A game is provided that generally includes a structure having a first playing surface. The playing surface includes a plurality of marked spaces. A first group of marked spaces form a perimeter, a second group of marked spaces extend from the first group of marked spaces and form a series of starting regions, and a third group of marked spaces extend from the first group of marked spaces and form a series of home regions. Each of the adjacent starting regions has an equal number of marked spaces from the first group disposed therebetween. Each of the adjacent home regions has an equal number of marked spaces from the first group disposed therebetween. Movable pieces are provided that are configured for movement between the marked spaces. A move-determining structure configured for determining a number of marked spaces that a player may move one of his movable pieces is also provided.

A number of games exist that provide amusement for individuals. These games provide entertainment and the opportunity for friendly competition with others.
The present invention provides a new game for multiple players. The game generally includes a structure having a first playing surface. The playing surface includes a plurality of marked spaces. A first group of marked spaces form a perimeter, a second group of marked spaces extend from the first group of marked spaces and form a series of starting regions, and a third group of marked spaces extend from the first group of marked spaces and form a series of home regions. Each of the starting regions has an equal number of marked spaces from the first group disposed therebetween. Each of the home regions has an equal number of marked spaces from the first group disposed therebetween. Movable pieces are provided that are configured for movement between the marked spaces. A move-determining structure configured for determining a number of marked spaces that a player may move one of his movable pieces is also provided.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.


Hydrogen gas supplied to and then purged from a fuel cell is temporarily retained in a reservoir provided in an exhaust fuel diluter, and diluted before release into atmosphere. Cathode exhaust gas discharged from a cathode of the fuel cell is mixed to dilute the hydrogen gas, and air continues to be supplied to the cathode of the fuel cell for a specific period of time even after generation of electric power in the fuel cell is stopped, so that the hydrogen gas retained in the reservoir is continuously diluted with the cathode exhaust gas and released. Air for ventilation of the fuel cell may be used instead or in addition, to dilute and release the hydrogen gas retained in the reservoir after the generation of electric power in the fuel cell is stopped.

This invention relates to an exhaust gas processing device for a fuel cell used as a power source of an electric vehicle.
A fuel cell system is provided as a power source in an electric vehicle (hereinafter referred to simply as "vehicle"), and in cases, for example, where pure hydrogen (hereinafter referred to simply as "hydrogen") is used for fuelling the fuel cell system, a hydrogen supply ductwork for the fuel cell system includes a recirculation system which is connected to an anode vent of a fuel cell stack and adapted to recirculate anode exhaust gas in order to improve utilization efficiency of hydrogen and thus to enhance fuel economy of the electric vehicle (e.g., see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application, Publication No. 6-275300).
To circulate (and recirculate) hydrogen, a variety of devices are available, which include: a blower that produces a current of hydrogen, an ejector that produces a suction pressure to withdraw hydrogen, a vacuum pump, and the like. In the recirculation system, as recirculation continues for a long time, the concentration of impurities, such as nitrogen, in hydrogen would increase in most instances, which would cause the efficiency of electric power generation to decrease. The anode exhaust gas which contains impurities but still has a high concentration of hydrogen should not be released as it stands.
Accordingly, the fuel cell system is provided with a diluter in which the anode exhaust gas containing unreacted hydrogen is diluted so as to have a lower concentration of hydrogen before it is discharged to the outside of the fuel cell system. Moisture or water discharged together with hydrogen from the fuel cells could build up in pipes of the recirculation system connected to the anode vent of the fuel cell stack, and would disadvantageously impede the normal flow of hydrogen in the pipes of the recirculation system. Such moisture or water may also be discharged via the diluter to the outside of the fuel cell system.
Thus, the unreacted hydrogen is purged from the anode of the fuel cell stack and diluted with exhaust gas in the diluter, though such arrangement is not disclosed in the aforementioned reference.
Accordingly, the fuel cell system is adapted to force the hydrogen containing impurities such as nitrogen to be purged and discharged together with the moisture or water to the outside at frequent times, e.g., when the vehicle stops to wait at traffic lights. However, when a starter switch is turned off to stop a motor of the vehicle, the generation of electric power in the fuel cell stack stops entirely, and thus the flow of the cathode exhaust gas (cathode off gas as exhaust air) stops at the same time. Therefore, hydrogen that has not been discharged remains in the diluter. The hydrogen remaining in the diluter, if left untreated, diffuses spontaneously, and would disadvantageously flow back to the fuel cell stack and pipes.
The present invention has been made to address the above-described disadvantages. Therefore, it is an exemplary general object of the present invention to provide a device that can reduce a concentration of hydrogen remaining in the diluter and discharge the same to the outside, even after the generation of electric power in the fuel cell stops.

Exhaust gas processing device for fuel cell


A video signal processing apparatus is provided with a first clock generation circuit for generating a first clock synchronized with an input signal; a second clock generation circuit for receiving a set value to be a reference of an output frequency, adding the set value for every reference clock, extracting data according to the cumulative value, converting the data into an analog signal, reducing quantization noise, and multiplying the analog signal, thereby to obtain a second clock; and a clock switch circuit for generating a sync signal that is switched to the second clock, by using a sync signal generated with the first clock; and video signal processing is carried out using the second clock that is generated according to the resolution of a pixel display.

In recent years, various resolutions have appeared for pixel display units such as a liquid crystal panel and a PDP, and the clock frequency for driving such panel differs from panel to panel. In a clock generation circuit or a video signal processing which can generate a clock according to the clock frequency for operating a panel, it is necessary to display video on a pixel display unit after switching to the clock frequency of the panel.
For example, in a clock generation circuit of a conventional video signal processing apparatus described in Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2000-312328 (Patent Document 1), a circuit for frequency-dividing an input clock is constituted, or a counter circuit starts operation at every reset, and a decoded value of the counter circuit is outputted as a clock.
Hereinafter, the clock generation circuit in the conventional video signal processing apparatus will be described.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the clock generation circuit in the conventional video signal processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1.
With reference to FIG. 7, the clock generation circuit has a first clock generation circuit comprising a divide-by-two frequency divider 25, and a second clock generation circuit 11 comprising a frequency setting register 20, an addition circuit 21, an AND gate 22, a flip-flop 23, and a reset generation circuit 24.
The frequency setting register 20 has a predetermined set value, and varies the set value to vary the frequency of the output clock so that the frequency of the output clock becomes smaller than the frequency of the input clock.
A counter comprises the addition circuit 21, the AND gate 22, and the flip-flop 23, and the count value of the counter is reset by a horizontal sync signal as a reset signal.
Hereinafter, the operation of the clock generation circuit constituted as described above will be described.
In the first clock generation circuit 8, a clock which is frequency-divided by two using the frequency divider 25 that is operated at the rising timing of the input clock is regarded as an output clock 1. Further, in the second clock generation circuit 11, the reset generation circuit 24 generates a reset signal from the supplied horizontal sync signal HD, at the rising timing of the input clock which is a reset input to the circuit 24 and, at this timing, the value of the frequency setting register 20 is added to the output clock 2 by the adder 21 to perform counting, and the most significant bit of the count value is used as the output clock 2 through the AND gate 22 and the latch 23, thereby varying the frequency of the output clock. The output clock 1 generated by the first clock generation circuit 8 and the output clock 2 generated by the second clock generation circuit 11 have difference numbers of cycles in one horizontal scanning period, and data are written by the output clock 1 generated by the first clock generation circuit 8 while the data are read by the output clock 2 generated by the second clock generation circuit 11.
In the clock generation circuit of the conventional video signal processing circuit, however, when resetting the counter with the reset signal which is generated by the horizontal sync signal at the clock outputted from the second clock generation circuit, if a horizontal sync signal that is an integer multiple of the cycle of the output clock is not inputted or if the input clock is a non-standard signal having a deteriorated sync signal such as VTR, the length of the clock cycle is undesirably shortened or the ratio between the Low period and the High period of the clock, i.e., the duty ratio, undesirably loses accuracy. Therefore, when the conventional clock generation circuit is applied to the video signal processing apparatus, in the processing circuit that is operated with the second clock, a timing error occurs in a combination circuit due to the short clock cycle, leading to outputting of unexpected data.
Further, in the clock generation circuit of the conventional video signal processing circuit, since the count value is reset by the horizontal sync signal, the length of the clock cycle is undesirably shortened depending on the timing at which the horizontal sync signal is inputted, leading to discontinuous output clocks.
Furthermore, in the clock generation circuit of the conventional video signal processing apparatus, it is necessary to input a high-frequency clock as an input clock. Therefore, when the clock frequency for driving a liquid crystal panel exceeds 80 MHz or 100 MHz, it is necessary for the clock oscillator to input a clock of a frequency higher than that of the panel driving clock, resulting in a noise source as well as an increase in power consumption. Accordingly, the conventional clock generation circuit is not practical.
Moreover, it may be thought that the second clock is generated from the horizontal sync signal using a high-power multiply PLL circuit. In this case, the frequency of the horizontal sync signal varies depending on the input video signal, and the output frequency differs from panel to panel, and therefore, the range of output frequencies should be secured broadly. Accordingly, it is necessary to perform verification with many combinations when a high-power multiply PLL is designed, leading to a lot of time required for designing. Further, it is difficult to reduce jitters of clocks, and redesign is needed at every miniaturization of semiconductor processing.

Video signal processing apparatus which generates plural clocks and performing video signal processing using the plural clocks


A computer system employs a globally addressable storage environment that allows a plurality of networked computers to access data by addressing even when the data is stored on a persistent storage device such as a computer hard disk and other traditionally non-addressable data storage devices. The computers can be located on a single computer network or on a plurality of interconnected computer networks such as two local area networks (LANs) coupled by a wide area network (WAN). The globally addressable storage environment allows data to be accessed and shared by and among the various computers on the plurality of networks.

The conventional computer network includes a number of client computers connected together and further connected to a server computer that stores the data and the programs that client computers employ during network operation. This configuration is generally referred to as a client-server network. Typically, each client is a conventional computer system that includes a private main memory, typically a RAM memory, and a persistent storage, typically a hard disk. The server is usually an expensive high end machine that includes a high speed processor unit and a large memory, often having ten to one hundred times more storage than the individual client computers. The clients and server cooperate to share data and services among the different users, and thereby the individual computers appear as a unified distributed system. To this end, the server acts as a central controller that provides through its large memory a central repository of network data, and that distributes services to the individual client computers, generally on an as-available basis. Typically, these services are provided by means of specialized software running on a high speed processor on the server computer.
The client-server computer networking model allows organizations of all sizes to utilize group productivity products such as e-mail. Many business organizations have grown to rely heavily on network services. Employees who travel typically need to access the same network services and resources provided to them at work. Field offices also frequently need to access the headquarters' network services. The term "telecommuter"has been used to describe an employee who stays at home and conducts business by accessing the network services provided at the traditional worksite. These types of users are sometimes referred to as "remote" or "remote clients" because they typically are located in a physically remote place from the networks and because they do not connect to the networks locally or directly. Remote users typically connect to the networks via telephone lines. The terms "remote access" and "remote networking" are frequently used to identify the situation in which a remote user accesses a computer network over analog or digital telephone lines. A remote user generally can utilize any type of computer to access the network including, for example, a personal computer, a workstation, or a portable computer such as a laptop computer, a notebook computer, or a palmtop computer. A remote user typically connects a modem (or other communications adapter such as a digital adapter if the telephones lines are wholly digital) to a serial port of the computer. The modem connected to the user's remote computer communicates over the telephone lines with another modem that is coupled to a device coupled to the network. The other modem and the device are located at the network that the remote client is attempting to access. The device can be coupled directly to the network, or it can be coupled to the network which the remote client is attempting to access via a communications link (e.g., a WAN link) to that network. The device typically is referred to as a "remote access server" or a "remote access device." A typical remote access device provides a point of network access for one or more remote clients.
Although computer networks based on the client-server model generally have been successful at providing users with necessary computer services, as the user demands on computer systems have increased, the weaknesses in the client-server network are beginning to place limits on the services that can be provided.
An additional problem with client-server networks is that they provide a static operating environment that is set for optimal performance at a certain level of network activity. Consequently, client-server networks fail to exploit available resources as network activity changes and cannot improve system performance. In particular, as network activity rises above or drops below the expected level, the static operating environment of a client-server network lacks any ability to reconfigure dynamically the allocation of network resources to a configuration providing better performance for the present level of activity.
Moreover, the client-server computer networking model requires that computer programs written to operate in a client-server environment distribute themselves between clients and the server. This requires that the application programs implement a set of functions that divide the program between the clients and the server. This distribution of the application programs requires that the client-server application programs be quite complex. For example, a client-server computer application program that shares data between different machines must include functionality that allows for the distribution of multiple copies of data files, the maintenance of coherency for the distributed copies, and other such low-level management services.
Further troubling is that the client-server network stores all important applications and data files in the memory of the server system. Consequently, the client-server network is subject to complete system failure each time the server system crashes.
While the present client-server computer architecture is employed widely, it generally fails to provide an adequate response to the increased demands of today's networked computer users. Remote access generally provides additional complications for and performance degradation of the client-server networking model.

Remote access and geographically distributed computers in a globally addressable storage environment


A universal linear power supply capable of automatically supplying a regulated DC current output from a range of AC input. In one preferred embodiment, interchangeable modular electrical plugs configured to mate with standard AC supplies releasably connect with the power supply. The power supply circuitry comprises a two-winding step-down transformer, a rectifier and a DC/DC step-down buck converter. A projection on selected electrical plugs mechanically engages a switch on the power supply, connecting the primary coils of the transformer either in series or in parallel to accommodate 110 VAC or 220 VAC input. In another preferred embodiment, the invention comprises an electrical plug for accessing VAC input connected, releasably or permanently, to a power supply comprising a linear transformer, a full-wave rectifier and a DC/DC step-down forward converter which is capable of accommodating the full range of standard AC voltage. The interchangeable plugs may further comprise a releasable locking means mechanically connected to the casing and designed to engage the electrical plug to maintain the plug in an operative position.

People rely heavily on a wide variety of electrical devices. Almost all of these devices draw power ultimately from a national standard source, usually delivered to the user through a wall outlet or socket. This leads to a challenge for the manufacturer of electrical devices destined for international use: while many electrical devices are sold for use throughout the world, there is no world standard for electrical plug configurations, size, shape, voltage or number of prongs. The wide variety of socket configurations in use worldwide burdens international suppliers of mobile products to varied countries and international travelers who wish to use electrical devices in a portable fashion. Moreover, different areas of the world use different voltage output standards. For example, in Europe and the U.K., the standard is 220 VAC, while in the U.S. the standard is 110 VAC.
Most industrial nations use a standardized alternating current supply with only two leads, a hot side and a neutral side. Some outlets specifically incorporate a separate earth or ground lead while others do not. A problem exists, therefore, with physically accessing an AC current source supplied through any number of outlet configurations and interfacing that current source with the appropriate input connections for a power supply or other electrical device.
The traditional solution for the mechanical prong configuration problem is to provide an adapter which includes a socket to accommodate the prongs of the electrical device integrated with a second set of prongs in a configuration for a local socket. These adapters have some serious flaws. One problem is that the adapters are bulky and at a minimum, cause the prongs of the original device to be extended by at least the length of the additional set of prongs. Since most plug devices are designed to be secured by spring tension and interaction with a wall plug, this can pose a significant mechanical disadvantage. The increased lever arm created by the additional prong length will tend to shift the plug downward, tending to pry the plug out of the wall socket. This will be true even for a light-weight plug.
The lever arm problem is accentuated with devices that are larger than a simple plug. Many power supplies and other electrical devices are designed to be wall-mounted at a wall socket. A typical power supply includes a casing which terminates in a plug designed to plug directly into the wall socket. The casing is often designed to lie against a wall to provide mechanical stability and to maintain the plug prongs in proper contact with the wall socket. If an adapter must be used, the unit loses the stability of resting against the wall and, because even a small amount of weight at the end of a lever arm will create a torque which will tend to pry the prongs out of the wall socket, such a plug adapter is generally unusable for such wall-mounted plug-in devices. Moreover, angling the plug severely can compromise the electrical connection to the point that the plug no longer is in electrical contact with source current. This type of angling may lead to partial separation from the wall socket and may expose the prongs of the plug in such a way that a person or animal might come into contact with live current, thereby causing bodily harm.
Another approach to accommodating multiple physical outlet configurations on a single device is to integrate an interchangeable plug apparatus into the device which allows for easy alteration of the device/outlet compatibility without compromising the device physical characteristics as outlined above. A number of improvements in the art of interchangeable plug design are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/233,125, filed Apr. 26, 1994, 08/414,209, filed Mar. 30, 1995, and 29/044,048, filed Sep. 15, 1995, incorporated herein in their entireties by reference.
Both the adaptor and interchangeable plug approaches to solving the regional differences in outlet configuration fail to address the need to adjust the device electrical circuitry for compatibility with the output voltage associated with each particular source outlet configuration. Some power supply and electrical device manufacturers have addressed this issue by including an input supply adjustment switch on the device or power supply. However, failure to properly adjust such a switch before connecting to the outlet could damage the device, endanger the user and lead to a failure of the electrical circuit connected to the utilized outlet.
Parent application Ser. No. 08/670,247 represents a further refinement in this area. It discloses a system of interchangeable plugs that automatically accommodate the source voltage. This design does require, however, that each plug have an internal wiring configuration appropriate to connect the source voltage with the power supply's transformer coils in order to achieve the correct conversion. Moreover, such interchangeable plugs may be used only with this power supply and conversely, interchangeable plugs designed for other power supplies will not work. Finally, this system requires a three-winding step-down transformer to accommodate the wiring of the interchangeable plugs.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a simplified universal power supply that automatically adjusts to the source voltage and provides a regulated DC output of the desired voltage. There is also a need for such a power supply which can utilize low cost two-winding step down transformers and readily interchangeable plugs that do not require internal wiring. This invention satisfies these and other needs.


In one embodiment of the present invention, a chair assembly kit comprises at least two end pieces and at least two middle pieces including a first middle piece as a chair back and a second middle piece as a chair seat. The middle pieces each include at least two self-locking tabs, one tab each on two opposing sides. The end pieces each include at least two slots configured to receive the self-locking tabs on the middle pieces. The middle pieces selectively couple to the end pieces to form a chair, with the self-locking tabs being received in the slots and configured to selectively lock the middle pieces to the end pieces.

Modular furniture is a popular method of furnishing in places such as schools. Standard pieces of modular furniture include various components, some of which are similar, if not identical, that assemble together to form a piece of furniture, such as a chair. In the traditional arrangement, furniture, and even modular furniture, is bulky and takes up considerable space during transport, including shipment, and is thus costly to transport. Attempts to remedy this problem sometimes involve furniture kit assemblies that are difficult to assemble, often requiring one or more tools. Additionally, previous pieces often lacked the options of height adjustability and locking connecting mechanisms. There is a need for an improved modular chair assembly. Certain embodiments of the present invention address these and other needs.


A cutting tool includes a cutting insert resiliently clamped in an insert holder. The insert holder has a holder longitudinal axis defining opposite forward to rearward directions, and a transversely oriented insert receiving pocket having a pocket longitudinal axis and a pocket front opening. The insert holder includes a forwardly located insert mounting portion that includes upper and lower jaws which together define the insert receiving pocket. The insert receiving pocket at the lower jaw includes a pocket lower clamping surface. The insert receiving pocket at the upper jaw includes a pocket upper clamping surface which faces mutually towards the pocket lower clamping surface. The insert receiving pocket at one of the upper and lower jaws includes a pocket stopper surface facing generally towards the pocket front opening. The upper jaw includes an outer flexibility groove recessed in the holder peripheral surface.

Cutting tools for internal cutting operations on a workpiece can include an insert holder, and a cutting insert releasably and resiliently clamped in a transversely oriented insert receiving pocket. The insert holder can include upper and lower jaws spaced apart by a clamping recess with the insert receiving pocket located in the clamping recess.
An example of such an insert receiving pocket is disclosed in, for example, EP 0 477 480 A2.

Insert holder having transversely oriented insert receiving pocket with resilient upper jaw having outer flexibility groove and cutting tool


An electrical enclosure system for effectively containing a pump control and alarm system within a single protective structure and providing convenient access to the electrical components within. The electrical enclosure system includes a tubular pedestal having an upper opening, and a cap removably positioned within the upper opening of the pedestal. The cap contains electrical wiring and components for a pump control/alarm system. A bracket is attached to the interior of the cap for receiving and securing the cables extending from the pump control/alarm system to a lower portion of the pedestal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical enclosures and more specifically it relates to an electrical enclosure system for effectively containing a pump control and alarm system within a single protective structure and providing convenient access to the electrical components within.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Electrical enclosures have been in use for years for various applications (e.g. telecommunications, alarm circuits). FIG. 1a illustrates an exemplary electrical enclosure for an alarm circuit and pump control circuit that has an enclosure with conduit connected to the enclosure. FIG. 1b illustrates another exemplary electrical enclosure that is an improvement upon the structure shown in FIG. 1a. FIG. 1b illustrates the usage of (1) a tubular base A, (2) a mounting bracket B attached within the tubular base for supporting wiring and electrical components, and (3) a cap C removably attached to an upper end of the tubular base.
One problem with conventional electrical enclosures as shown in FIG. 1a is that they do not adequately protect the cables. A further problem with conventional electrical enclosures as shown in FIG. 1a is that they require attachment of the enclosure to a post or other support structure. A further problem with conventional electrical enclosures as shown in FIG. 1a is that they are time consuming and costly to install.
One problem with conventional electrical enclosures as shown in FIG. 1b is that they have multiple components required to be installed (tubular base, mounting bracket and cap). A further problem with conventional electrical enclosures as shown in FIG. 1b is that they are time consuming and costly to install.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for effectively containing a pump control and alarm system within a single protective structure and providing convenient access to the electrical components within. Conventional electrical enclosures for pump control and alarm systems are relatively complex in structure requiring a significant amount of time and labor to install and repair.
In these respects, the electrical enclosure system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of effectively containing a pump control and alarm system within a single protective structure and providing convenient access to the electrical components within.


A network of switches that forwards network packets between end hosts may be controlled by a controller. The controller may maintain information that identifies subsets of the end hosts that are associated with respective broadcast domains. The controller may configure the switches in the network to identify broadcast network packets and to forward the broadcast network packets to the controller. The controller may identify which broadcast domain is associated with a received broadcast network packet based on information such as source information retrieved from the broadcast network packet. The controller may identify switches that are coupled to the end hosts of a broadcast domain associated with the received broadcast network packet. The controller may forward the broadcast network packet to the identified switches through network control paths and may direct the identified switches to forward the broadcast network packet to end hosts of the associated broadcast domain.

This relates to communication networks, and more particularly, to communications networks having network switches that are controlled by a controller.
Packet-based networks such as the internet and local data networks that are connected to the internet include network switches. Network switches are used in forwarding packets from packet sources to packet destinations. The packets may be sometimes referred to as frames.
It can be difficult or impossible to control the switches of one vendor using the equipment of another vendor. This is because the switch equipment of one vendor may use a different operating system and set of control procedures than the switch equipment of another vendor. To address the challenges associated with controlling different types of switch platforms, cross-platform protocols have been developed. These protocols allow centralized control of otherwise incompatible switches.
Cross-platform controller clients can be included on the switches in a network. The controller clients are able to communicate with a corresponding controller server over network paths. Because the controller clients can be implemented on a variety of switch hardware, it is possible for a single controller to control switch equipment that might otherwise be incompatible.
The network may include end hosts that send network packets to the switches for forwarding through the network. End hosts in the network sometimes send broadcast network packets that are flooded throughout the network (i.e., the broadcast network packets are destined for all end hosts in the network). As an example, an end host may send broadcast network packets to discover network addresses of other end hosts. Flooding of a network associated with broadcasting network packets can generate undesirable amounts of network traffic (e.g., because the network packets may be forwarded by the network switches to many end hosts). Therefore, it may be desirable to provide the network with improved network packet broadcasting capabilities.

Systems and methods for forwarding broadcast network packets with a controller


An ink jet recording method in which a water-based ink containing a recording agent is attached to a recording surface of a recording medium by an ink jet system, and liquid water is applied to the recording medium at a suitable time proximate to the time of applying the ink. A period of time is set during which a state in which the water-based ink is in a liquid form in the recording surface coexists with a state in which liquid water other than water contained in the water-based ink exists in a portion of the recording medium other than the recording surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an ink jet recording method of ejecting ink by a pressure wave caused in ink in an ink flow passage to perform recording. In particular, the present invention relates to an ink jet recording method which ensures that the water-fastness property of a printed image formed on a recording medium, particularly plain paper, can be remarkably improved. The present invention also relates to a method of making a water-resistant printed matter by using a water-soluble dyestuff. Throughout the specification, the term "water-fastness" means the characteristic of an image to not run when subjected to water. Further, the term "image" means any of characters, shapes, figures, . . . etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional ink jet recording methods of jetting ink by a pressure wave caused in ink in an ink flow passage to perform recording, inks having water-soluble recording agents (coloring materials) are used.
However, there is the problem of inferior water-fastness properties of recording materials such as inks comprised of water-soluble recording agents. If water of rain or the like contacts a printing recording surface of a recording material after printing with such inks, the printed recording material flows and printed characters or images are blotted.
Water-based inks containing water-soluble recording agents are used in many ink jet printers because they have improved ejection and printing characteristics. It is important to improve the water-fastness property of printed matter made by using such inks.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 55-41240 discloses a method of supplying water to a printing surface of paper before printing to prevent a background contamination caused by ink spattering during printing and to improve an ink absorbing property.
However, if this method is used, blurring of printed portions is considerable and satisfactory printing qualities cannot be obtained.

Ink jet recording method for producing printed images having water-fastness


An indicating device with large graduations for a plane is installed at a combining section of a main base and a worktable of the plane, including a graduation ruler, a pointer and a rack. The graduation ruler formed as an arc is provided with graduations with number figures for readings. The upper end portion of the pointer faces exactly to the graduation ruler for pointing to one of the graduations. The pointer has gear teeth in its lower round edge for engaging with gear teeth located on one side of the rack. Therefore, a displacement the worktable moves relative to the main base can be clearly and easily read from the graduations of the graduation ruler.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a plane, particularly to one having an indicating device with large graduations for reading clearly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Commonly, as shown in FIG. 1, a conventional plane 1 consists of a main base 10, a movable worktable 20 able to be adjusted upward or downward and a graduation indicator 30 employed to display a displacement that the movable worktable 20 moves against the main base 10 correspondingly. The graduation indicator 30 is composed of a graduation ruler 31 and a pointer 32. The graduation ruler 31 set fixedly on the main base 10 is provided with graduations 311. The pointer 32 fixed on the movable worktable 20 is provided with an indicating tip 321 at its one end facing against the graduation ruler 31, able to move a distance corresponding to that of the movable worktable 20 moving against the main base 10 to serve a purpose of indicating graduations.
But, the length of the graduation ruler 31 is equivalent to the vertical displacement of the movable worktable 20 relative to the main base 10. But the gaps of the graduations are usually very little, it is very hard to clearly recognize graduations on the graduation ruler 31.

Indicating device with large graduations for a plane


A rotary machine including a rotor having apexes provided with apex seals achieves better efficiency through the use of apex split seals which minimize leakage across the apex seals to thereby allow operation at relatively high pressure values.

Trochoidal machines (the term "trochoidal" as used herein is also intended to encompass epitrochoidal machines as well as true trochoidal ones) have long been known. Perhaps the most well known example is the Wankel engine. Such machines have, however, been used for other purposes, including, for example, the compression of gas. As is well known, such rotary machines include a rotor that is nominally triangular in shape and which generally has the appearance of an equilateral triangle whose three sides are convex. The rotor is mounted on an eccentric on the machine shaft and typically is tied to a housing by means of a spur gear configuration on one side of the rotor meshed with a ring gear formation on the corresponding side of the machine housing.
The rotor is contained in a chamber that is trochoidal in shape. Seals are carried at each apex of the rotor to sealingly engage the chamber periphery. Side seals are also carried by the rotor near its periphery for sealingly engaging the sides of the chamber and typically, so-called corner seals are located at the interface of the ends of the apex seals and the ends of the side seals on both sides of the rotor. Intake and exhaust porting is provided in the chamber periphery with one port being located on one side of the so-called "waist" of the chamber and the exhaust port on the other.
Oppositely of the porting, other components may be located, depending upon the use to which the machine is being put. In the case of an engine, ignition devices are located of one or both sides of the waist oppositely of the ports. Alternatively, fuel injection devices may be located in generally the same place as the ignition devices if the engine is to operate on the diesel cycle.
While engines of this sort have been commercially produced, particularly for powering vehicles, they have not achieved the acceptance of conventional reciprocating engines for a variety of reasons.
Specifically, a known type of a rotary engine that has been commercially sold as a power plant for a vehicle has a theoretical compression ratio of 10:1 but only produces a maximum internal pressure in the range of 85 to 100 psi. during the compression part of the rotary cycle at cranking speed. On the other hand, a reciprocating engine having the same compression ratio would, at cranking speed, produce an internal pressure in the range of 170 to 200 psi., and if the seals of either engine were perfect, the internal pressure would be significantly higher. The difference between the theoretical and actual pressures is the result of seal leakage. Seal leakage is more critical in a rotary engine than in a reciprocating engine because at 6000 rpm, a reciprocating engine's compression phase takes approximately 0.005 seconds, whereas that of the rotary engine takes approximately 0.0075 seconds. The seals of the rotary engine are therefore subject to leakage for a 50% longer period of time than those of reciprocating engines at the same rpm.
Because rotary engines can and do operate at significantly higher rpms, the problem is somewhat lessened. However, due to the lesser compression attainable in rotary engines, the same are currently inferior to reciprocating engines in terms of power produced per unit of fuel, which translates into a reduction in gas milage, and increased hydrocarbon admissions. Thus, rotary engine performance is far inferior to its potential.
Apex seals are perhaps the greatest cause of lack of compression due to leakage in a rotary engine of the type having a rotor provided with apexes. Specifically, internal combustion engines of all types typically rely on so-called "gas energization" of seals to produce the desired sealing effect during compression and combustion phases of their cycle of operation. Seals that are gas-energized are typically found somewhat loosely in grooves in which they may move slightly from side to side and in and out of the groove. Conventionally, a light biasing spring will be placed between the bottom of the groove and the innermost end of the seal to bias the opposite end of the seal into light sealing contact with the operating chamber wall. When subject to pressure, as during compression or combustion phases of the operating cycle, the pressure acts against the high pressure side of the seal to force the opposite side to seal tightly against the side of the groove. The gas under pressure also enters the groove to act against the radially inner end of the seal and bias the same outwardly into good sealing engagement with the wall of the operating chamber. This is true whether the seal is a piston ring, an apex seal, or a side seal. There is, however, a major difference in the operation of apex seals. During the compression phase of an engine, the apex seal must seal against the trailing wall of the seal receiving groove to achieve compression. When the compression phase is completed, and the combustion phase is entered, the higher pressure now exists on the opposite side of the apex seal, requiring it to shift within its groove so that its leading side seals against the leading side of the seal receiving groove. This shifting of the apex seal leads to the momentary creation of a leakage path around the seal between the sides of the groove as the seal transitions from sealing engagement against one groove wall to sealing engagement against the other groove wall. Moreover, when the pressure acting against the leading face and inward end of the seal, acts against the outermost end of the seal and the trailing face may reach a value so that there is a net positive pressure acting on the seal in the radially inward direction. It can be sufficient to exceed the combined force of the biasing spring and centrifugal force generated by the mass of the apex seal. Consequently, a small gap may occur at the interface of the outermost tip of the seal and the wall of the operating chamber, allowing leakage through this gap as well. All of this creates a loss of efficiency.
A second point of failure of apex seals can occur when the pressure from combustion increases very rapidly. In order to maintain a tight seal between the outer sealing edge of the apex seal and the operating chamber wall, the pressure at the inner part of the apex seal must also increase substantially equally as rapidly. However, since the gas to create the pressure must travel through a narrow gap between the apex seal and the side of the groove in which the seal resides, the outward biasing pressure cannot increase as rapidly and an inwardly movement of the seal results in a loss of sealing contact, especially at high rpm.
A third cause of leakage can occur as an apex seal passes 300° past bottom dead center (bdc) to the time it reaches the exhaust port, typically located at about 60° past bdc. During this time, pressure in the trailing chamber is required to hold the apex seal tight against the leading face of the groove in which it resides. However, frictional forces at the tip of the apex seal act counter to the pressure forces and at some point in time between 300° and 60° past bdc, a gap will occur on both sides of the apex seal resulting in undesirable leakage around the apex seal.
Still another cause of loss of pressure occurs as the apex seal passes recesses in the operating chamber wall employed in ignition and/or fuel injection systems.
A further cause may result from seal warpage. Extreme heat encountered in the operating cycle of the engine may cause a conventional apex seal to warp out to in or from side to side resulting in the creation of more leakage paths at the tip of the seal.
Still another cause of leakage may result if the seal resonates at its natural frequency along its length. Because the slot in which the seals are received are larger than the seal, i.e., the slot width is greater than the width of the seal, the seal may resonate, creating gaps which allow leakage.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the above problems.


A graphic recording method and a graphic recording apparatus capable of dealing with the multi-channel measurement data involving quick and minute changes, without causing a trouble in accurate reading of the recorded data, in a simple and compact configuration. In the apparatus, the multi-channel measurement data are recorded by plotting a monochromatic continuous line for each channel of the multi-channel measurement data on a recording paper; and a channel discrimination mark having a distinctive color is plotted, with respect to each monochromatic continuous line, at a regular interval.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a graphic recording apparatus, primarily used in an industrial laboratory, for recording measurement data graphically by plotting lines representing the measured data on a recording paper in a form of a graph.
2. Description of the Background Art
In an industrial laboratory, the data obtained by the measurement are often recorded graphically by using a graphic recording apparatus of various types such as a multiple colored pen line plotter type, an impact dot plotter type, an ink jet plotter type, and a thermographic plotter type.
In such a graphic recording apparatus, the measurement data given by outputs of measurement devices are taken in as multi-channel inputs and are plotted on a recording paper in a form of a graph in which the measurement data of each channel is represented by a line plotted on the recording paper.
However, each type of such a conventional graphic recording apparatus has been associated with the following drawbacks.
First, in a graphic recording apparatus of a multiple colored pen line plotter type, a configuration of the apparatus becomes increasingly large and complicated as a number of colored pens used in the apparatus increases, such that an apparatus using five or more colored pens has been practically too large and too complicated. Thus, in this type of a conventional graphic recording apparatus, a recording of the measurement data with five or more channels has been difficult.
On the other hand, in a graphic recording apparatus of an impact dot plotter type, the configuration of the apparatus can be simplified compared with the multiple colored pen line plotter type such that the apparatus itself can be made in a compact size, but the measurement data are represented by dotted lines such as dotted lines 101 shown in FIG. 1, so that it has been difficult to deal with the measurement data involving quick and minute changes.
As for a graphic recording apparatus of an ink jet plotter type or a thermographic plotter type, the simplification of the configuration of the apparatus can be achieved, but all the measurement data are represented by monochromatic continuous lines such as continuous lines 102 shown in FIG. 2, so that the recorded data on the recording paper become increasingly congregated to make it harder to distinguish each channel and read off each data accurately as a number of channels of the measurement data increases.

Method and apparatus for multi-color continuous line graphic recording of multi-channel measurement data


A coupling shaft assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a forward coupling shaft section with a forward interface spline and a forward mid shaft interface spline and an aft coupling shaft section includes an aft mid shaft interface spline and an aft interface spline, the aft mid shaft interface spline engageable with the forward mid shaft interface spline.

The present disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine, and in particular, to a coupling shaft.
Advanced gas turbine engines may employ an epicyclic gear train connected to a turbine section of the engine, which is used to drive the turbo fan. In a typical epicyclic gear train, a sun gear receives rotational input from a turbine shaft through a compressor shaft.
Stresses due to misalignments can be reduced by the use of flexible couplings to connect the gear train to external devices such as rotating shafts or nonrotating supports. The flexible coupling may be mounted between the compressor shaft and the gear train so that the sun gear maintains an ideal orientation with respect to the mating gears irrespective of engine deflections.

Coupling shaft for gas turbine fan drive gear system


A method and apparatus for treating an arrhythmia is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) sensing at least one electrical signal from the patient's heart; (b) calculating a frequency spectrum of each electrical signal; (c) calculating a center frequency for each frequency spectrum; and (d) selecting an electro-therapy for delivery to the patient's heart based on the center frequency. The electro-therapy can be a pre-programmed anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) therapy, a shock therapy, or no therapy at all. The method is performed through the use of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Also provided is a method of determining the optimal location to deliver the electro-therapy.

The heart is a series of pumps that are carefully controlled by a very special electrical system. This electrical system attempts to regulate the heart rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm). Abnormally fast heart rates are called tachycardias. As used herein, the term tachycardia means a heartbeat at a rate which is abnormally high and accordingly considered to be dangerous if permitted to continue, or any arrhythmia involving recognizable heartbeat patterns containing repetitions which are in excess of a periodic heartbeat within a safe range. When the ventricular chambers beat too quickly, the arrhythmia (i.e., unusual heart rhythm) is known as ventricular tachycardia (VT). When VT occurs, the ventricles may not be able to fill with enough blood to supply the body with the oxygen rich blood that it needs. Symptoms of VT include feeling faint, sometimes passing out, dizziness, or a pounding in the chest.
Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a very fast and irregular heartbeat that is caused by abnormal impulses coming from several areas of the heart. These abnormal impulses take over the natural pacemaker function of the sinoatrial (SA) node. The heartbeat is so fast that the heart does not have time to pump enough blood to the brain and body tissue, which may cause unconsciousness, cardiac arrest, or death. Ventricular fibrillation has typically been treated using shock therapy. When a patient's heart is found to be in VF, a jolting electrical pulse, or shock pulse, is delivered to the patient in order to reactivate the electrical signals throughout the heart. The shock pulse may be administered via external defibrillators, or via implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) configured to deliver such a shock. Patients, however, feel uncomfortable using shock therapy because of the pain and discomfort associated with the shock. This is particularly the case if the shock therapy is applied frequently due to the reoccurring nature of VF.
Ventricular tachycardia, on the other hand, may be controlled by medication in some cases. If medications are not effective, the physician may elect to control the rhythm by electrical methods, such as anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) therapy.
Generally, VT is distinguished from VF by heart rate. For example, if the heart rate is between 150-210 bpm, the condition is generally considered to be a treatable VT, and therefore ATP therapies may be applied. Heart rates higher than 210 bpm are generally considered to be VF, and are immediately treated with shock. Recent studies, however, have found that ATP therapies can successfully treat heart conditions where the heart rate is above 210 bpm, what was once considered the dividing line between treatable VT and VF. If a more effective method of distinguishing between treatable VT and VF is found, patients can be effectively treated with ATP therapies and avoid the uncomfortable pain of shock therapy.

Spectrum-driven arrhythmia treatment method


A tent including a fabric which contains firstly a substantially non-stretching peripheral cable and secondly substantially non-stretching cables, each substantially non-stretching cable extending from a pole to the vicinity of a perimeter edge of the fabric such as a corner. The tent further includes a support provided at each corner, at a height at least equal to that of the perimetric edge of the fabric when the tent is in a raised position, and a winch for hooking on the end of the cables extending from the pole and for tensioning the cables. The tent, applicable as a circus tent, can be raised and lowered rapidly.

The present invention relates to a circus tent, especially a tent with a large surface area that can vary between several tens and several hundreds of square meters, designed to be lowered and raised frequently, as rapidly as possible.
Tents are very frequently used to shelter events temporarily, namely circuses, shows, sporting events, or events of a private nature, and in general all events that do not justify the erection of a permanent shelter.
A tent comprises a fabric covering the area to be protected, generally suspended by: 1) a main pole, located at the peak or ridge; 2) intermediate supports, constituted by poles, between the ridge and a perimetric edge; and 3) other poles being provided at the perimetric edge, the latter poles being guyed. In general, the fabric does not extend down to the ground, so that a sidewall is provided between the perimetric edge and the ground.
While a tent of this kind is satisfactory because of its toughness, it has the disadvantage of requiring a large amount of material to form the armature supporting the fabric, as well as considerable labor for raising and lowering operations.
In the case of traveling shows, such as sporting events, for example, that move every day, or in the case of traveling shows or circuses, it is very important to be able to raise and lower the tent daily as quickly as possible. This is currently impossible with the techniques in current use.


A voice command (VC)-to-DTMF interfacing system that allows existing DTMF-driven systems to be interacted with by a caller using voice commands. The VC-to-DTMF interfacing system translates the voice command from a caller into the DTMF codes which are then played through a port for receipt by the DTMF-driven system. In a first mode, the voice commands from the caller and the pre-recorded messages of the DTMF-driven system are echo cancelled. In a second mode, a voice message is directly streamed to the DTMF-driven system through an enabled port patch.

There are many DTMF-driven voice mail systems utilized throughout the corporate world. Typically, a caller uses the telephone keypad to navigate the menus of the DTMF-driven voice mail system to access the desired functions. These systems act as a centralized receptionist that enables callers to leave messages for an unavailable called party and enables the called party to retrieve their messages remotely.
Often, it is cumbersome for a caller to have to use the telephone keypad for accessing and navigating a traditional voice mail system. For example, cellular phones are becoming increasingly smaller and it is often difficult to press the correct keypad keys (that correspond to the required DTMF codes), especially while driving. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system that allows callers to interact with a DTMF-driven voice mail system using voice commands for providing hands-free operation.

VC-to-DTMF interfacing system and method

Applied Voice & Speech Technologies, Inc.


Various illustrative embodiments of methods for manufacturing a semiconductor device are described. These methods may include, for example, forming a first polysilicon layer above a substrate, wherein the first polysilicon layer comprises a doped portion, and forming a second polysilicon layer over a surface of the first polysilicon layer. Also, various illustrative embodiments of semiconductor devices are described that may be manufactured such as by the various methods described herein.

Semiconductor devices are manufactured layer-by-layer using a variety of processes that may be considered to generally fall into four categories: forming layers, doping/annealing layers, patterning layers, and removing layers. For example, when forming an n-type field-effect transistor (NFET) in a device, it is typical to form a layer of polycrystalline silicon (also known as polysilicon) on a layer of silicon dioxide, which is in turn formed on a layer of mono-crystalline silicon. Then, n-type dopant ions, such as phosphorus, are introduced into portions of the polysilicon, such as with a particle beam. A polymer photo-resist layer is then formed on the doped polysilicon layer, and a pattern is optically projected onto the photo-resist layer (a technique known as lithography). Next, the photo-resist layer is developed such that portions of the photo-resist layer corresponding to the projected pattern are removed to expose portions of the underlying polysilicon. The exposed portions of polysilicon are etched away using the remaining photo-resist layer as a mask. The device may be carefully heated and cooled (a process known as annealing) to incorporate the dopants into the polycrystalline structure of the polysilicon. The result, when viewed from an overhead plan perspective, is a pattern of thin polysilicon lines extending across the surface of the device, which eventually are used as NFET gates and/or signal transmission lines. P-type field-effect transistor (PFET) gates are manufactured in a similar manner, except that p-type polysilicon doping is typically used. Other techniques may additionally or alternatively be used.
The thickness and pitch of the polycrystalline line is dictated by the technology, which is continuing to shrink as per Moore's Law. For example, for 45 nm technology, the minimum polycrystalline line width is about 40 nm with a pitch of about 140 nm. With feature sizes still shrinking, any variation of line width within a chip, commonly referred to as ACLV (across chip linewidth variation) becomes a major factor in lowering the clock speed of the chip. Among other factors, photo-resist thickness also contributes to the increase of ACLV during post etch. The thicker the photo-resist, the greater the ACLV. More particularly, the ACLV increases as the gate-to-resist thickness ratio decreases. It is therefore desirable to use the thinnest photo-resist layer possible. Typical gate-to-resist thickness ratios are 0.7 or less. On the other hand, during etching of the polysilicon, the photo-resist layer is also etched, albeit at a slower rate than the polysilicon. Thus, there are opposing factors between reducing the thickness of the photo-resist layer in order to decrease ACLV and providing a photo-resist layer that is sufficiently thick to withstand the etching process and protect the underlying polysilicon.

Semiconductor device having a polysilicon layer with a non-constant doping profile


In one embodiment, a method for reducing power consumption at a cache includes determining a nonuniform architecture for a cache providing an optimum number of cache ways for each cache set in the cache. The nonuniform architecture allows cache sets in the cache to have associativity values that differ from each other. The method also includes implementing the nonuniform architecture in the cache to reduce power consumption at the cache. In another embodiment, the method also includes determining a code placement according to which code is writeable to a memory separate from the cache. The code placement reduces occurrences of inter cache-line sequential flows when the code is loaded from the memory to the cache. The method also includes compiling the code according to the code placement and writing the code to the memory for subsequent loading from the memory to the cache according to the code placement to further reduce power consumption at the cache.

A cache on a processor typically consumes a substantial amount of power. As an example, an instruction cache on an ARM920T processor accounts for approximately 25% of power consumption by the processor. As another example, an instruction cache on a StrongARM SA-110 processor, which targets low-power applications, accounts for approximately 27% of power consumption by the processor.


A programmable high-speed frequency divider architecture is provided that is programmable to divide an input clock signal frequency by a selectable division N. The frequency divider architecture has a shift register circuit having N/2 shift register stages, connected in series when N is an even integer and trunc[N/2]+1 shift register stages when N is an odd integer. The frequency divider architecture includes a feedback logic circuit that performs a logical NAND of the output clock signal with the logical ORed result of a pre-output signal provided from a shift register stage prior to the output stage and another signal that indicates whether the selectable divisor N is odd or even.

Some modern transceiver circuitry used in, for example, mobile communication devices, requires clock signals of various frequencies from frequency division circuitry. For example, in the receiver portion of a transceiver, a local oscillator (LO) frequency is sometimes a division of a given reference frequency. A programmable frequency divider is often included in phase locked loop (PLL) circuits to generate a desired LO frequency. In the transmitter portion of the transceiver, a programmable frequency divider is sometimes included in transmission loops to help generate a necessary radio frequency (RF) or intermediate frequency (IF).
Referring to FIG. 1, a basic block diagram of a frequency divider 100 is provided. A clock-in signal 102 is input into the frequency divider 100. The DIV input 104 represents a desired division ratio. DIV is sometimes an array or vector of N+1 bits for indicating the division ratio. For example, to represent a division ratio ranging from 1 to 8, an array of 3 or more bits could be used. The load signal 106 is a signal used to load a state in the frequency divider 100 such that the proper division ratio of the clock-in signal 102 will be used. The clock-out signal 108 is the resulting divided down output signal.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a prior art frequency divider 200. The core of this frequency divider is a counter 202, which counts according to the division ratio set by the DIV input 204. The counter 202 counts the clock cycles of the clock input 206 to enable generation of a count waveform 208 that has a frequency equal to the frequency of the clock input 206 divided by the division ratio represented by DIV 204. The additional logic 210 handles both odd and even division ratios. Negative edges of the clock input 206 can be used in the processing of odd division ratios and provide a balanced 50/50 duty cycle clock output 212. If the division ratio, DIV 204 is "large", for example between 4 and 1024, then the complexity of the required counter block 202 is a substantial design limitation on the allowable maximum frequency of input clock 206. This is due to the logic in the counter 202 becoming more and more complex as the DIV number becomes increases, having a consequence of creating a critical delay time for the timing of the counter circuitry 202 for creation of the clock-out signal 212 with respect to the clock-in signal 206. It has been shown through computer analysis that when using CMOSO40 technology (CMOS-40 nm technology) the maximum frequency for the clock-in signal 206 is about 910 MHz when N equals 3 (and DIV=N+1=4) and the division ratio input 204 has a value that can range from 1 to 16. Creating high frequency division circuits with CMOS-40 nm technology using prior art counter-style frequency divider cannot provide high quality divided signals when the input frequency is above 910 MHz and/or operate with a division ratio greater than 16.
Thus, a problem that needs to be addressed is to resolve how to minimize the critical timing delay at a frequency divider circuit when the division ratio 204 is a "large" number. For example, if a clock-in signal 206 is at 910 MHz and N=3, then this prior art frequency divider will work properly. But, for example, if N=5 or more then the frequency division of this prior art frequency divider 200 becomes impossible because there is not enough set-up time for the flip-flop devices within the counter block 202 to operate correctly. Therefore, what is needed is a frequency division design that allows for programmable frequency division of a clock input such that whatever number is selected as the division ratio, substantially the same performance of the division aspect of the frequency division circuitry is provided regardless of how complex or large the division circuit becomes. Further, it would be advantageous to be able to provide a frequency divider device wherein the DIV (the division ratio) can be increased without limiting the maximum clock-in frequency.
Furthermore, what is needed is a frequency divider circuit that requires less circuitry to accomplish its frequency division function. Less circuitry often means requiring less space on an integrated circuit and less cost for design, debugging and production of the resulting integrated circuit device.
Additionally, it would be advantageous to provide such a high speed clock frequency divider architecture that can provide the 50% duty cycle clock-output when the division ratio is even integer and as near to a 50% duty cycle clock-output when the frequency division ratio is an odd integer.


A method for characterizing the health of a rechargeable battery includes measuring initial condition parameters of a rechargeable battery prior to the battery being placed into service. A baseline normalization of the initial condition parameters is performed using a standardized relationship data set for a norm battery to generate baseline normalization coefficients to normalize the initial condition parameters to the norm battery. Run-time condition parameters of the battery are measured after the battery is in service as part of a continuous built in test system. The run-time condition parameters are normalized using the standardized relationship data set for the norm battery and the baseline normalization coefficients to generate normalized run-time condition parameters for the battery. The normalized run-time condition parameters are then compared to the standardized relationship data set for the norm battery to calculate a state-of-charge and state-of-health for the battery as the run-time condition.

1. Field
The present invention is directed to rechargeable batteries, and more particularly to an improved system and method for characterizing the health of a rechargeable battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Systems and methods for characterizing the health of batteries (e.g., rechargeable batteries) are used, for example, in aircraft systems to determine if a battery requires maintenance or provide an indication of end-of-life for the battery. Conventional systems and methods for characterizing the health of batteries rely on theoretical models or "feed forward" models. However, such conventional systems are less accurate and do not account for feedback based on the operational conditions of the battery, or variances between batteries.
Therefore, an improved system and method for characterizing the state-of-health and state-or-charge of a battery is needed that utilizes empirical data to calculate the health and charge of the battery and accounts for variances between batteries.

System and method for characterizing the health of a rechargeable battery


The present disclosure provides an ergonomically designed solid single piece ice cream scoop emerging from a die-cast or forged tool made out of a metal that is finished and polished to eliminate the rough edges from the die casting or forged process with superior mechanical leverage to scoop out the hardest ice cream from a container.

Various prior art ice cream scoops have been designed to improve the removal of ice cream from its carton or packaging. Such an ice cream scoop is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,695 that shows a complicated ice cream scoop having a first and second scoop member with two handles hingedly connected to one another. The ice cream scoop is cumbersome to use. Another ice cream scoop found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,846,171 shows a heat transfer ice cream scoop where the handle and scoop are hollow to retain a heated water or other fluid to melt the ice cream during the scooping process. However, this requires messing around with a hot fluid which presents certain known problems.
In short, none of these prior art patents for an ice cream scoop provide an exceptional ergonomically designed ice cream scoop that can drive through hard ice cream working with the natural motion of your wrist or can easily get into those hard-to-reach places at the bottom, sides or corners of the ice cream container. Also, the ice cream scoop provides the user with a substantial mechanical leverage advantage during the scooping operation and allows the wrist to remain in a neutral position.


In cameras and methods, a series of archival images are captured in a film unit in the camera. A series of electronic images corresponding to the archival images are captured in the camera. The electronic images are stored in memory of the camera. Unloading of the film unit from the camera is detected. Responsive to the unloading, selective clearance of the electronic images in memory is enabled.

The invention relates to photography and photographic equipment and methods and more particularly relates to cameras and methods in which electronic images in camera memory can be selectively cleared when a film unit is removed.
Many electronic and hybrid cameras store electronic images in a first in-first out overwriting queue. Electronic images are retained in camera memory until overwritten by later images. The earlier images are available for review either by simply pushing the verify button of the camera, or, in the case of reversibly erased images, by accessing the memory using a recovery program comparable to those available for retrieval of erased images in a personal computer. With uses requiring security of images, retrieval of erased images presents a risk, even if camera disassembly is required to access the erased images. This presents a problem in some uses, in terms of privacy and security.
With cameras like that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,166, to Fellegara et al., this problem can be resolved by removing the memory card and overwriting the single image in a xe2x80x9cworking memoryxe2x80x9d sized to hold a single electronic image. This approach has the shortcoming of requiring that removable memory be changed and is not practical where memory retained in the camera can hold many images.
It would thus be desirable to provide improved cameras and methods in which electronic images in the camera can be selectively cleared from memory.
The invention is defined by the claims. The invention, in its broader aspects, provides cameras and methods, in which a series of archival images are captured in a film unit in the camera. A series of electronic images corresponding to the archival images are captured in the camera. The electronic images are stored in memory of the camera. Unloading of the film unit from the camera is detected. Responsive to the unloading, selective clearance of the electronic images in memory is enabled.
It is an advantageous effect of the invention that improved cameras and methods are provided in which electronic images can be selectively cleared from memory when a film unit is removed.

Hybrid cameras having optional irreversible clearance of electronic images with film unit removal and methods


A transverse leaf spring assembly for a motor vehicle includes a transverse leaf spring which is arranged transversely to the motor vehicle. A bearing unit connects the transverse leaf spring to a body of the motor vehicle and has a holder and elastic dampers. Accommodated in the holder is an adapter which has an interior space suited to a cross sectional geometry of the transverse leaf spring, with the transverse leaf spring being received in the adapter between the elastic dampers.

The present invention relates to a transverse leaf spring assembly for a motor vehicle.
The following discussion of related art is provided to assist the reader in understanding the advantages of the invention, and is not to be construed as an admission that this related art is prior art to this invention.
Springs in the form of leaf spring are used for control and suspension of vehicle wheels. A leaf spring is normally made of resilient material such as metal and/or plastic and/or composites and has an elongate, typically beam-shaped configuration with a midsection and at least two ends.
When referring to a transverse leaf spring, a leaf spring is involved which is arranged horizontally transversely to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle. In midsection, the transverse leaf spring is typically connected or mounted to the vehicle body via two bearing units. In this way, the two ends of the transverse leaf spring are able to execute a substantially vertical spring motion. The transverse leaf spring interacts with wheel carriers or with a further component of the wheel suspension via terminal bearings on the ends of the transverse leaf spring. The transverse leaf spring assumes wheel-controlling functions, steering functions as well as damping and load-bearing tasks and may substitute helical springs and/or stabilizers necessary in the conventional wheel suspension.
The use of wheel controlling transverse leaf springs thus enables the elimination of stabilizers, required heretofore, including their bearings, or of swivel supports, transverse control arms and conventional helical springs. As a result, the number of components is reduced and assembly is simplified. Still, depending on stiffness requirements, determined by vehicle weight, vehicle comfort, vehicle dynamics and/or chassis tuning etc., different transverse leaf springs are required with respective stiffness rates that have diverse cross sectional geometries. As a result, the cross section of transverse leaf springs used within a vehicle line varies, while the installation situation of the transverse leaf spring in the chassis still remains the same. Thus, each type of transverse leaf spring requires modifications to compensate for the differences in geometry. This is cumbersome and disadvantageous.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved transverse leaf spring assembly to obviate prior art shortcomings and to enable an efficient installation of different transverse leaf springs with diverse cross sectional geometry, even though the installation space in a vehicle line or family is the same.

Transverse leaf spring assembly for a motor vehicle


A method and related circuit structure correlate the transconductance value of transistors of different type, for example MOS transistors and bipolar transistors. The structure comprises a first differential cell formed by transistors of the first type and a second differential cell formed by transistors of the second type connected to each other by means of a circuit portion responsible for calculating an error signal obtained as difference between the cell differential currents and applied to said first differential cell and to an output node of the same circuit structure obtaining a transconductance correlation independent from process tolerances and temperature.

As is well known, under small-signal conditions, the output current iOUT of a transistor is proportional to the input voltages vin applied thereto by a proportionality coefficient called transconductance gm.
This transconductance generally varies with temperature and process parameters as a function of the chosen transistor type and of the particular integration process. Therefore, different types of transistors have transconductances that are typically uncorrelated to each other and that are variable with respect to temperature according to convenient laws.
For example, a bipolar NPN transistor and a NMOS transistor are shown with reference to FIG. 1, whose input-output relation under low-signal conditions are respectively:ic=gmBJT·Vin1  (1)id=gmMOS·Vin2  (2)the respective transconductance expressions are:
                              g          mBJT                ≡                              α            ·                          I              E                                            v            T                                              (        3        )                                          g          mMOS                =                  2                                                              K                n                            ·                              W                L                            ·                              I                D                                                                        (        4        )            where                α is the current gain of the common-base-configured bipolar transistor        vT is the thermal voltage        W/L is the form factor of MOS transistors        Kn is a process constant of the NMOS transistor being proportional to the mobility μn and to the oxide specific capacity Cox         IE is the emitter bias current of the bipolar transistor Q1        ID is the bias current of the MOS transistor M1
From a comparison between the expressions (3) and (4) it is evident that the transconductances of the two types of transistors depend on different process parameters and they also have different laws of variation with temperature and they are thus generally uncorrelated.
At present, there is no effective solution for correlating the transconductance values of different types of transistors, i.e., to achieve a relation like the following one being mediated by a proportionality coefficient γ.Gm—TYPE1=γ·gm—TYPE2

Method and corresponding circuit structure to correlate the transconductance of transistors of different types


A differential apparatus for a vehicle comprises a pair of output gears 3, 4, first and second pinion gear 5, 6 intermeshing with the output pinion gears, and a differential case 2 accommodating the output gears and pinion gears. The second pinion gear 6 has large and small gear portions 6A, 6B whose pitch diameters are different and whose which tooth numbers is same respectively, and a tooth crest 60 and a tooth recess 61 formed to be shared by the large and the small gear portions 6A, 6B continuously from the large gear portion 6B to the small gear portion 6A.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gear and a differential apparatus provided therewith for a vehicle, and more particularly relates to the gear having two gear portions and the differential apparatus for a vehicle disposed between a right and a left tire wheels or between front tire wheels and rear tire wheels.
2. Description of the Related Art
A differential apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed in Japanese Tokkaihei No. 8-247253, especially in FIG. 2 which disclosing a plurality of pinion gears and side gears, whose axes are parallel to each other.
This conventional differential apparatus for a vehicle as prior art mainly consists of a differential case rotated by receiving torque from an engine, a pair of side gears, each disposed on a rotational axis O of the differential case, a first pinion gear intermeshing with one of the pair of the side gears and a second pinion gear intermeshing with the first pinion gear and the other of the pair of the side gears respectively. The second pinion gear includes two gear portions.
The differential case has a pair of tire shaft inserting in which two tire shafts are respectively inserted. A gear accommodating space in the differential case accommodates the pair of side gears, the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear.
The pair of side gears accommodated in the gear accommodating space are positioned on the rotational axis of the differential case. One of the pair of side gears has a smaller pitch diameter than the other side gear. The tire shafts are respectively connected by spline fitting to an inner surface of the pair of side gears.
The first pinion gear is positioned at a periphery of the one side gear having the smaller pitch diameter.
The second side gear is a step gear having a step or neck portion between two gear portions. One gear portion having the smaller pitch diameter is disposed to engage with the first pinion gear and with the one of the pair of side gears, and the other gear portion having the larger pitch diameter is disposed to engage with the other side gear of the pair of side gears.
When torque from the engine of the vehicle is input to the differential case, the rotational torque is transmitted to the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear. Because the pair of side gears are engaged with the tire shafts, torque from the engine is distributed according to a driving state of the vehicle, to be transmitted to the right and left tire shafts through the differential case, the first pinion gear, the second pinion gear and the pair of side gears.
In this case, when the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear tend to rotate around their own axes upon a differential between the side gears, this causes sliding of the first and second pinion gears on inner surfaces defining the gear accommodating space of the differential case, thereby generating frictional resistance between the first/second gears and the inner surfaces to restrict the differential rotation of the pair of side gears.
Also, although there is no explicit disclosure in this document, it is obvious for an ordinary skilled person in this technology that where each of the gears is constructed as a helical gear and a thrust force is generated at an intermeshing portion upon a transmission of torque from the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear to the pair of side gears, the pair of side gears are moved along their axis by the thrust force. Then, the pair of side gears are pressed to each other or to the inner opening peripheral edges of the tire shaft inserting holes so that rotational frictional resistance is generated between the pair of side gears.
However, because there is a step portion, the mechanical strength of the second pinion gear against torsion torque generated at the step portion is weak. Therefore, in order to maintain strength of the second pinion gear against torsion torque, the diameter of the second pinion gear, or the set number of pinion gears, is made larger. As a result, the apparatus becomes large when the diameter of the gear is large or the total cost of the apparatus becomes high when the set number is large.
Also, where the conventional differential apparatus is disposed between the right tire shaft and the left tire shaft, a strictly identical differential rotational ratio or differential restricting performance between the pair of side gears connecting right and left tire shafts is required, as compared to that between the front and rear tire shafts. However, it is difficult to achieve the exact same differential rotational ratio or differential restricting performance, whereby there can occur different torque transmitting performances for the right and left tire shafts during straight driving or an unbalanced differential rotational ratio or differential restricting performance during right or left turning.

Gear and differential apparatus provided therewith for vehicle


An invention for removing arsenic from contaminated soil is described. The process of this invention involves contacting contaminated soil with a carbonated solution either formed by bubbling carbon dioxide through water or dissolving in alkali metal carbonate in water for contact of the contaminated soil. The supernatent solution resulting can then be treated to remove the arsenic, preferably with reverse osmosis, for further use of the water and the decontaminated soil returned to the environment.

Arsenic in its many forms is a poison and has long been recognized as such from early literature to the present. Because of its biocidal activity, arsenic has many commercial uses and has been widely used for many years for commercial purposes, notwithstanding the recognition of its hazardous properties. Many uses of arsenic cause it to enter the environment, particularly by the contamination of soil, causing widespread environmental pollution.
Environmental pollution has occurred in the vicinity of certain facilities for wood preservation with water solutions of preservatives containing metal salts through spillage of such solutions from apparatus and wood, with the result that the underlying soil has been contaminated. Use of the treated wood has also introduced arsenic into the environment. Some of these preservatives for wood are based on compounds of copper, chromium, and pentavalent arsenic. Arsenic also finds its way into soil through the manufacture and use of insecticides, defoliants and other arsenicals. It is commonly found as an unwanted contaminant during the process of refining certain metals from ores. Arsenic, in its many forms, has been the subject of much investigation and previous attempts to remove it from the environment are the subject matter of numerous patents. Attempts have been made to treat the arsenic to bind it with the soil through fixation or encapsulation, for example. Such processes are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,921,538; 4,853,208; 4,723,992; 4,329,179; and 4,142,912 for example. Attempts have also been made to leach arsenic from solids as are described in the following patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,891,061; 4,888,207; 4,783,263; 4,457,776; 4,420,331; (Canadian) 1,107,514; 4,244,927; 4,244,734; 4,240,826; 4,220,627; 4,218,425; 4,149,880; 4,102,976; and 2,805,936. Other miscellaneous methods are described for the attempted removal of arsenic from various substrates as described in the following U.S. Patents, for example: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,939,249; 3,911,078; and 4,778,591.
Notwithstanding the rapt attention the presence of arsenic in soil has attracted, up until this invention a satisfactory method for cleaning arsenic-contaminated soil and returning it to its environment free of such arsenic contamination has not been available, except in limited cases.
In recent years the environmental concerns have developed a considerable amount of information concerning arsenic removal and tests have been developed which are used to monitor its presence by the environmental regulatory agencies. One particular test used as a standard for determining satisfactory removal of arsenic contamination is the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure, or TCLP analysis, as set forth in Federal Register, Vol. 51, No. 9, at 1750 (Jan. 14, 1986). The analytical methods followed to determine such TCLP values are well known and are continuously being developed. For instance, analytical methods normally used are in accordance to the Standard Methods for the Analysis of Water and Waste Water, 16th Ed., American Public Health Association (1985). Arsenic also can be determined according to Procedures for Handling and Chemical Analysis of Sediment and Water Samples, USEPA/Corps of Engineers Technical Committee (May 1981). The environmental regulatory agencies establish maximum criteria for the presence of arsenic and for the TCLP value as determined above.
It is an advantage of this process that the arsenic is removed from the soil and not merely left in the soil at unacceptable levels even though in a theoretically inert state by fixation or encapsulation as previously occurred. Even though primarily designed for arsenic, the method of this invention can be used to extract other undesirable inorganic or organic contaminants of soils, including copper and chromium, thus the soil can be returned to the environment safety and the other contaminants, now concentrated, can be satisfactorily disposed of. Other leaching processes involve the handling of potentially dangerous materials such as strong acids or bases which is avoided in the process of this invention.
Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide a process for the separation of arsenic contamination from soil and allow the return of the soil, free of unacceptable levels of arsenic contamination, to its intended use. It is a further object of this invention to provide a method for reclaiming soil contaminated by arsenic such that the arsenic contamination may be safely disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner without the contamination of other parts of the environment. It is further an object of this invention to provide the environmentally safe disposition of arsenic contamination of soil while returning the soil to its intended use, using only materials which are relatively safe to handle and environmentally innocuous. These objectives and advantages are accomplished by the following described invention.


Close-coupled catalysts (CCC) for TWC applications are disclosed. The novel CCCs are implemented using light-weighted ceramic substrates in which a thin coating employing a low loading of Iron (Fe)-activated Rhodium (Rh) material composition, with Iron loadings and an OSM of Ceria-Zirconia, are deposited onto the substrates. Different CCC samples are produced to determine and/or verify improved light-off (LO) and NOX conversion of the CCCs. Other CCC samples produced are a CCC including a standard (non-activated) Rh thin coating and a heavily loaded CCC with a single coating of Pd/Rh material composition. The CCC samples are aged under dyno-aging using the multi-mode aging cycle and their performance tested using a car engine with ports on the exhaust to measure the emissions, according to the testing protocol in the Environmental Protection Agency Federal Test Procedure 75. During testing, the thin coatings of Fe-activated Rh exhibit improved light-off and NOx conversion efficiency.

Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to catalyst materials for reducing engine exhaust emissions, and more particularly, to improved close-coupled catalysts for three-way catalyst (TWC) applications.
Background Information
Current automotive catalysts largely depend on platinum group metals (PGM) (e.g., Platinum, Palladium, and Rhodium) in order to convert vehicle emissions to less noxious substances. However, the supply of said metals is limited even as automobile production increases as a larger portion of the world population adopts motorized vehicles for transport. Additionally, environmental concerns have led to ever more stringent NOX, hydrocarbon (HC), and particulate emission regulations being adopted in countries throughout the world. As such, there is a continuing need for catalysts able to provide better catalytic performance while maintaining reasonable use of PGM. One way of improving the light-off performance of a TWC close-coupled catalyst is to reduce its heat capacity per unit which can be accomplished by reducing the mass of the substrate by decreasing its wall thickness or increasing its porosity. Unfortunately, employing thinner or more porous walls can create a problematic reduction in the mechanical strength of the substrate.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need to provide TWC close-coupled catalysts capable of providing sufficient conversion so that stringent HC, NOX and particulates emission limits can be accomplished cost-effectively.

Base metal activated rhodium coatings for catalysts in three-way catalyst (TWC) applications