An integrated circuit for providing multiple configuration modes in a multi-funtion intelligent bridge that includes an integrated processor. A first circuit, coupled to a first external bus, for selectively generating retry cycles onto the first external bus in response to a retry signal is provided. A second circuit, coupled to a local processor, for selectively resetting a local processor that is integrated in the intelligent bridge in response to a reset signal is provided. The first and second circuit, in conjunction with the retry signal and the reset signal, selectively provides one of a multiple number of configuration reset modes for the multi-function intelligent bridge.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computer systems, and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for providing multiple configuration modes to an intelligent PCI to PCI bridge.
(2) Prior Art
When a computer system is reset, a host processor of the computer system begins an initialization process. This initialization process includes initializing the values of registers to a predetermined value and also initializing the state machines to a known state. Once a host processor completes its initialization sequence, the host processor proceeds to configure the various other devices connected in the computer system.
For example, in a computer system employing a bus having a protocol, as defined by PCI Bus Protocol, the host processor configures each PCI compliant device by reading and writing the configuration registers in that device. First, the host processor reads the configuration space of each PCI compliant device to gather information concerning the device. The host then proceeds to assign the device a device number, a bus number, a portion of PCI address space, and interrupt lines.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art PCI compliant Intelligent Computer Add-in Card 3. This Computer Card 3 is coupled to a PCI bus slot 5 that is disposed on a backplane or a motherboard. This Computer Card 3 includes a PCI to Processor Bus Bridge that interfaces a PCI bus 9 to a Local Processor bus 11. The PCI to Local Processor Bus Bridge 7 may be implemented by the PLX 9060 chip or the V39XPCI chip. A processor 13 is coupled to the Local Processor Bus 11. This processor 13 is referred to as a "local processor" to distinguish it from the main system processor or "host processor." The Local Processor Bus 11 is also coupled to Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAMs) and a Read Only Memory (ROM) 17 via a Memory Controller 21. The Memory Controller 21 controls accesses to the RAM 15 and the ROM 17. The Local Processor Bus 11 is also coupled to one or more input/output (I/O) devices 23 that are compliant to the protocol of the Local Processor Bus 11.
Upon system reset, the Computer Card 3 receives a P_RST# signal 25 from the host processor 27. The PCI to Local Processor Bus Bridge 7 translates the P_RST# signal 25 into a RST# signal to reset the local processor 13.
A requirement of the PCI bus protocol is that each PCI bus compliant device have a configuration space. This configuration space must include a predetermined header containing predetermined fields of information (i.e., registers that include specific information, such as, device type, vendor ID) so that the host processor, when configuring the computer system, can easily identify the PCI device and also identify its memory requirements and its processing needs.
To fulfill this requirement, the prior art includes a serial EEPROM 31 that contains the configuration information required by the PCI bus protocol. Upon receipt of the P_RST# signal 25, the configuration information stored in a serial EEPROM 31 is sent to a plurality of Configuration Registers 33 that are implemented as part of the PCI to Local Processor Bus Bridge 7.
Upon receiving the RST# signal 29, the local processor 13 begins to execute initialization software that initializes the internal registers of the local processor 13, the Memory Controller 21, Local Processor Bridge 7, and other devices in the Computer Card 3. The P-RST# signal 25 also initializes the state machines in the Computer Card 3 into a known state.
Since there are two concurrent initialization sequences occurring upon reset (i.e., the initialization for the host processor and the initialization for the local processor), a synchronization issue arises. For example, if the host processor completes its initialization sequence and begins a PCI configuration cycle before the serial EEPROM 31 downloads the pertinent information into the Configuration Registers 33 in the PCI to Local Processor Bus Bridge 7, Computer Card 3 would not be recognized by the host processor. In fact, in the prior art, there is no mechanism to guarantee that the Configuration Registers 33 are written with the appropriate information before a host processor attempts to configure the Computer Card 3. Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus to guarantee that the PCI configuration space, as implemented with the Configuration Registers 33, are loaded with the appropriate information before a host processor reads these Configuration Registers 33.
Another disadvantage of the prior art is that additional board space and increased system costs for providing a serial EEPROM component 31 are incurred. This additional overhead is compounded when a computer system is configured with the components of the Computer Card 3, disposed on the baseboard or motherboard. Accordingly, a method and apparatus for guaranteeing synchronization of a reset sequence without a serial EEPROM component 31 is desirable.
Another disadvantage of the prior art is the uncertainty of synchronizing a reset sequence by streamlining the initialization software executed by the local processor 13. In other words, the prior art approach merely optimizes the initialization code that is executed by the Local Processor 13 so as to increase the probability that the local processor initialization completes before the host processor reads the configuration space of the computer card 3. As noted previously, this current approach to the synchronization problem is not a guarantee that the local processor 13 will complete its own initialization before a Host Processor 27 completes its initialization sequence. Thus, this prior art method is unpredictable and dependent on the time that the host processor requires for its initialization sequence before reading the PCI configuration registers of the Computer Card 3.
In summary, streamlining the initialization software that executes on local processor 13, so that the local processor 13 can initialize the PCI Configuration Space 33 prior to a Host Processor 27 reading the Configuration Registers, is inadequate and unpredictable since this solution is dependent on the time required by the host processor to finish its initialization sequence. Additionally, the solution of providing a serial EEPROM 31 to download information into the PCI configuration space 33 of the PCI to Local Processor Bus Bridge 7 is also inadequate and non-optimal in that the solution is still unpredictable and dependent on the initialization sequence time required by the host processor to complete initialization. This approach also incurs additional system costs and also board space.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for providing multi-configuration modes to an intelligent multi-function bridge.

Method and apparatus for providing multiple configuration reset modes for an intelligent bridge


A method and system for controlling the injection of fuel across a plurality of fuel injectors coupled together along a fuel rail in an internal combustion engine is provided. The method and system involve producing a reference fuel delivery control signal for each of the fuel injectors as a function of the desired fuel mass to be injected and subsequently adjusting the pulse width of each fuel delivery control signal as a function of the fuel temperature proximate each of the respective fuel injectors. The temperature of the fuel proximate each of the respective fuel injectors along the fuel rail is ascertained by measuring the temperature of the fuel near the inlet of the fuel rail using a temperature sensor and subsequently determining the temperature of the fuel proximate each of the fuel injectors based on the measured fuel temperature measured and the location of said fuel injector along said fuel rail.

It is well known that the emissions performance of a diesel engine is largely determined by the pressure available to inject fuel into the engine cylinder. As engine emission standards become more stringent, extremely high fuel delivery pressures are required to satisfy the present and future emission regulations. For an engine having a fuel rail to supply the fuel to the injectors, the fuel is typically heated as it passes through the fuel rail which often extends through the cylinder head. Thus, the fuel injector closest to the inlet of the fuel rail typically gets the coolest fuel while the injector located at the distal end of the fuel rail receives fuel at a somewhat elevated temperature.
A prevailing design of fuel injection systems within the industry is to maintain the fuel injection duration, or pulse width of the fuel delivery signal, to be the same for all of the injectors across the fuel rail. However, because of the variation in fuel temperature at each injector, each of the fuel injectors along the fuel rail are subject to differing injection pressures. In other words, since the coolest fuel has a higher density and higher viscosity than the hottest fuel, the injector receiving the coolest fuel requires a higher injection pressure to inject a requisite fuel mass. Conversely, the hottest fuel has a lower density and viscosity, and thus, typically requires a slightly lower injection pressure to inject the predetermined mass of fuel.
Some of the related art devices have attempted to modify the pulse width of the fuel injector based on the desired fuel mass, the measured fuel density, the measured fuel viscosity, or any combination thereof. While it is well established that fuel density and viscosity are more or less related to fuel temperature, the related art devices merely adjust the pulse width for all injectors along a fuel rail by the same amount and do not compensate for the fuel temperature variations at each injector.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,977 (Smith et al.) discloses a method for compensating fuel injector pulse width within an internal combustion engine based on the variations in injection pressure and temperature. Specifically, the fuel injector pulse width for all injectors is calculated as a function of desired fuel mass, injector pressure, in addition to the fuel temperature upstream of the fuel rail.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,177 (Kawai et al.) discloses a temperature compensated fuel injection system that uniformly regulates the fuel supplied to the injectors based on the temperature of the coolant water or fuel. The fuel regulation is preferably accomplished by adjusting the pressure of the fuel supplied to the engine. Alternatively, Kawai et al. teaches that the injection time or pulse width can be adjusted. This pulse width adjustment is uniformly applied to all injectors and is apparently based on air intake quantity (i.e. intake pressures), engine speed, a feedback correction value, water temperature, air temperature, and fuel enrichment factors wherein the fuel enrichment factors are linearly related to fuel temperature.
Other related art devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,054 (Povinger et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,097 (Hartford et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,978 (Lewis et al.) all which disclose a fuel injector system that uniformly adjusts the pulse width of the fuel signal based on a variety of different inputs including a measured fuel temperature.
Disadvantageously, these related art devices do not compensate for the difference in fuel temperature in each of the injectors across the fuel rail. Rather, in the related art fuel injector systems that include a plurality of fuel injectors coupled along the fuel rail, the related art devices maintain a constant pulse width across those fuel injectors. The actual pulse width used in all injectors is based on a variety of different parameters or combinations thereof including desired fuel mass, injector response time, engine exhaust composition, measured pressure difference, average fuel density, or average fuel viscosity.

Method and system for controlling fuel injector pulse width based on fuel temperature


The present invention is relative with an authentication apparatus for performing security processing, based on PKI, responsive to the results of processing for authentication for the input information for authentication. The apparatus includes an inputting unit (12) for entering the information for authentication, an authenticating unit (21) for authenticating the information for authentication, entered by the inputting unit, a PKI processing unit (23) for generating a secret key and a public key based on the PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) system to perform preset security processing with the secret key generated, a storage unit (24), having a write only area in which the secret key generated by the PKI processing unit (23) is written and which cannot be read out from outside, and a secret key transmitting unit (25) for directly accessing the write only area of the storage unit (24) responsive to authentication of the information for authentication by the authentication unit (21), for transmitting the secret key written in it to the PKI processing unit (23).

There has so far been proposed a readily portable hardware token used for identifying a user based on PKI (Public Key Infrastructure), such as IC card or USB token. The PKI is a generic appellation of an infrastructure pertinent to the network security technique. Among the specified PKI techniques is a technique for carrying out data transmission/reception with an external apparatus as secrecy is accorded to data by a non-symmetrical encryption system employing a public key and a secret key.
It is assumed, for example, that data is transmitted/received in accordance with a non-symmetrical encryption system. The data transmitting side encrypts data with a public key to transmit data. The data receiving side, which has received the data, encrypted with the public key, is able to decrypt the encrypted data with a cipher key matched to the public key.
The public key is literally open at large such that anyone can acquire it. However, the secret key needs to be kept in safety so that it will not be stolen by a third party.
Hence, the aforementioned hardware token is usually formed by a mask ROM, so that the secret key cannot be read out on accessing from the personal computer PC.
Since the secret key needs to be kept in safety, an apparatus for data transmission/reception employing the PKI system is desirably provided with an authentication mechanism for verifying whether or not a user is an authorized user, based on a password or the information on the living body, as entered to the apparatus.
With the above-described hardware token, formed by a mask ROM, it is difficult to add an authentication mechanism because of many constraints imposed on the program structure.

Authentication processing device and security processing method


A new and distinct Torenia plant named ‘Dancatpur’ characterized bydelicate, funnel form flowers consisting of four petals in which the top petal is pale violet-blue, RHS 91C, and the lower and side petals are deep violet-blue, RHS 89A, with a yellow-green blotch in the center of the lower petal, RHS 154A; its bushy and cascading growth habit, its dense branching which gracefully cascades from hanging baskets; its early flowering response and year round blooming in a moderate climate; its suitability as an annual for hanging pots outdoors under partial shade; and its optimal growth at the moderate temperature range of 15-25° C.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Torenia plant, botanically known as Torenia sp. of the Scrophulariaceae family, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'Dancatpur'.
The new cultivar originated from a cross made in a controlled breeding program in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The female parent is the Torenia cultivar 'Dantopkmn' (patented, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,512). The male parent is an unnamed, unpatented bush type Torenia cultivar. 'Dancatpur' was discovered and selected by the inventor, Gabriel Danziger, as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by soft tip cuttings was first performed in May, 2002 in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.


An extruded panel unit for constructional purposes having two sheet-like major surfaces interconnected and spaced apart by an internal honeycomb structure which divides the space between the major surfaces into a plurality of subspaces. The extruded panel unit may also have joining flanges to allow for connection to other extruded panel units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to extruded, modular panels for use in the construction of walls, ceilings, and the like in buildings, which panels may be either opaque or light-transmitting.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plastic insulative panels are known in the art, and commonly consist of two spaced-apart extruded sheets of a plastic material constituting major surfaces of the panels, integrally connected by ribs perpendicularly or obliquely oriented with respect to the sheets, producing a plurality of air spaces having a rectangular cross-section. Similarly constructed panels also include an intermediate sheet, thus forming two enclosed spaces between the major surfaces.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,300, there is also disclosed a further type of panel, wherein the ribs zigzag between the two major surfaces and are attached to them via short auxiliary ribs, which extend from the inflection points of the zigzagging main ribs to the respectively nearest one of the major surfaces. The purpose of this arrangement is to reduce to a minimum the mass of material at the point of attachment of the ribs to the major surfaces. At the same time, these auxiliary ribs being relatively short, the structural reinforcement effect of the main ribs remains substantially unimpaired.
All of the above-described prior art panels having generally only two, or at most three, enclosed spaces, are formed with the major surface, which is adapted to face the outside, having a thickness greater than the thickness of the other major surface, for the purpose of withstanding buckling. Furthermore, in order to enhance the strength of such panels to withstand pressures, such as wind pressures applied thereupon, the areas bracketing both sides of the connection between a rib and the major surface adapted to face the outside of the structure, have a substantially thicker cross-section, projecting towards the interior of the panel. This forms arch-like spaces adjacent to the outwardly facing major surface, thereby increasing the overall cost of the extrusion head and the cost of the panel due to the added reinforcing material used, not to mention the added material and weight.
Prior art panels are also formed such that an internal support structure is formed in a manner that all of the support walls are normal to the two major surfaces to form chambers normal to the major surfaces. The internal support structure is formed separate from the two major surfaces. After forming, the internal support structure is fixed by gluing between the two major surfaces, which are separately formed.

Extruded panel unit for constructional purposes


An apparatus and associated method for clamping an article to a rotatable motor hub. A clamp has a web portion and a plurality of protuberant members extending away from the web portion. Distal ends of the protuberant members are radially disposable within a concentric ring to a clamp axis of rotation, the ring being sized for an interference fit with an outer diameter of the motor hub. The clamp is placed upon the motor so that the protuberant members contactingly engage the motor hub. Advancing a fastener moves the clamp axially to compressingly engage against the article, and resultingly moves the clamp radially to clearingly disengage the protuberant members from the motor hub.

One type of moving storage data storage device is the disc drive, which has a data storage medium that is fixed in rotation with a motor. The storage medium is thus moved in a data transferring relationship with respect to a transducer. Because of demands for ever-faster access requirements, the speed at which the motor presents a desired sector of the disc to the transducer has evolved to extremely high speeds in relation to what was typical just a few years ago. Also because of demands for ever-greater storage capacity by disc drives of ever-smaller size, the density with which the data is stored to the storage medium has likewise increased exponentially. This increased storage density has made the disc drive designer pay more attention to the source of perturbations that interfere with the desired physical spacing between the storage medium and the transducer during the data transfer activities.
A compressive disc clamp has become a popular solution for fixing the storage medium in rotation with the motor. Generally, this type of clamp has one or more passages for fasteners to pass through and engage the motor. Advancing the fasteners compressingly engages the clamp against the storage medium.
It is very important that the clamp be aligned in rotation with the motor. Otherwise, a non-aligned condition creates unbalanced rotating mass, creating forces that can result in repeatable runout of the storage medium. This can cause fatal data transfer errors between the transducer and the storage medium.
Previous solutions that aligned a surface of a centrally-disposed opening in the clamp with an alignment feature of the motor are no longer feasible as the disc drive size is reduced. The centrally-disposed opening in the clamp is typically already present, as it is used for the fastener. However, it has been observed that as the inner diameter alignment surface is reduced, the error is magnified; that is, slight deflections that were negligible in the past now create out of tolerance conditions. Also, alignment features in the hub near the axis of rotation requires reducing wall thicknesses of the motor hub wall in ways that have been observed to diminish structural integrity beyond what is reliable.
What is needed is a way to align the clamp in relation to an outermost surface of the motor hub, thereby as far away as possible from the axis of rotation. What is also needed is a way of making the clamp self-aligning to the motor as the fastener(s) attach the clamp to the motor. It is to these improvements that the embodiments of the present invention are directed.


Systems and methods for fabricating 3D soft microstructures. The system comprises injecting a pressurized, curable liquid into certain structural layers induces folding and allows the 2D structures to reconfigure into a 3D form In addition to the injection of a curable liquid that permanently reconfigures the structure of the system, in an embodiment this method also allows for the injection of other liquids into certain actuator layers that enable motion in certain portions of the system Furthermore, the system allows for handling of colored fluids that are passed to visualization layers. The method of creating such a system depends on taking advantage of laser machining of the individual layers to influence the behavior of how different portions bend and move.

Molding is one of the most common techniques for manufacturing soft centimeter-scale devices. However, at smaller scales, the structural complexity that can be obtained is limited by the manufacturability of the mold, thus restricting the design mostly to single degree-of-freedom (DoF) continuum bending structures. 3D printing allows nearly arbitrary geometries, yet the paucity of compatible soft materials and limited resolution engenders mostly static devices below the mesoscale. 4D printing has been proposed to develop dynamically evolving structures exploiting time-dependent shape-shifting of 3D printed, stimuli-responsive materials. Planar manufacturing processes have also been used for fabricating soft devices across different scales, from meter sized soft robots, to millimeter scale soft microdevices. Among planar processes, soft lithography enables dense packing of extremely fine features, leading to devices capable of (fluidic) computation, as widely demonstrated in the field of microfluidics. However, with no means of altering the overall profile or shape, joints are undefinable and large motions are unattainable, relegating most soft lithographic devices to a purely two-dimensional existence. A number of manufacturing methods for developing innovative soft microdevices have also been proposed, such as hydrogel-based micropatterning, electrically assisted ionoprinting, and synthesis of materials responsive to light, temperature and magnetic fields for drug delivery systems.
Previous work has demonstrated the possibility of combining laser cutting and soft lithographic techniques to release simple soft microactuators from an elastomeric matrix, while templateless prototyping of polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic structures exploiting laser machining have also been proposed.

President and Fellows of Harvard College


A system and method of allocating communication resources to a wireless device in a wireless communication network are provided. A first subframe configuration can be assigned to a first carrier of a frequency band of an access node. A second subframe configuration different from the first subframe configuration can be assigned to a second carrier of the frequency band. The access node can receive a resource request associated with an application running on the wireless device. An application requirement of the application running on the wireless device can be determined. The wireless device can be instructed to establish communication with the access node over one of the first carrier and the second carrier during a communication session based on the determined application requirement.

Wireless communication can be used as a means of accessing a communication network. Wireless communication has certain advantages over wired communications for accessing a network. For example, implementing a wireless interface can eliminate a need for a wired infrastructure thereby reducing the cost of building and maintaining network infrastructure. In addition, a wireless network can support added mobility by allowing a wireless device to access the network from various locations or addresses. A wireless interface can comprise at least one transceiver in active communication with another transceiver that is connected to the network.
Various types of channel access schemes can be used to communicate data over the wireless interface. For example, one type of channel access scheme uses frequency division. Frequency division can provide different frequency bands to different data streams. For example, on one frequency band, all time slots can be available for uplink transmissions and on another frequency band, all time slots can be available for downlink transmissions. In a time division channel access scheme, different time slots are available to different data streams over the same frequency band. Frequency division schemes can provide twice the bandwidth as time division schemes using the same power.
In a wireless network, resources required for uplink transmissions are generally different from resources required for downlink transmissions thus implementing a frequency division scheme can result in unused frequency resources which can undesirably impact transmission in the network. However, coverage and throughput to wireless devices in certain geographical locations within a cell, such as at the cell edge, can be undesirably reduced when time division schemes are implemented due to power limitations.
Overview
A system and method of allocating communication resources to a wireless device in a wireless communication network are provided. A first subframe configuration can be assigned to a first carrier of a frequency band of an access node. A second subframe configuration different from the first subframe configuration can be assigned to a second carrier of the frequency band. The access node can receive a resource request associated with an application running on the wireless device. An application requirement of the application running on the wireless device can be determined. The wireless device can be instructed to establish communication with the access node over one of the first carrier and the second carrier during a communication session based on the determined application requirement.

Method of allocating communication resources to a wireless device in a wireless communication network


A scan driver includes scan-driving blocks, each including a first transistor having a gate coupled to a first node to supply a first power to an output terminal, a second transistor having a gate coupled to a second node to couple a second clock to the output terminal, a third transistor having a gate coupled to a first input to supply the first power to the first node, a fourth transistor having a gate coupled to a second input to supply a second power to the first node, and a fifth transistor having a gate coupled to a first clock to couple the first input to the second node. A first scan-driving block further includes a sixth transistor coupled between the second input and the fourth transistor gate, and a NOT gate configured to invert the first input signal and to supply the inverted signal to the sixth transistor gate.

1. Field
Aspects of embodiments of the present invention relate to a display device, a scan driver, and a driving method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display device includes a display panel composed of a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix. The display panel includes a plurality of scan lines arranged in a row direction and a plurality of data lines arranged in a column direction, and the scan lines and the data lines cross each other. The pixels are driven by scan signals and data signals transmitted through the scan lines and data lines, respectively. For displaying an image, the display device sequentially applies a gate-on voltage to the scan lines while applying corresponding data signals to the data lines.
The scan driver has a plurality of scan-driving blocks sequentially arranged to sequentially output the scan signals having the gate-on voltage. By transmitting the scan signal of the current scan-driving block to the next scan-driving block to generate the next scan signal, the scan-driving blocks can sequentially output the scan signals having a gate-on voltage.
While the scan-driving blocks sequentially output the scan signals of the gate-on voltage, power may be abnormally turned off. When the power is turned off, an n-th scan-driving block, having just received a scan signal from the (n−1)-th scan-driving block, may stop operation while one of its capacitors is charged with a voltage. Later, when the power is turned back on, a scan signal of the gate-on voltage may concurrently output from both the first scan-driving block and the n-th scan-driving block (e.g., because of its charged capacitor when the power was turned off). Accordingly, an image of the first frame may not be normally displayed. In addition, when the power is turned back on after the abnormal power-off, a short-circuit may occur in the scan driver, thereby causing damage to the scan driver.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Dual scan correction for power fluxuations


A diffuser for a backlight unit of a display device including a base film, a first diffusion layer including a first resin and a plurality of first diffusion particles, and being formed on an upper surface of the base film, and a second diffusion layer including a second resin and a plurality of second diffusion particles, and being formed on a lower surface of the base film. Further, the plurality of first diffusion particles are contained within the first resin such that an upper surface of the first diffusion layer is substantially flat.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlight unit and a method of manufacturing a diffuser used in the backlight unit. More particularly, the present invention relates to a backlight unit for enhancing the diffusion characteristics of a diffuser included in the backlight unit and a method of manufacturing the diffuser.
2. Description of the Related Art
An organic electroluminescent device is self light emitting device that emits light having a certain wavelength. Further, a liquid crystal display (LCD) displays an image using a change in a transmissivity of liquid crystals included in the LCD. Also, because the LCD is not a self light-emitting device, the LCD includes a backlight unit (BLU).
In more detail, FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a BLU 100 included in the LCD, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating a diffuser used in the BLU 100 in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the BLU 100 is driven by a direct-lighting method and includes a light source unit 110, a transparent plate 120 and an optical film 140. Further, the light source unit 110 includes a plurality of light sources 112 for emitting light having a certain wavelength and a light source reflector 114 in which the light sources 112 are located.
In addition, the transparent plate 120 has a predetermined pattern, and is generally made of poly methyl meta acrylate (PMMA). The function of the transparent plate 120 is as follows. When the direct-lighting type BLU 100 does not include the transparent plate 120, a viewing user may actually see white lines in the display caused by the shape of the light sources 112 (hereinafter, referred to as disposition shape of the light sources). Accordingly, the BLU 100 uses the transparent plate 120 so the user does not see the disposition shape of the light sources 112.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, the optical film 140 includes a diffuser 142, a prism sheet 144, a protection sheet 146 and a reflective polarization film 148. Further, light transmitted from the transparent plate 120 is incident on the diffuser 142. The diffuser 142 diffuses or condenses the light transmitted from the transparent plate 120 so as to maintain a constant brightness of the BLU 100 and increase the viewing angle of the LCD.
Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the diffuser 142 includes a base film 150, a first diffusion layer 160 and a second diffusion layer 170. The first diffusion layer 160 is formed by coating a first resin 164 having first beads 162 on the upper surface of the base film 150. In addition, the second diffusion layer 170 is formed by coating a second resin 174 having second beads 172 on the lower surface of the base film 150. As shown in FIG. 2, a portion of each of the first and second beads 162 and 172 projects outside of the first and second resins 164 and 174. Thus, the light incident to the diffuser 142 is refracted by the beads 162 and 172, and then is transmitted in a direction of the prism sheet 144.
Referring back to FIG. 1, the prism sheet 144 condenses a light diffused or condensed by the diffuser 142 in a direction of the protection sheet 146, thereby enhancing the brightness of the BLU 100. Further, the protection sheet 146 is located over the prism sheet 144 to protect the prism sheet 144 from dust, etc., and to increase the viewing angle of the LCD narrowed by the prism sheet 144.
Also, only some light provided from the BLU 100 is transmitted through the panel (not shown). For example, a specific polarized light, e.g., aP wave of the light provided from the BLU 100 is transmitted through the panel, and the other polarized light, e.g., an S wave of the light is absorbed by the panel. Accordingly, the reflective polarization film 148 is employed in the BLU 100 so as to use the other polarized light absorbed by the panel.
In addition, the reflective polarization film 148 reflects the other polarized light diffused by the protection sheet 146 in the direction of the light source unit 110, and provides the specific polarized light to the panel. Further, the other polarized light reflected by the reflective polarization film 148 is again reflected by the light source reflector 114. As a result, the reflected other polarized light is changed into light including a specific polarized light and the other polarized light. The changed light is again incident to the reflective polarization film 148 through the diffuser 142, the prism sheet 144 and the protection sheet 146.
Thus, the BLU 100 enhances the efficiency of the light using the above described method. That is, the BLU 100 diffuses the light emitted from the light sources 112 using the transparent plate 120 and the diffuser 142 so that the user does not see the disposition shape of the light sources 112. However, the diffuser 142 does not sufficiently or uniformly diffuse the light emitted from the light sources 112. Accordingly, the user may still see the white lines in the display cause by the disposition shape of the light sources 112. In addition, the manufacture cost of the transparent plate is increased because the BLU 100 uses the transparent plate 120 having a predetermined pattern.

Backlight unit and method of manufacturing a diffuser employed in the same


A power conversion apparatus, such as a UPS, includes a first waveform reference signal generator circuit operative to generate a first waveform reference signal responsive to an AC bus, and a second waveform reference signal generator circuit operative to generate a second waveform reference signal, e.g., a more consistently sinusoidal signal produced by another source. The apparatus further includes a control circuit that selectively generates a third waveform reference signal from the first and second waveform reference signals, and a power converter circuit (e.g., a rectifier and/or inverter) coupled to the AC bus and operative to transfer power to and/or from the AC bus responsive to the third waveform reference signal. In particular, the control circuit may be operative to weightedly combine the first and second waveform reference signals to generate the third waveform reference signal. The control circuit may weightedly combine the first and second waveform reference signals responsive to an operating parameter of the power converter, such as a voltage, a current, a power factor, a source impedance, a voltage distortion and/or a harmonic input current.

The present invention relates to power conversion apparatus and methods, and more particularly, to AC power conversion apparatus and methods A power supply device, such as an uninterrupted power supply (UPS), may include an input rectifier that is used to generate DC voltage from an AC source (e.g., an AC utility). It is usually desirable that the rectifier circuit maintain a high waveform quality at the AC input, e.g., provide low harmonic currents and/or a power factor near unity (1). In some UPS, power factor control is achieved using a current-mode controlled pulse-width modulated (POM) rectifier, i.e., a rectifier that senses AC input current and responsively modulates the rectifier such that the AC input current waveform is substantially in phase with the AC input voltage. Such a conventional rectifier may sense the AC input voltage and appropriately scale and compensate it to generate a waveform reference for the current loop. Examples of such a control scheme are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/286,027 to Taimela, filed Nov. 1, 2002, and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Such an approach can generally be effective, but the current loop may need relatively high bandwidth in order to track the AC voltage waveform when it is distorted. However, coupling of such a high bandwidth rectifier to a relatively high impedance source, such as a motor-generator set, can cause an input pole frequency of the rectifier to fall within the current loop bandwidth, which can lead to loop instability.

Power conversion apparatus and methods using an adaptive waveform reference


An integrated circuit for manipulating digitized video sequences is provided, for use in a system for transmission and reception of compressed video sequences to perform, possibly with the aid of an external memory, reordering, format conversion, prediction and motion compensation on the pictures in a sequence. The device has memory for temporarily storing sequences to be manipulated and data read from the external memory; a circuit for decoding information about the manipulations to be performed; address circuitry for transferring the data between the device and the external memory; circuitry for configuring the device by means of a remote processing unit; circuitry for processing the data read from the external memory; and circuitry for arranging the output sequences in the format required by the function to be performed. A controller may control, supervise and set up the functions to be performed.

As is well known, the standard specifies the encoded (or compressed) representation of video sequences for digital storage and digital video communications and defines the decoding process. The encoding process is not defined in the standard, and it is essentially a hybrid coding, using time prediction techniques with motion estimation (at the pixel block level) to reduce time redundancy, and two-dimensional transform techniques applied to a current picture or to the significant differences between the current picture and a predicted picture to reduce spatial redundancy. Information on the encoding procedures (e.g. with or without prediction and/or motion compensation), motion information and spatial information are then transmitted after encoding with a variable length code. Decoding entails processing the compressed sequences in successive steps, until the original picture sequence is recovered for its subsequent display. In particular, after decoding the variable length code and re-ordering the transmitted coefficients, the latter are subjected to inverse quantization, and spatial and time redundancies are re-introduced. Greater detail can be found in the standard mentioned above as well as in standard ISO/IEC 11172-2 (ISO/MPEG1) and in the paper "The MPEG video compression algorithm", by D. J. Le Gall, Signal Processing: Picture Communication, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 129 et seq.
Several devices for encoding and/or decoding MPEG2 video sequences are commercially available. These devices perform all of the functions of an encoder or decoder in accordance with the standard. In general, however, such devices are not meant for professional use (i.e. for use by a television broadcaster or by producers of video disks or compact disks) but rather for "home" users: hence, they only allow pre-set and limited variations of the encoding parameters, and the quality of the encoded or decoded signals they provide is sufficient only if the signals have not been subjected to particular manipulations (e.g. a succession of encoding and decoding operations, as may occur in a television transmission). In general, it is not possible to manipulate these parameters through a control processing unit. To obtain the high encoding quality required for professional use, the possibility of acting on several encoding and decoding parameters at different stages of their respective processes must be provided for this entails the introduction of arrays of discrete components in the different parts of the equipment, which results in larger equipment size and higher costs.

Device for manipulating compressed video sequences

CSELT-Centro Studi E Laboratori Telecomunicazioni S.p.A.


A device and method are provided for unrolling spirally wound bales of hay which are moved by hydraulic or electric operated bale spikes mounted on a vehicle such as a truck or tractor. The device is comprised of a tubular axle sleeve which fits over the bale impaling spike and is impaled along with the impaling spike into the hay bale when the bale is to be transported by the vehicle. After the bale is moved, the impaling spike is withdrawn leaving the axle sleeve impaled in the center of the bale. Bearings are employed at opposed ends of the axle which are free to rotate on the axle and are connected to lines on opposite sides of the rear of the vehicle. Movement of the truck causes the lines to rotate the axis of the bale from an axial position in alignment with the axis of the truck 90.degree. in order that the bale can be unwound in the manner of a spool to leave a mat-like web of hay upon the ground for feeding livestock.

In the field of livestock feeding large round bales of hay are commonly employed. In order to prevent uncontrolled feeding and scattering of hay, round bale feeders may be used to contain the bales. These are essentially a cage or pen with the bale being positioned interiorly to permit the livestock to reach through the feeder without trampling the hay. While such practice has been generally satisfactory, the concentration of livestock around the perimeter of the feeder has caused rutting of the ground and damage to the area in which the livestock are fed including erosion.
Various devices have been employed for unrolling the bale in a web-like mat which may be spread out in a long ribbon-like manner on the field to spread out the area in which the livestock are fed to reduce trampling of the field.
Such devices have generally been in the nature of mechanisms which provide for rotating the bale spike 90.degree. in order that the bale can be unrolled after it has been transported. Such mechanisms are of relatively complex construction and substantial expense which are out or reach for many ranchers and farmers.
Another approach has been to drive an axle through the axis of the bale and attach lines to opposite ends of the axle and the rear of a farm vehicle to unroll the bale. Such a device entails extra labor in driving the axle through the bale after the transport spike has been withdrawn which is laborious and time consuming.
It has remained a problem to provide a simple and easily employed device for unrolling large hay bales which can be readily employed on the ranch or farm.


The present invention provides a method of broadcasting a message having a text portion to be communicated to a user, the method including broadcasting the message in the form of an entitlement management message for reception by the user.

Broadcast systems are used for transmitting signals, such as digital or analogue television signals, from a broadcast centre to a user, via a medium such as a satellite, cable or terrestrial broadcast link. Receiver/decoders at the user end are used for receiving and/or decoding the signals, typically for input to a television set. In the case of digital transmission, digital channels are encoded into a digital data stream at the transmitter end, and are decoded at the receiver end using a receiver/decoder, which may typically be either in a digital set-top box (DSTB) or in an integrated digital television. In the case of analogue transmission, a receiver/decoder may be provided at the user to convert the transmitted signals into a format for input to a television set.
In known broadcast systems, text messages may be sent along with a transmitted signal. A suitably equipped receiver/decoder extracts the text message from the transmitted signal for display on a television screen. Such messages are accessible by all users with suitably equipped receiver/decoders.
Known system for sending text messages tend to be inflexible.

Method and apparatus for broadcasting and receiving entitlement management messages


A video conferencing system is provided that reduces the perspective of an image captured by a video conferencing camera. The perspective is reduced in an image by receiving a first image of a first field of view and receiving a second image of a second field of view. Moreover, the first image is equalized and the second image is equalized independently of the first image. Additionally, the first equalized image is stitched to the second equalized image to create a display image, which can be sent to a display another video conferencing endpoint.

The present disclosure relates in general to video conferencing and, more particularly, to dual-axis image equalization processing of video images captured by a video conferencing system. Conventional conferences involve the co-location of participants at a common location (e.g., a conference room). However, in certain circumstances, it is not possible for all participants of a conference to be co-located within the same conference room. To address this scenario, video conferencing systems have been developed that take advantage of computer networks to transmit video and audio data between two or more geographically separate locations. Basically, the video conferencing system enables the participants at one location (i.e., a local endpoint), to see and hear the participants at a different, remote location (i.e., a remote endpoint).
In its most basic form, a video conferencing system equips each physically separate location participating in the video conference (local endpoint) with a camera, microphone, video display and speaker. The video camera captures video images of the participants at the corresponding local endpoint. The video conferencing system processes the captured video images (e.g., using compression) and transmits the processed video images to the remote endpoint, where the compressed video images are decompressed and displayed. Similarly, the microphone captures audio from the local endpoint, which is transmitted to the remote endpoint of the video conference. Analogously, the audio can be compressed for transmission, and decompressed for audio playback at the remote endpoint.
The video display enables the participants at a local endpoint to view video captured at the remote endpoint. The display may also be utilized to view other forms of media, such as images, slide presentations and video clips. Likewise, the speaker enables the participants at a local endpoint to hear audio captured by the microphone at the remote endpoint. The speaker may also be used to play media, such as audio files. As such, participants at each location of the video conference can see and hear the participants at other location, as well as see and hear any other forms of media presented during the conference.

Dual-axis image equalization in video conferencing


An illumination device comprises a light source, a reflector which reflects light emitted by the light source, a light disc, and a plurality of optically active elements arranged in a path of rays of the light reflected by the reflector for at least one of dispersing and deviating of the light, the optically active elements being formed as diffraction-optical elements and together forming a diffraction grating which is formed as a member which is separate from the light disc.

The present invention relates to an illumination device. One of such illumination devices is disclosed, for example, in the German document DE 3,013,040. This illumination device is formed as a headlight and has light source, a reflector and a light disc. Moreover, as conventional, this headlight has optically active elements arranged in the path of rays of the light which is sent from the light source and reflected by the reflector. The optically active elements deviate and/or disperse the light which is sent from the light source and reflected by the reflector so that it provides a desired light distribution. The optically active elements are formed as prisms and/or lenses and arranged on the light disc. The optically active elements have a substantial thickness and therefore the weight of the light disc is increased. The optically active elements must be adjusted moreover exactly to the orientation of the light disc or in other words to its inclination and/or turning, so that for different headlights they must be formed differently. Due to different shapes of the light disc, for example rectangular or round shapes, different shaping tools are needed for producing the light discs. These tools form the optically active elements on the light disc and therefore are very expensive. For each headlight type a special light disc is needed, and it is connected with high manufacturing expenses.


The present invention provides a hydrogen peroxide indicator and a peracetic acid indicator that include a substrate on which is disposed an indicator composition that includes at least one of a select group of colorants and a transition metal salt. As a result of exposure to hydrogen peroxide and/or peracetic acid, the colorants change color, and even become colorless, thereby providing an indication of the presence of hydrogen peroxide and/or peracetic acid.

Medical instruments, particularly surgical instruments, are typically sterilized prior to use using steam or other sterilizing/disinfecting gases or liquids. A traditional sterilization process uses steam under pressure. Alternative sterilization processes use ethylene oxide or hydrogen peroxide in vapor form as the sterilant.
The use of hydrogen peroxide and other chemical vapor phase sterilization techniques typically involve operating temperatures well below those associated with steam sterilization. These "low temperature" technologies generally operate at temperatures below about 80° C., and often below about 65° C. For hydrogen peroxide sterilization, the sterilized goods are typically available for use shortly after the completion of the sterilization cycle. This is because the decomposition products (e.g., water and oxygen) are nontoxic. The potency of the hydrogen peroxide may be augmented by the presence of electrical energy in the form of an ionizing plasma field.
An alternative sterilization process uses a liquid phase peracetic acid solution. Such sterilization processes may be performed in a sterilization chamber. During a typical sterilization cycle, an article to be sterilized is exposed to a sterilization solution containing, for example, about 2000 parts per million (ppm) to 2500 ppm of peracetic acid. The article is exposed to the solution for a sufficient time at a sufficiently high temperature, e.g., 50° C.-60° C., for the sterilization to be effective.
Sterilization indicators are used to monitor whether a sterilization process has been performed. Sterilization indicators typically include an indicator composition, carried on a substrate, that changes color during the sterilization process. Conventional indicators for hydrogen peroxide, however, often fade upon exposure to light. Thus, there is still a need for suitable indicators that include color change compositions for indicating the sterilization of articles using hydrogen peroxide or peracetic acid.

Peracetic acid indicators and methods of use


Systems and methods for airflow control of a moving ground vehicle are provided. The system includes an actuator module and a sensor unit mounted on the vehicle, and a controller. The actuator module includes at least one synthetic jet actuator to generate a synthetic jet, to modify an airflow around the vehicle. The sensor unit includes at least one environment sensor to capture environmental sensor data proximate the vehicle. The controller receives the environmental sensor data from the sensor unit and determines at least one of a drive frequency and a drive amplitude for controlling the at least one synthetic jet actuator, based on the received environmental data.

Various solutions exist for improving the aerodynamic properties of moving bluff-shaped ground vehicles (i.e., non-streamlined shaped vehicles such as cars, trains, trucks, land-carried intermodal containers, etc.). When the ground vehicle travels, the bluff-shaped body may produce considerable aerodynamic resistance. Typically, a region of separated airflow occurs over a large portion of the surface of the bluff body. This may result in a high aerodynamic drag force and a large wake region. Airflow around the vehicle typically exhibits unsteadiness, such as periodic vortex formation and shedding. To reduce the known drawbacks of the vehicle shape, airflow control systems may be used to improve the aerodynamics.
Many current aerodynamic drag reduction devices are based on modifying the form of the vehicle body, its geometry, its surfaces or the type of body material to reduce the drag force exerted on the vehicle body. Other current aerodynamic drag reduction systems use pneumatic aerodynamic control to reduce flow separation. Typically, externally supplied compressed air is used to produce an additional flow of air through blowing outlets, such as openings on the vehicle. These systems use a compressed air plenum for all of the blowing outlets. The compressed air is discharged from the blowing outlets to reduce flow separation and reduce drag. Because the systems use a compressed air plenum for all blowing outlets, the system is connected to a robust air supply resource, such as the vehicle air supply/generation system or to a mountable compressor that is independent of the vehicle. The dependency on compressed air may substantially increase the energy requirements of the system, and may increase the size and/or weight of the system at the expense of the carrying capacity of the vehicle.

Active modular aerodynamic drag reduction system


A switch device is mounted on the rear end of a conductive barrel body of a flashlight, and includes an actuating plunger movably disposed in a coupling member. An elastomeric cap member includes an annular insert portion interposed between a rear annular wall of the coupling member and the actuating plunger, and a cap portion. The cap portion has a depressible body and an annular connecting portion which extends forwardly in an axial direction and which is formed integrally with the insert portion to define an annular juncture therebetween. A block member extends radially and outwardly from the annular juncture to form a shoulder that faces rearwards, and has an outer peripheral surface distal to and radially spaced relative to the annular juncture. A socket portion extends forwardly from the depressible body so as to be plugged by a depressible plug end of the actuating plunger. A tubular retaining member includes an inner annular retaining portion that extends inwardly and radially from an inner surface thereof such that, once the retaining member is brought to engage the rear annular wall of the coupling member, liquid-tight abutments are established among the inner annular retaining portion and the annular connecting portion and the shoulder.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a flashlight, more particularly to a flashlight having a waterproof switch device mounted on a rear end thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a flashlight disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,764. As shown, a barrel body 8 has a front annular end 81 and a rear annular end 82 in a longitudinal direction, and a battery (not shown) received in the barrel body 8 such that an electrode thereof is proximate to the rear annular end 82. A switch device is mounted on the rear annular end 82 for switching on and off a bulb 83 mounted at the front annular end 81. The switch device includes a conductive coupling member 20, a conductive spring member 25, an insulative first retaining member 26, a contact member 24, an actuating plunger 21, a second retaining member 22, and a cap member 23. The coupling member 20 has a front annular wall 201 adapted to be moved in the longitudinal direction relative to the rear annular end 82 of the barrel body 8 and adapted to engage the rear annular end 82 to establish an electric connection therebetween, a rear annular wall 202, and a middle annular portion interposed between the front and rear annular walls 201, 202. The spring member 25 is retained in the coupling member 20 and is insulated therefrom by the first retaining member 26 in such a manner that a front section 251 thereof extends outwardly of the coupling member 20 so as to be brought into contact with the electrode. The contact member 24 is sleeved around the second retaining member 22, and the assembly of the members 22, 24 is disposed in the middle portion of the coupling member 20 such that contact ends 241 of the contact member 24 are located proximate to a rear section 252 of the spring member 25. The actuating plunger 21 is disposed to be movable relative to the coupling member 20 in an axial direction, and has a front actuating portion 212 secured to the rear section 252 of the spring member 25 to electrically connect and disconnect the contact ends 241 to and from the rear section 252, and a depressible portion 211 that extends rearwardly and outwardly of the second retaining member 22. The cap member 23 includes a cap portion 230 mounted on the rear annular end 202 of the coupling member 20, and has a socket portion 232 that extends forwardly in the axial direction so as to be plugged therein by the depressible portion 211 of the actuating plunger 21.
Some of the disadvantages of the aforesaid conventional switch device are as follows:
The second retaining member 22 is retained in the coupling member 20 by virtue of friction force that is applied by a ring 235, and the depressible portion 211 extends through the second retaining member 22. Thus, sliding movement of the depressible portion 211 may eventually result in disengagement of the ring 235 and the second retaining member 22 relative to the coupling member 20 after long term use.
An annular clearance is formed between the cap portion 230 and the rear annular end 202 of the coupling member 30 after the assembly, thereby resulting in poor waterproof effect for the conventional switch device.

Waterproof switch device for a flashlight

No. 10, Alley 1, Lane 551, Sec. 1, Wan-Shou Rd. Guei-Shan, Hsiang


An exercise machine applicable for strengthening a user's abdominal muscles is described. The exercise machine can include a base frame, a seat assembly and a backrest assembly rotatably coupled with the base frame. The base frame can include side members and a crossbar member to provide floor support. The backrest assembly may be configured to swivel with rotational movements around at least one axis of rotation. The backrest assembly may include at least one swivel structure and two handle bars. Each swivel structure may be rotatable around a separate axis of rotation. The handle bars may be mounted substantially transverse to a particular axis of rotation. The seat assembly can include a seat pad affixed to the crossbar member to allow a user sitting on the seat pad to cause the swiveling of the backrest assembly via hand pushes on the handle bars.

With the growing awareness of health problems caused by a lack of exercise, popularity of exercising machines has increased steadily. Typically, these machines are designed for movements of specific body parts. For example, abdominal machines may be structured to induce exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles.
Existing abdominal machines, however, are usually designed based on variations of the sit-up exercises. Effective abdominal exercises may incorporate a combination of movements involving a variety of muscles including the torso, legs, backs etc. Although there are many exercise machines available for exercising different parts of the body, these multipurpose exercise machines are usually heavy and expensive devices. Further, these devices are often designed to provide passive support for simple pivoting movements.
Therefore, traditional abdomen machines are not structured economically and effectively to facilitate a user to exercise abdomen muscles with active supports to induce difficult movements with high strength impacts.


An apparatus for shaping plastics material pre-forms to form plastics material containers may include a conveying device which conveys the containers along a pre-set conveying path, a stressing device which acts upon the containers with a flowable medium in order to expand them, a reservoir for storing the flowable medium, and a supply device which delivers the flowable medium from the reservoir to the container. A valve device controls the supply of the flowable medium into the containers, in order to expand the containers. The apparatus includes a first feed line in order to supply a flowable sterilization medium to the supply line between the reservoir and the container to be treated or in a removal line for the flowable medium, which removes the flowable medium from the containers.

Apparatuses and methods of this type have long been known in the form of blow moulding machines in the prior art. In this case plastics material pre-forms are heated to a deformation temperature and are shaped by means of compressed air to form plastics material containers. The compressed air required for this purpose is supplied to a plurality of blowing stations by way of an annular duct for example.
It is also known from the prior art to carry out aseptic shaping processes. In this case containers, closures and surfaces are sterilized in a temporary or continuous manner for example by means of gaseous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). After that, in cold aseptic filling plants for example a sterile product can be filled into previously sterilized containers and the containers can be closed with a sterile closure. In this case the sterilization of the packing materials and the filling of the product are usually carried out in a machine unit. The entire room in which the sterilization and optionally also the filling take place is referred to as an isolator or clean room. Whilst the packing material is continuously sterilized in the production cycle, this isolator or clean room likewise has to be sterilized at the beginning of the production. Hitherto a surface sterilization was carried out in the isolator by liquid agents, in which case it was preferable for a peracetic acid solution to be used.
This was applied at a defined concentration and was allowed to act for a specified period of time (also referred to as the contact time). After that the solution is rinsed with sterile water.
Starting from this prior art, it may be desirable to increase the degree of sterilization or purity of the machines.

Blow moulding machine with feed line sterilization


A composition comprising:                (a) one to three bioactive agents; and        (b) a vehicle comprising;                    (i) a modified liquid carrier, and            (ii) an unmodified liquid carrierwherein the ratio by volume of the modified liquid carrier to the unmodified liquid carrier is between 0.00001:99.99999 to less than 0.01:99.99, that provide the composition with predictable sustained-release properties and wherein immediately after manufacture of the composition, said composition can be administered to a host such that the one to three bioactive agents is released to the host on a sustained basis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions. More specifically, it relates to the use of pharmaceutically acceptable vehicles comprised of (i) a modified liquid carrier and (ii) an unmodified carrier, wherein the ratio by volume of the modified liquid carrier to the essentially un-oxidizable carrier is between 0.00001:99.99999 to less than 0.01:99.99, that provide the composition with predictable sustained-release properties.
2. Background of the Invention
In the pharmaceutical arts, drug delivery is an element as significant as drug activity. Many drugs or bioactive agents with apparent in vitro activity fail at the clinical level due to the inability to prepare, store, or deliver the bioactive agent to the site of action in effective concentrations over a sufficient period of time.
A vehicle for the stable storage and effective delivery profile of a bioactive agent is of great utility. Those skilled in the art will understand that storage stability and effective delivery profile are, to some extent, specific to bioactive agents, the condition for which the bioactive agent is administered, and the presenting condition of the subject.
Sustained-release or oil-based preparations are considered in WO 97/49402 (Vlaminck); WO 94/00105 (Sabater); U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,353 (Hawkins); U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,395 (Mahjour); U.S. Pat. No. 5,739,159 (Wolf); U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,057 (Akiyama); WO 96/20698 (Levy); the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. Also incorporated by reference is WO 98/41207 (Brown) addressing subcutaneous administration of antibiotic into the ear of an animal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,359 discloses the molecule crystalline ceftiofur free acid (CCFA), which is a cephalosporin antibiotic intended for use in mammals, and in particular food animals (e.g., cattle, sheep, goats and swine). The patent suggests that oil suspensions of CCFA can be produced for administration to food animals where the oils are vegetable oils. The oils as disclosed in the patent are intended to be used in their natural form. An advantage of this molecule over other antibiotics, particularly those in the ceftiofur family, is that it can be used to prepare a sustained-release pharmaceutical composition. However, the sustained release profile of formulations described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,359 is not readily predictable and reproducible with respect to the release of active drug in the immediate post-production product that uses natural vegetable oils. U.S. patent application 2002/0110561 discloses sustained release formulations comprised of a) a modified liquid carrier and b) an essentially un-oxidizable carrier, wherein the ratio by volume of the modified liquid carrier to the essentially un-oxidizable carrier is between 0.01:99.99 to 90:10 that provide the composition with predictable sustained-release properties.
Despite the above teachings, there still exists a need in the art for pharmaceutical compositions that provide sustained-release delivery of a bioactive substance and wherein the release performance is predictable and reproducible immediately after manufacture of the product.

Pharmaceutical compositions having a modified vehicle


The power module comprises an electronic board (EB), in which at least one power switching branch is integrated, a capacitor (CE) and at least three DC power supply busbars (B1, B2, B3), wherein the electronic board is mounted between a first busbar (B1) and a second busbar (B2) and the capacitor is mounted between the second busbar (B2) and a third busbar (B3) and the electronic board, the capacitor and the busbars comprise electric contact faces allowing assembly, of the “press pack” type, of the electronic board and of the capacitor.

The invention relates in a general manner to the field of power electronics. More particularly, the invention relates to power switching modules and electronic power devices integrating such modules.
Electronic power devices, such as invertors or power converters, but not exclusively, are present in a number of fields of activity, such as transport, industry, lighting, heating, etc. As a result of the desired energy transition toward renewable energy sources that produce fewer CO2 emissions, power electronics are destined to become even more generalized and must comply with increasing economic and technological constraints. The current research and development in the field of electronic power devices focuses in particular on reducing costs, increasing the power density for greater compactness, increasing the reliability, reducing parasitic elements and electromagnetic radiation, and thermal transfer of the dissipated energy.
The various restrictions applicable to electronic power devices have led to a modular architecture of switching bridges, comprising elementary power switching modules, referred to as "power modules," which each correspond to one switching branch of the bridge. Thus, for example, a six-phase or tri-phase switching bridge, or a bridge comprising any number of phases or poles, can be obtained by assembling a plurality of power modules.
3D architectures are proposed for the power modules, having double-face cooling of power chips, and are of some interest with regard to increasing the compactness of electronic power devices. Seeking increased compactness requires the ability of maintaining the temperatures of the active and passive components below critical values, in order to achieve a thermal equilibrium and ensure reliability. Extraction of the dissipated energy as close as possible to the components is desirable. The thermal path between the heat sources formed of components and the heat sinks formed of heat dissipation means must be optimized. High-performance cooling devices are therefore essential.
The availability of new power semi-conductors, such as, silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) today, and soon, diamond, and a judicious use thereof, moves toward an increase in the compactness of power modules. These new power semi-conductors allow for higher current densities, higher switching frequencies, and higher voltages that favor the reduction in joule losses. However, solutions have to be found, since higher voltages increase the risk of breakdown, and are in opposition to a reduction in the distances between the components at different electrical potentials.
The reduction in the resistive, inductive and capacitive parasitic elements is essential in order to achieve the best possible compromise between seeking compactness and complying with the various design constraints. The parasitic inductances in the power busbars is in opposition to increased switching frequencies. Increased switching frequencies favor compactness but increase the switching losses and the power dissipated by the components. It is necessary to reduce the parasitic inductances in order to protect the circuits from possibly destructive overvoltages, improve the control of the electromagnetic radiation, reduce the heat generated, and increase the switching speed.
In order to improve the reliability, in particular in the applications in which there are severe thermal cycles, so-called "press-pack" technology is used. In "press-pack" technology, the electrical contacts are ensured by way of mechanical pressure or clamping means which keep the components in place and in contact. The "press-pack" technology makes it possible to make the power modules themselves modular, and the sub-modules thereof testable and replaceable. This results in more standardization and a reduction in production costs. Moreover, the "press-pack" technology is also of interest for facilitating the repair of the devices due to the fact that they can be dismantled.
The electronic power devices that have an outer geometric shape in the form of a disc or cylindrical wafer are of particular interest. This external geometric shape in the form of a cylindrical wafer in particular facilitates the integration of an electronic power converter at the rear of a rotating electrical machine, in the extension of the cylindrical stator thereof. The power modules of the converter must therefore be contained geometrically in adjacent cylindrical sectors. Implanting the filter capacitor of the DC current supply buses of the converter at the rear of a rotating electrical machine usually poses problems due to the large size of a capacitor of this kind. In the prior art, it is known to form said filter capacitor so as to have a plurality of cylindrical capacitors mounted in parallel, so as to facilitate the integration at the rear of the rotating electrical machine.

Power switching module and electronic power device integrating said module


A battery powered, back-pack blower comprising a mounting frame, a horizontally mounted impeller oscillated by an electric motor powered by a battery pack. The impeller and motor are positioned on the mounting frame above the battery back to better distribute the weight. The electric motor reduces the level of noise and smoke emissions from blowers using internal combustion engines. A U-bracket serves to horizontally mount the electric motor which allows for greater heat dissipation from the motor and also aids in dismantling the blower.

Backpack mounted blowers are traditionally powered by gasoline engines which generate considerable smoke and noise emissions. The noise emissions from the internal combustion engines use in leaf blowers have caused considerable distress to many communities in the United States. Some of these communities have banned or restricted the use of leaf blowers based on these emissions. Therefore, it is advantageous to design a blower that can reduce both noise and smoke emissions. It is known in the art to produce a backpack mounted blower having an internal combustion motor with various forms of insulation to reduce the noise emission. One such apparatus is U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,208. Although such techniques are used, it has not been possible to produce a quiet efficient blower with lessened smoke emissions that is easy to carry.


A stern shape of a displacement-type marine vessel enables reduction of the hull resistance and prevents propeller cavitation. The displacement-type marine vessel which travels in a velocity range in which the Froude number is smaller than the last hump and the stern includes knuckle lines connecting knuckle points provided on the surface of the hull, from a starting point in front of a propeller to an end point behind the propeller. A portion of the stern located inside the knuckle line in the direction of the width of the hull has a dome shape with upward curvature, and the length of the portion which has the dome shape is set to 10% or more of the entire hull length or at least the diameter of the propeller.

Conventionally, a displacement-type marine vessel whose hull partly travels in water is known to sometimes have a fin called a stern tunnel fin for inducing flow to a position above a propeller, which is mounted to extend from a position on the hull in front of the propeller to a position on the hull above the propeller. In the displacement-type marine vessel as such, since the stern tunnel fin accelerates and makes uniform the flow into the propeller and prevents propeller cavitation, vibration of the hull is restrained (For example, see Patent Citation 1)
A stern shape is proposed which maintains a certain distance between a propeller and a hull by bending the bottom of the stern above the propeller upward. With this stern shape, the vibration of the stern due to a vibratory force of the propeller is maintained to be an equivalent to that of a vessel having the stern shape of the related art, so that improvement of propulsive efficiency is possible by increasing the diameter of the propeller (For example, see Patent Citation 2).
Among planing high-velocity ships which travel with their hull raised to a level higher than a draft line and in the velocity range in which the Froude number is larger than the last hump, a vessel type called chine is known. The chine vessel type has a vessel bottom portion formed into a dome shape, and the vessel bottom portion and the side plates of the vessel join at an angle. (For example, see Patent Citation 3)    Patent Citation 1: Japanese Examined Utility Model Application, Publication No. 59-28960 (see FIG. 5)    Patent Citation 2: The Publication of Japanese Patent No. 2716658 (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 2)    Patent Citation 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 61-044090

Stern shape of displacement-type marine vessel


Systems and techniques are described for performing buffer tree synthesis. Some embodiments create a lookup table based on information contained in a cell library. The lookup table is then used during buffer tree synthesis.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to buffer tree synthesis. More specifically, this disclosure relates to look-up based buffer tree synthesis.
2. Related Art
Advances in semiconductor technology presently make it possible to integrate hundreds of millions of transistors onto a single semiconductor chip. This dramatic increase in semiconductor integration densities has made it considerably more challenging to design circuits.
Some circuit synthesis approaches use an ad hoc approach to synthesize buffer trees. Specifically, in these approaches, non-optimal buffer trees are constructed during synthesis for high fan-out nets. Then, during delay optimization, buffers or inverters are added to the buffer tree in an ad hoc fashion to satisfy timing constraints. Unfortunately, such ad hoc buffer tree synthesis approaches often produce poor quality results. Therefore, what are needed are systems and techniques for buffer tree synthesis that do not have the above-mentioned drawbacks.


A drive unit for a self-propelled irrigation system including an elongated pipeline supported upon a plurality of spaced-apart drive units. Each of the drive units includes a generally transversely extending base beam having first and second ends. A first drive assembly is pivotally connected to the base beam adjacent the first end thereof and a second drive assembly is pivotally connected to the base beam adjacent the second end thereof. Each of the first and second drive assemblies includes an elongated support member pivotally connected, about a generally horizontal axis, which is generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the base beam, to the base beam adjacent the first end thereof. First and second driven wheels are rotatably mounted on the elongated support member adjacent the ends thereof. The driven wheels are driven by an electric motor and gearbox arrangement.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an irrigation drive unit and more particularly to an irrigation drive unit having increased traction and flotation. More particularly the irrigation drive unit has increased traction and flotation due to providing an extra set of driven wheels thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
Self-propelled irrigation systems or mechanized irrigation systems such as lateral move irrigation systems, center pivot irrigation systems, and corner irrigation systems normally utilize a plurality of spaced-apart drive units or towers which support an elongated irrigation pipeline which moves over the area to be irrigated. In the past, most prior art drive units comprise an elongated base beam which is disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the pipeline with a drive wheel at the opposite ends of the base beam. In some prior art designs, three or more drive wheels have been rigidly attached to the base beam. A tower structure extends upwardly from the base beam to the pipeline. The number of tires or wheels used on a drive unit relates directly to the weight distribution. The prior art systems do not allow the driven wheels to pivot over uneven terrain or when the drive wheels cross ridges which causes inconsistent weight distribution. Traction loss and rutting can appear if all the driven wheels are unable to contact the ground with approximately equal weight distribution.


Counting status circuits are electrically coupled to corresponding status elements. The status elements selectably store a bit status of a bit line coupled to a memory array. The bit status can indicate one of at least pass and fail. The counting status circuits are electrically coupled to each other in a sequential order. Control logic causes processing of the counting status circuits in the sequential order to determine a total of the memory elements that store the bit status. The total number of memory elements that store the bit status indicate the number of error bits or non-error bits, which can help determine whether there are too many errors to be fixed by error correction codes.

Field of the Invention
This technology relates to page buffer output, and more particularly relates to counting errors in page buffer output.
Description of Related Art
As technology shrinks, the random defects of memory cells increase, for example, open bit-line contacts in a NAND Flash array. This kind of defect can be either repaired with redundant cells, or tolerated if the number of defects is limited during a program or erase operation. If tolerated, the total number of defects for both erase and program operations in one page should be less than the ECC number requirement for each page, so that the ECC in read operation can fix the errors from the defects. If tolerated, also the page buffer counts the number of the error bits during program and erase verify operations.
FIG. 1 is a simplified circuit diagram of a circuit that measures a number of errors in page buffer output. The circuit of FIG. 1 is fast but not accurate, as follows.
The page buffer output status latches 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22 indicate whether a corresponding page buffer output status bit has a bit status. In one example, the bit status indicates an error status of a corresponding bit line, such as one of at least pass and fail. The page buffer output status latches 12 and 22 have the failed bit status, and output the high value. The page buffer output status latches 14, 16, 18, and 20 have a pass bit status, and output the low value. The value of the page buffer output status latches is coupled to a corresponding Fail Bit Detection Unit (FBDU).
FBDU circuits 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, and 34 are coupled to a corresponding one of the page buffer output status latches 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22. An FBDU includes two serially connected NMOS transistors. In each FBDU, one of the two serially connected NMOS transistors has a gate coupled to signal VNC 36 which enables all of the FBDU circuits 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, and 34. In each FBDU, the other one of the two serially connected NMOS transistors has a gate coupled to a corresponding one of the page buffer output status latches 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22; this serially connected NMOS transistor is turned on when the corresponding one of the page buffer output status latches has a failed bit status, and turned off otherwise. Transistors other than MOS may be used.
Supply voltage VDD 40 provides current of (N+½)*I through PMOS VPC 38, where N is the maximum number of failed bits that can be indicated by the page buffer output status latches; in some cases N can be the maximum number of error bits which can be repaired via error correction. For each page buffer output status latch with a bit status failure, the corresponding FBDU sinks "I" current. K failures in the page buffer output status latches sink a total current of K*I. The difference between the supplied and sunk currents is (N−K+½)*I, which flows into the DET input terminal of the NAND gate 42.
NAND gate 42 also has another, EN input and an output coupled to latch 44, which in turn has an output of PASS or FAIL.
The output is as follows:                K<(N+½)→Pass        K>(N+½)→Fail
The circuit of FIG. 1 is fast, because of simultaneous detection of all page buffer output status latches of the page buffer. Disadvantage of the circuit of FIG. 1 include:
i) The sunk current is from a current mirror.
ii) Mismatches among the transistors impact the current accuracy.
iii) When N is large, there is a small difference in the input currents at the DET input terminal between a PASS result and a FAIL result, which impacts the detection accuracy.
FIG. 2 is a simplified circuit diagram of a circuit that detects the position of an error in page buffer output through binary search. The circuit of FIG. 2 is accurate but not fast, as follows.
Each page buffer output status latch is coupled to a corresponding instance of the "FBDU" circuit of FIG. 2 including a latch 48, which can be individually selected via SELECT signal 52, individually reset via the RESET signal 50, and loaded via LOAD signal 46. All of the "FBDU" circuits are coupled to the same DET output 54.
Signal SELECT 52 is the decoded address signal. If the address is selected, the SELECT value is "H"; and if the address is not selected, the SELECT value is "L".
In the first step, the LOAD signal value is "H" and the failure status information is loaded from the corresponding page buffer output status bit to the latch 48.
The second step begins the process of detecting the failure status bit. First all addresses are selected, such that any failure status bit pulls down the DET signal 54 to 0. If the DET signal 54≠1, then at least one failure status bit exists. Then in a binary search, the failure address is located. Then the bit status of the located FBDU is reset, and the failure count is incremented.
Finally, the second step is repeated, until no failure is found when all addresses are selected, such that the DET signal 54=1.
Because the circuit of FIG. 2 counts failure status bits on a digital logic-like basis, the circuit of FIG. 2 is very accurate. However, for N address bits (representing 2N addresses), each failure status bit requires checking the logic N+1 times for each failure due to the binary search for each failure status bit. Such a repeated search is time consuming.
FIG. 3 is a schematic of different steps in a process of detecting the position of an error in page buffer output through binary search, showing the contents of the memory elements in the multiple stages of the circuit series that counts the number of errors in page buffer output, and the output value of the last stage of the circuit series.
A different FBDU with its own latch is represented by each of the columns 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, and 70. The latches are initialized by corresponding page buffer output status bits. The first row 72 shows that the FBDUs of columns 56 and 66 are initialized to a failure status, and that the rest of the FBDUs are not.
Rows 74, 76, 78, and 80 are steps in a binary search for the first FBDU with a latch initialized to a failure status. In each case, the DET signal=0, so a failure bit is located among the selected FBDUs. In row 82, after a failure bit has been localized to the FBDU of column 56, the latch of FBDU of column 56 undergoes a RESET signal. In future searches, the FBDU of column 56 will not cause the DET signal to fall to 0, and the total of failure bits is incremented by 1.
The binary search process for FBDUs with a latch holding the failure status bit continues, because the prior search iteration concluded with DET=0. Row 82 shows that the FBDU of column 66 holds a failure status, and that the rest of the FBDUs are not.
Rows 86, 88, 90, and 92 are steps in a binary search for the next FBDU with a latch holding a failure status. In rows 86 and 90, the DET signal=0, so a failure bit is located among the selected FBDUs. In rows 88 and 92, the DET signal=1, so a failure bit is not located among the selected FBDUs, indicating that the FBDU with the latch holding the failure status was among the unselected FBDUs. In row 94, after a failure bit has been localized to the FBDU of column 66, the latch of FBDU of column 66 undergoes a RESET signal. In future searches, the FBDU of column 66 will not cause the DET signal to fall to 0, and the total of failure bits is incremented by 1.
In row 98, the final iteration begins again with all FBDUs selected. Because DET=1, none of the FBDUs includes a latch holding a failure status. The total of failure bits is not incremented anymore, and holds the final total of FBDUs with a latch initialized to a failure status.
The circuit of FIG. 2 following the process of FIG. 3 is slow but accurate.
It would be desirable to measures a number of errors in page buffer output both quickly and accurately.

Method and apparatus for determining status element total with sequentially coupled counting status circuits


A dynamic sensing method and apparatus employs microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanical (NEMS) surgical sensors for gathering and reporting surgical parameters pertaining to a drive mechanism of a surgical device, such as speed, rotation, torque and other characteristics of the surgical device. The surgical device employs or affixes the surgical sensor on or about a surgical device for detecting electromechanical characteristics during the surgical procedure. The surgical procedure disposes the medical device in the surgical field responsive to the drive mechanism of a shaver or other endoscopic instrument inserted in a surgical field defined by the surgical procedure.

Design and development of electronics has steadily been following a downsizing trend ever since Gordon Moore, cofounder of Intel® corporation, suggested in 1965 that the transistor density (hence computing power) of a given chip area doubles roughly every 24 months, in a somewhat prophetic assertion that has become widely known as "Moore's Law." Medical devices and apparatus are no exception to the trend of electronics miniaturization. Microelectronics are often employed as sensors for providing diagnostic feedback on routine patient status, such as for sensing pulse, oxygen saturation, body temperature, and fetal vitals during childbirth.
During surgical procedures, sensing often extends to drive mechanisms for surgical instruments, such as an orthoscopic shaver or cutter systems. Orthoscopic surgical devices (and other endoscopic devices) perform minimally invasive procedures through apertures (holes) that provide access to a surgical field, in contrast to traditional open surgery that requires an incision along the entire surgical field. Orthoscopic procedures, therefore, often occur in confined spaces inside the abdominal cavity of a patient, using elongated probes of the orthoscopic surgical instruments. These instruments often require precise manipulation to navigate the narrow clearances of the surgical field. Accordingly, orthoscopic surgical devices and instruments avoid bulky and/or unwieldy design which may interfere with precise manipulations of the surgeon.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.