Actuator, especially suited for an actuating mechanism for parabolic and other reflector dishes. The actuator comprises two co-axial cylinders (8, 12). A helical guideway (10) is provided on the outer surface of the inner cylinder (12) or the inner surface of the outer cylinder (8), and a plurality of guide means are provided on the other of the outer surface of the inner cylinder (12) or the inner surface of the outer cylinder (8) to run in or along the helical guideway (10). The actuator is elongated or contracted by relative rotational movement of the cylinders (8, 12).

The invention relates to actuating mechanisms and in particular to such mechanisms for use with parabolic reflector dishes.
Parabolic reflector dishes are used to collect and focus energy carried by waves. Examples of the waves include radio waves for communications and solar radiation which is focused to produce heat for power generation or to drive a chemical reaction.
Dishes are usually mounted on a structure with horizontal and vertical rotation axes providing altitude and azimuth tracking. It is known that placing the horizontal axis away from the centre of the dish places the dish closer to the ground when the dish is horizontal. With this configuration the vertical rotation axis is usually a kind of relatively simple turntable. The horizontal axis typically is more complicated. The actuating mechanism for rotating the dish about the horizontal axis is usually a hydraulic ram or a screw jack similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,096,050. Both these mechanisms tend to be expensive and so are relatively small to keep their size and cost down. The small size means the mechanism must be placed close to the horizontal axis, which cause small movements of the mechanism to produce large movements of the dish which makes accurate tracking difficult. Placing the mechanism close to the axis also produces large forces on the horizontal axis itself, the structure which supports it and the mechanism, requiring them to be of high strength and therefore cost.
One method used to overcome the small sizes of current actuating mechanisms is to provide a xe2x80x98walking ramxe2x80x99 system which provides both altitude and azimuth tracking. This is achieved with a series of alternate extensions and contractions of appropriately mounted hydraulic rams. This system is however complicated and therefore expensive to manufacture and difficult to control.
According to the present invention, an actuator comprises:
a first generally cylindrical member;
a second generally cylindrical member received at least partially within, and co-axial with, the first generally cylindrical member;
a generally helical guideway provided on one of the first and second generally cylindrical members; and,
a plurality of guide means provided in a generally corresponding helical arrangement on the other of the first and second generally cylindrical members and being arranged to run along the helical guideway,
in which relative rotation of the first and second generally cylindrical members about their common axis causes the guide means to run along the helical guideway to cause relative axial movement between the first and second generally cylindrical members.
With the actuator of the present invention, the elongation or contraction of the actuator is achieved by the relative rotation between the two parts. Accordingly, this allows very accurate control of the change in length of the actuator, since a large rotational movement results in a relatively small change in the length of the actuator. Furthermore, the actuator gives a high mechanical advantage, and therefore a relatively low force is able to overcome a much higher force resisting the change in length of the actuator. This allows the actuator to move heavy objects. Therefore, the present invention gives an actuator which is reliable, accurate and efficient. The actuator according to the present invention is also less expensive to manufacture than other known actuators.
The actuator of the present invention can be made more easily and more cheaply than prior art actuators. In particular, it is preferred that the guideway is formed as a separate member to the cylinder. The formation of a separate guideway which is attached to the cylindrical member, for example by welding, is much easier and cheaper than providing a cylinder having a thick initial wall, and forming a guideway into the wall.
In one example of the present invention, the helical guideway is provided on the inner surface of the first generally cylindrical member, and the plurality of guide means are provided on the outer surface of the second generally cylindrical member. In an alternative arrangement, the helical guideway is provided on the outer surface of the second generally cylindrical member and the plurality of guide means are provided on the inner surface of the first cylindrical member.
Preferably, the helical guideway is in the form of a channel. In this case, the guide means are arranged to run inside the channel.
Advantageously, the guide means include a first set of guide means which contact the base of the channel. This ensures the two generally cylindrical members remain generally co-axial. Advantageously, the guide means include a second set of guide means which engage the side walls of the channel. This prevents undesired axial movement between the two generally cylindrical members.
Preferably, the guide means are rotatable guide means such as wheels or rollers. These guide means are rotated as they run along the helical guideway. This results in low friction between the members acting against rotation, whilst ensuring close contact between the members to reduce any play, and thereby prevent jamming.
Where the helical guideway is a channel, it is preferred that a first set of rotatable guide means are arranged with an axis of rotation generally parallel to the base of the channel, and that the rotatable guide means have a width smaller than the width of the channel. The axis of rotation may also be generally perpendicular to the flanges or side walls of the channel. The first set of rotatable guide members are arranged to contact and run along the base of the helical guideway channel. Additionally, it is preferred that a second set of the rotatable guide means are arranged with an axis of rotation generally parallel to the flanges. This axis of rotation may also be generally perpendicular to the base of the channel. Such rotatable guide means are arranged to contact and run along the side walls of the channel. The second set of rotatable guide means have a diameter less than the spacing between the opposed side walls of the channel.
It is beneficial that the second set of guide means are slightly offset from the helical path of the helical guideway such that some of the second set of guide means contact and run along one side wall of the channel, and the others of the second set of guide means contact and run along the opposite side wall of the channel. With this arrangement, when there is a change between a compressive and a tension force on the actuator, some of the second set of rotatable guide means are in contact with the side wall of the channel in the direction of the force and thereby prevent undesired longitudinal movement between the two generally cylindrical parts of the actuator.
In an alternative arrangement of the present invention, the generally helical guideway is formed as a projection from the side wall of the respective generally cylindrical member. In this case, it is preferred that one set of guide means are rotatable about an axis generally parallel to the side wall of the generally cylindrical member, and in use runs along the side wall of the generally cylindrical member. In this case, a strip, typically of metal, may be provided on the side wall of the cylinder along which the guide means run. This protects the cylindrical member from wear. A second set of rotatable guide means may be provided which are rotatable about an axis generally parallel to the side faces of the projection, and which means are arranged to run along the side faces of the projection.
In this case, it is advantageous that some of the second set of guide means contact and run along one side face of the projection and others of the second set of guide means contact and run along the other side face of the projection. In this way, relative axial movement between the two generally cylindrical parts of the actuator is prevented when the force applied to the actuator changes from a compressive to a tension force and vice versa.
In all cases, some, or preferably all, of the components including the guide means and helical guideway, are preferably formed of durable and advantageously corrosion resistant material. This helps prevent deterioration of the components which is especially important as these cannot be protected efficiently in other ways due to their relative movement.
It is preferred that the radial position of the guide means are adjustable. This ensures centring of the first and second generally cylindrical members with respect to each other, and ensures that the guide means are in the optimum position to contact the helical guideway. This in turn ensures smooth running of the guide means on the guideway and thereby prevents jamming. The radial position of the guide means may be achieved by providing the guide means on a threaded shaft, in which case the distance between the side of the generally cylindrical member on which the guide means are mounted and the guide means themselves can be adjusted by rotation. In this case, the threaded shaft may be threaded directly into the side wall of the generally cylindrical member, and therefore the spacing of the guide means can be adjusted by rotation of the shaft. Alternatively, nuts may be provided on the threaded shaft, the nuts being provided on either side of the side wall of the generally cylindrical member to sandwich the side wall, and in this case adjustment of the nuts on the threaded shaft will adjust the effective length of the shaft and hence the spacing of the rotation guide member from the side wall of the generally cylindrical member.
In a preferred aspect of the present invention, further guide means may be provided on the generally cylindrical member on which the helical guideway is provided, these guide means being arranged to contact the side wall of the other generally cylindrical member. This further assists in maintaining the coaxial arrangement between the generally cylindrical members and thereby prevents jamming and ensures smooth operation. These guide means are also preferably rotatable.
Advantageously, further generally cylindrical members may be provided which are connected to the first or second cylindrical member by a similar arrangement of generally helical guide means and a plurality of guide members which are arranged in a generally corresponding helical fashion. With this arrangement, any desired number of coaxial components can be arranged in telescopic fashion to achieve any desired overall length of actuator.
The actuator according to the present invention may advantageously be used for movement of a dish, such as a parabolic reflector dish for the collection and/or focusing of energy. Due to the accurate control of the actuator, and the good mechanical advantage, the actuator of the present invention may be provided close to the axis about which the dish is required to turn. However, the reduced cost of the actuator of the present invention compared to prior actuator means that larger actuators can be formed for the same cost as smaller prior actuators, and therefore the actuator can be provided further from the axis about which the dish is to rotate. This enables a reduction in the force required to turn the dish, and as the actuation is further from the axis, allowing greater accuracy and control and reducing the strength and therefore cost of axis and the structure supporting it.

Caldwell, Richmond, North Yorkshire DL11 7PU


A method of providing a user interface, including receiving a motion signal from a pointing device including a pointing function for moving a pointer, while the pointer is not generated on a display screen; generating the pointer when it is determined, based on the received motion signal, that the pointing device is moved in a predetermined form; displaying the generated pointer on the display screen; and providing a menu on at least one corner of the display screen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to apparatuses and methods for providing a user interface, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for providing a user interface, which easily recognizes a location of a pointer controlled by a pointing device, and provide a user-friendly menu that does not interrupt a user from watching a TeleVision (TV) or a monitor, and a circularly rotating menu controlled by the pointing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Infrared light detecting remote control units using a 4-direction input method are being developed as input devices for a TV. A pointing device is used as one of the infrared light detecting remote control units.
Examples of the pointing device include, a direct pointing device, wherein a pointer is activated at a location directed by the pointing device, and an indirect pointing device, wherein a pointer is activated regardless of a direction indicated by the pointing device. The purpose of such devices can be to control a TV menu,

Apparatus and method for providing user interface


A method includes receiving, at a communications gateway associated with a customer premises, multimedia content from a communications network. The method includes superimposing, via the communications gateway, a heartbeat signal on an alternating current electrical power signal associated with an electrical wiring system of the customer premises. The method includes encoding the multimedia content based on the heartbeat signal to produce encoded multimedia content at the communications gateway. The method also includes wirelessly transmitting the encoded multimedia content from the communications gateway to a device.

A residential gateway may be capable of wireless transmission of subscription content from a service provider to devices located external to a subscriber location (e.g. devices outside of a subscriber residence) potentially allowing unauthorized devices to wirelessly receive the subscription content. For example, subscription television content that is wirelessly transmitted from the residential gateway may be received by a set-top box device at the subscriber location and at set-top boxes at nearby locations that are within the wireless transmission range of the residential gateway. Sharing subscription television content with locations other than the subscriber location may violate terms of service agreements and may constitute theft of services. Determining whether a particular set-top box device is located at the subscriber location or at a nearby location may be difficult. As such, it may be difficult to prevent use of subscription television content by unauthorized devices.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Multimedia content distribution management


An information distribution system for a digital network, includes a master communications unit for establishing communications with the network in order to receive a synchronous digital signal, a distribution amplifier unit for receiving and dividing the synchronous digital signal into a plurality of synchronous signals and a plurality of communications units for establishing communications with a plurality of receiving stations. The system also includes a master controller for controlling the plurality of communications units from a central location. The invention alternatively relates to an information disseminating system for a digital network and includes a plurality of video clip storing units, each storing data related to a particular subject matter, a plurality of distribution amplifiers associated with the video clip storing units and a plurality of communications units which establish communications between the plurality of distribution amplifiers and the digital network. A menu storing unit accessible from the digital network, stores information indicating the subject matter associated with each of the plurality of video clip storing units as well as information as to how to access each of the video clip units.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for transmitting digital information to locations throughout the world and in particular to a global digital news distribution system for transmitting digital news clips and/or digitized photographs for printing simultaneously from one or more locations anywhere in the world to one or more locations anywhere in the world.
II. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1A shows how a television station 28 receives a video clip from a remote location and sends that clip to another location for broadcasting. In particular, FIG. 1A shows a satellite earth station 40 with a large C or Ku disk 44 which uplinks C or Ku microwaves to satellite 20. Satellite 20 in turn downlinks these microwave signals to television station 28 where it can be broadcast live to a surrounding area or taped for broadcast at a later time. Alternatively, television station 28 can retransmit the video clip from disk 25 to another television station 29 having its own disk 30.
This process has a variety of drawbacks. First, the news information must be sent from point to point (a serial type of data transfer) rather than from point to multi-point (a parallel type of information transfer). Also, television station 28 can only receive in one direction (the direction in which it is pointed) and can only simultaneously transmit in multiple directions if it has multiple satellite dishes. This process has the further limitation of transmitting and storing video clips in analog form and consequently is not readily compatible with digital land networks such as ACUNET. Also, the current process does not provide on-demand news, but instead news clips must be transmitted on a prearranged basis from satellite earth station 40 to television station 28 and from television station 28 to television station 29.
In addition to the above limitations, the current process does not have a news distribution system which has both digital recording ability. Hence, a television station 29 cannot get its news clips from a hub station and immediately digitally edit those clips. The current process does not provide a digital data base which organizes information so that local television stations can log into a menu which provides a list of particular news clips which are available. The current process does not provide a flexible system which enables a hub station to transmit its video clips at various rates to accommodate various rates of data transfer at various receiving sites. In addition, the process is expensive and local stations cannot selectively choose which news clips they wish to receive.

Global digital video news distribution system


A mobile hunting blind includes a platform that may be raised and lowered to accommodate handicapped persons in a vehicle for transportation of the hunting blind and the person. The platform has a hunting blind wrapped around it and has a turntable that allows a person to spin within the hunting blind.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile hunting blind. Specifically, the present invention relates to a combination mobile hunting blind and a motorized vehicle with a rotatable platform that may be raised and lifted and driven off road.
2. Prior Art
Hunting has long been a sport and tradition all across the world. Most hunting is done in fields, forests or other remote locations. To reach a suitable spot for hunting various prey, one must travel significant distances off road. To accomplish this, hunters have long utilized all terrain vehicles (ATV's) to travel to a desired hunting spot. Such spots are typically not accessible by wheelchairs or automobiles. The result is that it is extremely difficult if not impossible for wheelchair bound and other handicapped persons to hunt.
It is therefore desirable to provide a means for transporting wheelchair bound and other handicapped persons to remote, off road locations.
It is also desirable to provide a mobile hunting blind that is easily moved and used by handicapped or other persons.


A method for designing and testing on-die power supply, power distribution, and noise suppression techniques for integrated circuits such as microprocessors is described. A network of time varying loads is distributed along the power supply grid to facilitate testing of new power supplies and grids and noise suppression techniques before design of the chip is completed. Several programmable current sinks are described for presenting loads according to a preferred test-waveform current. Transient, including droop detection, and static testing is easily performed using the described methods and circuitry.

The trend in the electronics industry is to achieve ever faster switching speeds and increased circuit densities at the component and system levels. Another trend has been to reduce operating voltages and power consumption. These trends are placing more stringent demands on the on-die power distribution systems of integrated circuits, such as microprocessors. For example, higher switching speeds and clock frequencies lead to increased current demands and to higher inductive noise (L di/dt) on the power grid. Power saving modes of operation lead to large and rapid swings in current demand from the power distribution system. The lowering of operating voltages concomitantly narrows the voltage regulation window of the on-die supply voltage level (for example maintaining the supply voltage within 10% peak-to-peak). Increased power noise (from switching currents and power saving modes) and narrowing of the voltage regulation window (from reduced operating voltages) have pushed designers to explore on-die voltage regulation and power distribution techniques to achieve successful chip level and system level designs.

Manufacturing integrated circuits and testing on-die power supplies using distributed programmable digital current sinks


An elevator system is provided. Aspects includes at least one elevator car and a camera affixed to the at least one elevator car, wherein the camera is operated by a controller. The controller is configured to automatically capture, from the camera, media associated with a set of locations, wherein the set of locations are associated with the at least one elevator car. A transceiver transmits one or more sequences of the media captured from the camera.

The subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to elevator systems and, more particularly, to elevator inspection using automated sequencing of camera presets.
For inspection of an elevator system, a mechanic physically inspects the top and the bottom of an elevator car to inspect various components of the elevator system. Due to the confined nature of an elevator system, physical inspection of components of an elevator car can be difficult.

Elevator inspection using automated sequencing of camera presets


Since etching of a crotch portion of quartz vibrator defined by segment 18, first segment 13, and second segment 17 advances in accordance with the crystal orientations of quartz, the shape of side surfaces of two quartz vibrating bars opposite to each other with this crotch portion in between can be made symmetric, whereby stress applied on the two quartz vibrating bars can be equalized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a quartz vibrator for vibrating with application of voltage thereto. The present quartz vibrator can be applied to angular velocity detecting apparatus or measurement techniques utilizing its vibration.
2. Related Background Art
A conventional quartz vibrator is described in the bulletin of Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 5-308238.

Toyota JidoshaKabushiki Kaisha/Kinseki Limited


A tiered mounting arrangement supports a compressor on a mounting plate which is in turn supported to the base pan of the system. Elastomeric isolators support the mounting plate above the base pan and similar elastomeric isolators support the compressor above the mounting plate. The isolator studs function to isolate compressor vibration from being transmitted to the mounting plate, and to isolate vibration in the mounting plate from being transmitted to the base pan. This arrangement achieves significant reduction in noise levels.

This invention relates generally to compressors for refrigeration, air conditioners, or heat pumps, and is more particularly concerned with a vibration-isolating mounting assembly for mounting the compressor to its associated base pan.
It is customary in the design of air conditioning systems to mount the refrigerant compressor to the base pan of the condensing or outdoor unit. In such an installation, it is desirable to silence the unit by damping vibrations caused by operation of the compressor. This can be accomplished by positioning elastomeric grommets between the base or feet of the compressor and the base pan on which it is mounted. The grommets are attached to the compressor feet and the compressor, with grommets, is set on the base pan. Threaded studs (with sleeves) are then pushed through the grommets and screwed into mounting holes in the base pan.
A recent improvement on this conventional mounting assembly is described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,192, incorporated by reference herein. That approach recognizes that a rigid stud can transmit vibrations from the compressor to the base pan. This approach eliminates the "through bolt" structure of the conventional stud mount, instead employing a "sandwich" elastomeric isolator arrangement where upper and lower threaded steel stud sections are joined by an elastomeric middle section. This arrangement isolates vibration much better than the conventional stud and grommet technique, and also has a greater tolerance for lateral movement of the compressor, which transfers vibrational energy into heat energy.
However, the mounting arrangement, with the compressor mounted on these elastomeric isolators directly onto the base pan, still transmits more vibration to the base pan than is desirable, and it is likewise desired to reduce the sound levels associated with the outdoor unit. On the other hand, the mounting arrangement must still be rugged enough to withstand transit and to ensure trouble-free usage after installation.


A system and computer-implemented method for the creation of a structure using Lego building blocks is disclosed. Aspects of the methods are equally appropriate for numerous structures, including but not limited to, studs-up and studs-out configurations or a ‘wall’ style mosaic or a ‘floor’ style mosaic. Given the systems and methods disclosed, aspects of the invention are applicable to three-dimensional sculpture structures too. The system and method may use a recursive overlapping divide-and-conquer breadth-first search feature to improve the quality of the structures while only slightly, if at all, increasing the time and memory required. Furthermore, the system and method may use dithering algorithms and/or cost analysis to determine which building block can be used and placed to achieve high-quality structures. In another example, aspects of the invention may be used to more optimally schedule delivery trucks. In yet another example, aspects of the invention may be used to enhance handwriting recognition and speech recognition.

Many fields involve finding the shortest path through a lattice. For example, this problem is core to a computer system recognizing a word that has been handwritten using a stylus, determining resource allocation for a project, circuit design, or laying out pieces for a LEGO® brand building block sculpture. However, calculating an exact solution may not be feasible in computer memory or within a specified amount of time. Rather, the traditional approach is a beam search, which eliminates paths through the lattice that are unlikely to be helpful. Unfortunately, this traditional approach reduces accuracy (i.e., quality/optimality of the solution) to conserve time and memory.
There is also a need in the art for a solution to the problem of finding a less costly method for filling a fixed region with building blocks of a particular color. For example, companies, such as LEGO® hire professionals to build many of their sculptures by hand. The process can be slow, tedious, and costly. While alternative solutions using artificial intelligence (AI) have been proposed, none to date have fulfilled the long-standing need in the art.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a system and method to generate instructions for assembling a higher-quality, less-costly LEGO® structure. More generally, there is a need in the art for a method and system for, inter alia, calculating a path through a lattice that recovers accuracy without increasing memory, and only moderately increasing time.

Producing a locally optimal path through a lattice by overlapping search


A method for Integration of a packet-oriented network in a communication system has at least one central communication device embodied with an application interface for exchange of communication data with a computer system, with a number of communication control processors assigned to the packet-oriented network for implementation of decentralized signaling and user data services, with a gateway for bilateral exchange of signaling and user data of the central communication device and of data exchanged by the decentralized signaling and user data services. In a control processor in this case communication data of the application interface and status information that can be processed for the communication control processors is bilaterally exchanged.

The invention relates to a method and a system for integration of a packet-oriented network into a communication system.
Contemporary communication systems are characterized by the convergence of information and communications infrastructures. In such cases communication systems are known which support voice and/or video communication via packet-oriented networks. This type of system is known mostly in technical circles by the generic term of 'Voice over IP' or is abbreviated to 'VoIP', with the abbreviation 'IP' standing for 'Internet Protocol' a generally widely-used protocol for exchange of data over packet-oriented networks. For VoIP communication the H.323 or SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) protocols are widely used.
SIP is a signaling protocol for Internet telephony as well as for other services such as conference interactions, event notification, message switching etc. This protocol was developed by the Working Group MMUSIC (Multiparty Multimedia Session Control) of the Working Group IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force). The H.323 Standard is an international ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union—Telecommunications Standardization Sector) standard for voice, data and video communication over packet-switching networks.
As well as an infrastructure for exchanging packet-oriented data, a telephony infrastructure with fixed lines to communication terminals continues to be widely used. For economic and security reasons therefore there is in many systems no provision for any wholesale changeover to a purely packet-oriented architecture. Despite this, existing communication systems with a fixed line-based telephony infrastructure have been extended by devices for connection of communication terminals based on a packet-oriented network. These types of communication systems are thus often referred to as 'convergent' communication systems, which indicates a convergence of the two types of infrastructure.
In communication systems with a telephony infrastructure based on fixed line assignments the communication terminals are controlled by a central communication device.
The central communication device makes service features available and transfers information between communication system-internal or external communication terminals.
By contrast, in the architecture of purely packet-oriented VoIP communication systems there is no provision for central switching and control of communication partners, but instead the control of switching and service features in purely VoIP communication systems is undertaken decentrally in the communication terminals or in distributed control server systems.
Thus for a comprehensive integration of VoIP-based communication terminals into a convergent communication system a purely bilateral conversion of packet-oriented and streamed user information—i.e. voice or video data—is not sufficient. In addition a convergent communication system requires a conversion of signaling information between the two infrastructures. Signaling information contains data for connection control, signaling etc.
In 'classical'—i.e. centralized communication devices switching is undertaken for example in accordance with the principle of a time division multiplex between communication terminals with fixed line assignments—the signaling protocol 'DSS1' is thus known. The DSS1 ('Digital User System No. 1') protocol is a European ISDN ('Integrated Services Digital Network') protocol based on ITU-T 1.411 ('International Telecommunication Union') for the signaling channel of the European Euro-ISDN.
In modern communication systems signaling information additionally includes data to support expanded service features, e.g. to display a name and further Information of a calling or called user at a communication terminal.
With the use of expansion modules—also known in technical circles as 'gateways'—for 'classical' communication devices to connect VoIP communication terminals, the entire range of service features is not currently available either at wired or at VoIP communication terminals.

Method for integration of a packet-oriented network into a communication system


Occurrence of power supply noise arising in connection with a step-down action at the time of turning on power supply is to be restrained. A step-down unit is provided with a switched capacitor type step-down circuit and a series regulator type step-down circuit, and stepped-down voltage output terminals of the step-down circuits are connected in common. The common connection of the stepped-down voltage output terminals of both step-down circuits makes possible parallel driving of both, selective driving of either or consecutive driving of the two. In the consecutive driving, even if the switched capacitor type step-down circuit is driven after driving the series regulator type step-down circuit first to supply a stepped-down voltage to loads, the switched capacitor type step-down circuit will need only to be compensated for a discharge due to the loads, and a peak of a charge current for capacitors can be kept low. When operation of the switched capacitor type step-down circuit is started, no large rush current arises, and occurrence of noise is restrained.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor circuit device having a step-down circuit, and more particularly to a semiconductor circuit device having a switched capacitor type step-down circuit, and further to a semiconductor circuit device having a switched capacitor type step-down circuit and a series regulator type step-down circuit, involving for instance a technique effectively applicable to a microcomputer for a portable communication terminal device or a system-on-chip semiconductor circuit device (system LSI).
On-chip step-down circuits for semiconductor circuit devices include series regulator type step-down circuits. As a series regulator type step-down circuit steps down the voltage by the turning-on resistance of a transistor, as much power is lost as the voltage is stepped down. More efficient arrangements than series type circuits in power conversion include switching regulator type step-down circuits (FIG. 1 in Patent Reference 2). As a switching regulator type step-down circuit requires an inductor as an external unit, it entails problems in mounting space and cost. Step-down circuits needing no inductor and yet excelling in power conversion efficiency include switched capacitor type step-down circuits (FIG. 9 in Reference 2). Further, FIG. 1 in Patent Reference 1 illustrates a circuit configuration in which a switched capacitor type step-down circuit is connected to a series regulator type step-down circuit in series, and a stepped-down voltage supplied from the series regulator type step-down circuit is received and further stepped down by a switched capacitor type step-down circuit.
[Patent Reference 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-325431
[Patent Reference 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-369552

Semiconductor circuit device and data processing system


The invention provides a soot collection quantity measuring device for a diesel particulate filter. The soot collection quantity measuring device for a diesel particulate filter includes: an anion charging unit that is provided in an exhaust pipe in front of a diesel particulate filter and has a plurality of conductor flat plates in parallel with one another, and a capacitor that is provided at the back of the anion charging unit and has upper and lower electrode plates connected to a direct-current high-voltage power supply. The soot particulates pass through the anion charging unit which is negatively charged, and the charged soot particulates are collected in the upper electrode plate by an electric field between the upper and lower electrode plate.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a soot collection quantity measuring device for a diesel particulate filter. In particular, the present invention relates to a soot collection quantity measuring device for a diesel particulate filter that can improve the accuracy of a soot collection quantity so as to recycle a diesel particulate filter at a suitable time.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In general, diesel vehicles are provided with a diesel particulate filter which converts carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) in an exhaust gas into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). The particulate materials, which include various particulate harmful materials (i.e., soot), are collected in a filter. The particulate materials are subsequently burned by operating an externally or internally provided recycling device.
However, if soot is excessively accumulated in the diesel particulate filter, the soot collection quantity measuring device for a diesel particulate filter may not work properly, thereby increasing back pressure, and lowering engine power and fuel efficiency.
Therefore, the present invention provides a soot collection quantity measuring device for a diesel particulate filter that can improve the calculation accuracy of a soot collection quantity so as to recycle a diesel particulate filter at a suitable time.

Soot collection quantity measuring device for diesel particulate filter


A method, computer readable medium, and computer network are provided for performing a synchronization operation. The method may comprise retrieving a list of network addresses of all standby servers in a standby server pool. The method may further include, using the list of network addresses, sending a health check query to each standby server in the standby server pool, and receiving response messages from the standby servers in the standby server pool. A positive response may indicate that the standby server is active in the standby server pool, and a negative response may indicate that the standby server is inactive in the standby server pool. The method may include, when any standby server returns the positive response, sending a message to an administrator. The method may further include, when every standby server returns the negative response, initiating a synchronization operation on a standby database connected to the standby servers.

In computer networks it is common to have backup servers that provide a level of failover recovery in the event that production servers go down. The backup servers may be provided on the network in parallel with the productions servers in order to facilitate easily switching between the production servers and the backup servers during a failure. Further, both backup and production servers may be used simultaneously in a load balancing set in order to distribute the workload amongst all available resources. In such an environment, network requests are evenly distributed between production and backup servers to prevent any individual server from becoming bogged down with too many requests. It is important that the backup servers always be kept up to date with the most current information available on the production servers. If the backup servers are not kept up to date then client requests may be served with old or out of date information. One way to keep backup servers up to date is to synchronize them with the production servers as part of routine maintenance. A problem with synchronization is that it must be done without interrupting the normal flow of network traffic. Synchronization procedures can use a significant amount of bandwidth, so it may be beneficial to schedule synchronization jobs when the network is down on the backup servers. It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the problem of performing synchronization jobs between backup and production servers.

Layer 7 health check automated execution framework


The invention relates to a method for growing a bulk single crystal, wherein the method comprises the steps of                inserting a starting material into a crucible,        melting the starting material in the crucible by heating the starting material,        arranging a thermal insulation lid at a distance above a melt surface of said melt such that at least a central part of the melt surface is covered by the lid, and        growing the bulk single crystal from the melt by controllably cooling the melt with the thermal insulation lid arranged above the melt surface.

For fabrication of electronic devices, often a stack of crystal layers is grown layer upon layer on top of a single crystal substrate. To grow the crystal layers as epitaxial films having a well-defined crystallographic orientation with respect to the single crystal substrate, typically, it is required that the lattice parameter of the substrate is compatible with the respective lattice parameters of the crystal layers.
Thus, for fabricating an electronic device, typically, a suitable single crystal substrate has to be selected that has a lattice parameter that approximately matches—e.g., lattice matching better than 1%—the lattice parameters of the crystal layers to be grown on the substrate.
A widely established technique for growing bulk single crystals from which single crystal substrates can be fabricated is the Czochralski process. In the Czochralski process a starting material is melted in a crucible and a seed crystal is dipped into the melt. To grow a bulk single crystal, the seed crystal is rotated and simultaneously slowly pulled upwards. Thereby, large bulk single crystals in the shape of cylindrical ingots or boules can be grown and subsequently processed to, e.g., substrates that can be used in the electronics industry to make electronic devices. However, the Czochralski process does not work for all materials.

Method and setup for growing bulk single crystals


The present disclosure describes lug clusters for composite tubes and methods for making such lug clusters. Lug clusters of the present disclosure may include a first side, a second side, and a saddle. The saddle may be placed in adjacent contact with a tube and a filament may be wound around the lug cluster and tube. The wound lug cluster and tube may be resin transfer molded. Machining may follow to remove material and finalize the shape of the lug cluster and/or tube. Thus, a lug cluster may be attached to a composite tube.

Various types of aircraft utilize tubes such as struts including, for example, to deploy nose, body, and/or wheel landing gear systems. Conventionally, aircraft landing gear include metal tubes and structural components, for example, landing gear strut tubes. Such components are made of metallic materials and often comprise complex geometries and high strengths. However, these metallic components are typically heavy.

Attachment of composite lug to composite structural tube


A display device for use with vehicles comprising a wind sock and a mounting unit adapted to secure with the window of a vehicle to carry the wind sock above the top of the vehicle. The wind sock is tapered from front to rear. The mounting unit retains the forward end of the wind sock open and in a vertical position. The mounting unit securely fastens with the vehicle in a removable manner.

The instant invention is directed to a display device for vehicles, particularly automobiles, small trucks, and vans. Primarily, the display device is intended for use by sports fans to display team emblems or logos when attending sporting events.
In the past, the primary display arrangement for such events consisted of a flag having indicia printed thereon and attached to a window held stand. Such types of arrangements are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,762,360; 4,519,153; 4,976,410 and 4,986,209. While each of these patents are directed to specific areas of novelty, they each retain the two major draw backs to vehicle carried displays, i.e. vibration and noise.
When the vehicle is traveling upwards of sixty miles per hour on interstate highways, the flag portion of the display whips back and forth which such veracity as to create a vibration which can be felt inside the vehicle. This motion of the flag also creates a noise level which also is heard inside the vehicle. Both can be disturbing.
Wind socks are of themselves not a novel idea. They have been used for years at airports to indicate wind direction. Also, they have been used as golf flags and even as display flags for vehicles as is illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,401,626 and 2,090,121. The focus in each of these patents is the mounting structure for the rod member carrying the wind sock with the vehicle. The mounting rod is simply bent at its upper end to receive the wind sock. Should the display structure of either of these patents be subject to high vehicle speeds, the rod loop would simply bend against the force.
The instant invention has as its object to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art arrangements by providing a vehicle carried display device capable of withstanding forces created by high speed driving.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle carried display which produces substantially no noise while being carried at high speeds.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle carried display device which produces substantially no vibration while being carried at high speeds.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle carried display device which can be readily and securely fastened to vehicles.
Another object of the invention is to provide a securing assembly for a vehicle carried display device which will remain connected with the vehicle window when raised or lowered.
Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting assembly structure for a display device which is light weight and yet sturdy.
Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting assembly for an air sock display which will retain the forward end of the sock both open and extending vertically.


The present disclosure describes systems and techniques that enhance effectiveness and efficiency of a contingency analysis tool that is used for studying the magnitude and likelihood of extreme contingencies and potential cascading events across a power system. The described systems and techniques include deploying the contingency analysis tool in a high-performance computing (HPC) environment and incorporating visual situational awareness approaches to allow power system engineers to quickly and efficiently evaluate multiple power system simulation models. Furthermore, the described systems and techniques include the power system contingency-analysis tool calculating and coordinating protection element settings, as well as assessing controls of the power system using small-signal nomograms, allowing power system engineers to more effectively comprehend, evaluate, and analyze causes and effects of cascading events against a topology of a power system.

In a power system, such as a bulk electric power grid, a "contingency" is when an element of the power system fails. The element may be, for example, a generator, a transmission line, or a shunt. During an extreme event such as a hurricane, earthquake, or cyber-attack, certain contingency combinations might lead to cascading operations. Cascading is a sequential disconnection of other elements within the power system, leading to a partial or complete blackout that could leave thousands of electricity consumers without electric power.
These large blackouts have extensive effects on citizens, businesses, the economy, and the government. While such blackouts are rare, they pose a substantial risk to the security and economic health of a country. Much is known about avoiding the first few failures near the beginning of a cascade, but there is a lack of established systems and methods for directly analyzing risks and consequences of the longer chains of component outages.
In recent years, systems and methods have been developed to improve capabilities of power-planning engineers to assess the magnitude and likelihood of extreme contingencies and potential cascading events across their systems and interconnections. Examples of such systems and methods include power system contingency-analysis tools.
Power system contingency-analysis tools available today, however, have drawbacks that impact a power-planning engineer's ability to effectively and efficiently study the process of cascading outages in a power system. As a first example, steady-state and transient simulations by power system planning and analysis tools with which the power system contingency-analysis tool interfaces may require extensive computing power and be inherently slow to compute power system simulation results. As a second example, data associated with the power system simulation results may be difficult for a power-planning engineer to aggregate and interpret. As a third example, parameters needed to accurately simulate protection elements in the power system, such as relay configurations, may not be available to a power-planning engineer. And, as a fourth example, small-signal instabilities that are introduced into the power system during component outages and that exacerbate cascading outages are difficult to predict and simulate.

Enhanced dynamic contingency analysis for power systems


A displacement control apparatus controls the displacement of a variable displacement controller. A drive shaft of the compressor is driven by an engine. Torque acting on the drive shaft represents the displacement. The apparatus includes a control valve, an air conditioner controller and a compressor controller. The control valve changes the compressor displacement. The air conditioner controller produces a torque setting signal, which represents a target torque, to the compressor controller. The compressor controller changes the valve opening based on the torque setting signal such that the actual load torque matches the target torque value. Accordingly, the compressor is controlled according to the torque. The air conditioner controller may send the torque setting signal to an engine controller, which eliminates the need for load torque maps.

The present invention relates to a displacement control apparatus for a variable displacement compressor, a displacement control method and a compressor module.
A typical refrigerant circuit of a vehicle air conditioner includes a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporator and a compressor.
Variable displacement swash plate type compressors are widely used in vehicle air conditioners. Such compressors include a displacement control mechanism, which operates to maintain the exit pressure of an evaporator or the suction pressure Ps of a compressor associated with the exit pressure at a predetermined target value (set pressure). The exit pressure of an evaporator or the suction pressure Ps of a compressor associated with the exit pressure reflects the magnitude of the cooling load. The variable control mechanism controls the exit pressure of the evaporator or the suction pressure Ps to adjust the inclination angle of the swash plate of the compressor, which adjusts the displacement of the compressor.
The variable control mechanism includes an internal control valve and an external control valve. The internal control valve has a pressure sensing member such as a bellows or a diaphragm. The valve opening degree is adjusted by sensing the exit pressure of the evaporator or the suction pressure Ps of the compressor with the pressure sensing member so that the valve body is positioned accordingly. The pressure in a crank chamber, which accommodates the swash plate, is adjusted by the valve opening degree. The inclination angle of the swash plate is determined by the pressure in the crank chamber. A simple internal control valve has only a single set pressure, and such a simple control valve cannot perform complex control for power consumption.
Such compressors are usually driven by vehicle engines. Among the auxiliary devices of a vehicle, the compressor consumes the most engine power. Accordingly, under exceptional conditions, for example, when the vehicle is accelerating or moving uphill, all available engine power needs to be used for moving the vehicle. To reduce the engine load, the compressor displacement must be minimized.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10-278567 discloses an external control valve in which the valve opening degree can be controlled by external electric signals. A variable displacement compressor having the external control valve is able to minimize the discharge displacement of the compressor by changing the opening degree of the external control valve.
The power that the compressor actually consumes, or the load torque Tr of the compressor, varies greatly in accordance with changes in the suction pressure Ps and the discharge pressure Pd of the compressor. To prevent the engine from stalling even if the required load torque Tr of the compressor is increased, it is necessary for the compressor to be driven at high speed (over a predetermined value) at all times. However, this increases the power that the compressor consumes.
To reduce the power that the compressor consumes, a controller that controls the engine estimates the load torque Tr. The engine output torque Treng, which is the total torque of an engine, is a value obtained by adding the required load torque Tr of the compressor to the torque necessary for vehicle travel. When all available engine power needs to be used for moving the vehicle, the engine controller is able to give priority to moving the vehicle using this torque data.
The load torque Tr of the compressor has been estimated by the use of an experimentally created map. However, since the load torque Tr of a compressor is different depending on the refrigerant circuit to which the compressor is connected, a map is needed for each air-conditioner, that is, for every type vehicle. This complicates the preparation of maps. Further, estimation of the load torque of the compressor from the map is always required to improve efficiency. This is also complicated.
Further, in an auto air-conditioner, the compressor is controlled by an air controller. In this case, the displacement of the compressor is controlled based on external information such as the temperature in the vehicle passenger compartment, and is not controlled based on torque.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a displacement control apparatus, a displacement control method and a compressor module that accurately controls the compressor displacement based on torque. Another object of the present invention is to provide a displacement control apparatus and a displacement control method in which load torque data of a compressor for controlling the displacement of the compressor can also be used for controlling an engine and it is not necessary to estimate the load torque of the compressor for every type vehicle.
To achieve the object, a displacement control apparatus for controlling the discharge displacement of a variable displacement compressor has a control valve, a first controller, and a second controller. The compressor is incorporated in a refrigerant circuit of a vehicle air conditioner and includes a drive shaft. A load torque is imposed on the drive shaft by driving the drive shaft with an external drive source. A change in the load torque reflects the control of the discharge displacement.
The control valve changes the displacement of the compressor by changing the valve opening degree. The first controller, which is provided outside the compressor, sends a torque setting signal. The torque setting signal indicates a set torque for controlling the discharge displacement of the compressor. The second controller receives the torque setting signal sent from the first controller. The second controller computes an index for changing the opening degree of the control valve based on the torque setting signal so that the load torque of the compressor is changed to the set torque. As a result, the control valve opening degree is controlled to change the displacement of the compressor.
A displacement control method for controlling the discharge displacement of a variable displacement compressor is also provided. The compressor is incorporated in a refrigerant circuit of a vehicle air conditioner and includes a drive shaft. A load torque is imposed on the drive shaft by driving the drive shaft with an external drive source. A change in the load torque reflects the control of the discharge displacement.
The method comprises determining a set torque for controlling the displacement of the compressor outside the compressor, transmitting a torque setting signal indicating the set torque to the compressor, and changing the load torque to the set torque by controlling the discharge displacement of the compressor.
A compressor module comprises a compressor, a control valve in the compressor, and a compressor controller mounted on the compressor.
The compressor forms part of a refrigerant circuit in a vehicle air conditioner. The compressor includes a drive shaft on which a load torque is imposed by an external drive source. The control valve changes the discharge displacement of the compressor by controlling the valve opening degree. The compressor controller receives a torque setting signal indicating a set torque from outside the compressor. The compressor controller computes an index for changing the control valve opening degree based on the torque setting signal so that the load torque is changed to the set torque. The compressor controller sends an instruction to the control valve according to the index. As a result, the control valve opening degree is controlled to control the displacement of the compressor.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.

Displacement control apparatus for variable displacement compressor, displacement control method and compressor module

Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho


A current protection apparatus (200) and current protection method (1000) that may include programmable current protection characteristics has been disclosed. A current protection apparatus (200) may include a power distribution unit (230) with power distribution outlets (PDO-1 to PDO-8), each having a corresponding circuit breaker unit (CB1 to CB8). Each circuit breaker unit (CB1 to CB8) may operate in response to a processing unit (236) that can sample current values flowing between a respective power distribution outlet (PDO-1 to PDO-8) and a load device (LD1 to LD8). Processing unit 236 may operate under control of software stored on a memory (238) to control a switching circuit (320). Current protection characteristics for each circuit breaker unit may be independently programmed and/or altered by a user, for example by way of a computer (250). In this way, each power distribution outlet (PDO-1 to PDO-8) may have current rating characteristics independently provided for a particular load device (LD1 to LD8).

Early in the development of modern networking equipment such as routers, it was realized that at times a particular piece of network equipment might hang or "crash." In such instances, a human operator often had to intervene by traveling to the location of the equipment and rebooting or power cycling the equipment in order to get that particular piece of equipment working. Power cycling and information about consumed power are also of interest in a number of computer equipment and other equipment settings.
The discussion of any work, publications, sales, or activity anywhere in this submission, including in any documents submitted with this application, shall not be taken as an admission that any such work constitutes prior art. The discussion of any activity, work, or publication herein is not an admission that such activity, work, or publication existed or was known in any particular jurisdiction.
A power distribution unit (PDU) can be used to provide power management to a plurality of devices. Referring now to FIG. 30, a block schematic diagram of an apparatus including a conventional PDU for power management to a plurality of devices is set forth and given the general reference character 100.
Apparatus 100 includes a conventional PDU 130 that is connected to a wall outlet 110 through a power cord 120 at inlet 132. Wall outlet 110 can be connected to a 120 Volt Alternating Current (120 VAC) as a power supply voltage, as but one example. Conventional PDU 130 includes eight power distribution outlets (PDO-1 to PDO-8). Each power distribution outlet (PDO-1 to PDO-8) can be connected to a respective load device (LD1 to LD8) through a respective power cord (PC-1 to PC-8).
Conventional PDU 130 also includes a circuit breaker 134. Circuit breaker 134 is connected between the inlet 132 and the power distribution outlets (PDO-1 to PDO-8). In this way, the sum of the currents flowing from each power distribution outlet (PDO-1 to PDO-8) to the respective load device (LD1 to LD8) flows through circuit breaker 134.
Circuit breaker 134 "trips" or becomes an open circuit when the current exceeds the overcurrent rating of the circuit breaker 134. When the circuit breaker 134 trips, the power supply voltage is disconnected from all of the power distribution outlets (PDO-1 to PDO-8) and all of the respective load devices (LD1 to LD8). In this way, even if, for example, load device LD3 is causing the overcurrent condition, all of the other load devices (LD1, LD2 and LD4 to LD8) also are disconnected from the power supply voltage.
Conventional PDU 130 has various drawbacks. For example, in the above-mentioned situation load device LD3 may not be a system critical device. However, load device LD4 may be system critical. In this case, a system critical load device LD4, such as a network server for example, is disconnected from the power supply when a less critical device is causing the overcurrent condition.
Another drawback for conventional PDU 130 is where one of the load devices, for example load device LD5, needs protection at a current lower than the overcurrent rating of circuit breaker 134. For example, load device LD5 could be connected to power distribution outlet PDO-5 with a power cord that is rated to only 5 amps, but circuit breaker 134 can have an overcurrent rating of 15 amps. In this case, load device LD5 may have a current exceeding 5 amps without causing circuit breaker 134 to trip if the other load devices (LD1 to LD4 or LD6 to LD8) collectively draw less than 10 amps. Of course, in the case where only load device LD5 is connected to conventional power distribution unit 130, load device LD5 would not have sufficient overcurrent protection under any condition.
Another drawback for conventional PDU 130 occurs when there is a temporary current surge in one of the load devices (LD1 to LD8). In this case, circuit breaker 134 can trip even though the current surge will not cause an electrical failure to the offending load device (LD1 to LD8). As previously mentioned, when circuit breaker 134 trips, all the load devices (LD1 to LD8) lose power.
In view of the above discussion, it would be desirable to provide a current protection apparatus that may provide individual and/or customized current protection to a load device.
It would also be desirable to provide a method of current protection that may provide individual and/or customized current protection to a load device.
It would also be desirable to provide a current protection apparatus and method of current protection that may provide protection from current surges that may damage an individual load device without unwarranted protection against a temporary current surge that may not be sufficient to cause an electrical failure of a load device. It would further be desirable to provide such protection in a power distribution unit.
It would also be desirable to provide a current protection apparatus and method of current protection for a power distribution unit that may provide individual and customized current protection to each load device connected to a power distribution outlet.
Additionally, a method, system, and apparatus for remote power management and monitoring has been set forth in commonly owned and co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/625,837 filed Jul. 22, 2003, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/431,333 filed May 6, 2003, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/378,342 filed May 6, 2002, Canadian Patent Application Number 2,428,285 filed May 6, 2003, and European Patent Application Number 03252833.3 filed May 6, 2003. The full disclosures of these patent applications are incorporated by reference.


A de-interleaving system includes a generator for generating a write address for storing input audio data of a D2 MAC signal in units of packets, a generator for generating a read address for de-interleaving the stored audio data of the D2 MAC signal in units of packets so that the audio data is arranged in the sequence of pre-interleaving, a plurality of RAMs for storing the audio data of the D2 MAC signal according to the write address applied from the write address generator and for reading the stored audio data according to the read address applied from the read address generator, and several selectors for receiving the write address and read address from the write address generator and read address generator so as to apply the addresses to corresponding RAMs in units of packets of audio data. The system can enhance the error correction capability by receiving D2 MAC signals interleaved in units of packets and de-interleaving audio data in a normal sequence.

The present invention relates to a de-interleaving method and apparatus therefor, and particularly to a method for receiving interleaved digital audio data of a D2 MAC mode so as to de-interleave the data into pre-interleaved data. The present application is based on the disclosure of Korean Patent Application No. 92-886 filed Jan. 23, 1992, which disclosure is incorporated herein by reference.
The D2 MAC system developed for television broadcast using a satellite in Europe converts an audio signal into a digital signal and time-division-multiplexes the converted digital signal with a luminance signal and a color difference signal. However, an error is created in a digital audio signal during transmission. Particularly, burst error produced in continuous bit trains of audio signal seriously decreases the error correction capability on the receiving side, compared with a random error independently produced in individual bits. In order to solve such a problem, there has been proposed a method for interleaving and transmitting the digital audio signal of the D2 MAC on the receiving side. Generally, the D2 MAC signal is composed as follows.
One frame consists of 625 lines each of which has 648 bits. Each line is comprised of a 6-bit line sync signal, a 99-bit digital audio signal and a 543-bit analog video signal. The 99-bit digital audio signal substantially contains an audio signal and auxiliary data for processing the audio signal. Since, 751 bits constitute one packet in a digital audio signal to be interleaved, approximately, 8 lines of digital audio signal forms one packet so as to be interleaved. The following TABLE 1 illustrates the interleaving sequence in one packet provided that an audio signal occupies one bit.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ 1 95 189 283 377 471 565 659 2 96 190 284 378 472 566 660 3 97 191 285 379 473 567 661 4 98 192 286 380 474 568 . 5 99 193 287 381 475 . . 6 100 194 288 382 . . 7 101 195 289 . . . 745 8 102 196 . . . 652 746 9 103 . . . 559 653 747 10 . . . 466 560 654 748 . . . 373 467 561 655 749 . . 280 374 468 562 656 750 . 187 281 375 469 563 657 751 94 188 282 376 470 564 658 ______________________________________
One packet of audio data is arranged in the order of 1, 2, 3, . . . , 93, 94, 95, . . . , 750, 751. The interleaving is carried out by re-arranging the data in the horizontal sequence of TABLE 1. That is, the data is re-arranged in the sequence of 1, 95, 189, . . . , 659, 2, 96, . . . , 564, 658 by 94-bit-interval interleaving.
Though errors occur in audio data which is interleaved so as to be transmitted, if de-interleaving is carried out on the receiving side, corresponding to the transmitting-side interleaving, since the burst error is converted into random error, the error correction capability would be improved. However, until now, there has not been proposed a de-interleaving system in which audio data interleaved basically in units of packets is converted into pre-interleaved audio data, and therefore an improvement of error correction capability cannot be expected.

De-interleaving method and apparatus for D2 MAC audio


A messaging center, connected to a communications network, processes messages intended for a subscriber. A caller sends a message to the message center in a first caller format. The message center stores the message in the first caller format, notifies the subscriber, and awaits a request for the stored message from the subscriber. In response to the message request, the message center sends the stored message to the subscriber in a first subscriber format independent of the first caller format. If the subscriber desires, the subscriber constructs a response to the message and sends it to the message center in a second subscriber format independent of the first caller format and the first subscriber format. The message center stores the response in the second subscriber format and sends the stored response to the caller in a second caller format independent of the first caller format and the first and second subscriber formats.

The present invention relates generally to messaging and more particularly to a universal messaging center or mailbox that notifies subscribers of any type of message that is waiting for them, for example, voice mail, fax mail, e-mail, etc., and allows subscribers to retrieve and respond to the messages in formats independent not only of each other but also of the format in which the message was originally transmitted.
The trend in the telecommunications industry is toward providing a wide variety of information and communication services, or messaging services, over various communications networks to remote subscribers having diverse analog and digital communications equipment. These messaging services might include voice messaging, facsimile messaging, electronic mail, electronic document interchange, interactive voice response, audio text, speech synthesis, speech recognition, video messaging, video mail, etc.
To provide these messaging services, different types of communications equipment and processing protocols connect to a single host system or messaging center that provides the messaging services. The messaging center performs protocol conversions between the format employed by the messaging center and the various telecommunications formats employed by the diverse subscriber equipment.
Companies that provide messaging services over the public telephone network traditionally use hardwired transceiving and protocol conversion equipment dedicated to a particular type of equipment and communications format and protocol. Unfortunately, this approach suffers from high costs and lack of flexibility and adaptability. The disadvantages arise because dedicated hardware cannot be readily modified to increase data throughput, or handle communication protocols from new telecommunications equipment or services. Supporting multiple types of messaging services for diverse communications equipment thus requires costly module replacements and new designs for dedicated hardware.
Recently, some developers have proposed digital signal processing and multimedia interfaces to process the communication trunk lines. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,373 to Hulen et al. describes a system with a host messaging center that supports numerous types of messaging applications and makes the necessary protocol conversions for different telecommunications protocols corresponding to various types of telecommunications media. The system uses multiple digital signal processors to perform real time protocol conversions between the different telecommunication protocols and the protocol of the host messaging center.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing how Hulen et al.'s messaging system might connect to multimedia subscribers through various public and private communications networks 1100, including, for example, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a public cellular or mobile telephone network (PLMN), and a packet switched public data network (PSPDN) . The messaging system includes telephony front end equipment 1200, multimedia interface 1300, and host messaging center 1400.
Telephony front end 1200 interfaces to communications networks 1100 and provides the necessary interface between a subscriber's voice or data channel from communications network 1100 and the messaging system. Multimedia interface 1300 performs protocol conversions of the information received in various telecommunications formats so host messaging center 1400 can process and store the information in the host's data processing and storage format, typically a compressed data format.
Once converted, host messaging center 1400 processes the relevant messaging information extracted from the communications channel to deliver the particular messaging or telephony service requested by the subscriber. Multimedia interface 1300 then converts the information for responding to the subscriber's service request back into the communications protocol format used by the subscriber, and transmits the converted information to the subscriber via telephony front end 1200 and communications network 1100.
Multimedia interface 1300 includes several parallel digital signal processors dynamically allocated to handle different types of protocol conversion for multiple communications channels. Host messaging center 1400 downloads appropriate protocol conversion algorithms to selected digital signal processors depending upon the type of services required by a particular subscriber. The selected digital signal processors convert and store the information in the format of host messaging center 1400 so host messaging center 1400 can process the information according to the particular messaging service requested by the subscriber. The subscriber retrieves the information in the communications protocol format used by the subscriber.
With this system, a subscriber's responses to the retrieved information were limited to only the precise formats that the information was stored and retrieved. This limited the subscriber's options to retrieve and respond to messages by not allowing use of other telecommunications equipment having different or multiple formats.
Therefore, a need exists to take advantage of the capabilities of current telecommunications equipment to provide subscribers with greater flexibility in the formats of retrieval and responses to messages.


A refrigerant-filled thermosiphon comprising: a condensing member for condensing the refrigerant, the condensing member being provided on a heat-absorbing section of a Stirling cycle cooler; and a pipe formed in an annular shape and connected to the condensing member, the pipe being arranged around a container so as to absorb a heat of the container, wherein the pipe comprises two paths, each path being arranged so as to extend downwardly along a half-periphery of the container. By employing this structure, the inclination angle of each path can be increased, and thus the flow of the liquefied refrigerant in the pipe can not be easily prevented even if a cooling box equipping the thermosiphon tilts in some degree.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerant-filled thermosiphon comprising: a condensing member provided on a heat-absorbing section of a refrigerating machine and condensing the refrigerant; a pipe connected to the condensing member and arranged around a container so as to absorb a heat of the container.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional refrigerant-filled thermosiphon comprising: a condensing member provided on a heat-absorbing section of a refrigerating machine and condensing the refrigerant; a pipe connected to the condensing member and arranged around a container so as to absorb a heat of the container, the inventor of the present invention has proposed one in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-148813, while this thermosiphon comprises: a condensing member equipped by a refrigerating machine for condensing a refrigerant (working fluid); a liquid pipe for discharging the working fluid condensed by the condensing member; an evaporating pipe vaporizing the working fluid from the liquid pipe, so as to absorb heat of a container; and a gas pipe for returning the working fluid vaporized in the evaporating pipe to the condensing member, wherein a height of at least the front portion of the evaporating pipe is gradually increased toward the liquid pipe. According to this structure, the working fluid condensed by the condensing member reaches the evaporating pipe via the liquid pipe, and returns to the condensing member from the evaporating pipe, and thus the heat of the container is absorbed throughout a process through which the liquefied working fluid circulates in the entire region of the evaporating pipe even if the amount of the working fluid is relatively a little, thereby improving the heat-absorbing efficiency.
In the above-described conventional technique, however, when a cooling box equipping the above thermosiphon tilts, the flow speed of the liquefied working fluid that circulates in the entire region of the evaporating pipe may be decreased, or the liquefied working fluid may not be circulated entirely, and thus an efficiency of absorbing the heat of the container on the evaporating pipe is lowered.


In a subterranean well having a production tubing string outwardly circumscribed by a brine-filled casing annulus, a specially designed combination casing pressure relief and kill valve is supported within a side pocket mandrel installed in the production tubing, the valve having inlet ports communicated with the casing annulus. During an initial production phase of the well, when the casing annulus/production tubing pressure differential reaches a first pressure differential set point of the valve due to a brine temperature increase, a pressure relief portion of the valve opens to admit a relatively low flow rate of annulus brine to the tubing string, thereby relieving the annulus pressure, and then closes to reseal the annulus. When it later becomes necessary to temporarily kill the well, kill fluid is pumped into the casing annulus. As the annulus pressure increases, the first valve set point is reached and the pressure relief portion of the valve opens. However, the flow rate of annulus fluid discharged from the valve into the production tubing is considerably less than the flow rate of kill fluid being pumped into the casing annulus. Accordingly, the fluid pressure differential between the casing annulus and the production tubing rises to a second, higher pressure differential set point of the valve. When this occurs, a kill portion of the valve permanently opens to admit kill fluid into the production tubing at a considerably higher flow rate than the pressure relief outflow rate of the valve.

The present invention generally relates to downhole valve apparatus used in subterranean well completions and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to a specially designed combination well casing pressure relief and kill valve.
In an initially completed subterranean well the bore hole is typically lined with a tubular cemented casing having perforations formed therein at a subsurface production zone to admit pressurized production fluid, such as oil and/or natural gas, into the interior of the casing. To flow the admitted production fluid upwardly to the surface of the well, a production tubing string, having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the casing, is coaxially inserted downwardly into the casing and connected at its lower end to a packer structure positioned above the casing perforations.
The packer seals off the interior portion of the casing below the packer from the annular space between the casing and production tubing above the packer, while at the same time communicating the interior of the production tubing with the casing interior below the packer. To provide hydraulic support for the casing, the casing annulus above the packer in the initially completed well is typically filled with a brine solution. When production flow from the completed well is started, the pressurized production fluid enters the casing through its perforations and flows upwardly through the packer and the production tubing string to the surface of the well for retrieval.
As this initial production continues, the relatively elevated temperature of the upwardly flowing production fluid transfers heat, via the production tubing string, to the sealed-in brine solution within the casing annulus. This production fluid heat transferred to the brine correspondingly increases its pressure, thereby materially increasing the laterally outwardly directed hydraulic force exerted by the brine on the casing. In order to prevent this increased pressure from damaging the casing, it is necessary to relieve the temperature-elevated brine pressure.
A conventional method of automatically providing for this brine pressure relief as the need arises is to install in a subsurface portion of the production tubing string a receptacle, commonly referred to as a side pocket mandrel, that operatively and removably receives a pressure relief valve. The mandrel-received pressure relief valve has an inlet that communicates with the casing annulus via side wall inlet ports in the mandrel, and an outlet communicated with the interior of the mandrel and thus with the interior of the production tubing string. When the casing annulus pressure increases to a level above the set point pressure of the valve, the valve opens to admit pressurized brine from the casing annulus into the production tubing string until the casing annulus pressure falls below the valve set point pressure, whereupon the valve closes to reseal the now lower pressure brine within the casing annulus. This pressure relief valve can also be used in a chemical injection application in which a selected chemical solution is pumped into the casing annulus for introduction into the tubing string via the valve.
Later in the production life of the well it typically becomes necessary to stimulate or otherwise work over the well due to a reduction in its production fluid flow rate caused, for example, by an obstruction of its casing perforations. In order to perform this repair work it is necessary to temporarily "kill" the well--i.e., to temporarily terminate the inflow of production fluid into the casing beneath the packer. The eventual necessity of performing this kill function is typically prepared for in advance by initially installing in the production tubing string a second side pocket mandrel that operatively and removably receives a kill valve. The kill valve has an inlet that communicates with the casing annulus via side inlet ports in its associated mandrel, and an outlet communicated with such mandrel and thus with the interior of the production tubing string.
When it becomes necessary to temporarily kill the well, a kill fluid (such as brine or drilling mud) is pumped into the casing annulus. The continuous pressurized inflow of kill fluid into the casing annulus elevates the annulus pressure until the kill valve pressure set point is reached, at which point the kill valve opens to admit a sustained flow of kill fluid into the production tubing string. The entering kill fluid travels upwardly through the production tubing string and eventually forms a standing kill fluid column which hydraulically prevents upward flow of production fluid through the tubing string.
To provide in advance for these necessary pressure relief and kill functions in an initially completed subterranean well, as described above, it has heretofore been necessary to install in the production tubing string two separate mandrels and a separate valve within each mandrel. This installation redundancy, of course, appreciably increases the overall fabrication cost of the completed well--particularly where the well is constructed offshore. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide, in a well completion, these pressure relief and kill functions in a more cost effective manner.

Combination well casing pressure relief and kill valve apparatus


An image forming apparatus has a standby mode in which the image forming apparatus is ready for executing image processing and a low power consumption mode which consumes lower electric power than the standby mode. The image processing apparatus includes the following four units. The communication unit is connected to a network and communicates with other devices connected to the network. The request frequency monitoring unit acquires information indicating the frequency of requests for image processing received by the communication unit. The start-up schedule-generating unit generates a start-up schedule of the communication unit according to the information acquired by the request frequency monitoring unit. The power control unit switches, when the image processing apparatus is in the low power consumption mode, power supply modes for the communication unit in accordance with the start-up schedule that is generated by the start-up schedule-generating unit.

This disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly relates to an image processing apparatus which has a standby mode in which the image processing apparatus is ready for executing image processing and a low power consumption mode which consumes lower electric power than the standby mode.
In recent years, multifunction peripherals (MFP) which have a plurality of functions are used in many offices. In many cases, a multifunction peripheral is used in a condition in which a multifunction peripheral is connected to an information processing terminal such as a personal computer through a network such as a local area network (LAN).
Such multifunction peripherals widely adopts a function of switching, in an unused state, an operation mode from a mode in which electric power is supplied to the entire multifunction peripheral to a low power consumption mode (a sleep mode) in which power consumption is reduced in order to reduce environment loads. Even in the low power consumption mode, electric power is supplied to a part which has a function related to reception of an instruction through a network such that an operation may be performed whenever a signal (a packet) is input thereto from an information processing terminal through the network.
A conventionally known network devices is equipped with a power control section that repeatedly performs on-off control of electric power that is to be supplied to a communication control unit, which communicates with an external devices, for the purpose of further reducing power consumption. In this technique, an off period within a period in which on-off control of electric power is performed by the power control section is set to be shorter than a transmission interval between signal transmissions from an external devices. The power control section stops the on-off control of electric power according to reception of a transmission signal from the external devices, and turns on electric power that is supplied to the communication control unit.

Image processing apparatus including a standby mode


A single chip radio transceiver includes circuitry that enables received wideband RF signals to be down-converted to baseband frequencies and baseband signals to be up-converted to wideband RF signals prior to transmission without requiring conversion to an intermediate frequency. The circuitry includes a low noise amplifier, automatic frequency control circuitry for aligning a local oscillation frequency with the frequency of the received RF signals, signal power measuring circuitry for measuring the signal to signal and power ratio and for adjusting frontal and rear amplification stages accordingly, and finally, filtering circuitry to filter high and low frequency interfering signals including DC offset.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to wireless communications and, more particularly, wideband wireless communication systems.
2. Related Art
Communication systems are known to support wireless and wire lined communications between wireless and/or wire lined communication devices. Such communication systems range from national and/or international cellular telephone systems to the Internet to point-to-point in-home wireless networks. Each type of communication system is constructed, and hence operates, in accordance with one or more communication standards. For instance, wireless communication systems may operate in accordance with one or more standards, including, but not limited to, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, advanced mobile phone services (AMPS), digital AMPS, global system for mobile communications (GSM), code division multiple access (CDMA), local multi-point distribution systems (LMDS), multi-channel-multi-point distribution systems (MMDS), and/or variations thereof.
Depending on the type of wireless communication system, a wireless communication device, such as a cellular telephone, two-way radio, personal digital assistant (PDA), personal computer (PC), laptop computer, home entertainment equipment, etc., communicates directly or indirectly with other wireless communication devices. For direct communications (also known as point-to-point communications), the participating wireless communication devices tune their receivers and transmitters to the same channel or channels (e.g., one of a plurality of radio frequency (RF) carriers of the wireless communication system) and communicate over that channel(s). For indirect wireless communications, each wireless communication device communicates directly with an associated base station (e.g., for cellular services) and/or an associated access point (e.g., for an in-home or in-building wireless network) via an assigned channel. To complete a communication connection between the wireless communication devices, the associated base stations and/or associated access points communicate with each other directly, via a system controller, via the public switch telephone network, via the Internet, and/or via some other wide area network.
Each wireless communication device includes a built-in radio transceiver (i.e., receiver and transmitter) or is coupled to an associated radio transceiver (e.g., a station for in-home and/or in-building wireless communication networks, RF modem, etc.). As is known, the transmitter includes a data modulation stage, one or more intermediate frequency stages, and a power amplifier. The data modulation stage converts raw data into baseband signals in accordance with the particular wireless communication standard. The one or more intermediate frequency stages mix the baseband signals with one or more local oscillations to produce RF signals. The power amplifier amplifies the RF signals prior to transmission via an antenna.
As is also known, the receiver is coupled to the antenna and includes a low noise amplifier, one or more intermediate frequency stages, a filtering stage, and a data recovery stage. The low noise amplifier receives an inbound RF signal via the antenna and amplifies it. The one or more intermediate frequency stages mix the amplified RF signal with one or more local oscillations to convert the amplified RF signal into a baseband signal or an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. As used herein, the term "low IF" refers to both baseband and intermediate frequency signals. A filtering stage filters the low IF signals to attenuate unwanted out of band signals to produce a filtered signal. The data recovery stage recovers raw data from the filtered signal in accordance with the particular wireless communication standard.
To carry out filtering at the intermediate frequencies, surface acoustic wave filters (SAW) are commonly used. The SAW filters have the drawback, however, of being bulky, heavy and expensive. Additionally, the SAW filters require low impedance matching thereby resulting in high power consumption. Because they are often powered by battery, portable wireless communication devices are not readily adaptable for such systems in that they are required to be inexpensive, light and consume lower amounts of power. Thus, there is a need to design transceiver systems that eliminate the use of intermediate frequency filters.
An alternate approach to using a higher intermediate frequency that requires the SAW filters is to convert the RF signal to an intermediate frequency sufficiently low to allow the integration of on-chip channel selection filters. For example, some narrow band or low data rate systems, such as Bluetooth, use this low intermediate frequency design approach.
One problem of using low intermediate frequencies, however, is to satisfy the image rejection requirements for the systems. The image rejection requirement for the down-conversion is hard to meet and is usually limited to about −40 dB. Thus, this low intermediate frequency approach is limited for narrow band or low data rate systems. Wide band or high data rate systems require an intermediate frequency that is not low enough for the integration of channel selection filters given the technology that is available today for semiconductor processes. There is a need, therefore, for a wireless transceiver system that allows for full integration on-chip of circuit designs that support high data rate and wideband communications. Stated differently, there is a need for wireless transceiver systems formed on an integrated circuit that have the capability to convert between baseband and a specified RF band in a single step to avoid the image rejection problem discussed above.
Active mixers used in direct conversion radios as well as radios that employ an intermediate conversion step, typically comprise input transconductance elements, switches and an output load. These active mixers often have varying output signal characteristics due to environmental conditions, such as temperature, and process and manufacturing variations. These varying output signal characteristics can, for example, result in a mixer producing an errant local oscillation signal that affects the accuracy of an output signal's frequency. Having inaccurate output frequencies can result in many undesirable outcomes, including unwanted signal filtering by a downstream filter. What is needed, therefore, is a mixer for use in circuitry for up-converting and down-converting signals that reduces or eliminates the effects of frequency drift that is often present.

Direct conversion RF transceiver with automatic frequency control