A three-phase solution suitable for use as an erythrocyte sedimentation rate control having the following three components: (1) a synthetic plasma base, (2) a high molecular weight polymer, and (3) mammalian red blood cells. The control is designed to allow the user to monitor the accuracy and precision of analytical methods for determining the sedimentation rate of human erythrocytes in whole blood specimens.

The ESR test measures the sedimentation rate of aggregated erythrocytes in plasma. The rate of sedimentation is an indirect means of quantitating Rouleaux formation as well as red cell aggregation. Sedimentation occurs because the apparent surface/volume ratio of the red cells decreases and the denser Rouleaux overcome the buoyant forces of the plasma and sink. Erythrocyte sedimentation depends upon an interrelationship of a number of inherent biologic variables. Anything that increases the tendency to form Rouleaux or red cell aggregation will accelerate the sedimentation rate. In vivo, the plasma concentrations of proteins and globulins as well as the shape of the red blood cells are the most important factors contributing to the ESR.
In most normal persons, sedimentation takes place slowly, but in a variety of disease states the rate is rapid and in some cases proportional to the severity of the disease. The ESR test has been utilized as an indirect measure of these disease states. However, the test is very non-specific in that values for "normal" ESR may be influenced by local conditions as well as the age and sex of the patient. Nonetheless, the ESR test is an extremely common test which plays a significant role in contemporary medical practice.
Westergren developed the technique of performing an ESR determination as described in a paper published in 1924. See Alf Westergren, "Die senkungscreaktion", Ergegn. Inn. Med. Kinderheilk., 26:577 (1924). In the Westergren method, a blood sample is obtained by venepuncture and is thoroughly mixed with a suitable anticoagulant. Because the proteins and globulins in blood are unstable in vitro, at room temperature the test must be set up within 2 hours, or at 4.degree. C. within 6 hours. The blood-anticoagulant is thoroughly mixed by gentle repeated inversion and a clean dry standard Westergren-Katz tube is filled and adjusted to the `0` mark. The tube is then placed in a strictly vertical position under room temperature conditions (18.degree.-25.degree. C.), not exposed to direct sunlight and free from vibrations and drafts. After a time period, usually 1 hour, the distance (x) from the bottom of the surface meniscus to the top of the column of sedimenting red cells (where the full density is apparent), is read in mm and recorded as the ESR value. The result is expressed as follows: `ESR (Westergren 1 hr)=x mm`. Variations in the materials and methods are known, however, the basic technique is relatively unchanged since its introduction.
Due to the manner in which ESR is measured, in addition to the biologic variables certain identifiable environmental and technical factors may influence the ESR test in misleading ways. For example, the following factors may affect the measurement of ESR:
Environmental Factors
1. Temperature. The room temperature during the test could lead to a misleadingly high ESR (higher temperatures) or low ESR (lower temperatures). Further, a variation of temperature during the test will also lead to misleading results.
2. Vibration. Vibration or movement of the testing apparatus during the test will result in misleading results.
Procedural Factors
1. Positioning of tube. The correct or incorrect positioning of the tube at a perpendicular angle will affect test results.
2. Delay prior to test. A delay in performing the test beyond 2 hours of drawing the blood sample will create ambiguous results.
3. Insertion of tube in reservoir (for modified Westergren procedures). Failure to fully insert the tube to the bottom of the reservoir in certain modified Westergren procedures will affect the test results.
4. Unfamiliarity or failing to follow manufacturer's directions will affect test results.
Testing Materials Factors
1. Tube. Variations of the composition and/or length of the measurement tube will affect test results. For example, the use of glass vs. plastic tubes in either a Wintrobe or Westergren procedure will lead to variations in the observed sedimentation rate.
2. Anticoagulant. The anticoagulant used will affect test results.
3. Plasma. Changes in the plasma composition is a significant factor determining the measured ESR.
There currently is no known commercial control by which the foregoing, and other, factors can be eliminated as sources affecting test results. Accordingly, a given ESR measurement can only be accepted as within a relatively large range of error. This decreases the significance of the ESR test.


The present invention is a side impact air bag apparatus which is incorporated into a vehicle seat and is mounted to an outer side of a side portion of a seat back frame of the vehicle seat, comprising: an air bag body which is provided in the air bag apparatus and which is rectangular when viewed in the transverse direction of the vehicle in an unfolded state, an unfolding direction distal end lower portion of the air bag body, which is provided at a distal end of the air bag body in the unfolding direction of the air bag body and at a lower side portion of the distal end portion, being folded in a diagonally upward direction of the vehicle, and thereafter, the air bag body being folded from the distal end side of the air bag body in the unfolding direction of the air bag body to a proximal end side of the air bag body in the unfolding direction of the air bag body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a side impact air bag apparatus and a door arm rest, and more particularly to a side impact air bag apparatus which is mounted to an outer side of a side portion of a seat back frame of a vehicle seat, and to a vehicle door arm rest at which the side impact air bag is disposed.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional side impact air bag apparatus for a vehicle, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (JP-U) No. 6-6124 discloses an air bag main body which is folded over in a triangular shape along a diagonal line connecting a front end lower corner of the air bag main body and a back end upper corner thereof, and thereafter, is accordion folded (i.e., folded into a bellows-like shape) so as to be accommodated within a door trim. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 5-294194 discloses an air bag main body which is accordion folded from both end portions of the air bag main body in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle to the center thereof, and thereafter, is rolled up from one of the vertical directions of the vehicle so as to be accommodated within a door trim. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 5-16751, U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,732 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 7-228213 disclose a method of folding an air bag main body which is accommodated within a door trim. Further, as a conventional side impact air bag apparatus for a vehicle, an air bag apparatus is mounted to an outer side of a side portion of a seat back frame. When an external force is applied to the side of the vehicle, an air bag body is unfolded between an inner portion of the vehicle (i.e., the portion of the door which opposes the vehicle compartment) and a side portion of the occupant. An example of such side impact air bag apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,342.
As illustrated in FIG. 14, in this side impact air bag apparatus, an air bag body 94 and an inflator 92 are accommodated within an unillustrated air bag case, which is mounted to an outer side of a side portion of an unillustrated seat back frame of a seat 90.
The air bag body 94 is rectangular when viewed from the side of the vehicle in an unfolded state, and is accommodated within the air bag case in a folded state. When the inflator operates, the air bag body 94 is unfolded as shown in FIG. 14. The air bag body 94 interposes between the occupant seated in the seat 90 and a wall portion at the vehicle compartment side so as to protect the occupant's chest from the impact of the vehicle.
However, in this side impact air bag apparatus, there is a case in which the occupant is seated in a state in which a seat back 90A of the seat 90 is moved from a reference position (a position shown by a solid line in FIG. 14) to a position (a position shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 14) at which the seat 90 is inclined forwardly. In this case, as illustrated by the imaginary line in FIG. 14, an unfolding direction distal end lower portion 94A of the unfolded air bag body 94 and a rear end portion 96A of a door arm rest 96, which protrudes to an inner surface of a door (i.e., the portion of the door which opposes the vehicle compartment), overlap when viewed from the side of the vehicle. As a result, in a case in which the air bag body 94 is pressed by the occupant and the door arm rest 96, local load is applied to the unfolding direction distal end lower portion 94A of the air bag body 94.

Side impact air bag apparatus and door arm rest


A period composed of a total of three periods, namely a period when an actual voltage vector is employed and periods before and after it can be regarded as an isolation period when an actual voltage vector is isolated in a vicinity where switching for commutation in a current-source converter is generated. When the switching in the current-source converter occurs at the isolation period, zero-current switching is realized. When presence of dead time is thus taken into consideration, a width of the timing when the zero-current switching is realized is made to be broader than a case where the presence of the dead time is not taken into consideration by the dead time.

For example, an inverter has three current paths, and outputs a three-phase AC voltage to a three-phase load. Each of the current paths has a pair of switch devices on a high-potential side and a low-potential side of a DC voltage, respectively. Each of the switch devices carries out switching based on a switching pattern decided based on a result of comparing a carrier value with a signal wave value. The three-phase AC voltage is output based on this switching.
An example of a power converting apparatus includes an indirect matrix converter having a current-source converter, a voltage-source inverter, and a DC link for connecting the converter and the inverter. In the indirect matrix converter, the DC voltage is applied to the DC link, but the DC link does not have a smoothing circuit.
The current-source converter generates so-called commutation for switching the current paths through switching, and converts an alternating current into the DC voltage. In order to reduce loss at the time of switching by the current-source converter, so-called zero-current switching for applying no currents to the current-source converter at the time of switching is proposed.
In order to prevent a current from being applied to the current-source converter, the DC link is insulated from the three-phase load in the voltage-source inverter. Particularly in a case where the three-phase load is an electric motor, the three-phase load is short-circuited in order to return a current caused by a counter-electromotive force of the electric motor. Such an operation of the voltage-source inverter is realized by employing a switching pattern based on a voltage vector generally called a zero voltage vector.

Power conversion control device that controls commutation of power converting apparatus based on dead time


A method for double sampling loop negative feedback comprising: obtaining a low-frequency feedback signal from the output of the amplifier; obtaining a high-frequency feedback signal from part of the amplifier of which high-frequency phase shift is low, wherein two-ways sampling signals have the same amplifying phase; combining the two-ways sampling signals together using a series capacitor-inductor double signal combining circuit to form one signal, the signal having low phase shift at both high and low-frequency and being used for negative loop feedback. The invention also provides a double negative feedback amplifier using the method.

Loop negative feedback is an important method for improving performance of a linear amplifier. For a loop negative feedback amplifier, larger loop feedback depth results in less distortion of the amplifier. However, further increase in feedback depth is limited by stability of the amplifier. That is to say, if the frequency of amplified signal is higher, the loop negative feedback depth obtainable will be smaller. More particularly, for a power amplifier, since it is necessary to utilize power elements of bad frequency characteristic, or use more stages of buffer amplifiers to provide sufficient gain and to accommodate the complex change of output load, signal of higher-frequency will achieve smaller negative feedback depth. For example, the negative feedback depth of the audio power amplifier generally is only 10 times (20 db) at a frequency of 20 KHz. Therefore, the capability of the loop negative feedback to lower amplifier distortion is limited.
There is also a need to solve the negative feedback loop stability problem of the amplifier for purpose of increasing the feedback depth of the amplifier. Instability of the loop feedback is due to: a phase shift of negative 180 degree to the closed-loop feedback at a certain frequency, thus satisfying the condition of generating a positive feedback. In addition, the closed-loop gain at the frequency is larger than 1, and oscillations are generated due to satisfaction of self-excited oscillation.
Accordingly, it is necessary to provide a method for double sampling loop negative feedback and double sampling negative feedback amplifier for overcoming disadvantages of the conventional technology.

Method for double sampling loop negative feedback and double sampling negative feedback amplifier


A closure cap and method of making the same wherein an annular or ring-shaped gasket is injection molded onto the inner surface of a cap shell formed of plastic or metal. The annular or ring-shaped gasket includes radially extending tabs integrally formed therewith, one of said tabs being formed at a location wherein the plastic melt is fed to an annular gasket-forming channel in a mold core and another of said tabs being formed at the location wherein plastic melt is discharged from said channel. Preferably, said other tab includes a cold well formation which communicates with the annular gasket through a connecting portion of reduced cross-sectional area with respect to the cross-sectional areas of both the gasket and the cold well formation.

The present invention generally relates to new and useful improvements in closure caps for glass and plastic containers and, more particularly, to a closure cap having an improved injection molded annular gasket and method of making the same. In this regard, an important aspect of the present invention is directed to a closure cap having a one-piece or unitary cap shell formed of a polyolefin such as, for example, polypropylene, in which an annular or ring-shaped gasket characterized by improved uniformity, definition and consistency which is composed of a moldable resin such as, for example, a thermoplastic elastomer, is injection molded onto the inner surface of the closure cap shell via an insert molding procedure.
Closure caps having full disks formed by compression or injection molding the same in a closure shell are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,874 describes a molding tool for forming a full disk liner in a closure shell which includes a central punch or molding member and a shell positioning sleeve disposed externally of the molding member that is received within a cap shell. Liner material deposited within the shell is contacted by the punch and forms a full disk liner with the cap shell. Correspondingly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,031 describes a closure cap and method wherein an injection molded full disk gasket is formed followed by injection molding the closure cap shell around the thus formed gasket. These full disk closure caps while providing generally satisfactory sealing on containers are characterized by higher manufacturing costs associated with using greater amounts of gasket-forming resin and also by the disadvantages of having the entire inside surface of the cap shell fully covered thereby increasing the possible migration of gasket components into product (particularly food products) in the container sealed therewith and also making the inner surface of the cap shell unavailable for displaying labels or other message-conveying indicia.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,443 describes a composite closure cap where an annular gasket providing a top and side seal is injection molded onto a metal disk followed by injection molding a plastic skirt around the disk in surrounding and capturing relation therewith. This composite closure while utilizing an injection molded annular gasket requires the presence of a separate disk which adds to the cost of the closure and to the complexity of manufacturing the same.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Closure cap with injection molded annular gasket and method of making same


Apparatus for separating oil from crankcase ventilation gases of an internal combustion engine having at least two oil separators in the form of cyclones connected in parallel and traversed by the crankcase ventilation gases. The apparatus is equipped with a control valve that divides the volumetric flow of the crankcase ventilation gases into at least two subflows, depending on the magnitude of the volumetric flow, and conducts the subflows to the at least two oil separators. A control piston releases or blocks access of the gases to additional cyclones depending on the dynamic pressure of the crankcase gas.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for switching or controlling cyclone separators. Cyclone separators are used, for example, in the crankcase ventilation of internal combustion engines. They serve to separate the crankcase gas from liquid components, such as oil mist. The crankcase gas is set into rotation inside the cyclone separator. The oil mist or oil droplets are deposited along the wall of the cyclone separator and flow back into an oil pan via a discharge pipe. The deoiled gas is conducted to the intake tract of the internal combustion engine via a pressure control valve and is returned to the intake air.
The amount of crankcase gas depends on the operating state of the engine and may range, for example, from 50 to 220 liters per minute. A cyclone separator has an optimal operating point at a specific gas amount. To reliably deoil the different amounts of gas, a plurality of switchable cyclones must be provided, which are switched on or off depending on the gas amount. Approaches to solve this problem are known, e.g., the use of additional valves to switch the cyclones on or off.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,864 (=DE 199 18 311) discloses a method for deoiling crankcase ventilation gases and an apparatus for carrying out this method. In this device, the volumetric flow of the crankcase gases is divided into at least two partial streams, and at least one partial stream is guided through at least one oil separating element. The size of the partial streams is regulated as a function of the magnitude of the volumetric flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,709 (=DE 102 05 981) discloses a system with switchable cyclones for separating particles or droplets from a fluid stream. At least two cyclones, which have a tangential inlet opening for the fluid stream, are connected in parallel. Each inlet opening for the fluid stream can be opened or closed individually. Controlling the fluid stream is very important for the optimal deoiling of crankcase gases because the optimal efficiency of the cyclones is limited to a very narrow operating range. Control of the volumetric flow must therefore be designed precisely for this optimal operating range. On the other hand, the system should be simple in construction and have little or no tendency to malfunction.

Apparatus for controlling cyclone separators


A grating coupled surface emitting laser has a diffraction grating of a second or higher order for guided-mode light part of a waveguide region, and extract a beam in a direction perpendicular to the waveguide region. By narrowing a stripe of the waveguide region around the center, the phase of the diffraction grating is shifted to attain a Gaussian distribution for radiation-mode light in a cross section along the waveguiding direction.

The present invention relates to a grating coupled surface emitting device for extracting output light by a diffraction grating of the second or higher order in a direction perpendicular to the resonator direction and, more particularly, to a semiconductor laser and a semiconductor optical amplifier.
In recent years, to realize a fiber-optic subscriber system, many studies have been made for the development of low-cost light transmission/reception terminal devices. To realize a low-cost light transmission/reception terminal device, a semiconductor laser serving as a transmission light source must be directly coupled to an optical fiber without using any lens to decrease the number of components. However, since a conventional waveguide semiconductor laser and optical fiber are greatly different in spot size, the coupling efficiency is very low. In a semiconductor laser in which a spot size conversion waveguide is integrated, although a high optical coupling efficiency is obtained, the margin for the alignment precision between the semiconductor laser and the optical fiber is insufficient.
On the other hand, various optical devices for information processing have extensively been developed along with an increase in transmission information amount. Of these optical devices, a surface emitting device receives a great deal of attention because of simple parallel processing. This surface emitting device is also characterized in that optical coupling is easy due to a relatively large beam diameter. Particularly in short wavelength bands, a high-performance surface emitting laser having a sub-mA oscillation threshold.
In long wavelength bands useful in optical communication, no satisfactory surface emitting laser is reported owing to material limitations, such that a high-reflectivity mirror cannot be formed because no material system that has a large refractive index difference is available, and the materials have many non-emission components unique to themselves. For this reason, it is desired to realize a surface emitting laser having excellent features, like an edge emitting laser used in optical communication and optical interconnection.
Although a grating coupled surface emitting laser is also examined, this laser has a problem in which the output radiation-mode light has two peaks in the waveguide direction. To solve this problem, integrating a plurality of phase shift structures in the waveguide is proposed. However, the emission pattern of the radiation-mode light in this case is a rectangular pattern, which is greatly different from a Gaussian distribution as the native mode of a fiber, resulting in a very low coupling efficiency and a small tolerance against axis shift or axial misalignment.
Recently, application of a surface emitting device to parallel optical information processing and a signal connection bus line between CPUs is examined. Connecting multiple surface emitting devices requires a surface emitting semiconductor optical amplifier for preventing attenuation of light serving as a signal. Although many examples of the surface emitting semiconductor laser are reported, few examples of the surface emitting semiconductor optical amplifier are reported at present.
Report examples about the surface emitting semiconductor optical amplifier are few as the surface emitting semiconductor optical amplifier is essentially difficult to realize due to its structure, compared to a waveguide semiconductor optical amplifier. This is because, in the surface emitting semiconductor optical amplifier, an active layer serving as a gain medium which amplifies light must be made sufficiently thick. Since an active layer having a thickness of only about several microns can be stacked on a semiconductor substrate with the current crystal growth technique, a surface emitting optical amplifier capable of obtaining a sufficient amplification factor is very difficult to realize.
In this way, the use of a surface emitting laser as the transmission/reception light source of a light transmission/reception terminal device of a fiber-optic subscriber system has conventionally been examined. In a laser of this type, although the beam diameter can be increased, the oscillation threshold becomes high in long wavelength bands to weaken the optical output. In a grating coupled surface emitting laser, the emission pattern of the radiation-mode light is rectangular, which is greatly different from a Gaussian distribution as the native mode of an optical fiber. For this reason, the coupling efficiency with the optical fiber is very low, and the tolerance against axis shift is small.
In a known traveling wave type surface emitting semiconductor optical amplifier, a sufficient amplification factor cannot be obtained because the active layer is difficult to make thick.


A management user interface can be generated at run time via subtractive extensible context-based filtering. Definitions of user interface elements can include an indication of appropriate contexts for which the user interface elements are to be shown. Context factors can include application state, external state, surface or element definitions, or some combination thereof. The context-based filtering approach allows definition of user interface elements and user interface surfaces so that appearance of additional elements in the appropriate surfaces can be accomplished without programming. For example, a user interface surface definition can specify categories of user interface elements. At run time, those user interface elements of the category can be chosen for display. When new elements relating to the category are added, the new elements appear when the surface is rendered. Other features include heterogeneous type selection and exact number homogeneous type selection.

User interfaces are an integral part of computer software. In fact, the quality of software is often reflected by the quality of its user interface. So, software developers pay careful attention to designing a user interface that arranges elements for easy, logical invocation of the software's functionality. The software is then shipped to the customer for use.
However, despite the great attention paid to developing the best possible user interface, a customer almost inevitably finds that the user interface does not quite fit the customer's needs. For example, although the user interface is easy to use, it may be too permissive in that it allows users to access more functionality than the customer wishes. Such can be the case when a system administrator determines that a feature should not be available to most users or perhaps not available at all.
In other cases, the customer may wish to extend the functionality of the software by adding additional modules or plugins. Such modules or plugins may require additional user interface elements for interaction with the user. However, the customer may not be able to reprogram the user interface or may not wish to become involved in redesigning the user interface to accommodate new features.
Accordingly, some software allows customization of user interfaces by addition of buttons or menu items. However, typical approaches are static in nature and often fall short of customer needs. There still exists a need for improved techniques for managing, designing, creating, generating, and presenting user interfaces for software.

Context-based management user interface supporting extensible subtractive filtering


This document discusses, among other things, a method and system for correlating and combining production and non-production data for analysis for the purposes of increasing manufacturing efficiency and reducing manufacturing downtime due to abnormal conditions. In one example, this method provides for quicker data analysis which may result in less manufacturing product being discarded due to lengthy delays between abnormal conditions and the response to those conditions. In one example, a computer system is used to implement the method with the data captured from production and non-production sources being stored remotely on a server. In one example, a computer system is used to implement the method with the analyzed data being stored remotely on a server and accessed over a network for local examination.

The current rapid progress of design rules and processing technology in semiconductor manufacturing makes yield and characteristics analysis more and more difficult and complicated. Typically production data is stored in one database, and non-production data is stored in another database. Data analysis is performed on the production data, using a variety of points for comparison. This data analysis may show abnormalities in production trends. Non-production data is separately gathered and subjected to separate analysis of conditions and identification of significant trends.
This data analysis is important to the quality of the manufactured material. Variations in production conditions can cause entire lots of product to be discarded, wasting valuable production time and money. Quick data analysis may avoid wholesale scrapping of product. Unfortunately the large magnitude of data that is collected hinders a quick analysis that would be meaningful to production goals.
Further compounding the analysis problem is that factors typically thought to be non-production are not considered in the analysis. Environmental measurements which can greatly affect the quality of manufacturing end-product are just one example of these factors. Even when one is able to qualitatively measure these factors, connecting that meaningfully to other measurements considered to be non-production for the purposes of data analysis requires a user to manually examine the data for commonalities and correlate the data based on those. Further combining that combination with actual production data greatly compounds the amount of data as well as compounding the inability to perform meaningful and timely data analysis.
What is needed is a technique to quickly combine data from production and non-production sources into a combined set of data for quicker analysis.

Method and system for correlating and combining production and non-production data for analysis


In conducting a communication session via an IP-based communication network, where access to the communication network can be obtained via a plurality of bearers (11, 13, 15), a plurality of packet flows associated with a communication application (47) can be routed on respective ones of the bearers simultaneously.

Connectivity to networks that utilize Internet Protocols is widely available, and the opportunities for such connectivity continue to increase, in particular with introduction of more and more wireless access technologies. At any given time, a user of a communication terminal may be able to use several different methods to access an IP-network, for example UMTS, wireless LAN (WLAN), Bluetooth, infrared IrDA or fixed Ethernet.
The number of available access methods may remain constant if the user's communication terminal is stationary, whereas the number of available access methods could change with physical movement of the communication terminal from one location to another.
Access methods such as the examples given above can differ in many aspects, for example, bandwidth, latency, reliability, power consumption, coverage, packet loss and prices for usage. As in shown in FIG. 1A, in IP-communications, two applications use lower layer transport services for communicating, accessed via so called 'sockets'. The requirement on the transport from one application to another can vary considerably, and may depend on e.g. user expectations, size of data to be transported, format of data to be transported, etc.
Given a situation where the provided transport service available via sockets varies a lot, as discussed above, it follows that mapping of application flows onto lower layer services can be important, as well as management of changes in the available transport.
It is therefore desirable to provide for prudent utilization of the transport, in particular access, services available for supporting communication between two IP- end-points.
The present invention provides for a communication terminal to perform IP-based communications using multiple access methods concurrently for respective packet flows of one or more communicating applications, including managing changes in available transport capabilities, e.g. due to mobility. In exemplary embodiments, The invention allows for: simultaneous mapping of information flows in up- and down link, onto one or several tunnels, which may be associated to a link interface or to a bearer on a link interface, considering requirements of flow and capabilities and characteristics of the tunnel; management of link change due to, but not limited to, movement of the terminal, the management mechanism providing support for remapping flow(s) onto another tunnel (interface or transport channel) in up- and down link and provisioning of information about the change to higher layers and/or the user about the change; framework for adaptation of information flows which may be necessary in conjunction with remapping of flows due to link change; analysis of information flows to implicitly determine optimal access utilization and possibly rearrangement of information flow structure, to allow for split over different tunnels; interaction between the user and application(s) generating information flows to be transported and the mechanisms described above, including but not limited to configuration files, policies, and method calls in API's for interaction in real time; interaction with lower layers to detect a need for rearranging the mapping of information flows; and a 3rd party influencing the mapping (placement and movement) of information flows via policies.

Concurrent use of communication paths in a multi-path access link to an IP network


There is provided a sensor for measuring a quantity, such as the salinity, of the soil solution without requiring continuous calibration. The sensor is based on a porous material which automatically fills up and saturates when the soil is rewet and drains when the soil dries out from plant uptake or from air drying, then being filled up with a solution representative of the quantity to be measured in the soil during plant growth.

Plant growth is controlled to a large extent by water availability from the surrounding soil to the plant. Plant available water in the surrounding soil depends on the pore sizes and the surfaces offered by the mineral component of the soil. The two components generate soil matrix suction forces, also called matrix potential.
Because plant root cells have a semi-permeable membrane at their periphery, solutes can accumulate outside of the root and generate a second potential, the osmotic potential, which affects the plant growth. Solute content of the soil, or soil salinity, is linked to the electrical conductivity of the soil. For irrigated lands in which fertilizers are added (fertigation), like greenhouse and nursery production, for soils with high salt content or for irrigated lands using a large amount of fertilizers, salts built up can have detrimental effects on plant growth and therefore, electrical conductivity is regularly monitored. If needed, excess solution is applied to leach excess salts to the environment, therefore creating environmental detrimental effects. Because of the difficulty of measuring the soil solution electrical conductivity, leaching is often carrying out in excess, therefore increasing the risk of groundwater pollution by excess fertilizers or pesticides.
Therefore, numerous efforts have been carried out to measure electrical conductivity in the soil solution to help monitoring irrigation and leaching, and to optimize plant growth. However, the technology proposed so far is based on a Wenner arrangement, i.e. an arrangement of four electrodes, inserted directly into the soil for electrical conductivity measurement. Such a procedure measures the apparent electrical conductivity of the soil solution. The apparent electrical conductivity measurement is also dependent on the soil water content, soil structure and solid phase electrical properties of the soil.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,148 to Enfield discloses a sensor for measuring the electrical conductivity in a soil. The sensor uses a porous glass plate with pores having a diameter in the range of ten to one hundred angstrom units. A plate electrode is placed on one side of the porous glass plate and a grid electrode is placed on the opposite side. The openings of the grid provide the exposure of the porous glass to the soil wherein it is inserted, in order to allow the porous glass plate to draw the water solution of the soil in its pores by capillarity. The electrical conductivity of the porous glass plate is measured using the electrodes. As the salinity of the soil varies, the solution drawn in the pores of the porous glass plate stabilizes to the salinity of the soil by diffusion. Consequently, the time required to reach a steady state condition in the porous glass is about eight hours which is quite long for plant growth applications, since soil may be irrigated few times a day.
Furthermore, water in a soil, or a growing medium, comprises drainage water, plant available water and plant non available water. Plant non available water corresponds to bound water and available water corresponds to water that is contained in the soil and that can be drawn by plants or growing crops. Drainage water is the excess in water that drains out of the growing medium. The salinity to be monitored in plant growth applications corresponds to the salinity of the plant available water, i.e. the growing soil's solution.
In Enfield's sensor, because of the selected pore size, the porous glass does not discriminate between plant available water, plant unavailable water and both available and unavailable water are sampled by the porous medium.

Porous medium electrical conductivity sensor


A built-in antenna mounting structure for portable radio equipment, including a shield chassis formed of molded resin, whose surface except an antenna mounting surface is treated with a conductive material, a printed wiring board mounted on the shield chassis and having a transmitting/receiving circuit, and a built-in antenna formed from a metal plate and mounted on the antenna mounting surface of the shield chassis. The built-in antenna has a platelike antenna element and an elastic short-circuit plate for short-circuiting the antenna element to the shield chassis. The shield chassis is held at an edge portion thereof between the short-circuit plate and the antenna element, thereby mounting the built-in antenna on the shield chassis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a built-in antenna mounting structure and a shielding structure for portable radio equipment such as a portable telephone and a cordless telephone.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, portable radio equipment such as a portable telephone has widely been put to practical use in response to an increase in communications demand. Portable radio equipment usually includes an antenna built in a housing of the equipment, so as to ensure a receiving function in carrying the equipment. The built-in antenna is required to be fit for a reduction in size and weight of the equipment and excellent in assemblability, based on a premise that desired electrical characteristics on resonance frequency, bandwidth, gain, etc. have been obtained.
Further, in response to the requirement of a reduction in size and weight of the portable radio equipment, it is necessary to use a thin-walled case, in which many high-density mounted electronic components are accommodated. Such portable radio equipment uses a high-frequency band ranging from about 800 to 900 MHz, which is called a quasi-microwave band. Accordingly, it is necessary to intensify electromagnetic shield in the case reduced in weight and thereby prevent various troubles due to electromagnetic interference.
As a built-in antenna in a conventional portable telephone, a platelike inverted F-shaped antenna is known. The inverted F-shaped antenna is directly mounted on a printed wiring board to ensure a receiving function during standby. Further, a conventional shielding structure for a portable telephone is provided by soldering a U-shaped spring to a ground pattern on a printed wiring board, forming a metal film by plating, electrostatic coating, aluminum deposition, etc. on the inner surface of a molded resin case having a rib, and engaging the U-shaped spring with the rib to bring the spring into contact with the inner surface of the case.
However, in the conventional built-in antenna mounting structure as mentioned above, the built-in antenna is mounted on the printed wiring board, so that a component mounting region on the printed wiring board cannot be easily ensured, causing a difficulty of size reduction and thickness reduction of the portable radio equipment. Further, in the conventional shielding structure, the U-shaped spring is soldered to the printed wiring board, so that a man-hour for mounting the spring is increased, and this shielding structure cannot support high-density mounting.

Portable radio equipment, and built-in antenna mounting structure and shielding structure for the portable radio equipment


A snapshot usage tracking system and method for a versioned storage is provided. The system includes a memory having computer-readable instructions stored therein and a snapshot repository configured to store a plurality of snapshots of a versioned storage. Each of the plurality of snapshots includes one or more data blocks. The system further includes a processor communicatively coupled to the snapshot repository and configured to maintain a set of snapshot counters corresponding to each of previous snapshots created on or before a current snapshot based upon a size of the data blocks that are modified or deleted in the current snapshot.

Amount of data stored on digital computing systems has substantially increased over the recent years. Certain storage systems implement storage of snapshots to facilitate advanced data protection thereby reducing data recovery time. Such storage systems employ backup of large volumes of data in an efficient way facilitating instant recovery from the stored snapshots. From time-to-time, snapshots of data blocks can be obtained and stored. A storage snapshot is a back-up copy of one or more data blocks that is created at a particular point-in-time.
Further, such storage systems also allow deletion of snapshots when no longer used/required. This in turn reduces the storage costs as space freed up owing to deletion of snapshots could be reused. However, in such storage systems information related to the deleted snapshot is also deleted and the freed-up space is recalculated and reclaimed. Reclaiming storage space can be a time-consuming process and might take long when many snapshots are deleted on a system. Moreover, the size of the storage which is freed up at the time of snapshot deletion may not be readily available for use.
Existing storage systems do not allow for estimation of size of freed up storage without going through space reclaiming process. Presently, estimation of the freed-up storage is performed by scanning the blocks present in the storage system and identifying blocks that are not referenced by live snapshots. However, such estimation is complex and may be time consuming resulting in a slow space reclaiming process.

Snapshot usage tracking system and method


A fitting, especially a roof liner for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle is provided with a flat light source having a plate-shaped light guide which radiates light in the direction of the visible side of the fitting. The front surface of the plate-shaped light guide protrudes at least partially above the flat side of the interior fitting opposite the visible side and actively cooperates with a source of illumination.

The invention relates to a fitting, especially a roof liner for the interior of a motor vehicle, with a flat light source.
It is known from practice to provide roof liners for quality motor vehicles with a flat light source, which illuminates the interior, in the form of electroluminescent films, which, for visual reasons, are covered with a partially transparent decorative material.
Fittings of this type impart an extraordinary sense of value to the interior, but can be manufactured only with a considerably outlay. On account of the decorative covering, these light sources serve typically to improve the ambience, but not the illumination of the interior.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a roof liner of the generic type which can be manufactured in a visually attractive and simple manner and is suitable for the uniform illumination of the interior.


The invention includes systems and methods for controlling devices including surgical instruments using a wireless footswitch. The systems of the invention include a wireless footswitch, a footswitch adapter, and an electric console for powering and controlling surgical instruments. The systems of the invention further include a wireless footswitch for controlling battery powered surgical instruments. The methods of the invention include syncing a wireless footswitch with a controlled device or a wireless footswitch adapter using a lower power wireless mode, then signaling the controlled device or wireless footswitch adapter using a higher power wireless mode. The systems and methods of the invention include using a wireless device or wireless footswitch adapter to monitor transmissions from other wireless devices to prevent syncing with the wireless footswitch adapter using the same channel or network identification as other wireless devices or wireless footswitch adapters.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a wireless foot controller that may be used to control devices including medical devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many applications can benefit from hands-free control, and in particular, many surgical applications can benefit by allowing control of surgical instruments without requiring the instruments' operators to use their hands to control the instruments. There have been several applications in the prior art that use footswitches or foot pedals to control surgical instruments. However, many of these applications use wired connections between the controller and the controlled device. This hardwired arrangement suffers many problems, however, including requiring multiple controllers to control multiple devices, safety hazards from floor to table wiring, and requiring additional effort to maintain a sterile environment.
To address these problems, some applications offer wireless control of devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,428,439 (Reynolds et al.) describes a wireless foot control system using infrared signaling between the transmitter and the receiver in the controlled device. However, infrared signaling can be problematic because it typically requires the transmitter to be within the line of sight of the receiver or at least requires particular arrangements of the transmitter and receiver that may be inconvenient in practice.
Other wireless foot controllers use radiofrequency signaling, which does not require a line of sight arrangement between the transmitter and receiver. However, these applications frequently suffer from interference from other radiofrequency-emitting devices and thus tend to have problems associating (i.e., bonding or syncing) the controller with a controlled device, particularly where a single controller is used to control multiple devices. One attempt to overcome this problem is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0249286 (Ma et al.), which describes a system and method for associating a wireless transmitter to multiple wireless devices. But this application requires first establishing a wired connection to each of the controlled devices in order to associate the device with the controller. This extra step of physically connecting the device to the controller is inconvenient and may compromise the sterility of a controlled surgical instrument. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0140158 (Hamel et al.) describes a wireless foot controller capable of controlling multiple devices using the Bluetooth or IEEE 802.11a, b, g, 802.12 or 802.16 wireless standards. However, this approach also suffers from problems associating the controlled device with the controller, and typically requires bringing each controlled device into close proximity to the controller in order to associate ("sync") the controlled device with the controller. As with the wired association solution, this approach is inconvenient and may compromise the sterility of a controlled surgical instrument.
Thus there exists a need in the art for a wireless foot controller capable of controlling multiple devices, and capable of associating with controlled devices without requiring a physical connection or close physical proximity between the controller and the controlled devices.


A storage control apparatus of the present invention controls the number of multiple commands issued from a host machine without shutting down the host machine. A communication port of the storage control apparatus carries out communications with the hosts in accordance with the iSCSI protocol. Command processing resources are managed for each communication port. A resource allocation control part calculates the number of commands capable of being received on the basis of the remaining amount of command processing resources inside shared port resources, a change in the number of commands received from a host, communication delay time, and the state of execution of a command issued from a host or the like. A MaxCmdSN is calculated by adding the results of command processing by a command execution part and the receivable number calculated by the resource allocation control part to the value of the latest CmdSN received from a host. The storage control apparatus adds the MaxCmdSN to a transmission frame and transmits it to the host.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage control apparatus, and a method for controlling the number of commands executed in the storage control apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A storage control apparatus, for example, is constituted by arranging a large number of disk drives in an array, and provides a storage area based on RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks). A logical volume, which is a logical storage area, is formed in the physical storage area of each disk drive. A host computer (hereinafter, host) can read and write data between desired volumes by issuing a write command or read command to the storage control apparatus.
A storage control apparatus comprises a plurality of communication ports, and each of these communication ports can be connected to either respectively different hosts or to the same host. In addition, a single communication port can also be connected to a plurality of hosts by connecting the storage control apparatus and hosts via a switch.
Each host can issue multiple commands. The issuing of multiple commands means a host consecutively issues a plurality of commands without waiting for a response from a storage control apparatus. The number of commands that a storage control apparatus can process simultaneously depends on the amount of command processing resources that the storage control apparatus possesses. When the number of commands issued by a host exceeds the number of commands capable of being processed by a storage control apparatus, a QueueFull state results. When a storage control apparatus notifies a host to the extent that a QueueFull state exists, the host stops issuing multiple commands, causing performance to deteriorate.
To prevent the occurrence of a QueueFull state, a constitution, which provides a storage control apparatus with more command processing resources, can be considered. However, this approach is not a realistic solution, as it would require that a great deal of memory resources, hardware circuitry and other such command processing resources be provided in large numbers. Accordingly, technology designed to prevent the occurrence of a QueueFull state without adding command processing resources has been proposed (Japan Laid-open Patent No. 2005-322181).
In the prior art disclosed in this literature, a total value for the number of multiple commands (the number of multiple commands capable of being issued) is set in each host, and this total value controls access from each host so as not to exceed the number of commands capable of being processed by a storage control apparatus. In the prior art, this prevents the occurrence of a QueueFull state.
In the prior art disclosed in this literature, a number of multiple commands must be set in each host so that the number of commands does not exceed the processing capabilities of a storage command system. When the set number of multiple commands is to be changed, the host must be stopped before the new number of multiple commands is set, and then the host must be restarted. Therefore, in the prior art, the number of multiple commands setting cannot be changed in a state wherein a host application program continues to run as-is. For this reason, in the prior art disclosed in the above-mentioned literature, a number of multiple commands setting cannot be changed, and a host cannot be added without stopping a host, resulting in low usability.
In response to this, if the number of multiple commands of the host side is not adjusted to the number of commands capable of being processed by a storage control apparatus, the storage control apparatus notifies the hosts of the number of commands capable of being processed. Therefore, the total number of processable commands notified to the respective hosts will be higher than the actual number of commands capable of being processed. As a result, the storage control apparatus will receive commands in excess of the number of commands it is capable of processing, resulting in frequent QueueFull states, and inviting performance degradation.

Storage control apparatus and method for controlling number of commands executed in storage control apparatus


An asymmetric system containing a first conductive polymer modified with a redox active moiety and a second conductive polymer modified with a surfactant is used for the separation of organic compounds from aqueous solutions. The asymmetric system has complementary hydrophobicity tunability in response to electrochemical modulations. For example, both materials are hydrophobic in their respective neutral states, therefore exhibiting affinity toward organic compounds. Application of a mild potential drives the desorption of the organic compounds and regeneration of the materials. The asymmetric system can be used in a cyclic fashion, through repeated electrical discharge or shorting of the two electrodes to program the capture of organics from a feed solution, and application of a potential to stimulate the release of the adsorbed organics.

Chemical separations processes are energy-intensive, and are responsible for 10 to 15% of the world's total energy consumption, with distillation, evaporation, and other conventional technologies accounting for more than 80% of this energy expenditure. Improved separation efficiencies can be achieved through more recent technologies such as reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, and capacitive deionization, which are particularly effective for removing charged ions from water. The separation of neutral organic compounds in processes such as wastewater treatment and pharmaceutical product purification is also of importance. Accordingly, improved systems and methods related to the separation of organic compounds are necessary.

Asymmetric electrochemical systems and methods


A semiconductor device including a circuit substrate, a chip package, and a stiffener ring is provided. The chip package is disposed on and electrically connected to the circuit substrate, the chip package includes a pair of first parallel sides and a pair of second parallel sides shorter than the pair of first parallel sides. The stiffener ring is disposed on the circuit substrate, the stiffener ring includes first stiffener portions extending along a direction substantially parallel with the pair of first parallel sides and second stiffener portions extending along the direction substantially parallel with the pair of second parallel sides. The first stiffener portions are connected to the second stiffener portions, and the second stiffener portions is mechanically weaker than the first stiffener portions. A semiconductor device including stiffener lids is also provided.

In packaging of semiconductor devices, after individual semiconductor dies are manufactured and packaged, the packaged semiconductor die may be mounted on a packaging substrate with other electronic components, such as other semiconductor dies, to form a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device having multiple semiconductor dies mounted thereon are then bonded to a printed circuit board (PCB) through a thermal process. Warpage and stress may occur during the thermal process due to the mismatch in Coefficients of Thermal Expansion (CTEs) between different materials and different package components, such as different material between the packaging substrate and the semiconductor dies. The warpage may lead to shorting between connectors of the package substrate and/or open circuit between the connectors and the PCB. It is desired to reduce the warpage of the semiconductor device when bonding to a PCB.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A combination fuel cell and hydrogen or oxygen pump includes an electrochemical cell comprising an anode inlet for receiving fuel, an anode outlet for exhausting fuel, a cathode inlet for receiving oxidant, a cathode outlet for exhausting oxidant, and first and second electrical connectors. A controller is operable for applying an electrical load to the electrochemical cell for generating electricity, and for applying an electrical potential to the electrochemical cell for purifying hydrogen or purifying oxygen. Methods and infrastructure systems are also disclosed.

Hydrogen is an important zero emission fuel. Recently, development of hydrogen fuel infrastructure systems has become a priority to support the use of hydrogen as a fuel.
An important part of a hydrogen fuel infrastructure system is generation of hydrogen. Two methods are generally used for generating hydrogen. One method includes a reforming process for generating hydrogen, e.g., converting fuel such as natural gas or propane into a hydrogen-rich gas. Another method includes an electrolysis process which uses electrical energy to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.
With either method, the hydrogen is often purified and/or compressed so that it can be stored for usage. Hydrogen pumps, have been used for hydrogen purification and/or compression of hydrogen rich gas.
There is a need for further improvements in hydrogen fuel infrastructure systems.

Combination fuel cell and ion pump, and methods and infrastructure systems employing same


A sintered aluminum-alloy consisting essentially in weight of 0.1-2.0% Mg, 0.1-2.0% Si, 0.2-6.0% Cu and Al and unavoidable impurities in balance is produced by sintering a mixture of a first aluminum-alloy starting powder and at least one second aluminum-alloy starting powder. The first aluminum-alloy powder consists of 0.1-3.0% Cu and Al and unavoidable impurities in balance and the second aluminum-alloy is selected from (1) an aluminum alloy starting powder consisting of 4-20% Mg, 12-30% Si and Al and unavoidable impurities in balance and (2) an aluminum-alloy starting powder consisting of from 0.1-20.0% Mg, 1-20% Si, 30-50% Cu and Al and unavoidable impurities in balance.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an aluminum-alloy starting powder for producing a sintered aluminum-alloy, a sintered aluminum-alloy, and a method for producing the sintered aluminum-alloy.
2. Description of Related Arts
Recently, demands for light aluminum-alloy parts are increasing in the field of office machines and computer-related machinery and equipment, because power consumption must be lessened, noise generation due to vibration must be prevented, and, further, portability of the machines must be improved.
One of the methods for producing the aluminum-alloy parts is the ordinary powder metallurgy method, which comprises pressing and sintering process. The products of the powder metallurgy are greatly advantageous over die castings and wrought products, in the fact that precise parts having near net shape and free of defects can be produced by a simple process.
The compositions of the sintered aluminum-alloy are usually similar to or belong to 2000 series or 6000 series of AA standard, which are heat treatable and hence can exhibit a high strength level (c.f. J. D. Generous and W. C. Montgomery, Chapter 8 "Aluminum P/M Properties and Applications" Powder Metallurgy, Edited by E. Klar, P211-234, and ASTM Designation: B595-84 Standard Specification for SINTERED ALUMINUM ALLOY STRUCTURAL PARTS).
The so-called blended elemental method is well known for producing the aluminum-alloy precision parts by the pressing and sintering process. The starting powder used in the blended elemental method is a mixture of pure Al powder and elemental powder of such alloying elements as Cu, Si, Mg, and the like which form a low-melting point eutectic with Al. However, the elemental powder has a high melting point, and, further, the mean distance between the particles of the elemental powder is great in the green compact. Uniform diffusion of the elements and satisfactory formation of the eutectic occur with difficulty. In addition, the alloying elements may remain unalloyed in the sintered product. The blended elemtntal method therefore results in a sintered aluminum-alloy with a high strength being produced with difficulty.
There is a pre-alloy method for producing aluminum-alloy precision parts by the pressing and sintering process. According to this method, one or more alloying elements is preliminarily added to the Al powder so as to provide the starting powder having the final composition, i.e., the composition of the sintered product. In this method, the alloying element(s) so hardens the starting powder that it is difficult to shape the starting powder by pressing. A green compact therefore has very low density. In addition, since the alloying element(s) lowers the melting point of the starting powder, it therefore becomes difficult to enhance the sintering temperature so as to cause satisfactory diffusion and sintering. Furthermore, since the melting point of all the particles of the starting powder is identical, the liquid phase is not formed in the proper amount but is formed either excessively or very low.
There is a master-alloy method for producing the aluminum-alloy precision parts by the pressing and sintering process (c.f. for example Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-294833). According to this method, one or more alloying elements is added to Al powder to prepare the master-alloy. The master-alloy is mixed with pure Al powder to prepare a starting-mixture powder. The composition of the master-alloy is so adjusted that a multi-system eutectic having a low melting point is easily formed during the sintering.
There are demands for a method for producing a sintered aluminum-alloy having a high strength and elongation.
When sintered parts having a complicated shape are produced by the conventional methods, they exhibit poor mechanical properties, particularly poor elongation. The mixture alloy-powder and pure aluminum-powder is difficult to uniformly density a green compact into a die and to uniformly shape by compressing. The sintered aluminum-alloy has therefore locally low density, which causes reduction in the mechanical strength of the sintered aluminum-alloy.


A data verification method and system is provided. The data verification method includes the steps of transmitting data from a sender to a receiver over a signaling channel, transmitting a first set of bits to the receiver over a voice channel, wherein the first set of bits is generated using the data in the sender, and verifying the data through comparison between the first set of bits and a second set of bits that is generated based on the data in the receiver. The first and the second sets of bits may be a group of bits that are selected from a hash value using a selection mask in the sender and the receiver respectively, wherein the section mask has the same length as the hash value and the hash value is calculated based on the data, and the selection mask may be pre-defined between the sender and the receiver.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a voice packet network that is a communication scheme enabling communication over the Internet, wherein the voice packet network uses an existing packet network for data communication for an Internet phone and is referred to as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). More particularly, the present invention relates to a communication service technology that converts voice data into an Internet protocol data packet to enable communication over a general Internet network. This method enables communication among a plurality of users at the same time using the VoIP, and can also provide a communication service with an excellent expandability and a relatively inexpensive fee in comparison to an existing telephone.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional technology is based on a self-curing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system proposed by Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) and Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT). The system provides a general framework for data verification, but does not provide an actual mechanism for data transmission.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system of data verification that can transmit data over a signaling channel, embed a set of bits into voice data, and transmit the same thereby verifying the data.


A control system for operating the HVAC systems within a building to control the environmental conditions within a building having an onsite component networked to a remote offsite component. The onsite component monitors the conditions within the building and operates the HVAC systems, while the offsite component can be used by the system provider to communicate updates to the onsite component and monitor the effectiveness of the control algorithms used to operate the HVAC systems. The invention includes the method of providing tailored HVAC related controls, reports, notices and diagnostic services to a client under various subscription plans.

Automated HVAC systems maintain environmental conditions within a building by monitoring environmental conditions within a building and adjusting operation of the HVAC systems accordingly. Typically, environmental conditions measured by sensors or thermostats positioned throughout the building are collected at a central controller, which calculates the appropriate operating instructions for the HVAC systems based on stored control algorithms. As HVAC systems are often highly energy intensive to operate, the control algorithms are typically designed to operate the HVAC systems to minimally achieve the desired environmental conditions so as to minimize the amount energy consumed.
The inherent challenge of designing control algorithms for HVAC systems is that each building is unique requiring different operating parameters for the HVAC systems. Constant factors such as building dimensions and internal structures can vary the appropriate operating parameters for the HVAC system. Similarly, variable factors such as the daily weather, changing seasonal conditions and varying throughput of people through the building can change the appropriate operating parameters. As a result, control algorithms that can optimally operate the HVAC systems of a first building may less efficiently operate the HVAC systems of a second building. An optimized control algorithm optimized for a building can become inadequate as the building conditions change over time.
Although the control algorithms can be modified to increase the efficiency of the control system, the implementation process for updating the control algorithms is typically tedious and time consuming. In order to correctly modify the control algorithm, the modifications must be implemented onsite and continually monitored until the system reaches a steady state to determine if the modifications are effective. The large number of factors affecting the operation of the HVAC systems typically requires that the modifications be monitored for an extended period of time to ensure that the modifications address or mitigate as many factors as possible. The onsite modification and extended monitoring is inefficient and can take a substantial amount of time to perform correctly. Moreover, changing conditions in or around the building can render the modifications moot.
As energy costs rise, there is a need for ensuring that the central controller is operating the HVAC system at the maximum possible efficiency. As such, there is substantial need for means of reducing the tedious modification process to maintain the HVAC systems operating at maximizing efficiency


A composite containing an RFID can be mounted on, in, or adjacent a metal object without de-tuning of the antenna of the RFID. The composite includes a first RFID or a EAS device-containing layer, and a foamable material layer held in proximity with the first layer. The foamable material layer expands in size and reduces in density when subjected to external stimuli, such as heat or microwaves. The foamable layer may comprise an intumescent material, and may have RF radiation-absorbing material filler. Pressure sensitive adhesive, when the composite is in a label form, may be used to mount the composite on or adjacent a metal object after printing of the printable surface of the composite, and the foamable material layer is subjected to the external stimuli after printing and either before or after mounting on or adjacent the metal object.

The use radio frequency devices, known as RFIDs has been increasingly widespread since such devices, or their equivalents (such as EAS devices) provide numerous practical advantages in a number of environments. As a result RFID devices have been incorporated in a wide variety of products, including labels and tags, such as shown in co-pending application Ser. Nos. 09/499,347 filed Feb. 8, 2000 and 09/393,291 filed Sep. 10, 1999 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,206,626, 5,497,140, and 5,448,110 (the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein). However there is one environment in which it is difficult to use conventional RFID-containing devices, and that in association with metal objects. For example if no special precautions are taken and an RFID-containing label or tag is affixed to a metal object, the metal is likely to de-tune the RFID antenna. This typically is mitigated by the use of significant amounts of RF absorbing materials, or by spacing the antenna off of the metal. However if layers thick enough to properly space the RFID antenna off of the metal to which the label is affixed are utilized, then the labels are large and bulky. This reduces the efficiency of distribution and also makes printing on the device impractical using conventional printers used for printing documents.
According to the present invention a label, tag, or other composite device, is provided which overcomes the drawbacks discussed above. According to the present invention it is possible to provide a composite, such as a label or tag, that may be affixed to a metal object while substantially avoiding antenna de-tuning, but yet is not bulky or hard to handle, and can be readily imaged, including using conventional printers for imaging documents. This advantageous result is obtained according to the present invention by providing a foamable material layer of the composite (e.g. label or tag) that expands in size and reduces in density when subjected to a foaming-initiating activation. For example the foamable material layer may comprise an intumescent material, so that when heated it will decompose and/or form a gas and/or go through a phase change. Therefore after printing the layer may be subjected to heat, microwaves, or other foaming-initiating activity and then applied to a metal object, or it may be heated or otherwise activated when it is applied (such as by a self-contained pressure sensitive adhesive when in label form) to the metal object.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a composite comprising: A first RFID or EAS device-containing layer. And, a foamable material layer held in proximity with the first layer, the foamable material layer expanding in size and reducing in density when subjected to foaming-initiating activation.
The foamable material layer may include an intumescent material, such as an azide compound which decomposes on heating, and/or a compound which will form a gas on heating, and/or conventional compounds that will phase change upon heating. Microwaves may also activate the foamable material, and other types of materials that foam in response to a condition may be utilized besides microwave-activated or intumescent materials.
The foamable material layer may also include RF radiation-absorbing materials, typically as fillers. A wide variety of such materials are commercially available including those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,202,688 and 5,691,667.
The composite may comprise a wide variety of other layers. For example there may be adhesive layers which operatively connect various other layers to each other. For example there may be a layer of adhesive operatively connecting the first and foamable material layers, either directly engaging both of those layers, or engaging one of the layers and an intermediate layer, or two intermediate layers. The composite also preferably comprises a printable surface layer, such as paper, on the opposite side of the first layer from the foamable material layer, and an adhesive, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive, of conventional construction, can connect the RFID device to the paper layer either directly, or through one or more intermediate layers. Also the device, especially with a printable surface layer, may be in label configuration and comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive layer operatively connected to the foamable material layer on the opposite side thereof from the first layer, either directly connected to the foamable material layer or to one or more intermediate layers. The label may be linerless, or may comprise a conventional liner of silicone coated paper or like material.
Typically indicia is imaged on the printable surface layer, and only after that imaging (e.g. in a conventional printer) is the composite subjected to the foaming-initiating activity. The pressure sensitive adhesive may adhere the composite to or adjacent a metal object, but because of the foamed layer (or multiple layers) and perhaps radiation absorbing material, especially as filler in the foamed layer, the RFID antenna will not de-tune during the operative life of the RFID.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of utilizing an RFID, comprising: (a) Making a composite material having an RFID and at least one foamable material layer activatable by external stimuli. (b) Placing the composite in operative association with a metal object. And, (c) applying external stimuli to effect foaming of the foamable material to space the RFID from the metal object.
In the method (a) may be practiced so that the composite has a printable layer; and the method then further comprises (d) imaging the printable layer (e.g. using a conventional document printer) prior to (c). In the method (c) may be practiced before or after (b). In one embodiment the foamable material is an intumescent material, and (c) is practiced by applying heat, such as by using a hair dryer, soldering gun (that does not actually touch the composite), or a wide variety of other conventional devices. Also (a) may be further practiced by adding RF radiation-absorbing material to the foamable material as filler.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an easy to use, and adaptable, RFID containing composite (such as a label or tag) in association with a metal object without antenna de-tuning during the useful life of the RFID. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.

RFID composite for mounting on or adjacent metal objects


An addressing format, or intelligent Uniform Resource Locator (IURL), is used to direct users amongst content across disparate sources. Information about media content items available across the disparate sources is managed by a server which relates the media content items and the different sources from which a media content item may be accessed in a database. When a user desires to share media content, an iURL referencing the media content is generated for the user to share. When a given user selects the iURL, information about the content sources available to the given user in conjunction with the content referenced by the iURL are processed to determine a configuration of the content sources available to the given user (which often differs from the user having shared the content) to effect playback the media content.

1. Field of Art
The disclosure generally relates to improving user experience when viewing video content items across a variety of sources.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile devices, such as smart phones and tablets, have become prevalent in recent years. Given the advances in mobile computing power and far-reaching wireless Internet access, more and more users utilize their mobile devices for a variety of tasks including viewing media content on their mobile devices, researching media content for consumption, and sharing information about media content with other users out of convenience. The media content shared and viewed amongst the users may be available on a variety of source including internet streaming websites or services, streaming on standalone boxes, home media servers, cable boxes, live television digital recording devices (DVR), and the like. However, some media content items may not be available on a particular platform due to copyright, distribution choices, and delivery method, amongst other reasons. Thus, a user receiving information about a particular media content item from another user must subsequently determine where to access the media content and whether he/she has access to the media content. These requirements of the user prevent the rapid sharing and viewing of media content across sources amongst users.
In a specific example, a user watching American Idol via a given television provider that wishes to suggest the video content to a group of friends on a social network may indicate to the group of friends that they should browse to American Idol, to FOX, or a particular channel on their television. In the first case, a user wishing to view the video content corresponding to the recommendation must determine which channel American Idol is on, i.e., FOX, or another network carrying the programming in another region. Similarly, in the second case, a user must determine which channel corresponds to FOX. In the latter case, the channel for FOX may differ among the group of friends according to television provider or geographical location. In any instance, it's likely that several users in the group of friends may have some difficulty in conveniently finding and then viewing the suggested content. Extending this example to sharing content worldwide causes further issues through scheduling issues across time zones and countries, differing channels providing the content (e.g., FOX in the U.S. vs SKY in the U.K.), and language barriers.

Intelligent URL system for recommending video programs


A differential amplifier circuit comprises: an amplifying section including first and second current branches and an output stage which comprises a current sinking element and a control element. The circuit also includes a current limiting section which comprises a current detecting element connected to detect the current through the current sinking element and arranged to drive the current limiting element when the detected current exceeds a predetermined threshold to inject current at the collector of the transistor in the first current branch.

This invention relates to a differential amplifier circuit.
If a differential voltage is applied on the input of a transconductance amplifier, the amplifier sinks current from an output pin of the circuit, through a current sinking transistor to ground. The output voltage (an amplified version of the differential input) is developed across a load resistor connected to the output pin. When the transconductance amplifier is implemented on a chip, in order not to damage the chip it is advisable to limit the sinking current to a predetermined value.
According to the present invention there is provided a differential amplifier circuit comprising: an amplifying section for generating at an output node an amplified output dependent on a differential input voltage, said amplifying section including first and second current branches, each including a respective transistor, said transistors having their bases connected together and parallel collector paths an output stage comprising a current sinking element having a control node, and a controllable path connected to the output node, and a control element having a control node connected to the collector path of the second current branch and a controllable path connected to the control node of the current sinking element; and a current limiting section comprising a current detecting element connected to detect the current through the current sinking element and arranged to drive a current limiting element when the detected current exceeds a predetermined threshold to inject current at the collector of the transistor in the first current branch.
The current limiting section serves to limit the current sunk through the current sinking element by current feedback into its control node. In the described embodiment, the current sinking element, the control element, the current detecting element and the current limiting element are all implemented as bipolar transistors.
For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings.


An object of the present invention is to provide an inorganic oxide powder suitable for forming an inorganic oxide porous membrane, which is superior in lithium ion conductivity and has insulation performance, on at least one surface of a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator which constitute a lithium ion secondary battery. The present invention relates to an inorganic oxide powder for use in forming an inorganic oxide porous membrane having insulation performance on at least one surface of a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator which constitute a lithium ion secondary battery, wherein the powder has 1) an oxide purity of 90% by weight or higher; 2) an average particle diameter of 1 μm or less; and 3) an average three-dimensional particle unevenness of 3.0 or higher.

Since a lithium ion secondary battery has a high energy density, the battery is used in compact devices for consumers such as mobile phones and personal computers, and recently, its application in not only these compact devices but also in automobiles has been accelerated.
A lithium ion secondary battery generally has a positive electrode and a negative electrode, and additionally it is conventional to place a separator for the purpose of electrical insulation between these electrodes. As a separator for a lithium ion secondary battery, for example, a microporous sheet made of a polyolefin-based resin is used.
The separator made of the microporous sheet plays a role in maintaining safety of a lithium ion secondary battery, when a short circuit takes place inside the battery, by closing a pore of the separator due to a shutdown function of the separator so as to prevent a lithium ion movement at the short circuit part and accordingly eliminating a battery function of the short circuit part. However, when a battery temperature is, for example, over 150° C. due to momentarily generated heat, the separator may drastically contract and the short circuit part between a positive electrode and a negative electrode may expand. In this case, a battery temperature may reach an abnormally overheated state of several hundred degrees centigrade or higher, and therefore, there is a problem in safety.
Thus, as a means to solve the aforementioned problem, a technique is suggested in Patent Literature 1, where an inorganic oxide porous membrane which contains an inorganic oxide filler having insulation performance is formed on a surface of a positive electrode, a negative electrode or a separator constituting a lithium ion secondary battery.
In addition, Patent Literature 2 discloses a lithium ion secondary battery which has a porous membrane having a thickness of from 0.5 to 20 μm obtained by using highly heat resistant α-alumina particles having an average particle diameter of from 0.1 to 5 μm as an inorganic oxide filler for use in such an inorganic oxide porous membrane.

Inorganic oxide powder, inorganic oxide-containing slurry, lithium ion secondary battery using said slurry, and production method therefor


A 3D printer successively fuses sheet material in a stack to form a three-dimensional object. The sheet material may provide a mesh separating islands of material that will be fused to produce the desired three-dimensional object. The mesh provides support for the island material during the fusing process and may be removed afterwards.

The present invention relates to three-dimension printers and in particular to a printer that fuses perforated sheets into a three-dimensional object.
Three-dimension printers implementing additive machining may create printed objects by selectively depositing a thin layer of material in a printed pattern onto a print bed and applying additional layers of material on the previously printed layers in a layer-by-layer fashion until the full object is formed.
A variety of different 3D printing technologies exist. Photo polymerization techniques use lasers to polymerize a thin surface of liquid above the print bed, the latter of which is gradually drawn beneath the liquid surface as the object is built up with succeeding polymerizations. Extrusion techniques use a similar approach but extrude material such as molten plastic from a nozzle in successive layers on the print bed.
Metal objects, particularly those with high surface finish and accuracy, are often constructed by 3D printers using powder bed techniques. In this technique, the print bed is coated with a thin layer of metal powder that is fused together with an electron beam or laser. The build surface is then moved downward, and a new layer of powder spread over the previous layer and this process repeated.
The metal powers used for powder bed printing are expensive, in part because of a requirement of high particle uniformity and small size, for example, being up to 10 times the cost of comparable weight of solid metal stock.
The use of powder also requires careful tuning of the scanning beam to prevent spatter that can occur when metal flies out of the pool of melting powder, porosity caused by gaps if the powder fuses unevenly, or combustion promoted by the high surface area of the heated powder material. These effects operate to limit the speed of the printing process and reduce the consistency of the printed part.

Three-dimensional printer laminating fusible sheets


A system may include biasing of diodes of a temperature sensor disposed in an integrated circuit die using a current from an off-die current source, generation of a voltage based on the current and a temperature of the integrated circuit die, and determination of a first temperature based on the voltage. Such a system may further include amplification of the voltage using an oscillator and a chopper stabilizer, determination of a first amplified voltage associated with a first state of the oscillator and a second amplified voltage associated with a second state of the oscillator, and determination of a third voltage based on the first amplified voltage and the second amplified voltage, wherein determination of the first temperature based on the voltage comprises determination of the first temperature based on the third voltage.

An integrated circuit (IC) die includes a semiconductor substrate and various electronic devices integrated therewith. It is often desirable to determine the temperature of these electronic devices during operation of the IC die. Conventional systems may determine the temperature using a temperature sensor integrated within the IC die.
An integrated temperature sensor may be calibrated to account for process and other variations. In a typical calibration procedure, the entire IC die is subjected to a known ambient temperature in an attempt to "soak" the temperature into the die. An output of the temperature sensor is then obtained, and a calibration factor is determined based on a difference between the ambient temperature and the output of the temperature sensor. Such calibration may result in inaccurate temperature measurements due to several factors, including a difference between the ambient temperature and the actual temperature of the die during calibration.

System to calibrate on-die temperature sensor


A system and method directed to the partial or full automation of recipe processing by an appliance is described. A recipe may include one or more of at least a portion of operating code, one or more appliance operation(s) or one or more action(s) to initiate operation of the appliance. A computing device may include a recipe processing application that generates a display on a user interface. The display may include one or more indications of the partial or full automation of appliance operations for processing recipe ingredients. The appliance is a blender in one example, and the appliance operations are for processing the recipe ingredients by the blender.

One common method of preparing foodstuffs is to utilize recipes. Each recipe may include a list of ingredients and actions for executing the recipe. The actions may be based on the recipe ingredients and instructions for processing the ingredients. For example, after adding the ingredients to a container in which they will be processed, the instructions may further detail the processing, such as mixing, blending, frying, sautéing, baking, or similar. The processing may include one or more appliances. Generally, a person preparing the foodstuff (or executing a recipe, hereinafter referred to as a user), measures and adds one or more ingredients to a mixing container and, where applicable, identifies an appliance that may be used to process the ingredients. The selection and operation of the appliance may impact the quality of the foodstuff. For example, in the case of a recipe for a blended beverage (such as a protein shake or a frozen coffee beverage), the selection and operation of a blender with which to process the blended beverage may impact the quality of the beverage.
In addition, the selection of containers and the selection and operation of appliances associated with recipes impact the quality of foodstuffs. In particular, a container in which ingredients are combined and/or an appliance employed to thereafter process the ingredients may have characteristics that impact the processing. For example, for recipes including a processing step in which a blender is used, there may be individual blender containers (or cups) that include specifications relevant to the quantity of the recipe (such as the recipe volume). In one example, a personal-inverted blender container may have a maximum volume capacity. It also may have a size or shape of a blade with specifications that are ideal for certain types of ingredients (such as liquid versus solid, or different densities of liquids). Other larger containers, such as containers with a built-in blade, may have a broader range of processing capabilities but may be suboptimal for some recipes or volumes of recipes. These container specifications may support recommendations associated with recipes for processing, such as blending. As a result, there is a need to improve the optimal selection of containers for recipes as a basis to optimize the processing operations performed on the recipe ingredients.
Similarly, appliance selection and operation may have competing characteristics from the standpoint of foodstuff preparation. On the one hand, a basic blender with simple data entry for operation, such as start and stop buttons, and several blender push-button modes (such as, for example, stir, chop, mix, puree, liquefy, pulse mode, crushed ice, or similar) may offer limited button operations. However, they may be inadequate on a more sophisticated operational level as may be needed in a commercial setting in order to rapidly and repeatedly prepare foodstuffs with varying serving sizes and pre-advertised features (such as density, thickness or consistency of ingredient integration, or similar). On the other hand, more sophisticated blenders with a variety of options for operations, multiple steps and/or multiple phases of operation (such as, for example, pulsing with or without push-button modes, or altering blender speeds and time periods per phase) may produce a more precise and sophisticated variety of beverages in a commercial setting, yet be more difficult for the user to execute. As a result, there is a need to improve the optimal selection and operation of appliances for foodstuffs.
In addition, generally, the execution of recipes in a commercial setting adds complexity to preparing foodstuffs. There may be a variety of recipes, with each recipe being prepared in multiple serving sizes. The recipe instructions, as well as the selection and operation of containers and appliances, also may differ as a function of the selected serving size. A user may prepare a recipe repeatedly with different serving sizes. A user similarly may prepare multiple unique recipes, with each recipe once again being executed with different serving sizes. A commercial setting may have advertised or expected characteristics of the recipes as processed, for example, a given density, consistency, thickness or ingredient integration for a blended beverage or individual ingredients, such as crushed ice, or similar. These characteristics demonstrate a need to improve in the operation of appliances for the repetitious preparation of recipes with different serving sizes, particularly in a commercial setting.
While implementations are described herein by way of example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the implementations are not limited to the examples or drawings described. The drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit implementations to the particular form disclosed but, on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims.
When appropriate, like reference materials and characters are used to designate identical, corresponding, or similar components in different figures. The figures associated with this disclosure typically are not drawn with dimensional accuracy to scale, i.e., such drawings have been drafted with a focus on clarity of viewing and understanding rather than dimensional accuracy.
The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words "include," "including," and "includes" mean including, but not limited to. In addition, the use of directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "above," "underneath" or similar, are intended to describe the positions and/or orientations of various components of the invention relative to one another as shown in the various figures and are not intended to impose limitations on any position and/or orientation of any embodiment of the invention relative to any reference point external to the reference.

System and method for providing appliance operations associated with a recipe