An apparatus in accordance with the invention includes a switch-box, where the switch-box includes a memory buffer to which information is copied from a computing system selected via the switch-box from two or more computing systems coupled with the switch-box as a result of a first substantially predetermined event.

1. Field
This disclosure relates to transferring information between two or more computing systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for "copying", "cutting" and "pasting" information between such systems.
2. Background Information
Professionals working in various industries, such as the computing and computer networking industries, for example, may employ multiple computing systems in their day-to-day work. The reasons for employing a number of different computing systems may vary based on the particular situation. In this regard, one common practice that may save both cost and office space is to use a single set of interface devices with at least some of the various computing systems that may be employed by a specific user. Interface devices, in this context, may include, but are not limited to keyboards, computer pointing devices, such as mice, and display monitors.
In such situations, an apparatus, such as a "switch-box" may be employed to allow such computing systems to "share" these interface devices. Such switch-boxes are well-known. In such a scheme, a user, by employing such a "switch-box", may couple such interface devices with one computing system to be used at a particular time via the "switch-box." The user may then couple the interface devices to a different computing system by employing the "switch-box" to, for example, perform a different task.
Alternatively, a user may need to employ multiple systems in his/her work that may be in physically separate locations where a "switch-box" technique may not be practical. For example, one computing system may be in the user's office while another computing system might be located in a development lab.
In the above situations, it is desirable at times to copy or transfer information, such as electronic information, between such computing systems. Current methods of performing such copying or transferring include employing a temporary file on a common computing network, such as on a network file server, with which such computing systems may be coupled, or, alternatively, using a removable storage medium, such as a floppy diskette, when a common network is not employed or available. Such techniques are typically time consuming or inconvenient. Therefore, alternative techniques for performing such transfers of information are desirable.

Method and apparatus for intersystem cut/copy and paste


A scintillation based imaging system. The device utilizes a single-crystal inorganic scintillator to convert ionizing radiation to light in a spectral range or ranges within the visible or ultraviolet spectral ranges. The conversion takes place inside the single crystal material, preserving special resolution. The single crystal scintillator is sandwiched between a first plate that is substantially transparent to the ionization radiation and a second plate that is transparent to the visible or ultraviolet light. The ionization radiation is directed from the submicron source through a target to create a shadow image of the target inside the scintillator crystal. Several submicron sources of radiation are described. These include submicron x-ray and high-energy ultraviolet sources, submicron electron beam sources, submicron alpha particle sources, submicron proton sources, submicron positron sources and sub-micron neutron sources. Also, Applicants describe submicron spot size x-ray sources produced using electron beams alpha particles, protons and positrons. In preferred embodiments larger size sources are converted to submicron sources by focusing the radiation to a submicron neck, by blocking all but a submicron portion using a pinhole arrangement or by channeling the radiation with a pinhole funnel.

In most microscopes, the visible light spectrum is used for imaging. X-ray microscopes are known. Two principal advantages of an x-ray microscope over a visible light microscope are (1) better potential resolution of extremely small features due to shorter wavelengths; and (2) some internal features can be observed which cannot be seen with a visible light microscope.
Most x-ray imaging devices involve directing a beam of x-rays through an object onto a phosphor screen, which converts each x-ray photon into a large number of visible photons. The visible photons expose a sheet of photographic film placed close to the phosphor thus forming an image of the attenuation of x-rays passing through the object.
There are several limitations to film-screen x-ray devices. A major limitation is that the film serves the combined purpose of both the image acquisition function and the image display function. In addition, the range of contrast or latitude of the film is too limited to display the entire range of contrast in many objects of interest. Because of the limited latitude and dual acquisition/display function of film, a film-screen x-ray is often overexposed in one area and underexposed in another area due to the thickness and composition variations of the object across the image. The gray-scale level of x-ray film has a sigmoidal response as a function of exposure which results in difficulties in distinguishing contrast differences at the extremes of the exposure range; that is, in the most radiodense and in the most radiolucent areas of the image.
Digital x-ray techniques have been proposed as a technology which replaces the phosphor/film detector with a digital image detector, with the prospect of overcoming some of the limitations of film-screens in order to provide higher quality images. A potential advantage of digital x-ray technology involves the separation of the image acquisition function from the image display function. Digital detectors also provide a much greater range of contrast than film and the contrast response function is linear over the entire range. This would allow a digital detector to more easily distinguish subtle differences in attenuation of x-rays as they pass through various paths of the object. Differences in attenuation due to thickness and composition variations across the object can be subtracted out of the digital data in the computer and the residual contrast can then be optimized for the particular viewing mechanism, be it film or computer monitor. The residual contrast differences can then be analyzed to search for things of interest. Other advantages of digital x-ray technology include digital image archival and image transmission to remote location for viewing purposes.

Scintillator-based micro-radiographic imaging device


A semiconductor device may include an integrated circuit (IC), and lead frame contact areas adjacent the IC. Each lead frame contact area may have an opening therein. The semiconductor device may include bond wires, each bond wire coupling a respective lead frame contact area with the IC. The semiconductor device may also include encapsulation material surrounding the IC, the lead frame contact areas, and the bond wires. Solder balls are within the respective opening.

In electronic devices with integrated circuits (ICs), the ICs are typically mounted onto circuit boards. In order to electrically couple connections between the circuit board and the IC, the IC is typically "packaged." The IC packaging usually provides a small encasement for physically protecting the IC and provides contact pads for coupling to the circuit board. In some applications, the packaged IC may be coupled to the circuit board via solder bumps.
One approach to IC packaging comprises a quad-flat no-leads (QFN) package. The QFN package may provide some advantages, such as reduced lead inductance, a near chip scale footprint, thin profile, and low weight. Also, the QFN package typically includes perimeter I/O pads to ease circuit board trace routing, and the exposed copper die-pad technology offers enhanced thermal and electrical performance. QFN packaging may be well suited for applications where size, weight, and thermal and electrical performance are important.
Referring initially to FIG. 1, a typical electronic device 100 is now described. The electronic device 100 includes ball contacts 103a-103d, and contact pads 104a-104d adjacent thereto. The electronic device 100 also includes a die pad 105, an IC 101 on the die pad, bond wires 106a-106d coupling the contact pads and the IC, and encapsulation material 102 on the IC. Potential issues with this electronic device 100 may include ball contact 103a-103d detachment.
Referring now to FIG. 2, another typical electronic device 200 is now described. The electronic device 200 includes a circuit board 203, ball contacts 205a-205f attached to the circuit board, and solder resist 204 adjacent thereto. The electronic device 200 also includes an IC 206 on the circuit board 203, bond wires 202a-202b coupling to the IC, and encapsulation material 201 on the IC. Potential issues with this electronic device 200 may include ball contact 205a-205f detachment, high manufacturing cost, and increased thickness.

Semiconductor device with lead frame contact solder balls and related methods


A sheet storage cassette includes a cassette base, a sheet stacking plate, a lift portion, and a pair of width adjustment cursors. At least one of the width adjustment cursors has an opposing surface facing a side edge of sheets, an opening formed in the opposing surface, a restriction member, a swing support shaft, and a first biasing member. The restriction member has an arm portion, a restriction portion selectively located at a first position where the restriction portion is retracted in an inner side of the opposing surface and a second position where the restriction portion projects from the opening, and a pressed portion extending to face an under surface of the sheet stacking plate. The swing support shaft swingably supports the arm portion of the restriction member. The first biasing member biases the restriction member in a direction of the second position.

The present disclosure relates to a sheet storage cassette in which recording medium sheets are stored, and an image forming apparatus, such as a copier, a printer, and a facsimile, to which such a sheet storage cassette is withdrawably attached.
A sheet feeding cassette for an image forming apparatus is configured to accept sheets (recording medium sheets) of various standard sizes such as the A series, the B series, and the inch series. Positions of edge portions of stored sheets are restricted by, for example, a width adjustment cursor and a rear end cursor, which are both slidable to positions corresponding to the size of the stored sheets.
If the position of the stored sheets is insufficiently restricted by the above-mentioned width adjustment cursor, it may invite sheet skew (oblique sheet feeding) in the sheet feeding cassette in an operation of feeding out the sheets from the sheet feeding cassette. This prevents a stable sheet feeding operation, causing trouble such as a paper jam, which is disadvantageous.
As a solution to this disadvantage, there has been known a sheet feeding cassette having a width adjustment cursor and a rear end cursor that are biased by a spring toward an opening side, such that the width adjustment cursor and the rear end cursor open a storage portion on detachment of the sheet feeding cassette from an image forming apparatus and such that the width adjustment cursor and the rear end cursor move toward a non-opening side to restrict the position of a sheet on attachment of the sheet feeding cassette to the image forming apparatus body.

Sheet storage cassette and image forming apparatus including same


A technique for analyzing network packets includes receiving, by a network processor, a network packet having a packet header including address and control information. A set of bytes are extracted, using the network processor, from the packet header and a set of input bits for generating a hash code are derived, using the network processor, from the set of bytes. Finally, the hash code is generated using the input bits.

This disclosure relates generally to analysis of network packets and, more specifically, to analysis of network packets using a generated hash code.
A typical network packet includes a packet header that has a defined number of bytes. Analysis of a packet header has typically been required in order to assign a network packet to an appropriate packet flow (i.e., an appropriate receive or transmit queue). As analysis of an entire packet header may be time consuming, hash codes (which are usually short compared to entire packet headers) of packet headers have been utilized to reduce analysis time. Reducing the time required to identify a packet flow is even more desirable when multiple packet headers (i.e., a packet header of a lower layer network packet and a packet header of an upper layer network packet) have to be analyzed to identify a packet flow. In general, hash codes may have different lengths depending on processing requirements and, as such, flexibility in calculating hash functions is usually desirable. The usability of a hash code depends on the entropy of the generated hash code. In general, hash codes with higher entropy have higher information content and, as such, more accurately identify a packet flow of a network packet.
The flexibility of hash functions have typically been defined by two parameters: the way in which the hash key is assembled; and the properties of the hash function. Several trade-offs are often made to implement flexible hashers by playing on variations of the two properties. In general, flexibility in hash key assembly may be better achieved in software implementations of hashers, while flexible hash functions usually involve some form of configurable hardware hasher implementation. Each aspect of hasher flexibility typically comes with limitations. For example, software key assemblies have performance limitations when complex patterns are required to build the hash key (in particular, when the key assembly is done at bit-level granularity). As another example, configurable hardware hash functions have silicon area limitations due to the configuration logic implementing the base hashing elements, which are typically implemented with exclusive OR (XOR) gates. The limitations appear to be especially significant when a hasher is used for identifying packet flows on very high-speed interfaces (e.g., 10 Gbps or more), mainly due to very short packet periodicity (e.g., 67.2 ns or less).

Analysis of network packets using a generated hash code

International Business Machines Corporation


A memory is disclosed comprising: a storage array for storing data; and access circuitry for transmitting data to and from the storage array. The access circuitry forms a data path for inputting and outputting data to the storage array. The access circuitry comprises a latch configured to latch in response to a first phase of a first clock signal and a further latch configured to latch in response to a second phase of a second clock signal, the further latch comprises an output latch for outputting the data from the storage array, and the first and second clock signals are synchronized with each other. The memory further comprises: a multiplexer, a scan input and a scan enable input, the multiplexer being responsive to an asserted scan enable signal at the scan enable input to form a scan path comprising the latch and the further latch connected together to form a master slave flip flop, such that scan data input at the scan input passes through the master slave flip flop and not through the storage array while the scan enable signal is asserted and is output by the output latch.

It is desirable for data processing and data storage systems to be able to support scan functions that allow test data to be input to certain nodes of the system and to be scanned out of the system, thereby enabling effective testing of the system. In order to be able to support a scan function within a memory macro, all input and output latches must be able to hold the scan value during a scan sequence. A simple way of implementing this would be to convert each input or output latch into a flip-flop. However, this has the disadvantage of significantly increasing the area for the memory.
A further problem with testing memory macros, is associated with testing standard cell logic attached to the outputs of memory macros. Testing this logic efficiently is difficult as writing through the memory can take many test cycles. Test time is expensive so reducing it is important. Adding multiplexers to bypass the memory introduces at-speed test issues and also adds extra logic into potentially critical timing areas which could impact overall system performance in normal operation.
FIG. 1a shows a memory macro 5 having a storage array 10, an output latch 20 and input latch 30 according to the prior art. This memory macro 5 has a data input D for inputting data in response to a write request to input latch 30. This is then sent for storage to array logic 10 and in response to a read request is read out using sensing circuitry 40 to output latch 20. Input latch 30 is clocked by CLKB while output latch 20 is clocked by clock CLKA. These clocks are synchronised with each other. In addition to these input and output latches there are additional input latches 31 and 32 which are used to input test data which can be stored in the array during a testing sequence.
FIG. 1b shows such a memory macro according to the prior art that has been converted to support a scan function by adding an additional latch 22, a multiplexer 26 and a scan input gate 24 at the output of the memory. This additional latch is clocked by the same clock CLKA as the output latch and acts with this latch as a flip flop. There is a scan input to this additional latch 22 and when the input gate 24 is enabled using scan enable signal SE, the scan input is transmitted to latch 22 and is clocked through the two latches 20, 22 that are connected together via multiplexer 26 to form a flip flop and is output as scan data. In normal functional operation this input gate 24 is switched off and data entering the array logic is output in the conventional fashion.
As can be seen providing a scan function in this way requires an additional latch 22 as well as gating circuit 24 and multiplexer 26.
It would be desirable to produce an improved memory that was able to support an efficient scan function.

Supporting scan functions within memories


An allocation system and a method for allocating an architectural register in a system having one or more mapping tables. When the allocation system detects a plurality of available architectural registers to an allocation target virtual register, it identifies adjacent instructions to all instructions having the allocation target virtual register in its destination operand, counts the number of uses of the architectural register appearing in the destination operand for each architectural register, summing the number of uses for each architectural register for each entry group in one or more mapping tables having the same assignment rule for correlations with the architectural registers, calculating the total of the numbers of uses of entries for each entry group, and allocating the architectural register to the allocation target virtual register such that the total of the numbers of uses of entries for each entry group approaches uniformity.

The present invention relates to an allocation technique for an architectural register in a system having one or more mapping tables that manage relations between architectural registers and physical registers.
A high performance processor, such as POWER7 (registered trademark) processor or z/Architecture (registered trademark) EC12 processor of IBM or Sandy Bridge processor of Intel, includes physical registers along with architectural registers visible to programmers and compliers; the number of physical registers (for example, 80 in z/Architecture, registered trademark, EC12 processor) being more than the number of architectural registers (for example, 16 in z/Architecture, registered trademark, EC12 processor). Such a processor increases parallelism among instructions and improves performance by executing operations in the processor using the physical registers outnumbering the architectural registers. Specifically, the processor reserves a physical register on a pipeline at the time of issuing an instruction and assigns the reserved physical register to an architectural register appearing in a destination operand of the instruction. The processor transfers the value of the physical register to the corresponding architectural register at the time of completing the instruction and then frees that physical register. This avoids false dependency between instructions arising from the reuse of architectural registers in a program and enables the processor to execute instructions out-of-order.
Mapping between architectural registers and physical registers is called register renaming and is performed by a register renaming mapper in a processor using a mapping table. One entry in the mapping table corresponds to one physical register. When the mapping table is full of the entries, the physical registers become unavailable. When the physical registers are unavailable, it is impossible to continue executing instructions placed in a pipeline and a pipeline stall occurs. This results in reduced performance.
In traditional processor designing, entries in a mapping table can be assigned to any architectural register. However, because of increased complication in processor designing in recent years, a processor has emerged that imposes a condition on an architectural register to which an entry is to be assigned. In the present specification an entry group having the same assignment rule imposed on architectural registers is referred to as "physical register management group." The physical register management group can be regarded as a group that determines how the entries in a mapping table should be used.
An example of a processor includes two physical register management groups G0 and G1 to one mapping table. The physical register management group G0 manages entries in the first half of the mapping table and assigns them to architectural registers with the least significant bit 0. The physical register management group G1 manages entries in the latter half of the mapping table and assigns them to architectural registers with the least significant bit 1. Other than the above-described processor, various designed processors can emerge such as a processor that includes a plurality of mapping tables each having one physical register management group, the physical register management groups managing entries to be managed with mutually different assignment rules.
When a processor that includes a plurality of physical register management groups in the whole mapping table or tables is used, the pipeline stall problem is severe. For example, a case where one mapping table includes two physical register management groups, G0 and G1 as described above, is discussed below. In that case, if the architectural registers with the least significant bit 1 are frequently used in a sequence of instructions, the latter half of the mapping table managed by the physical register management group G1 is full of the entries and, although there is a vacancy in the entries in the first half, the physical registers become unavailable. As a result, the performance of the processor decreases.
Below are described literatures found in a prior art search for the present invention.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 2011-181114 discloses a technique of assigning the same actual register to the same virtual register and assigning different actual registers to mutually different virtual registers with respect to a plurality of virtual registers appearing in a program part and of assigning a register different from an actual register assigned to a variable having a live range extending across the program part in a source program.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 5-158707 discloses a technique of calculating utilization in which the usage efficiency of an actual register is converted into numerical form for each execution unit at the time of allocating an actual register on an object code to a virtual register on an intermediate code for each execution unit and setting the number of actual registers being allocation targets in accordance with the utilization.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 5-20089 discloses a technique of setting an actual register table that indicates usage conditions of actual registers that should be used in assembly processing and a virtual register table that indicates usage conditions of virtual registers to the actual registers and, when a register is specified in an assembler instruction, causing a processing device to search the virtual register table to check the usage conditions of the actual registers on the basis of information described in the virtual register table and causing the processing device to assign actual registers to be used and to perform processing such as saving or restoring a register value already set in an actual register.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 2011-18120 discloses a technique relating to an information processing device implementing a register renaming scheme for managing a plurality of physical registers coordinated with a plurality of logical registers in conjunction with a renaming table. In the technique, a dedicated instruction is incorporated into an instruction set so that a physical register coordinated with a logical register designated by the dedicated instruction is released to be free and an optimization is performed to change the number of software available registers within the plurality of logical registers and the number of renaming registers within the plurality of physical registers in conformity with the software executing the instruction set.
The Japanese Unexamined Patent Applications discussed above disclose the techniques relating to allocating physical registers. However, none of the techniques described in the literatures deal with a processor having a plurality of physical register management groups as the whole mapping table or tables and those techniques cannot reduce a decrease in performance caused by pipeline stalls occurring during execution resulting from a state where the physical registers become unavailable. "Coloring Heuristics for Register Allocation" by Briggs et al. 1989 is background art that discloses a method of determining live ranges of a plurality of registers.

Allocation method, apparatus, and program for managing architectural registers and physical registers using mapping tables

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A slip on nut and reverse cut die is provided for dressing the threads of a wellhead or other item. A nut is provided that may be slipped onto a threaded section, past any damaged threads, without engaging the threads of the threaded section. Once positioned on a threaded section the nut may be tightened as desired. When removing the nut the reverse edges of the nut may repair or even cut new threads into the threaded section.

When producing hydrocarbons, as in many industries, it is necessary to fasten various items together. A long known method of fastening is through the use of threads, such as on a bolt and corresponding nut.
While nuts and bolts work very well there are some problems associated with their use such as very long threaded sections which may take more time than an operator cares to spend tightening a bolt or those instances the threads have been damaged preventing a nut from being easily threaded onto the threaded section.
A previous solution has been to utilize a zip nut, such as the product offered by FASTORQ BOLTING SYSTEMS™. Zip nuts are generally known in the art for rapid push-on mounting onto a threaded bolt, stud, or similar threaded structure where the nut is installed onto the bolt to a seated or nearly seated position with little or no rotational motion.
Such zip nuts are typically constructed to include a plurality of part-cylindrical, longitudinally separated nut segments which are mounted in a cylindrical array within an outer nut casing or housing. The nut segments are internally threaded to collectively define a spiral female thread for engaging a mating thread on an associated bolt or threaded section. One or more bias devices such as springs are wrapped about the nut segments to apply a radially inward force urging the nut segments into normal threaded engagement with the bolt or threaded section. The nut segments are allowed to displace radially outwardly when the nut is pushed in one axial direction over the associated bolt.
Accordingly, the zip nut can be displaced rapidly over the axial length of the bolt, with a non-rotational push-on action, to a seated position in axial abutment with a substrate. If further tightening of the nut is desired, a small amount of nut rotation can be accomplished by engaging the nut casing with a wrench or the like. Further tightening of the outer nut casing causing the nut segments to interact with an angled surface in the interior of the outer nut casing forcing the nut segments against the bolt or threaded section with increasing force as more torque is applied to the outer nut casing.
While zip nuts beneficially permit rapid nut mounting without requiring substantial nut rotation over the protruding free length of a bolt, such nuts do not always permit a similarly rapid pull-off removal from the bolt when disassembly is desired. Instead, it may be necessary to back-rotate the nut from the seated position, with such back-rotation continuing for the entire free length of the bolt until the nut is removed. In these instances the threaded section that was damaged may not be bypassed.
There exists, therefore, a significant need for an improved zip nut which can be mounted onto a bolt quickly and easily with a simple push-on action, and which is also adapted to repair the threaded section during removal. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.


A new variety of Quercus palustris Pin Oak tree substantially as herein shown and described, characterized particularly by a combination of glossy foliage, new growth leaves that are pubescent, upright growth habit and orange-red Fall color.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Quercus palustris, which has been given the varietal name 'PWJR08'. One of the inventors discovered the new tree as a chance seedling growing in a cultivated area of a nursery in St. Paul, Oreg. The new tree was first asexually propagated at the direction of the other inventor. This cultivated area also contained other seedling oak trees. The new variety differed from these other seedling oak trees growing in this area by its glossy foliage, pubescent new growth, upright growth habit and orange-red fall color.
The parentage of this new tree is unknown, but it is definitely a Pin Oak type tree and the inventors are convinced it is a new variety of Quercus palustris.
The original tree had been purchased as a 5–6 foot, bare root whip liner in the spring of 1992, and at that time was planted in a cultivated liner field of a nursery. This tree had grown from a seed. Having recognized this tree as unique, one of the inventors transplanted the tree to a landscape setting adjacent to the inventor's front yard at St. Paul, Oreg. in the spring of 1999, where it has remained since that time. It is now about 19 years old.
The description of this new Oak variety is based on observations of this original tree and of asexually propagated progeny, asexually propagated at and being grown at a nursery in Canby, Oreg.


The invention relates to electrical and electronic components made of a polyamide composition and possessing an improved resistance under soldering conditions, particularly when the surface mounting technique is used. This is achieved by using a polyamide composition whose main chain essentially consists of units derived from aliphatic dicarboxylic acids and diamines or .alpha.,.omega.-amino acids, and in which 1-40% of the chain units are derived from 1,6-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid and an aliphatic diamine, or from 1,4-cyclohexanediamine and an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid.. As a result, the temperature at which blisters are formed during soldering by the infrared method is 20-30.degree. C. higher than in the case of the homo-polyamide.

The introduction of the surface mounting technique (SMT) makes it possible to put a large number of components on a circuit board, which is necessary partly because of the recent progress in the field of miniaturization and the improved performance of various apparatuses, and partly to ensure a further improvement in productivity. In the older techniques used for soldering components on a printed circuit board, pins attached to the components are pushed through holes in the circuit board. The ends of the pins are then brought into contact with a liquid solder, so that they become fixed in their position after cooling. In this method, the components themselves are not exposed to the high temperatures involved in the soldering process. In the surface mounting technique, on the other hand, the components are indeed exposed to these high temperatures.
This means that only polymers which have a melting temperature well above the temperature involved in the soldering operation, e.g. above 265.degree. C., can be considered for use. This rules out some conventional plastics such as nylon-6, nylon-6,6, polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate. The problem with high-melting polymers such as polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) and aromatic polyamides, on the other hand, is that their mechanical characteristics or processing properties have certain limitations.
However, polytetramethyleneadipamide, an aliphatic polyamide-4,6 with a melting point of about 290.degree. C., is much better in this respect, for it can be processed even if it has a very small wall thickness, and it exhibits good mechanical properties. No problems are encountered when electrical and electronic components made of this polyamide-4,6 are incorporated in circuits directly after production, i.e. in the "dry-as-moulded" state, with the aid of the surface mounting technique.
However, blisters can form on the polyamide component in a number of cases during soldering with the surface mounting technique if the polyamide component has been in contact with atmospheric air for a fairly long time so that it has absorbed some moisture from it, especially under tropical conditions. This is attributed to the high moisture absorption capacity of nylon-4,6, in turn caused by the large number of amide groups in the polyamide. To improve the situation, various attempts have been made to introduce a degree of hydrophobic character by admixing a polyphenylene sulphide or an aromatic polyester (see JP-A-3-263,461, JP-A-4-292,655 and JP-A-5-239,344). However, although this reduces the moisture uptake, it does not completely suppress the blister formation and it has an adverse effect on the mechanical and processing characteristics of the material.

Electrical and electronic components made of a polyamide composition


The architecture of the present invention has been driven by the need to solve the beam quality problems inherent in Brewster's angle tipped slab lasers. The entrance and exit faces of a solid state slab laser are cut perpendicular with respect to the pump face, thus intrinsically eliminating distortion caused by the unpumped Brewster's angled faces. For a given zigzag angle, the residual distortions inherent in the remaining unpumped or lightly pumped ends may be reduced further by tailoring the pump intensity at these ends.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing thermally induced optical distortions in zigzag lasers and amplifiers. More specifically, it relates to an article comprised of a solid state slab laser gain material which has a entrance face and a return face both cut perpendicular with respect to a pump face and having an optical pumping means comprised of diodes with spacing that is tailored at the slab ends to reduce residual end distortions. One embodiment of the invention includes a highly reflective coating bonded to the return face.
2. Description of Related Art
The architecture of most solid state zigzag lasers and amplifiers consists of a slab lasing medium comprised of solid state lasing material having entrance and exit faces cut at Brewster's angle. Beam quality in average power operation has not been good in these lasers. This performance failure is caused by the complementary interplay of different end effects. Slab geometry lasers with zigzag optical paths have been the object of significant research as a source of high average powers (in the kilowatt range) with good beam quality. Good beam quality is necessary to produce the small spot sizes required for industrial applications such as laser welding. Military uses requiring large propagation distances dictate good beam quality also.
Minimal optical distortion in the laser gain media is necessary to achieve good laser beam quality. Several possibilities for corrective measures exist. By meticulously tailoring masks at the slab ends, the optical path variations through the aperture of the slab laser are controlled. This method, however, is fixed operating point dependent and difficult to achieve. Another method is to place corrective optics in the resonator cavity, or to use active mirrors (phase conjugation techniques) which change shape in response to phase errors in the laser wave front. These methods correct beam quality as an afterthought, are difficult and expensive to implement, and introduce considerable additional complexity into otherwise simple systems.
The architecture of the present invention has been described by Kinpui Chan. See "Multipass Laser Diode Pumped Nd: YAG Amplifier Design", Applied Optics, Vol. 26 No. 16, pp. 3177-3179, Aug. 15, 1987. The context of Chan's paper is unrelated to the reduction of beam distortions in solid state slab lasers. Chan's paper is exclusively concerned with multi-pass amplification of miniature lasers. The paper describes an idea only, not the results of an experiment, and does not allude to high average power or continuous-wave operation or associated beam quality problems and their resolutions. Neither Chan nor others working in this field have recognized that a solid state slab laser with square ends will produce an output beam with reduced thermally induced optical distortions. These advantages have been recognized for the first time in the present invention.
It is desirable to have a general method and article capable of producing good laser beam quality from solid state slab lasers by reducing thermally induced optical distortions. The present invention provides such a method and article.

Zigzag laser with reduced optical distortion

The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy


The present invention describes an apparatus and a process for in-line substantially continuous degassing of aluminium and/or aluminium alloys, in absence of chlorine and through the injection of at least one metal halide salt that includes a halogen and water and an inert gas, in a transfer trough before casting.

1. Technical Field
The invention concerns the continuous in-line refining of molten aluminium and aluminium alloys.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Molten metals such as aluminium and aluminium alloys which include both small amounts of dissolved, particulate and gaseous impurities are treated "in-line" in equipment that is placed in a metal carrying launder or trough prior to casting, continuous casting and other usages.
The aluminium metal flows into the trough at the inlet, through the trough and exits at the outlet, and this occurs in a substantially continuous manner. The trough is installed typically between a heated vessel (such as a casting furnace) and a casting machine. The treatment is intended to remove: i) dissolved hydrogen, ii) solid non-metallic particulates, for example alumina and magnesia, and iii) dissolved impurities, for example Na, Li and Ca. This refining treatment has traditionally been accomplished using chlorine gas or mixtures of chlorine gas with an inert gas such as argon. This refining process is commonly referred to as "metal degassing" although it will be appreciated that it may be used for more than just degassing of the metal, since it also removes other contaminants such as ii) and iii) discussed previously.
There is environmental pressure to eliminate chlorine in such applications and although use of argon alone can accomplish some of the treatment, it is inadequate for other uses and in particular for treating magnesium-containing aluminium alloys.
The use of chloride salts has been used in some furnace based or batch rather than continuous metal treatments. In particular magnesium chloride (MgCl2), and mixtures of MgCl2 with potassium chloride (KCl) have been considered as a possible substitute for chlorine gas. However, magnesium chloride is particularly hygroscopic, and therefore inevitably contains moisture and persistently absorbs moisture from ambient air. During treatment, this moisture reacts with molten aluminium to generate hydrogen that dissolves in the molten metal, and may lead to poor quality metal.
In furnace and crucible treatments the presence of moisture in the magnesium chloride can be accepted as these are generally for non-critical applications. However, use in in-line treatments where the metal is cast immediately cast after treatment, and for critical products where hydrogen porosity is unacceptable, magnesium chloride has not been usable.
Magnesium chloride (MgCl2) has been used as a "cover flux" for in-line degassing treatment but this use compliments the use of in-line chlorine gas injection, and MgCl2 is clearly not meant as a substitute for in-line chlorine gas of injection of the molten metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,382 discloses a continuous in-line metal treatment system comprising a dispersing and separation chamber separated by baffles that allow the separation of impurities. A rotary disperser in the dispersing chamber is used to break-up the molten metal and disperse a treatment gas comprising chlorine gas and an inert gas into the metal. The cover flux disclosed includes 80% MgCl2 and moisture less than 0.1% by weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,245 discloses a means by which to remove sodium by introducing a chlorinating agent, which may be a mixture a chlorine gas and argon gas, introduced into a body of molten aluminium. Metal passes through a combination of filter-degasser bed coated with salt containing 85% MgCl2. The salt is confined to the bed and reacts to reduce sodium levels in the metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,725 discloses a method for in-line treatment of molten metal that is said to be useable with salts as well as with gaseous fluxes, without any particulars as to how this is achieved. The invention discloses a disperser/agitator adapted to disperse gases into a metal bath where the agitator rotation is inverted regularly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,318 discloses a treatment vessel, such as a ladle, that uses a mixture of KCl/MgCl2 in a given weight ratio of 0.036 to remove calcium and particulates from the metal contained in the vessel. While KCl/MgCl2 is fed by way of an injection tube below the level of the molten metal near a rotating high shear dispersing impeller, thus achieving quick dispersion of the KCl/MgCl2.
EP-A-395 138 discloses a crucible treatment using various salts including salts containing up to 80% alkali metal and alkaline earth metal chlorides and including a disperser apparatus for handling such salts, which includes a co-injection of solids with an inert gas through a hollow shaft of the disperser below the level of the metal and at the level of the impeller.
EP-A-1 462 530 discloses an apparatus and method of treating molten metal in a crucible. The apparatus adds salt through a hollow shaft of a disperser. A pressurized inert gas transports the salt intermittently through the hollow shaft and into the metal in the crucible to the level of the impeller. The system may be used with a range of salt fluxes.
Therefore, all prior art either uses chlorine gas for refining the aluminium metal or is in a static crucible or in-line vessel which allows long residence times for the removal of impurities. Therefore there remains the problem of efficient in-line continuous refining of molten aluminium and aluminium alloys in troughs, without the use of chlorine gas.

In-line salt refining of molten aluminium alloys


One aspect of the invention involves a writing tablet comprising a housing having a writing surface and internal logic placed within the housing and situated below the writing surface. The internal logic includes imaging sensor, a light source and a controller. The imaging sensor is adapted to capture a location and orientation of each line segment forming a graphic image. The light source is adapted to produce a light beam adjusted for display on the writing surface. The controller is adapted to control performance of an event upon the light beam crossing a line segment of the graphic image.

Over the past decade, both parents and institutions are relying more heavily on educational toys as supplemental learning tools. One popular education toy is a writing tablet that is communicatively coupled to a computer. Normally, a stylus or other non-ink producing writing instrument accompanies the tablet.
As one end of the stylus comes into contact with a writing surface of the tablet, its location is registered by an image sensing mechanism situated within the tablet. In response to the user gliding the stylus across the writing surface of the tablet, outlining a desired graphic image (e.g., a handwritten alphanumeric character, a doodle, an artistic rendering, etc.), the computer generates a corresponding image for display on its monitor screen.
One problem with conventional writing tablets is that they fail to provide the user any visual or audible feedback for learning enhancement.

Audible and visual effects as a result of adaptive tablet scanning


A method for operating a function in a motor vehicle employs a sensor arrangement with at least two spaced sensors for detecting operations caused by a user. Signals of a first sensor are monitored until a first characteristic signal answer is detected. A user-carried identification device is queried to verify authorization to access the requested function. Signals of a second sensor are monitored to determine an operation caused by approaching the second sensor. Signals from the first and second sensors are monitored for a predetermined time period t1. If the signals indicate a continued operation of the two sensors during t1, an expiration of t1 is signaled to the user. Signals of the first sensor are monitored for a predetermined time period t2. If the signal of the first sensor indicates a cancellation of the operation within t2, the function of the motor vehicle is triggered.

The invention concerns a detecting method for operating gestures in a motor vehicle. In particular, the invention concerns a method of detecting gestures, made by a user, to access a vehicle function. Devices for contact-less operation of vehicle functions are known from the previous state of the art.
For example, DE 10 2008 063 366 describes a non-contact operating tailgate. This feature allows for a single user to open the tailgate by performing an operation gesture in the foot space under the rear bumper. Capacity sensors are provided in this device which are aligned in such a way as to detect different spatial regions and, based on their signals, an operation gesture is recognized.
Such a non-contact operation of a tailgate enhances comfort and safety if the manual operation of a tailgate, for whatever reason, is difficult for a person. The detection of movement can capture a feint kick movement, a lifting and swinging the leg or similar body motions, for example.
Operations being recognized and a function being triggered is, however, to be avoided, if a corresponding operating gesture was no specifically executed. This can happen, for example, by objects entering the detection range (balls, pets, or the like).
From DE 10 2004 041 709, a device for the contact-less operation of a trunk lid is known, wherein it is proposed to use two sensor arrays with separate detection areas. In this, an ultrasonic distance detection system which is already provided on the vehicle for distance measurements may, for example, be used as one of the sensor means. U.S. Pat. No. 8,091,280 discloses a hands-free operation device, where an optical detection of a foot is made in an optically selected area.
However, the existing detection systems are disadvantageous in terms of operation in various fields. If a user, on the basis of physical limitations or specifications of the behavior, is not able to perform a corresponding movement, said actuating systems are not suitable due to the dynamics of the movement required.
The object of the invention is to provide an evaluation method for non-contact operated sensor arrays which increases the recognition accuracy and takes into account restrictions on the movement capabilities of a user.


An adapter mechanism for use between an engine and an oil cooler manifold, includes a special nut having internal threads for screw-on engagement with an externally threaded engine boss. External threads on the nut mate with threads on a central wall portion of an associated oil cooler manifold to operatively connect the manifold with oil passages in the engine block. Differently dimensioned nuts may be selectively utilized to connect a given manifold with a range of different engines. An annular adapter plate is positioned between the manifold and engine to provide sealed passage connections to or from the manifold passages.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to engine lubrication systems, and particularly to devices for connecting an external oil cooler to an engine lubrication circuit, whereby the lubricating oil is kept reasonably cool under high load conditions.
2. Prior Art
My U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,688 discloses an internally partitioned manifold adapted to be interposed between an engine and an oil filter. The manifold has threaded openings for operatively mounting external oil line connecting to an external oil cooler. Oil can thus flow from the engine through the cooler and filter, and then back into the engine for recirculation through the engine to perform its lubricating action.
The manifold disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,688 is clamped to the engine by a special connector which has a cylindrical section extending through the manifold. The cylindrical section is internally threaded for connection with an externally threaded hollow boss extending from one face of the engine. An hexagonal enlargement on the connector defines a shoulder which acts as a clamp to securely hold the manifold on the engine. The special connector further includes an externally threaded tubular section that serves as mounting means for a spin-on oil filter.
My U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,275 discloses an adapter having an internal hollow boss which is internally threaded for threaded connection with an externally threaded boss on an engine, whereby the adapted can be screwed down against an annular engine surface. Two passageways through the adapter provide for the circulation of engine oil through an external cooler. The adapter has two concentric O-ring grooves therein for sealing engagement with the engine surface. Either one (or both) of the O-ring grooves may be used for sealing purposes, depending upon variations in engine surface dimension.
Other manifolds have been developed for direct connection to a hollow engine boss, without using the above-described special connector. These other manifolds have integral internally threaded central walls, whereby the manifold can be turned bodily about the axis of the mounting boss on the engine in order to mount the manifold on the engine. Such manifolds may have provisions thereon for mounting a spin-on oil filter.
Different engines have differently dimensioned hollow mounting bosses, which can relate to the outside diameter of the mounting boss or the thread configuration. Sometimes the differences relate to the measurement system used in engine manufacture, e.g., English measurement or metric measurement. The differences may relate to the thread pitch, i.e., the threads per inch. The boss differences make it somewhat difficult to design a universal manifold construction, i.e., a manifold that will fit all or most engines.

Adapter mechanism for fluid cooling and filtering


A new Achillea plant named ‘Desred’ particularly distinguished by the red flowers on strong upright inflorescences, compact and mounding habit, with very fine fern-like medium-green foliage.

The present invention comprises a new Achillea, botanically known as Achillea tomentosa×millefolium, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name 'Desred'.
'Desred' is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has red flowers on strong upright inflorescences, compact and mounding habit, with very fine fern-like medium-green foliage.
'Desred' originated from a hybridization made summer 2003 in a controlled breeding environment in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The female parent was the unpatented, proprietary plant designated 'H4981-45' an Achillea tomentosa species with red flowers. 'H4981-45' is later to flower than 'Desred'.
The male parent of 'Desred' was an unknown Achillea milliforium species. The resultant seed was sown in March 2004.
'Desred' was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in July 2004 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, Netherlands.
The first act of asexual reproduction of 'Desred' was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in July 2004 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, Netherlands.


An A/D-converter for a knock determination of an engine performs A/D-conversion with respect to a knock signal having a reference voltage and to another sensor signal having a reference voltage that differs therefrom. When the engine rotation is less than 1000 rpm, since the knock signal is too small to perform malfunction determination, integration of "0" point data (reference voltage: 2.5V) of an integrating circuit is performed within a knock determination time period. The resulting data is A/D-converted by the A/D-converter to thereby update the "0" point value stored in a RAM. On the other hand, in a range of greater than 1000 rpm where malfunction determination can be performed of the knock sensors, within the knock determination time period, the knock signal is integrated using the integrating circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a signal processing circuit which is arranged to perform by a single A/D-converter analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion of two kinds of analog signals that differ in reference voltages thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, in an engine control unit (ECU) for use in, e.g. an automobile, as illustrated in FIG. 30, there are provided knock sensors 1 and 2 and the like for detecting a knock in addition to various sensors for detecting operational states or parameters of the engine such as cooling water temperature of engine, intake air temperature, throttle opening, etc. In order to perform calculation processings of the output signals from these various sensors by CPU 3, it is necessary to A/D-convert the sensor output signals (analog value) to digital values through the operation of A/D-converters 4 and 5. Each of those various sensors for outputting a voltage signal that corresponds to the operational states of the engine such as cooling water temperature thereof uses a reference voltage of from 0V to 5V in conformity with the operating voltage of the CPU 3, the output voltage therefrom varying within a range of from 0V to 5V. For this reason, the A/D-converter 4 for performing A/D-conversion with respect to such output voltage also uses the same reference voltage (0V-5V per 10 bits) as that of each sensor.
Meanwhile, since each of the knock sensors 1 and 2 is arranged to detect a knock by the use of the amplitude of its output voltage (knock signal), it uses as a reference value ("0" point value) an intermediate voltage of 2.5V of the operating voltage (0V-5V) of the CPU 3. Accordingly, the knock signal that has only necessary knock vibration frequency components taken out by a band pass filter 6 becomes a signal which changes around a voltage of 2.5V. The maximum value (the peak value) of this knock signal is held in a peak-hold circuit (P/H circuit) 7, whereby the occurrence of a knock is determined according to the magnitude of the peak value. Further, the input value of the knock signal that is supplied to the A/D-converter 5 is held by a sample hold circuit (S/H circuit) 8, whereby in units of, for example, 50 .mu.s the output signal from the S/H circuit 8 is A/D-converted and cumulative calculation is performed of the thus A/D-converted value through the operation of the CPU 3. According to the resulting value thus obtained, detection is performed of a malfunction such as wire breakage of the knock sensors 1 and 2.
As mentioned above, in order to detect the knock signal that changes around 2.5V, it is arranged that the upper limit of the output voltage of each of the P/H circuit 7 and S/H circuit 8 is set to be 4.5V and the reference voltage value thereof is set to be 2.5V. Therefore, the A/D-converter 5 for A/D-converting the output voltage of each of these P/H circuit 7 and S/H circuit 8 is constituted by one whose reference voltage ranges from 2.5V to 4.5V (8 bits). By the reference voltages of the both circuits being made to coincide with each other, the output voltages of the P/H circuit 7 and S/H circuit 8 can be A/D-converted with high accuracy without being influenced by the variations of the reference voltages.
In the above-mentioned conventional circuit construction, since the use of the two A/D-converters 4 and 5 is needed due to the difference in reference voltages, for example, between the knock signal and other sensor signals, the circuit construction disadvantageously becomes complex and becomes expensive. As a countermeasure against this, it is been considered to simplify the circuit construction by making these two A/D-converters 4 and 5 common by the use of a single general purpose A/D-converter (0V-5V per 10 bits).
In even this case, while the knock signal has peak held its value at which the difference between itself and the reference voltage of 2.5V becomes maximum, since the A/D-converter uses 0V-5V as the reference voltage, even when the reference value (2.5V) of the knock signal is A/D-converted, the thus converted value does not necessarily become 2.5V which is an intermediate voltage that is determined from the reference voltage of the A/D-converter. In other words, due to the variations or temperature characteristics of circuit elements (resistors, etc.) for generating the reference voltage (2.5V), as illustrated in FIG. 31, an offset occurs between the knock signal reference value and the intermediate voltage of the A/D-converter, with the result that the A/D-converted value of the output knock signal becomes deviated by the extent which corresponds to the offset.
Also, while the output signal from the S/H circuit 8 is A/D-converted in units of, for example, 50 .mu.s and the resulting value is cumulatively calculated by the CPU 3, when the A/D-converters are made common, frequent A/D-conversion processings that are repeatedly executed in units of 50 .mu.s obstruct reliable procurement of time length that is needed for A/D-conversion of other signals.

Signal processing circuit with offset compensation


A composition for solid pharmaceutical preparations containing a vitamin D.sub.3 derivative capable of permitting the derivative to be uniformly distributed in the composition while being stabilized. The composition contains an excipient consisting of mannitol and sugar, a degradative agent consisting of hydroxypropyl cellulose, and a binder consisting of polyvinyl pyrrolidone and hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose.

This invention relates to a composition for solid pharmaceutical preparations containing a vitamin D.sub.3 derivative and a process for the preparation thereof, and more particularly to a composition for solid pharmaceutical preparations containing a vitamin D.sub.3 derivative in which mannitol and sugar are used as an excipient.
In general, vitamin D.sub.3 derivatives are labile and apt to be readily oxidized and cause isomerization. It is known that the isomerization of the derivatives readily occurs due to contact with an additive as well as exposure to light and heat (Tetsuya Takahashi and Ryuichi Yamamoto, Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, 89, 909 (1969)). Also, in order to stabilize a vitamin D.sub.3 derivative, techniques of incorporating the vitamin D derivative in bile acids, cholesterols or polyvinyl pyrrolidone to prevent oxidation and isomerization of the derivative are proposed (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 69562/1980, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 40461/1982, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 206533/1983 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 155309/1984).
As will be noted from the above, vitamin D.sub.3 derivatives are labile to heat and light and apt to be readily oxidized, so that a suitable means such as refrigeration, light shielding, replacement with inert gas or the like is employed to prevent deterioration of pharmaceutical preparations containing a vitamin D.sub.3 derivative.
In particular, 26, 26, 26, 27, 27, 27-hexafluoro-1.alpha., 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (Kobayashi et al, Chem. Pharm. Bull, 30, 4297 (1982)) prepared by replacing each of six hydrogen atoms at positions 26 and 27 of 1.alpha., 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol with a fluorine atom has a extremely high vitamin D-like activity and is merely contained in a very small amount in solid pharmaceutical preparations. Thus, it is highly required to develop techniques of dispersing a trace unstable component in solid pharmaceutical preparations and stabilize the unstable component in the preparations in order to prevent deterioration of the preparations.
Accordingly, it is highly desirable to provide solid pharmaceutical preparations in which a vitamin D.sub.3 derivative is stabilized and the content of a vitamin D.sub.3 derivative is rendered uniform.

Composition for solid pharmaceutical preparations containing vitamin D3 derivative


A system comprises a furnace, a fluidized bed assembly and a powder bed. The fluidized bed assembly is positioned in the furnace and comprises an outer chamber having an outer chamber inlet for receiving gas, an inner chamber positioned inside of the outer chamber. The inner chamber comprises an inner chamber inlet in fluid communication with the outer chamber, and an outlet through which the gas may exit the inner chamber and the outer chamber. The powder bed is disposed in the inner chamber.

This invention relates generally to the field of additive manufacturing. In particular, the present disclosure relates to pre-treatment of powders used in additive manufacturing processes, such as with the use of fluidized beds.
Additive manufacturing is an established but growing technology. In its broadest definition, additive manufacturing is any layerwise construction or articles from thin layers of feed material. Additive manufacturing may involve applying liquid, layer, or particle material to a workstage, then sintering, curing, melting, and/or cutting to create a layer. The process is repeated up to several thousand times to construct the desired field finished component or article.
Often times it is necessary to pre-treat raw powder used in some of the additive manufacturing processes. Pre-treatment may include coating, degassing and heat treating the powder. The powder particles can be coated in order to prevent oxidation of the particles during the additive manufacturing process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,141,207 discloses using a fluidized bed to apply a copper coating to aluminum powder.
Degassing can be used to remove water vapor from the powder particles. Surfaces of the powder can become oxidized very quickly during the manufacturing process when exposed to the environment. Water vapor can absorb into the oxide, which can cause voids in the material formed with the additive manufacturing process. Methods of removing water from the manufactured materials can cause the forming of hydrogen which can make the final material more brittle. Previous methods of removing water vapor from the powder include various methods of degassing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,456 describes a degassing method using heating aluminum powder in a vacuum to very high temperatures. However, complications can occur with maintaining a very low pressure vacuum during the degassing.
Additionally, traditional methods of high temperature heat treatment of gases can cause unwanted sintering of the powder. For example, fluidized beds have been used in conjunction with heat treating of powder to prevent agglomeration, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,811,765. However, such a heat treating system is complex and costly to manufacture.
There is, therefore, a need for a simple, reliable and inexpensive system and method for pre-treating powders used in additive manufacturing processes.

High temperature fluidized bed for powder treatment


A plurality of carriers are divided into two systems, one on a low-frequency side and the other on a high-frequency side, a transmitting unit that executes processing for transmitting a signal wirelessly is provided in each of the two systems, and output lines of transmit amplifiers of each of the transmitting units are directly coupled and input to an antenna. A feedback unit on the low-frequency side feeds a low-frequency carrier signal portion contained in the transmit signal back to a distortion compensating unit on the low-frequency side, and a feedback unit on the high-frequency side feeds a high-frequency carrier signal portion contained in the transmit signal back to a distortion compensating unit on the high-frequency side. The distortion compensating units compensate for distortion on the low- and high-frequency sides.

This invention relates to a radio communication apparatus and, more particularly, to a radio communication apparatus in which carriers are divided into two systems, namely high- and low-frequency systems, and which has a transmitting unit in each system that executes processing for transmitting a signal wirelessly, and a distortion compensating unit in each system that compensates for distortion produced by the transmitting unit.
As the field of mobile communications systems has progressed, the quantity of signals that the radio communication apparatus is required to transceive has increased. With a multicarrier-type radio communication apparatus that transmits a number of adjacent carriers, the general approach is to increase the number of carriers to deal with an increase in quantity of transceive signals.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a first multicarrier-type radio communication apparatus according to the prior art, and FIG. 6 is a diagram useful in describing the operation of this apparatus, in which (1) to (7) illustrate spectrums associated with portions identified by the same numbers in FIG. 5.
A baseband processor (BB) 1a in each of signal processing units 11 to 1n provided for respective ones of the carriers subjects data to be transmitted to baseband signal processing such as appending of error-correcting/detecting code, interleaving, multivalued modulation and code spreading and outputs a complex baseband signal. Root Nyquist filters 1b, 1c apply root Nyquist filter processing to the real and imaginary parts of the complex baseband signal that enters from the baseband processor 1a [see (1) in FIG. 6], and carrier shifters 1d, 1e multiply the real and imaginary parts of the complex baseband signal by exp(jωjt) (=1 to n) to obtain and output a carrier signal of angular frequency (ωj [see (2) in FIG. 6].
Combiners 2a, 2b perform combining for every in-phase part and quadrature-phase part of each carrier and output an in-phase component Ich and quadrature-phase component Qch of the combined-carrier signal. A distortion compensating unit (APD, or Adaptive Predistortion Device) 3 generates a distortion compensating signal that compensates for distortion produced by a transmit amplifier (described later). Arithmetic units 4a, 4b add the distortion compensating signal to the in-phase component Ich and quadrature-phase component Qch of the combined-carrier signal and inputs the resultant signals to a quadrature modulator 5. The latter applies quadrature modulation to the combined-carrier signal using a local signal the frequency of which is 1.5×W0, where W0 represents the frequency bandwidth of the combined-carrier signal [see (3) in FIG. 6]. Owing to such quadrature modulation, each carrier frequency becomes an intermediate-frequency signal raised by 1.5×W0.
A DA converter 6 converts the signal that is output from the quadrature modulator 5 to an analog signal at a sampling frequency Fs, a low-pass filter 7 eliminates unwanted high-frequency components [see (4) in FIG. 6], and a mixer 8 multiplies the input signal by a local signal that is output from a local oscillator 9, thereby up-converting the input signal to a radio signal having a frequency (f0+1.5×W0). A transmit amplifier 10 amplifies the radio signal whose frequency has been up-converted and transmits the amplified signal via an antenna [see (5) in FIG. 6].
The transmit amplifier 10 produces distortion D1, D2 on both sides of a main signal, as indicated at (5) in FIG. 6. In order to compensate for the distortion D1, D2, a directional coupler 11 extracts part of the transmit signal, a mixer 12 multiplies the input signal by the local signal that is output from the local oscillator 9, thereby down-converting the input signal to an intermediate-frequency signal of frequency 1.5×W0, and an AD converter 13 samples the input signal at a frequency Fs of 6×W0 and converts the signal to a digital signal [see (6) in FIG. 6]. A higher-order spectrum is generated (an image appears) by the AD conversion at the sampling frequency Fs. A quadrature demodulator 14 applies quadrature demodulation to the output signal of the AD converter using the local signal of frequency 1.5×W [see (7) in FIG. 6] and inputs the demodulated signal to the distortion compensating unit 3.
The distortion compensating unit 3 generates a distortion compensating signal for removing distortion in the transmit amplifier 10 using an adaptive algorithm, appends the distortion compensating signal to the transmit signal and eliminates the distortion D1, D2 on both sides of the main signal [see (5) in FIG. 6]. FIG. 7 illustrates an example of the structure of the distortion compensating unit 3, which is an adaptive predistortion device. A multiplier 3a multiplies a transmit signal x(t), which is output from the combiners 2a, 2b, by a distortion compensation coefficient hn−1(p), and an arithmetic unit 4 subtracts a distortion compensating signal hn−1·s(t) from the transmit signal x(t), thereby outputting power p [=hn(p)x(t)−x(t)] of the transmit signal x(t) after compensation. An arithmetic unit 3b calculates power p [=x(t)2] of the transmit signal x(t), and a distortion compensation coefficient storage unit 3c stores a distortion compensation coefficient h(p) conforming to each power of the transmit signal x(t) and outputs the distortion compensation coefficient hn−1(p) conforming to the power p of the transmit signal x(t). Further, the distortion compensating coefficient storage unit 3c updates the distortion compensation coefficient hn−1(p) by the distortion compensation coefficient hn(p) obtained by an LMS algorithm. A complex-conjugate signal output unit 3d outputs a complex-conjugate signal of a feedback demodulated signal y(t) that enters from the quadrature demodulator 14, and a subtractor 3e outputs the difference e(t) between the transmit signal x(t) and the feedback demodulated signal y(t). A multiplier 3f multiplies hn−1(p) and y*(t) together and outputs u*(t). A multiplier 3g multiplies e(t) and u*(t) together, a multiplier 3h multiplies the output signal of the multiplier 3g by a step-size parameter μ, and an adder 3i adds hn−1(p) and μe(t)u*t and inputs the resultant signal to the distortion compensating coefficient storage unit 3c. A calculation in accordance with the LMS algorithm set forth below is performed by the arrangement described above.hn(p)=hn−1(p)+μe(t)u*(t)  (1)e(t)=x(t)−y(t)y(t)=hn−1(p)x(t)f(p)u(t)=x(t)f(p)≈h*n−1(p)y(t)hn−1(p) h*n−1(p)≈1p=|x(t)|2where:                x(t): transmit signal        f(p): distortion function of transmit amplifier        h(p): estimated distortion compensation coefficient        μ: step-size parameter        y(t): feedback signal        u(t): distorted signal
Further, x, y, f, h, u, e represent complex numbers and * signifies a complex conjugate. On the assumption that amplitude distortion of the amplifier is not very large [hn−1(p)·h*n−1(p)≈1], u(t) approximates h*n−1(p)·y(t). By executing the above-described processing, the distortion compensation coefficient h(p) is updated by Equation (1) in such a manner that the power of the difference e(t) between the transmit signal x(t) and the feedback signal y(t) will be minimized, and h(p) eventually converges to the optimum distortion compensation coefficient so that compensation is made for the distortion in the power amplifier 4.
With the arrangement of FIG. 5, a problem which arises is that when it is attempted to increase the number of carriers, there is a limitation upon the digital processing units, especially upon the sampling frequency Fs of the DA and AD conversions. For example, it order to double the number of carriers, it is necessary that the sampling frequency Fs of the digital units be doubled (Fs=12×W0). That is, since the sampling frequency Fs prior to doubling of the number of carriers is W0 in view of FIG. 6, Fs=12×W0 will hold if the number of carriers is doubled.
Thus, generally the sampling frequency of an AD converter represents a bottleneck. In a case where the frequency is not made higher, it is contemplated, as shown in FIG. 8, to split the carriers into two systems, namely systems on the low- and high-frequency sides, execute processing for transmitting a signal wirelessly in each system, and unite the processed signals through bandpass filters (BPF) 21, 22 downstream of transmit amplifiers 10, 10′. It should be noted that the radio communication apparatus shown in FIG. 8 is not well-known art.
In the multimedia-type radio communication apparatus of FIG. 8, the transmitting unit on the low-frequency side (the transmitting unit in the upper half of FIG. 8) is identical with that of the first example of the prior art shown in FIG. 5, and like components are designated by the same reference characters. Further, the transmitting unit on the high-frequency side (the transmitting unit in the lower half of FIG. 8) structurally is identical with that of the first example of the prior art shown in FIG. 5, and like components are designated by the same reference characters having "′" appended thereto. The sampling frequency Fs of the DA converters 6, 6′ and AD converters 13, 13′ is 6×W0, which is the same as the frequency prior to an increase in number of carriers. The transmitting unit on the high-frequency side differs from the transmitting unit on the low-frequency side in that whereas the local oscillator 9 on the low-frequency side generates a local signal of frequency f0, the local oscillator 9′ on the high-frequency side generates a local signal of frequency (f0+W0).
FIG. 9 is a diagram useful in describing the operation of the radio communication apparatus shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 9, (1) to (8), (5)′ and (6)′ indicate spectrums associated with portions identified by the same numbers in FIG. 6. The spectrums at (1) to (7) are the same as those in FIG. 6, and the spectrums of (1) to (4) and (7) are not illustrated.
The local signal frequency that is output from the local oscillator 9 on the low-frequency side is f0, and the local signal frequency that is output from the local oscillator 9′ on the high-frequency side is (f0+W0). As a result, the band of the main signal on the high-frequency side is greater by W0 than the band of the main signal on the low-frequency side, as is evident from (5), (5)′ in FIG. 9. However, since the radio signal frequency is down-converted by (f0+W0) by the mixer 12′, the bands of the output signals of the AD converters 13, 13′ are the same, as evident from (6), (6)′ in FIG. 9.
The bandpass filters 21 and 22 have bandpass characteristics indicated by dashed lines A and B, respectively, in FIG. 9. As a result, the filters are capable of outputting radio signals that do not contain distortion D1, D2 and D1′, D2′.
Thus, in accordance with the example of the arrangement shown in FIG. 8, it is possible to cope even with a doubling of the number of carriers and, moreover, distortion outside the baseband region can be eliminated. With the above arrangement, however, it is required that the analog bandpass filters 21, 22 have a very steep attenuation characteristic in order to so arrange it that the signal from the low-frequency side will not flow into the high-frequency side and the signal from the high-frequency side will not flow into the low-frequency side. The problem which arises is that this is not realistic. Furthermore, eliminating the bandpass filters 21, 22 and relying upon direct coupling (wire coupling) is conceivable. If the bandpass filters 21, 22 are eliminated, however, the two signals will flow mutually into the transmit amplifiers 10, 10′ and third- and fifth-order intermodulation IM1 to IM4 will occur, as shown in FIG. 10.
Intermodulation distortion is a phenomenon in which when the signals of two waves enter a passive element such as an amplifier AMP, a distorted signal is produced where the frequency intervals of the two waves are separated, as illustrated at (A) in FIG. 10. If the intermodulation distortion is third-order intermodulation distortion, then it occurs at a frequency of f2+(f2−f1); if the intermodulation distortion is fifth-order intermodulation distortion, then it occurs at a frequency of f2+2 (f2−f1). If a modulated wave is considered to be a set of line spectrums, then, as a result of each line spectrum producing intermodulation distortion, distorted signals will be produced on both sides of the modulated wave, as indicated at (B) in FIG. 11, because a similar principle is at work.
Prior art for eliminating intermodulation produced when a plurality of signals have entered a transmit amplifier has been proposed in addition to the prior art of FIG. 5 and the arrangement shown in FIG. 8 (see the specification of JP 2002-64340A). This prior art, which has a loop for feeding the output signal of a power amplifier back to first and second distortion compensating units, feeds back low-frequency components of the output signal of the power amplifier to the first distortion compensating unit via a low-pass filter, thereby compensating for intermodulation distortion that occurs on the low-frequency side, and feeds back high-frequency components of the output signal of the power amplifier to the second distortion compensating unit via a high-pass filter, thereby compensating for intermodulation distortion that occurs on the high-frequency side.
The prior art of FIG. 5 is such that if an attempt is made to increase the number of carriers, a problem which arises is that there is a limitation upon the sampling frequency Fs of the DA and AD conversions. The number of carriers that can be added on is limited by this limitation on the sampling frequency.
The example of the arrangement of FIG. 8 is such that the analog bandpass filters require a very steep attenuation characteristic.
The prior art disclosed in the reference cited above eliminates intermodulation distortion but it is not art for increasing frequency. Further, this prior art does not eliminate intermodulation distortion produced when multicarriers are divided into two systems, namely systems on low- and high-frequency sides, and outputs of transmit amplifiers in transmitting units provided in respective ones of the systems are directly coupled.


A self-contained bio fuel trans load has a heating apparatus to allow different feed stock bio fuels to be trans loaded from a rail car to a vehicle or storage container. Several mechanical apparatus are incorporated into a single, self-contained unit which allows a safe and metered trans load of bio fuels from one point to another for the growing alternative energy market. The heating apparatus allows the bio fuel to be heated if necessary due to feed stock and pour point. The self-contained unit allows for distribution and metering of the bio fuel onto a vehicle for resale. The self-contained unit can be located at the most convenient site to achieve a minimum expenditure and liability.

The present invention relates to bio fuel trans load and, more particularly, to a self-contained bio fuel trans load with heating apparatus for rail car offloading and distribution.
Trans loading is the process of transferring a shipment from one mode of transportation to another. Biofuels are being used more and more and there is an increased demand for its distribution. Rail cars are often used for shipment of biofuels. These materials need to be offloaded from the rail cars into other modes of distribution locally. Regulating the temperature of the product being offloaded can be important, especially with materials such as biofuels.
Currently, there exist methods and devices for trans loading a product from a rail car and separate methods and devices for heating a rail car. However, there currently are no methods or devices for both trans loading with a heating apparatus for rail car offloading and distribution.
As can be seen, there is a need for a method and apparatus for bio fuel trans load with a heating apparatus for rail car offloading and distribution.

Self contained bio fuel trans load with heating apparatus for rail care offloading and distribution


Client devices having deployed an application may experience a crash of the application. For example, a first client device may experience a first crash having a first crash signature of the application. After experiencing the first crash, a first device identification of the first client device may be assigned to a first bucket designating one or more device identifications of client devices having experienced the first crash. Client devices having device identifications in the first bucket are provided with a first crash fix for the first crash, while a second client device is not provide with the first crash fix, where the application is deployed on the second client device and the second client device was not assigned to the first bucket.

Numerous client devices deploying an application may experience crashes of the application. When a client device experiences a crash, a crash "fix" is developed. The crash fix is sent to client devices on which the application is deployed. In an example, the crash fix is integrated into an updated version of the application, and the updated version of the application is sent to client devices having the application. Sending crash fixes or updated versions of the application to client devices may consume a significant amount of network bandwidth and computing power, which may be unnecessarily consumed when less than all client devices may need the crash fixes (e.g., some client devices may not experience the crash, such as due to different hardware and/or software configurations that may not induce the crash).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Targeted crash fixing on a client device


An audible warning system for a generator system is provided. The generator system includes a surge suppressor and a rectifier assembly. The rectifier assembly rotates along with the rotor of the generator system, and generates airflow. The surge suppressor includes a face portion. The audible warning system includes a mounting plate and an acoustic alarm device. The mounting plate is attached to the rectifier assembly to mount the surge suppressor and the acoustic alarm device. The acoustic alarm device includes an air inlet portion in engagement with a face portion of the surge suppressor. In operation, this arrangement blocks fluid communication of the airflow into the air inlet portion, in an operational state. A failure of the surge suppressor allows the airflow to pass through the air inlet portion to generate an audible alarm for an operator.

A generator system (or a genset) generally converts mechanical energy to electrical energy and acts as a voltage source for a load. A generator system commonly includes a combination of a generator and a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine. Conventionally, the generator may include a rotor, a stator, and an excitation system. The excitation system provides an exciter current to the rotor, which then rotates relative to the stator, and produces voltage. Typically surge suppressors are used to protect the excitation system of the generators. Surge suppressors are generally a pertinent requirement as modern electronics remain sensitive to power supply fluctuations. More specifically, surge suppressors are functional to protect the excitation system from electrical damage by suppression of voltage surges. In the event of an electrical surge, the surge suppressor is designed to fail, generally destructively. Since such surge suppressors are connected in shunt, the failure of the surge suppressors does not impact the operation of the generators. Upon such a failure, the surge suppressor may be incapable to protect the excitation system from further electrical surges. In such a case, the excitation system is exposed to electrical surges and remains vulnerable to potential damages. Hence, there may be a requirement to replace the surge suppressor timely. However, a failure of the surge suppressor is not easily detectable as the surge suppressor is typically installed on an interior portion of the generator system, which is generally inaccessible.
In case a failed surge suppressor is left unattended, and an operation of the generator system is continued, a further electrical surge may cause relatively significant damages to the excitation system. Moreover, this may lead to extensive repair of surrounding components, which may incur undue cost, effort, and machine downtime. Therefore, existing surge suppressors in excitation systems are supplemented with damage detection systems. Damage detection systems generally include alarm systems or devices which are electronically operated. However, these systems are dependent on an external power source, which makes the excitation system bulky, complex, and generally expensive to procure and maintain.
European Patent Publication Number 1,022,837 discloses a varistor connected across a power supply to protect an equipment against voltage spikes. In the '837 reference, a current leak through the varistor is monitored by a thermal sensor which functions in communication with a microchip. The microchip also receives input from an ambient temperature sensor, remote from the varistor. When the difference between the sensed temperatures exceeds a predetermined operating level, the microchip signals a warning. The '837 reference discusses a provision to assess the condition of the operational varistor through electronic components such as the thermal sensor, the microchip, an LED, and a tone generator. However, an installation of additional electronic components with the varistor may be a tedious task in case of the generator systems, where the varistors are installed in inaccessible locations.
The present disclosure seeks to address one or more of the problems associated with known.

Audible warning system for generator system


A racquet string includes a core component whose principal component is a synthetic fiber, and a surface resin component, wherein fullerenes or by-product carbon particles derived from manufacture of fullerenes are blended into the surface resin component, and wherein the blended percentage content is in a range of at least 0.01 wt % and at most 5.0 wt % of the entire string. The surface resin component may be formed as a sheath component by coating or by composite spinning. It is preferable that the amount of fullerenes or by-product carbon particles derived from the manufacture of fullerenes that is included in the surface resin component is in a range of at least 0.1 wt % and at most 25 wt %. Thus, the durability of the racquet string is improved without substantially changing its physical properties.

Currently, strings made from synthetic fiber monofilaments and/or multifilaments such as polyamide are used widely as strings for racquets used in sports such as tennis, badminton, and squash. Although important characteristics required of these racquet strings are playability and durability, basically these have an inverse relationship and there is a demand for a racquet string that satisfies both characteristics. For example, although racquet strings constituted by polyamide-based synthetic fiber multifilaments have excellent playability compared to natural gut, their durability is inferior when compared with monofilament synthatex strings, and there is a demand for this to be improved.
In JP H9-10367A, the applicant of the present invention has suggested that when a resin coating layer is present on the surface of racquet strings, the durability of the strings can be improved by including aluminum boronate whiskers, for example, in the surface resin coating layer. This has the effect of improving the durability to a certain extent, but, in order to give a sufficient durability improvement effect, issues remain such as the need to blend in a relatively large amount since the shape of the whiskers is fibrous and the particles are relatively large. Furthermore, when the blending amount is large, problems such as filter blockage, which may occur during melt coating, tend to occur. There is also the problem of a reduction in playability when the blended amount is large.
As noted above, conventionally it has been difficult to find a balance between playability and durability, and furthermore, even in the method of adding whiskers to the coating layer to improve durability that was suggested in JP H9-10367A noted above, the reality at present is that a string that can adequately satisfy the durability improvement effect, strike feeling and processability has yet to be found.


A system for powering up an electronic circuit with telephone line power such that the electronic circuit does not enter a lockup state. The system includes a voltage detector that measures the voltage across the telephone line and a switch coupled with the voltage detector. The voltage detector generates a Reset signal when the measured voltage exceeds a selected voltage level, and the switch applies power to the electronic circuit in response to the generated Reset signal.

A data access arrangement (DAA) provides an interface between a telephone line and an electronic device that connects to the telephone line. A telephone line to a residence or business can have a common mode voltage in excess of 100V, while most electronic circuit devices typically can not operate at voltages exceeding 5 volts. Accordingly, in order to prevent damage to the telephone network, the DAA must isolate high voltages on the telephone line from any standard electronic device connected to the telephone line. Standard electronic devices are typically powered from the main line, e.g. from wall-mounted A.C. outlets. The data access arrangement, in addition to high voltage isolation, must also transmit and receive electrical communication signals between the central office and the electronic device connected to the telephone line.
A DAA can be constructed using a transformer that operates as a band pass filter and that isolates the electronic device from the telephone line. Alternative DAA solutions use active circuits to isolate the main line powered electronic device from the telephone line. Moreover, those DAAs having active circuits can be powered from main line power or the DAA can be powered from the telephone line itself. Powering a DAA from the telephone line, instead of the main line, would be advantageous because it would reduce the total power requirements of the DAA. In the past, however, DAAs powered from the telephone line have proved problematic.
One problem with powering a DAA by telephone line power is that, after connecting to the telephone line, the DAA must enter a predictable state and it must be ready to transmit and receive when the DAA is connected to certain devices, such as a modem. Secondly, the DC current drain of a line-powered DAA is strictly limited by national and international specifications. For example, telephone line operators typically specify the amount of DC current which can be drawn from their telephone lines during an on-hook state. If a DAA exceeds the national and international specifications, the DAA can not be legally connected to a telephone line. These limitations on current draw have typically prevented telephone line powered DAAs.
Furthermore, telephone line powered electronic circuits, in general, can suffer from a lockup condition if the electronic circuit is powered up by the telephone line improperly. In particular, the digital logic in the telephone line powered electronic circuit can appear as a variable resistor that depends upon the voltage across the telephone line. The variable resistor of the digital logic can appear as a short to the telephone line power, thereby preventing the line powered electronic circuit from being powered at acceptable voltage levels. As a result of being improperly powered, the digital logic enters a lockup condition and the telephone line powered electronic circuit fails to operate properly.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus and method that effectively energizes an electronic circuit, such as a DAA, with telephone line power.

Power up reset circuit for line powered circuit


A framework for handheld computing devices comprises a user interface controlling the display, selection and launching of program modules, controls patient context within the program modules, and provides for messaging and sharing of databases between and among program modules. Databases are shared between the program modules by the publishing of XML and metadata identifying the structure of the databases.

This application relates generally to handheld computer devices and more specifically to a framework for handheld computer devices used in the health care industry.
In the health care industry, health care providers have become increasingly dependent on the use of computer systems and software to keep track of all aspects of patient data, including clinical, administrative and billing information. In the mid-1990's, CCOW (Clinical Context Object Workgroup) was developed to help aid health care providers manage patient data. The CCOW standard, now the ANSI approved Health Level 7 Context Management Standard version 1.4, establishes the basis for ensuring secure and consistent access to patient information from heterogeneous sources through synchronizing and coordinating applications—such as those used for patient registration, order entry and results reporting—so that they instinctively follow a specific context, including the identity of a user, a patient or a specific clinical observation. CCOW-compliant applications coordinate with each other via a behind-the-scenes context manager that enables them to work together in ways that behave like a single system from the health care provider's perspective.
In more recent years, health care providers have begun to use handheld computing devices and software, such as that offered by PatientKeeper, Inc., to keep track of patient data. The PatientKeeper systems are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/356,543, titled "Device for Automating Billing Reimbursement," by inventors Matthew D. Barnhart, Stephen S. Hau, Yuri Ostrovsky and MinPont Chien, filed on Jul. 19, 1999 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/356,751, titled "System for Automating Billing Reimbursement," by inventors Matthew D. Barnhart, Stephen S. Hau, Patrick McCormick, George A. Madrid, Craig A. Fields and Sanjay S. Vakil, filed on Jul. 19, 1999, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In a typical health care environment, a hospital, for example, doctors will carry a handheld device with them as they treat patients. As tests are performed, diagnoses made, and treatment administered, a doctor can note all of the activity in the handheld device. After seeing several patients, the doctor then synchronizes the handheld device with a server which is connected to the hospital's main computer network. All patient data collected in the handheld is then uploaded to the hospital's main information system and at the same time, any patient data in the main system which has been updated since the last synchronization can be downloaded to the handheld device.

Context managing mobile computing framework for enterprise application