft and, therefore, not much better than an un-hardened bottle.
Therefore there remains a need in the art for a fast and convenient way to efficiently determine a characteristic parameter (e.g., "a hardness") of an object (e.g., a glass bottle), particularly as the object travels along an automated processing line (e.g., a bottle manufacturing line) with other similar objects.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional, traditional, and proposed approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems and methods with the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

System and method for performing hard glass inspection


The invention relates to an eating utensil for counting the number of bites the user consumes in accordance with a specific diet plan regulating the fat intake by the user. The eating utensil has an illuminated display which changes depending on the number of bites consumed by the user. A push button is activated each time the user lifts up a fork full of food from the plate. An associated set of cards carries the names of the food items and the particular number of bites allowed to be taken depending on the fat content of that food item.

This invention relates to eating utensils, and more particularly to an implement which is designed to assist people in controlling the food intake in accordance with a specific diet plan.
In recent years it has been determined that it is the fat content of the foods, more than their caloric intent that should be taken into consideration when following a diet regime.
The top dieters are advised to carefully read the labels of the food they are consuming, to determine the fat content per weight unit and program their diet plan accordingly.
The recent governmental regulations indicate that many packages of food should carry the indicia indicative of fat intake, carbohydrates, sodium, etc content of the food. However, the dieters often eat in restaurants, wherein such information is not available and therefore partake of more fatty foods than is allowed by their diet plan.
The present invention contemplates provision of a eating utensil which will assist dieters in adhering to their diet plan regardless of whether they eat a pre-packaged food or in a restaurant from a plate prepared under the chef's supervision.


A concrete form securing device includes two or more securing frames combined together, plural spacing bars, plural engaging members, and plural fixing boards as main components. The two securing frames are temporarily kept in place by a sustain bar and two or more annular clampers and then combined with the horizontal fixing boards and secured by the engaging members, the support boards, the cushion members, and the engaging members, and a pair of two securing frames are kept spaced apart by the spacing bars so as to form a space between two rows of the securing frames, and a concrete wall may be formed in the space, after the sustain bars and the annular clampers are removed.

This invention concerns a concrete form securing device, particularly able to be assembled detachably together, without utilizing any holes bored in concrete forms or bolts and nuts for securing concrete forms, with concrete forms almost not impaired or harmed in building process and in assembling and disassembling, and saving time and cost as well.
The most common conventional concrete form securing device shown in FIG. 1 includes plural threaded rods 10 having an intermediate portion wrapped with a rubber layer 11 and screwed tightly with a nut 12 respectively at two ends thereof. Then each threaded rod 10 is fitted through two opposite concrete forms 1, 1 and through two support rods 13 tightly held by the nuts 12 to keep the two concrete forms 1, 1 securely in place. After concrete is filled and hardens in the space between a pair of two concrete forms 1, 1, the nuts 12 are loosenend, and then the threaded rods 10 may be pulled out of the hardened concrete, as they have the rubber layer 11 on the intermediate portion. Then the concrete forms 1, 1 may be taken off. In addition, the holes left in the hardened concrete wall by the threaded rods 1, 1 are to be filled.
However, the known conventional concrete form securing device described above necessitates concrete forms to be bored holes for the threaded rods to pass through so as to position or take them off, and nuts 12 have to be screwed tight or loosened every time when concrete forms are to be used in building a wall. And such work needs much labor and cost, and impair and harm may happen to the concrete forms, adding extra cost.


A driving circuit for an organic light emitting display apparatus includes first and second switching elements and a driving element. The first switching element is controlled by a scan signal supplied from a scan line. The second switching element is controlled by the scan signal. The driving element provides an end of an organic electroluminescent element with a first reference voltage via the second switching element. The driving element has amorphous silicon thin film transistors so that the manufacturing cost of the organic light emitting display apparatus may be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving circuit for an organic light emitting display apparatus, a display panel having the driving circuit and a display apparatus having the driving circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flat display apparatuses such as organic light emitting display (OLED) apparatus have low cost, thin thickness, light weight and so on have been developed.
The OLED apparatus does not require a backlight assembly so that the OLED apparatus has thinner thickness and lighter weight compared with a liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus. The OLED apparatus may be manufactured by lower cost compared with the LCD apparatus. Furthermore, the OLED apparatus has wider viewing angle and higher luminance compared with the LCD apparatus. The OLED apparatus displays an image using light generated by an organic electroluminescent element. When an electric energy is applied to the organic electroluminescent element, light is generated from the organic electroluminescent element.
The OLED apparatus is classified into an active-matrix type OLED apparatus and a passive-matrix type OLED apparatus. The active-matrix type OLED apparatus includes a switching element corresponding to a unit pixel of the OLED panel.
The unit pixel of a conventional active-matrix type OLED apparatus includes a switching transistor (QS), a driving transistor (QD), a storage capacitor (CST) and the organic electroluminescent element (EL).
In general, brightness of the OLED apparatus is lower than that of a cathode ray tube (CRT) apparatus. The active-matrix type OLED apparatus, however, has brightness higher than that of the passive-matrix type OLED apparatus. An amount of the light generated from the organic electroluminescent element increases in proportion to a current density of the current applied to the organic electroluminescent element.
A hydrogenated amorphous silicon transistor (a-Si:H) has a mobility lower than that of a poly silicon (Poly-Si) transistor. In addition, the amorphous silicon transistor generally does not employ a p-type transistor because it is difficult to form the amorphous silicon transistor using the p-type transistor. Furthermore, the amorphous silicon transistor has a unstable bias stability. Therefore, the OLED apparatus generally employs the poly silicon (Poly-Si) transistor rather than the amorphous silicon transistor. The poly silicon transistor, however, is more expensive than the amorphous silicon transistor.
When a driving circuit for driving the electroluminescent (EL) element has the amorphous silicon transistor, the driving circuit employs only an n-type transistor. When an OLED apparatus such as the active-matrix type OLED apparatus displays the image using the current, the current flowing through the electroluminescent (EL) element is controlled so as to express gray scales of the image.
A channel conductance corresponding to a gate-source voltage (Vgs) of the driving transistor (QD) is controlled in response to a data signal that is applied to a gate electrode of the driving transistor (QD) so as to control the current flowing through the electroluminescent (EL) element in response to the data signal that is provided from external image source to the OLED apparatus. The electroluminescent (EL) element is electrically connected to a thin film transistor (TFT) (or a driving transistor (QD)) in series.
When the OLED apparatus includes the p-type transistor as the driving transistor (QD), the electrode, of the driving transistor (QD), connected to a bias voltage line functions as a source electrode since the bias voltage line has a high voltage, and a size of the gate-source voltage (Vgs) between the gate electrode of the driving transistor (QD) and the source electrode of the driving transistor (QD) is determined by a voltage that is applied to the gate electrode of the driving transistor (QD) via a data line (DLn).
When the OLED apparatus includes the n-type transistor as the driving transistor (QD), the electrode, of the driving transistor (QD), connected to the electroluminescent (EL) element functions as the source electrode so that a voltage applied to a node (N1) that is electrically connected to the driving transistor (QD) and the electroluminescent (EL) element may be unstable. The voltage applied to the node (N1) may be changed in response to the data voltage signal corresponding to a previous frame. In addition, a dynamic range of the gate-source voltage between the gate electrode of the driving transistor (QD) and the source electrode of the driving transistor (QD) is narrower than the dynamic range of the data voltage signal that is provided from external image source.
Therefore, the driving transistor (QD) of the OLED panel generally employs the p-type transistor instead of the n-type transistor.

Driving circuit for driving organic electroluminescent element, display panel and display apparatus having the same


In one embodiment for regulating a baking process in an oven, an operator introduces a product to be cooked into the oven, and a sensor detects a gas or moisture concentration release from the product cooking in the cooking chamber over time wherein The slope of the curve of the detected concentration is determined, and a trigger value that is linked to the product to be cooked is determined for the slope. The point in time at which the trigger value will be reached is determined, and an additional time linked to said point in time is determined at the point in time at which the trigger value is reached. The additional time depends on the point in time at which the trigger value is reached. The additional time is continued as an additional process until the additional time has elapsed in case the trigger value is not reached.

U.S. Patent Publication 2008/0008808 discloses in general a method of regulating cooking processes in a cooking chamber, in which a gas concentration in the cooking chamber is detected using a sensor.
It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,075,041 for a method of controlling a cooking process to involve detection of a gas concentration in the cooking chamber with a sensor during the cooking process. In order to compensate sensor drift, the gradient of the gas concentration detected is here observed. It is furthermore determined when the current gradient has fallen to a particular proportion of the maximum gradient, this ratio, or cooking quotient, possibly depending on the foodstuff to be cooked. If a corresponding cooking quotient is reached, the cooking process is regarded as complete and is stopped or heating of the cooking chamber is interrupted. A disadvantage here, however, is that interruptions to the cooking process, caused for example, by opening access to the cooking chamber, may change the ratios. However, this cannot be taken into account in the method described, such that the results obtained may be less then desired.
The problem underlying the invention is that of providing an above-mentioned method and an above-mentioned cooking appliance which allow prior art problems to be avoided and which in particular function as well as possible and by means of which satisfactory results may be achieved as the outcome of a largely automated cooking process.

Method and cooking appliance for regulating a cooking process in a cooking chamber


Techniques are disclosed utilizing cognitive computing to improve banking experiences. A user's financial account(s) may be monitored to predict when a surplus of funds is unnecessarily present and for how long this will likely be the case. Once this is determined, techniques include automatically drafting funds from the account to another account having a higher interest rate where the funds may accrue more interest. The techniques also include predicting when an overdraft may occur and taking appropriate action when such a prediction is made. Predictions may be based upon different weighted inputs used in accordance with a predictive modeling system, which may attempt to predict for a particular user, location, and retailer, whether the user will spend an anticipated amount in excess of the user's current balance. If so, passive (e.g., notifications) and active (e.g., transferring cover funds) actions may be performed.

Online access to financial accounts has become commonplace, with users now enjoying the convenience of paying bills, transferring funds, and checking account balances from the comfort of their own homes. Many people typically have more than one bank account, such as a checking account and a savings account, for example, and may move money between these accounts as needed.
And even though automatic account transfers may be scheduled online so they will occur on specific dates without further user intervention, these transfers tend to be periodic and routine in nature and do not account for unexpected and/or large expenditures. Furthermore, although it is advantageous to leave as little money as possible in accounts that tend to be low interest-bearing accounts, doing so in practice requires a person to monitor his or her account balances in a manner that most people find inconvenient.

Preventing account overdrafts and excessive credit spending

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company


The invention relates to a method for controlling a communications device which has a main operating unit (10) and a subunit (11). In order to ensure that as little energy as possible is consumed, the invention provides that, after an operating period, operating state data for the main unit (10) are stored in a status memory (18) in the subunit (11) and, after this, the voltage supply for the main operating unit (10) is switched off in order to change the communications device to an energy saving mode, and in that, after the voltage supply for the main operating unit (10) has been switched on, the stored operating state data are transmitted from the status memory (18) to the main operating unit (10) in order to operate the communications device during the following operating period.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a communications device which has a main operating unit and a subunit, as well as to a communications device, in particular a submodule of a mobile telecommunications unit, which interchanges data with a main module during time slots which recur at regular intervals.
In the case of a communications device, particularly in the case of a mobile telecommunications unit, whose voltage is supplied with the aid of a battery or a rechargeable battery, it is necessary to keep the power consumption as low as possible in order to ensure that the battery or rechargeable battery operating life is as long as possible and thus that the communications device is ready to operate for as long as possible. To this end, during no-load times, that is to say during times in which no operating functions are required, the communications device is normally changed to standby mode or energy saving mode in which the only circuit devices which are powered are those which are required to set up the full operating capability of the communications device when required.
Fast clock generators are thus normally switched off, while the individual function blocks are still supplied with a controlled voltage in order to keep stored the operating state data which are contained in the individual memories in the function blocks.
In consequence, although the power consumption of the communications device can be reduced considerably in the standby mode, this power saving is, however, not sufficient for communications devices which need to have extremely low power consumption because they can use only very small batteries or rechargeable batteries.
Proceeding from this, the invention is based on the object of providing a method for controlling a communications device, which method permits extremely low power consumption and thus a very long operating life for the voltage source. Furthermore, the object of the invention is to provide a communications device which can be controlled using this method.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for controlling a communications device having a main operating unit and a subunit, in which, after one operating period, operating state data for the main operating unit are stored in a status memory in the subunit and the voltage supply for the main operating unit is switched off in order to change the communications device to an energy saving mode, and in which, after the voltage supply for the main operating unit is switched on, the stored operating state data are transmitted from the status memory to the main operating unit in order to operate the communications device during the following operating period.
The invention thus provides for the operating state data which are required for correct operation of the communications device to be stored in a status memory which is provided for this purpose and is assigned to a subunit, so that the voltage supply for the main operating unit can be switched off completely since only the subunit with the status memory now need be supplied with voltage. After the voltage supply has been switched on for the next operating period, the stored operating-state data are then simply transmitted back to the main operating unit, so that it is fully operational again at the start of the next operating period.
An expedient development of the invention is distinguished by the fact that the voltage supply for the main operating unit is switched on by means of a switch-on signal from the subunit after a respectively predetermined waiting time has elapsed. Both the storage of the operating state data and the monitoring of the switch-on time are thus carried out in the subunit, which can be designed specifically for low power consumption without adversely affecting the operational reliability of the communications device.
It is particularly advantageous for a time indicator to be produced at a time after the voltage supply for the main operating unit has been switched on, in order to define the start time of the following operating period. The time indicator which is provided according to the invention and is produced after the main operating unit has been switched on is intended to occur at a fixed time interval before the start of the following operating period. By detecting the actual time interval between the time indicator and the start of the next operating period, which start can be defined, for example, in a subordinate communications device by means of an external event, such as a received burst, the actual start time for the following operating period can be compared with the assumed start time in order, by lengthening or shortening the energy saving mode, to set the actual interval between the time indicator and the start of the following operating period to the specified interval. However, if the start of an operating period is not dependent on an external event, then the following operating period (in which, for example, transmission operation is carried out) starts after a predetermined time, which is calculated from the time indicator, has elapsed. The time indicator provided according to the invention is thus an absolute time indicator which can be used not only to define the start of operating periods but also to define the duration of the energy saving mode.
In this case, the invention provides in particular that the time interval between the time indicator for the start time and the following operating period is measured by the main operating unit in order to optimize the duration of the effective time for which the main operating unit is switched off in a communications device whose main operating unit operates periodically. Particularly in the case of a submodule in a mobile telecommunications unit, which submodule operates only during specific time slots whose time interval is defined by the communications protocol used or the standard used, this makes it possible for the main operating unit to stay in the energy saving mode for as long as possible between two successive operating periods, that is to say between two time slots.
In this case, it is expedient if the waiting time is predetermined for the subunit as a function of the time interval between the time indicator and the start time of the following operating period by the main operating unit. As a result of the waiting time which defines the switch-on time being determined in the main operating unit, while only the corresponding waiting time supplied from the main operating unit is required in the subunit in order to define the switch-on time, the subunit can be further simplified, as a result of which its power consumption can be reduced further.
In particular, it is possible according to the invention to redefine the waiting time for each operating period.
The switch-on time can be defined particularly easily if the end of the waiting time in the subunit is defined with the aid of a clocked counter, whose running count is compared with a first comparison value which corresponds to the waiting time, that is to say is compared with the waiting time which is transmitted from the main operating unit to the subunit.
A further refinement of the invention provides that the counter is restarted after the waiting time has elapsed, that the running count is compared with a second comparison value, in order to supply to the main operating unit the time indicator which is used to define the start time for the following operating period.
The time indicator, which is produced in this way and is required to define the start time for the following operating period, is in principle at a time interval from the switch-on time for the voltage supply which can be predetermined at any desired fixed value but is normally predetermined as a value fixed by the circuit design, and corresponds to the end of the waiting time. Adaptation of the waiting time thus allows the switch-on time for the voltage supply for the main operating unit to be at a predetermined time which, on the one hand, is sufficiently late that the time between the two operating periods is used in an optimum manner for the energy saving mode, but on the other hand is sufficiently early that the main operating unit has sufficient time to ensure stable operation of its fast clock generator and to recover the operating state data from the status memory for the following operating period.
The method according to the invention expediently provides for the counter to be started with the aid of software reset command which is supplied from the main operating unit. This makes it possible to reduce the number of signal lines between the main operating unit and the subunit in a circuit for carrying out the method according to the invention, since one data line can be used for the reset command.
In order to keep the duration of the process of switching the main operating unit on and off as short as possible so that the time period between two successive operating periods can be utilized even better, a particularly preferred refinement of the invention provides that a clock signal is transmitted from the main operating unit to the subunit in order to store the operating state data for the main operating unit in the status memory in the subunit and in order to read the operating state data from the status memory. Thus, according to the invention, the fast clock for the main operating unit is used for storing and reading the operating state data, so that neither the switching-off process nor the switching-on process is unnecessarily long drawn out.
The method according to the invention can expediently be used if the operating periods of the main operating unit are matched to time slots which recur at regular intervals, during which the main operating unit interchanges data with a higher-level communications device, that is to say, for example, if the main operating unit of a submodule of a mobile telecommunications unit communicates with its main module via a radio interface.
Another development of the invention is distinguished by the fact that the respectively following operating period is started by an external event, which occurs at regular intervals at least during a time period which comprises a plurality of operating periods, in particular by a burst which can be received by the main operating unit, that is to say by a signal bundle that is used in the time-division multiplex, multiple-access method.
The method according to the invention can also be used, however, particularly advantageously in the case of higher-level communications devices which start the operating period without being dependent on external events. In this case, the invention provides for operating periods to be started in each case as soon as their start time has been defined with the aid of the time indicator.
A particularly preferred refinement of the invention is distinguished by the fact that the main operating unit produces a switch-on hold signal in order to maintain its voltage supply after switching on during the operating period and to switch itself off after the end of the operating period.
A communications device according to the invention, in particular a submodule of a mobile telecommunications unit, which submodule interchanges data with a main module during time slots which recur at regular intervals, has a main operating unit for carrying out assigned functions, and a subunit which has a status memory for operating state data for the main operating unit, and a timing circuit which controls the voltage supply for the main operating unit.
In this case, it is particularly advantageous if the timing circuit has a clocked counter whose counter output is connected to one input of a comparison circuit, which compares the count from the counter with a comparison value which is defined by the main operating unit, in order to produce a switch-on signal for the voltage supply for the main operating unit, one output of the comparison circuit being applied to a hold circuit which emits the switch-on signal for a time period.
In this case, it is expedient if the timing circuit has a second comparison circuit, which compares the count with a second comparison value, in order to supply to the main operating unit an output signal which provides a time indicator for defining the start time of the following operating period for the main operating unit.
An expedient refinement of the invention provides that the output signal of the second comparison circuit is supplied to the main operating unit via a gate circuit as an indicator signal, which gate circuit is controlled by an enable signal, which indicates the type of switch-on process. In this way, the indicator signal which is required to set the waiting time can be used in order to transmit further operating state information from the subunit to the main operating unit, without any additional data or signal line being required for this purpose. In particular, the further operating state information may comprise information about whether the main operating unit is being switched on from a completely switched-off state or from the energy saving mode.
In order to reduce the power consumption of the communications device further, the invention provides that the counter in the subunit is clocked by a clock generator which is integrated in a further electronic device with which the communications device is associated. The use of an external clock generator, which is provided in a further electronic device associated with the communications device, allows the number of loads which are activated in the subunit during the energy saving mode to be reduced further. In particular, the subunit does not require a voltage regulator, so that a considerable reduction in the power consumption is achieved by omitting this load, which is normally the largest load in the energy saving mode.
Furthermore, in this case, the subunit can be arranged separately from the main operating unit in another electronic device, so that the voltage source for the further communications device can be used for the voltage supply for the subunit. This further reduces the load on the battery or the rechargeable battery in the communications device.
For fast storage and reading of operating state data, it is expedient if a bus having a clock signal line and a data line is provided for data interchange between the main operating unit and the subunit, so that a fast memory and read clock, respectively, can be transmitted to the subunit in order to store and read the operating state data in and from, respectively, the status memory.

Communications device and a method for control of its operation


Purging of a gas supply line is effected using a serviceman's purging tool having a hose for attachment to the supply line with an opposite end of the hose attached to a burner nozzle carried on a support frame. The burner nozzle is arranged to generate a stream of the gases exiting from the pipe to be purged. The frame carries a receptacle for a propane torch and angles the burner of the torch so as to be directed across the stream of gas from the supply pipe. The burner from the torch thus provides combustion of the purged non-ignitable products from the supply pipe until the ignitable gas reaches the nozzle whereupon the ignitable gas is ignited indicating that the pipe is purged. The receptacle comprises a cylindrical sleeve for receiving the tank of the propane torch and a bracket for guiding the nozzle of the torch across the stream.

This invention relates to a gas burner tool for use in purging a gas supply pipe.
In gas fitting, installation of new equipment or appliance generally requires the appliance be attached to a gas supply pipe carrying gas from a remote source such a main supply or a propane supply tank. In some cases the gas supply pipe is relatively long and this is particularly a problem in supply of propane where the tank is necessarily located at some distance from the main building and the appliance.
After the installation is complete, it is necessary to commence supply of gas through the pipe from the source to the installed appliance and to ignite that gas when the combustible gas reaches the appliance.
Generally the combustible gas is preceded in the supply pipe with a non-combustible gas including air, various solvents from the piping, desiccants to remove water vapor from the pipe and the like. Often these non-combustible gases include noxious smelling agents of the type added to combustible gas to provide a characteristic smell.
Up until now, gas fitters have in many cases simply turned on the gas supply so that the non-combustible gas is purged through the pipe at the installed equipment or to the outside and have waited a sufficient period of time for the non-combustible gas to escape, after which the combustible gas is ignited.
This leads to two problems. Firstly the non-combustible gas is released into the atmosphere which can release noxious materials and foul smelling gases. Secondly, if the gas fitter waits too long, the combustible gases can be released into the building where the danger of explosion either immediately at ignition of the installed appliance or subsequently when the conditions have reached the optimum for explosion to occur. This is particularly a problem with propane which is heavier than air and therefore settles at floor level so that it is less detectable. The release of the non-combustible gases can also mask the characteristic odour added to the combustible gas.
It is known to flare off purged gases to the outdoors. For example, the Canadian regulations for gas fitting CAN/CGA-B149.2-M91 define on page 14 a "purge burner" as "a burner equipped with a constant ignition source and a flame arrestor intended to burn the escaping (discharged) propane during purging operations". The same document refers to purging to the outdoors on page 63 and in 5.24.7 states that "when flaring is used to purge a piping or tubing system an approved purge burner is to be used". However no apparatus for assisting a fitter in purging a pipe primarily in an indoors situation is known to exist.
A search has revealed U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,779,608, 4,276,017 and 4,419,160, but these do not provide devices suitable for this purpose.

Gas burner tool for purging a gas supply pipe


A motor control apparatus includes a direct-current power source and an inverter circuit, which includes a switching element. The motor control apparatus receives a current command value in every control cycle and calculates a current deviation accumulated value by accumulating the current deviation between the received current command value and the actual current value that flows through a coil of a motor. The motor control apparatus then computes a voltage command value in accordance with the current deviation accumulated value and controls the switching timing of the switching element based on the voltage command value. The motor control apparatus judges whether the computed voltage command value exceeds a range of the voltage that can be output from the inverter circuit and causes saturation. If it is judged that the voltage command value is saturated, the motor control apparatus restricts the accumulation of the current deviation.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling a motor by computing a voltage command value based on at least a current deviation accumulated value.
A motor control apparatus for controlling motors such as a brushless motor, a brush DC motor, and an induction motor receives a current command value from a host controller in every control cycle performed at predetermined intervals (for example, at every 1 ms). The motor control apparatus computes a voltage command value based on the received current command value. The motor control apparatus then generates driving voltage corresponding to the computed voltage command value and supplies the driving voltage to a coil of the motor. In such motor control apparatuses, the actual current value flowing through the coil of the motor is detected by a current sensor. The motor control apparatus calculates the current deviation between the actual current value and the received current command value, and calculates the voltage command value by performing a predetermined computing process on at least the accumulated value of the current deviation (current deviation accumulated value). The voltage command value calculated as described above is sent to a pulse width modulation (PWM) control section. The PWM control section generates a PWM pulse by switching direct current supplied from a direct-current power source by a switching element of an inverter circuit and sends the PWM pulse to the motor.
To facilitate the control, in a three-phase DC motor, a current command that is subjected to a three-phase to two-phase conversion is sent to the motor control apparatus, and an inverse transformation (two-phase to three-phase conversion) is performed when determining a PWM pattern.
In the conventional motor control apparatus, the current deviation between the actual current value and the current command value is accumulated in every control cycle. The voltage command value is calculated based on at least the accumulated value (current deviation accumulated value). However, the voltage that can be supplied to the motor by a PWM pulse is limited due to the configuration of the inverter circuit.
That is, the voltage that can be supplied to the motor coil from the inverter circuit in a moment is either the voltage supplied from the direct-current power source (on) or 0V (off). Therefore, the switching element adjusts the on-time and the off-time in one control cycle by the switching operation such that the target output voltage is generated as a whole. Furthermore, the voltage to be output needs to be adjusted by the phase of the motor current to supply substantially sinusoidal current to the motor coil.
On the other hand, a wind-up phenomenon is caused in which the current deviation accumulated value increases in accordance with the load and operating state of the motor regardless of the voltage that can be supplied to the motor (average voltage of the PWM pulse). This causes a problem in the control when the motor is suddenly stopped or when the rotating direction of the motor that has been rotating under a high load is abruptly changed. For example, in a power steering apparatus, if a tire of a vehicle, which is driven by a motor, hits an obstacle on the road and is suddenly stopped, the back electromotive force generated by the rotation of the motor rapidly disappears. Accordingly, over voltage is applied by the excessive current deviation accumulated value and causes overcurrent abnormality. When the rotating direction of the motor that has been rotating under a high load is abruptly reversed or when the motor is decelerated, the motor is controlled to rotate in a direction to reduce the current deviation accumulated value (in the same direction as the previous rotating direction) until the current deviation accumulated value returns to a proper value. This causes delay in the response.
When the voltage supplied to the inverter is decreased, the voltage command value exceeds the range of voltage that can be output by the inverter. Therefore, a sinusoidal current cannot be supplied, which causes torque ripple in the motor. This undesirably causes vibration and noise in the motor.

Apparatus and method for controlling motor


Disclosed are compositions and methods useful for labeling and detection of analytes. The compositions generally are associations of three components: reporter binding agents, amplification target circles, and DNA polymerase. The compositions are assembled prior to their use in a rolling circle amplification reaction and can be stored and transported prior to use without substantial loss of activity. The reporter binding agents generally are composed of a specific binding molecule and a rolling circle replication primer. The specific binding molecule can be specific for a target molecule. The rolling circle replication primer has sequence complementary to the amplification target circle. The DNA polymerase can interact with the rolling circle replication primer and amplification target circle. For use as a general reagent, the specific binding molecule is not bound to the target molecule until the composition is used in an assay.

Numerous nucleic acid amplification techniques have been devised, including strand displacement cascade amplification (SDCA)(referred to herein as exponential rolling circle amplification (ERCA)) and rolling circle amplification (RCA)(U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,033; PCT Application No. WO 97/19193; Lizardi et al., Nature Genetics 19(3):225-232 (1998)); multiple displacement amplification (MDA)(PCT Application WO 99/18241); strand displacement amplification (SDA)(Walker et al., Nucleic Acids Research 20:1691-1696 (1992), Walker et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:392-396 (1992)); polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and other exponential amplification techniques involving thermal cycling, self-sustained sequence replication (3SR), nucleic acid sequence based amplification (NASBA), and amplification with Qβ replicase (Birkenmeyer and Mushahwar, J. Virological Methods 35:117-126 (1991); Landegren, Trends Genetics 9:199-202 (1993)); and various linear amplification techniques involving thermal cycling such as cycle sequencing (Craxton et al., Methods Companion Methods in Enzymology 3:20-26 (1991)).
Rolling Circle Amplification (RCA) driven by DNA polymerase can replicate circular oligonucleotide probes with either linear or geometric kinetics under isothermal conditions (Lizardi et al., Nature Genet. 19: 225-232 (1998); U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,854,033 and 6,143,495; PCT Application No. WO 97/19193). If a single primer is used, RCA generates in a few minutes a linear chain of hundreds or thousands of tandemly-linked DNA copies of a target that is covalently linked to that target. Generation of a linear amplification product permits both spatial resolution and accurate quantitation of a target. DNA generated by RCA can be labeled with fluorescent oligonucleotide tags that hybridize at multiple sites in the tandem DNA sequences. RCA can be used with fluorophore combinations designed for multiparametric color coding (PCT Application No. WO 97/19193), thereby markedly increasing the number of targets that can be analyzed simultaneously. RCA technologies can be used in solution, in situ and in microarrays. In solid phase formats, detection and quantitation can be achieved at the level of single molecules (Lizardi et al., 1998). Ligation-mediated Rolling Circle Amplification (LM-RCA) involves circularization of a probe molecule hybridized to a target sequence and subsequent rolling circle amplification of the circular probe (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,854,033 and 6,143,495; PCT Application No. WO 97/19193). Very high yields of amplified products can be obtained with exponential rolling circle amplification (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,854,033 and 6,143,495; PCT Application No. WO 97/19193) and multiply-primed rolling circle amplification (Dean et al., Genome Research 11:1095-1099 (2001)).

Universal reagents for rolling circle amplification and methods of use


The present invention is directed to a self locking tensioner that can be used to place a piston or stud in tension. The present invention is directed to a tensioner comprising slip wedges positioned between a piston and a body which houses the piston and the slip wedges.

Prior art tensioners typically apply hydraulic forces to tension a stud. Prior art hydraulic tensioners typically involve the use of a nut which must be positioned on the stud while hydraulic pressure is applied. In many applications using a remotely operated vehicle ("ROV"), it is inconvenient to use a tensioner which requires simultaneous positioning of the stud and application of hydraulic pressure.
Prior art tensioners comprising hydraulic nuts require an extra operation to hold the stretched stud. For subsea applications where remotely controlled ROV manipulator arms are used to tension such nuts, this extra operation increases the difficulty of using such tensioners.
The present invention provides a self locking tensioner, which may be tensioned using hydraulic pressure, and which has greater position setting flexibility than do prior art hydraulic tensioners. In another embodiment, the present invention provides a tensioner comprising a fluid operated nut that will automatically hold whatever position the nut is stretched to without an extra operation, as discussed above.
In one preferred embodiment, the present invention provides for tensioning or detensioning of a piston or stud in whatever increment of tensioning or detensioning is desired. The term "detensioning" as used herein, means movement of a tensioned member to reduce the magnitude of tensile force on the member.


A firearm target support utilizes a wooden support frame and separate removable footings for ease in transport and storage. The frame includes a pair of support legs to which the footings are attached when deploying the target support. For storage, each of the footings is removed from the terminus of the support legs, and is attached in a linear manner to the support legs at another location. In this manner, the footings project fore and aft of the support frame to enhance target stability when the target support is deployed, and run lengthwise along the support legs when stored. The replaceable target can either be received directly by the opposed support legs, using grooves formed therein, or it can be received in a separate target frame, which in turn is received between the opposed support legs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to firearm targets and, more particularly, to target supporting structures. More specifically, the present invention relates to a target support that can be readily disassembled for transport and storage, and subsequently reassembled at a suitable location for deployment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recent years have shown an increasing popularity in the recreational use of firearms. With the associated costs of wild game hunting spiraling ever upwards, gun owners in even rural areas have turned towards rifle and pistol ranges when it comes time to use their weapon.
In many of these outdoor ranges, convenient supporting structures from which to hang targets are simply not available. As a result, shooters will often attach their targets to pasteboard boxes, slabs of scrap wood, and all types of odd materials that they may have brought to the range. The less-prepared shooters will resort to aiming at cans, bottles, plastic jugs or whatever other refuse they can salvage from nearby garbage containers.
What might not prove a problem when only occasionally done on a dispersed basis in open fields has become a disaster when such activity is concentrated in the narrow confines of a shooting range. Under constant bombardment, the shooting range is covered with shards of broken glass, shredded plastic, and torn-up remains of boxes and cans. Even the periodic efforts of volunteer cleanup crews do not prevent a shooting range from taking on the appearance of a disaster movie set.
The lack of dependable target supports also hurts the more serious shooter. Having invested perhaps hundreds of dollars in a first-class rifle (and scope), and then spending dozens of hours at a loading bench carefully manufacturing the ammunition, it almost seems pointless to then take careful aim at a target attached to a shaky box. A need exists for an easily transported and placed target holder that is fabricated out of a material that permits quick replacement should damage occur to the frame when bullets inadvertently hit the target frame structure.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a firearm target support that may be easily disassembled, transported, and re-assembled during its cycle of use. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a support in a material that is of sufficient rigidity and strength to create a stable target zone having the ability to absorb impacts of errant bullets.
In this regard, a wooden frame structure is provided having a lower support frame and an upper target frame. Removable footings are attachable to the support frame and are stored within the target frame during transport and storage. A replaceable target is received within the target frame, and can easily be replaced as needed during use. Where vertical variance of the target height is required, an inner target frame is slidably received within the primary target frame, and can be extended from such frame in a stabilized manner to place the target above the primary supporting framework.
Use of wood in the target frame structure provides the required strength and rigidity, while also permitting easy repair or replacement when individual wooden members are damaged during use. When configured for storage or transport, the footings are removed from their attachment points on the lower support frame, and are attached to opposed inner walls of the inner target frame, which itself is received by and secured within the primary target frame.
Some further objects and advantages of the present invention shall become apparent from the ensuing description and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.


A safety helmet visor setting mechanism includes a shell having a shaft base inside at each side, with one side provided with a shell base provided with an internal lodging space and with an external wall. A control mechanism, located at the right side of the shell, has a knob for turning and driving an actuating element that again links a handle to rotate a displacement. The knob and the actuating element are provided with a fixed dish in between and provided with corresponding oblique chunks and sliders in between. The fixed dish and the handle are provided with corresponding clasp segments and lumps. A joint mechanism, set up on the shaft base of both sides of the shell, includes a first visor joint and a second visor joint each provided with hollows. The first visor joint and the handle of the control mechanism are linked by a rod. A visor has a clasp slice at each of both sides for insertion into the hollow of the visor joint.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to safety helmet visor setting mechanisms and, more particularly, to one that features easy lifting of the visor and handy assembly or disassembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The general safety helmet protective lens is categorized as a windshield visor fixed outside the shell, and a sunshade visor fixed inside the shell. The latter is installed inside the shell and located between the shell and the Styrofoam inner helmet. Once the visor is damaged and in need for replacement, the helmet liner fixed in the inner helmet is unloaded, the inner helmet is discharged, and, then, the visor is ready for removal for replacement. The reloading is accomplished by reversing the whole procedure, which is troublesome. Moreover, the installation of the helmet liner involves specialized skills and practice. The appropriateness of the installation affects considerably the fit and comfort of the head of the user, which may substantially distract the user, and it absolutely calls for great improvement.


The invention relates to a sinker segment (1) for a textile loop. The sinker segment comprises a multitude of loop-forming elements (10) which are arranged in an equidistant manner, are aligned parallel, are joined in the area of a bottom section (12) by one or more strands (20) of a curable adhesive, and which can be directly fastened to the textile loop.

The invention concerns a sinker segment for a textile machine with a plurality of loop-forming elements, which are provided equidistant and oriented parallel and respectively connected to each other in the bottom section.
This type of segment is generally employed in jersey and shirt making machines, chain reciprocal action machines, double rib looms, croqueting hook machines, and Jacquard looms in order to produce the necessary thread positioning with respect to the knitting needles or weaving needles or, as the case may be, to guide threads over a dividing or spacing comb. For this, a large number of thread guiding elements, such as for example knitting needles or sinkers, are positioned close together equidistant from each other and oriented parallel and received by a holder.
The holder itself is designed corresponding to the receiving elements of the textile machine and can be releasably secured by simple means such as, for example, a screw. Frequently, holders with standardized breadths, particularly in the range of between xc2xd and ⅓ inch, are employed, which are provided in a row next to each other corresponding to the loop segment.
Until now generally segments are employed, of which the holders are comprised of a tin alloy and are produced in a pressure or injection casting method, wherein the loop forming elements are directly cast in. A disadvantage in this respect is the necessary complexity and expenditure of manufacture, since not only is it necessary to cast the holder in a mold, but rather the loop forming elements must manually be aligned or trued up in their final or end position.
Loop forming segments are also conventionally available, in which the case loop forming elements are introduced in a preformed carrier and are therein fixed via a hardenable adhesive. For this a notch is provided in the carrier, into which the loop forming elements are introduced and then fixed by pouring in of adhesive. The cost and complexity of manufacture is even higher in comparison to the above described loop forming segment, since the carrier must first be pre-manufactured and only subsequently can the loop forming elements be assembled thereon.
The two above discussed concepts suffer beyond this from the disadvantage, that the holder possesses a comparatively high mass or weight due to its massive cast construction, which has a definitely negative impact on the acceleration behavior. The tendency in the textile loop construction technology to always higher work speeds requires that the loop-forming segments be subjected to more rapid accelerations and decelerations. There is thus a need to keep the masses as low as possible, without detracting from the capacity of the segment, which is measured by the action of the thread thereon.
Finally, from DE 44 41 995 A1 it is known to construct the holder no longer out of cast parts, but rather in light construction, from a stamped part. The desired structural stability is achieved by angling or bending over the edge or rim segments which receive the eye-pointed needles in appropriately arranged comb-like segments.
This loop-forming segment also has however, now as before, the problem of a comparatively complex and expensive manufacture. It is an advantage that, on the basis of the highly precise manufacturing, it becomes possible to dispense with follow-up adjustment or alignment of the eye-pointed needle receiving slots. However, here also the carrier must be pre-manufactured as a separate construction component, meaning stamping and deformation.
The present invention is thus concerned with the problem of further developing a loop forming segment of the above described type, which no longer suffers from the above described disadvantages. In particular, a loop-forming segment should be produced for textile loops, which can be manufactured in simple and economical manner and, beyond this, exhibits a mass which is as low as possible.
The problem is solved by a loop forming segment exhibiting the characteristics of claim 1.
Advantageous embodiments of the loop forming segment are set forth in the characteristics of the dependent claims.
The invention is based upon the idea, of connecting or bonding appropriately spaced loop forming elements directly with each other using a construction adhesive material, and designing the bottom segment of the element in such a manner as to make possible the direct affixation onto the textile machine. It thus becomes possible to completely dispense with the hitherto conventionally employed holder, and its features make possible on the one hand a substantial reduction in the manufacturing costs, and on the other hand, as a result of the weight reduction associated therewith, makes possible a substantial reduction in the dynamic loading or inertial burden of the textile machine. As a welcome side benefit of the weight reduction, there is also a lowering of the noise emission of the machine, whereby a further saving potential surfaces since the legally mandated noise protecting measures may be dispensed with.
Exceptional benefits can be achieved when using two strands or extrusions of adhesive material arranged parallel to each other and provided oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of extension of the loop forming elements. The longitudinal layout of the respective bottom segments must thereby be so selected, that the two adhesive strands can be provided spaced apart from each other.
Preferably, each of the base segments exhibits holes, through which the adhesive strands extend. This configuration has the advantage that the adhesive strands connecting the loop-forming elements are provided completely within the contour of the elements. Thereby a loop-forming segment is produced, which has an extremely flat construction, so that an extremely compacted loop-forming manner can be realized.
As the adhesive, particularly preferred is a construction adhesive, and in particular a two-component epoxy resin, which is excellent to use and after hardening meets the high requirements for strength.
Manufacturing can be carried out economically with the aid of a dosing device, via which the adhesive is extruded directly into the holes. Therewith basically only a receiving or inlay comb is needed, which receives the loop forming elements and positions them precisely, until the adhesive injected in the holes is hardened. The individual adhesive strands are so designed that the dosing device, in the case of loop forming elements positioned vertically one above the other, builds an adhesive bead, which begins at the lower most element and is built up upwards as the dosing device is raised upwards. The dosing of the amount of adhesive is precisely adjusted, depending upon the diameter of the holes and the rate of movement of the dosing device, so that no extraneous injection mold is required. Further, no kind of mechanical follow up working is required.
The direct securing of the self-standing segments formed in this manner occurs by a suitable geometric design of the base segment, so that for example a form-fitting lying flush against a notch or another suitable receptacle of the bar or billet of the machine results. This leads to an improved and easier serviceability during changing of spent segments.
This can be concretely achieved when, for example, in the area of the base segment, triangular shaped voids are provided, or recesses in the form of a dovetail.
It should be understood that, in accordance with the inventive concept, segments can be provided in any desired breadth and graduation or spacing. As elements, practically any of the variously known elements can be employed, such as for example thread comb sinkers, push sinkers, knitting sinkers, milled sheet sinkers or punch comb sinkers.

Hugo Kern und Liebers GmbH and Co. Platinen und Federnfabrik