Efficient distribution of work from a server to remote/mobile nodes is provided by a hierarchy of Session Work Objects into which events can be assigned. Session Work Objects can also be assigned to other Session Work Objects in the hierarchy. Session Work Objects can then be assigned to sessions, nodes, or users. Small numbers of related events can be grouped together, thereby simplifying the distribution of work.

Since the early days of computing, data processing systems have been linked to users via communications networks. Initially, a host or mainframe computer was linked to user terminals. With the advent of the personal computer, "intelligent workstations" have been linked to host computers.
As more and more computing systems have become personal computer based, personal computers have been linked into Local Area Networks (LAN) which are managed by a server to provide client/server applications. These client/server networks can also be linked to mainframe and other computers.
Traditional LAN-based client/server networks, and most other computer networks, assume a near-ideal operating environment. In particular, LANs assume continuously connected users who are computer literate. Since the LAN connections between computers are hard wired, error-free reliable connections are assumed. Thus, the LAN-based client/server environment allows knowledge-workers and PC professionals to operate in a near ideal environment.
Unfortunately, traditional LAN-based client/server networks poorly serve the needs of important classes of users, referred to herein as "remote/mobile" users. As used herein, "remote/mobile" means "temporarily and intermittently linked", wherein temporarily means "lasting for a limited time" and intermittently means "coming and (going at intervals, not continuous, or occasional". An example of remote/mobile users is point-of-sale terminals in a chain of, for example, 5,000 retail stores, where each point-of-sale terminal needs to connect to the headquarters' central computer for short periods of time for communication therebetween, rather than continuously. Another example of remote/mobile users is a mobile sales force which typically uses laptop computers and connects with the home office for short periods of time from various locations, such as hotels, customer sites or cars.
Users of remote/mobile computers, such as laptop and notebook computers, point-of-sale systems, personal computers, personal digital assistants and the like are typically "transactional" workers rather than knowledge workers, and are not typically PC literate. They need to link to a central office on a temporary and intermittent basis to obtain information from the central office or to transfer information to the central office. The connections between the remote/mobile node and the data processing server may use switched wire or wireless connections. Accordingly, communications tend to be slow and unreliable.
Traditional LAN-based client/server systems have attempted to meet the needs of remote/mobile users by allowing remote dial-in to the LAN. However, remote dial-in has heretofore worked effectively only for small numbers of remote/mobile users, and has used a LAN-based paradigm which is not amenable to the unique requirements of the remote/mobile user.
A major breakthrough in remote/mobile computing was provided with the introduction of RemoteWare Versions 1.0-1.4 by XcelleNet, Inc., Atlanta, Ga., assignee of the present invention. The RemoteWare systems provided a communication model which was specifically geared to remote/mobile environments. One or more RemoteWare servers can be connected to a LAN to control the exchange of information between a central site and hundreds or thousands of remote/mobile computers and their users and applications. The RemoteWare server provides information management, resource management, scheduling, communication services, information monitoring and control services needed by the remote/mobile network.
Communications between the server and the remote/mobile nodes are designed to keep connect time at a minimum. Thus, the connection cost is minimized and the time that the transactional worker needs to spend connected to the central system are minimized. Moreover, the system is designed to support low bandwidth and unreliable connections.
RemoteWare Version 1.4 allows a server to centrally manage the assignment and distribution of work to large numbers of remote/mobile terminals. Work assignment and distribution is effected by providing a large number "events". An event defines at least one action which is performed in a remote/mobile communication between the server and the node. The events can be grouped into lists which can be assigned to nodes. Alternatively, events can be grouped into applications which are assigned to application groups and are then assigned to users. See the publication entitled "RemoteWare SERVER Operations Guide, Software Release 1.4", Copyright 1992, XcelleNet, Inc., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Unfortunately, as the complexity of the remote/mobile communications increase, the number of events which need to be grouped into lists or applications may become large. Management of remote/mobile communications is cumbersome using large lists of events. Accordingly, notwithstanding the vast improvement of the RemoteWare system, there is a need to provide increased flexibility in the assignment of large numbers of events to nodes and users to effect remote/mobile communications.

Systems for work assignment and distribution from a server to remote/mobile nodes by a hierarchy of session work objects into which events can be assigned


A system calibrates a function of a tire friction of a vehicle traveling on a road from motion data including a sequence of control inputs to the vehicle that moves the vehicle on the road and a corresponding sequence of measurements of the motion of the vehicle moved by the sequence of control inputs. The system updates iteratively the probability distribution of the tire friction function until a termination condition is met, wherein, for an iteration, the system samples the probability distribution of the tire friction function, determines a state trajectory of the vehicle to fit the sequence measurements according to the measurement model and the sequence of control inputs according to the motion model including the sample of the tire friction function, and updates the probability distribution of the tire friction function based on the state trajectory of the vehicle.

The tire-to-road interaction is the dominating factor in generating, or changing, the motion of a wheeled vehicle, and the knowledge of variables related to the tire-to-road interaction is essential for many active safety systems in modern vehicles. Parameters related to the road friction are employed in many modern vehicles. For example, anti-lock braking systems (ABS), electronic stability control systems (ECS), and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), all make extensible use of parameters related to the tire-to-road interaction, in order to provide advanced safety mechanisms.
Even though several factors determine the tire-road interaction, it is common to model the tire friction as a static function of the wheel slip. In a longitudinal case, i.e., in the wheel's forward direction, the slip is defined in terms of the difference of the longitudinal velocity and the rotational speed of the wheel normalized by either the rotational speed of the wheel or the longitudinal velocity, whichever one is greater, i.e., whether the wheel is accelerating or braking. In a lateral case, i.e., in the wheel's lateral direction, the slip is defined in terms of a ratio between the wheel's lateral and longitudinal velocity components.
Knowledge of the tire function is important for reliable vehicle control, as several approaches for enabling ADAS features rely on an accurate model of the tire friction's variation with the slip. Unfortunately, the vehicle states involved in the tire-friction estimation are not directly measured in production vehicles. Therefore, tire-friction estimation is usually done by either indirect friction determination methods, sometimes in combination with sensors that are too expensive to be deployed in production vehicles.
A number of methods aim to estimate the parameters of the tires using various optimization techniques. For example, the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,065,067 uses bins of collected data to approximate a nonlinear function and minimizing error of the friction using nonlinear optimization. However, the nonlinear optimization is known to be prone to lack of convergence of convergence in a local optimum. Furthermore, relying on nonlinear optimization necessitates the use of a particular tire model, which is suboptimal because different tire models are suitable for different purposes.
Methods for determining the tire friction are often based on high-precision sensor setups or test rigs. However, high-precision sensors are costly and test rigs are only an approximation of the real world, so that determining a particular tire model in a test rig will only be true for that particular test rig.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and a method for determining the tire between a road surface and a tire using sensors available in production vehicles.

System and method for determining friction curve of tire

Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.


A process for all-optically switching an incoming optical signal having at least a data packet is provided. The data packet including at least an address bit in its header, and the process includes receiving the data packet; processing the header optically; storing the decision made during the processing of the header; and switching the whole incoming data packet dependent upon the decision.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to optical telecommunication, and particularly to all-optical header processing and packet switching.
2. Background of the Invention
With the increasing popularity of the World Wide Web, the Internet protocol which is by nature a packet-switching technology has become the de facto data transmission standard. However, current optical networks are still based on circuit-switching technology and therefore may not be suitable for handling heavy data traffic. Processing and routing of packet-formatted signals optically are hampered by the lack of practical optical buffers and the limited capability of available optical logic gates.
In the conventional design, a typical packet switch generally includes a header processing unit (HPU) and a packet routing unit (PRU). The HPU processes the header of an incoming packet, determines which output port the input packet should be sent, and set the PRU accordingly. During the packet transmission, either physical or logical, a data path is then provided by the PRU between the related input and output ports. Most of the current optical packet switches are in fact hybrid optical packet switches, i.e., while the packet remains in the optical domain, a copy of the packet header is converted into electrical signals for processing in the HPU. The decision of the HPU is then used to set the PRU to route the packet.

All-optical header processing and packet switching


A fluid pressure booster and a fluid pressure brake apparatus having the fluid pressure booster are provided. The fluid pressure booster includes an auxiliary fluid pressure source including a power-operated pump and a pressure accumulator, a pressure adjusting device which adjusts fluid pressure supplied from the auxiliary fluid pressure source to a value corresponding to an operating amount of a brake operation member by displacement of a spool valve and introduces the adjusted fluid pressure into a boost chamber, a boost piston which receives the fluid pressure introduced into the boost chamber to generate assist force and operates a master piston of a master cylinder by assisted force, and a damper chamber which communicates with one or both of the boost chamber and a pressure chamber of the master cylinder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluid pressure booster which generates assist force corresponding to an operating amount of a brake operation member by using fluid pressure supplied from an auxiliary fluid pressure source and applies assisted force to a master cylinder, and a fluid pressure brake apparatus having the fluid pressure booster.
2. Description of Related Art
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,037 B discloses a basic technique of a fluid pressure booster which adjusts fluid pressure supplied from an auxiliary fluid pressure source having a power-operated pump and a pressure accumulator, to a value corresponding to an operating amount of a brake operation member with a pressure adjusting device having a spool valve, introduces the same into a boost chamber, applies the fluid pressure to a boost piston to generate assist force corresponding to the brake operating amount and applies assisted force (force obtained by adding the assist force to brake operating force applied by a vehicle driver) to a piston of a master cylinder.
Also, there has been known a fluid pressure brake apparatus having a reflux-type pressure adjusting unit which performs an ABS (antilock brake system) control or ESC (Electronic Stability Control) operation based on a command from an electronic control unit.
When the electronic control unit determines that it is necessary to decrease pressure of a wheel cylinder, based on information from a variety of sensors detecting wheel speed, operating stroke of a brake operation member, brake fluid pressure, movement of a vehicle and the like, the reflux-type pressure adjusting unit cuts off a fluid pressure path extending from the master cylinder to the wheel cylinder by a pressure increase solenoid valve and connects the wheel cylinder to a low pressure fluid storage by a pressure decrease solenoid valve, thereby performing pressure decrease control.
After that, when the electronic control unit determines that it is necessary to perform the pressurization again, the reflux-type pressure adjusting unit drives a power-operated reflex pump to pump up brake fluid in the low pressure fluid storage, opens the pressure increase solenoid valve and closes the pressure decrease solenoid valve, thereby refluxing the pumped brake fluid to the fluid pressure path extending from the master cylinder to the wheel cylinder.
Regarding the fluid pressure brake apparatus adopting the reflux-type pressure adjusting unit, two types are suggested. In one type device, a cutoff valve is provided at a more upstream side (master cylinder-side) than a position (reflux point) at which the brake fluid pumped by the reflux pump is introduced to the fluid pressure path extending from the master cylinder to the wheel cylinder, and the cutoff valve is closed when the control such as ABS is performed. In the other type device, the cutoff valve is not provided.
In the latter device having no cutoff valve, the brake fluid pumped by the reflux pump flows backward toward the master cylinder (hereinafter referred to as 'pump back').
According to the related-art fluid pressure brake apparatus having the reflux-type pressure adjusting unit, regarding a booster which is provided so as to assist a braking operation of a driver, a vacuum booster has been adopted which generates assist force by using a negative pressure of an engine. However, since it is not possible to expect the assist by the negative force of the engine in a valve matic vehicle in which an intake valve lift amount is continuously varied to enable an intake value to function as a throttle valve, an HEV (hybrid electric vehicle), an EV (Electric Vehicle) and the like. Therefore, it is considered to combine a fluid pressure booster. The fluid pressure booster applies fluid pressure (boost pressure) introduced into a boost chamber to a boost piston, thereby generating the assist force.
However, when the fluid pressure booster is adopted instead of the vacuum booster, the precision of the pressure adjustment is lowered due to the pump back, so that an operation feeling of the brake and the durability of a cup of the master cylinder are thus deteriorated. Therefore, measures capable of avoiding the problems are needed.
That is, when the pump back occurs, the piston of the master cylinder is pushed back by the fluid pressure flowing backward from the pressure adjusting unit. The pushing force is transferred to the boost piston (which is referred to as a power piston in the vacuum booster), so that the boost piston is also pushed back.
In the fluid pressure brake apparatus adopting the vacuum booster which operates a power piston by a pressure difference between a negative pressure chamber and an atmosphere chamber and thus generates the assist force, even when the power piston is pushed back, since the air sealed in the atmosphere chamber is compressed by displacement of the power piston, the pressure in the atmosphere chamber is not increased much and the influence of the pump back is suppressed to a slight amount.
Compared to the vacuum booster, according to the fluid pressure booster, brake fluid sealed in the boost chamber is compressed as the boost piston is pushed back due to the pump back, and the brake fluid is non-compressible oil. Therefore, the pressure increase in the boost chamber is not negligible until a discharge port, which enables the boost chamber to communicate with a reservoir, is opened.
For the fluid pressure brake apparatus in which electronic control of the wheel cylinder pressure is made by so-called differential pressure control, a pressure increase, which corresponds to the increase of the master cylinder pressure due to the pump back, occurs in the boost chamber, so that the master cylinder pressure is increased to balance with the boost pressure. Therefore, there would be caused the lowering of the control precision of the wheel cylinder pressure, which deteriorates the reliability of the ABS control and the like, the pulsation, which deteriorates the durability of the cup of the master cylinder and the like, the deterioration of the operation feeling of the brake and the like.
Also, in the fluid pressure brake apparatus in which the pressure adjusting control of the wheel cylinder by the electronic control is made by pulse control, when the boost pressure is increased by the pump back in a pressure boost mode, an introduction amount of the fluid pressure into the wheel cylinder is more increased than a target amount. Accordingly, there would be also caused the lowering of the control reliability, the deterioration of the operation feeling and the like although the degrees thereof are less than those in the fluid pressure brake apparatus adopting the differential pressure control.

Fluid pressure booster and fluid pressure brake apparatus having the same


A system is provided for attenuating noise in at least two positive displacement compressors proximately located from each other for use with at least one heating or cooling system. A lead compressor and a lag compressor have a selectably controllable rotational speed and a selectably controllable phase of operation. A controller selectably controls the rotational speed and the phase of operation of each of the compressors. The controller controls the rotational speed of the compressors at a predetermined rotational speed that is substantially the same for each of the compressors. The controller controls the phase of operation of the compressors by shifting the phase of operation of the lag compressor so that an outlet pressure pulse operatively produced by the lag compressor is substantially evenly spaced between successive outlet pressure pulses operatively produced by the reference compressor.

The present invention relates generally to a method of operation and apparatus for noise attenuation of positive displacement compressors, and more particularly, to a method of operation and apparatus for noise attenuation of screw compressors that decreases the composite pressure pulse of the screw compressors by varying the speed of one or more of the screw compressors.
Heating and cooling systems typically maintain temperature control in a structure by circulating a fluid within coiled tubes such that passing another fluid over the tubes effects a transfer of thermal energy between the two fluids. A primary component in such a system is a positive displacement compressor which receives a cool, low pressure gas and by virtue of a compression device, exhausts a hot, high gas. One type of positive displacement compressor is a screw compressor, which generally includes two cylindrical rotors mounted on separate shafts inside a hollow, double-barreled casing. The side-walls of the compressor casing typically form two parallel, overlapping cylinders which house the rotors side-by-side, with their shafts parallel to the ground. Screw compressor rotors typically have helically extending lobes and grooves on their outer surfaces forming a large thread on the circumference of the rotor. During operation, the threads of the rotors mesh together, with the lobes on one rotor meshing with the corresponding grooves on the other rotor to form a series of gaps between the rotors. These gaps form a continuous compression chamber that communicates with the compressor inlet opening, or "port," at one end of the casing and continuously reduces in volume as the rotors turn and compress the gas toward a discharge port at the opposite end of the casing for use in the system.
These rotors rotate at high rates of speed, and multiple sets of rotors (compressors) may be configured to work together to further increase the amount of gas that can be circulated in the system, thereby increasing the operating capacity of a system. While the rotors provide a continuous pumping action, each set of rotors (compressor) produces pressure pulses as the pressurized fluid is discharged at the discharge port. These discharge pressure pulsations act as significant sources of audible sound within the system. In addition, when multiple rotors (compressors) are proximately located, whether being utilized within the same or independent heating or cooling systems, if the rotors are not operating at substantially the same rotational speed, a phenomenon known as beating may occur. Beating, also referred to as beats, result from a difference between the frequencies of the discharge pressure pulsations. In addition to providing further undesirable sound, beats can potentially damage the compressors.
To eliminate or minimize beats and the undesirable sound, noise attenuation devices or systems can be used. One example of a noise attenuation system is a dissipative or absorptive muffler system typically located at the discharge of the compressors. The use of muffler systems to attenuate sound can be expensive, depending upon the frequencies that must be attenuated by the muffler system. Typically, the lower the frequency of the sound to be attenuated, the greater the cost and size of the muffler system.
What is needed is a cost-effective, efficient and easily implemented method or apparatus for compressor noise attenuation that may be used with multiple variable speed compressors.

System and method for noise attenuation of screw compressors


A plain bearing may comprise a bearing substrate, a bearing overlay, and an interlayer disposed between the bearing substrate and the bearing overlay. The interlayer may comprise hexagonal boron nitride.

Plain bearings are used in many applications, such as for crankshaft journal bearings in internal-combustion engines. Plain bearings are usually in the form of two semi-cylindrical bearing shells and generally have a layered construction. The layered construction frequently comprises; a backing made from a strong backing material such as steel, of a thickness in the region of about 1 mm or more; a lining of a first bearing material adhered to the backing and of a thickness generally in the range from about 0.1 to 0.5 mm; and an overlay (or sliding layer or running layer) supported by the lining and having a thickness of less than about 40 μm. The surface of the overlay forms the running or sliding surface with a cooperating shaft journal surface.
The backing provides strength and resistance to deformation of the bearing shell when it is installed in a main-bearing housing or in a connecting-rod big end, for example.
A purpose of the bearing lining is to provide suitable bearing running properties in case the overlay should be worn through for any reason, and to prevent the journal surface from coming into contact with the strong backing material. The lining may commonly be either an aluminium-based alloy or a copper alloy. Copper alloys, such as bronzes or brasses, are typically used in more highly-loaded bearings to provide additional support for the overlay.
The overlay is conventionally formed by a relatively soft metal layer, such as lead or a lead-tin alloy. A relatively soft overlay is used in order to provide conformability (the ability of the bearing to accommodate small misalignments between the bearing surface and the shaft journal) and embeddability (the ability to prevent debris or dirt particles, which may circulate in the lubricating oil, from scoring or damaging the journal surface by enabling such debris to embed in the bearing surface).
Many conventional overlay materials are based on alloys of lead. Lead is a toxic metal and its use in internal-combustion engines is undesirable, and its use is being discouraged by governmental legislation throughout the world.
Lead-free overlay materials are available, typically based on tin or bismuth alloys. However, when tin or bismuth is used in an overlay and is deposited on a bearing lining comprising a copper alloy, a problem arises in that the tin or bismuth, under the elevated temperatures of engine operating conditions, disadvantageously tends to diffuse out of the overlay into the lining alloy, and/or to form intermetallic compounds with the copper in the lining.
This problem is conventionally addressed by coating the lining surface with a nickel interlayer, of up to about 3 μm thickness, and then forming the overlay over the interlayer.
The nickel interlayer, which is sometimes referred to as a barrier layer or nickel dam, provides a diffusion barrier between the overlay and the lining. However, the use of a nickel interlayer leads to a new problem.
As described above, in a conventional bearing having a lead-based overlay, an important function of the lining is to provide suitable bearing running properties if the overlay should be worn through for any reason. But if an overlay is formed over a nickel interlayer, and the overlay is worn through during use to expose the nickel, the nickel does not provide suitable bearing running properties.
In practice, in a bearing comprising a lead overlay and a copper-based lining, if the overlay in a portion of the bearing is worn through to expose the lining, the bearing may continue to operate even though bearing performance is reduced. For example, bearing friction may rise, but the bearing may not seize, allowing time for the bearing to be replaced. (The wearing-through of the overlay and the exposure of the layer beneath is sometimes termed a scuffing event.)
By contrast, in a bearing comprising a lead-free overlay, a nickel interlayer and a copper-based lining, if the overlay wears through and the nickel is exposed, then rapid seizure of the bearing is much more likely. Seizure can cause extensive damage to, for example, an internal-combustion engine.
This is a particular problem in highly-loaded bearing applications, where designers and engineers specifying and using plain bearings prefer to use bearings with lead-based overlays, despite the problem of lead pollution and the long-felt need for alternative, lead-free bearings.
It is an object of the present invention to solve this problem.


An error detecting method and apparatus may be provided for a moving image transmitting system. An error detection code may be generated for each data block of a frame. The generated error detection code may be inserted into a byte alignment code of the data block. The frame may then be transmitted from a transmitting side to a receiving side. A byte alignment code may be extracted from each data block after the frame is received at the receiving side. Errors may be detected based on the extracted code. The method may enable a moving image encoder to be stably operated and allow improvement of the picture quality. Also, the method may allow the byte alignment code, which has been regarded as meaningless information, to be associated with a channel code so as to enhance error detection efficiency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to error detecting, and more particularly relates to an error detecting methodology for a moving image transmitting system.
2. Background of Related Art
A moving image transmitting system may include a transmitting side and a receiving side that are coupled together by a channel. The channel may have a limited capacity in which to transmit information based on restricting conditions such as a band limit (or bandwidth) characteristics and/or background noise. When information is transmitted that exceeds a limit of the channel, there is a high probability that the receiving side may misjudge the information or even fail to receive all the information.
Channel coding may be used in view of those problems. One purpose of channel coding is to transmit as much information as possible. Another purpose of channel coding is to transmit information with as little error as possible. However, these two purposes of channel coding may be contradictory to each other.
Coding may involve converting an analogue signal into a data signal (or a digital signal). This may also be referred to as source coding. Channel coding is coding data that has undergone the source coding into another form. Channel coding may include an entropy coding, an error control coding, and an encryption, for example. These three types of coding will now be briefly discussed.
Entropy coding may reduce the number of data bits (i.e., data length) by compressing data so that the data can be transmitted as much as possible through a channel having a limited capacity. This technique for compressing data at the time of transmitting the image signal may be greatly utilized especially when an image signal has a large amount information (or data length).
Error control coding may involve coding source coded data into data of another form at the transmitting side. This may be done so that the receiving side can detect error bits and correct the data if an error is generated at an arbitrary bit at the time of data transmission. At this time, the source coded data is referred to as an information word, and the channel coded data is referred to as a code word. Transmission data between the receiving side and the transmitting side may include the information word and the code word. In order to control a transmission error, a transmitter (or the transmitting side) may transmit data including a redundancy bit added to an information bit. The receiving side may detect error bits of the received data using the redundancy bit and corrects the data. Error control coding may differ from entropy coding in that error control coding may increase an amount of data that is being transmitted.
Encryption is a technique for preventing information from being invaded without permission from outside, or from being arbitrarily fabricated. Transmission data between the transmitter and the receiver may include bits having no meaning (i.e., meaningless bits) such as a byte alignment code as well as meaningful bits such as the information word (or information bits) and the code word (or code bits).
FIG. 1 is an exemplary view of transmission data including a byte alignment code. Byte alignment may add several codes to a transmission data block so that the transmission data block can have a size relative to a number of byte units (i.e., a multiple of eight). For example, if a size of the transmission data block is 140 bits, then four '0' bit codes may be added to an end of the transmission data block. As another example, if a size of the transmission data block is 161 bits, then seven '0' bit codes may be added to an end of the transmission data block.
In video coding, a starting bit of a starting code is associated with a boundary of a byte in order to easily search for the starting code. The byte alignment code may be inserted into each block (or frame) of the transmission data. In some circumstances, a data block can exist without having any byte alignment code. If a size of the data block is a multiple of eight, then a corresponding data block may not have a byte alignment code.
In background art, a channel code may be transmitted in order to improve error detection efficiency. However, the amount of transmission data may increase. Additionally, since 24˜30 minimum unit images (i.e., stationary images) may be transmitted per second for moving image data, the byte alignment code may lower the data transmission efficiency.


Methods and systems are disclosed for providing physical layer resources to a plurality of medium access control (MAC) instances that are associated with different serving sites that are independently scheduled. For example, a WTRU may utilize a first physical layer configuration for transmitting to a first serving site associated with a first MAC instance. The WTRU may utilize a second physical layer configuration for transmitting to a second serving site associated with a second MAC instance. The WTRU may prevent conflicts between transmission requests from the first MAC instance and transmission requests from the second MAC instance. For example, preventing the conflicts may include utilizing one or more of time segregation or frequency segregation for transmissions associated with the first MAC instance and transmissions associated with the second MAC instance.

Long Term Evolution (LTE) R11 and earlier may support multi-point connections with Remote Radio Heads (RRH) based architectures. However, such systems utilized a centralized scheduler on the same or different uplink (UL) and/or downlink (DL) frequencies. Since the scheduling of the different transmissions were scheduled in a coordinated fashion, conflicts between scheduling orders received from different transmission/reception points were generally not of great concern.
The operation of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) in a network in which the scheduling functionality for the downlink and/or the uplink transmissions is distributed in more than one physical location and/or node may present some challenges. For example, some characteristics of a signal to be transmitted by a WTRU may depend on scheduling decisions that are made independently in each node. Without tight coordination among nodes (e.g., which may be unavailable if the backhaul link between the nodes is associated with a relatively high latency) certain signals may not be properly transmitted at the WTRU side, and signals received at the network side may not be properly decoded.

Physical layer operation for multi-layer operation in a wireless system


The invention relates to a gas generator for an occupant protection system, particularly for an airbag module in a motor vehicle, having an outer housing, an interior space formed in the outer housing for receiving a gas generating substance, an outflow opening for discharging gas generated in the interior space out of the gas generator, and a flow connection between the interior space and the outflow opening. According to the invention, the cross section of the flow connection between the interior space and the outflow opening is designed to be temperature-dependently variable. Further, a method for influencing a gas flow in a gas generator is described.

The present invention relates to a gas generator and a method for influencing a gas flow in a gas generator.
Such a gas generator is for instance suitable for an application in an occupant protection system like an airbag system in a motor vehicle for providing gas that is used for inflating an airbag. Such gas generators have to satisfy safety requirements to which amongst other things also passing the so-called bonfire test (a fire test) belongs. Thereby, the gas generator has to be designed and produced such that it is not fragmented by the heat of a fire, i.e., does not break apart. These safety requirements are prescribed by the motor vehicle producer as well as by the legislature for the admission of gas generators in motor vehicles by the Federal Institute of materials research and test.
Three or four possible positions of a gas generator are provided with respect to a flame for the bonfire test. For example, in case of a tubular gas generator four positions are to be tested:
1. a position in which the igniter of the gas generator is oriented towards the flame,
2. a position in which the igniter of the gas generator is oriented away from the flame,
3. a position in which the generator axis lies horizontally and a flame impingement of the gas generator takes place in the middle of the gas generator, and
4. a position in which the generator axis is in turn arranged horizontally, the flame impingement however occurs at a location of the gas generator being apart from the igniter.
It is known from the state of the art to employ an early ignition means (a so-called auto ignition material) in the form of pills or granules for solving the so-called bonfire problem (i.e. of the flame impingement of the gas generator while avoiding fragmentation of the same at the same time). The early ignition means comprises a lower self ignition temperature (auto ignition temperature) than a gas kit that is used in the gas generator for the actual gas production. For instance, self ignition means having a self ignition temperature of 160° C. are known. Usually, employed pyrotechnical gas kits are however much more heat resistant and comprise a higher ignition temperature or a higher exothermic reaction temperature than an early ignition means. For instance, gas kits having an exothermic reaction temperature of 260° C. are known.
One function of an early ignition means consists in causing a controlled conversion of the actual gas kit by means of an early ignition. The notion "controlled conversion" thereby means a controlled and reasonable burning rate of the gas kit. The burning rate of the gas kit increases with temperature of the gas kit before conversion. The higher the burning rate of the gas kit, the higher the internal pressure inside the gas generator. In case the internal pressure in the gas generator or in the burning chamber exceeds the usual measure, the danger of a fragmentation of the gas generator increases. This is particularly the case when the structure material of the gas generator is a weakened one due to a strong heating anyway. Thus, it is known from the state of the art that by means of a strong heating of the structure material of the gas generator in a bonfire test the structural performance of the structure material is lowered. By means of an early ignition of the early ignition means and an early conversion of the actual gas kit caused herewith at relatively low starting temperature, a load acting onto the structure material of the gas generator is kept low as a consequence of the lower internal gas pressure in the gas generator, so that the danger of a fragmentation is decreased.
The above stated function can be fulfilled particularly well by the early ignition means in case the heat acting onto the gas generator upon flame impingement of the gas generator during the bonfire test can rapidly get to the early ignition means by means of heat transfer. This is particularly the case when an advantageous test position exists, for instance in case the igniter is oriented towards the flame. Due to the distance of the early ignition means to the flame or the fire, respectively, being small in this position, the self ignition temperature of the self ignition means can be rapidly reached by advantageous heat transfer.
In case of a disadvantageous position during the bonfire test like for instance a horizontal alignment of the gas generator and a flame impingement at a location of the gas generator facing away from the early ignition means or the igniter, respectively, a delayed activation of the early ignition means may result, since a relatively large distance between the flame and the early ignition means causes a long period of time for a transfer of heat to the early ignition means. This means, that in this case the gas kit is already relatively hot upon ignition so that a higher burning rate and therefore a higher internal pressure in the burning chamber of the gas generator is reached. In addition, the generator housing has significantly lost rigidity due to the increased temperature. In the worst case a fragmentation of the gas generator may occur during this part of the bonfire test.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,372 a gas generator is known that comprises a supply connection, through which an interior space of the gas generator can be filled with gas being under pressure in the interior space. After filling the interior space, the supply connection can be closed by a sealing that is deformed in case of high temperatures or melts. Hereby, the supply connection can be set free again so that it represents a safety valve of the gas generator that is opened in case of high temperatures. The gas stored in the gas generator does then however not leave the gas generator at the gas outlet but at the supply connection of the gas generator.
It would be advantageous to provide for a gas generator that passes the bonfire test in an especially advantageous manner.

Gas generator and method for influencing a gas flow in a gas generator


An oral care implement with a handle includes a head with a tissue cleanser. The tissue cleanser may be a pad composed of an elastomeric material. The pad is disposed on the head on a surface opposite the tooth cleaning elements. The tissue cleanser may include a plurality of nubs extending for cleaning between the papillae of the tongue. The tissue cleanser may include a plurality of conically shaped nubs. A tissue cleanser can be used to reduce oral malodor problems and remove oral epithelial cells.

According to the American Dental Association, a major source of bad breath in healthy people is microbial deposits on the tongue, where a bacterial coating harbors organisms and debris that contribute to bad breath. The tongue is a haven for the growth of microorganisms since the papillary nature of the tongue surface creates a unique ecological site that provides an extremely large surface area, favoring the accumulation of oral bacteria. Anaerobic flora and bacteria residing on the tongue play an important role in the development of chronic bad breath commonly called halitosis. In general, the bacteria produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSC). If there is enough buildup of the sulfur compounds, the result can be lead bad breath or oral malodor.
Bladed tongue scrapers have been used in the past, but have generally been inadequate in respect to their effectiveness and/or safety. Moreover, notwithstanding the benefits to be gained by any ability to clean the tongue, some users avoid the use of such blades because of lack of comfort on the tongue surface.
Hence, there is a need for an oral care implement with a tongue cleanser that provides effective removal of the tongue bacteria and other debris while maintaining comfort to the user.


An elastic wave device includes a medium layer, a piezoelectric body, and an IDT electrode that are disposed on a supporting substrate. The medium layer is made of a medium containing a low-velocity medium in which a propagation velocity of a same bulk wave as that which is a main vibration component of an elastic wave propagating in the piezoelectric body and being used is lower than a propagation velocity of the elastic wave, and a high-velocity medium in which the propagation velocity of the same bulk wave as that which is a main vibration component of the elastic wave is higher than the propagation velocity of the elastic wave.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an elastic wave device which utilizes an elastic wave propagating in a piezoelectric body. More particularly, the present invention relates to an elastic wave device including a medium layer disposed between a supporting substrate and a piezoelectric body, in which vibration of the main propagation mode of an elastic wave propagating in the piezoelectric body is distributed to the medium layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Elastic wave devices have been widely used as resonators and band filters. In recent years, there has been a strong demand for increasing the frequency of elastic wave devices.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-282232 discloses a surface acoustic wave device which meets the demand as described above. In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-282232, a hard dielectric layer is disposed on a dielectric substrate. A piezoelectric thin film is stacked on the hard dielectric layer. Furthermore, an electrode for exciting a leaky surface acoustic wave is provided on the piezoelectric thin film. In this surface acoustic wave device, the normalized film thickness khp (=2πTp/λ) is in a range of about 0.5 to 1.5, where λ is the wavelength of the leaky surface acoustic wave, and Tp is the thickness of the piezoelectric thin film. It is described that, thereby, the frequency of the surface acoustic wave device can be increased.
In the surface acoustic wave device described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-282232, an increase in acoustic velocity is achieved by disposing the hard dielectric layer between the dielectric substrate and the piezoelectric thin film. However, in such a structure, not only the leaky surface acoustic wave intended to be used, but also a higher-order mode of the surface acoustic wave propagates while being reflected between the surface of the piezoelectric thin film and the interface between the piezoelectric thin film and the hard dielectric layer. Accordingly, spurious responses due to the higher-order mode occur, thus degrading characteristics, which is a problem.
Furthermore, in the known surface acoustic wave device, when the thickness of the piezoelectric thin film varies due to production variations, characteristics of the surface acoustic wave device vary, which is a problem.

Elastic wave device including a supporting substrate, medium layer, and piezoelectric body


A planar transformer arrangement and method provide isolation between an input signal and an output signal. The planar transformer arrangement includes a planar medium having a first layer, a second layer, and a dielectric interlayer arranged between the first and second layers; at least one meandering primary winding arranged on the first layer of the planar medium, a current flow being induced within the primary winding in accordance with the input signal; at least one meandering secondary winding arranged on the second layer of the planar medium, the primary and secondary windings forming a planar transformer, whereby a voltage is induced across the secondary winding in accordance with the current flow within the primary winding; and a mode elimination arrangement configured to produce a compensated voltage by compensating for a common mode interference on the voltage induced across the secondary winding, the mode elimination arrangement being further configured to generate the output signal in accordance with the compensated voltage; wherein the dielectric interlayer of the planar medium provides a voltage isolation between the primary and secondary windings.

Transformers are often used in floating gate driver circuits for driving high power/voltage switches, for example, high voltage IGBTs for motor control and other applications. In such an application, a transformer provides isolation between low voltage driver circuitry and high voltage power switch circuitry. Such transformers may also be employed to communicate data signals between electrically isolated circuits (e.g., to communicate signals via a transceiver).
Traditionally, high-voltage isolation has required the use of bulky transformers. However, such transformers may be costly, cumbersome, and all transformers may be negatively affected by unwanted common-mode noise, such as noise generated by parasitic capacitances and/or an external magnetic field.
Conventional transformers inherently exhibit two kinds of parasitic capacitances: distributed parasitic capacitances between adjacent windings on a transformer; and interwinding parasitic capacitances between primary and secondary windings of the transformer. These parasitic capacitances result from the close proximity between transformer windings. The magnetic core is generally arranged between the primary and secondary windings of the transformer, so that the magnetic field generated by the transformer may be better conducted. However, operation of the transformer may induce the flow of disadvantageous currents within the magnetic core, if the core, for example, contacts the transformer windings. These currents may result in a degradation of the galvanic insulation between primary and secondary windings.
Furthermore, an externally applied magnetic field may result in disadvantageous common mode magnetic interference within conventional transformers. Such a magnetic field may induce the flow of unwanted currents within the primary and/or secondary windings of the transformer. These common-mode currents may cause a magnetic flux to form around the conductors of the primary and/or secondary windings, thereby inducing noise within the windings.


A portable wipe product for use in cleaning objects, such as pacifiers, bottles, teething objects, and cups that are to be placed in a child""s mouth. The wipes are dispensed from a portable dispenser. The wipes are covered with an aqueous mixture that, in its basic form, includes purified water, one of an emulsifier and a surfactant, a moisture preserving agent, a chelator, a preservative, and an acidulant. Flavoring and an anti-oxidant may also be added.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to wipe products and, more specifically, to a wipe for cleaning objects such as pacifiers, nipples, teething objects, and cups that a child places in his or her mouth.
2. Background of the Invention
Virtually all parents of small children have experienced the frustration of having a pacifier, bottle, or like object fall to the ground and become dirtyxe2x80x94making the object unsuitable to be placed in a child""s mouth, even though the child may be desperately in need of that object. In such instances, parents are often forced to choose between allowing the child to cry, allowing the child to place a dirty object in his or her mouth, wiping the object on an article of clothing (e.g., pant leg or shirt), xe2x80x9ccleaningxe2x80x9d the object in the parent""s mouth, or other unsatisfactory solutions. A parent may on occasion be tempted to use a diaper wipe for such a purpose, but chemicals present in such wipesxe2x80x94including fragrances, perfumes, alcohols, and oilsxe2x80x94make them unhealthy for such use or at least bad-tasting to the child.
A proper washing of the object in warm, soapy water can be effective; however, water is not always readily available to a parent in such situations. Thus, a parent travelling in a car, seated in a theater, or otherwise distant from a sink or water fountain may not be able to clean the object in this manner. Moreover, even where a water source is available, the running of water over the object alone may not suffice to remove dirt covering the objectxe2x80x94a wiping action of some kind may be necessary.
A need therefore existed for a portable wipe product to be used to clean objects that are placed in a child""s mouth. The wipe must not be harmful to the child, and moreover must not be foul- tasting to the child. Preferably, the wipe product should be flavored so as to provide an appealing scent and so as not to leave any actual taste on the objectxe2x80x94while not leaving an actual taste on the object that could lead an infant to develop a like or dislike to the wipe product. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides other, related, advantages.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable wipe product for use in cleaning objects to be placed in a child""s mouth.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a portable wipe product for use in cleaning objects to be placed in a child""s mouth, which product will be harmless and non-offensive in taste.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a portable wipe product for use in cleaning objects to be placed in a child""s mouth which product is lightly flavored so as to provide a pleasant scent and neutral taste to a child when used on an object.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a wipe product for cleaning objects to be placed in a child""s mouth is disclosed. The wipe product comprises, in combination: a dispenser; a plurality of wipes located within the dispenser and adapted to be dispensed through an opening in the dispenser; wherein the plurality of wipes is treated with a composition comprising, in combination: water; one of an emulsifier and a surfactant; a moisture preserving agent; a chelator; a preservative; and an acidulant.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a wipe product for cleaning objects to be placed in a child""s mouth is disclosed. The wipe product comprises, in combination: a dispenser; a plurality of wipes located within the dispenser and adapted to be dispensed through an opening in the dispenser; wherein the plurality of wipes is treated with a composition comprising, in combination: water; wherein the water is purified using one of an ultraviolet, de-ionizing and reverse osmosis process; one of an emulsifier and a surfactant; wherein the one of an emulsifier and a surfactant is polysorbate 80; a moisture preserving agent; wherein the moisture preserving agent is glycerine; a chelator; wherein the chelator is sodium citrate; a preservative; and wherein the preservative is sodium benzoate; an acidulant; wherein the acidulant is citric acid.
In accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, a wipe product for cleaning objects to be placed in a child""s mouth is disclosed. The wipe product comprises, in combination: a dispenser; a plurality of wipes located within the dispenser and adapted to be dispensed through an opening in the dispenser; wherein the plurality of wipes is treated with a composition consisting of: water; wherein the water is purified using one of an ultraviolet and reverse osmosis process; one of an emulsifier and a surfactant; wherein the one of an emulsifier and a surfactant is polysorbate 80; a moisture preserving agent; wherein the moisture preserving agent is glycerine; a chelator; wherein the chelator is sodium citrate; a preservative; and wherein the preservative is sodium benzoate; an acidulant; wherein the acidulant is citric acid.
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Wipe for objects that are to be placed in a child""s mouth


To provide a mask less liable to cause a shift in wearing position. The mask includes a main-body portion for covering a lower face portion of a wearer and a fixation portion, coupled to the main body portion, for fixing the main-body portion to the lower face portion of the wearer. The main-body portion includes: a main-sheet portion; a lower body for holding a lower jaw of the wearer, the lower body being made of a stretchable material and provided across right and left end portions of the main-sheet portion on a lower, inner side of the main-sheet portion; and/or an upper body for holding the nose of the wearer, the upper body being made of a stretchable material and provided across the right and left end portions of the main-sheet portion on an upper, inner side of the main-sheet portion.

For conventional masks, there have been proposed various methods of causing peripheral portions of a mask to be held in close contact with skin of a wearer for the purpose of preventing leakage of exhaled air and intrusion of outside air.
For example, Patent Document 1 describes a sanitary mask ear-loop cords attached to both right and left side portions of a mask main body, in which an upper portion of the mask main body is once bent downward to an inner side, and then bent again upward to the inner side, and in which a flexible wire is attached to a leading edge of the upper folded portion so that a central part of the leading edge is expanded to enable immovable support of the mask by causing the mask to be held in close contact from a nose part to cheek parts.
Patent Document 2 describes a mask including a main-body portion for covering the face of a wearer, and ear-loop cords attached to the main-body portion, in which auxiliary pieces each made of an air-permeable material are provided on an inner side of the main-body portion so as to be interposed in gaps between the main-body portion and the face of the wearer.
Patent Document 3 describes a three-dimensional mask including a mask main body formed by bonding a pair of right and left non-woven fabric sheets to each other, and ear-loop portions provided on both side portions of the mask main body, the mask main body being horizontally opened at the time of wearing of the three-dimensional mask so that a bonded portion of the non-woven fabric sheets projects forward, in which at least parts of folded-back pieces, which are folded back at a fold portion toward a rear surface side of the mask main body, are bonded to upper portions of the non-woven fabric sheets of the mask main body, the folded-back pieces being horizontally connected to each other and formed to rise at the fold portion from the rear surface side of the mask main body in association with horizontal opening movement of the mask main body.
Patent Document 4 describes a three-dimensional mask including a mask main body having a front-surface-side member made of an air-permeable material, a rear-surface-side member made of an air-permeable material and a convex member including a top, the convex member being sandwiched between the front-surface-side member and the rear-surface-side member, so as to project to the front surface side, and ear-loop portions provided on both sides of the mask main body so as to be engaged with the ears of a wearer, in which the mask main body includes an absence region formed below a lower end portion of the convex member, which is free from the convex member, and in which an elastic member having stretchability is arranged between the front-surface-side member and the rear-surface-side member in a lower end portion of the mask main body, the elastic member shrinking to form a jaw accommodating portion.
Patent Document 5 describes a gathered mask including three-dimensional gathers over an upper edge as well as right and left parts on a rear surface of a mask main body, and a wire provided above the upper part.
Patent Document 6 describes a mask including a nose-portion covering piece and a jaw-portion covering piece which are arranged in an overlapping state on a rear surface of a mask main body formed of a filter member such as non-woven fabric and each of which is made of the same material as that for the mask main body, in which an upper edge portion of the nose-portion covering piece is attached to an upper end portion of the mask main body through intermediation of a linear heat-fused portion curved downward in a circular-arc shape from a central portion in a width direction of the mask main body to both side-end portions, in which a lower edge portion of the jaw-portion covering piece is attached to a lower end portion of the mask main body through intermediation of another linear heat-fused portion curved upward in a circular-arc shape from the central portion in the width direction of the mask main body to both the side-end portions, in which an free-end portion of each of the nose-portion covering piece and the jaw-portion covering piece is formed to be expandable rearward, with the respective heat-fused portions being used as fulcrums, and in which cord attachment jigs are mounted to both the side-end portions of the mask main body so that ear-loop cords are attached to the cord attachment jigs.
Patent Document 7 describes a three-dimensional mask made of non-woven fabric, including a face covering portion and ear-loop portions, in which a V-shaped notch is provided to at least one of an upper side and a lower side of a center of the face covering portion so that the face covering portion is provided with three-dimensional properties by bonding both oblique lines of the notch, in which the face covering portion is formed of a continuous and single non-woven fabric piece, and in which a collar portion jettying upward is provided at a center on an upper side of the face covering portion.


An integrated circuit (IC) comprises a regulator circuit, a bootstrap control circuit, and a gate driver that drives a transistor pair in buck or boost mode to switch current through an inductor. The IC has a VIN terminal coupled to receive a voltage generated from an AC power source, a STR terminal coupled to receive a voltage from a stored power source (e.g., a capacitor bank), and a HSB terminal that is capacitively coupled to the inductor. When bucking or boosting, the regulator circuit generates VDD supply voltage from the stored power source, supplies the VDD supply voltage onto the bootstrap control circuit, and the bootstrap control circuit generates a gate driver supply voltage that is supplied to the gate driver circuit. When not bucking or boosting, voltage on the HSB terminal is maintained between a voltage threshold from the AC power source without draining the stored power source.

Capacitors and/or batteries are used to store energy in power loss protection systems. FIG. 1 (Prior Art) illustrates one example of a power loss protection system 100 for powering a device. The power loss protection system 100 involves a so-called "eFuse" 101, a switch component 102, enable trip point resistors 103 and 104, a boost converter circuit 105, a bank of capacitors and/or batteries 106, and a voltage regulator 107. This circuitry is soldered onto a printed circuit board. During normal operation of the power loss protection system, when the system is powering the device, the boost converter 105 receives some of the power from the eFuse output and uses that to charge the capacitors and/or batteries 106. If VIN at input 109 is then suddenly lost, for example due to a condition like a power brown out condition or a power cord disconnection event, then the eFuse turns off immediately and the fault signal is asserted. The fault signal is received by the second switch SW2 102. The second switch SW2 102 responds by turning on so that power can then be supplied onto node 108 from the capacitors and/or batteries 106 in the place of the lost power. The linear voltage regulator 107 reduces the capacitor voltage down to the supply voltage "VSYS" required by the device being powered. The required system power and supply voltage VSYS can therefore be maintained for long enough to allow data that is stored in the device in volatile memory to be transferred into non-volatile storage before system power is lost altogether. This kind of prior art power loss protection system is used to power devices where high reliability is required, such as in computers like laptops and servers. If capacitors are used for block 106, then the capacitance of the capacitors must be large enough that the energy stored in the capacitors can sustain system power long enough to allow the device to complete a safe power-off sequence involving backup of configuration information and status after a loss of VIN is detected. The capacitors are sized accordingly to account for anticipated system operation and the needs of the device being powered.

Optimized gate driver for low voltage power loss protection system


A stent graft (20) has a tubular body of graft material (21), a number of self expanding stents (67) associated with the tubular body to define a fluid flow path through the stent graft when the self expanding stents are in their expanded configurations. At least one fenestration (22) in the tubular body is adapted to receive a side arm stent graft (71) to provide a fluid flow path from the tubular body and through the side arm stent graft. The or each fenestration has at least an inner ring (26) and an outer ring (24) and graft material (28) extending from the inner ring to the outer ring and the outer ring being in the tubular body of graft material. The inner ring can be hinged (31) to the outer ring or concentric within the outer ring. An intermediate ring (86) may also be used between the inner and outer rings.

Stent grafts are used for treatment of vasculature in the human or animal body to bypass a repair or defect in the vasculature. For instance, a stent graft may be used to span an abdominal aortic aneurism. In many cases, however, such damaged or defected portion of the vasculature may include a branch vessel such as a mesenteric artery or a renal artery. Bypassing such an artery without providing blood flow into the branch artery can cause problems and hence it has been proposed to provide a fenestration in the wall of a stent graft which, when the stent graft is deployed, is positioned over the opening to the branch vessel. Another stent graft can be deployed through the fenestration into the branch vessel to provide a blood flow path to the branch artery.
A problem exists, however, in mapping the vasculature so that a fenestration is positioned correctly in relation to the branch vessel when a stent graft is constructed. Where the position of a fenestration with respect to a branch vessel is offset when the stent graft is deployed, it may be difficult to deploy guide wires and catheters from the stent graft into the branch vessel to enable correct positioning of the branch vessel stent graft. Also when the fenestration is offset from the branch and a stent graft is deployed into the branch vessel from a main stent graft, the branch vessel stent graft may be kinked to such an extent that blood flow will not occur through it.


A sterile kit for inserting an implant to which a dental prosthesis may be fastened, includes an implant (14) having a combined insertion tool/transfer pin (50) secured thereto by a screw (16), with a carrier (52) mating with the combined insertion tool/transfer pin to start the implant into a hole prepared therefor. The method of use includes taking an impression as soon as the implant is secured in the bone, thereafter removing the combined insertion tool/transfer pin, inserting a healing screw (38), and forming the model of the mouth and ultimate prosthesis and abutments in a laboratory while the several month healing process takes place.

In the 1930's, the first attempts to provide dental implants were unpredictable partially because of the materials which were used, and partially because of poor technique. The earliest implants were not capable of withstanding the loads provided thereto by chewing, the tongue and so forth.
During the 1960's and 1970's, the designs, materials and techniques utilized were radically altered and predictably acceptable results began to be achieved. The basic philosophy became to ensure that the implant was rigidly in place, with no capability for relative motion between it and the bony host. To ensure rigid securance of the implants, great care is taken to avoid any degradation of the immediately surrounding bone in preparing the site for the implant. Originally, the holes in the bones were tapped to provide an identical fit to screw threads on the implants; and in order to avoid excessive heat, low speed, high torque drills were used with cooling fluids. Implants are made of pure titanium or titanium alloys which are compatible with bone, fixtures, tools, and the ultimate prosthesis, as well as being innocuous in use over time. A sterile field was attempted to be maintained at all times.
Since then, many more improvements have been made in the materials, the parts, and the techniques. By way of example, a procedure which is widely practiced currently, illustrated in FIG. 1, utilizes a kit, contained in a sterile package, that includes a self-tapping implant 14, an insertion tool 15, held to the implant by a screw 16, and a carrier 17. The implant has threads 20, a self-tapping cutting edge 21, a recess 22, formed with the edge 21, which may have a hole 23 leading to a similar recess on the opposite side. The recess provides a place for the bone debris that forms from cutting the threads, thereby avoiding packing of the debris between the implant and the surrounding bone. The center of an outer end 24 of the implant is hollow and threaded (not shown) to receive the threads 25 of the screw 16. The outer end 24 also has a shallow hexagonal land 26 thereon for aligning the ultimate prosthesis (or abutment) therewith and for screwing the implant into the hole drilled into the bone. The land 26 is engaged by a hexagonal socket 28 formed in the insertion tool 15. The upper third (or so) of the insertion tool 16 has a hexagonal surface 30 which is engaged, initially by a hexagonal socket 33 formed in the carrier 17; the carrier may have serrations 34, or other features, to assist in handling it.
As shipped in a sterile bottle or other sterile package, the tool 15 is tightly secured over the land 26 by the screw 16, and the carrier 17 surrounds the hex surface 30 of the tool. The carrier typically forms the stopper of an interior bottle in a double sterile package. The implant may thus be hand started into the hole in the bone by means of the carrier. The carrier can then be shaken loose and removed. A socket wrench is then used to seat the implant subgingivally into the bone. Thus the process of securing the implant to the bone is readily achieved, with the sterility of all but the wrench ensured by packaging.
Once the implant 14 is properly secured in its final position, a hexagonal wrench is used to engage a hexagonal socket 36 formed in the outer end 37 of the screw, the screw 16 is backed out of the implant, and the insertion tool 15 is removed. Next, a healing screw 38 (FIG. 2) is threaded tightly into the implant to keep the outer end 24, the land 26 and the internal threads of the implant all clean and clear, as the gum tissue is allowed to heal over the healing screw. The healing screw 38 has a hex socket in its head 39 (not shown, similar to that of the screw 16) to permit rotating it with a hex wrench. The head 39 has an annular void to fit over, but not engage, the hexagonal land 26 on the implant 14.
This procedure requires that, after the implant is secured into the bone, the gum tissue covering the implant and healing screw thoroughly heal. For implants in the mandible, healing requires about three months; in the maxilla, about six months.
After healing, the gum is reopened, the healing screw 38 is removed, and an impression transfer pin 40 (FIG. 3) is secured to the implant 15 by a screw 41. The screw 41 may be rotated with a friction drive wrench. The transfer pin 40 is fit tightly to the implant 15 and x-rayed to ensure that it is tight and well mated, with no voids. Then, an impression is taken of the patient's mouth with the transfer pin in place. After the impression is completed, the screw and transfer pin are removed and a healing abutment (not shown) is threaded into the implant; the healing abutment typically extends above the gum line, so that the gum tissue can reheal, leaving an orifice open to the implant for later insertion of a suitable abutment which mounts the prosthesis.
While the second healing takes place, a laboratory prepares a working model of the mouth from the impression, utilizing the transfer pins, imbedded in the impression, to seat implant analogs (or dies) to which the prosthesis may be secured on the working model. Then the lab prepares the prosthesis, with the abutments which will be utilized for anchoring the prosthesis on the implants, secured to the implant analogs.
This process is long and cumbersome and has less than complete predictability, is traumatic for the patient, and difficult. In addition, maintaining sterility while manipulating all the small parts involved is a chore in itself. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for some of the small pieces to actually become lost (even down the throat of the patient). Visibility of the implant may be limited by blood and tissue.
In the process described above, the transfer pin is typically not provided in the sterile kit. As a consequence, there is a general practice of using the transfer pins over and over again. The transfer pins can become nicked and may have bits of material adherent thereto which together provide irregularities in the surface that impede both the seating of the transfer pin securely to the implant, without voids, prior to making the impression, as well as interfering with a faithful return to the impression when the construction is commenced. Furthermore, the seating of a transfer pin on an implant in a freshly prepared site is very likely to be less than perfect, with tissue or other debris lodging between the transfer pin and the implant; it is very unlikely that a debris-impeded fit would be replicated upon mounting an abutment for the prosthesis to the implant at the conclusion of the procedure.
In some cases, single stage implants, with abutments integrally formed thereon, have been used in a procedure which takes the impression on the mouth immediately after installing the implants. This procedure has not had general acceptance because it must be executed with extreme skill and without any significant anatomical contra indications or procedural mishaps. The temporization (protection) of the abutments through the tissue is also difficult. In contrast, the two stage process (hereinbefore) permits compensating for any incorrect angles or other misplacements of the implants. Furthermore, the abutment ends of the integrally formed implants are protected from tongue and chewing pressures for months, to avoid faulty healing. This requires easily adapting an existing denture or providing a temporary prosthesis, to cover the implants during healing.


A display device including a data mapping unit configured to identify a minimum value of the three-color input data corresponding to red, green, and blue (RGB), to determine white output color data by multiplying the identified minimum value by a gain ratio, and to subtract the white output color data from each of the three-color input data to determine RGB output color data, a gain adjustment unit configured to determine a preliminary gain ratio to minimize standard deviations of each of the white and RGB output color data, and to change a preliminary gain ratio based on an accumulated sum of color data used for respective sub-pixels in a previously displayed image to determine the gain ratio, and a display unit including unit pixels, each including RGB and white sub-pixels, and configured to display an image which corresponds to the and RGB output color data.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device having RGBW sub-pixels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TV field, a white OLED (WOLED) technique has been actively discussed which is favorable to manufacturing of high-resolution large-area OLEDs. The WOLED additionally includes white-color sub-pixels, such that color data of a white portion of an RGB signal may be implemented without use of a color filter. Because the color filter is not used, brightness reduction caused by the color filter does not occur.
When a display panel of an WOLED display device which uses RGBW sub-pixels is driven, the white color may be implemented in two ways: first, the white color may be implemented with white-color sub-pixels which do not pass through the color filter and second, the white color may be implemented by combining red, green, and blue which are implemented through RGB color filters.

Display device having RGBW sub-pixels and method for driving the display device


A method and an apparatus for monitoring the sedation level of a sedated patient during anaesthesia, in particular during a pre-surgical phase. The method comprises the steps of providing a skin conductance signal measured at an area of the patient's skin, calculating a derivative signal of said conductance signal with respect to time, and establishing said sedation level based on said derivative signal.

During surgery it is very important to observe the patient's level of consciousness and awareness. Few reliable methods of observation exist today. In the field of medical technology there is a problem in producing physical measurements representing the activity in an individual's autonomous nervous system, i.e. in the part of the nervous system, which is beyond the control of the will.
Particularly, there is a special need to establish a state of a sufficiently deep sedation in the patient, in order to avoid administering more anaesthesia than necessary during surgery and general anaesthesia.

Method and apparatus for monitoring the sedation level of a sedated patient


A mirror for a rear projection television receiver is formed of stretched and heat-shrunk metallized plastic film A U-shaped aluminum frame is formed out of roll stock and cut and bent into the desired shape The frame has a flat front surface that includes a smooth raised inner edge in contact with the metallized plastic film, which is adhesively secured to the flat front surface of the frame. A rigid backing is secured in close proximity to the metallized plastic film by having its edges sandwiched by the U-shaped frame. The frame has support brackets affixed thereto.

This invention relates generally to rear projection television receivers and particularly to the relatively large mirrors used in such projection receivers.
Rear projection type television receivers are very popular due to the large display screens that are available for the enjoyment of the user without necessitating special installations and/or large viewing areas. In such receivers, three color cathode ray tubes (red, green and blue) project an image onto a mirror, with the image being reflected (and magnified) onto a display screen that may comprise a fresnel lens arrangement. The large mirrors, on the order of 40.times.30 inches, are not only expensive, but heavy.
Recently, some rear projection television receiver mirrors have been fabricated of metallized plastic film that is tightly stretched and secured to a relatively light-weight aluminum frame. The technique utilizes a trapezoidal shape, U-shaped frame that is secured to the cabinet (at an appropriate angle) by brackets at its corners, or by welding. A rigid backing, in the form of about a one-half inch thick sheet of styrofoam is secured in the frame very close to the metallized plastic film. The metallized plastic film is stretched, wrapped around the frame and secured to both the backing and to the back of the frame by an adhesive. The excess metallized plastic film is trimmed and the assembly is subjected to heat for a short time to cause the stretched metallized plastic film to shrink somewhat. Suitable mounting brackets are affixed to the frame. The result is a very flat, light-weight mirror. The main drawback of the mirror is that it is very labor intensive, since the adhesive is manually applied and the metallized plastic film is hand-wrapped about the frame, similar to gift wrapping a package. The resultant mirror often exhibits deformations due to wrinkling of the metallized plastic film unless the hand-wrapping is carefully done.
The present invention improves upon such prior art metallized plastic film mirrors by eliminating a majority of the hand operations, machine forming the frame from aluminum roll stock and reducing the likelihood of wrinkling of the metallized plastic film by supporting it at a smooth peripheral edge that is raised from the frame surface

Metallized plastic film mirror for projection television receiver


A technique for detecting corruption associated with a stack in a storage device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the technique is realized by having a processing device insert a quantity of information adjacent to the stack in the storage device, wherein the quantity of information has an initial state. The processing device then inspects the quantity of information so as to identify any deviation from the initial state and thereby detect corruption associated with the stack in the storage device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to multi-tasking systems and, more particularly, to a technique for detecting corruption associated with a stack in a storage device.
2. Background of the Present Invention
A real time embedded system often provides a multi-tasking environment in order to meet diverse application requirements. In a multi-tasking environment, an individual stack (i.e., an individual work space) is typically required for each task. Each stack provides a location, or a group of locations, where dynamic function variables may be stored as needed for a corresponding task. Typically, each stack is allocated a dedicated range of sequential memory, although a stack can also be allocated a dedicated space of non-sequential memory. Regardless, stacks have always had problems in the areas of overflow and underflow.
Stack overflow occurs when the stack memory is insufficient to meet workload demand. Stack underflow occurs when a task attempts to pop too many function variables off of the stack. The net result of either operation is the corruption of adjacent memory. Corruption of adjacent memory results in non-predictable behavior and difficult to impossible casual analysis of the problem (i.e., finding the source of the problem).
Traditional solutions to stack overflow and underflow problems are to either significantly over-allocate stack memory or use hardware write protect schemes. The first solution basically ignores the problem, hoping but not ensuring that it never happens. Since stack corruption is a dynamic condition, this solution is fraught with shortcomings. The second solution solves the detection problem, but at the cost of additional hardware complexity and corresponding hardware failure rates.
A software solution to the above-described stack overflow and underflow problems is to keep track of the number of function variables that are on the stack by adding one (i.e., +1) to a counter whenever a push operation occurs, and by subtracting one (i.e., −1) from the counter whenever a pop operation occurs. However, whenever a complex push/pop operation is performed (i.e., when push/pop operations are performed in a number of different places), it is difficult to ensure that all such places perform the requisite addition/subtraction operation. As an alternative, a centralized procedure and/or function for performing the push and pop operations can be created, wherein the appropriate addition and subtraction operations are performed therein. However, this requires calling such procedures and/or functions, which requires additional memory space and processor time.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a technique for overcoming the above-described stack overflow and underflow problems, while also overcoming the shortcomings of the above-described prior art solutions. More particularly, it would be desirable to provide a technique for detecting stack corruption in a multi-tasking environment.

Technique for detecting corruption associated with a stack in a storage device


An arrangement for aligning a semiconductor process tool to a track system, and a method which facilitates the calibration and alignment between a previously installed overhead transport system in a fabrication facility or plant for semiconductor wafers or integrated circuit components, and a plurality of load ports on a process tool for the semiconductor wafer or integrated circuit components, which is to be subsequently installed in the fabrication facility.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arrangement for aligning a semiconductor process tool to a track system, and to a method which facilitates the calibration and alignment between a previously installed overhead transport system in a fabrication facility or plant for semiconductor wafers or integrated circuit components, and a plurality of load ports on a process tool for the semiconductor wafer or integrated circuit components, which is to be subsequently installed in the fabrication facility.
The concept of providing methods and arrangement for aligning a load port on a process machine or tool employed in the fabrication of various products, such as semiconductor wafers or integrated circuit components in a highly precisely aligned manner is widely known and employed in the applicable technology. In this connection, in many instances the overhead transportation systems utilized for the delivery of the components, which are to be processed, are installed subsequent to the positioning of the processing tool, which has been previously installed in the facility.
Generally, semiconductor fabricating equipment, which is provided for industrial fabrication installations (FABs), necessitate the provision of a large number of diverse processing or treatment chambers, modules, load ports and auxiliary equipment, which are assembled and fastened together in order to collectively form an equipment body, which is generally designated as a process tool. The particular process tool for the treatment of the semiconductor wafers or integrated circuit components is then operatively correlated in the fabrication facility with a number of mechanical connections which are provided for the supplying of process gasses, water, electrical power, HVAC, vacuum and exhaust, wherein the completed process tool assembly may be of a large and bulky size and processed of a weight in excess of several thousand pounds of assembled equipment and connections. Consequently, in the event that the orientation of the process tool equipment prior to assembly and installation in the fabrication facility is not correctly aligned with respect to the previously installed overhead track or transportation system which has been mounted in the fabrication facility, the integrity of the entire project in effecting the processing of the wafers is rendered doubtful in nature, and may necessitate the implementing of complex and costly modifications and production downtime in attempting to correct any misalignments which is present between the overhead track or transportation system and the process tool which is employed for the processing of the semiconductor wafers or integrated circuit chips.
Although installations and methods are currently known and employed in the technology for the alignment, and essentially optical alignment, between a FOUP load port of a process tool or wafer treating apparatus and an overhead transport system, this is generally implemented in that the overhead transport system is installed subsequently to the process tool, and thereafter, the load port on the process tool is aligned with the transport system. This is, essentially, a method of a nature which is subject to the problems as set forth hereinabove.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The publication of International SEMATECH, entitled "Guidelines for the Installation and Alignment of 300 mm Overhead Transports Systems (OTS) and Load Port Interfaces", Technology Transfer No. 02064276A-ENG, dated Jun. 19, 2002, discloses guidelines for the processing of 300 mm semiconductor wafers for integrated circuits, which pertains to the installation of a process equipment in alignment with an overhead transport system subsequent to the process tool being mounted in place in a fabrication facility. However, there is no disclosure of enabling such process tools, which posses multiple FOUP load ports to be aligned with a previously installed overhead transportation system in a manner analogous with the present invention, the latter of which employs a novel laser alignment apparatus for determining the accurate positioning of a process tool with a previously installed overhead transportation system.
The problem is also addressed in Lin, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,541,787 B2, which relates to the disclosure of an apparatus and a method for aligning a load port on a process tool or machine for 300 mm semiconductor wafers with an overhead transportation system. Again, although there is provided for an interface between a load port or a FOUP port, in effect a front opening unified port holding a plurality of 300 mm semiconductor wafers, does not this enable or disclose the alignment in a dynamic manner of a plurality of load ports on process tool installations relative to a previously installed overhead transport system employed in the fabrication facility.
Similar limitations in providing accurate alignments between process tools for semiconductor wafers and overhead transportation systems are encountered in the technology as represented by the disclosures of Schauer, et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0083776 A1; Huang, et al., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0197136 A1; Hsiao, U.S. Pat. No. 6,546,307 B1; Kovac, U.S. Pat. No. 6,433,875 B1; Palumbo, II, U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,219 B1; Slater, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,763; Krolak, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,615; and Brad Chen, German Patent Publication No. DE10033817 A1.
The prior art publications which are currently representative of the technology concerned with semiconductor manufacture and particularly in implementing precision alignment between an overhead track and a FOUP load port and kinematic load port interface fail to solve the problems encountered in the alignment between the locations of large scale and heavy semiconductor equipment or process tools and overhead track or transportation systems.

Automated material handling laser alignment tool

International Business Machines Corporation


An open magnet useful in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications. The magnet has two spaced-apart assemblies. Each assembly has a shielding coil located longitudinally outward from a main coil and a magnetizable pole piece spaced apart from and proximate the main and shielding coils. The method of the invention generates a magnetic field in a first area between the two assemblies while shielding a second area not between the two assemblies from a stray magnetic field by creating the previously-described open magnet.

Magnets include resistive and superconductive magnets which are part of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system used in various applications such as medical diagnostics. Known superconductive magnets include liquid-helium-cooled and cryocooler-cooled superconductive magnets. Typically, the superconductive coil assembly includes a superconductive main coil surrounded by a first thermal shield surrounded by a vacuum enclosure. A cryocooler-cooled magnet typically also includes a cryocooler coldhead externally mounted to the vacuum enclosure, having its first cold stage in thermal contact with the thermal shield, and having its second cold stage in thermal contact with the superconductive main coil. A liquid-helium-cooled magnet typically also includes a liquid-helium vessel surrounding the superconductive main coil and a second thermal shield which surrounds the first thermal shield which surrounds the liquid-helium vessel.
Known resistive and superconductive magnet designs include closed magnets and open magnets. Closed magnets typically have a single, tubular-shaped resistive or superconductive coil assembly having a bore. The coil assembly includes several radially-aligned and longitudinally spaced-apart resistive or superconductive main coils each carrying a large, identical electric current in the same direction. The main coils are thus designed to create a magnetic field of high uniformity within a typically spherical imaging volume centered within the magnet's bore where the object to be imaged is placed. A single, tubular-shaped shielding assembly may also be used to prevent the high magnetic field created by and surrounding the main coils from adversely interacting with electronic equipment in the vicinity of the magnet. Such shielding assembly includes several radially-aligned and longitudinally spaced-apart resistive or superconductive shielding coils carrying electric currents of generally equal amperage, but in an opposite direction, to the electric current carried in the main coils and positioned radially outward of the main coils.
Open magnets, including "C" shape magnets, typically employ two spaced-apart coil assemblies with the space between the assemblies containing the imaging volume and allowing for access by medical personnel for surgery or other medical procedures during magnetic resonance imaging. The patient may be positioned in that space or also in the bore of the toroidal-shaped coil assemblies. The open space helps the patient overcome any feelings of claustrophobia that may be experienced in a closed magnet design. Known open magnet designs having shielding include those wherein each coil assembly has an open bore and contains a resistive or superconductive shielding coil positioned longitudinally and radially outward from the resistive or superconductive main coil(s). In the case of a superconductive magnet, a large amount of expensive superconductor is needed in the main coil to overcome the magnetic field subtracting effects of the shielding coil. Calculations show that for a 0.75 Tesla magnet, generally 2,300 pounds of superconductor are needed yielding an expensive magnet weighing generally 12,000 pounds. The modest weight makes this a viable magnet design.
It is also known in open magnet designs to place an iron pole piece in the bore of a resistive or superconductive coil assembly which lacks a shielding coil. The iron pole piece enhances the strength of the magnetic field and, by shaping the surface of the pole piece, magnetically shims the magnet improving the homogeneity of the magnetic field. An iron return path is used to connect the two iron pole pieces. It is noted that the iron pole piece also acts to shield the magnet. However, a large amount of iron is needed in the iron pole piece to achieve shielding in strong magnets. In the case of a superconductive magnet, calculations show that for a 0.75 Tesla magnet, only generally 200 pounds of superconductor are needed yielding a magnet weighing over 70,000 pounds which is too heavy to be used in medical facilities such as hospitals. The weight does not make this a viable magnet design.
What is needed is an open magnet design having shielding which is light enough to be used in medical facilities and which is less expensive than known designs.


After coupling a first voltage source to a voltage supply circuit, a second voltage source having a same electrical level but an opposite electrical pole with said first voltage source is generated. An audio amplifier is then driven by both the first voltage source and the second voltage source, where said audio amplifier requires a pair of voltage sources having the same electrical level but opposite electrical poles to be driven. The voltage supply circuit generates the second voltage source from the first voltage source by simultaneously switching two sets of switches, where said both sets of switches have non-synchronous statuses in switching.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an audio amplifier and a related voltage supply circuit, and more particularly, to an audio amplifier driven by a single voltage source and a related voltage supply circuit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Current audio amplifiers are popularly implemented with Class D amplifiers. A conventional Class AB amplifier generates linear signals whereas a Class D amplifier generates pulse width modulation (PWM) signals, which primarily includes audio signals, pulse width modulation signals, and harmonic waves. While a Class D amplifier operates, an output stage metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) of said Class D amplifier is required to be biased with a pair of voltage sources, one of which is a positive voltage source whereas the other one is a negative voltage source, where said pair of voltage sources is mutually opposite in views of electrical pole and is equivalent in aspects of electrical level, for driving said Class D amplifier. In the prior art, the positive voltage source from the pair of voltage sources is coupled to a positive bias terminal of the output stage MOSFET of the Class D amplifier, whereas the negative voltage source from said pair of voltage sources is coupled to a negative bias terminal of the output stage MOSFET of said Class D amplifier, for biasing said Class D amplifier. That is, a port has to be further added on each of the positive bias terminal and the negative bias terminal of the output stage MOSFET of the Class D amplifier for receiving the positive voltage source and the negative voltage source respectively, and for driving the Class D amplifier.

Audio amplifier driven by single voltage source and related voltage supply circuit