Automatic range shifting for an analog to digital converter (ADC) includes combining an external analog input and a DAC output to provide an input to the ADC, detecting whether the range of the output of the ADC is above a predetermined upper range limit or below a predetermined lower range limit, and generating an adjustment code to increase the DAC output if the ADC output is above the upper range limit and to decrease the DAC output if the ADC output is below the lower range limit for decreasing the ADC input when the ADC output is above the upper limit and to increase the ADC input when the ADC output is below the lower limit to keep the ADC input within the ADC range.

The complexity, size, and typically the power of an analog-to-digital converter increases with the resolution of conversion result required. Typically the minimum and maximum input signals are mapped onto the span of the converter. However, in many applications the input signal may have a short-term variation which covers a subset of the converter span. The resolution required is calculated over the full span, but if you focus on the sub-span a much lower resolution is adequate. Another way of looking at the problem is that a large portion of the span is unused for most of the time. The result is that for most of the time the converter used has excess resolution, with a more complex and costly circuit.
One solution is to use a converter with a lower span, with sufficient resolution and span to cover the short-term signal variations. Typically the output of an offsetting DAC is subtracted from the input signal to the ADC, so as to remove any large offsets and keep the signal within the reduced span. Such approaches use a DAC to subtract an offset from the input signal for the ADC. However, they do not automatically update the DAC in response to the ADC signal going outside range. Instead, they are simply set to a fixed offset by a host micro, typically after a calibration cycle or offset nulling procedure. They do not adaptively set the DAC to keep the ADC input within range, nor do they teach this approach. Therefore they do not teach any methods of automatic correction of the ADC output codes to take the DAC change into account.
It is common practice to process the output signal from sensors, an analog signal, using microprocessors or similar digital signal processing devices. The analog signal is translated into the digital domain by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). An ADC is what is termed a mixed-signal device in that it contains both analog and digital circuitry. The ADC converts the analog signal into a digital word of a given number of bits, N. The ADC will have 2N steps. The span of the ADC is the difference between the minimum and maximum voltages that can be applied to the input, i.e. the voltages that give an ADC output of the smallest and largest digital word for number of bits N. Taking the example that, N is 16, so the smallest digital word is 0000h (0 decimal) and the largest is FFFFh (65535 decimal), corresponding to input voltages of 0V and 4V, respectively, then the step size of the ADC, its resolution, is given as the span divided by the number of digital steps, i.e. (SPAN/2N). In this example the resolution is 61 uV. This means that the ADC can only measure steps of more than 61 uV; an input change of smaller than this amount might not result in a change of the digital output word.
The design of an ADC typically becomes exponentially more difficult as the number of bits N increases. The analog circuitry in the ADC becomes larger, more complex and requires more power. By comparison, the digital circuitry will become larger but marginally more difficult; extra digital processing is relatively easily added. In many cases the signal being digitized is slowly varying, and this slow variation is being measured. For example assume the signal being measured has a range from 0v to 4v, but might have a much lower variation for successive measurement points. If we assume that the maximum variation for successive measurements is known to be no more than say 0.1v, then at any given time most of the full converter span is not being used. If we reduce the span from 4V to 0.25V we can achieve the 61 uV ADC step size with an ADC with a 12-bit digital output word (N=12), and not require the 16-bit design. Per the earlier comments, the design of a 12-bit ADC is significantly easier, smaller, and lower power than a 16-bit ADC, all other parameters being equal. The required ADC step size could be obtained with a 12-bit ADC working on a 0.25V sub-span of the full 0 to 4V range. However, it is necessary to be able to adjust the location of the 0.25V sub-span across the full range; a fixed sub-span of 0 to 0.25V will not meet the objective. A commonly used approach is to use a DAC to subtract a voltage from the input signal. There are several examples of ADC systems with this architecture. In all such cases the DAC is typically set once when configuring and/or calibrating the system, and is not normally changed by the converter itself. The DAC setting is typically written to the part by a microprocessor. The DAC is not set in a stand-alone fashion, a host controller is required.

Automatic range shift system and method for an analog to digital converter


There is provided a combustor comprising a dome and a shell extending from the dome defining a combustion chamber. A dome heat shield is mounted to the dome inside the combustion chamber. A front heat shield is mounted to the shell and spaced therefrom. The dome heat shield has a lip extending generally away from the dome heat shield and generally parallel to the shell and spaced inwardly of the front heat shield to define a gap between the lip and the front heat shield. The front heat shield has a leading edge opposite the lip. The combustor has impingement holes extending through the shell and disposed to direct impingement cooling jets to the upstream portion of the front heat shield. The leading edge, of the front heat shield has at least one scallop defining an opening and disposed to allow the impingement cooling jets to impinge directly on a portion of the peripheral lip adjacent the scallop.

Combustor heat shields provide protection to the combustor shell. Combustor dome heat shields may be provided with radially inner and outer lips. These lips are exposed to high gas temperature relative to the remainder of an otherwise well-cooled heat shield, resulting in hot spots with high thermal gradients. The thermal gradient inevitably results in cracks due to thermal mechanical fatigue. Cracking in the lips further deteriorates cooling effectiveness and results in additional damage due to high temperature oxidation. The front heat shields mounted to the combustor shells adjacent to the dome heat shields have leading edge portions adjacent to the lips of the dome heat shields that may be starved from cooling air and develop hot spots as well.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved cooling scheme while avoiding any detrimental effect on the rest of the heat shield surface cooling.


A process for manufacturing concrete bodies at elevated temperatures including the steps of providing pre-selected amounts of cement, aggregate and water where the temperature of at least the aggregate and more likely the cement and water are heated to a temperature between about 32° C. and 45° C. The heated amounts of cement, aggregate and water are mixed at an elevated temperature within the aforementioned range and a set retarding, water reducing admixture added. The mixing is continued and the hot mixture including the set retarding, water reducing admixture is cast at an elevated temperature within the same range to provide a concrete body form or structure with improved short and long-term compressive strengths.

It has been recognized that hot weather can cause problems in working with concrete and that such problems increase as temperatures rise. For example, it has been reported that it may be necessary to make adjustments to a concrete mix as the weather warms because an everyday mix can begin to perform differently as temperatures rise above about 23° C. (75° F.). It has also been recognized that hot weather is a combination of the following weather conditions: High ambient temperature; High concrete temperature; Low relative humidity; Solar radiation; and High wind speed.
In the Middle East and some parts of the United States, ambient temperatures of about 32° to 45° C. are frequently encountered during summer months. For example, in 1913 in Death Valley, Calif. a temperature of 134° F. (56.6° C.) was recorded. Problems associated with extreme heat i.e. 32° C. (90°) to 40 or 45° C. (104-113° F.) or greater include increased water demand, increased rate of slump loss, increased rate of setting, increased tendency for plastic-shrinkage cracking and increased difficulty in controlling entrained air content.
The main problem affecting hardened concrete is the decreased long-term strength.
Authorities in concrete technology such as individuals in the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and Portland Cement Association (PCA) recommend cooling concrete as low as possible in order to obtain good quality concrete in hot weather. In addition, some specifications require that when placed, concrete should have a temperature of less than 29° C. (84° F.) to 32° C. (90° F.). Therefore, in areas of extreme temperature, ice or chilled water is added to a hydraulic cement, aggregate and water mix. Further, in adding ice, it is important to use crushed, shaved or chipped ice to ensure all of the ice melts before mixing is completed. Reducing temperatures of a concrete mix adds substantially to the cost of the process.
Set retarding/water-reducing admixtures are sometimes used to counteract many of the negative impacts of hot weather on fresh concrete, particularly the rapid setting caused by high temperatures. Water-reducing admixtures can help curb slump loss without affecting the water demand of the mix. However, chemical admixtures are conditional on cement type and require care in adjusting dosage. Admixtures that increase the bleeding rate can help counteract surface drying, but may also require additional consolidation after the majority of bleeding has subsided.

Process for producing concrete in hot weather


A control method implemented by a communication device. The control method includes: acquiring a current location and current capacities of a drone; selecting a destination point that can be reached by the drone according to the location and capacities thereof, the destination point being located in the coverage area of a point of access to a mobile communication network; and providing the drone with instructions specifying the destination point towards which the drone is to travel and communication operations to be carried out in connection with the mobile communication network. Once the instructions are obtained, the drone moves towards the destination point and performs the communication operation as soon as it reaches the destination point or as soon as the connection quality reaches a satisfying level.

The present invention lies in the field of mobile telecommunications networks and pertains in particular to the management of communications between a communication terminal and a mobile communication network.
The invention relates in particular to the execution of communication operations with a mobile communication network such as a mobile telephone network or a Wifi network for example.
In a known manner, the user of a mobile telephone absolutely must be situated in a zone of coverage of a relay antenna of the cellular network to which he has subscribed in order to be able to access this network and carry out mobile telephone operations (calls, SMS messaging . . . ). In a non-covered zone, also called a "white zone", the mobile telephone is out of reach of its cellular network, thereby preventing any communication with the outside. However, certain regions of the world (rural zones, country suffering from a lack of infrastructure . . . ) are today poorly served, or indeed not served at all, by local mobile telephone operators, thereby posing a problem for users. This problem becomes, in particular, critical when a user wishes to contact rescue services in an emergency situation.
An approach consists today in using cellular repeaters to extend the range of a cellular telephone, but this technique requires that the repeaters be installed in advance in a fixed manner between the terminal of the user (situated in a white zone) and the closest relay antenna. However, this solution exhibits significant technical constraints related in particular to its installation (limited capabilities of the repeaters, cost of installation, problem of the electrical power supply of the repeaters etc.) and is not appropriate for a roaming user whose position is liable to vary.
The present invention proposes to address in particular the problems described hereinabove and is aimed, in a general manner, at allowing or facilitating a user's access to a mobile communication network, in particular in the case where this user's terminal is situated out of range of the mobile communication network in question.

Asynchronous synchronization with a mobile communication network


A gear mechanism comprises a first gear which has a portion with no teeth and rotates, a second gear which engages the first gear and a cam mechanism which includes a cam portion provided on one gear of the first gear and the second gear and a cam contact portion provided on the other gear of the first gear and the second gear and making contact with the cam portion. When the second gear moves from a position in which the second gear engages the tooth portion of the first gear to a position in which the second gear opposes the portion with no teeth of the first gear, the cam mechanism acts to bring the axes of the first gear and the second gear away from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including a gear mechanism, an opening/closing mechanism, and an opening/closing member.
2. Description of Related Art
An image forming apparatus has a damper mechanism in order to prevent the occurrence of a fault that a cover provided thereon closes too quickly (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 07-244410).
If the damper mechanism is provided, it is necessary to prevent the cover from being not closed completely by receiving a reaction force of the damper. According to a conventionally proposed concept, a fractional gear is engaged with a gear which receives a force of the damper and when the cover is closed, the fractional gear is released from the engagement, so that the reaction force of the damper is not received.
However, according to this structure, when the fractional gear is about to be released from the engagement, the engagement between the fractional gear and the gear having the damper is maintained by engagement of only a tooth of the fractional gear. In a condition of the engagement with this single tooth, the reaction force of the damper applied to the tooth of the fractional gear becomes large and a large shock sound occurs when the engagement of the fractional gear is released. For this countermeasure, it is necessary to use a large fractional gear so as to reduce a reaction force of the damper applied to the tooth, thereby softening the shock sound.

Opening/closing mechanism, image forming apparatus and gear mechanism


A skill based game presented in a bingo format in which a bowler, based on his or her bowling skill level and number of strike frames bowled during a three game session, has an opportunity to successfully complete pre-identified bingo patterns for awards. All entrants pay a fee prior to their league bowling and receive one or more computer generated bingo cards, each containing a matrix of numbers that correspond to individual bowling frame numbers for their three game sessions. In addition, and as a means of equalizing opportunity (handicapping bowlers), free computer generated strike frames may be given on each entrant's bingo card based on the bowlers skill level. An algorithm has been developed which determines the number of free strikes awarded to equalize all skill levels. The number of free strikes given is determined by identified average bracket levels and the system precludes issuance of a winning pattern with free spaces. The game is played and won when a bowler matches the frame numbers in which they strike with the frame numbers identified on their bingo cards, and combined with any free spaces, match any of a variety of the winning pre-identified bingo patterns. Bowler's strike accomplishments are retrieved from the automatic scoring systems at the bowling centers and used as input into the game's software system.

The present invention relates to a bowling game. More particularly, the present invention relates to a game method for enhancing the entertainment of a traditional bowling game.
The standard rules of bowling have remained fairly consistent over time and have turned the game into what is predominantly one of skill opposed to a game of chance.
Although the inexperienced bowler may on occasion enjoy a spare or a strike, the highest scores in the game are generally only achieved by those who have obtained a high level of skill. While this fact does not altogether discourage the inexperience bowler from participating in the sport, it does confine the inexperience bowler to competing against those that are at the same skill level.
The basic rules of bowling consist of bowlers engaging in what are essentially two-ball frames for a sequence of ten frames to arrive at a final score that is compared with other bowlers who bowl at the same time. In most cases, the bowlers who are competing against each other are in adjacent bowling lanes in the same bowling establishment. A perfect score, according to the standard rules of bowling, is 300 and involves a strike on each of twelve tries with the bowling ball in the same game.
Each frame is nominally associated with the rolling of a first and then a second ball by each bowler. If the first ball is a strike, no second ball is thrown. A bowler may, therefore, throw as many as twenty-one balls during a complete game, or as few as twelve. In any event, scoring is accomplished by adding the number of pins knocked down in each frame to the total previously accumulated in earlier frames. Spares involve a total of ten plus the sum of the next ball thrown, and strikes involve a total of ten plus the sum of the next two balls thrown. In every case, the goal is to knock down as many pins as possible with each ball thrown. The skills, therefore, involve appropriate targeting and placement of the ball when thrown, such that the maximum number of pins are knocked down.
Some modifications of the apparatus associated with the play of a standard game of bowling have been implemented and have allowed the less experienced bowler to compete more directly with those whose skill levels are higher. For example, there are bowling systems and methods that incorporate bumpers in a manner that may alter the scoring procedure during a game of bowling.
These bumper bowling systems and methods permit inexperienced players to acquire new skills at the same time, or at an advanced rate, over those already skilled at the standard rules of bowling. Some aspects of these bumper bowling systems also permit random factors to enter into the final score in any frame and thus, in any particular game of bowling.
Despite this, it would be desirable to incorporate additional elements of handicapping into the play of bowling, such that unskilled players might compete more directly against those skilled in the game.
Two games commonly associated with randomness and chance, as opposed to skill, are bingo and lottery. Lottery games generally involve the random selection of some set of numbers that may or may not be matched by those who participate in the game. The typical lottery game might involve a set of six numbers, each number having a value from 1-50, with no two of the numbers being the same. Participants in the lottery game guess and select six such numbers prior to some random number generating device selecting the six numbers. Many state lotteries are based upon a system such as this.
Bingo is in many respects a more complex type of lottery game in that participants utilize a card with a random arrangement of numbers selected from the number group 1-75, organized in a two-dimensional matrix, typically 5 by 5. Individual numbers are then randomly selected and identified on each player's card matrix. The first player to acquire a specific pattern of matched numbers on his or her card is declared the winner.
It would be desirable to incorporate some of the random aspects of the game of bingo into the game of bowling in a manner that would permit unskilled bowlers to compete against those more skilled in the field.
Numerous innovations for bowling entertaining enhancement games have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,575 to Douglass, Jr. teaches a game method utilizing a particular number of bowling pins that are set up in a formation which may be conventional to bowling. A bowling ball is directed at the bowling pins in order to topple the same. The toppled bowling pins are transferred into a number which is indicated on a game board having a number of spaces, each with an assigned number. The spaces on the game board are arranged in a definite pattern. Successive placements of indica on the game board are collated according to an arrangement forming a selected part of the game board pattern.
Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,971 to J. File teaches a game method of play combining the skill elements of bowling with the chance elements of bingo and lottery. The game method of play includes the steps of randomly arranging and displaying a set of numbers in an order in which the numbers are to be picked for the purposes of separately identifying a lottery-type arrangement or a bingo-type arrangement. The game further involves a number of bowlers participating in a sequence of bowling frames such that the scores in the bowling frames are compared with the randomly arranged numbers previously displayed. As the randomly arranged numbers are sequentially stepped through in the comparison process, orderly patterns of matched scores and numbers are detected and identified as winning arrangements, when acquired. Various sets of specific numbers, such as in a lottery game, or various orderly patterns, such as those typically found in bingo, may be utilized to identify the winner of a particular game.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for bowling entertaining enhancement games have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.


A covering system that includes a first membrane, a first flotation member coupled to the first membrane. The first flotation member includes a first float and a first float compartment membrane, and the first float compartment membrane is coupled to the first membrane. The covering system also includes a first plurality of gas-relief passageways positioned either within the first float compartment membrane, or within the first membrane and adjacent to the first flotation member. And at least one of the gas-relief passageways within the first plurality is structured so that gas flows unobstructed through it when the system is used. Gas-relief openings formed between overlapping membranes may also be utilized as avenues through which gas may escape to atmosphere from beneath the covers and covering systems. Venting methods are also disclosed. The covering systems and methods may be applied to control odor, algae growth, and heat loss associated with the retaining various liquids, while permitting for the controlled release of gases that are produced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to covers for liquid-retaining structures, covering systems that utilize such covers, and venting methods.
2. Description of Related Art
Covers for liquid-retaining structures, such as lagoons, ponds, basins, and tanks, have existed for many years. Such liquid-retaining structures have been used in a variety of environments, including holding fresh water or wastewater for industrial, municipal, and/or agricultural operations, and the like. Covers have been used to address issues such as odors, algae growth, heat loss, and gas production and collection associated with the retained liquids. Such gases include, for example, methane and hydrogen sulfide. Examples of such covers include those found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,991,900, 4,438,863, 5,265,976, 6,136,194, 4,294,589, 5,400,549, and 5,562,759.
Despite their utility in certain areas, current covers do not offer a simple, inexpensive way to address issues such as odor control or algae control while providing the ability to release gas at the same time. While certain of the covers identified above, such as those depicted in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,400,549 and 5,562,759 (the disclosures of both of which are incorporated herein by reference) provide for a modular construction, the disclosed modules include large, insulative enclosures that span nearly the entire space of the module. As a result, the modules are expensive. Additionally, while gaps exist between the connected modules through which gas may escape, the covers lack a controlled gas-release system that does not depend upon modules being connected to each other. Of the non-modular covers that exist, some employ expensive, complicated systems of gas control that include pipes for directing the gas and pumps to stimulate the movement of the gas.

Industrial and Environmental Concepts, Inc.


Complex mixing system with stages consisting of propeller mixers of high diameter ratio, where the blades are provided with flow modifying elements, whereby the energy proportions spent on dispersion of the amount of gas injected into the reactor, homogenization of the multi-phase mixtures, suspension of solid particles, etc. and the properties corresponding to the rheological properties of the gas-liquid mixtures and to the special requirements of the processes can be ensured even in extreme cases. Open channels (5) opposite to the direction of rotation are on the blades (4) of the dispersing stage (2a) of the propeller mixers (2) fixed to a common shaft, where the channels (5) are interconnected with gas inlet (7). The angle of incidence of a certain part of the blades (4) of mixing stages (2b, 2d) used for homogenization and suspension is of opposite direction and the length is shorter and/or the angle of incidence is smaller than those of the other blades. Baffle bars (8) are on the trailing end of the blades on a certain part (2c) of the propeller mixers used similarly for homogenization and suspension, and/or auxiliary blades (12) at an angle of max. 20.degree. to the blade wings are arranged above or below the trailing end of the blades (FIG. 1 and 6).

At the present time the so called Rushton turbomixer, rotated by a shaft centrally arranged in the fermenter, and consisting of 6 rectangular straight blades radially fixed to a circular plate is mainly used in bioreactors (fermenters). If the height of the bioreactor is multiple of the diameter, a system consisting of 2-4 turbomixers fixed to a common shaft is used.
The air to be dispersed is injected below the lower mixer through a perforated loop expansion pipe, nozzles, or a central nozzle (Fejes, G.: Industrial mixers, p 52-55).
The turbomixers usually make up 1/3 of the diameter of the fermenter and disperse the air efficiently by the intensive turbulence and shear forces generated around the row of blades. Because of the high local energy dissipation, despite the high specific power consumption of the turbomixers, the proportion of energy invented in the zones farther from the mixer is minimal, and the axial transport capacity of the mixer is low, which causes problems increasing as the volume of the bioreactors grows.
There are also known two winged or multi-winged propeller mixers with inclined blades or blades according to the geometry of a helical surface. The mixing system is built up from these mixers.
SEM type mixers utilize the flow properties of the thin propeller wings. EKATO mixers utilize the interference phenomena of parallel double wing blades arranged at an angle and at a spacing above each other (Interming and Interprop mixers, Fejes, G.: Industrial mixers, p 65).
The energy dissipation of propeller mixers with large diameter ratio compared with the diameter of the fermenter is more uniform, and the axial transport capacity is high. Therefore, with the same power consumption they can mix the liquid more efficiently and evenly in high fermenters, but their dispersion capacity is reduced. This is counterbalanced by the use of several phases.
Suction mixers, consisting of hollow mixing elements fixed to a rotating tubular shaft suitable for mixing, dispersion and partly for transport of the gas, are also known. The hollow mixing elements are mostly pipes cut at an angle of 45.degree.. At the ends of these pipes, at an adequate speed, pressure drop occurs, sucking in the gas usually through the hollow tubular shaft. The gas is atomized by the shear forces generated in the liquid by the sharp pipe-ends (Fejes, G.: Industrial mixers, p 57). These mixers are not used in the fermenting industry because of their limited suction capacity. Such suction mixers are also known, where the hollow elements are nearly semi-circular channels open on the side opposite the direction of advance, and at a diameter which is nearly the same as that of the container. Thus they are suitable for the atomization of relatively large amount of gas. However, because of their low circulation capacity, they are used only in the yeast industry and sometimes in processes not requiring intensive mixing of the liquid.
The purpose of mixing in the reactors is the homogeneous distribution of the solid, liquid and gaseous phases for intensification of the material and heat transfer processes. As a result of mixing, significant velocity, gradients and turbulence are caused in the space between the mixing elements and the reactor wall provided with baffle plates. In the case of fermentation processes, the turbulence proportional to the velocity gradient and shear forces increase the dispersiveness of the injected air bubbles, and reduce the thickness of the boundary layers between the microorganisms, culture medium and air bubbles, thereby improve and speed up the material- and heat transfer processes taking place on the boundary surfaces of the phases.
A three-phase system of the microorganisms, culture medium and injected air can be brought about in the bioreactors, where the flow space and its effect on the transfer of material are made extremely complicated by the various interactions, such as a change in the rheological properties of the fermenting liquid in consequence of the metabolism of the microorganisms. The problem is further complicated by diversity and contradictions of the requirements. E.g. in a significant part of the fermentation processes intensive turbulence and shear are required for dispersion of the air and oil droplets, microblending the culture medium and biomass and cutting up the agglomeration. At the same time, however, the intensive mixing facilitates the formation of stable foams which partly directly and partly as a result of the use of foam-inhibiting materials reduces the oxygen transfer, and aeration of the carbon dioxide, and may mechanically damage the microorganisms, or may bring about production-reducing morphological changes.
It is a characteristic of the complexity of the mixing processes taking place in the bioreactors, that each basic operation: dispersion, suspension, dissolution, homogenization, etc. has an important role in the processes, i.e. essentially each fermentation process has its associated specific requirements which can differ significantly according to the type and strain. Thus, the effects of the basic operations should remain within relatively narrow limits in order that, besides affording the required beneficial effect, the adverse effects should remain minimal. In respect of the turbomixers used in the majority of the bioreactors, it is equally unfavorable to expend the major proportion of the mixing energy for the generation of turbulence, so that dissipation about 70% of the mixing energy takes place in the immediate vicinity of the turbine blades, and these conditions can be changed only to a minor degree.
In the case of fermenting liquids forming intensively aerated viscous and stable foams of non newtonian properties, the circulation and turbulence generated by small diameter turbomixers may decrease relatively quickly. The circulation could be intensified by increasing the turbomixer's diameter, but this is limited by the disproportionate growth of the mixing power, which--according to the known relationship--increases with the 5th power of the mixer's diameter. Therefore, the diameter of the turbomixer must not exceed 40% of the apparatus even in case of small fermenter with a volume below 40 m.sup.3. Thus their characteristic feature is the small diameter ratio. On the other hand, this causes additional problems, as the reactor volume and viscosity of the fermenting liquid are increased in the wake of insufficiently mixed zones.
The diameters of propeller mixers--with regard to their much lower rate of power input--may approach the diameter of the reactor. Therefore, the use of propeller mixers of high diameter ratio making up 60-70% of the apparatus' diameter is becoming widespread in bioreactors, although the dispersion capacity is lower because they are more suitable for the efficient mixing of the viscous fermenting liquids.
To provide an efficient mixer is difficult because properties of the viscous fermenting liquids containing microorganisms and air bubbles are often extremely different from those of Newtonian liquids. Some scientists have found that the turbomixer with smaller diameter is capable of an 8-times higher rate of oxygen absorption, than the turbomixers of greater diameter with the same energy input, although such differences cannot be detected in clear water (Steel, R.-Maxon, W. D.: Biotechn. and Bioeng. 2, 231, 1962). These incompletely understood phenomena dependent on the properties of cultures and composition of the culture media also justify the construction of mixing systems, whose mixing effect can be controlled within wide limits and can be modified in respect of every mixing operation.
On the other hand, a common characteristic of the described mixers is that any of them is suitable for producing mainly a certain mixing effect which could limit optimization of the processes.
The efficiency of the mixing for the apparatus depends on the magnitude of the introduced energy and construction of the mixing system. The dissolved oxygen concentration can be improved to the required level generally with the known mixers by increasing the amount of mixing energy and the injected air. However, the disproportionately increasing demand for energy and its cost, intensification of the foam formation and impairment of the microorganisms may increasingly limit the economic factors with the increasing dimensions of the reactor.
The known multi-stage turbine consisting usually of the same elements, and other mixing systems in consequence of the mentioned capabilities and restrictions of the constructions do not provide adequate flexibility for satisfying the specific requirements of the various microorganisms.

Complex mixer for dispersion of gases in liquid


A method and system for providing message-based access to services includes receiving a request message from a mobile subscriber relating to a service that is desired by the mobile subscriber, routing the request message for processing, performing one or more activities in accordance with the requested service, returning a response message to the mobile subscriber, and facilitating/enabling/etc. access to the requested service.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications services. More particularly, the present invention relates to the utilization of various wireless messaging paradigms, including, inter alia, Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), wireless electronic mail (e-mail) and Instant Messenger (IM), to facilitate access to services, including, inter alia, the increasingly popular wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi).
2. Background of the Invention
While the 'wireless revolution' continues to march forward it carries with it a range of untapped, or under-exploited, potentials. As the various technological (e.g., ubiquitous cross-carrier interoperability), social (e.g., user or subscriber inertia), etc. impediments are breached, wireless data services continue to grow and continue to provide significant revenue opportunities to wireless carriers. To sustain that growth a continual stream of new 'singular' wireless data products and services is required.
One such product/service is the immensely popular Wireless Fidelity or Wi-Fi.
Private Wi-Fi environments are frequently deployed by individuals within their homes to provide un-tethered network access within their home. Additionally, private Wi-Fi environments have been, and continue to be, deployed by companies and other organizations within their buildings and campus complexes to provide their employees and workers with wireless network access.
Wi-Fi 'hotspots' or access points have been deployed at a variety of public locations, and new hotspots are being raised at an ever-increasing rate at, amongst other public locations, airports, hotels, conference centers, coffee shops, fast food restaurants, sports stadiums, etc.
As a potential service user moves about from one public location to another it is not always clear or obvious to that user what services may be available at any given location. To address this challenge mechanisms have become available that identify for a potential service user the location, availability, etc. of a desired service.
While mechanisms have begun to appear that identify the location and the availability of services such as public Wi-Fi hotspots, no mechanisms yet exist to address the many challenges that inevitably arise from the fact that each public Wi-Fi hotspot is effectively a separate service 'island,' distinct and apart from other (proximate or distant) Wi-Fi hotspots. Two of the many challenges are (1) payment and (2) access.
The present invention addresses the payment and access challenges and thus aids significantly in the further adoption and use of public Wi-Fi and other services that are similarly situated.

System and method for message-based access


A continuous closed-system process for the environmentally friendly drying and purification of benzanthrone which comprises the steps of charging a benzanthrone-containing paste of pumpable consistency onto a melt held in a stirred kettle, dewatering and melting the paste by means of steam, condensing the water vapor emerging from the stirred kettle, flaking the melt from the stirred kettle by means of a rotating drum, and packaging the flaked solids.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a continuous process for the environmentally friendly drying and purification of benzanthrone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Benzanthrone, a dye intermediate, is produced in two different grades: crude and pure.
At present, as-synthesized benzanthrone is separated off on filter presses, washed with water and expressed to a solids content of about 50% by weight. The water-moist filter cake is then dried batchwise in vacuum paddle dryers at about 150.degree. C. and 600 mbar (absolute) to a residual water content of about 1% by weight. Dried benzanthrone crude still contains about 15% by weight of solid impurities, for example iron oxides and silicates, from the synthesis stage.
The subsequent purification of the dried, crude benzanthrone to give pure benzanthrone is carried out in sublimation furnaces at about 400.degree. C. and 1 mbar (absolute). To this end, the dried, crude benzanthrone is manually introduced into metal pans which are then put into the sublimation furnaces. On heating and evacuation the benzanthrone sublimes out of the metal pans and desublimes onto the water-cooled walls of the sublimation furnace, from where it has to be knocked off manually after every batch. The pans likewise need to be cleaned by hand after every batch to remove the hard impurities left behind.
The disadvantage of the process as practiced is that it involves handling strongly dusting, allergenic products, which lead to appreciable problems not only within the plant where the process is practiced but also in further processing plants. At the original plant the problem areas are the open, labor-intensive manipulation of the product when filling and emptying the vacuum paddle dryer, when introducing the dry material onto the metal pans, when cleaning these pans and when knocking the desublimed product off the walls of the sublimation furnace. This manual work represents an appreciable dust nuisance and contamination hazard to work personnel.


The present invention relates to a color display device comprising a color display tube (1) with a front portion having a truncated cone (3), an element (5) for generating a plurality of electron beams, a shielding (9) of ferromagnetic material extending substantially parallel to the truncated cone (3), and a demagnetizing device having at least two demagnetizing coils (11,12) extending along the outer circumference of the cone (3). The demagnetizing device is arranged to energize the coils (11,12) simultaneously and with a phase difference, resulting in the generation of a rotating magnetic field. As the magnetic field rotates, it can be arranged to substantially coincide with the shape of the shielding (9), resulting in a magnetic field that is parallel to the shielding (9) over a larger part of the shielding surface. This improves the demagnetizing procedure, leading to a better landing performance of the electron beams.

The present invention relates to a color display device comprising a color display tube with a front portion having a truncated cone, means for generating a plurality of electron beams, a shielding of ferromagnetic material extending substantially parallel to the truncated cone, and a demagnetizing device having at least two demagnetizing coils extending along the outer circumference of the cone.
The invention also relates to a method for demagnetizing the shielding of a display device, so called degaussing.
A color display device of this type is well known in the art. The purpose of the shielding of ferromagnetic material is to reduce the effect of the earth""s magnetic field on the picture display. Without this shielding, the electron beams are affected by the earth""s magnetic field, causing errors in the landing of the beams.
When the display is switched on, the screen is demagnetized by means of an alternating current with decreasing amplitude, which current is led through the coils arranged on the wall of the display tube, creating a magnetic field. Due to this treatment, the magnetization of the shielding is adapted to the prevailing direction of the earth""s magnetic field.
A problem with this type of demagnetization (also called degaussing) is that part of the shielding is not demagnetized, or insufficiently demagnetized, because the applied field is not parallel to the shielding. In fact, the field resulting from the two coils approximately takes on the shape shown in FIG. 1, and is clearly perpendicular to large parts of the shielding.
To solve this problem, U.S. Pat. No. 5,559,401 teaches a color display device wherein two coils are energized at different times. Through this solution, the shielding is demagnetized in two possibly overlapping xe2x80x9cshotsxe2x80x9d, resulting in the different magnetic fields illustrated in FIGS. 2a-c. Although the performance is significantly improved with this technique, there are still areas of the shielding that are not satisfactorily demagnetized, especially the corners.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a display device of the kind described by way of introduction, having an improved landing performance. A further object of the invention is to generate a degaussing magnetic field, which is substantially parallel to a larger part of the shielding surface.
To this end, the device according to the invention is characterized in that the demagnetizing device is provided with means for energizing the coils in a phase-shifted manner, resulting in a rotating magnetic field. The rotating field can be arranged to substantially coincide with the shape of the shielding, resulting in a magnetic field, which is parallel to the shielding over a larger part of the shielding surface. This improves the demagnetizing procedure, leading to better landing performance of the electron beams.
The coils are preferably connected in parallel with a common power source. As the rotating field ensures a satisfactory demagnetization, there is no need for two separate power sources.
The coils can be identical, with at least one of the coils being connected in series with a capacitor and/or a inductor. The capacitor or inductor affects the reactance in one of the branches connected in parallel, resulting in a phase difference.
Alternatively, the coils can have different electrical properties, including different reactance. While requiring different types of demagnetizing coils, the need for extra circuit components, such as capacitors, is eliminated. The different electrical properties can easily be achieved by using coils with a different number of windings, or a different wire diameter.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method for demagnetizing a shielding in a color display device of the above kind is characterized by energizing said coils simultaneously and with a phase difference, thereby generating a rotating magnetic field.

Device and method for demagnetizing the shielding of a color display device


Thermally tuned lasers may use a resistive thermal device (RTD), sensitive to hydrogen, within a hermetic enclosure. Over time, hydrogen trapped within the enclosure or out gassed from other components within the enclosure may degrade the accuracy of the RTD. A vent comprising a hydrogen selective permeable membrane, such as palladium or a palladium alloy, provided in the enclosure vents hydrogen to mitigate damage to the RTD.

Modern microelectronic and optoelectronic packages are often hermetically sealed to protect the delicate components inside from outside contamination. A basic hermetic package may comprise a box like structure surrounding the components with leads extending through the sides of the package electrically connecting the components to the outside. In the case of optical components an optical fiber may extend through the package through a sealed ferrule. The package may be filled with an inert gas such as Nitrogen or Argon to flush moisture and other harmful gases out of the package. A lid may then be fitted over the package and sealed closed.
Once sealed, the contents of the package are protected from outside contamination. However, hermetically sealed packages of this type cannot protect against harmful contaminates that may originate from within the package. One such contaminate that may be found in abundance is hydrogen (H2). In particular, hydrogen can cause a number of state changes with enclosed component materials, including formation of hydrides, and reduction of oxides. In the case of metal oxide reduction, the resulting water trace gas can itself create a significant reliability problem.
While hydrogen should not present in the initial atmosphere within the sealed package, hydrogen can and does outgas from steel (which often have an annealing step in a hydrogen atmosphere), platings (e.g., Ni/Au), and from other trapped locations, such as epoxies.
Typical hydrogen mitigation approaches are those which reduce the potential hydrogen load. These approaches include "bakeout" which involves driving trapped hydrogen off with heat, and "getting" which involves locking the hydrogen into another form such as hydride or water.
Regarding the first mitigation approach, bakeout may be time consuming and can require high temperatures incompatible with the component materials. Even for those materials which can survive the bakeout conditions, because of asymptotic nature of hydrogen bakeout, the materials typically retain some level of hydrogen that will outgas over the lifetime of the product.
With regard to the second mitigation approach, so called "hydrogen getters" have been used to absorb or "get" the out gassing hydrogen and trap it before serious harm occurs. A hydrogen getter may comprise any one of a number of materials placed within the hermetic package prior to sealing that react with hydrogen thus removing it from the atmosphere within the hermetic package. For example, certain metal alloys may react with hydrogen to form metal hydrides. These types of getters typically require high temperatures to work effectively and therefore limited in their application. Unsaturated organic compounds have also been used in conjunction with the metal Palladium (Pd). Palladium functions as a catalyst to bind hydrogen to the functional groups of the organic molecules thus removing them from the atmosphere within the hermetic package. Examples of hydrogen getters sealed within the hermetic package are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,869 to Dougherty et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,612 to McPhilmy et al.
Hydrogen getters suffer a fundamental problem of finite capacity. If the amount of hydrogen outgas exceeds the getter capacity (i.e. the getter material become saturated or totally reacted), hydrogen will remain within the enclosure. The form of hydrogen storage can itself be problematic. For example, some getters form water vapor that must be managed. Solid solution getters can flake under the strain placed on the material due to hydrogen absorption, resulting in potential particle debris that must be managed.

Hydrogen vent for optoelectronic packages with resistive thermal device (RTD)


An apparatus for safely locating an elevated-end of a ramp includes a center strip that hangs down from an overhead location proximate the elevated-end. The center strip aligns with a center of the ramp and is used as a visual or tactile aide to guide a person toward the elevated end. A variation includes a pair of lateral strips that are each disposed proximate the elevated-end and also proximate opposite outer edges of the ramp. Another variation includes the use of two parallel strips to more accurately indicate either the center of the ramp or one of its edges. Fixed, detachable, and retractable versions are described that are attached to either a ceiling of a truck or to an inside surface of an overhead door of the truck.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general, relates to safety devices and, more particularly, to a guide for improving ramp safety.
Ramps for loading trucks are well known devices. In particular, companies that specialize in moving furniture (i.e., house moving) use ramps to load furniture into the vehicle and to remove it from the vehicle.
Similarly, individuals who move their own furniture often rent a truck from a truck rental company and use the ramp that is furnished with the truck for loading and unloading of furniture.
Also, certain delivery companies, in particular those that contract out to retailers to deliver their furniture and other products to consumers, also use ramps for loading and unloading items to and from their trucks.
When various furniture items are carried for loading or unloading, either because of their bulk (size) or weight or both it is common for two people to work together, one person lifting each end. Usually, each person must face toward the object being carried in order to properly lift it.
Consequently, they often cannot see behind them where they are walking.
When loading items at ground level onto a ramp (i.e., an inclined plane) for loading into a truck it is fairly easy for the lead person who, quite likely, is walking backwards to discover the location of the ramp, step onto it, and then make the necessary ascension. If they initially miss the bottom of the ramp, then a step to either side along with a slight rise places them in the center of the ramp.
However, when carrying objects off of the truck they are elevated to start. A person stepping backwards who misses the ramp is apt to stumble at best and possibly even to fall off of the truck. The risk for great personal harm is apparent, compounded by the elevation. If the lead person misses the start of the ramp at ground level, he or she simply takes small steps to each side until the ramp is found and then, as mentioned above, they step onto the bottom portion of the ramp. However, stepping off of the truck and missing the ramp can result in a sudden and severe fall. If that were not bad enough, the object being carried is all the person falling has to grab hold of. There is a tendency for the person to grab as tightly as possible onto the object that is being carried. This can cause the object to be pried loose from the grip of anyone else who may be carrying an opposite end of the object. Consequently, the person falling can bring the object down on top of themselves as well. This can cause additional injury. Additionally, the object being carried is certain to fall regardless of whether it lands on the lead person or not. Therefore, the likelihood to damage the object being carried off of the truck is also substantial.
Even when cargo is being loaded by a sole operator, the cargo itself can obscure the location of the ramp, especially if it is somewhat bulky. The same risks and difficulties as mentioned above, will still occur. In similar ways, the risks during ascent are lessened and the risks during descent are substantial.
Also, it tends to be dark inside the truck which impairs visibility, especially when compared to that outside at the bottom of the ramp. In other words, it is harder to look down and see the start of the ramp in the truck. This is especially true on dark or rainy days and during dusk or dawn when lighting is even poorer.
Accordingly, there exists today a need for a ramp safety guide that helps to ameliorate the above-mentioned problems and difficulties as well as any additional problems and difficulties as may be recited in the "OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION".
Clearly, such an apparatus would be a useful and desirable device.
2. Description of Prior Art
Ramps for truck are, in general, known. While the structural arrangements of the known types of ramps may, at first appearance, have certain distant similarities with the present invention, they differ in substantial and material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.


Methods and systems are provided for enhancing communications mobility in an enterprise using a distributed communication controller. At least one distributed communication controller processes incoming and outgoing calls from a user device such as wearable and peripheral devices. The calls range in type and include voice calls, video calls, and both voice and video calls. Upon receiving an incoming call for the user comprising audio and video content, the distributed communication controller sends a call notification message to the user device that is in proximity to the distributed communication controller. After receiving a call acceptance input from the user device, the distributed communication controller sends the audio content of the call over a first channel to the user device. While the audio content is being sent over the first channel, the distributed communication controller sends the video content to an alternative device over a different second channel.

The present disclosure is generally directed to telecommunications, in particular, toward hosting uninterrupted communication features for user devices in an enterprise facility and communications environment.
Users in an enterprise facility are generally allowed to make calls, participate in video conferences, and perform work-related communication tasks using a number of different communication devices. Such communication devices may include computers, telephones, hardware-based Internet Protocol ("IP") phones, softphones, smartphones, and tablets. Each of these communication devices are either programmed with application specific functionality or are required to run special applications that provide the enterprise call functionality.
In some cases, users may be allowed to bring their own personal devices to work and utilize such devices in performing work-related communications. A bring-your-own-device ("BYOD") policy, however, is not without a number of drawbacks. These drawbacks include business, privacy, security, and information technology support concerns/issues for the enterprise and a lack of separation between work and home lives for the users. Moreover, if an enterprise relies upon the personal devices of users while at work, the users may be required to carry their personal devices with them throughout the day. As can be appreciated, many of these personal devices, such as laptops, tablets, and even smartphones, may be bulky, heavy, or otherwise cumbersome for a user to transport when moving about the enterprise.
In addition to the shortcomings described above, mobile devices that include all of the necessary hardware and software to run communication applications for enterprise communications may have gaps in access to communications networks in an enterprise facility. These gaps in access may be attributed to the location of the mobile device falling outside of a range of a particular network (e.g., cellular or otherwise) or by a policy restriction that prevents communications in specific areas of an enterprise facility. In some cases, policy restrictions may be set to prevent unauthorized communications with, or interference provided by, mobile devices in specific areas, or locations, of an enterprise facility (e.g., via the use of shielded areas, Faraday cages, other blocking structures, rules, etc.). In either of these cases, there is no reliable way to connect with users and, more specifically, their mobile devices in areas where gaps in access to communications networks exist.

Methods and systems for processing call content to devices using a distributed communication controller


A multi-layer coating for application to a substrate including a paint coating layer, a metallic coating layer, and a clear coating layer. The metallic coating layer includes chromium metallic flake pigment. The multi-layer coating may be resistant to discoloration in acids including, without limitation hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid and combinations thereof.

Throughout the years there have been many attempts to prepare coatings and multi-layer coatings for substrates that are resistant to discoloration and/or corrosion under certain circumstances. Of particular interest are coatings and multi-layer coatings for metal substrates that are subjected to harsh environments and ultimately cleaning solutions, such as motor vehicle wheels. In particular, motor vehicle wheels are subjected to road and environmental conditions and are often cleaned with acidic cleaning solutions. Accordingly, coatings for motor vehicle wheels that are resistant to corrosion and discoloration caused by environmental factors and/or cleaning solutions are desired.
The use of coatings containing aluminum flake pigments for application to motor vehicle wheels is generally known in the art. Particularly, the aluminum flake pigment gives the coated vehicle wheel a shiny, metallic appearance that is desired by consumers. However, vehicle wheels having coatings with aluminum flake pigments, particularly those having aluminum flake pigments produced by physical vapor deposition, may be susceptible to discoloration when exposed to acidic solutions. The aluminum flakes in the coating system react with many acids including those commonly found in wheel cleaning solutions. The acids may dissolve the aluminum flakes in the thin mid-coat causing the black base coat to show through the mid-coat and clear coat thereby discoloring the wheel. The vehicle wheel may become discolored after only a fraction of the aluminum flake pigment is dissolved in the acid. The discoloration of vehicle wheels is a significant problem for automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEM) as the discolored wheels must be replaced at significant cost to the OEM.
Accordingly, a need exists for multi-layer coatings for motor vehicle wheels and other like substrates that are resistant to discoloration in acidic solutions.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A curable organopolysiloxane composition is disclosed, comprising (A) 100 parts by weight of an organopolysiloxane having at least two monovalent aliphatic unsaturated hydrocarbon groups bonded to the silicon atoms per molecule, (B) an organopolyhydrogensiloxane having at least three hydrogen atoms bonded to the silicon atoms per molecule in such an amount that the number of the hydrogen atoms bonded to the silicon atoms falls within a range of from 0.25 to 8 per monovalent aliphatic unsaturated hydrocarbon group in component (A), (C) a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum and platinum compounds in an amount of from 0.1 to 500 ppm in terms of metallic platinum based on the weight of the component (A), and (D) from 1 to 650 parts by weight of an oil-absorbing filler which has been prepared by impregnating (a) a porous filler with from 1% by weight based on the porous filler up to a saturation amount of (b) a volatile organic compound which is incompatible or partly compatible with component (A) and compatible with an organic oily substance. The composition exhibits satisfactory adhesion to a substrate in such adhesion operation as an FIPG system without requiring wiping of organic oily contaminants on the substrate, such as hydrocarbon oils, e.g., a rust preventing oil and an engine oil.

As the demand for heat resistance of materials to be used in automobile engines increases, gaskets made of silicone rubber have been broadly used for sealing of an engine and its surroundings. In particular, formed-in-place gaskets (hereinafter referred to as "FIPG") made from a curable liquid silicone rubber have been replacing conventional cut-to-size gaskets for ease of inventory control of gaskets, ease of process control in production of engines, and high reliability of sealing performance. The advantages of the FIPG system in workability, heat resistance, and the like are now highly appreciated.
Since the engine parts to be sealed are often contaminated with organic oily substances such as hydrocarbon oils, animal or vegetable oils, and synthetic oils as in the case that a rust preventing oil is applied or that the parts are dipped in an engine oil for smooth assembly, the oily contaminants must be wiped off the surface with a cloth, etc., before FIPG sealing. However, since the organic oily substances, such as hydrocarbon oils, are not completely removed, the parts cannot be sealed completely. For example, should an oil pan with its surface contaminated be sealed by an FIPG system, cases are sometimes met with in which such troubles as leakage of an engine oil occurs in use. Further, while an FIPG sealing compound is automatically coated by means of a robot, the above-described wiping operation with a cloth is manually conducted, which has been a bar to automation of a series of operations.
In order to solve these problems, WO 88/05798 (unexamined published international patent application) discloses an adhesive comprising a room temperature-curable organopolysiloxane composition and an oxime(alkoxy)silylalkylurea compound as a fixing agent. Further, JP-A-5-98160 (unexamined published Japanese patent application) discloses an adhesive composition for adhesion to an oil-contaminated surface which comprises the same condensation reaction type organopolysiloxane composition as used in WO 88/500178 and an oil-absorbing carbon powder. However, these compositions still fail to achieve adhesion to an oil-contaminated surface to a satisfactory degree.
Besides the above-described condensation reaction type compositions, addition reaction type organopolysiloxane compositions have been proposed which cure in a short time on heating through addition reaction between an alkenyl group bonded to the silicon atom and an Si--H bond and exhibit excellent deep cure. The organopolysiloxane composition used here generally shows no adhesion by itself but is made into an addition reaction type organopolysiloxane composition having adhesiveness to various substrates by incorporation of an organic amine compound having a vinyl group, a methacryloyl group, an ester linkage, an alkoxy group, in the molecule thereof. The adhesive composition of this type has been widely used as an FIPG compound in places where heat curing is permitted or as an FIPG compound which is used in such a manner that the compound is applied to one element and, after curing, another element is fitted thereto, followed by compression. However, none of the known adhesive addition reaction type organopolysiloxane compositions exhibit excellent adhesion to an oil-contaminated surface.


A memory device formed by an array of memory cells extending in rows and columns. The device is formed by a plurality of N-type wells extending parallel to the rows; each N-type well houses a plurality of P-type wells extending in a direction transverse to the rows. A plurality of main bitlines extend along the columns. Each P-type well is associated to a set of local bitlines that extend along the respective P-type well and are coupled to the drain terminals of the cells accommodated in the respective P-type well. Local-bitlines managing circuits are provided for each P-type well and are located between the main bitlines and a respective set of local bitlines for controllably connecting each local bitline to a respective main bitline.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrically word-erasable non-volatile memory device, and to the biasing method thereof. In particular, the invention relates to a flash memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, generally flash memories can be erased only by sectors, typically 512-Kbit sectors, while they can be programmed with a granularity that arrives at the single bit. In other flash memories it is possible to carry out erasing by pages that contain a certain number of words. Moreover, recently flash memories have been proposed that enable erasing of single words.
For example, in EP-A-1178491, a flash memory is described, in which the memory cells, instead of being formed in a single doped semiconductor region, normally of P-type for N-channel memory cells, are formed in a plurality of P-wells, in turn accommodated in an N-type well. See, in this connection, FIGS. 1 and 2, which illustrate the simplified diagram and a cross-section through a portion of a memory device described in EP-A-1 178 491. In these figures, a substrate 1 of P-type accommodates an N-type well 2, in turn accommodating a plurality of P-wells 3.
As may be noted in particular in FIG. 1, the P-wells 3 have the shape of vertical strips that extend alongside one another in a direction transverse to the rows. Source regions 4 and drain regions 5 are formed within the P-wells 3 (FIG. 2).
The memory columns are connected to bitlines BL grouped in packets CP, one for each P-well (FIG. 1). Then, memory cells arranged on a same row (and hence connected to a same wordline WL) are divided into a plurality of subsets, each subset being made up of the memory cells formed in a same P-well 3. In this type of architecture, the memory cells that are arranged on a same row and are provided in a same P-well form a single word.
Thereby, it is possible to word-erase the memory, selecting just one of the P-wells and applying a high negative voltage to the wordline to which the word to be erased is connected.
In the document cited, it is moreover proposed to provide a plurality of "physical sectors", each accommodated in an own N-well. The overall architecture is not, however, described precisely. Each "physical sector" is equipped with its own reading and programming circuits (sense amplifiers and program loads), so that the structure as a whole requires quite a lot of space, and it is not indicated how to manage the different "physical sectors" during erasing of a word so as to prevent problems of undesirable erasing or stresses on the non-selected sectors. Furthermore, to eliminate the stress induced in memory word cells that are not to be erased but are provided in the same "physical sector" as the word to be erased, a complex refreshing mechanism is proposed.

Electrically word-erasable non-volatile memory device, and biasing method thereof


In an oil mist generation system, an oil slinger is disposed in an oil tank and is rotated by a crankshaft, the oil slinger scattering oil store in the oil tank by the rotation of the oil slinger so as to generate an oil mist. The oil mist generation system includes a drive gear provided on the crankshaft, and at least three oil slingers supported on three support shafts and simultaneously driven by the drive gear, the three support shafts being arranged around the drive gear. Therefore, besides a circular shape, various shapes can be imparted to the peripheral wall of the oil tank.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for generating an oil mist for lubricating the internal parts of a handheld type four-cycle engine which is used mainly as a power source for portable working apparatus such as a trimmer. In particular, it relates to an improvement of a system in which an oil slinger rotated by a crankshaft is provided inside an oil tank provided on one side of an engine main body, and an oil mist is generated by scattering the oil stored inside the oil tank by rotation of the oil slinger.
2. Description of the Related Art
An oil mist generation system which is already known, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-326012, which discloses a single oil slinger having a plurality of vanes, the forward end of the vanes being bent, is fixed to the crankshaft of an engine so that the oil stored in the oil tank can always be scattered by rotation of the above-mentioned vanes regardless of the operational position of the engine.
However, since only one oil slinger is rotated in the above-mentioned conventional system, a peripheral wall of the oil tank housing the oil slinger is inevitably limited to a circular shape, the degrees of freedom in choosing the shape of the oil tank is extremely low and the layout of the equipment adjoining the oil tank is highly restricted.
The present invention has been carried out in view of the above-mentioned circumstances. It is an object of the present invention to provide an oil mist generation system for use in the above-mentioned handheld type four-cycle engines. The system allows the shape of the peripheral wall of the oil tank to be in various shapes besides a circular shape.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, there is proposed an oil mist generation system in a handheld type four-cycle engine including an oil slinger which is provided in an oil tank disposed on one side of an engine main body and which is rotated by a crankshaft, the oil slinger scattering oil stored in the oil tank by the rotation by of the oil slinger so as to generate an oil mist, wherein the oil mist generation system includes a drive gear provided on the crankshaft, and at least three oil slingers supported on three support shafts and simultaneously driven by the drive gear, the three support shafts being arranged around the drive gear.
In accordance with the above-mentioned first aspect, it is possible to freely change the shape of the peripheral wall of the oil tank surrounding the oil slingers by selecting the positions around the drive gear of the three support shafts supporting each of the oil slingers, and the degrees of freedom in the layout of the equipment adjoining the oil tank thus increase.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above-mentioned characteristic, there is proposed an oil mist generation system in a handheld type four-cycle engine wherein a rotating member of a valve operation mechanism functions as part of the oil slingers.
The above-mentioned rotating member corresponds to the cam gears 36, 136 and 137 in the embodiments of the present invention below.
In accordance with the above-mentioned second aspect, since the rotating member of the valve operation mechanism functions as part of the oil slingers, the number of special oil slingers can be reduced and the structure of the oil mist generation system can thus be simplified.
The above-mentioned object, other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from an explanation of preferable embodiments which will be described in detail below by reference to the attached drawings.

Oil mist generation system in handheld type four-cycle engine


A method of operating an air conditioning system includes operating a refrigeration unit to cool a volume of refrigerant and circulating the refrigerant to a heat exchanger. A serviced space is cooled via a thermal energy exchange between the serviced space and the refrigerant at the heat exchanger. Thermal energy generated by operation of the refrigeration unit is stored at a thermal energy storage system. An air conditioning system includes a refrigeration unit and a heat exchanger operably connected to the refrigeration unit. The heat exchanger is configured to transfer thermal energy between a serviced space and the refrigeration unit, thus cooling the serviced space. A volume of thermal energy storage medium is utilized to absorb thermal heat generated by the refrigeration unit for dissipation into the ambient environment at a selected time.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to air conditioning systems. More specifically, the subject disclosure relates to thermal energy storage (TES) systems for air conditioning systems, the commonest forms of which use stored chilled water or ice.
Ice storage is used in air conditioning systems, for example, chiller systems, to take advantage of the large enthalpy content of a volume of frozen water. TES systems that involve a phase change are able to utilize the enthalpy of that phase change in addition to the heat capacity of the medium. A traditional TES system can be used in conjunction with an air conditioning system, for example, a chiller system, to time shift the use of energy by charging and discharging the storage medium, (e.g., ice or water), at different times. For example, the medium can be re-charged during the nighttime by the chiller system when the chiller is not typically needed to cool a space, for example, a building or portion of a building. During the daytime, at least for a portion of the daytime, the ice storage unit is discharged to assist the chiller in providing cooling to the building
The utilization of ice as a thermal energy storage medium requires the use of a brine solution circulating from the chiller through the ice storage unit to freeze the water in the unit. The brine, typically an ammonia or ethyl glycol solution, must have a freezing point below 32 degrees Fahrenheit or zero degrees Celsius. To freeze the water and charge the unit, the chiller must therefore chill the brine solution to below zero Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Circulating refrigerant may also be used. The overall thermal efficiency of the compressor must be considered when operating to provide this lower temperature than that typically used in conventional air conditioning. Since during daytime operation the chiller is typically operated to provide cooling air at about 55 degrees Fahrenheit in a direct exchange (DX) system, it is inefficient to use the same chiller system to both make ice at 32 degrees Fahrenheit for the ice storage unit and also provide cooling air at the desired supply air temperature during normal operation of the chiller since the two different "lifts" would require different optimization.
Further, during daytime operation of the chiller, the heat from the work done by the chiller and the heat pumped from the building is discharged into the outside, ambient air. The chiller operates at a lower coefficient of performance since the "lift" needed to go from the coil entering refrigerant or chilled-water temperature to the ambient air temperature is higher than it typically would be at night when it rejects into cooler night time air.

Thermal energy storage in a chiller system


A method for classifying a cataract of an eye to determine parameters for pre-setting phaco-treatment instruments. OCT-based measurements are realized. The OCT-based scans are analysed using imaging technology and the local distribution of the cataract is determined. The cataract is classified on the basis of comparison values and the local distribution and classification of the cataract are used to identify parameters for pre-setting phaco-treatment instruments. Even though the proposed method for classifying the cataract of an eye is provided for determining parameters for pre-setting phaco-treatment instruments, it should equally also be used for determining parameters for pre-setting treatment instruments based on fs-lasers.

The cataract, also referred to as a gray star, is a disease in which case the vision becomes impaired due to a clouding of the eye lens. It is one of the most frequent eye diseases in old age. In an advanced stage, the clouding of the eye lens can be clearly recognized as a gray coloration. The clouded lens can be surgically removed in most cases and replaced with an artificial lens implant. The cataract varies in its density or hardness depending on the stage it has reached.
Basically, there are two different approaches in cataract surgery.
In the method referred to as phacoemulsification the front of the capsular bag is opened and the lens is disintegrated and suctioned by application of ultrasound while preserving the remaining capsule. Then an artificial lens is inserted into the empty capsular bag. These intraocular lenses consisting of elastic material are inserted in a folded or rolled state, after which they unfold in the capsular bag and center and fix themselves in place by use of two elastic straps (haptics/feel).
In the case of phacoemulsification, along with the ultrasound fragmentation of the lens, its suctioning and the rinsing of the lens capsular bag are also realized via the probe to be inserted into the eye. The control of the individual functions is performed intraoperatively by the operator via a control panel.
In the case of suctioning the eye lens that has been fragmented by application of ultrasound, the resulting cavity of the capsular bag is simultaneously filled with fluid. This serves a twofold purpose: rinsing and maintaining the intraocular pressure and the volume.
All of the parameters required for phacoemulsification, such as ultrasound performance, vacuum, rinse flow and pressure must be set in advance via the machine user interface. The type of respective eye, in particular its length (short, normal or long) also has an influence on the parameters that are to be set.
Both the degree of the cataract as well as the type of eye of the patient are to be considered in the setting of these parameters. Not least, also the personal experiences of the respective operator and said operator's surgical technique have a significant influence on the parameters to be set.
In the normal case the phaco-treatment instruments will be set up by a nurse on the basis of the treatment programs preset for the various types of cataract. The nurse must check the patient data and the device settings in accordance with the specifications of the operator, which as a rule increases the demands on the workflow.
In the process, there can be delays or errors on the part of the nurse or on the part of the operator.
According to the known prior art, the parameters to be set for phaco-treatment instruments are currently based primarily on the visual manual assessment of the cataract types and degree of cataracts.
In order to prevent the reproducibility of the parameters as well as potential individual errors in the visual, manual assessment, L. T. Chylack and others developed the classification tool "LOCS III". The classification tool "LOCS III" described in [1] is based on a rather time consuming manual process with a slit lamp.
According to the prior art, additional solutions are known for diagnosing the cataract density which, in contrast to the classification tool "LOCS III", are based on Scheimpflug imaging technology.
J. Belikova and others demonstrate in [2] that it is possible on the basis of a 3D lens densitometry to determine parameters with Scheimpflug light section technology and use them for presetting phaco-treatment machines.
Further, D. R. Nixon and others show that it is possible for one thing to classify cataracts with the help of Scheimpflug images. For another thing, the preoperative setting of the parameters can lead to the optimization of the phaco-treatment and shorten the treatment period.
In this connection, DE 1-2005 026 371 A1 discloses a method in which a cataract analysis can be performed with a Scheimpflug camera system. The inventive method involves the basic principle of using a slit projection device and a Scheimpflug recording device that can be rotated together around an axis. Three-dimensional information can be obtained through photographs in various levels of the eye. With the inventive method it is possible to examine individual components of the eye through data analysis. According to one variant, the examination method can be used to determine the three-dimensional geometry of the cataract. However, no provision is made for the classification of the cataract or generation of default values for a later phaco-treatment.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,360,577 B2 also describes an optical imaging system in which the scattering image taken with a Scheimpflug camera of the eye lens is three-dimensionally analyzed. However, in the case of this solution each newly registered scattering image is compared to a set of previously recorded scattering images that have been assigned to a cataract level and then classified in the corresponding degree of cataract.
However, not only images according to the Scheimpflug principle can be used for determining the cataract density. This discovery was made by A. L. Wong and documented in [4]. In this article, studies on cataract density were conducted with the help of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and it turns out that the determined data are comparable to the degree of cataracts determined according to the classification tool "LOCS III".
While in the case of phacoemulsification the opening of the front surface of the capsular bag and the fragmentation of the lens are manually performed by the operator, in the method referred to as laser-phaco this occurs with the help of a femtosecond laser (fs laser for short). In the case of an exact dosing of the laser energy, frequently the use of ultrasound probes following the phacoemulsification can be completely dispensed with.

Method for classifying the cataract of an eye


A circuit board assembly includes a first circuit board, at least one surface mount connector, and a second circuit board. The first circuit board has at least a first contact. The surface mount connector is substantially a solid rod and includes a first conducting part coupled to the contact of the first circuit board and a second conducting part having a curvy raised portion at the top surface thereof. The second circuit board has at least a second contact coupled to the second conducting part of the surface mount connector.

A connector, for example a conductive pin, is widely used to electrically and/or structurally interconnect two circuit boards. Currently, by using a surface mount technology (SMT), the circuits or electronic components on two circuit boards are electrically connected with each other via this type of surface mount connector.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which schematically illustrates a surface mount connector disposed on a first circuit board. As shown, several electronic components are disposed on the first circuit board 11. In addition, several surface mount connectors 12 are extended upwardly from the bottom surface 111 of the first circuit board 11. For a purpose of arranging each surface mount connector 12, the lower end 121 thereof is soldered onto the bottom surface 111 of the first circuit board 11. Then, the surface mount connector 12 adjacent to the soldering portion is bent upwardly and in contact with an edge of the first circuit board 11. Afterward, the upper end of the surface mount connector 12 is bent horizontally so as to form a protruding pin 122 in parallel with the first circuit board 11. As shown in FIG. 1, there are some surface mount connectors 12 extending from the edge of the first circuit board 11 in a row such that the protruding pins 122 of these surface mount connectors 12 are in parallel with of each other.
Referring to FIG. 2, a perspective view of one surface mount connector in FIG. 1 is shown. The surface mount connector 12 is substantially in a form of a plate and made of metallic material. For a purpose of electrically and/or structurally connecting the first circuit board 11 with the second circuit board 13, a solder paste 14 is firstly applied to the contact on the second circuit board 13, as is shown in FIG. 3. Then, the protruding pin 122 of the surface mount connector 12 is aligned with the contact on the second circuit board 13. After the first circuit board 11 and the second circuit board 13 pass through a reflow furnace (not shown), the protruding pin 122 of the surface mount connector 12 is securely bonded to the contact on the second circuit board 13 so as to form the resulting structure of FIG. 3.
The structure of FIG. 3, however, has some drawbacks. For example, the surface mount connector 12 fails to withstand a large current because the surface mount connector 12 is formed from a bent metallic plate. On the other hand, since each protruding pin 122 of the surface mount connector 12 of the first circuit board 11 is in contact with the contact of second circuit board 13 before being soldered onto the second circuit board 13, each protruding pin 122 should have a substantially flat bottom surface. Although all protruding pins 122 of the surface mount connectors 12 extending from the edge of the first circuit board 11 in the same row have flat bottom surfaces, it is difficult to make the bottom surfaces of these protruding pins 122 coplanar. As such, some holes may be formed in the solder paste 14 and the adhesion property between the protruding pins 122 and the second circuit board 13 is not satisfied. Accordingly, impedance and power loss are increased. In addition, the process of forming each protruding pin 122 is complex and costly, because the surface mount connector 12 should be bent twice.
Please refer to FIG. 4, which schematically illustrates another surface mount connector disposed on a first circuit board. As shown, several electronic components are disposed on the first circuit board 21. In addition, several surface mount connectors 22 are extended upwardly from the bottom surface 211 of the first circuit board 21. For a purpose of arranging each surface mount connector 22, the bottom surface thereof is soldered onto the bottom surface 211 of the first circuit board 21.
Referring to FIG. 5, a perspective view of one surface mount connector in FIG. 4 is shown. The surface mount connector 22 has a base 221 and several bent pins 222 discretely arranged at a regular interval and extended from the base 221.
For a purpose of electrically and/or structurally connecting the first circuit board 21 with a second circuit board 23, a solder paste 24 is firstly applied to the contact on the second circuit board 23, as shown is in FIG. 6. Then, the bent pins 222 of the surface mount connector 22 of the first circuit board 21 is aligned with the contact on the second circuit board 23. After the first circuit board 21 and the second circuit board 23 pass through a reflow furnace (not shown), the bent pins 222 of the surface mount connector 22 is securely bonded to the contact on the second circuit board 23 so as to form the resulting structure of FIG. 6.
The structure of FIG. 6, however, also has similar drawbacks as that of FIG. 3. For example, the surface mount connector 22 fails to withstand a large current because the surface mount connector 22 is formed from a bent metallic plate. On the other hand, since each bent pin 222 of the surface mount connector 22 of the first circuit board 21 is in contact with the contact of second circuit board 23 before being soldered onto the second circuit board 23, each bent pin 222 should have a substantially flat bottom surface. As such, some holes may be formed in the solder paste 24 and the adhesion between the protruding pins 222 and the second circuit board 23 is not satisfied. Accordingly, impedance and power loss are increased. In addition, the process of forming the surface mount connector 22 is more complex and costly, because a specified metallic plate should be firstly provided and then bent twice.

Surface mount connector and circuit board assembly with same


Databases are often provided according to various organizational models (e.g., document-oriented storage, key/value stores, and relational database), and are accessed through various access models (e.g., SQL, XPath, and schemaless queries). As data is shared across sources and applications, the dependency of a data service upon a particular organizational and/or access models may become confining. Instead, data services may store data in a base representation format, such as an atom-record-sequence model. New data received in a native item format may be converted into the base representation format for storage, and converted into a requested format to fulfill data requests. Queries may be translated from a native query format into a base query format that is applicable to the base representation format of the data set, e.g., via translation into an query intermediate language (such as JavaScript) and compilation into opcodes that are executed by a virtual machine within the database engine.

Within the field of computing, many scenarios involve a database that is represented according to a particular database model, such as a row- or column-oriented relational store; an object store; a document-oriented store; a graph store; and a key/value store. The particular database model of the database may exhibit a variety of features. As a first example, a database model may enforce an organization of the data according to a particular schema, which may be either specified by an administrator or inferred from the structure of the data, or may accept and store schemaless data for which the schema is neither specified nor apparent. As a second example, a database model may promote performance and scalability by generating indexing on selected properties, and/or utilizing caching to expedite results for frequent queries. As a third example, a database model may facilitate querying according to one or more query languages, such as a variant of the Structured Query Language (SQL) or the XML Path Language (XPath). The model of a database may be selected according to the type of data stored therein, and the semantic associations thereamong.
Databases typically exhibit a data storage model according to the selected database model. For example, a row-oriented database may store data as a sequence of rows that represent the respective records, while a columnar database may store data as a sequence of values for the respective rows of each column or attribute of a table. An object- or document-oriented database may retain objects and/or documents in a native item format, and may generate metadata representing the contents of individual objects or documents to facilitate query processing. A graph store may store a set of nodes that are interconnected by edges with various properties. A key/value-oriented database may store a hashtable that associates keys with values.

Unified data organization for multi-model distributed databases