A method for message handling in a telecommunications system having a network services processor (NSP) for accessing, processing, and distributing telecommunications in conformance with a predefined signaling system and for distributing processing applications including call handling and routing to a plurality of platforms, each platform having a unique address and responds to application specific messages, the method comprising: connecting the plurality of platforms to local area networks (LANs), the plurality of platforms include packet managers (PMs) for accessing, processing, and distributing packetized call data over a packet network and a plurality of media control platforms (MCPs) for accessing, processing, and distributing media tasks (MCTs); connecting the LANs to a corresponding plurality of interconnect controllers (ICCs), each ICC for interfacing the NSP with the plurality of platforms through a corresponding LAN; and distributing application specific messages to the plurality of platforms via a message protocol (hiQ) having a message frame which encapsulates application specific messages within a standard LAN protocol.

Digital switching systems are used in telecommunications systems for accessing, processing, and distributing telecommunications data including voice data and telephone calls. The digital switching systems are highly complex and for the most part are the result of many years of evolution and enhancements. A number of digital switching systems made by different manufacturers are used to handle telecommunications traffic throughout the world. Because the different manufacturers designed their systems with different hardware and software, many components and functions of one system are not compatible with another. Even if the same or similar components and functions were employed, as different systems are upgraded with new hardware, architectural modifications and continuous development of new or enhanced features, the systems diverge in similarity and compatibility.
As global and local call traffic continues to increase, telephone network operators demand increased call handling capacity from exchanges. A typical exchange in the United States handles about one million busy hour call attempts (BHCA). Most switching systems can be upgraded to handle more call capacity. However, many exchanges are already reaching their capacity in terms of processing capabilities and the quick-fix type upgrades cannot fulfill the call handling capability being specified, which calls for capability to handle six million BHCA in present and future systems. System architectural changes and redesigns may be the only long-term solution.
Network operators are therefore desirous of the development of switching and communication systems having architecture that provide increased processing capabilities but also fit within the existing framework with minimal impact on the required feature set, e.g., having a uniform view and single-entry point with respect to both an operations perspective and a signaling perspective. It is also desirous that the new architecture will be able to adapt to commercially available platforms and existing messaging protocols so that significant improvements in throughput and capacity may be realized by upgrading the platforms as the improved technology becomes available.
With the increase in capabilities and functions, it is inevitable that the telecommunications systems continue to increase in size in terms of both hardware and software components. A bigger system requires a larger overhead in terms of maintenance and testing functions as more components need to be tested. If each existing and added component and their interconnects has to be individually tested, this overhead cost can increase exponentially, causing reduced throughput.
A need therefore exists for a telecommunications system which fulfills the distributed processing and multiservice demands described above, but having an architecture with messaging protocol which facilitates the open distributed network environment and supports multiple services on a common networking infrastructure. It is also desirous that the messaging protocol efficiently addresses each component of the telecommunications system and facilitates efficient processing, testing, and maintenance functions.

Method and apparatus for a messaging protocol within a distributed telecommunications architecture


An ink applicator has at least one generally stationary mounting part, a fixed elongated bar fixedly mounted on the mounting part and carrying an elongated applicator blade, and a movable elongated bar mounted on the mounting part, extending parallel to the fixed bar, carrying an elongated applicator blade parallel to the fixed-bar blade, and defining an elongated ink-holding compartment with the fixed bar. The movable bar is supported on the mounting part for movement between an outer position with the movable-bar blade spaced transversely from the fixed-bar blade and defining a gap through which ink can flow out of the compartment and an inner position with the blades engaging one another and closing the gap so that no ink can flow out of the compartment.

A standard ink applicator for a printing machine or the like has an ink applicator that normally sits atop a transfer roll. The applicator forms a thin uniform coat of ink on the transfer roll which is then applied to the actual printing roll.
Such an applicator typically includes a pair of end parts that are spaced longitudinally apart and a pair of bars extending longitudinally parallel to each other between the end parts and each carrying a flexible applicator blade. The end parts, bars, and blades form a compartment that is open downward through a gap defined between confronting but spaced free edges of the blades. In use these blades ride lightly on the surface of the transfer roll and so that ink in the compartment can flow onto the transfer roll, being doctored into a thin layer by the trailing blade.
While such an arrangement works very well, when the applicator has to be changed, for instance because it needs servicing or different ink or tint is to be applied, it is standard practice to run the applicator dry. Once it is empty, it can be lifted off the transfer roll and switch for a new one that is then filled and used.
If the applicator is lifted off the transfer roll while still full there is usually a mess. Even though the ink is typically quite viscous, it can still flow out the bottom of the applicator, normally fouling the machine. This procedure is not normally preferred; instead it is better to shut off the ink supply and run the printer, thereby wasting ink and paper, until the applicator is empty.

Ink applicator having movable bar and blade for opening and closing ink gap


A system and method for providing service in a network having a wireless component is disclosed. The system and method comprise receiving a request for a dynamic address from a user node connected to a subscriber station having a convergence sub-layer, providing the dynamic address to the user node, associating the dynamic address with a service flow associated with the subscriber station, and sending data addressed to the dynamic address through the service flow. The dynamic address is based on a subscriber identifier associated with the subscriber station and a client identifier associated with the user node.

As the demand increases for broadband access to data networks, conventional dial-up, DSL, and other broadband systems have proven inadequate. A significant limitation of these conventional systems is the cost of building and extending the network infrastructure. In particular, these systems generally are restricted by their dependency on cables as a transport medium, and the cost associated with laying new cable.
Wireless broadband networks, however, eliminate or substantially reduce many of the physical limitations of conventional systems. Consequently, many network operators and service providers are turning to these types of networks to serve their consumers. Wireless broadband network architectures such as Wi-Fi and WiMax have emerged as industry standards, and continue to evolve at a rapid pace.
Part of this evolution stems from a need for wireless networks to operate seamlessly with conventional wired infrastructure, particularly with existing packet-switched networks. Many wireless access systems currently use native Ethernet to identify network nodes. Recent standards, though, define an IP convergence sub-layer that enables native IP operation and no longer use Ethernet frames. These new standards with an IP convergence sub-layer present a problem for applications that need to identify nodes connected behind wireless access nodes that implement an IP convergence sub-layer. Applications that require a certain Quality of Service (QoS) or policy-based access, for example, are particularly difficult to implement without uniquely identifying each node.

System and method for communicating with a network node behind a subscriber station with an IP convergence sub-layer


The present invention involves a medical delivery system capable of emitting radiation with wavelengths between 190 nm and 16 um in one or more essentially directed, predetermined patterns. It includes at least one solid optical fiber, having a core and a cladding on the core. The cladding has a refractive index smaller than the core, having an input end suitably configured to connect to an appropriate radiation source and having a distal end in the proximity of which two or more grooves are penetrating into the core. The gooves have at least partial reflector capability so as to deflect radiation thereto radially in one or more predetermined patterns. The invention also includes methods of performing medical procedures utilizing the aforesaid device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a laser delivery device, and more particularly to such delivery devices that emit radiation radially from the distal end of an optical fiber.
2. Prior Art Statement
Technological change in laser delivery devices is rapidly taking place in the laser medical field with the onset of minimally invasive procedures such as laser laparoscopy. The laparoscopist, a physician or surgeon who performs laparascopies, is often challenged with positioning the delivery device, i.e., the optical fiber(s), at angles radially to the laparoscope axis in order to irradiate the target perpendicularly. However, in many cases moving a laparoscope radially is very difficult or is impossible. As an alternative, the laparoscope, which is normally rigid, may have an adjustable fiber deflector called a bridge. The bridge may be adjusted at the proximal end causing radial movements to the distal end of the fibers. This adjustment is, however, limited by the bend radius of the fibers and/or the bridge device and cannot offer full capabilities. Therefore, techniques to emit radiation radially from the distal end of the fiber without bending are needed.
Reflecting tips secured on the distal fiber end, such as metal caps incorporating a mirror surface at a 45.degree. angle relative to the fiber axis are state of the art and have been used successfully in procedures such as lithotripsy with high pulse powered (Q-switched) Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Lasers.
For many surgical procedures requiring an even illumination (such as prostate treatment or photodynamic therapy) the point source-like radiation pattern from this known device is ill suited.
The state of the art devices used in photodynamic therapy incorporate a glue, i.e. epoxy, containing cap with scattering medium dispersed in it. These caps can produce a relatively homogeneous radial pattern. However, the output is diffuse and they are somewhat limited in power handling capability due to the limitations of the glue.
In summary, the present state of the art for radial laser radiation delivery is restricted to either point sources (size of the source comparable to the fiber cross section) or to essentially diffuse radiators with limited power handling capabilities. U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,047 describes a point source type of device using a cut fiber with a reflective surface to deflect a beam for lateral application.
While methods to control the fiber tip temperature aimed at preventing damage to the distal tip of the laser delivery device have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,099 no control method has been described to prevent or limit damage to the tissue itself that seems applicable to treatments such as laser prostatectomy. Thus, while this recently issued patent allows for temperature control to optimize particular surgical or medical procedures, it does not address or satisfactorily resolve the need for proper lateral and radial delivery of laser beams to satisfy varied needs for varied procedures.
Thus, the prior art neither teaches nor renders obvious the present invention device set forth herein.


The present invention provides an intake air control capable of implementing a highly accurate constant negative pressure control with a smaller number of process steps under various environments. The intake air control is applicable to an engine having a variable valve actuation mechanism for adjusting at least a lift amount of an intake valve to control an intake air amount and a throttle valve for keeping a gauge pressure in an intake manifold at a desired gauge pressure. A reference throttle opening area is determined by referring to a first table based on a desired intake air amount. The first table defines a relation between an intake air amount and a throttle opening area under a reference gauge pressure, a reference atmospheric pressure and a reference intake air temperature. A throttle opening area for achieving the desired gauge pressure is determined by correcting the reference throttle opening area with a correction parameter derived based on the Bernoulli's law by using the desired gauge pressure, a current atmospheric pressure and a current intake air temperature.

The present invention relates to an intake air control of an internal combustion engine (which will be hereinafter referred to as an "engine").
Conventionally, a constant negative pressure control for keeping a negative pressure (gauge pressure) in the intake manifold of an engine constant at a desired value by adjusting an opening degree of a throttle valve has been proposed. For example, such a control is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-161120.
According to a conventional scheme for the constant negative pressure control, a table used for determining an opening degree of the throttle valve that implements a desired value of the negative pressure is prepared. When a plurality of desired values of the negative pressure are pre-established, such a table is required for each of the plurality of desired values. One of the tables that corresponds to a current desired value is selected and then an environmental correction process based on the result of a pretest is performed to determine a final value of the opening degree of the throttle valve. Further, when air flows into an intake air system via a route other than the throttle valve (such air is called secondary air), the throttle opening degree is further corrected, for example, by a feedback control of the negative pressure.
According to the conventional scheme for the constant negative pressure control, many process steps are required for determining an opening degree of the throttle valve. A table for determining an opening degree of the throttle valve is required for each of the pre-established desired values of the negative pressure. Thus, a process by one or more software programs for implementing the constant negative pressure control may be complex. Further, depending on the amount of the secondary air, it may be difficult for the feedback control to correct the opening degree of the throttle valve.
Considering the above problems, the present invention aims at providing an intake air control scheme that implements a constant negative pressure control with a smaller number of process steps and with a higher accuracy under various environments.

Intake air control of an internal combustion engine


Method and system for chip optimization using model based verification (MBV) tool provide more accurate verification in determining hotspots and their characteristics. The MBV and the layout optimizer are implemented within a feedback loop. This type of verification allows for the MBV tool to provide hints, constraints and hotspot information to the layout optimizer. In addition, the model-based simulation results can be used to automatically fix the circuit designs and allow for specialized optimization flow for standard cell libraries.

Layout optimization is performed by analyzing the design at the optimizer. The analyzer may determine rules violations and change the design to try to improve the yield. For example, additional vias may be added to minimize the effects of random via failures. To avoid the belt buckle issue, the spacing is increased. Dummy fill is added to reduce chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) induced dishing and make the surface more planar. However, the changes are determined by the optimizer using design rules and past experience. Therefore, the yield is improved only based on the design rules at the optimizer.

System and method for layout optimization using model-based verification


A composite polymer electrolyte membrane which includes an ion-conductive polymer gel contained and supported by a matrix material formed of a porous polytetrafluoroethylene membrane. The porous polytetrafluoroethylene membrane has an internal structure which defines a three-dimensional network of interconnected passages and pathways throughout the membrane. The composite polymer electrolyte membrane has a tensile break strength of at least 10 MPa in at least two orthogonal planar directions, ion conductivity of at least 1 mS/cm, and is useful as a separator between electrodes of a lithium secondary cell.

Recent advances in portable electronic devices have been accompanied by increased interest in the electrochemical cells that supply power to these devices. Of particular interest are secondary energy cells, i.e., batteries or cells in which electrical energy can be repeatedly drained and recharged. Lithium-metal and lithium-ion secondary cells have very high electrical energy storage capacity, or energy density, and are the subject of vigorous development efforts. Typically, lithium secondary cells include a porous dielectric separator, or diaphragm, interposed between the electrodes of the cell and a liquid electrolyte to provide ionic conductivity. For convenience, "lithium secondary cells" or "lithium cells", will be used herein to include both lithium-metal and lithium-ion type batteries and secondary cells.
Also known are lithium secondary cells in which the electrolyte is a solid polymer electrolyte or a polymeric gel electrolyte. An example of a solid polymer electrolyte is a complex type electrolyte in which a metal salt, such as a lithium salt, and a polymer complex, such as a polyethylene oxide complex, each providing ligands, or complexing agents, are combined together. Ion transport is effected by movement of salt ions between ligands of the polymer complex, and is limited by the mobility of the side chains having ligands of the polymer complex. Such a solid polymer electrolyte has good mechanical strength, however, at room temperature, side chain mobility is quite low and ionic conductivity is limited to about 0.1 mS/cm.
In contrast to the solid polymer electrolyte described above is a polymeric gel electrolyte in which a liquid solvent/metal salt system is combined with a polymeric component to provide solid-like material properties. With this type of electrolyte ionic conductivity as high as about 1 mS/cm can be achieved by increasing the ion-conductive component, however, there is a concomitant decrease in tensile strength of the material. In such materials, when the ionic conductivity is high the tensile strength is only about 0.5 MPa, even when the polymeric component is crosslinked (see, for example, D. R. McFarlane, et al., Electrochimica Acta, Vol. 40, p.2131 1995!). Accordingly, such materials require mechanical support in order to be useful as a separator or diaphragm in a battery or electrochemical cell.
Porous membranes of polyolefins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, impregnated with polymer gel electrolyte are known for use as separators in lithium secondary cells. For example, a lithium secondary battery having a separator comprising a microporous polyethylene membrane impregnated with a polymer gel electrolyte is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,659 (to Morigaki, et al.). In another example, a solution consisting of ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (tetraglyme), LiAsF6, tetraethylene glycol diacrylate, and a small amount of a photopolymerization initiator is impregnated into porous polyethylene and polypropylene membranes and polymerized to form a solid electrolyte (K. M. Abraham, et al., Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Vol. 142, p. 683 (1995). Such membrane-supported solid polymer electrolytes and polymer gel electrolytes for separators in lithium cells represent a significant improvement in the state of the art, however, the gains in strength were made at the expense of ion conductivity, which was reduced by more than one order of magnitude compared to the polymer electrolytes when unsupported.
Properties which must be considered for selection of a support material for a solid polymer electrolyte or polymer gel electrolyte for use as a separator between electrodes in an electrochemical cell, in particular for a high energy cell such as a lithium secondary cell, include: chemical compatibility with the electrode materials and electrolytes; strength, sufficient to withstand the rigors of manufacturing and use; thickness, thin materials being desirable to minimize ion transport distance and maximize transport rate; and porosity, a combination of pore size, pore volume, and structure, which should be optimized to provide for introduction and retention of the electrolyte and to maximize ion conductivity between the electrodes. However, because many of these properties interact in opposition to each other, optimization of each property may be mutually excluded and compromises must be accepted. For example, it is desirable that a support material have a high pore volume and high strength, however, other characteristics being kept equal, as porosity increases strength decreases, which may lead to a tradeoff between strength required and pore volume desired.
Polyethylene and polypropylene have been used as separators, or as separators supporting solid polymer electrolytes and polymer gel electrolytes, between electrodes in lithium secondary cells due to their chemical compatibility with the electrode materials and electrolytes used in the cells. However, in such materials, porous membranes having the combination of strength, thickness, and porosity characteristics desired for greatest effectiveness are unavailable. When suitable thinness and porosity is obtainable, for example, about 1 micrometer thick and pore volume greater than 70 percent, the pore size available is so small as to make it difficult to impregnate the membrane with the electrolyte; and furthermore, the tensile strength may be quite low generally, or may be anisotropic, having a higher tensile strength in one planar direction than the tensile strength in the orthogonal planar direction which is relatively much lower. Low general tensile strength, or anisotropic tensile strength, can lead to handling and manufacturing difficulties, or may lower puncture and tear resistance of the porous membrane.
It is seen, then, that the effectiveness of membrane-supported solid polymer electrolytes and polymer gel electrolytes in lithium secondary cells can be highly influenced by the nature of the membrane support. It is the purpose of this invention to provide a membrane-supported polymer electrolyte separator for an electrochemical secondary cell which combines high strength, at least 10 MPa in at least two orthogonal directions, and high ion conductivity of at least 1 mS/cm, which heretofore has been unavailable.

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


A ferritic stainless steel suited for use as a member for heat exchangers to be brazed with Ni-based filler metal or Cu-based filler metal, comprising, on the basis of mass percent, C: 0.03% or less, Si: 3% or less, Mn: 2% or less, P: 0.05% or less, S: 0.03% or less, Cr: from 11 to 30%, Nb: from 0.15 to 0.8%, and N: 0.03% or less, wherein the balance is composed of Fe and incidental impurities, and wherein a value A determined by the following equation is 0.10 or greater: A=Nb−(C×92.9/12+N×92.9/14).

With a view to effectively re-using a heat exhausted gas, heat exchangers have been used in a variety of fields such as heat exchange plates of a gas-fired water heater or Eco-cute body. In the gas-fired water heater, a mixed liquid containing nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and chlorine is generated as a result of condensation of the components of an exhaust heat gas and there is therefore a fear of deterioration in corrosion resistance occurring, after liquid/liquid heat exchange, on the heat exchange plate due to chlorine contained at a high concentration. In addition, since Ni-based filler metal or Cu-based filler metal is employed for joining of parts, it is necessary to avoid deterioration in ductility/toughness of them due to coarsening of the structure upon brazing. For members which are required to have corrosion resistance and brazing ability, copper or copper alloy has conventionally be used. Copper is inferior in strength so that the member must be thickened in order to heighten its strength, which leads to a problem of cost increase. Accordingly, austenitic stainless steels such as SUS304 and SUS316 have so far been used as a substitute for copper in a steel member for heat exchangers.
A member to be brazed is required to have the following properties:    (1) Various good brazing abilities such as brazing ability with Ni-based brazing metal, brazing ability with Cu-based brazing metal and torch brazing ability with inexpensive brass-based filler metal or the like.
Further, when a member to be brazed is a metal member of heat exchanger (refrigerant pipe or water pipe) etc, it is further required to have the following property:    (2) Good corrosion resistance under an environment of nitric acid or sulfuric acid in a condensate derived from a combustion gas or good crevice corrosion resistance under an aqueous environment having a high chlorine concentration.
As a material having such properties and a good brazing ability, a ferritic stainless steel is investigated in Japanese Patent No. 2642056.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 2642056


The method is for coupling segments of a bus system having data and control lines by transmission of bit packets with a predetermined number of bits per packet, which number is less than the sum of the data and control lines. The bit packets contain an indicator to distinguish between data packets and control packets, data packets transmitting the status of the data lines and control packets transmitting the status of control lines. A bus status is formed from the status changes of the status lines. The control packets contain an indicator which selects one of at least two transmission modes in a first transmission mode, the reception of data packets influencing only data lines, and in a second transmission mode, the reception of data packets also influencing control lines, which are defined by the respective bus status, in addition to the data lines.

The method relates to the coupling of bus systems via multiplex links.
Devices for linking bus systems over relatively long distances are called bus couplers. Coupling via glass-fiber links is of major importance, in particular. In this case, two bus couplers are linked to one another by a connecting path, in this case a glass-fiber line. Each bus coupler converts the signals on its bus system and transmits them via the connecting path to the other bus coupler, which acts on the bus accordingly. A bus system uses data and control lines, the data lines having valid values at times determined by the control lines. A simple bus coupler continuously monitors the control lines and, in the event of a change, transmits both the status of the data lines and the changed status of the control lines. In this case, the data transmission rate required on the glass-fiber link is governed by the number of bits and the speed, which is prescribed by the bus protocol. For example, 8 data bits, 1 parity bit and the status of 9 control lines have to be transmitted for the coupling of SCSI bus systems in accordance with ANSI X3.131. Parallel-serial converters having a length of 10 bits are suitable for this purpose. Since two changes of the control line ACK and REQ are required for the transmission of one byte, four bit packets of 10 bits are transmitted. A maximum rate of 5 Mbyte/s on the bus produces a data rate of at least 200 Mbit/s, corresponding to a signal frequency of 100 MHz on the serial link. The required bandwidth is further increased by clock information. However, the data rate of 5 Mbyte/s on the bus corresponds only to a data rate of 50 Mbit/s on the serial line, only a quarter of which can thus be utilized.

Method for coupling segments of a bus system

Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme Aktiengesellschaft


A method of breaking a motor includes the step of applying a pulse width modulated signal to the winding of the motor. A switching voltage is used to intermittently reverse the poles of the motor for selected time periods. The time periods are separated by pauses the duration of which is dependent upon the breaking force needed to stop the motor.

It is known to feed motors with a pulse width modulated voltage of constant amplitude, wherein the pulse width modulation (PWM) determines the prevailing torque or the rotational speed, instead of using a constant amplitude direct voltage. This operation is also known as chopper mode. The frequency of the pulse width modulated pulses is above the audible range to avoid the motor control being audible and also to ensure that, despite the pulsed control, a practically direct current, the magnitude of which is determined by the PWM, flows in the winding of the motor due to the integrating effect.
In a known method of initiating the braking of a motor or to change the direction of rotation, the polarity of the voltages to motor windings are reversed and the motor is suddenly driven in the opposite direction of rotation. Under these conditions, initially the motor continues to run in the former direction of rotation, is braked to zero, and then rotates in the opposite direction of rotation. The following difficulties arise with this type of braking. The ends of the motor windings are connected to the operating voltage or to ground via protective diodes. The diodes protect the connected semiconductor components from destruction by voltage peaks generated in the motor windings. When a motor winding is reverse poled at the beginning of braking, a high current, which is produced by the generator voltage or the EMF generated by the motor and the resistance of the motor winding, flows independently of the control action due to conduction in the protection diodes. This current acts as a braking current due to the rotation of the motor i.e. due to the relative movement between the motor windings and the permanent magnets. Since this current cannot fall below the rated value, the braking effect can, in many cases, be too great. For example, in a video recorder, the capstan motor may be considered as the tape drive or tape advancing mechanism. Hence, if the capstan motor is braked too rapidly, loops of magnetic tape can be formed due to the inertia of the feed spool which may continue to turn.


A method of tuning a station is disclosed, wherein a first pilot signal is applied on a circuit of the station and the resulting output power of the signal circuit is subsequently detected. A second pilot signal is then applied to the circuit and the resulting output power of the circuit is detected. The offset of the circuit is then tuned based on information of the resulting output power detected for the first and second signals. A station that is adapted to implement the method may be tuned by the manufacturer thereof or later after having already been taken into use. The tuning may occur automatically as response to a predefined event.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tuning of a station, and in particular, but not exclusively, to tuning of modulator means of a station.
2. Description of the Related Art
A station such as a transmitter, a receiver or a transceiver can be used for communication media towards another station. The station may comprises user equipment such as a mobile station of a cellular communication system. Said other station may be another node in the communication system. The other node may comprise user equipment or a base station of a communication system and so on. The communication may be transmitted as analogue or digital signals or a combination of these, such as by digitally-modulated analogue signals.
One or more of the components of a station may introduce an undesired error to the signal produced by the station. This means that the station may produce a signal that does not correctly represent the information that was intended to be communicated by means of the station. The error may be caused, for example, by variations in the components used for the station. Therefore, a procedure known as tuning or calibration is typically required at the end of the manufacturing process of a station. The tuning is accomplished to ensure that the manufactured station meets the quality requirements and/or technical specification set for it.
An error that may need to be corrected by the calibration is the so called offset voltage. The offset voltage may cause an error, often referred to carrier leakage, in the signal output from the station.
The offset voltage may be caused by the processing of baseband signals. This can happen, for example, in I/Q modulators which are generally used in mobile stations or in any other station in which a baseband in-phase signal (I) and quadrature signal (Q) are processed. The quadrature techniques are typically used in modern stations in implementation of modulation of the signals.
The carrier leakage has been conventionally compensated in a transmitter station by tuning the station before it is taken into use. This tuning can be done by utilizing test signals in I and Q branches of the station. These signals are first driven to zero and then DC signals on both branches are subsequently adjusted so that the output power of the station at an output power level detector in minimised. One of said DC signals is then incremented or decremented by small steps and the change in the output power is recorded after each step. This continues until the output power of the modulator reaches a local minimum. The other branch is then selected and tuned by repeating the process. The step size is reduced at this stage until an optimum tuning of the station is reached.
In order to implement the above algorithm the detector needs to have a substantially high sensitivity. Typically, this is obtained by biasing the detector and providing amplification means in the detector circuit. Components required for implementing these functions may increase the complexity of the station. Furthermore, the stepwise operation is substantially time consuming. It might be advantageous, especially in mass production, if the time required by the tuning could be reduced.
The inventors have also found that it might also be advantageous in certain circumstances if a station could be tuned after the station has already been used for a while. For example, changes in the conditions in which the station is used (such as temperature or humidity and so on) may influence the operation of the station. In addition, components of the station may experience ageing, extreme conditions, even some mechanical damage and so on. In order to maintain optimal operation conditions of the station it might thus be advantageous if the station could be tuned even after the station has been in use.


A RF device such as a tower mounted amplifier (TMA), mast-head amplifier (MHA), or Tower Mounted Boosters (TMB) includes a housing having a plurality of cavities and an input and an output, the input being coupled to the antenna and the output being coupled to a base station. The housing includes a transmission path holding multiple coaxial resonators. The housing further includes multiple receive paths including at least one path having a plurality of cavities, each cavity containing a dielectric resonator. The metallic transmit resonator nearest the antenna input is coupled to the first dielectric resonator via a common resonant wire. The last dielectric resonator in the receive path is coupled to a first metallic resonator of a downstream clean-up filter via another common resonant wire.

As mobile usage increases, wireless service providers are increasingly faced with the challenge of optimizing and/or expanding their wireless networks to provide better service for their customers while also minimizing their network capital expenditures. TMAs (or MHAs) and TMBs are currently being used extensively in wireless networks to improve the range of cellular base stations. Generally, a TMA or MHA consists of a filter and low noise amplifier ("LNA") which is mounted at or near the top of a base station tower. TMAs and MHAs improve signal quality by boosting the uplink (Rx) signal of a mobile system immediately after the antenna. TMAs and MHAs compensate for the loss in signal that occurs in the coaxial cable run from the antenna to the base transceiver station ("BTS"). The goal of TMAs and MHAs is to amplify the in-band signal close to the antenna so as to provide the lowest possible noise contribution to the overall receiver system. The noise figure of the TMA should be as low as possible, so as to minimize the noise from the TMA itself. For example, a difference of 1 dB in the noise figure results in a difference in coverage of ˜20%. Thus, even small changes in the noise figure as measured in dBs (which are measured on a logarithmic scale) can significantly affect the overall performance characteristics of the device.
TMAs and MHAs can result in increased coverage area for a given base station. This allows mobile subscribers to place more calls, place longer calls, increase data throughput, as well as reduce the number of dropped calls. This also reduces the overall number of base stations required to cover a specific area, hence, minimizing overall capital and operating expenditures. Capital expenditures for wireless towers/base stations can be very expensive. For example, it is estimated that each tower/base station can cost between about $500,000 and $750,000. In addition, each base station requires ongoing site lease expenses, backhaul (such as T1 lease), maintenance, totaling ˜$50,000 per year. Because if of this, TMAs and MHAs have the ability to significantly reduce overall capital and operating expenditures on wireless infrastructure because a lower number of towers/base stations may be used to provide the same amount of coverage for a particular area.
TMAs or MHAs have become increasingly used as wireless carriers move to higher frequencies (i.e., greater than about 1.5 GHz) because RF propagation losses are much higher and service range is much shorter at these frequencies (as compared to ˜850 MHz—the initial deployment frequency of cellular in the United States) and ˜900 MHz or 450 MHz (initial deployment frequency in Europe). TMAs or MHAs are typically overlaid on top of existing base station infrastructure in order to avoid the high cost to site and construct additional base station towers. Current TMAs or MHAs rely on metal resonator/air-filled, cavity-based filters which can have low loss but poor filtering characteristics or good filtering characteristics and high loss. It is important, however, to reduce out-of-band signals as much as possible because signals passing through the filters will be amplified and passed to the BTS. This is particularly important because the presence of out-of-band interfering signals will produce additional noise in the system because of spurious signals generated within the non-linear components such as the LNA and mixers, or saturation of the components resulting in significantly reduced performance from the system.
The problem is that in order to mount the LNA as close as possible to the antenna, the filter in the TMA or MHA must necessarily be small because of the limited space or "real estate" at the top of the tower. In current metal resonator/air cavity-based filters, this necessitates poor filtering performance. While high performance metal resonator/cavity filters are available, their large size and increased loss precludes them from being used in close-to-the antenna applications (e.g., in TMA or MHA systems).
Thus, there is a need for a RF device that provides excellent out-of-band signal rejection with low pass band loss, yet is small enough to mount close to the antenna. Preferably, the RF device can be incorporated into TMAs or MHAs which can be overlaid on existing tower infrastructure for use in a wide variety of frequencies including 2 GHz (or higher) applications.
In addition, there is a growing need for better filtering in newer (3 G) air interfaces such as CDMA and OFDM. This need for better filtering comes from the fact that on CDMA and OFDM wireless networks, any interference has a significant impact on the receiver performance, unlike earlier protocols such as analog, TDMA or GSM. Furthermore, data services are becoming increasingly important to wireless carriers. Unfortunately, data is much less forgiving than voice with respect to errors. The power amplifier design is much more complex and is limited by the out of the band emissions at maximum power. This can, however, be reduced with good filtering. Thus, newer technologies being implemented in wireless networks are driving the need for good filtering on both the transmit and the receive side of the network.


The clock has a dial which may be removed from a casing and replaced by a different dial. The dial is located behind the crystal of the clock and the hands are located outside the crystal.

The present invention relates to a clock kit, and in particular a clock kit of novel design.
Various kits for fabricating clocks are known but most are of such a design that they are too complicated for children, and others lacking sufficient manual dexterity, to assemble. If of simple design, they do not allow the person assembling the kit a choice of dial materials, control of the final appearance of the dial, and hence, the appearance of the finished clock. Also because the dial is handcrafted and may be of a delicate nature, separation of the dial from its environment is necessary.
An example of a clock kit, which has a construction that might be too complicated for those with limited manual dexterity and also does not afford dial protection is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,806 dated Jun. 17, 1975 granted to Frank P. Casella. An example of a clock which offers changeability but which offers no protection for the dial, no chance for the assembler to finish the dial to his/her own tastes, and because of its design, limits dial materials to those flexible enough to be folded, is U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,474 dated Mar. 7, 1995, granted to Jay Lin.
Another example of a clock where changeability might be attained, but which offers no protection to the dial, no chance for the assembler to finish the dial to his/her own tastes, and limits the material from which the dial can be made because rigidity is necessary to property affix the dial to the casing, can be found in U.S. Pat. No., 4,718,773 dated Jan. 12, 1988, granted to Colin N. O'Donoghue.
In view of the shortcomings of the known art, the inventor has designed a clock kit, which due to its simplicity and variability make it useable by those who have limited knowledge or skill in the filed of dial or clock making The dial can be finished to the specifications and colour choices made by the assembler.
The primary objective of this invention is to provide a clock kit with a dial which can be finished to the taste of any person with rudimentary artistic skills.


A filter assembly has a housing with a housing inlet and a drain. A rotary vessel is rotatably mounted within the housing and has a rotary vessel inlet and a rotary vessel outlet. Fluid exiting the rotary vessel outlet exits the housing through the drain. A valve assembly moveable between a closed and an open configuration is provided. When closed, the valve assembly fluid-tightly seals rotary vessel inlet from housing inlet. When open, the rotary vessel inlet is in fluid communication with the housing inlet such that fluid flowing into the housing inlet passes into the rotary vessel inlet. The valve assembly is moveable from closed to open configuration when a pressure of fluid flowing into the housing inlet exceeds a threshold pressure. The filter assembly has a fluid passageway permitting air flow into the rotary vessel through the rotary vessel inlet when the valve assembly is closed.

This invention relates to a filter assembly. The invention particularly, but not necessarily, relates to a filter assembly for a vehicle.
Filter assemblies are known for removing contaminant particles from lubricating oil circuits of internal combustion engines. They are also known for separating particulate matter from liquids, as well as separating liquids of different densities from one another, in a variety of industrial processes. Typically, a filter assembly comprises a housing having a rotor supported therein to spin about an axis of rotation. A working fluid from which a contaminant is to be removed, e.g. engine oil, is supplied at elevated pressure along the axis of rotation to the rotor. Subsequently, the pressurized fluid is tangentially ejected from the rotor such that the rotor is caused to spin. As the working fluid flows through the spinning rotor, denser contaminants or particles are separated therefrom by centrifugal force and retained in the rotor, typically as a cake adhering to an interior surface of the rotor. Ejected fluid drains to a sump.
As retained contaminant particles agglomerate in the rotor, it is necessary to replace or service the rotor at suitably regular intervals to ensure the continued cleaning effectiveness of the filter assembly. It is common that servicing of the rotor requires its removal from the housing.
It is an object of the invention to improve upon and/or reduce a problem associated with one or more known arrangements.

Filter assembly with a pressure actuated valve assembly that permits air flow into a rotary vessel


Before a wheel to be controlled satisfies conditions to shift to ABS control, when a specified or larger deceleration is caused by applying a brake, a wheel for which the difference in rotational speed from that of a wheel having the maximum rotational speed as the reference is equal to or larger than a predetermined value is subjected to the brake pressure increase restraint. At this time, the magnitude of the estimated lateral acceleration value is determined, and when the vehicle is in a sharp turn, pressure increase rates of the inside wheels are set to be particularly small values.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an automotive antiskid control system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automotive antiskid control system which can adjust the brake pressure of each wheel so that the slip state of each wheel can match with the target slip state of each wheel.
2. Related Art
An antiskid control system which can shorten the stopping distance by maintaining the slip state of each wheel to the target slip state while braking has been known. That is, the adjustment of brake pressure is started on condition that the slip state of each wheel has exceeded the target slip state (slip ratio: approximately 20%) and thereby maintaining the slip state of each wheel to the target slip state. Normally, this system is constructed so that the brake pressure corresponding to an amount of brake pedal depression is continuously transmitted as it is to the wheel cylinder of each wheel from the start of braking until the slip state of each wheel exceeds the target slip state.
However, if the vehicle is braked under a condition that load allocation to each wheel is not even, such as if the vehicle is turning, only the driving wheels have snow chains wound therearound or the arrangement of passengers is lopsided, the smaller the load allocated to a wheel is, the earlier this wheel is locked and the earlier the timing of this wheel exceeding the target slip ratio is. For this reason, in the above case, the antiskid control start timing varies from wheel to wheel and the driver has a sense of incongruity, which poses a problem.
Also in such a case where the vehicle is braked while running on a split road or on a road surface like a waste land on which the left wheels and the right wheels have different coefficients of friction on the grounding surfaces, the smaller the coefficient of friction of the road surface is on which a wheel grounds, the earlier the antiskid control starts with respect to this wheel. Therefore, the driver has a sense of incongruity due to the unbalanced control start timing, which poses another problem.
Also when the friction state of each wheel or the air pressure thereof is unbalanced, a difference among the locking tendency of each wheel occurs, which also poses a similar problem.
To counter a problem occurred when the vehicle is braked while turning, in the case where the lateral acceleration when the vehicle is braked while turning becomes equal to or larger than the specified value before the antiskid control starts, such techniques have been proposed as (1) restraining the brake pressure increases of the rear wheels (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-1564), "(2) holding or reducing the brake pressures of the inside turning wheels (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei. 1-178060), and (3) increasing the brake pressures of the inside turning wheels at lower increasing rates than those of the brake pressures of the outside turning wheels (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei. 1-215657). However, these techniques have never been so advanced as to consider the load allocation to each wheel or ease the sense of incongruity of the driver as to the antiskid control start timing as described above.
On the other hand, the applicants for this patent have proposed a technique, as stated in the Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei. 7-101327, which is to prevent the unbalanced timing of the antiskid control start among the four wheels when the vehicle is turning. This technique has not yet been publicized as of japanese application date of the present invention, being not a publicized prior art. The purpose of this technique is "for such a system that executes the antiskid control with the antiskid determination value V.sub.S =0.8V.sub.O with respect to the body speed V.sub.O to slightly restrain the brake pressure increase rate of a wheel when the wheel speed of the wheel falls below the first determination value V.sub.D (V.sub.O >V.sub.D >V.sub.S) and furthermore to change the pressure increase rate to be more restrained when the wheel speed falls below the second judgment value V.sub.B (V.sub.O >V.sub.D >V.sub.B >V.sub.S)". By using this technique, the start timings of the antiskid control for all four wheels can almost be coincided with each other.
However, in this proposed technique, it is conceivable that the brake pressure increases of all the four wheels are restrained. For example, upon the start of braking, all the four wheels may start slipping in the same way. In this case, as the brake pressure increases of all the four wheels are restrained, it is conceivable that the antiskid control is started before the driver obtains the feeling of deceleration as he expected. That is, in the previous proposal of the applicant, it is probable that the sense of incongruity of the driver that the antiskid control start timing is too early can be eliminated and nevertheless a new feeling of congruity that he can not obtain a feeling of deceleration may occur to the driver.


A method for processing a flowback composition stream from a well head includes controlling a first flow rate of the flow back composition stream to a second flow rate by regulating the flowback composition stream from a first pressure to a second pressure. The method also includes separating the flowback composition stream into a first gas stream and a condensed stream. The method includes discharging the condensed stream to a degasser and degassing a carbon dioxide rich gas from the condensed stream. The method also includes mixing the carbon dioxide rich gas stream with the first gas stream to produce a second gas stream. The method includes controlling a third flow rate of the second gas stream by regulating a third pressure of the second gas stream to a fourth pressure that is different than the third pressure.

The embodiments described herein relate generally to modular processing assemblies, and more particularly, to methods and systems for selectively processing a flow back composition that is discharged from a well head.
As global demand for petroleum and natural gas production grows, the industry will continue to exploit more challenging oil and gas reservoirs, and in particular, reservoirs that may be considered uneconomical due to low formation permeability. Currently, hydraulic stimulation, known as hydro-fracturing, is accomplished using water-based fracturing fluids, wherein a pressurized liquid fractures a geological formation. Typically, water is mixed with proppants, which are solid materials, such as sand and aluminum oxide, and the mixture is injected at high pressure into a wellbore to create small fractures within the geological formation along which fluids such as gas, petroleum, and brine water may migrate to the wellbore. Hydraulic pressure is removed from the wellbore, and then small grains of proppant hold the fractures open once the geological formation achieves equilibrium. As the fracturing fluid flows back through the wellbore, the fluid may consist of spent fluids, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and petroleum and brine waters. In addition, natural formation waters may flow to the wellbore and may require treatment or disposal. These fluids, commonly known as a flowback composition stream, can be managed by surface wastewater treatment.
Hydro-fracturing may include potential environmental considerations, including treatment of large volumes of contaminated water produced during the flowback stage and an increased demand on local freshwater supplies, particularly in arid or otherwise water-stressed areas. Therefore, a need for large volumes of clean water for hydro-fracturing may preclude implementation in some locales. Hydro-fracturing may also pose technical risks relating to water-sensitive reservoirs.
At least some known conventional fracturing procedures have replaced water as the pressurized fluid with other fluids such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, foams, and/or liquid propane. While these fluids, in comparison to water, provide a means for higher initial production rates and ultimate recovery of the reservoir hydrocarbons, some process challenges may exist associated with handling the post-stimulation flowback stream when using these fluids which can be volatile under ambient temperature and pressure conditions. These challenges include high variability in flow rates as well as gas compositions. The post-stimulation flowback rate is typically very high initially and may decrease by a few orders of magnitude over a period of a few days. Additionally, the gas composition may vary significantly. For example, for a well stimulated with carbon dioxide, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the flowback gas can be high initially such as, for example, over 90% volume, and decrease by an order of magnitude over a period of a few days. A conventional method to accommodate the high flow rates and variability when using these normally volatile fluids is to vent the flowback gas to the atmosphere with no recovery procedure, at least for the first few days of flowback operation. Such venting of these gaseous forms may result in inefficient use of the fluids and/or negative environmental impacts.

Modular assembly for processing a flowback composition stream and methods of processing the same


A device for monitoring the fatigue life of a structural member composed of a predetermined material, and a method of making same. The device is a substantially flat fuse composed of a material similar to the predetermined material and mountable on a structural member during use. The fuse has cut out portions which define fuse elements which also have reduced thicknesses to effect failure at different times in sequence because of fatigue and prior to the failure of the monitored structural member when the fuse and the monitored structural member are subjected to substantially the same stress history.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fatigue monitors and more particularly to a novel and highly effective device for detecting fatigue of a monitored structure due to flexure and to a method of making the device. The invention is applicable particularly to the detection of metal fatigue but is applicable also to the detection of fatigue in other structural materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Maurice A. Brull U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,590,804 and 4,639,997, both assigned to the assignee of the present invention, disclose respectively a device for and method of monitoring fatigue life. The patents illustrate what are called coupons, otherwise known as fatigue fuses, arranged in a row and each having different notch patterns ranging from the mildest notch pattern to the most aggressive notch pattern. The coupons will fail because of fatigue in a prescribed sequence. The number of load cycles to failure as a function of stress amplitude for the different coupons can be plotted, and as each coupon fails, it gives an indication of the remaining life expectancy of the monitored structure.
More particularly, each of the coupons includes a special notch pattern. The coupon axis must be oriented along a suitably chosen direction. The notch pattern of each of the coupons produces a stress field which varies in intensity from relatively mild to very severe. The severity of the local stress field is controlled by the geometry of the notch pattern. Smooth geometries produce a mild stress concentration, while geometric discontinuities produce severe stresses. In this manner, when all of the coupons are subjected to the same stress history, it will result in the development of different stress concentrations in the region of the notch tips of each coupon, so that each coupon will have a different fatigue life. Moreover, if the stress history of the coupons is the same as that of the monitored structure, the fatigue life of each coupon will be a different percentage of the fatigue life of the monitored structure.
In accordance with the disclosures of the patents, the coupons are secured to the monitored structure by pins, adhesive or welding so that, ideally, all of the coupons experience the same strain history as the monitored structure.

Device for monitoring the fatigue life of a structural member and a method of making same


This invention relates to the use of sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate (SDDBS) for helping to prevent or remove surface deposited stains from natural teeth and dental prostheses and oral care compositions comprising SDDBS for such use.

Several factors contribute to tooth discoloration but the three main factors are believed to be: i) formation of plaque and tartar matrices on the tooth surface which then entraps stains, ii) ingestion of certain drugs during tooth formation, and iii) discoloration due to oral cavity traumatization following which blood break-down products seep into the mineralized area of the teeth during enamel formation. This invention is primarily concerned with the first factor or cause of tooth discoloration, that is the natural stain which accumulates on teeth.
Over-the-counter teeth whitening preparations have been developed to address the cosmetic preference of many to restore luster to tooth enamel discolored by surface entrapped materials. While all mouthwash and dentifrice compositions contain some cleaning and polishing agents, some tooth surface deposits may become intractable and not fully removed by these agents under normal use conditions. Also these preparations may not be formulated with the amount or type of agent required to fully remove the amount of stains and discoloration which build up due to excessive exposure to the staining agent. For example, smokers often develop discolored enamel because the tars and particulate in exhaled cigarette smoke collect on the teeth. And a number of comestibles can stain or discolor tooth enamel, tea being one example of a beverage where the tannins in the tea deposit on the tooth enamel. Some medicinal agents may cause staining or discoloration via entrapment, though this is not a usual common cause of this type of staining.
Three approaches to enamel whitening are currently in general use. They are based on using abrasives, employ oxidizing agents or utilize a hydrolytic entity to break down the staining material, e.g. enzyme-based products.
SDDBS is an anionic surfactant that is used in many oral and personal care products.
The present invention is based upon the discovery that SDDBS has anti-stain activity. In particular it has been found that SDDBS inhibits the formation of stain through its ability to prevent the uptake of dietary stain onto model surfaces. In addition to this SDDBS has been shown to remove staining in-vitro.

Oral compositions comprising sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate


An interconnect structure enables indirect routing in programmable logic. The structure includes a plurality of routing lines, and switch box(es) and connection boxes coupled to the plurality of routing lines. The connection boxes include at least one programmable switch in each routing track. The position of the programmable switch(es) in each connection box connected to same interconnect matrix differs from the position of said programmable switch(es) in corresponding routing tracks of other connection boxes thereby utilizing the connectivity of said switch box for input connections and increasing the flexibility of connections.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interconnect structure enabling indirect routing in programmable logic.
2. Description of Related Art
When integrated circuits (ICs) were first introduced, they were extremely expensive and were limited in their functionality. Rapid strides in semiconductor technology have vastly reduced the cost while simultaneously increasing the performance of IC chips. However, the design, layout, and fabrication process for a dedicated, custom built IC remains quite costly. This is especially true for those instances where only a small quantity of a custom designed IC is to be manufactured. Moreover, the turn-around time (i.e., the time from initial design to a finished product) can frequently be quite lengthy, especially for complex circuit designs. For electronic and computer products, it is critical to be the first to market. Furthermore, for custom ICs, it is rather difficult to effect changes to the initial design. It takes time, effort, and money to make any necessary changes.
In view of the shortcomings associated with custom IC's, Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) offer an attractive solution in many instances. Basically, FPGAs are standard, high-density, off-the-shelf ICs, which can be programmed by the user to a desired configuration. Circuit designers first define the desired logic functions, and the FPGA is programmed to process the input signals accordingly. Thereby, FPGA implementations can be designed, verified, and revised in a quick and efficient manner. Depending on the logic density requirements and production volumes, FPGAs are superior alternatives in terms of cost and time-to-market.
A typical FPGA essentially consists of an outer ring of I/O blocks surrounding an interior matrix of configurable logic blocks. The I/O blocks residing on the periphery of an FPGA are user programmable, such that each block can be programmed independently to be an input or an output and can also be tri-statable. Each logic block typically contains programmable combinatorial logic and storage registers. The combinatorial logic is used to perform Boolean functions on its input variables. Often, the registers are loaded directly from a logic block input, or they can be loaded from the combinatorial logic.
Interconnect resources occupy the channels between the rows and columns of the matrix of logic blocks and also between the logic blocks and the I/O blocks. These interconnect resources provide the flexibility to control the interconnection between two designated points on the chip. Usually, a metal network of lines runs horizontally and vertically in the rows and columns between the logic blocks. Programmable switches connect the inputs and outputs of the logic blocks and I/O blocks to these metal lines (called input & output connection boxes). Crosspoint switches and interchanges at the intersections of rows and columns are used to switch signals from one line to another (called switch boxes). Often, long lines are used to run the entire length and/or breadth of the chip.
The functions of the I/O blocks, logic blocks, and their respective interconnections are all programmable. Typically, a configuration program stored in an on-chip memory controls these functions. The configuration program is loaded automatically from an external memory upon power-up, on command, or programmed by a microprocessor as part of system initialization.
A typical FPGA architecture is shown in the FIG. 1. The configurable logic block shown in the figure has its inputs connected to the routing fabric via the connection boxes (C-Box). The switch box (S-Box) can be of different topologies namely Wilton, Disjoint or Hyper Universal, which provide enhanced routability at the expense of some extra resources.
In recent trends, the connection boxes of a logic cluster are no longer concentrated on the four adjacent channels but on all four sides of a particular switch box making connection box and switch box appear as one single entity as shown in FIG. 2.
A typical configurable logic block (CLB) would be as shown in FIG. 3. The logic block shown has a full matrix on the input side of its connectivity with the routing fabric, and internal feedback matrix for merged nets. It could also possibly have a full matrix on the output side to connect to the routing fabric. For generic FPGA structures, the papers by Vaughn Betz, "Architecture and CAD for Speed and Area Optimization of FPGAs," Phd thesis, University of Toronto, 1998 and J. Rose, R. J. Francis, D. Lewis, and P. Chow, "Architecture of Field-Programmable Gate Arrays: The Effect of Logic Block Functionality on Area of Efficiency," IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 25 No. 5, October 1990, pp. 1217-1225 can be referred.
In recent trends the designers have deviated from using full crossbars as they require large buffers and instead use depopulated matrices as in FIG. 4. The inputs of a look-up table (LUT) are identical and swappable by changing the configuration bits to implement the same logic. Utilizing this fact, and also that duplication in LUT inputs is unnecessary; a smaller input matrix as shown in FIG. 4 can replace the full matrix. The feedback matrix has been omitted for simplicity. Here the first 4×4 matrix serves the first inputs of all the four LUTs and the second matrix serves the second inputs and so on. Thus we see that the inputs of the logic block have been split into four domains; i.e., the inputs which drive the first inputs belong to one domain; those which drive the second inputs belong to the second domain and so on.
The disjoint switch box is very popular because of its ease during layout. A disjoint switch box is shown in FIG. 5. A disjoint switch box has similar one to one connections on all the sides. A signal on a particular track remains on the same track throughout the fabric. So if the logic block (CLB) in FIG. 6 is connected to a routing fabric with such a switch box via identical connection boxes on all the sides, an implied segregation of routing resources into domains is achieved as those tracks which connect to pins of a particular domain belong to that domain assuming that they do connect to one pin in one connection box. As shown in the figure, a total of sixteen input pins of a logic cluster form four different domains. The tracks connecting to these pins are accordingly demarcated. Further in case the routing domains are not segregated into domains, a routing line on one side gets connected to its corresponding routing line on the other side as shown in FIG. 7.
These configurations have greatly reduced routability. If a signal is routed on input line 705 to the Logic Block on a particular domain, then only limited tracks would be available via which the signal can be routed. In case domains are not available, the signal would be routed to its corresponding lines on the other sides. Specifically, only the routing tracks of same domain would be available as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. A set of four segments from each side that form a part of the disjoint switch box, e.g., 701, 702, 703, 704, belong to the same domain. This arises from the fact that all four-connection boxes of a logic cluster are the same. Thus, there is a constraint on the connectivity of the routing tracks to other routing tracks.
Furthermore, if a net has sinks in more than one domain it has to duplicate the net onto routing fabric from the source itself. This increases the demand on routing tracks.
There is accordingly a need to solve the problems of underutilized domains, reduced routability, and unnecessary usage of routing tracks for multi domain fanout nets. Embodiments of the present invention address the problems of the prior art by use of a new input matrix, a systematic way of switch arrangements in the connection box and a new concept of reflection within the switch box. The connectivity in the input matrix has been changed to distribute load over the routing fabric uniformly when the logic block operates in special modes.

Interconnect structure enabling indirect routing in programmable logic


When a hand of the user is recognized in an image pickup region of a camera, a head mounted display stores a contour shape of the hand which would be imaged by the camera in advance. In addition, the head mounted display receives an input of image data per pixel included in the camera, calculates a difference between colors of adjacent pixels represented by the image data, sets a set of image data having the same color system, where the calculated difference is within a predetermined threshold, as a group, and captures a contour of a region of the data. Next, the head mounted display compares the captured contour to a contour shape of the hand which is stored in advance to allow the user to recognize the hand of the user in the image pickup region.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image processing device and a head mounted display apparatus including the same.
2. Related Art
A technique called Augmented Reality (AR) for adding information to a real environment and presenting the information using a computer is known. A technique for realizing such augmented reality is applied to not only head mounted display (HMD) apparatuses (for example, refer to JP-A-2010-146481) but image processing devices (for example, refer to "Handy A R: Markerless Inspection of Augmented Reality Objects Using Fingertip Tracking") which display an image on the existing displays other than HMDs. The HMD disclosed in JP-A-2010-146481 allows the user to visually recognize a virtual panel formed by augmented reality as a virtual image and associates a position and a movement of a hand of the user with the virtual panel. Therefore, a technique for recognizing the hand of the user is necessary, and such hand recognition techniques are disclosed in "Handy A R: Markerless Inspection of Augmented Reality Objects Using Fingertip Tracking" and "The international Journal of Virtual Reality, 2009, 8(2): 7-12 Robust Hand Tracking Using a Simple Color Classification Technique".
In "Handy A R: Markerless Inspection of Augmented Reality Objects Using Fingertip Tracking" and "The international Journal of Virtual Reality, 2009, 8(2): 7-12 Robust Hand Tracking Using a Simple Color Classification Technique", when a hand of the user imaged by a camera is recognized, the color of the hand is defined in advance as a model color of the skin, a region of a color which matches with the defined model color is separated from the other regions, and the shape of this separated region is recognized as the hand of the user. Accordingly, the recognition accuracy of the hand of the user can be secured to some extent by increasing the model color of the skin defined as the color of the hand of the user or by providing a certain margin to a value of the matching determination. However, an image pickup state of the hand of the user may vary. For example, there are many cases where the illuminance around the hand of the user may be rapidly changed depending on changes in outside weather conditions at that time, changes in the irradiation state of the sunlight, the glare of reflected light or shadow, and the like. In such cases, the color of the hand does not match with the model color, which may decrease the recognition accuracy of the hand of the user. In a room, the above-described phenomenon may occur depending on illumination conditions. In addition, the color of the hand of the user varies depending on the race of a person and the individual people. Therefore, whenever the color of the hand of the user cannot be recognized, it is necessary that the model color, which is the reference for recognizing the hand of the user, be newly defined according to the color of the hand of the user. As a result, convenience deteriorates. Moreover, even when the model color is newly defined, the recognition accuracy may be decreased due to rapid changes in illuminance. Therefore, in head mounted displays and image processing devices to which augmented reality (AR) is applied, it has been required that the recognition accuracy of the hand of the user be increased. In addition, improvement in the versatility of a technique for detecting a hand of the user, reduction in cost thereof, and the like have been also desired.

Image processing device and head mounted display apparatus including the same


A pneumatic spanner structure includes a head body, a link bevel gear unit, a hit unit and a driving handle. A driving motor axle portion at an open end of the driving handle drives a motor link bevel gear post and a hit unit link bevel gear plate of the link bevel gear unit. The hit unit link bevel gear plate links the hit unit. The link bevel gear unit enhances and transmits the force to the hit unit. The hit unit applies the acting force on a workpiece. The hit unit doesn't need a buffer space for actuation and the force is indirect. The link bevel gear unit is a deceleration device to extend the service life of the whole structure. The output force is more powerful than the prior art, providing a stable and compact structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pneumatic spanner structure, and more particularly, to a pneumatic spanner structure for a pneumatic tool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional pneumatic spanner, as shown in FIG. 6, comprises a hit unit (50) to drive a gear post (51). The gear post (51) drives a bevel gear plate (52) to link a spanner axle (53). However, the conventional pneumatic spanner has the following shortcomings.
1. Unstable structure: The hit unit drives the gear post. The gear post drives the bevel gear plate to link the spanner axle. The force is direct applied to the gear post and the gear plate to wear and tear the teeth of the gear post and the gear plate. Through the hit unit to drive the gear, the impact of the hit unit centralizes the press on the gear post and the gear plate to damage the gear post and the gear plate so the structure is unstable.
2. Not compact structure: The hit unit drives the gear post. The gear post drives the bevel gear plate to link the spanner axle. This structure needs larger buffer space to consume the efficiency of the hit unit. The force cannot be transmitted efficiently to form weak energy so the structure is not compact.
Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve this problem.


An improved flexo processor and a method of using the improved flexo processor to increase the flexibility of both the type and the size of the flexographic printing element that may be processed. The novel thermal plate processor system is capable of processing both flat and round photosensitive printing elements with only minimal changes to the system. The thermal plate processor system may also include means for exposure and post-exposure/detack in the same system.

Flexography is a method of printing that is commonly used for high-volume runs. Flexography is employed for printing on a variety of substrates such as paper, paperboard stock, corrugated board, films, foils and laminates. Newspapers and grocery bags are prominent examples. Coarse surfaces and stretch films can be economically printed only by means of flexography. Flexographic printing plates are relief plates with image elements raised above open areas. Such plates offer a number of advantages to the printer, based chiefly on their durability and the ease with which they can be made.
Although photopolymer printing elements are typically used in "flat" sheet form, in some applications, there are advantages to using the printing element in a continuous cylindrical form, as a continuous in-the-round (CITR) photopolymer sleeve. CITR photopolymer sleeves add the benefits of digital imaging, accurate registration, fast mounting, and no plate lift to the flexographic printing process. CITR sleeves have applications in the flexographic printing of continuous designs such as in wallpaper, decoration and gift-wrapping paper, and other continuous designs such as tablecloths, etc. CITR sleeves enable flexographic printing to be more competitive with gravure and offset on print quality.
A typical flexographic printing plate as delivered by its manufacturer, is a multi-layered article made of, in order, a backing or support layer, one or more unexposed photocurable layers, a protective layer or slip film, and a cover sheet. A typical CITR photopolymer sleeve generally comprises a sleeve carrier (support layer) and at least one unexposed photocurable layer on top of the support layer.
It is also highly desirable in the flexographic prepress printing industry to eliminate the need for chemical processing of printing elements in developing the relief images, in order to go from plate to press more quickly. Processes have been developed whereby photopolymer printing plates are prepared using heat and the differential melting temperature between cured and uncured photopolymer is used to develop the latent image. The basic parameters of this process are known, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,279,697, 5,175,072 and 3,264,103, in published U.S. patent publication Nos. U.S. 2003/0180655, and U.S. 2003/0211423, and in WO 01/88615, WO 01/18604, and EP 1239329, the teachings of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. These processes allow for the elimination of development solvents and the lengthy plate drying times needed to remove the solvent. The speed and efficiency of the process allow for its use in the manufacture of flexographic plates for printing newspapers and other publications where quick turnaround times and high productivity are important.
The photocurable layer allows for the creation of the desired image and provides a printing surface. The photocurable compositions used generally contain binders, monomers, photoinitiators, and other performance additives. Photocurable compositions useful in the practice of this invention include those described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/353,446 filed Jan. 29, 2003, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Various photopolymers such as those based on polystyrene-isoprene-styrene, polystyrene-butadiene-styrene, polyurethanes and/or thiolenes as binders may be used. Preferred binders include polystyrene-isoprene-styrene, and polystyrene-butadiene-styrene, especially block co-polymers of the foregoing.
The composition of the photocurable layer should be such that there exists a substantial difference in the melt temperature between the cured and uncured polymer. It is precisely this difference that allows the creation of an image in the photocurable layer when heated. The uncured photopolymer (i.e., the portions of the photocurable layer not contacted with actinic radiation) melts or substantially softens while the cured photopolymer remains solid and intact at the temperature chosen. The difference in melt temperature allows uncured photopolymer to be selectively removed, thereby creating an image.
The printing element is then selectively exposed to actinic radiation, which is traditionally accomplished in one of three related ways. In the first alternative, a photographic negative with transparent areas and substantially opaque areas is used to selectively block the transmission of actinic radiation to the printing plate element. In the second alternative, the photopolymer layer is coated with an actinic radiation (substantially) opaque layer, which is also sensitive to laser ablation. A laser is then used to ablate selected areas of the actinic radiation opaque layer creating an in situ negative, and the printing element is then flood exposed through the in situ negative. In the third alternative, a focused beam of actinic radiation is used to selectively expose the photopolymer. Any of these alternative methods produces an acceptable result, with the criteria being the ability to selectively expose the photopolymer to actinic radiation, thereby selectively curing portions of the photopolymer.
Once the photocurable layer of the printing element has been selectively exposed to actinic radiation, it may then be developed using heat. As such, the printing element is generally heated to at least about 70° C. The exact temperature will depend upon the properties of the particular photopolymer being used. However, two primary factors should be considered in determining the development temperature:                1. The development temperature is preferably set between the melt temperature of the uncured photopolymer on the low end and the melt temperature of the cured photopolymer on the upper end. This allows selective removal of the photopolymer, thereby creating the image.        2. The higher the development temperature, the quicker the process time will be. However, the development temperature should not be so high as to exceed the melt temperature of the cured photopolymer or so high that it will degrade the cured photopolymer. The temperature should be sufficient to melt or substantially soften the uncured photopolymer thereby allowing it to be removed.
Once the heated printing element has been developed, uncured photopolymer can be melted or removed. In most instances, the heated printing element is contacted with a material that will absorb or otherwise remove the softened or melted uncured photopolymer. This removal process is generally referred to as "blotting." Blotting is typically accomplished using a screen mesh or an absorbent fabric. Either woven or non-woven fabric is used and the fabric can be polymer-based or paper, so long as the fabric can withstand the operating temperatures involved. In most instances, blotting is accomplished using rollers to bring the material and the heated printing plate element into contact. One example of this process is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,072 to Martens, the subject matter of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Upon completion of the blotting process, the printing plate element is preferably post-exposed to further actinic radiation in the same machine, cooled, and is then ready for mounting on a printing press.
Depending upon the particular application, the printing element may also comprise other optional components. For instance, it is frequently preferable to use a removable coversheet over the photocurable layer to protect the layer during handling. If used, the coversheet is removed either just before or just after the selective exposure to actinic radiation. Other layers such as slip layer or masking layers as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,500 to Yang et al. and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,837 to Fan, the teachings of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, may also be used.
Equipment designed for thermally processing flexographic printing plates has traditionally been designed to accommodate plates of a particular size and shape, with larger sizes and shapes requiring substantially larger and more expensive equipment. In addition, one of the major drawbacks to many of the current thermal development systems is that these systems can only be used with flat plates, which must then be mounted after development. This requires an additional machine and more time, and can also result in a loss in accuracy when registration between multiple plates and colors is required. Thus, there remains a need in the art for a thermal developing system that is easily adaptable for processing printing elements of various sizes and shapes.
Furthermore, current thermal development systems using heated rolls for blotting away the uncured photopolymer have typically used only one heated roll that is of approximately the same width as the plate, which increases the difficulty in making printing elements of different sizes. In addition, other problems may arise when attempting to make the blotting machine of the thermal system larger to accommodate larger printing elements. A tremendous amount of force (approximately 100 pounds/linear inch) must be applied by the heated roll to force the blotting material into the image on the printing element, which can cause the heated roll to bend, resulting in an uneven floor. Also, the heating and blotting process must often be repeated several times in order to obtain effective removal of the uncured photopolymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,325 to Gelbart, the subject matter of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety suggests a method of applying a patterned coating to a printing element to form a mask and subsequently exposing the printing element to actinic radiation without dismounting it from the apparatus where the coating is applied. However, there is no suggestion in Gelbart that exposing and thermal development steps can be accomplished in the same apparatus.
Furthermore, exposing, developing and post exposure/detack steps have traditionally been carried out in separate devices. This requires additional time to transfer the printing element from the exposure device to the development device and can affect the quality of the finished plate as a result of handling the printing element. Thus, it would be desirable to accomplish the exposing, developing and post exposure/detack steps in the same apparatus in order to improve both the quality and the accuracy of the final product.
The basic design of the current in the round (ITR) processor is excellent for the processing cylindrical plate types, including both continuous and plate-on-sleeve types. However, if the ITR processor also had a device comparable in function to the mounting cylinder of the laser imager, it could be used for both flat and round plate types. For example, a user of cylindrical plates could continue to use the existing setup, changing mandrels as needed to ensure a proper fit between the base sleeve and the mandrel. A user wishing to process flat plates would exchange the mandrel for a mounting cylinder that would allow the attachment of flat plates to the outside of the cylinder using a vacuum, physical clamp, or some other means. The attachment of the plate can be automated, after the fashion that is already used in laser imaging devices. Moreover, the current laser imaging mounting cylinders could be used directly in an ITR-type processor.
Current laser imaging machines utilize a mounting cylinder to allow flat plate materials to be attached to the outside of the cylinder so that their masks may be laser ablated. Commercial laser imaging machines are available, for example, from Creo, Inc. and Esko-Graphics, among others. Some of these laser imaging machines include a feature by which a flat plate can automatically be drawn into the imager and held to the mounting cylinder by suitable means, such as vacuum, an edge clamp, or both vacuum and an edge clamp. It would be highly desirable to use features of this technology during thermal plate processing.
The inventors of the present invention have developed an improved thermal flexo processor that can be used to process both flat plates and CITR printing elements, and which has the further advantage of being easily scaled up or down in size by the manufacturer. Furthermore, such a device can be combined with other processes necessary for flexographic plate processing in a way that allows a single machine to combine digital ablation, exposure, processing and post-exposure steps in a single system. The net result is to create a thermal plate processor that is capable of processing both flat and round photosensitive printing elements with only minor changes, which would offer an unprecedented amount of flexibility to the system's users.