A translating apparatus includes a translator for translating document data into another language, an output unit for outputting the translated document data translated by the translator, a mode setting unit for setting in a first mode or a second mode, and a controller. In a case where the first mode is set, the controller controls the translator so as to translate the document data into a plurality of languages, and controls the output unit so as to output the translated document data by each language group. In a case where the second mode is set, the controller controls the translator so as to translate the document data into a plurality of languages, and controls the output unit so as to output the translated document data by group including each translated language document date.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a translating apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, as this kind of apparatus, an apparatus shown in Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent publication No. H10 (1998)-154145 and an apparatus shown in Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent publication No. H8 (1996)-127152 are known. In the former apparatus, character sequences are extracted from image data and converted into text data, and then the text data are converted into another language text data. On the other hand, in the latter apparatus, an original language to be translated (hereinafter may be referred to as "before-translation-language") input by input means is translated into another language, and the original language and the translated language (hereinafter may be referred to as "after-translation-language") are double-sided printed based on layout information.
In the meantime, in accordance with recent rapid spread of Internet and international expansion of business environments, it is required to provide a translating apparatus which is capable of systematically processing the translation operation and the output operation such that an original single language is simultaneously translated into a plurality of other languages and that the translated languages are output in a sorted manner as required.
However, in the aforementioned former conventional apparatus, it is not considered to systematize the processes up to the outputting process of the translated languages. On the other hand, in the aforementioned latter conventional apparatus, it fails to refer that a single original language is translated into a plurality of other languages. Thus, neither of them can cope with the aforementioned demands. As a result, in a conference or the like requiring a multi-language processing, it took long hours of time for translating an original language document into various other languages.

Translating apparatus having different modes for translating and outputting document data


A novel small pore (metallo)aluminophosphate molecular sieve is disclosed. The as-synthesized material has an X-ray diffraction pattern including the lines listed in Table 1 and is produced in the presence of fluoride ions and 4-dimethylaminopyridine as structure directing agent. The silicoaluminophosphate material has methanol conversion activity and n-hexane cracking activity.

Crystalline molecular sieves have a 3-dimensional, four-connected framework structure of corner-sharing [TO4] tetrahedra, where T is any tetrahedrally coordinated cation. Among the known forms of molecular sieve are aluminosilicates, which contain a three-dimensional microporous crystal framework structure of [SiO4] and [AlO4] corner sharing tetrahedral units, aluminophosphates (ALPOs), in which the framework structure is composed of [AlO4] and [PO4] corner sharing tetrahedral units and silicoaluminophosphates (SAPOs), in which the framework structure is composed of [SiO4], [AlO4] and [PO4] corner sharing tetrahedral units.
Molecular sieves have been classified by the Structure Commission of the International Zeolite Association according to the rules of the IUPAC Commission on Zeolite Nomenclature. According to this classification, framework-type zeolite and zeolite-type molecular sieves, for which a structure has been established, are assigned a three letter code and are described in the Atlas of Zeolite Framework Types, 5th edition, Elsevier, London, England (2001), which is herein fully incorporated by reference.
Molecular sieves are typically described in terms of the size of the ring that defines a pore, where the size is based on the number of T atoms in the ring. Other framework-type characteristics include the arrangement of rings that form a cage, and when present, the dimension of channels, and the spaces between the cages. See van Bekkum, et al., Introduction to Zeolite Science and Practice, Second Completely Revised and Expanded Edition, Volume 137, pages 1-67, Elsevier Science, B.V., Amsterdam, Netherlands (2001).
In general, molecular sieves can be divided into small, medium and large pore materials. Thus small pore molecular sieves typically have pores defined by a ring of no more than 8 T atoms and have an average pore size less than about 0.5 nm (5 Å). Medium pore molecular sieves typically have pores defined by a ring of 10 T atoms and have an average pore size about 0.5 to 0.6 nm (5 to 6 Å), whereas large pore materials have pores defined by rings of 12 or more T atoms and a pore size greater than 0.6 nm (6 Å).
Crystalline molecular sieves, as exemplified by zeolites and (metallo)aluminophosphates, are commercially important materials for petroleum processing and petrochemical applications. Because each unique structure type offers new potential for applications in catalysis and separations, there has been sustained research effort, both in industry and academia, for their discovery.
Many molecular sieves are synthesized in the presence of an organic directing agent, such as an organic nitrogen compound. For example, it is known from, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,680,278 that a crystalline silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve of the CHA framework type (a small pore material), can be synthesized in the presence of an organic directing agent mixture comprising tetraethylammonium cations and one or more dimethylamino moieties selected from one or more of N,N-dimethylethanolamine, N,N-dimethylpropanolamine, N,N-dimethylbutanolamine, N,N-dimethylheptanolamine, N,N-dimethylhexanolamine, N,N-dimethylethylenediamine, N,N-dimethylbutylenediamine, N,N-dimethylheptylenediamine, N,N-dimethylhexylenediamine 1-dimethylamino-2-propanol, N,N-dimethylethylamine, N,N-dimethylpropylamine, N,N-dimethylpentylamine, N,N-dimethylhexylamine and N,N-dimethylheptylamine. Other organic directing agents that have been used in the synthesis of CHA framework type materials include isopropylamine or di-n-propylamine triethylamine, cyclohexylamine, 1-methylamidazole, morpholine, pyridine, piperidine, diethylethanolamine, and N,N,N′,N′-tetraethylethylene diamine.
It is also known to use fluoride-containing compounds, such as hydrogen fluoride, as mineralizing agents in zeolite synthesis. For example, EP-A-337,479 discloses the use of hydrogen fluoride in water at low pH to mineralize silica in glass for the synthesis of ZSM-5. In addition, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0231999 published Dec. 18, 2003 and incorporated herein by reference, discloses that aluminophosphate or silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieves having the CHA framework type can be synthesized in the presence of fluoride ions using the dimethylamino compounds disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,680,278 as directing agents.
Currently, an entirely rational approach that leads to the synthesis of unique framework materials is not available, due to the fact that all crystalline microporous materials are metastable phases and they are kinetic products. Their discovery is therefore often serendipitous.
Our research has led to two findings: that 4-DMAPy can direct the synthesis of low-silica SAPO-CHA in the presence of colloidal SAPO-34 seeds; and, from parallel experiments, that with 4-DMAPy as an organic directing agent, without SAPO-34 seeds but in the presence of significant levels of fluoride ion F (F/Al2O3 of at least 0.75), there is unexpectedly formed a crystalline aluminophosphate designated EMM-9 with a new, but as yet undetermined, framework structure and having pores that in cross section have at least one distance or "diameter" that is typically categorised as small. At lower levels of fluoride ion (F/Al2O3<0.75), the synthesis gave a new large pore aluminophosphate, which is the subject of co-pending U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/615,111 filed 1 Oct. 2004.
According to an article in the Chemical Journal of Chinese Universities, Vol. 22, No. 10, pages 192-195, dated October 2001, DMAPy has been used as a template in the synthesis of NK-101, an aluminophosphate. However, comparison of the X-ray diffraction patterns of NK-101 with that of the small pore material of the invention shows that the present material is different from NK-101.

Aluminophosphate molecular sieve, its synthesis and use


It is an object of the present invention, in the W-type ferrite which is formulated as SrO.2(FeO).n(Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3), to provide the ferrite magnet and the manufacturing process thereof by which said W-type magnet maintains cost-performance characteristics recognized with the conventional M-type magnet and furthermore exhibits the maximum energy products more than 5 MGOe. In order to achieve the aforementioned object, carbon elements are admixed to raw powder which is a previously prepared mixture of SrCO.sub.3 and Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 under a given condition such that n-value in the above formula is in a range between 7.2 and 7.7. After the calcining said mixture, CaO, SiO.sub.2 and C powders are furthermore mixed and pulverized to have an average particle size of less than 0.06 .mu.m, followed by forming into a green compact body under a magnetic field and sintering the formed product under a non-oxidizing atmosphere. Hence the W-type ferrite, which has not been realized before, can be produced easily and with low cost.

The oxide magnet material typified by the SrO-6Fe2O3, which is a magnet plumbite type hexagonal ferrite and is so-called M-type ferrite, was proposed by J. J. Went et al., (Philips, 1952). Since then, it has been mass-produced and utilized in versatile fields due to its excellent magnetic characteristics and high cost-performance.
Currently, an environmental demands requires the low fuel-cost ratio for automobiles, accordingly the light-weight structure for the main body of the automobiles is promoted. As a result, in order to produce electronic parts with smaller and lighter structure, magnets which serve as major components for these electric parts are urgently needed to be fabricated with much smaller size with higher efficiency.
However, since the degree of magnetization of the above mentioned M-type magnet is small, it has been difficult to obtain the better magnetic properties; for example the maximum energy products--(BH)max--more than 5 MGOe.
In order to provide a ferrite material with larger degree of magnetization than the conventional M-type magnet, it has been proposed that SrO--Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 which is a principle constituent of the M-type magnet is expanded to the ternary system such as SrO--MeO--Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 (where Me represents divalent metallic ions such as Co, Zn, or Fe), so that four types (W-type, X-type, Y-type, and Z-type) of more complicated hexagonal ferrite magnets having much stronger ferromagnetism can be fabricated.
Among these, it was found that the W-type magnet has a similar crystalline structure as the conventional M-type magnet and exhibits superior properties such as saturation magnetization of about 10% higher than the M-type magnet and approximately same anisotropic magnetic field. However, the W-type magnet has not been realized.
For example, F. K. Lotgerin et al. proposed the W-type magnets which were consisted of BaO.2(FeO).8(Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3) and SrO.2(FeO).8(Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3) in Journal of Applied Physics (vol.51, p.5913, 1980). However, several drawbacks associated with the proposed magnet were reported; they included (1) a complicated control was required for the sintering atmosphere, and (2) the maximum energy products, (BH)max, for Ba-system magnet was 4.3 MGOe while the (BH)max value for the Sr-system magnet was 3.8 MGOe. Hence these maximum energy product values indicated that these proposed magnets did not possess superior magnetic properties to the conventional M-type magnets.
Moreover, S. Ram et al. reported that the maximum energy products, (BH)max of the Sr.sub.0.9 Ca.sub.0.1 O.2(ZnO).8(Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3) was 2.7 MGOe in IEEE Trans. Magn., vol.1, p.15; 1992. However, this type of magnet was not realized yet.
As a consequence, in order to overcome the problems found in the above articles, it is an object of the present invention to provide a ferrite magnet, and powder for the ferrite magnet as well as production process thereof, by which the W-type magnet can be formulated as SrO.2(FeO).n(Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3), maintaining a similar cost-performance recognized with the conventional M-type magnet and exhibiting an excellent magnetic property such as the maximum energy product value exceeding 5 MGOe.

Ferrite magnet, and powder for ferrite magnet and production process thereof


A power source device includes an assembled battery having a plurality of secondary battery cells connected in series, and a plurality of discharge circuits connected in parallel with the secondary battery cells, respectively. A charge control circuit performs constant current charging to the assembled battery, and when voltages of one or a plurality of the secondary battery cells out of the plurality of secondary battery cells have reached a prescribed first voltage, drives the discharge circuits connected to the secondary battery cells whose voltage have reached the first voltage to discharge, and performs constant voltage charging to the relevant assemble battery.

Conventionally, electric vehicles mounted with an assembled battery device as a driving power source are known. One example of an assembled battery device has a plurality of assembled battery modules which are connected in series, and a battery management unit (BMU) to control the respective assembled battery modules. Each of the assembled battery modules is provided with an assembled battery having a plurality of secondary battery cells which are connected in series, and a voltage temperature monitoring circuit (VTM) to monitor the assembled battery. The battery management unit monitors a pack voltage and a pack current of a battery pack composed of a plurality of assembled battery modules, and cell voltages that are voltages of the respective secondary battery cells which the assembled battery module has, and so on.
When an assembled battery device is stored for a long time, the voltage balance between secondary battery cells may remarkably deviate by the difference of self-discharge amount between the secondary battery cells. A secondary battery cell with a large self-discharge amount has a small remaining capacity, and a secondary battery cell with a small self-discharge amount has a large remaining capacity. If an assembled battery device is discharged in the state in which the voltage balances between the respective secondary battery cells remarkably deviate, a secondary battery cell having the smallest remaining capacity, out of a plurality of the secondary battery cells, firstly reaches a working lower limit voltage. Similarly, if the assembled battery device is charged in the state in which the voltage balances between the respective secondary battery cells remarkably deviate, a secondary battery cell having the largest remaining capacity, out of the plurality of secondary battery cells, firstly reaches a working upper limit voltage. Accordingly, the effective capacity of the assembled battery device becomes smaller compared with the capacity (or, a rated capacity) before stored.

Power source device and method of controlling assembled battery


A steerable three-wheeled cart has a frame supported by a pair on non-steerable rear wheels and a steerable front wheel. The front wheel is mounted on a steerable wheel carriage that is journaled to the frame for rotation of the carriage and wheel about a generally vertical axis. A handle is pivoted to the wheel carriage to effect steering of the front wheel. The handle mounts a braking member whose braking surface is curved both longitudinally and laterally so as to conform substantially to the curvature of the front wheel. A braking force is applied to the front wheel by rocking the handle downwardly to cause the braking member to bear against the wheel while retaining the ability to steer the wheel with the handle.

Various steerable three-wheeled carts have been proposed for transporting bulky or heavy loads. Examples include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,876,788 and 3,295,482. In both examples, the carts include a frame mounting a pair of non-steerable back wheels and a steerable front wheel assembly coupled directly to a pivoting handle that, when moved laterally, imparts steering movement to the front wheel for steering the cart. Although highly maneuverable, such carts can be difficult to handle on uneven terrain such as when traveling down or along an inclined surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,551,001 discloses a four-wheeled cart having a frame supported on four castered wheels. A handle is pivoted to the front of the frame and mounts a pair of braking members that engage the front castered wheels when the handle is pivoted downward. Although such engagement of the front wheels by the braking mechanism slows the cart, it inherently disables the castering movement of the front wheels and thus renders the cart nonsteerable.


A container with first and second opposing, parallel side panels; third and fourth opposing, parallel side panels which define an enclosure; optional first, second, third and fourth corner panels interposed between adjacent ones of the side panels; first and second top flaps respectively associated with the first and second side panels by first and second top creases or fold lines; and third and fourth top flaps respectively associated with the third and fourth side panels by third and fourth top creases or fold lines. The first top crease or fold line is coplanar with a top plane of the container; and the third and fourth top creases are offset below the top plane.

Beverages such as wines, fruit juices, dairy beverages, malt beverages and the like have traditionally been stored and transported in various types of bottles or cans. The opening of bottled or canned beverages exposes the contents to air, and the contained beverage usually must be consumed relatively quickly to prevent spoilage. In particular bottled wine, once opened, will typically undergo oxidation that can result in unwanted change in taste, aroma, color, or other properties.
Wine has a long tradition of being stored in corked glass bottles. This storage technique was many years ago the best available for preserving wine. A much more effective way of storing wine has more recently been offered by collapsible containers or bags, with a valve or spigot in the bag providing for egress of the beverage and preventing introduction of air to the beverage remaining in the container. As beverage is removed from the bag via the spigot, the bag collapses. Wine consumers, due to the aforementioned tradition, have resisted wine containers other than corked glass bottles. The advantages inherent in collapsible bag containers, however, have overcome consumer prejudice and the market for bagged wines is rapidly increasing.
Bagged beverages are typically stored in a box or like container, as the bags themselves are not conveniently handled. Containers for bagged liquids must be sufficiently robust to support the relatively large weight of the contained liquid during transportation and storage. Conventional box designs often do not lend themselves to use with bagged beverages, as the boxes are prone to collapse when subject to relatively small force. Further, the flap closure arrangement of conventional box containers usually presents sharp flap edges on both the inside and outside surfaces of the container. The inside flap edges create a risk of rupture to the bag within the container, and the outside edges create a risk of injury to persons handling the containers. Still further, the flap closure arrangements of conventional boxes allow insects to penetrate into the container. The present invention overcomes these deficiencies.


Voltage fluctuating time integrating means integrates voltage fluctuating time when voltage of a sensor electrode fluctuates as a voltage fluctuation integrated time, and voltage fluctuation occurrence rate computing means computes a rate of occurrence of voltage fluctuation for time on the basis of the voltage fluctuation integrated time integrated. By doing so, quantity of generated plasma can be taken as the rate of occurrence of voltage fluctuation, and plasma detection judging means can easily detect large volume of generated plasma on the basis of the computed voltage fluctuation occurrence rate. Then, it is not necessary to provide a circuit for measuring electric resistance between the sensor electrode and a workpiece as a conventional way, thereby avoiding complexly structured plasma detector.

The invention relates to a plasma detector and a laser beam machine with a plasma detector. Particularly, the invention relates to a plasma detector and a laser beam machine with a plasma detector for easily detecting plasma harmful to machining, having no complex structure.
Such kind of known conventional plasma detector measures electric resistance between a sensor electrode provided at a top end of a torch and a workpiece, and detects plasma generating from the workpiece on the basis of the measured electric resistance. When generating plasma, the voltage of a sensor electrode ("the trace voltage" hereinafter) fluctuates irrespective of a gap length between the torch and the workpiece, so that trace control does not nomally function. And, the portion between the sensor electrode and the workpiece is filled with charged particles comprising the generated plasma. For this reason, the above-mentioned electric resistance shows a predetermined value, being changed from open state (infinity). Then, plasma can be easily detected by watching the electric resistance. When thus detecting plasma, for instance, a feeding speed of the torch is decreased in order to restrict generation of plasma, so that the trace control can stably function.
In order to measure the electric resistance between the sensor electrode and the workpiece, it is necessary to provide a plasma detector with a circuit for measurement of electric resistance. If provided, the plasma detector has a complex structure, inconveniently.
It is also possible to detect plasma by watching the trace voltage without measuring the electric resistance between the sensor electrode and the workpiece. But, it is difficult to easily detect plasma harmful to machining only by watching the trace voltage since the trace voltage at the time when generating plasma is small in its volume, and fluctuates even if no influence is given to machining. If this method is adopted, the feeding speed of the torch is frequently decreased, so that machining on the workpiece is not smooth.
Then, a plasma detector and a laser beam machine with a plasma detector, for easily detecting plasma harmful to machining, having no complex structure are still desired.

Plasma detector and laser beam machine with plasma detector


A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to monitor first and second access devices of a communications network for an alarm where the first and second access devices are connected to each other by a fiber optic cable and where the first and second access devices are capable of transmitting media content to a communications device of a user, identify hierarchical cable relationships associated with the fiber optic cable, monitor network elements of the communications network that are associated with the hierarchical cable relationships for other alarms, and determine a fiber cut of the fiber optic cable based at least in part on the alarm of the monitored first and second access devices and the other alarms of the monitored network elements. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Communication networks can be subject to various undesired conditions that can have an adverse impact on customers, such as disabling connections. The cause of such undesired conditions can vary, including equipment failure. Providing alerts associated with particular equipment may give a service provider a tool with which to monitor events in the network. These alerts can result in false detections of equipment failure, such as where a busy network experiencing latency triggers an alert for a particular piece of equipment. These alerts can also be generated for multiple devices that are being affected by a single device or component failure.

Apparatus and method for managing a network


A system to assist a seller in creating product catalogues using a database and a separate pagination program. Information regarding specific, desired products is collected from the database. It is modified by Markup Interchange Format (“MIF”) code wherein directives are added that determine what information will be included in the final catalogue. The MIF code file is formatted so that it is compatible with the pagination program, and the resulting file is flowed directly to the pagination program. This method and computer program reduces the likelihood of errors, redundant work, and costs for automated processing of catalogues. The resulting file provides data and the specifications useful for creating a formatted, printable or viewable output.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer generation of printable materials, and the fields of document editing and manipulation, and publishing in both print and digital media. More specifically, the invention relates to systems, methods, and computer programs for the production of printed and digital works wherein information from a database is accepted and modified so that a pagination program can create a formatted, printable or viewable, output.
2. Background Information
For years, companies with products to sell have taken advantage of written publications to advertise, display, and market their wares. With the advent of computer databases, word processing software, and publishing applications, the process has become substantially easier. A seller can now create a product catalogue that is more easily manipulated with regard to text, graphics and pagination.
Two of the most extensively used products developed and marketed for this purpose are, FileMaker® by FileMaker, Inc., and FrameMaker® by Adobe Systems Incorporated. (References to these two programs are illustrative as specific examples. Other programs which accomplish similar functions, or have similar structure, in whole or in part, may also be used in connection with the present invention.) FileMaker® is a commercial database designed to store large amounts of data in an ordered, field based format. FrameMaker® is a pagination program designed to take information and create paginated text and graphics for publication. Unfortunately, information from FileMaker® cannot be imported or flowed directly into FrameMaker®. A user desiring to create a document suitable for printing in FrameMaker® from information stored in FileMaker® must view the desired information in FileMaker® and then manually enter same in FrameMaker®.
Sellers who create product catalogues have product inventories from which the catalogues are derived. These inventories are not static, but rather are continually changing due to availability of individual products, the introduction of new products, and the discontinuing of old ones. Other changes occur as prices and quantities change, sales or incentives are offered, and different catalogues are created for targeted customers or seasonal products. Additionally, many sellers list products from other manufacturers in the seller's catalogue. All of these factors create dynamics in the seller's master product database which can quickly make data obsolete unless an automated method is used to update and change the data used in each of such several different catalogues, flyers, and on-line catalogues.
Conventionally, the seller will manually enter new product data into its database maintained on a mainframe computer by hand after receiving such new information. For example, a manufacturer may send product data in writing (for example, a new price sheet) to the seller. Personnel for the seller must then enter the new data into the database. Once it is entered, the price is adjusted from the manufacturer's price wholesale price, to the seller's resale price. Each change to product information must be entered by the seller's personnel. This data can be automatically downloaded into a database program such as FileMaker®, but not into a pagination program such as FrameMaker® for pagination purposes. The most popular database programs do not have the pagination capabilities of a pagination program and are unsuitable for such use. FileMaker® data, without modification, is incompatible with FrameMaker® and unusable as input. Therefore, when a seller wishes to create a catalogue, the seller's personnel must retrieve the database product information and re-enter it in the correct format into FrameMaker®. This redundancy creates both added cost and an increased opportunity for errors to be introduced into the product data. Extensive proofing must occur in order to insure the integrity of each portion of the data, particularly the prices.
An alternative, conventional method is for the seller to enter product data when it is received directly into the pagination program. This is also a manual procedure. In this manner, a catalogue can be produced directly, but the data cannot be further manipulated within the pagination program by the seller if more changes are required.
Therefore, an intermediate program is desirable that allows data stored in a database to be streamed through the intermediate program, where the data file is manipulated, so that the output file can be passed directly to a pagination program and a final, output file is created. Such a file could then be printed, or otherwise published, in a variety of ways. It is further desirable to have an interface program with the functions, structure, uses, and attributes of the invention described herein. It is further desirable to have a method and program that specifically interfaces information between FileMaker® and FrameMaker®.

Automated database publishing and integrated marketing system and program


Methods and apparatus for ballistic shielding and protective armor; and more particularly, representative and exemplary embodiments of the present invention generally relate to improved methods and systems for ballistic deflection and protection through dynamic armor and/or the like.

As weapons technologies have advanced, so too have the implements used for protection. Various materials have been employed as material technology has moved forward. The cost and weight of these various armoring materials and techniques are generally factors for designers. Additionally, historical armor materials and techniques generally require continuous updating to meet the demands of modern armaments. For instance, while steel has been used in traditional armor applications, it is generally impractical to employ steel in the dimensions needed to completely protect against all projectiles, as any vehicle carrying such armor would be severely hampered due to the excessive weight. Armor and shielding that is undersized or under-strengthened for its purpose is largely useless. In some cases, this scenario may give a false sense of security to the user.
Armor generally must be designed to protect against a wide variety of threats. The angle of attack, the method of threat, munitions used, and the frequency of danger are all factors that designers may consider.
While some armor is able to withstand the force and penetration of a single strike in a particular region, multiple strikes in the same zone generally represent an unprotected threat. Some armors employ explosive charges and "smart armor" techniques that engage an anticipated projectile, however these techniques severely limit the multiple strike capabilities in the same zone. Accordingly, there exists a need to address these and other deficiencies associated with conventional armor techniques.


A spark optical emission spectrometer comprising: a spark source for causing spark induced emission of light from a sample; a single entrance slit; a toroidal mirror for directing the light through the single entrance slit; a plurality of diffraction gratings for diffracting light that has been directed through the entrance slit by the mirror, whereby the plurality of diffraction gratings are simultaneously illuminated; and at least one array detector for detecting the diffracted light from the plurality of diffraction gratings, wherein the minor is for directing the light through the entrance slit such that light from different regions in the spark source is spatially separated in an image of the light at the gratings whereby a first diffraction grating is preferentially illuminated with light from a first region of the spark source and simultaneously a second diffraction grating is preferentially illuminated with light from a second region of the spark source.

Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) is a technique for the elemental analysis of samples, known also as Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (AES). OES uses the intensity of light at a particular wavelength emitted from a sample subjected to, for example, a flame, plasma, arc, or spark to determine the quantity of an element in a sample. Light is emitted by the excited atoms and ions of the elements of the sample as transitions occur from an excited state to a lower energy state. Each element emits light of discrete wavelengths characteristic of its electronic structure, which are also termed spectral lines. By separating and detecting the spectral lines, OES can provide a qualitative and quantitative determination of the elemental composition of the sample. The spectrometer of the present invention is particularly suitable for so-called spark OES, which is useful, for example, in the analysis of solid metallic samples. In spark OES, an electrical discharge, such as a condensed arc or spark for example, is used to rapidly vaporise a solid sample and excite elements in the vapourised sample. A spark OES spectrometer includes a spark stand or chamber for ablating the sample material and exciting the elements in the sample to emit light, an optical system for dispersing the emitted light into discrete wavelengths and a detection system for detecting the intensity of the dispersed light. Furthermore, the spectrometer typically comprises a data processing and storage system for processing and storing signals from the detection system, e.g. representing the light intensity. To build up sufficient data for determination of the composition, a succession of sparks is typically employed and the resulting data generated from the sparks is accumulated for processing.
A known type of spectrometer optics for OES is the flat field spectrometer in which the dispersed light is imaged substantially linearly at one or more detectors over the spectral range of interest. This enables the use of a flat surface detector, typically a charge coupled device (CCD). A flat field spectrometer is particularly suitable for use with a linear CCD detector. Double or triple flat field spectrometers may be constructed in which two or three separate gratings may be used, each of which receive light from the sample through their own respective entrance slit. The separate gratings each form a separate spectrum in a different spectral range on its own respective detector. Such double or triple flat field spectrometers are thus more bulky than single flat field spectrometers since they respectively require two or three entrance slits, two or three gratings and two or three detectors. In such systems, each entrance slit requires its own viewing angle of the sample plasma, which must be accommodated.
A compact double flat field spectrometer is disclosed in WO 2011/098726. In this document, instead of using one entrance slit per grating and a separate detector, a flat field spectrometer is described which comprises only one entrance slit but two diffraction gratings and one detector having a plurality of lines of photodetectors. The single detector is thus an array detector. Each grating diffracts a portion of the light received through the entrance slit and each grating forms a spectrum on a separate line of the array detector. In this way, a double flat field spectrometer is constructed that is very compact and low cost whilst covering a relatively broad spectral range. The present invention is particularly, although not exclusively, applicable to a compact double flat field spectrometer as disclosed in WO 2011/098726. In fact, both the flat field spectrometer disclosed in WO 2011/098726 and the present invention can be used with more than two gratings. For example, a compact flat field spectrometer is disclosed in WO 2011/098726 having four diffraction gratings that each receive light through the single entrance slit.
A problem with OES, which is not addressed by the spectrometer disclosed in WO 2011/098726, is that of spectral interference. This is where a spectral line of analytical interest is interfered with by another spectral line at similar or the same wavelength as the line of analytical interest. In this way, the partial or complete overlap of the spectral lines means that it is difficult to extract information from the line of analytical interest.
A further challenge in an optical arrangement for spark OES is to pass towards the gratings and detector as much as possible of the light that is analytically needed and/or to reduce the high excitation energy background, which is emitted near the sample surface. It is another challenge to illuminate constantly the grating in order to obtain a constant resolving power.
Against this background, the present invention has been made.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (Ecublens) SARL


The present invention is a method of deriving a ground speed of an aircraft on a descent along a flight path. A vertical speed signal is produced as a function of an altitude signal and a vertical acceleration signal. The vertical speed signal is transformed to a nominal ground speed signal based upon a glide slope defined by a glide slope beam. A correction is produced based on a glide slope deviation rate representative of deviation of the aircraft from the glide slope. The nominal ground speed signal is corrected with the correction to produce a corrected ground speed signal. The corrected ground speed signal is filtered with a horizontal acceleration signal and a runway heading signal to produce a smoothed ground speed signal.

The present invention relates to the field of aircraft guidance systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for monitoring the ground speed of a descending aircraft.
The interest in developing a global positioning satellite (GPS) sensor as a low-cost alternative to high-grade inertial reference systems (IRS) for various avionics applications has been germinating for some time now. Recently, there has been increased interest in the application of such an alternative to support head-up guidance systems (HGS).
Head-up guidance systems (HGS) are used primarily to enhance a pilot""s situation awareness and provide guidance to pilots during low visibility conditions. With HGS, pilots can focus on external view and read critical flight data from the HGS instead of from the instrument panel. Although HGS can be used during all phases of flight, they are most renowned for providing guidance during approach and landing. Current HGS use instrument landing systems (ILS) for position guidance during approach and landing, and are currently coupled to high-grade inertial reference systems (IRS) to provide display orientation parameters. Attitude heading reference systems (AHRS) can provide some of these parameters with adequate accuracy, but they do not provide ground speed and track angle. An integrated GPS/AHRS function can provide improved attitude accuracy along with ground speed and track angle, but, by itself, the integrity of the ground speed and track angle are tied to the well-known shortcoming of standalone GPS integrity. This shortcoming needs to be rectified with enhancements from information sources external to the integrated GPS/AHRS function itself.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method for accurately monitoring the ground speed of a descending aircraft that is completely independent from the GPS function.
The present invention is a system and method for deriving a ground speed of an aircraft on a descent along a flight path. A vertical speed signal is produced as a function of an altitude signal and a vertical acceleration signal. The vertical speed signal is transformed to a nominal ground speed signal based upon a glide slope defined by a glide slope beam. A correction is produced based on a glide slope deviation rate representative of deviation of the aircraft from the glide slope. Based on the nominal ground speed signal and the deviation correction, a corrected ground speed signal is produced. The corrected ground speed signal is filtered with a horizontal acceleration signal and a runway heading signal to produce a smoothed ground speed signal.

Method of deriving ground speed for descending aircraft


The invention relates to a device including a color separation prism, comprising at least two image sensors whose sensor surfaces are substantially of the shape of a rectangular parallelogram, and a color separation prism whose front surface of a functional part is planar and substantially of the shape of a rectangular parallelogram, whereby the front surface of the functional part of the color separation prism has a first side length and a second side length perpendicular thereto. In the device of the invention, the first side length of the front surface of the functional part of the color separation prism is substantially shorter than the second side length.

The invention relates to devices equipped with a colour prism, such as colour line scan cameras, colour scanners and other such optoelectronic devices.
Colour line scan cameras are used in industry and in official applications necessitating a high frame rate, high-quality colour separation and a high-resolution image. Colour line scan cameras employ two basic technologies for producing colour separation. In the first method, different wavelength ranges are provided with separate sensors whose shape and order vary but which are characterized in that colour separation is carried out in the actual sensor element, typically using filters. In devices according to the first method, sensors of different wavelength ranges are usually positioned in closely-spaced rows of their own. A typical device according to the first method is provided with adjacent rows of sensors for blue, green and red colour channels. The second method is based on a colour separation prism which, utilizing selectively reflecting surfaces and total reflection, separates each colour onto an image surface of its own. Line image sensors placed on these image surfaces allow to be located on top of one another optically.
The problem with the devices according to the above-described first method, wherein colour separation is carried out in the actual sensor element, is inaccurate colour registration since images of different colours are not stored at exactly the same point in time from the same source. A further problem is that images of different colours are not stored from the same direction nor at the same optical distance.
A colour line scan camera equipped with a colour prism enables an image of each colour of a certain object to be stored at the same moment, from the same direction and at the same optical distance, but since in this method in addition to air, glass of the prism is also located between an objective lens and an image sensor, optical characteristics deteriorate by a factor which depends on the length of a distance travelled by light in the glass. The colour separation prism deteriorates the optical characteristics of a conventional objective lens because conventional objective lenses are designed assuming that the medium in front of the image surface is air. Attempts have been made to solve the problem by providing colour line scan cameras with objective lenses to enable characteristics deteriorating the image quality of the prism to be reduced. This method enables quite good results to be achieved when an objective lens is designed for a particular application and when the f-number of the objective lens is allowed to deteriorate. A problem with this method is that the custom-made objective lens makes the colour line scan camera much more expensive. The colour line scan camera is often a part of a more comprehensive computer vision system, in which case using the above-disclosed method also makes the entire computer vision system more expensive since a deteriorated f-number requires more efficient lightning.
In addition to colour line scan cameras, the above-described prior art problems also relate to all other corresponding opto-electronic devices, such as colour scanners.


Systems and methods are provided for collecting and using user-contributed map data. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for collecting maneuver-specific annotations. According to the method, a user is presented with a set of computer-generated driving directions comprising a plurality of maneuvers. In association with presenting to the user the set of driving directions, the method presents to the user an option to submit an annotation for one of the plurality of maneuvers. In response to presenting the option to the user, the annotation is received from the user and stored in association with an identification of the one of the plurality of maneuvers. The stored annotation may be incorporated in the set of computer-generated driving directions.

I. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to the field of computerized systems. More particularly, the invention relates to computerized systems and methods for collecting and using user-contributed map data.
II. Background Information
Computer-generated driving directions typically provide directions based on road intersections and/or highway exits. For example, a set of computer-generated driving directions may indicate a distance until an intersection of roads (or an exit from a highway to a road) at which a change in direction is required in order to continue to a desired destination. To successfully follow computer-generated driving directions, a user of the directions must recognize roads and locate street signs or highway exits, often having little time to do so and make an appropriate change in course. Furthermore, since the user of the computer-generated driving directions is typically not familiar with the roads that are identified in the directions, the user may make navigational errors. Under these circumstances, the usefulness of the directions to the user may diminish significantly.
Humans generally recognize landmarks or other characteristics of a route more quickly and without the effort that is needed when searching for and reading signs. For example, a traveler may recognize a structure (e.g., the yellow house) more quickly than the traveler can locate and read a street sign at an intersection that is labeled "Main Street." Augmenting computer-generated driving directions with annotations that include information, such as landmarks, may make the directions easier to follow. Furthermore, the annotations may serve as reference information, which the traveler can use to confirm the accuracy a route being travelled. For example, the user will know he or she is on the correct route to a destination after passing a landmark that is identified in the directions.
However, there are several considerations that may prevent a provider of computer-generated driving directions from augmenting the directions with annotations for landmarks or other characteristics of routes. First, information concerning landmarks or other characteristics of routes is often not captured by the provider or data partners that contribute data to the provider. It is both time consuming and expensive to collect annotations for a large number of roads and highways. Second, some annotations may not apply to a set of directions unless one is traveling in a certain direction along a route. For example, an annotation may specify the side of a road at which a landmark is located and, accordingly, the annotation would provide incorrect information when traveling in the opposite direction. Third, the accuracy of annotations for driving directions is subjective. An individual following driving directions may not find some annotations useful or applicable to their circumstances.
As is evident from the foregoing, users may find computer-generated directions that include annotations preferable to directions that do not include annotations. However, it is time consuming and expensive to collect annotations and, moreover, difficult to determine which annotations are appropriate for a given route. Accordingly, there is a need for improved systems and methods for collecting annotations and selecting annotations that are appropriate for a particular set of driving directions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for collecting and using user-contributed map data


An industrial controller that integrates execution of a control program on the industrial controller with execution of additional functions on an external processing device is disclosed. Integrating the external processing device provides an improved system for third party development of control functions which may be unique to specific applications. The system manages communication between the industrial controller and the external processing device, manages access to data stored in the industrial controller, and makes the details of the integration transparent to the programmer.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to integrating external processing resources into industrial control systems and in particular to a method and system of managing shared resources between internal and external processing routines.
Industrial controllers are specialized computer systems used for the control of industrial processes or machinery, for example, in a factory environment. Generally, an industrial controller executes a stored control program that reads inputs from a variety of sensors associated with the controlled process or machine and, sensing the conditions of the process or machine and based on those inputs and a stored control program, calculates a set of outputs used to control actuators controlling the process or machine. Special control languages, such as "relay ladder logic" are normally used to facilitate programming of the device. Under the direction of the stored program, a processor of the industrial controller periodically examines the state of input devices and updates the state of output devices. In order to ensure predictable control of a machine or process, the control program must be highly reliable and deterministic, that is, executing at well-defined time periods.
Industrial controllers differ from conventional computers in a number of ways. Physically, they are constructed to be substantially more robust against shock and damage and to better resist external contaminants and extreme environmental conditions than conventional computers. The processors and operating systems are optimized for real-time control and are programmed with languages designed to permit rapid development of control programs tailored to a constantly varying set of machine control or process control applications.
Industrial controllers are customizable according to an application's requirements. Commonly, an industrial controller includes a chassis with a number of slots into which modules may be inserted. The modules provide varying functions and/or connections for the industrial controller including, for example, network communications, analog or digital inputs and outputs, counter modules, and the like. The modules receive input signals from sensors, contacts, switches, and other devices on a controlled machine or process and pass the input signals to a processor module. The processor module executes a control program where it receives the input signals and sets output signals on other modules to control actuators, valves, solenoids, and the like on the controlled machine or process responsive to the received inputs. A programmer generates the control program to achieve desired operation of the controlled machine or process.
In certain applications, the programming requirements may exceed the computational abilities of the processor module, and it is necessary to provide an external computational device. In other applications, the programming requirements may fall within the computational abilities of the processor module, but other computational devices may be present in the control system that are better suited than the processor module to execute a portion of the control program. In either application, one or more external computational devices may be used to perform a desired computation and provide a result of the computation to the industrial controller. Using an external computation device, however, is not without certain drawbacks. The industrial controller and the external computational device each execute asynchronously from each other based on their own internal clock. The external computational device requires information, such as internal status flags, the state of certain inputs or outputs, and the like and may share certain tags to which both the industrial controller and the external computational device have access. Data written to or read from the shared tags must be managed such that one controller does not unintentionally overwrite data from the other controller.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved system for managing execution of a control program on multiple processing devices.
It would also be desirable to integrally manage execution of the portions of the control program on each of the processing devices where details of the execution of the portions of the control program on each of the processing devices is transparent to the programmer.

Method and apparatus for proxy execution and computation with an industrial controller


A flip-chip type semiconductor light-emitting device having a positive electrode and a negative electrode similar in electrode area and capable of preventing the misalignment of the light-emitting device by utilizing the self alignment effect in manufacturing a light-emitting diode lamp and a printed circuit board for the flip-chip type semiconductor light-emitting device are provided. Furthermore, adopted are a flip-chip type semiconductor light-emitting device 1 which is provided with a negative electrode pad and a positive electrode pad formed on the side opposite the transparent substrate side of the semiconductor layer, wherein each of the electrode pads is formed in the same shape as each other and a printed circuit board for the light-emitting device has a pair of the electrode patterns which are formed in the same shape as each other. Still furthermore, a soldering film is included in each of the electrode pads.

A flip-chip structure in which electronic components such as ICs are bonded to a printed pattern on a substrate via solder balls or gold (Au) balls has attracted attention because it is free of a wire for obtaining electric conductivity unlike a face-up structure and is able to load a small-size electronic component by a relatively simple process (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). Therefore, the structure has been considered for possible applications to a light-emitting diode lamp equipped with semiconductor light-emitting devices.
FIG. 11A is a bottom view showing a conventional flip-chip type semiconductor light-emitting device, and FIG. 11B is a sectional pattern diagram corresponding to the line k-k′ given in FIG. 11A. As shown in FIG. 11B, a conventional flip-chip type semiconductor light-emitting device 101 (hereinafter referred to as light-emitting device 101) is substantially constituted of a sapphire substrate 102, a semiconductor layer 103 stacked on the substrate 102, a positive electrode 104 provided on the semiconductor layer 103 and a negative electrode 105 provided at a site where the semiconductor layer 103 is partially removed by etching.
The semiconductor layer 103 formed on the substrate 102 is constituted by sequentially laminating a buffer layer 103a composed of aluminum nitride, an n-GaN layer 103b, a lower cladding layer 103c composed of n-GaN, an active layer (light-emitting layer) 103d which is to act as a well layer of a single quantum well structure, an upper cladding layer 103e composed of p-AlGaN, and a contact layer 103f composed of p-GaN. A recess 103g for fixing the negative electrode is formed at a part of the semiconductor layer 103 by removing the lower cladding layer 103c, the active layer (light-emitting layer) 103d, the upper cladding layer 103e and the contact layer 103f until exposure of the n-GaN layer 103b.
The positive electrode 104 is constituted of a first electrode layer 104a in which Pt film (thickness of 2 nm), ANC film (thickness of 60 nm) and Rh film (thickness of 30 nm) are stacked sequentially, a second electrode layer 104b in which Pt film (thickness of 2 nm) and Rh film (thickness of 120 nm) are stacked sequentially and a third electrode layer 104c in which Cr film (thickness of 40 nm), Ti film (thickness of 100 nm) and Au film (thickness of 200 nm) are stacked sequentially. Then, an ohmic junction is formed between the first electrode layer 104a and the semiconductor layer 103 (contact layer 103f).
Furthermore, the negative electrode 105 is constituted of an electrode layer 105a in which the Cr film (thickness of 40 nm), Ti film (thickness of 100 nm) and Au film (thickness of 200 nm) are stacked sequentially. The negative electrode 105 is, as described above, arranged on the recess 103g for fixing the negative electrode. Then, an ohmic junction is formed between the electrode layer 105a and the semiconductor layer 103 (n-GaN layer 103b).
Then, the conventional light-emitting device 101 is designed to radiate light mainly from the active layer (light-emitting layer) 103d to the substrate 102 side. As shown in FIG. 11A, the positive electrode 104 is formed substantially all over the semiconductor layer 103. This is because light from the light-emitting layer 103d is effectively reflected by the positive electrode 104 to radiate the light to the substrate 102 side and also electric current is allowed to flow effectively to p-type semiconductor layers (upper cladding layer 103e and contact layer 103f) which are relatively low in electric conductivity.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11A, the electrode area of the negative electrode 105 is approximately one tenth that of the positive electrode 104. This is because the negative electrode 105 is bonded to an n-type semiconductor layer (n-GaN layer 103b) which has relatively high electric conductivity, thereby making it possible for electric current to flow effectively despite a small forming region of the negative electrode 105.
This light-emitting device 101 is fixed to a printed circuit board, and the substrate 102 side is placed upward, and used as a light-emitting diode lamp. FIG. 12 is a plan pattern diagram showing a printed circuit board which is used to mount a light-emitting diode lamp. The printed circuit board 110 illustrated in FIG. 12 is substantially constituted of an aluminum substrate 110a, an insulating layer 110b composed of a resin layer stacked on the aluminum substrate 110a, an electrode 111 for the positive electrode composed of Cu foil formed on the insulating layer 110b and an electrode 112 for the negative electrode. The electrodes 111 and 112 respectively for the positive electrode and the negative electrode are shaped so as to correspond respectively to the positive electrode 104 and the negative electrode 105 of the light-emitting device 101 when viewed from above.
Furthermore, printed patterns 111a and 112b are provided on the electrodes 111 and 112, respectively.
FIG. 13 illustrates a light-emitting diode lamp 120 wherein a light-emitting device 101 is packaged on a printed circuit board 110. As shown in FIG. 13, the light-emitting device 101 is arranged in such a manner that the positive electrode 104 and the negative electrode 105 face the printed circuit board 110. A soldering film 121 composed of AuSn for bonding is interposed between the positive electrode 104 and the electrode 111 of the printed circuit board 110. Furthermore, a soldering film 122 composed of AuSn for bonding is also interposed between the negative electrode 105 and the electrode 112. As described above, the light-emitting device 101 is soldered to the printed circuit board 110, thereby providing a flip-chip structure. In the light-emitting diode lamp 120 illustrated in FIG. 13, since an aluminum substrate 110a constituting the printed circuit board 110 is excellent in heat dissipation, heat generated in association with motions of the light-emitting device 101 can be effectively released via the printed circuit board 110.
In assembling the light-emitting diode lamp 120, first, AuSu alloy particle-containing soldering paste is coated respectively on the positive electrode 104 and the negative electrode 105 of the light-emitting device 101 in such a manner that the electrodes 104 and 105 are superimposed respectively on the electrodes 111 and 112 of the printed circuit board 110, and arranged and fixed temporarily. Then, the light-emitting device 101 and the printed circuit board 110 are charged into a furnace to effect re-flow, and AuSn alloy particles are melted and then solidified, by which soldering films 121 and 122 are formed to bond the electrodes 104 and 105 with the electrodes 111 and 112 of the printed circuit board 110, respectively. Thereby, the light-emitting diode lamp 120 is manufactured.
Patent Document 1 Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 3-255640.

Flip-chip type semiconductor light-emitting device, method for manufacturing flip-chip type semiconductor light-emitting device, printed circuit board for flip-chip type semiconductor light-emitting device, mounting structure for flip-chip type semiconductor light-emitting device, and light-emitting diode lamp


A liquid crystal display comprises: a first substrate; a display area disposed on the first substrate; subpixels disposed in the display area; a scan driver for supplying a scan signal to scan lines connected to the subpixels; a data driver for supplying a data signal to data lines connected to the subpixels; first transistors disposed on the first substrate adjacent to one side of the display area and connected to the data lines; second transistors disposed on the first substrate adjacent to the other side of the display area and connected to the scan lines; and a test pad connected to the first transistors and second transistors.

1. Field
This document relates to a liquid crystal display.
2. Related Art
As information technology develops, the demand for display devices that are connecting media between users and information is increasing. Hence, the need for flat panel displays (FPDs) such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), and plasma display panels (PDPs), is increasing. Of these, liquid crystal displays are widely used because they have a high resolution and can be big as well as small.
Liquid crystal displays are classified as light-receiving displays. Such a light-receiving display can display an image by receiving a light source from a backlight unit disposed below a liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal display includes a transistor array substrate and a color filter substrate. The transistor array substrate includes a gate, a semiconductor layer, a transistor including a source and drain, and subpixels including a pixel electrode connected to the source or drain of the transistor. A color filter and a black matrix are formed on the color filter substrate.
After the production of the product, a lighting test of a panel is carried out on the liquid crystal display. Conventionally, to carry out the lighting test of a panel, a method of arranging a test pad within a bump of a driving IC (integrated circuit) and contacting a probe connected to a test instrument has been used.
However, the conventional method was problematic in that the size of the test pad is small because the test pad was disposed within the bump of the driving IC and this causes a wrong contact with the probe, thereby making it difficult to carry out the lighting test or the like. Moreover, there are a lot of problems, including design limitations, because a test pad needs to be formed when selecting a driving IC.


The present invention provides an electrical power system comprising a plurality of battery modules in series connection between adjacent battery modules, wherein each of the battery modules comprises a positive male terminal, a negative male terminal, and a socket corresponding to each of the positive male terminals and the negative male terminals. The connectors connecting the adjacent battery modules include a sequence tab that provides an irreversible engagement sequence of the connectors into the sockets of the adjacent battery modules. The irreversible engagement sequence positions an insulating portion of the connectors housing on each positive male terminal of the battery modules that are in series connection in order to isolate the positive male terminals from human contact. The present invention also provides a female terminal including a canted coil spring positioned within a stamped groove that may be housed within the above-described connectors.

Male and female terminals in high current electrical connection systems are currently locked by terminals incorporating exterior plastic interlocking structures. The incorporation of the additional plastic interlocking structures to the exterior of the terminals disadvantageously increases the overall dimensions of the connectors. The increased dimensions of connectors having additional interlocking structures presents a number of design challenges for integration of the connectors into higher current electronics requiring increased electrical connector density.
One improvement to electrical terminals having interior interlocking structures are terminals including a canted coil spring, wherein the canted coil spring is positioned into a groove machined within the body of the female terminals. Prior canted coil spring terminals require that the groove be machined within each side of the female terminal body and that the coil spring be inserted into the machined groove in the female terminal body. The cost of the machining in producing each of the prior canted coil spring terminals is high.
Hybrid Electrical Vehicle (HEV) battery packs consist of number of battery modules, wherein each battery module has a plurality of battery cells. Typically, the battery modules are in electrical communication through module to module series connections and the battery cells are in electrical communication through cell to cell series connections. Currently, existing cell to cell connections use a welding process and module to module connections use nut-bolt fastening methods. These processes cause a variety of manufacturing obstacles and safety concerns.
Welding cell to cell connections presents a number of obstacles in manufacturing and servicing. Welding introduces elevated temperatures to the battery cell, which can damage the battery cell. In certain battery types, such as Lithium Ion batteries, the elevated temperatures associated with welding may be the source of an explosion. Further, when utilized in hybrid electrical vehicle applications, welded cell to cell battery packs are not economical to replace, since welded cells are not serviceable during manufacturing or during consumer maintanence.
Module to module connections require nut and bolt arrangements that also provide a number of difficulties, since this manufacturing method is prone to over-torquing or under-torquing of the nut and bolt fasteners. Additionally, cross threading of the bolts is also common, which may destroy the positive or negative battery post when over-torqued. The concise assembly required for high voltage battery module manufacturing and the need for closely monitored torque control render bolt and nut arrangements uneconomical for high voltage battery module manufacturing.
Further, methods for manufacturing high voltage battery modules present a number of dangers to those handling the high voltage battery modules during and after the manufacturing process. Although, each module usually has less than a 50 volt capacity, battery modules are currently being connected in series in order to meet the increasing demands of high-voltage applications, in which voltage levels on the order of about 100 volts to greater than 600 volts are presenting a number of challenges for ensuring safety during the manufacture of these high voltage connections using typical manufacturing methods.
In light of the above, what is needed is an electrical connector system for high current and high voltage applications that can be manufactured in an economical and safe fashion. Further, a need exists for a maintanence serviceable battery pack in which electrical connectors may be reliably and safely manufactured.

Canted coil spring power terminal and sequence connection system


A hydraulically operated mechanism which utilizes engine oil as the hydraulic fluid to open and close a cylinder valve is easily installed on a conventional internal combustion engine to improve engine performance over a wide range of operating parameters. A primary assembly has a piston that is actuated by the rotational movement of the cam lobe to pressurize oil inside a tube or hose and deliver pressurized oil to a secondary assembly to push open the valve. The secondary assembly has a secondary piston that utilizes a spring to abut against the valve. The hydraulic variable valve control mechanism optimizes the engine valve event by being self-adjusting and by virtually eliminating valve lash, resulting in improved engine performance, including horsepower, fuel consumption and exhaust emissions, at all ranges of engine speed. The hydraulically operated variable valve control mechanism reduces the amount of moving mechanical components in the conventional internal combustion engine by eliminating the need for the lifter, push rod and rocker arm.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention relates generally to cylinder valve opening mechanisms and, in particular, to cylinder valve opening mechanisms for use in internal combustion engines. More particularly, the present invention relates to cam lobe operated devices which hydraulically control cylinder valves in internal combustion engines to obtain improved operating characteristics, including increased horsepower, reduced fuel consumption and/or improved emissions quality.
2. Background
Internal combustion engines have been and continue to be used in virtually every mode of transportation and for all types of power supply needs throughout the entire world. These engines have been the subject of intensive efforts in the United States and most industrialized countries throughout this century to improve their operating characteristics. Certain of these efforts have been addressed to improving the horsepower, fuel consumption and/or exhaust air quality of these engines. However, until recently, very little advancement has been made in the basic mechanism for operating the cylinder intake and exhaust valves.
The typical internal combustion engine comprises a series of cylinders having pistons and valves. Air and fuel are combined in the piston chamber and ignited by a spark from a spark plug. The fuel and air are fed into the piston chamber through an intake valve and, after combustion, exhaust air is forced out through the exhaust valve. To obtain proper performance of the fuel/air igniting sequence, the valve activating mechanism must open and close the intake and exhaust valves at the proper times. Due to relatively high engine operating speeds, this process happens at a very fast rate.
The valve activating mechanism consists, primarily, of the camshaft, valve lifter, push rod and rocker arm. The valve activation mechanism is driven by the camshaft, which has a series of cams having a cam lobe and cam heel. One end of the valve lifter contacts the cam lobe when the cam rotates under it. The opposite end of the valve lifter contacts the push rod, which contacts one side of the rocker arm. The other side of the rocker arm contacts the valve stem to open and close the valve. As the cam lobe rotates under the lifter, the push rod pushes up one end of the rocker arm, causing it to pivot and push down the valve at the opposite end of the rocker arm, thereby unseating and opening the valve. The rate of valve lift, amount of valve lift and the duration of that lift are commonly referred to as the "valve event." A valve spring below the valve side of the rocker arm encircles the valve stem and applies an upward force to close the valve, along with combustion pressure from inside the piston chamber. The upward force exerted by the push rod must be sufficient to overcome the valve spring force.
The conventional cylinder valve activation mechanism can provide optimum intake and exhaust valve timing over only a limited range of engine speed, measured in revolutions per minute ("RPMs"). Typically, the optimum operation of these valves is set to occur at or near engine speeds that occur at the engine's rated horsepower. At this speed, high volumetric efficiency is achieved by closing the exhaust valve late and opening the intake valve early (referred to as "valve overlap"). Unfortunately, valve settings that provide valve overlap are not well suited to low engine speeds and, as a result, dramatically reduce the volumetric efficiency of the engine. For improved efficiency and to obtain optimum performance at low engine speeds, the valves need to open when the piston is at or near the top or bottom of its cycle.
One way to improve performance for the typical internal combustion engine at low engine speeds is to increase the amount of time the valve lifter does not contact the cam (i.e., increasing the crankshaft rotating degrees relative to the opening of the valves--referred to as "valve lash"). Increasing valve lash shortens the amount of time the valve is open and reduces overlap. Although this improves the operation of the engine at low speeds, excessive valve lash results in undesirable noise, wear and loss of horsepower at higher engine speeds.
3. Related Art
A number of related art devices address the limitations of the mechanical valve activation mechanism of the conventional internal combustion engine. Such devices include U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,976 to Rhoads, U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,494 to Sono, U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,495 to Wood, U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,474 to Urata, U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,959 to Smietana, U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,658 to Allmendinger and U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,846 to Scharnweber. None of these related art devices solve the problems with conventional valve activation mechanisms identified above in the manner solved by the present invention.
Each of the aforementioned patents present devices and mechanisms for internal combustion engines that require significant modification to the typical internal combustion engine or which are otherwise not suitable for obtaining the benefits sought by those in the field. As such, despite the potential benefits to be obtained by improving the valve activation mechanism, the inventions set forth in the aforementioned patents, or derivations thereof, are generally not utilized in present day internal combustion engines. Consequently, a need exists for a hydraulically operated variable valve control mechanism that is compatible with and relatively easy to install in the typical internal combustion engine.

Hydraulically operated variable valve control mechanism


An integrated fluxgate-induction sensor is formed of a combined fluxgate sensor and induction sensor using a common core. The sensor may be in serial operation where it switches between a fluxgate mode for measuring static magnetic fields and an induction mode for measuring alternating magnetic fields. Additionally, the sensor may be used in an interleaved operation where the sensor operates from the fluxgate mode during the transition period where its core is changing from a high permeability state to a low permeability state or vice versa, while the sensor operates in the induction mode when the core is in its high permeability state. The resulting sensor provides for a compact magnetic sensor system capable of sensing magnetic fields which oscillate from zero frequency to 10 kHz and higher.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally pertains to the art of sensors for measuring magnetic fields. More particularly, this invention relates to a sensor for measuring both static and oscillating magnetic fields.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Typically, magnetic sensors are divided into two categories. The first category includes those sensors that are designed to measure static magnetic fields. The second category includes those sensors designed to measure oscillating magnetic fields. For example, the Earth's main magnetic field is quasi-static, while those magnetic fields produced by alternating current electricity are oscillating fields. Sensors designed to measure static or low frequency fields have an upper frequency response generally around a few thousand hertz. For example, fluxgate and optically pumped magnetometers fall into this category. The oscillating magnetic field sensor category is dominated by magnetic induction sensors, which typically operate from 10 Hz to 100 kHz or higher. The exceptions to this rule include the superconducting quantum interface devices (SQUID). SQUID sensors can measure from a static field to a field oscillating at approximately 1 MHz. Magnetoresistive sensors can also measure static and oscillating magnetic fields. However, SQUIDS are difficult to use in practical applications and magnetoresistive sensors lack sensitivity adequate for many applications.
There are a number of emerging applications that require magnetic measurements from a static field to one oscillating in the order of 20 kHz, for which the overall system size and weight are important criteria. For these systems, using separate static and oscillating magnetic sensors is unfavorable. For example, future advanced detection systems for unexploded ordnance will require a combination of static and oscillating magnetic measurements, preferably three-axis vector signals, to provide characterization of target shape and reduce false alarm rate. Present oscillating magnetic field sensors used for unexploded ordnance detection are predominately based on using induction coils. To measure the static magnetic field, a second sensor, usually an optically pumped magnetometer or a fluxgate magnetometer, is required. The need for independent alternating static and magnetic sensors increases system size, weight, and cost, while preventing a rigorously co-located measurement of the target response. Another example of sensors which need a wide frequency response range is sensors used for atmospheric and planetary magnetic fields. The overall size and weight of such sensors are critical factors. In these fields, the largest possible upper operating frequency is typically desired. A further example is sensors used as part of electromagnetic surveillance systems.
In all of these examples, measurements of multiple components of the magnetic field are generally desired. Further, there is a concern that when separate sensors are used, i.e., one sensor for static fields and another sensor for oscillating magnetic fields, the metallic or magnetically permeable components of one magnetic sensor will disturb the field measured by the other sensor. In particular, a static magnetometer, such as a fluxgate magnetometer, cannot generally be put in close proximity to an induction sensor that uses a high permeability core because the signal detected by the fluxgate magnetometer will be affected by the distortion of the magnetic field caused by the induction sensor core.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a compact magnetic sensor system capable of sensing magnetic fields that oscillate from a frequency of zero to 100 kHz and higher. Further, since using separate static and oscillating magnetic sensors is not favorable, a single compact sensor with a capability to operate in the entire frequency range is desired.


An electrical stimulation and monitoring device that includes multiple signal paths that are connected in parallel with each other, and each containing a stimulation or sensing electrode, a DC-blocking capacitor and a stimulation or sensing channel. A semiconductor substrate provided for hosting the DC-blocking capacitors is connected electrically to a DC voltage source through a substrate holding capacitor. Such substrate holding capacitor reduces a blanking time between stimulation and sensing periods, and also reduces cross-couplings between different ones of the signal paths while all the DC-blocking capacitors are provided on one and same semiconductor substrate.

Electrical stimulation and response monitoring is implemented for analyzing a medium such as biological tissues. For avoiding that the medium is altered by any DC voltage component which may appear between electrodes applied to this medium, and then may cause unwanted electrolysis processes within the medium, each stimulation sequence is comprised of a first time period for injecting electrical charges into the medium, and a second time period for draining from the medium a charge amount which equals that of the charges injected. The second time period of the stimulation immediately follows the first one. For ensuring that the electrical charge amounts which are injected into and drained from the medium are equal, the electrical stimulation is performed through a DC-blocking capacitor.
Commonly, a set of electrodes is built as a braid and arranged so that all the electrodes are simultaneously in contact with the medium. Each one of these electrodes is intended to produce a stimulation sequence as described above, or to collect an electrical response from the medium. For this reason, these electrodes are called stimulation or sensing electrodes. It is then essential that no cross-coupling occurs between different ones of the electrodes during stimulation and also during response monitoring, which would be due to electronic circuits connected to the electrodes.
Each electrode may be either a stimulation electrode or a sensing electrode, or may have alternately the stimulation function or the sensing function depending on a stimulation channel or a sensing channel being currently connected to this electrode. Each electrode is thus connected to a stimulation or sensing channel which is dedicated to this electrode through a DC-blocking capacitor, separately from the other electrodes. Hence a set of capacitors is to be provided for the whole set of electrodes, such that one capacitor is connected electrically between one of the electrodes and the corresponding stimulation or sensing channel.
Up to now, all the DC-blocking capacitors of an electrical stimulation and monitoring device which has multiple stimulation or sensing electrodes are provided as discrete components. These discrete capacitors are mounted on a substrate such as a printed circuit board or a ceramic substrate.
Then it would be cost-effective and allow denser integration to provide all the DC-blocking capacitors which are necessary for all the stimulation or sensing electrodes in the form of an integrated circuit which is produced from one semiconductor substrate. Such electrical stimulation and monitoring device would then comprise: a semiconductor substrate of a first conduction type, which is provided with a set of separated wells all having a second conduction type, the first and second conduction types being opposite so that each well forms a respective embedded diode at a boundary between this well and a bulk portion of the substrate having the first conductivity type; a set of capacitor structures which are each accommodated within one of the wells separately from the other capacitor structures, each capacitor structure having a first electrode, a second electrode and a layer portion of an electrically insulating material, the first electrode being formed by the well which is dedicated to this capacitor structure, and the layer portion of insulating material being arranged between the first and second electrodes; a set of stimulation or sensing electrodes which are each connected to the first electrode of one of the capacitor structures; and a set of stimulation or sensing channels which are each connected to the second electrode of one of the capacitor structures, and each comprising a current source for injecting a stimulation current into one of the stimulation or sensing electrodes through one of the capacitor structures which is connected serially between the stimulation or sensing channel and the stimulation or sensing electrode, or comprising a sensing circuit for allowing monitoring of a voltage response collected by one of the stimulation or sensing electrodes, and detected by the sensing circuit through the capacitor structure which is connected serially between the stimulation or sensing electrode and the stimulation or sensing channel.
According to such design, the device is comprised of a set of signal paths each comprised of one stimulation or sensing electrode, one capacitor structure and one stimulation or sensing channel which are connected serially in this order. The capacitor structure has the DC-blocking function mentioned earlier. Electrical insulation between the capacitor structures, within the integrated circuit, is provided by the diodes which are formed at the boundary between each well which accommodates one of the capacitor structures and the bulk portion of the substrate. But because such well diodes are not actually perfect, they have junction capacitors and leakage currents which cause cross-couplings between separate ones of the signal paths. Then stimulation which is intended to be applied to the analyzed medium though a selected one of the electrodes also produces unwanted stimulation through another one of the electrodes. This results in unwanted voltage build-up across some parts of the medium.
Generally, after one stimulation sequence has been applied to the medium through one of the electrodes, a blanking time is necessary before starting sensing the response from the medium, because a residual voltage which has been caused within the medium by the stimulation sequence needs to relax. Indeed such residual voltage may saturate an amplifier which is implemented within the sensing channels, thus making it impossible to sense the true response of the medium which corresponds to biological activity before the residual voltage has relaxed. Blanking time thus limits the response which can be collected, and also limits the number of stimulation and sensing cycles which can be performed within a fixed duration.
When the device is used for therapy purpose, a number of successive stimulation sequences are to be applied at a frequency which is also limited by the blanking time. Indeed, the medium has to relax after each stimulation sequence for avoiding that the residual voltages which are caused by the sequences accumulate and produce an overall voltage runaway within the medium.
Therefore, it is an issue for both uses of electrical stimulation and monitoring devices to shorten the blanking time.
Additionally, if a failure such as dielectric breakdown occurs in one of the capacitor structures of the above device which is based on a semiconductor substrate for hosting the DC-blocking capacitors, a resistive conduction path which passes through the medium appears. Then, an unwanted DC current which would flow along such path can damage the medium. Therefore, it is desirable to have a security dielectric isolation in addition to the capacitor structure within each loop formed by one of the signal paths and a reference voltage branch which leads to a reference electrode also applied to the medium.

Electrical stimulation and monitoring device


The apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention communicates using beams, and has a receiving section that receives information about a beam of another apparatus, and a control section that decides whether or not to select a transmitting beam autonomously, based on whether certain information is present or not. According to one aspect of the present invention, even when certain apparatus is capable of selecting beams autonomously, it is still possible to reduce the decline in communication throughput and so forth.

In the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) network, the specifications of long term evolution (LTE) have been drafted for the purpose of further increasing high speed data rates, providing lower latency and so on (see non-patent literature 1). In addition, LTE-A (LTE advanced and LTE Rel. 10, 11, 12 and 13) has been standardized for the purpose of achieving increased capacity and enhancement beyond LTE (LTE Rel. 8 and 9) and so on.
Successor systems of LTE are also under study (for example, referred to as "FRA (Future Radio Access)," "5G (5th generation mobile communication system)," "5G+(plus)," "NR (New Radio)," "NX (New radio access)," "FX (Future generation radio access)," "LTE Rel. 14 or 15 and later versions," etc.).
In existing LTE systems (for example, LTE Rel. 8 to 13), a user terminal (UE (User Equipment)) may apply precoding to transmitting signals, per transmitting antenna, based on precoding matrix indicators (PMIs) given as feedback from the network (for example, a base station (eNB (eNode B))), and transmit these signals.

Apparatus and radio communication method


Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for a memory device comprising a memory system and power delivery circuitry comprising an energy storage, wherein the power delivery circuitry is configured to simultaneously deliver a first power from the energy storage and a second power from an external power supply coupled to the memory device.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the field of memory devices and other systems and more particularly, to systems and methods of providing power for memory devices and other systems.
2. Description the Related Art
Computer systems and other electrical systems generally include one or more memory devices. Memory devices generally include circuits (e.g., integrated circuits, semiconductor circuits, etc.) configured to store data. For example, the memory devices may include volatile and/or non-volatile memory. Examples of types of volatile memory, which require power to retain stored information, include random-access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), among others. Non-volatile memory does not require power to retain stored information and can include read only memory (ROM), flash memory (e.g., NAND flash memory and NOR flash memory), phase change random access memory (PCRAM), resistive random access memory (RRAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), and so forth.
Solid state drives (SSDs) may be formed with various types of memory devices (e.g., solid state memory devices). Unlike hard disk drives (HDDs), solid state drives do not include moving parts, and therefore may not be susceptible to vibration, shock, magnetic fields, etc., and may have reduced access times and latency. A solid state drive can be formed from volatile memory devices and/or non-volatile memory devices. For example, a solid state drive may be a NAND flash memory device that does not include an internal battery. In certain configurations, the solid state drive may be connected to an external power supply. Unfortunately, power requirements (e.g., temporary power requirements) of the solid state drive may exceed the power supplying capacity of the external power supply. As a result, solid state drives may experience an increase in latency (i.e., response time) during periods when power demand of the solid state drive exceeds the power supplying capacity of the external power supply.