A system and method for assigning a unique identifier to a prospective user of an instant messaging system. The IM system comprises a plurality of clients (111) having IM applications of the same or different types, selectively interconnected to an IM server (113) by way of the internet (117). The system includes a registration handler (119) for receiving a client specific access address (johnsmith@company.com) of a prospective user (127) on the internet (117) together with a request (115) to register or tentatively register the prospective user (127). A unique identifier assigner is provided to automatically allocate a unique numeric identifier (UIN) to the prospective user (127) and match the UIN to the client specific address (johnsmith@company.com) of the prospective user. An account processer registers or tentatively registers an account for the prospective user (127) in a user database (123) for future use (125) by storing (121) the matched UIN and client specific access address under the UIN in the database. A message despatcher sends a notification (129) of the UIN to the prospective user (127) at the client specific address of the prospective user, either: confirming the registering of the prospective user if the initial sending was associated with a direct request to register from the prospective user; or inviting registration of the prospective user if the initial sending was associated with a request to register from someone other than the prospective user.

Instant messaging ("IM") systems have become very popular in recent times with the increasing use of the internet and email by all sectors of the community as a communication medium. With internet use pervading the areas of the domestic market and being taken up by younger, computer-literate generations as a social medium in its own right, a need has arisen for spontaneous and "instantaneous" messages to be exchanged between two or more parties connected to the internet simultaneously. This need has not been able to able to be satisfied by the use of traditional email systems and consequently, IM systems have spawned as an alternative or adjunct to email.
"Instantaneous" in the context of IM means the ability to receive messages without prompting a message-handling server. This is in contrast to the way typical emails are sent and received by internet users.
To send and receive messages, popular personal computer-based email applications, such as Eudora™ or Microsoft Outlook™, employ the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol ("SMTP") and the Post Office Protocol ("POP"). Using POP requires the recipient of an email to query or prompt an email server to which it has subscribed, for messages to download to the user's personal computer ("PC") or any other internet-connected device.
Email messages are sent by a user from an email PC client application (e.g., Eudora™, Microsoft Outlook™) on that user's PC to a mail server to which it has subscribed using SMTP. The mail or SMTP server then forwards the message to the desired recipient's mail server via the internet.
Instant messaging systems work in a different fashion to email, requiring minimal if any user action, to receive messages. Messages are forwarded from a sender's client application, normally a PC-based IM client application program, to the intended recipients client application via an IM server or directly to the recipient's client, almost in "real time" from the time that a message is sent by the sender, or received by the IM server system—hence "instant". No querying is needed to get a message to its intended recipient, reflecting more of a "pushing" technology, than a "pulling" of information. Examples of some popular IM systems in the market include AOL's AIM™ and ICQ™.
A characteristic of most IM systems is that a client user is able to set up a network of friends or colleagues, more commonly known as "buddies", with or amongst whom messages can be exchanged instantly. In most of the PC-based client applications, an IM sender must be authorized by the recipient (both are considered "buddies" of one another) to be able to receive messages from the sender. In such cases, an authorization is made by a user specifically instructing the IM server to allow messages to be received from particular senders.
In some IM systems, authorizations are not required for users to be included in a buddy list. This means that instant messages may be freely sent amongst existing users and a target user can be added to a particular buddy list of a user without that user requiring the explicit permission of the target user to be so included.
Authorizations may also be required by users to allow them to be detected by other users as being "online". "Online" in the context of IM means that a client user is connected to the internet or is otherwise capable of receiving instant messages at a particular moment.
A limitation with current IM systems is that some are not designed to interconnect with particular types of client applications or different IM systems, or at least make it difficult to do so. For example, other client applications may include email-based client applications (eg Eudora™, Microsoft Outlook™) and browser-based client applications (eg Internet Explorer™ and Netscape™) on the internet, and also devices connected into a GSM network, such as mobile phones.
GSM networks have their own form of IM system for communicating short textual messages between different subscribers known as "Short Message Service" ("SMS"). With SMS, a "Short Message Service Centre" "(SMSC") provides a server through which all SMS messages that are sent and received by client subscribers are handled. The messages are short, typically limited to 160 characters in length, and are sent between subscribers of the GSM network, with the SMSC processing the messages for delivery to the right destination using the GSM mobile number of the intended receiver. Under the SMS protocol, the textual message from the sender is initially sent to the SMSC server using the cellular telephone network. The SMSC then stores the message and allocates it to the intended recipient for downloading, in accordance with normal GSM protocol, when the recipient is identified to be active within a cell.
SMS messaging is normally only provided between GSM clients that specifically subscribe to it, however, by virtue of the SMSC server, it is possible to connect to the internet using a particular protocol, dependent upon the particular GSM phone and network manufacturer. For example, Nokia™ use Computer Interface Message Distribution protocol version Two (CIMD2).
In order for most internet-based IM systems to work, a unique identifier needs to be assigned to each user and an active account set up for the user on the IM server system under that identifier to enable the IM system to track and provide the requisite functionality of the IM facility to the user. Some IM systems allocate a Unique Identification Number "UIN") and others a code to the user to act as the unique identifier of that user within the IM system. The UIN or code may have a proxy name associated with it, to make it more recognisable or understandable to users of the system.
Even in those IM systems that permit connectivity with two or more different types of client application, either separate accounts under different identifiers are created for each different client type, or one client type is treated as the primary IM client and other client types are treated as terminal appliances to be merely notified of the sending of an IM to the corresponding primary IM client of the sender.
The reason for this is that the IM systems that were initially developed, such as ICQ™, were strongly oriented so that most of the intelligence in providing the functionality of the IM system resided in the PC client application program. Consequently, other client types were considered to be quite disparate to the main client application and if two-way connectivity was provided, ie the ability to send a reply in response to a received message, this required a separate account or server for each different client type.
This has led to a cumbersome approach in allocating unique identifiers for clients in an ad hoc or random manner with different unique identifiers and accounts being allocated by different IM server hosts for each different client type where the IM system has permitted such, particularly where the users adopted email-based client applications, or GSM devices. Furthermore, the registration process to be followed by new users wishing to join an IM system was unduly protracted and involved a multiple step process. This involved firstly requesting the IM system host to become a member, then awaiting the allocation of the unique identifier by the host for the member, and finally the member receiving and assigning that identifier to their specific client application. Another typical method involves firstly requesting the IM server host to become a member, the member applying for a certain unique identifier, and finally the host assigning that identifier to their that specific client application.

Method and system for inviting and creating accounts for prospective users of an instant messaging system


The photodiode device comprises a substrate (1) of semiconductor material with a main surface (10), a plurality of doped wells (3) of a first type of conductivity, which are spaced apart at the main surface (10), and a guard ring (7) comprising a doped region of a second type of conductivity, which is opposite to the first type of conductivity. The guard ring (7) surrounds an area of the main surface (10) including the plurality of doped wells (3) without dividing this area. Conductor tracks (4) are electrically connected with the doped wells (3), which are thus interconnected, and further conductor tracks (5) are electrically connected with a region of the second type of conductivity. A doped surface region (2) of the second type of conductivity is present at the main surface (10) and covers the entire area between the guard ring (7) and the doped wells (3).

Computed tomography makes use of x-rays to generate a three dimensional picture of solid objects, e.g. the human body. A scintillator transforms the x-rays into visible light, which is then detected with the help of an array of photodiodes. The photodiodes can be connected with a CMOS circuit by wafer-to-wafer bonding, by flip-chip assembly of semiconductor chips, or by monolithic integration of CMOS components and photodiodes in the same semiconductor device. A monolithic integration provides the best interconnection between photodiodes and CMOS circuitry, but semiconductor material that is suitable for CMOS circuits may cause difficulties in integrating photodiodes with respect to low leakage current, low capacitance, high sensitivity, short response time, and radiation hardening simultaneously. Moreover, a low temperature coefficient of the responsivity poses a challenge for CMOS compatible photodiodes; a requirement that could not be met by state-of-the-art.
WO 2006/131209 A2 discloses a photodiode with integrated semiconductor circuit. The photodiode is formed as a layered structure by means of waferbonding. The circuit is connected to the diode by contacts penetrating the semiconductor body.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,074 B1 discloses a semiconductor device structure for reducing the current flow that is caused by incident ionizing radiation. It comprises a p-substrate, an n+-doped surface region within an n-well, and a p+-doped guard ring for obstructing radiation-induced parasitic current flow between the n-well and n-doped regions of further semiconductor devices that are located in the neighborhood of the n-well.
US 2015/0287847 A1 discloses a photodiode device with reducible space charge region. The device comprises a doped region contiguous with a contact region of the same conductivity type located at the substrate surface, an appertaining anode or cathode connection, a further contact region of an opposite conductivity type at the substrate surface, and a further anode or cathode connection. A lateral pn junction is formed at the substrate surface by a boundary of one of the contact regions. A field electrode is arranged above the lateral pn junction, separated from the lateral pn junction by a dielectric material, and is provided with a further electrical connection separate from the anode and cathode connections, for the purpose of reducing the dark current by reducing the space charge region at the surface.
N. V. Loukianova et al., "Leakage Current Modeling of Test Structures for Characterization of Dark Current in CMOS Image Sensors", IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices vol. 50(1), pages 77 to 83, 2003, describe a photodiode comprising an n-well that is surrounded by a p-well in order to reduce the dark current. The lateral pn junction is passivated by a shallow p+ implant, reducing the width of the space charge region at the surface by one half.
M. Battaglia et al., "Development of a Radiation Hard CMOS Monolithic Pixel Sensor", 2008 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record, pages 3501 to 3504, describe a CMOS monolithic pixel sensor prototype aimed at a superior radiation tolerance. The layouts of pixels of an array of photodiodes include an n-well diode enclosed by a floating p+ guard-ring, thin oxide layers over the diode, and a polysilicon ring covering the region around the n-well.
Whereas prior art fulfills the requirements for low-leakage and/or low capacitance, simultaneously matching high speed and low temperature coefficient of the responsivity remained an unsolved challenge. Furthermore, monolithic integration of the photodiode with CMOS circuitry promises a cost-effective way of manufacturing such devices.

Radiation-hard high-speed photodiode device


A compact sense amplifier circuit for amplifying reading signal of an EPROM includes a bit line connected to cells of the EPROM and a transistor circuit for connecting a DC power source to the bit line. The transistor circuit includes a read circuit, a write circuit, a first path for passing current when a read signal for reading one of the cells that is not written is applied to the read circuit and a second path for passing current when a read signal for reading one of the cells that is written is applied to the read circuit. The first path and the second path are arranged to pass the same amount of current, thereby reducing sensor noises.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sense amplifier circuit that amplifies a read signal for reading an EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory) for use in a sensor circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A sensor circuit for adjusting the sensitivity and/or the output signal power of a sensor usually includes an EPROM and a sense amplifier circuit. Usually, one sense amplifier circuit is provided for a plurality of cells of the EPROM in order to reduce the cost and the size of the sensor circuit. In this sensor circuit, however, the amount of current flowing through the sense amplifier circuit changes whether the EPROM has been written ("1") or not ("0") when the EPROM is read.
If one sense amplifier circuit is provided for each one of a plurality of cells of the EPROM to eliminate the difference between the written states of the EPROM, the size of the sensor circuit becomes larger, especially in the case of the sensor circuit being formed in one chip.


A universal power adapter to allow only the plug desired to stick out smoothly in a simple construction and allowing convenient operation is comprised of a lid, a base, a rotary switch, and multiple plugs; multiple channels being disposed on the external wall of the base, a standardized plug being inserted to each channel; a rotary switch containing a bar sliding block and a braking pushbutton; the bar sliding block containing a bar slide and a gap; the pushbutton being inserted into the gap; a protruding block and a slot below being disposed to the top of the plug; the slot receiving the insertion end of the braking pushbutton; and the pushbutton sliding in the channel on the external wall of the base; and the protruding block of each plug being inserted into the bar slide of the bar sliding block to slide against the protruding block.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a universal power adapter working with variable power socket specifications by nation, and more particularly, to a built-in adapter that allows only one pair of blades sticking out to insert into a socket for achieving electric conduction.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
More people travel around the world for pleasure or business thanks to the ever development of socio-economy, and they usually carry themselves some communication equipment or electric appliance on the road including notebook, handset, MP3, and other electronic products. Whereas all those electronic products relate to power consumption items, a matching adapter must be brought along for recharging purpose. However, different standards of communication interface are adopted in the world. For example, sockets in USA, UK, Europe, and Australia are not of same specifications. Therefore, the electronic product is usually not functioning when prevented form being recharged in a strange country. To solve this problem, one before the trip must find out the specification of the particular plug in the country of destination and purchase an adapter to match the plug. Preparation of the adapter becomes even more inconvenient when one's itinerary involves multiple stops in different countries and too many adapters must be brought before hitting the road.
To cope with the needs of people traveling around the world, a multi-purpose adapter is generally available in the market. The multi-purpose adapter is essentially related to a combination of adapters in specifications of multiple nations. However, when one particular set of plug is selected and inserted into a socket depending on the country the user stays, the user is exposed to risk of electric shock or shortage since the remaining sets of plug are also exposed and protruding from the adapter. Improvements are made to the multi-purpose adapter as taught in Taiwan Patent Publication No. TW541768 and China Patent Publication No. CN1539187A.
According to a multi-purpose adapter socket disclosed in the patent application of TW541768, a security device and a corresponding safety cover are disposed at where the operation takes place on the inner side of the socket in relation to the blades of the power; and a control rod and a locking block linked to a pushbutton indicates a status of lateral displacement to force each power blade locked in place while permitting only one set of power blade to be freed to extend for conduction. Accordingly, the adapter socket is provided with mandatory protection results to improve safe use. However, as the design of a product is smaller, thinner, and lighter oriented, the limited space available in the adapter socket is not in favor of accommodating those additional security device and safety cover. Furthermore, the operation of the adapter socket is compromised by its complicate structure since it is not uncommon when the pushbutton fails or gets stuck.
Another power plug disclosed in China Patent Application No. CN1539187A teaches a casing and multiple standardized plug contacts that movably supported in the casing. Each plug contact is disposed with two conduction blades and both blades are capable of moving out to get into a working location along a slide travel or into an idle location. The plug is characterized by that at least one braking member is mobile in relation to the casing and the terminal of the plug and the braking member is secured to a location externally to the idle location by means of a plug contact. When secured in place, the braking member is disposed at the slide travel designated for any of the remaining plug contacts to prevent another plug contact moving form the idled location into the working location. The option of the prior art as disclosed takes advantage of the braking member disposed in the slide travel to restrict the displacement by any other plug contact; however, the braking member as made in a mobile construction is vulnerable to get loosened up and/or shaking to result in either failure or getting stuck in operation. The prior art disclosed in China Patent Application No. CN1539187A further incorporates a security member in realizing the function of restricting the displacement by any other plug contact. Whereas the strict use of the security member to reach the purpose of restriction fails to bring smooth displacement of the plug, incorporation of a pushbutton is needed to facilitate displacement of the plug. Accordingly, the operation becomes awkward because that the user has to press the pushbutton with one hand and push out the plug with another hand to extend the plug. The operation tends to fail after frequent use of the plug.


There is disclosed a styrenic resin composition which comprises 70 to 99.9% by weight of an (A) styrenic polymer having a high degree of syndiotactic configuration and 0.1 to 30% by weight of a (B) organic compound having a --NH-- group and a molecular weight of less than 10,000.. According to the present invention, there is obtained a styrenic resin composition having a syndiotactic configuration which is improved in electrical insulating properties, especially in withstand voltage against direct current.

A styrenic polymer having a high degree of syndiotactic configuration is excellent in heat resistance, solvent resistance and electrical characteristics and accordingly, is expected to find a variety of use especially as a favorable raw material for use in the field of electrical insulation such as electronic machinery parts, printed circuit board, insulating self-adhesive tape and capacitor.
However, conventional styrenic polymers having a syndiotactic configuration sometimes fail to exert sufficient withstand voltage, for example, when molded into a thin film or the like, and thus further improvement in withstand voltage is desired for such styrenic polymers. As a method of improving the withstand voltage of such styrenic polymers having a syndiotactic configuration, there is proposed for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 124750/1991, a method of decreasing residual catalyst and residual monomers in the resultant polymer. Although some improvement in dielectric breakdown voltage of the styrenic polymers is observed to a practicable extent according to the above-mentioned method, the method has involved the problem that its availability is limited in use requiring a high withstand voltage to direct current such as a printed circuit board and a capacitor. There is also proposed a composition containing a styrenic polymer having a syndiotactic configuration incorporated with a phosphorus-based antioxidant, phenol-based antioxidant, sulfur-based antioxidant or the like, but improvement in withstand voltage according to the aforesaid composition has still been insufficient.
In addition, it is reported that the withstand voltage of polyethylene, etc. is improved by the addition of a polycyclic aromatic compound such as pyrene, but the addition thereof to a styrenic polymer having a syndiotactic configuration can not attain such effect. Likewise, any of a method wherein a crosslinked polyethylene is employed, a method wherein a fine-grained crystalline structure is employed and a method in which crystallinity is improved each being known as a method of improving the dielectric breakdown voltage of polyethylene and the like is difficult to apply to a styrenic polymer having a syndiotactic configuration because of difference between the two with regard to the behavior in crystallization, crystalline structure, processing method and processing conditions.


Systems and methods for threshold authenticated encryption are provided. A collection of cryptographic devices may encrypt or decrypt a message, provided that a threshold number of those devices participate in the encryption process. One cryptographic device may generate a commitment message and transmit it to the other selected devices. Those devices may each perform a partial computation using the commitment message, and transmit the partial computations back to the encrypting or decrypting device. The encrypting or decrypting device may use those partial computations to produce a cryptographic key, which may then be used to encrypt or decrypt the message.

The proliferation of new internet connected devices has provided people with new, interesting, and convenient ways to interact with the world around them, however, the "Internet of Things" also presents new security risks. Every new device presents a new access point with an attack surface and vulnerabilities which a hacker or malicious user could use to compromise network communications or personal data.
Multi-party encryption, using a shared or distributed "secret key" is one technique used to encrypt sensitive data before transmitting it through a network such as the Internet. A cryptographic key is split up into a number of "key shares," which are each distributed to a number of devices or servers. Later, an encrypting device (which may store one of the shares) can retrieve a smaller number of the key shares from the other devices. The encrypting device can then reconstruct the secret key using the retrieved key shares for use in encryption/decryption. Such a key sharing process can prevent an attacker from easily obtaining the shared secret at rest, i.e., because the secret key is not stored in long term memory.
However, such a reconstruction of key shares is susceptible as an attacker could obtain the secret key after it is reconstructed. Another technique, secure multi-party computation (MPC) can be used to encrypt or decrypt a message with a distributed secret key without reconstructing the secret key from the key shares. However, such protocols usually rely on garbled circuits, or other computationally intensive methods. Thus, they are not efficient for practical applications.
In many applications, asymmetric multi-party encryption techniques cannot be applied because of speed and throughput requirements. Pure asymmetric cryptography can be three to five orders of magnitude slower than symmetric cryptography. As a result, asymmetric cryptography cannot be used in high volume applications, where thousands of messages need to be encrypted or decrypted over short time intervals.
Thus, there is a need for new methods of distributed encryption.

Multi-party threshold authenticated encryption


The present invention employs a clock frequency detector in a SDRAM that detects whether an input clock signal is operating at a fast rate (e.g., 125 MHz or a 8 nanosecond access time), or at a slower rate. In response to the input clock frequency, the clock frequency detector outputs a selection signal to control logic circuitry in the SDRAM indicating whether the SDRAM should operate in either a fast or slow mode. The clock frequency detector employs a frequency detector that detects the frequency of the input clock signal. Based on the frequency of the input clock signal, a selector circuit outputs either a fast or slow selection signal to the control logic circuitry. In response to the fast selection signal, the control logic circuitry performs data access commands at a fast rate, while in response to the slow selection signal, the control logic circuitry executes such commands at a slower, more conservative rate. As a result, the SDRAM device can operate according to its maximum specifications in connection with a fast input clock rate (allowing essentially no margins for error), or perform at a slower rate based on a slower input clock frequency (allowing for some margin of error).

As computer software applications continually become more complex, and as multiple applications run simultaneously (e.g., multitasking), the computers on which the software applications run must increasingly become faster to avoid processor delay times and other time lags that can be annoying to a computer user. A significant limitation on the computer's operating speed is the time required to transfer data between the processor and a memory circuit. Typical memory circuits, such as dynamic random access memories (DRAMs), include a large number of memory cells arranged in one or more arrays, each array having rows and columns. The memory cells provide locations at which the processor can store and retrieve data including program instructions.
The more quickly the processor can access the data within the memory cells, the more quickly it can perform calculations or execute software applications using the data. As the need grows for decreased data access times, new types of memory devices are being developed. For example, certain memory devices allow data from groups of memory cells to be output from a DRAM based on an initial request from the processor. Page mode DRAM or burst extended data out (BEDO) memory allows a large amount of data to be rapidly output to a processor, thereby improving the effective speed of the memory device.
To further improve the access time to memory cells, synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) devices have been developed. When a typical DRAM device receives a read or write command and an address, the data transfer must be performed in its entirety before the device can accept another command Consequently, subsequent commands or processor operations are delayed by the entire duration of the first data transfer. Because data transfer typically involves several steps and each step takes time, the overall time to perform the first data transfer in a DRAM device may be significant.
In SDRAM devices, operations are "pipelined" in that each of the several steps required to transfer data is performed according to a specific timing sequence. The timing sequence is established relative to a clock signal, typically an external clock signal in the computer that controls the processor. As a result, both the processor and the SDRAM are synchronized under the same clock. Therefore, in theory, if the clock frequency is increased, the data transfer to and from the SDRAM can be similarly increased.
As the clock frequency increases, the time required to perform each of the various commands and steps to transfer data to and from the memory device decreases. Current SDRAM devices can operate at a clock speed of 100 MHz (equal to a period of 10 nanoseconds). All of the data transfer steps to read data to, or write data from, the SDRAM can be performed in approximately 9 nanoseconds. Thus, at a clock speed of 100 MHz, there is a 1 nanosecond margin of error. Such a tiny margin of error requires that the SDRAM device perform substantially flawlessly, with essentially no margin of error for delays within the device.
It would be desirable to be able to operate the SDRAM device at a slower clock speed, and thereby provide a greater margin of error for the device. Indeed, most computer designers and other engineers employing SDRAM devices employ such devices in systems operating at a variety of clock speeds. Therefore, it also would be desirable to have a SDRAM device capable of operating at both a fast clock rate (approximately 125 MHz) as well as slower speeds (66 MHz or less), to compensate for various external clocks with which the SDRAM device may be employed.

Clock frequency detector for a synchronous memory device


A urinating aid for use with a commode having a bowl and seat including a cover with a front end and a back end. The back end is pivotally connected to the seat. The cover includes a lower lid and an upper lid pivotally connected to the lower lid for movement between an open and a closed position. A collapsible shield is connected to the upper lid and the lower lid. A raising and lowering plate moves the shield between a lowered inoperative position and a raised operative position so that when the upper lid is closed, the shield is in the lowered inoperative position. When the upper lid is opened, the raising and lowering plate moves the shield between the lowered inoperative position and the raised operative position to provide a raised urinating aid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a urinating aid for a commode. More particularly, it relates to a toilet seat cover which includes a collapsible splash shield.
2. Prior Art
Cleanliness and hygiene is a primary consideration in a bathroom which requires special cleaners and detergents due to the nature of the bacteria. As is well known and understood in the art, a very common problem, and one of the chief causes of the unsanitary conditions found in the bathroom, particularly associated with men and boys, is the problem of splashing. The splashing causes problems of odor, soil and the like, in most cases behind the toilet seat and on the floor to the rear of the toilet and beneath the toilet tank. These problems can be further exaggerated in hospitals and other large facilities where many people use the bathrooms or where elderly or infirm individuals use the bathrooms.
Various attempts have been made to solve the problems of cleanliness and hygiene. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,062 discloses a spring loaded lifting apparatus with a retractable splash shield connected to the toilet seat and the rim of the toilet bowl. The connection of the splash shield allows for frontal access to the bowl by a male while shielding the back and sides of the toilet bowl. The entire pivot mechanism for the toilet seat and cover is changed to the new spring loaded system. This not only makes for a displeasing appearance, but the shielding means still leaves open the front half of the toilet bowl thus not completely preventing splashing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,193,845 discloses a pleated and collapsible splash shield which is secured to both the toilet seat and the toilet bowl. This design also allows for frontal access to the toilet bowl. The splash shield only provides protection when the toilet seat pivots backwardly against the toilet tank. Thus limiting the effectiveness of the shield in that the sides and front of the toilet bowl are not shielded form splashing.
U.S Pat. No. 4,060,859 discloses a retractable splash shield operated by a foot pedal. This shield is entirely connected to the toilet bowl rim and simply extends upward when engaged by the foot pedal. Again, the design involved has a displeasing appearance to the bathroom user and the fact that the shield extends only straight up creates more difficulty for a smaller user.
In the patents discussed, all of the shields involved are connected to the toilet bowl itself. Two of the three references show the shield also connected to the bottom of the toilet seat. This makes it difficult to clean these toilet bowls in that the device would need to be removed to assure proper cleaning. The shields that allow for frontal access to the toilet bowl do not shield the front of the toilet bowl and or the user from splashing. In addition, for the frontal access only shields, there is still no protection against a misdirected stream of urine as is likely to happen, especially with children or infirm individuals.


The present invention comprises systems and methods for detecting flame blowout precursors in combustors. The blowout precursor detection system comprises a combustor, a pressure measuring device, and blowout precursor detection unit. A combustion controller may also be used to control combustor parameters. The methods of the present invention comprise receiving pressure data measured by an acoustic pressure measuring device, performing one or a combination of spectral analysis, statistical analysis, and wavelet analysis on received pressure data, and determining the existence of a blowout precursor based on such analyses. The spectral analysis, statistical analysis, and wavelet analysis further comprise their respective sub-methods to determine the existence of blowout precursors.

Combustors have long been used to burn a fuel/air mixture that is ultimately used to generate thrust, produce power, supply heat for some industrial process, or other applications. In these systems, an important performance metric is for the flame to remain stably in the combustor over a range of flow rates, pressures, and fuel/air ratios. At certain conditions, however, the flame may "blow out" of the combustor, so that no flame exists. The problem of blowout has long limited the allowable flow velocities through engines, particularly in systems such as gas turbines and afterburners which must operate at high flow rates and/or low pressures. The problem of blowout, however, has become increasingly more severe in a range of combustion devices, as they are required to meet stringent emissions legislation, severe operability constraints, and achieve better performance.
The problem of flame blowout can occur in combustors of land-based turbine engines, aeronautical turbine engines, afterburners, industrial processing devices, or any other combustor device. With respect to land-based turbine engines, operators of such engines attempt to run the engine near flame blowout conditions, known as the lean blowout line. An advantage of operating so close to the blowout line is that nitrous oxide emissions are significantly lowered. The trade-off, however, is an increased likelihood of blowing out of the flame. In the land-based systems, a blow out event requires a potentially lengthy system shut down and restart, resulting in economic consequences to the power plant owner when blowout is encountered.
In the aeronautical setting, blowout is a particular concern during fast engine transients, such as when rapid acceleration or deceleration of the engine is attempted. If the flame blows out in a commercial airplane, then there are obvious safety concerns for the passengers, though most engines can be re-ignited in-flight. However, because of the magnitude of the possible consequences, engine designers include substantial safety margins into the engines to avoid these events, often at the cost of reduced performance.
The need to avoid blowout in combustors often causes designers to sacrifice performance in other areas. In particular, because there is always some uncertainty in the exact conditions under which blowout may occur, extra margin must be built into the design. In such systems, performance could be improved and blowout better avoided if a method existed to monitor the proximity of the system to blowout.
A method designed to predict blowout conditions is U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,643 to Snyder et al. The Snyder patent discloses a method for predicting blowout conditions to minimize nitrous oxide emissions in land-based turbine engines. Snyder uses pressure measurements in the combustor to predict the onset of blowout conditions by analyzing pressure oscillations. The methods consist of monitoring the magnitude of the pressure, certain spectral components of the pressure, or the dominant frequency of the pressure. However, the methods rely on monitoring absolute magnitudes of the pressure signal, which may change on other engines, at different power settings, or due to inherent variability in pressure, temperature, or humidity of the air. As such, the methods reported by Snyder are designed to operate upon a particular engine at a particular operating condition. In addition, the dominant frequency may also change with engine type or operating conditions. Thus, the methods employed by Snyder are not robust and seemingly are operable only on the particular type of combustor tested and only under certain operating conditions. The methods taught by Snyder are not expansive to different combustor types operating in a wide array of environmental conditions.
Thus, there exists a need in the industry for a system and method for accurately predicting flame blowout conditions on different types of combustors operating in different environments.

Systems and methods for detection of blowout precursors in combustors


A duct from near the top of the skirt of a two-piece piston carries lubricant to the skirt pin bore, on each side of the skirt, and lubricates the pin joint. The skirt is provided with a lubricant passage, such as from a shaker tray, to the pin bore on each side of the pin joint of the skirt, piston crown struts, and wrist pin on which a piston connecting rod is joined. Fluid sprayed against the crown descends onto the skirt and some passes through the above-mentioned lubricant ducts or passages for direct, continuous lubrication of the pin joint.

This invention relates generally to engine pistons and, more particularly, to two-piece pistons with oil cooling of the crown portion.
Pistons for middle and large sized diesel engines, such as those having a displacement of 5 liters or more, have had considerable attention to achieve increased performance. Two-piece designs for piston assemblies have been widely adopted for such engines.
Two-piece pistons, sometimes referred to as articulated pistons, have a crown that has an upper end surface that forms part of an engine""s combustion chamber, and an outer lateral surface carrying the piston rings that run within a cylinder of the engine. The crown is typically of a high strength material, such as machined forged steel, to withstand the pressure and temperature encountered in operation.
Two-piece pistons also include a skirt below the crown that is a separate member typically of a lower strength material then the crown, but one that is lighter and more heat conductive, such as aluminum. The skirt is typically cylindrical and open, or hollow in the center, so an oil coolant can be sprayed up through the skirt against the crown. The skirt helps contain the oil to assist in heat dissipation from the piston. (The sprayed oil is also what provides lubrication for motion between the piston rings and the cylinder wall.)
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,044 issued to Kammon, Nov. 1, 1977, a two-piece piston design is disclosed that includes a main body, or crown, and a skirt that are connected through pin bores by a wrist pin to which a connecting rod is attached. A cooling oil is directed against the interior of the crown. An annular groove in the end of the skirt that faces the crown receives at least some of the cooling oil that has drained from the crown and, due to the piston""s motion, splashes it out for further cooling and lubricating action. Such an annular groove in a skirt of a two-piece piston is sometimes referred to in the art as a xe2x80x9cshaker trayxe2x80x9d.
Other examples of two-piece pistons include those in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,139 issued to Cooper et al., Dec. 8, 1992, which includes further aspects of the form of the crown surface that receives the sprayed oil, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,167 issued to Stratton et al., Jan. 22, 1991, that includes a baffle plate to help trap coolant in an annular cooling recess, or cooling gallery, of the crown.
In the prior known two-piece pistons, the pin joint with the wrist pin connecting the crown portion and the skirt, and also joined to the connecting rod, is lubricated merely by random splashing of the jet sprayed oil or else, in engines large enough in size (such as 50 L. or more displacement), a continuous supply of oil to the pin joint through the connecting rod; for example, see above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,044. Random splashing provides lubrication that is uncertain and may be discontinuous. Supplying oil continuously through a passage in the connecting rod is not a very cost effective design for mid-sized engines in a range of, for example, about 5 to about 30 L. displacement.
Lack of cost effective lubrication results in limitations on engine performance and life due to component wear. There is a continuing interest in increasing the specific power (power per unit of displacement) of engines. That tends to make cylinder pressures higher and increase the loading on the piston pin joint which would have the adverse effect of reducing component life.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems or disadvantages associated with the prior art.
The present invention is directed to two-piece piston assemblies with a reliable and cost effective way to provide continuous lubrication to the pin joint of pistons for a wide variety of engine sizes.
The piston assembly includes ducts or passages in the skirt near the top of the skirt, such as from the shaker trays, to the pin bores on each side of the skirt. Some oil, or other fluid coolant and lubricant, that is used to cool the piston crown falls within the ducts and is carried through the ducts to the pin joint of the union of the skirt, crown, and wrist pin for the connecting rod. The invention also increases the effective useful life of engines by reducing wear of critical components such as the piston crown and skirt, the wrist pin, and the connecting rod.
The invention retains the benefits of prior two-piece pistons and their fluid cooling techniques and provides a way to raise the specific power of engines, including diesel engines, for example, in the size range of about 5 to about 30 L. displacement, without requiring a system with oil supplied through a passage in the connecting rod.

Two-piece piston assembly with skirt having pin bore oil ducts


A sectional image and a two-dimensional elasticity image on an arbitrary cross section are added at a first combination ratio received from an operator to produce an arbitrary cross-section combined image. A three-dimensional image and a three-dimensional elasticity image of a predetermined part are added at a second combination ratio received from the operator to produce a three-dimensional combined image. The arbitrary cross-section combined image and the three-dimensional combined image are displayed side by side in a display. This can provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of facilitating the grasp of the structure and the recognition of the hardness of the living organ within the object from the plurality of images.

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus can transmit ultrasonic into an object, receive the ultrasonic reflection echo signal of a living organ from the reflected wave, and perform signal processing on the signal to produce a monochrome sectional image of a part to be diagnosed having intensities as the ultrasonic reflectivities as described in Patent Literature 1. Three-dimensional volume data can be produced from a plurality of such monochrome sectional images and rendered to produce and display a monochrome three-dimensional image. Patent Literature 1 has also disclosed a technique of providing a two-dimensional elasticity image and a three-dimensional elasticity image in which an elasticity value (such as strain and coefficient of elasticity) representing the hardness of the part to be diagnosed is represented by a hue.
Patent Literature 2 has disclosed a technique in which a monochrome three-dimensional image is produced such that a harder organ is shown more opaquely and a softer organ is shown more transparently to allow intuitive recognition of the shape and the volume of a hard part or a soft part when a three-dimensional elasticity image is displayed over the monochrome three-dimensional image. Patent Literature 2 has also disclosed a method in which an arbitrary cross section is taken from three-dimensional volume data of monochrome sectional images to produce and display the monochrome sectional image of the arbitrary cross section.
Patent Literature 3 has disclosed a technology in which a monochrome sectional image is added to a two-dimensional elasticity image at a set ratio to produce and display a combined image, and structure information and elasticity information of an organ are obtained from a single image.

Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, method, and program combining structural and elasticity images


A linear electromotive actuator mounted on an input shaft of a manual transmission clutch system and a clutch operation is controlled by a current signal applied in response to an operating stroke of a clutch pedal. In addition, according to the clutch system and a method for controlling the same, a vehicle weight is reduced and a clutch vibration or an impact can be reduced.

Typically, a clutch system for a manual transmission is for selectively transmitting engine power to a wheel. In addition, a clutch system temporarily cuts off the power when an engine starts or when a gear is shifted. The clutch system is classified into a mechanical type utilizing a rod or a wire and a hydraulic pressure type utilizing hydraulic pressure according to a method of transmitting an operating force.
In a typical manual transmission clutch system, a hydraulic pressure type clutch system includes a clutch master cylinder, a clutch release cylinder, a release bearing, and a release fork. The clutch master cylinder is operated by a clutch pedal that interfaces with the user of the vehicle. The clutch master cylinder is connected to the clutch release cylinder through a hose and a push rod of the clutch release cylinder is connected to the release fork.
When the clutch pedal is operated, the clutch master cylinder, the hose, the clutch release cylinder, the release fork, the clutch release bearing, and a clutch disc are sequentially operated and the engine power to the wheels is cut off. However, a drawback exists in that clutch operating oil is also utilized as brake operating oil, therefore the oil durability can be weak. In addition, because a color of the oil is easily changed by an oil seal abrasion in a hydraulic pressure line, another drawback is that performance is suddenly reduced. Another problem occurs in that a vehicle weight is increased by the elements of the hydraulic pressure line and a hydraulic pressure system. Furthermore, because the clutch master cylinder occupies a wide space, yet another problem occurs in that a mounting position and an operating area of the clutch pedal are limited.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Linear clutch system for vehicle and method for controlling the same


A laser assembly includes a laser source which emits a beam transmitted through optics carried by an insulating window and thence through a pressure window supported in a thermally-insulating mount. A thermally conductive carrier ring contacts the face of the pressure window opposite the laser source and has in its outer face an annular groove receiving plural coils of an electrical resistance heating wire coupled to a current source for heating the pressure window to prevent condensation thereon.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to laser assemblies of the type which can be used in optical sensors, measuring devices and the like. The invention relates in particular to laser assemblies with optical windows through which the laser beams are transmitted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Laser devices are used in a wide variety of applications for sensing and measurement purposes. One common application is in distance measuring applications. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,747 discloses the use of a laser device in a liquid level gauging system for measuring the distance to the surface of the liquid in a vessel and, thereby, the depth of the liquid. While the system disclosed in that patent utilizes a laser diode, other types of laser assemblies may also be used. In such measurement systems, the laser beam is commonly transmitted through an optical window, such as a pressure window. Such a window may become fogged as a result of condensation of vapors with which it comes in contact in use, thereby impairing the operation of the system.


The invention is a process for producing a propylene glycol monoalkyl ether which comprises first reacting propylene oxide and an alcohol in the presence of an alkali or alkaline earth metal alkoxide catalyst to produce an alkoxylation mixture comprising propylene glycol monoalkyl ether; distilling the alkoxylation mixture to produce a first overhead stream comprising propylene oxide and alcohol and a first bottoms stream comprising propylene glycol monoalkyl ether; and then distilling the first bottoms stream to produce purified propylene glycol monoalkyl ether as a second overhead stream. The reaction and/or one or more of the distillation steps occur in the presence of an alkali metal borohydride. The process produces propylene glycol monoalkyl ether with low UV absorbance and reduced carbonyl impurities.

Propylene glycol monoalkyl ethers are high-performance industrial solvents for paints and coatings, cleaners, inks, and a variety of other applications, including agricultural, cosmetic, electronic, textile, and adhesive products. They are also used as chemical intermediates for end-products such as propylene glycol ether acetates.
Typically, propylene glycol monoalkyl ethers are formed by the reaction of propylene oxide with an alcohol, such as methanol or 1-butanol. Although a catalyst is not required, the reaction is typically performed in the presence of a catalyst. A wide variety of catalysts and reaction conditions are taught in the prior art.
The catalysts used in this process include acidic, basic, and neutral species. Particularly useful catalysts include acids such as sulfuric acid, boric acid and some fluorine-containing acids; or bases such as alkali and alkaline earth metal hydroxides and alkoxides, tertiary amines, and certain metal oxides. G.B. Pat. No. 271,169, for instance, discloses the use of sulfuric acid, alkali metal alkoxides, and alkali metal salts of lower fatty acids. U.S. Pat. No. 2,327,053 teaches the use of metal halides such as stannic halides, antimony pentahalides, aluminum halides, zinc halides and ferric halides.
A problem associated with these reactions, and in particular the use of alkali or alkaline earth metal alkoxide catalysts, is that the propylene glycol monoalkyl ether product is contaminated with various carbonyl impurities (such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, acetone, methoxy acetone, and methoxy butenone) that lead to high UV absorption. For particular applications, it may be necessary to limit the amount of carbonyl impurities and thus lower the UV absorbance of the propylene glycol monoalkyl ether product.
In sum, new processes to produce propylene glycol monoalkyl ethers are needed. Particularly useful processes will decrease the amount of carbonyl impurities and thus improve the UV absorbance and color of the propylene glycol monoalkyl ether product. We have discovered an effective, convenient process that produces propylene glycol monoalkyl ether having low UV absorbance.

Production of propylene glycol monoalkyl ether


The wear leveling system and method spreads write cycles across a flash chip, thereby reducing repeated usage of the same areas of the flash chip, and facilitating even usage of all of the memory on the flash chip. When a delete operation occurs in the system and method, the deleted cluster is marked as “dirty” in a table, and the sector address of that cluster is calculated and written into a cache memory. When a write operation occurs, the “dirty” cluster is viewed as a used cluster in order to limit the number of writes to any particular cluster. In a write operation, an unused cluster address is retrieved from a table and a sector address is calculated. If the sector address has a good and low age count, then the write operation writes into the cache memory as well. Before the write operation writes into the cache memory, however, the system and method of the present disclosure checks whether the table requires cleaning and memory updating, or whether a switch to a new table is necessary. Once a purge or sync trigger is effectuated, all of the data written into the cache memory is written into the flash memory.

NAND flash chips are often times used in embedded systems for non-volatile data storage. Generally, a flash chip has a limited number of write cycles, and an embedded system micro controller writes and reads to and from the flash chip. The file system used for data storage manages the storage and retrieval of the data. The data is mapped using cluster numbers and each cluster can have many sectors of 512 bytes. When the file write is performed, the file system checks for the first free cluster and writes the data into that cluster. In frequent delete and write type of operations, the file system uses the same clusters repeatedly and reduces the life of those particular clusters. When those frequently used clusters no longer function due to overuse, the flash chip must be discarded, thus wasting a large portion of useable memory.

System and method of flash memory wear leveling using distributed write cycles


A continuously tunable inductor with an inductive-capacitive (LC) voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) having a primary coil. The inductor includes a separate isolated secondary coil, a set of transistors composing a closed loop with the secondary coil, a magnetic coupling between the primary coil of the LC VCO and the secondary coil, an electrical coupling between the LC VCO and the set of transistors composing a closed loop with the secondary coil, and means for electric current injection into the closed loop. Such an inductor can be tuned by modulating a mutual inductance, which is magnetically and electrically coupled with the LC VCO by injection of an electric current (I0).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to design of a continuously tunable inductor applied to an inductance-capacitance (LC) tank voltage controlled oscillator (VCO).
2. Description of Related Art
High performance clock generators are often based on LC VCOs because the high quality factor or Q-factor of the LC tank allows achieving good phase noise performance and low jitter generation. The quality factor is a measure of how efficient the ratio of stored energy to power losses is exploited in an oscillating system. For electrical oscillators it can be expressed as
  Q  =                                (        Z        )                                        (        Z        )            where Z denotes the impedance of the resonating structure, e.g. the LC-tank or one of its components.
The LC-tank of state-of-the-art LC VCOs typically consists of an inductor with a fixed inductance value that is connected in parallel to a set of varactor banks for frequency band selection or coarse tuning and an additional fine tuning varactor. If only a relatively small frequency band of typically less than 15% has to be covered and the mid-band frequency is not extremely high, like, for example, <15 GHz, such a state-of-the-art LC-tank design with a fixed value inductor might be sufficient. The situation changes if either a wide tuning range, for example, one octave, or a very high frequency range has to be covered and additionally, for cost saving reasons, only a cheap process technology like a digital CMOS process is available that does not offer varactors with a high Q-factor.
A wide frequency tuning range would be desired for many varactor banks that degrade the Cmax/Cmin-ratio of the fine tuning varactor due to their fixed value capacitive parasitics. The high number of varactor banks might also degrade the overall quality factor of the LC-tank because of the additional resistive losses that occur with the long wiring connections from the different varactor banks to the inductor of the LC-tank.
If a very high frequency range needs to be covered, the quality factor of the varactor becomes smaller than the Q-factor of the inductor. This is caused by the fact that the reactive part of the varactor impedance is inverse proportional to the frequency (Zvar˜1/jωC) while the inductor impedance increases with increasing frequency (Zind˜jωL).
In either of the above mentioned cases it might be beneficial if a continuously tunable inductor would be available in order to save some of the varactor banks or even to replace the continuously tunable fine tuning varactor by a continuously tunable inductor.

Continuously tunable inductor and method to continuously tune an inductor

International Business Machines Corporation


A turn table is connected to a rotary shaft of a driving motor for driving a wire reel coaxially therewith. The wire reel is connected onto this turn table. With this arrangement, the wire reel is directly driven by the driving motor. Accordingly, the period of time needed for acceleration or deceleration for the driving motor can be shortened, so that through-put can be improved. Furthermore, for the driving motor, a motor being low in inertia, i.e., a small-sized motor can be used, so that a driving section can be made compact in size. Further, a space for a belt transmission mechanism, which has heretofore been necessary, can be saved, so that the driving section can be made compact in size.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wire saw, and more particularly to a wire saw for cutting work such as a columnar semiconductor ingot, ceramics and glass into a multitude of wafers by wire rows.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of cutting devices for cutting a work such as a semiconductor ingot, ceramics and glass into thin sheet-shaped wafers is a wire saw. This wire saw is a device used in such a manner that a work is abutted against a wire running between a pair of wire reels while working solution containing abrasive grains is supplied to the wire, whereby the work is cut into wafers through the lapping action of the abrasive grains.
In recent years, the diameters of the wafers have the tendency to increase in size for example from 8 inches to 12 inches. For this reason, the wire used for cutting, longer ones is being used. For this reason, the weight of the wire reels, around which the wire is wound should necessarily have the tendency to increase in weight exceeding 100 kg.
Heretofore, the wire reels of the wire saw have been driven in a manner to transmit the rotation of a driving motors by the belt transmission.
Furthermore, as the cutting methods by use of the wire saw, there are two methods including one-way feeding cutting, in which the work is cut while the wire is caused to run only in one way, and a double-way feeding cutting, in which the work is cut while the wire is caused to run reciprocatingly. From these methods, in the case of the double-way feeding cutting, the wire reel should necessarily repeat acceleration and deceleration in a short period of time (1 to 6 sec.), so that a high acceleration torque becomes necessary due to the inertia of the wire reel.
However, if the wire reel having a large weight is driven by the driving method of the conventional belt transmission, then a motor having a high inertia should be necessary for driving the wire reel, so that a large-sized motor should be used for driving the wire reel, thus causing a problem in that a driving section becomes large-sized. Furthermore, when the acceleration or deceleration torque is high, it is deemed that the damages of the belt and the like are caused, thus raising such a problem that the period of time for the acceleration or deceleration cannot be shortened and so forth.


Disclosed is an apparatus for transmitting an optical signal. The apparatus includes a transmitter (12, 14, 18, 20, 26) for transmitting a burst of optical radiation, the burst including first periods of optical radiation having a first wavelength (.lambda..sub.1) and second periods of optical radiation having a second wavelength (.lambda..sub.2). The first and second periods alternate with one another for a duration of the burst, and each of the periods begins with substantially zero transmitted power, increases to a maximum transmitted power, and decreases to substantially zero power. Also disclosed is a receiver (30) and demodulator (90) that includes a wavelength separator (DG) for separating the received optical radiation into a first portion comprising of radiation of wavelength .lambda..sub.1 and a second portion comprising of radiation of wavelength .lambda..sub.2. First and second detectors (D1, D2) are responsive to the first and second portions, respectively, for converting the portions into first and second electrical signals, respectively. Circuitry (38, 40, 46) is responsive to the first and to said second electrical signals for determining a doppler shifted difference frequency component thereof (.DELTA.f) that is a result of a relative movement of an object with respect to the apparatus.

In conventional AM (amplitude-modulation) optical transmission techniques a D.C. level, or pedestal, is transmitted in conjunction with an amplitude-modulated carrier. The D.C. level, however, does not contribute any information to the transmitted AM-signal. Furthermore, transmission of the D.C. level increases the amount of power necessary for transmission of the AM-signal, thereby having an adverse impact on the efficiency of the conventional AM scheme.
FIG. 1A illustrates the waveform of the output signal of a conventional AM modulator. A D.C. level 101 is implicit in this signal. As a consequence, the power transmitted is unnecessarily increased and the efficiency of the conventional AM system is degraded. FIG. 1B illustrates one modulation cycle of a signal transmitted from a conventional AM transmitter. Cross-hatched area 100 represents the energy (E) transmitted, which is expressed as: ##EQU1## The transmission of unnecessary energy may prove disadvantageous in many applications, and it is thus an object of the invention to provide an energy-efficient modulation technique, and also a corresponding demodulation technique.

Energy efficient modulation-demodulation optical system


In order to increase energy efficiency by reducing the drag experienced by bodies moving through a fluid medium, such as tractor-trailers, structure is incorporated in the rear surface or panel of the bodies. The structure is implemented with a multiplicity of cavities or a multiplicity of protruding regions. The cavities or protruding regions each comprise only a small portion of the total area of the rear surface and the depth or extension dimension, relative to the rear surface or panel, is small. In the case of a tractor-trailer, the rear surface structure permits convenient access to the interior of the vehicle and can be incorporated in either a rear door assembly or in a sliding rear panel assembly. The drag reduction benefits are achieved not only when the body is a tractor-trailer but also in the case of all types of land vehicles, water craft, aircraft, projectiles and the like which have a relatively flat rear surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to bodies which are designed to move through a fluid, such as air or water, and, more particularly, to techniques for the reduction of drag on said bodies by providing the bodies with structure on their rear surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
A great deal of effort has been exerted in the past to find ways of reducing the fluid drag which is encountered when bodies such as motor vehicles, water craft, aircraft, projectiles, and the like, move through fluid such as air or water in the course of their use. The major concentration of aerodynamic research has been to alter the structure of the various bodies to achieve streamlining, or in the alternative, to provide the top, bottom or side surfaces of the body with various kinds of corrugations, troughs, ridges, and the like, which are designed to create turbulence in the boundary layer and thus reduce drag.
Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 2,261,558, issued on Nov. 4, 1941, to Orloff; U.S. Pat. No. 2,800,291, issued on Jul. 23, 1957, to Stephens; U.S. Pat. No. 2,899,150, issued on Aug. 11, 1959, to Ellis; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,138, issued on Mar. 17, 1987, to Grose; show various grooves, depressions, and the like in the leading or top surfaces of aircraft wings, designed to act as drag reducers.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,302, issued on Aug. 18, 1981, to Drews; U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,290, issued on Dec. 25, 1979 to Drews; U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,535, issued on Oct. 11, 1988, to Paterson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,117, issued on Dec. 6, 1988, to Paterson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,633, issued on Mar. 21, 1989, to Werle; and British Patent 453,086, issued Sep. 4, 1936, to Staunton; show similar treatment of the leading, top and side surfaces of motor vehicles, such as cars and trucks.
There is less evidence of efforts to achieve drag reduction by modifying the back vertical surfaces of vehicles, craft, projectiles or other bodies which move through a fluid environment. Some activity along this line is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,509, issued on Oct. 27, 1987 to Elliott; U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,093, issued on Aug. 29, 1989, to Chapman; Russian Patent 927,616, issued May 15, 1982; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,808, issued on Jul. 28, 1987, to Bilanin, which show the addition of streamlining airbags, or flow-through channels, or other forms of bulky vanes or panels to rear vertical surfaces. However, those references are generally applicable to tractor-trailers or other motor vehicles having add-on structures which are so large that they must be removed and stored when access to the interior of the vehicle is required. These structures also can provide an appreciable contribution to the overall length of the motor vehicle.

Apparatus and method for reducing drag on bodies moving through fluid


A method of preserving power quality on a power grid is provided. The method is implemented by a voltage overflow device that is electrically coupled to the power grid through electrical contacts. A voltage monitoring circuit of the voltage overflow device monitors a voltage via the electrical contacts on the power grid with respect to a predetermined voltage. The voltage monitoring circuit determines whether the voltage exceeds the predetermined voltage. A switch of the voltage overflow device shunt an excess voltage over the predetermined voltage to a resistive load when the voltage exceeds the predetermined voltage to preserve the power quality on the power grid.

There are several instances where "excess" power can exist within aircraft electrical power systems. In some cases, a presence of excess power can be intentional, as in the case where batteries are being charged. But, in other cases, the presence of excess power can actually damage equipment through overvoltage type events.
Excess power is serious, and dedicated controls are used to make sure that overvoltage cannot occur or persist. These controls sometimes use "crowbars" to dead short an offending circuit, i.e., sacrificially dumping power into the crowbar. Further, regenerative power, from things like electric actuation systems, has further added to excess power concerns within aircraft electrical power systems, as regenerative power is very erratic and provides undesired voltage rises within these systems.

Using aircraft electric icing protection system for electrical power system quality


A method comprising determining feature values of an input audio window and determining a formant attenuation/amplification coefficient for the input audio window based on the processing of the feature values by a neural network.

A digital audio workstation (DAW) is an electronic device or software application for recording, editing and producing audio files such as musical pieces, speech or sound effects. DAWs typically provide a user interface that allows the user to record, edit and mix multiple recordings and tracks into a final produced piece.
Music production involves the processes of recording, mixing and mastering. A computer-based DAW typically allows for multitrack recording of audio and provides controls for playing, recording and editing audio tracks.
Modern computer-based DAWs support software plug-ins, each having its own functionality, which can expand the sound processing capabilities of the DAW. There exist for example software plug-ins for equalization, limiting, and compression. There also exist software plug-ins which provide audio effects such as reverb and echo. And there exist software plug-ins which provide sound sources to a DAW such as virtual instruments and samplers.
There exist hardware effect machines and software plug-ins for DAWs that allow to manipulate audio obtained from human voices based on pitch and formant shifting.
For example, Ref. [Unfilter] is a real-time plug-in that removes filtering effects, such as comb filtering, resonance, or excessive equalization—effectively linearizing the frequency response of a signal automatically. [Unfilter] can also apply a detected filter response to another signal, or export it to disk as an impulse response, and can even perform mastering grade adaptive, free-form, and graphic equalization.
The perception of frequencies by humans depends on the overall loudness of the audio content; so does the relative loudness of frequency ranges, and therefore the perception and detection of formants. In the field of acoustics, a formant is a range of frequencies in which there is an absolute or relative maximum in the sound spectrum. Manipulation of audio obtained from human voices may include the detection and modification of the formant amplitude (either to boost or attenuate them), while conserving the overall spectral profile. Human detection of formants is performed by assessing the relative loudness of frequency ranges, which depends on the audio's overall loudness.
There is a general need for providing computer-implemented aid to a user in the process of recording, mixing and mastering.

Method and electronic device for formant attenuation/amplification


A portable aerator may be operated utilizing either internal direct current power or external alternating or direct current power. The aerator includes a housing in which are mounted an aerator pump and a motor for driving the aerator pump. The motor is connected to positive and negative contacts, which are interengagable by one or more direct current batteries. A jack mounted to the housing is electrically connected to the contacts and the jack is operably interengagable with an external adapter that is selectively attached to an external alternating or direct current power supply for supplying external power to the contacts and thereby to the motor. A switch may be employed to selectively provide power to and disconnect power from the motor.

Portable aerators are commonly used to supply oxygen to fish held in an aquarium, bucket or other type of container. For example, fish that have just been caught are often placed in a bucket and an aerator is used to keep the fish alive. Such aerators are also used with a bait bucket in order preserve bait fish and other types of live bait. Aquariums may also occasionally require the use of a portable, battery powered aerator, particularly during power outages.
The conventional portable fish pump aerators that are presently available exhibit a number of disadvantages. These devices are powered by DC batteries which tend to have a fairly short life. Replacing the batteries can be time consuming, tedious and expensive. If the batteries die and the user does not have replacement batteries handy, the aerator is rendered useless. If no air is supplied to the bucket, aquarium or other container for an extended period, the fish are apt to die. I have determined that the need exists for a new portable fish pump aerator that is more versatile, cost-efficient and reliable than the products which are currently available.


Sound absorbent fabric sleeves are formed from interthreaded, preferably braided, resilient, staple spun polymer yarns. Bulk and softness needed for sound absorption is provided through the staple fibers and resiliency desired for expansion capability and shape maintenance is provided through a resilient monofilament core. The yarns are sometimes referred to as dref mono/poly yarns. The sleeves can be heat set to better resist unraveling and maintain tubular shape. The yarns inherently resist fraying. A pressure sensitive or other adhesive layer or an elastomeric material or other material layer can be provided around all or part of the outsides of the sleeves. Spring clips can be provided extending through the tubes between the yarns to assist in mounting the sleeves or to modify them for uses other than sound absorption.

In recent years, a market has developed for sleeving which is used for sound absorption, particularly in sound proofing vehicles. Sleeving is provided over linkages, wires, tubes and similar movable parts, particularly where those parts are located behind panels of the vehicle, to muffle the sound made by such parts should they move in operation or be shaken while the vehicle moves. Textile fabric sleeves employing long lasting, textured, polymer plastic filament yarns are particularly desirable for use in premium automobiles, which provide one of the major markets for these products, because of their softness and bulkiness for sound reduction and their durability for long life.
Original sleeves were made from only interthreaded multifilament textured yarns. These sleeves were difficult to install. If knitted, they could be stretched to assist in installation but would not regain their original diameters and so could sag and/or move about. Braided sleeves can be somewhat contracted in diameter by stretching. However, unless tension can be maintained, they would expand in size and also sag and/or move about.
At least one known type of sound absorbent fabric sleeve is formed from textured, plastic multifilament bulky yarns and separate plastic monofilaments braided together. These sleeves are improvements over earlier sleeves formed of only the bulky, textured yarns. The bulky yarn/monofilament sleeves can be expanded to twice their nominal diameters or more by compressing the sleeves in their length directions to facilitate their installation and to permit their use on elements larger in size than the nominal diameters of such sleeves. Such sleeves are also capable of resiliently returning towards their nominal diameters in order to compress around the objects on which they are mounted so as to remain in their mounted positions.
While the bulky yarn/monofilament sleeves have distinct advantages over the earlier, all bulky yarn sleeves, they have at least one disadvantage. A hard spot is created where each monofilament crosses another monofilament in the braid. Each crossover creates a potential sound generating or at least non-absorbing spot along the sleeve. It would be desirable to provide a sound absorbent sleeve having the resilience of the above monofilament/multifilament sleeve but without the potential sound generating hard spots.