A dice cup for use in dice games involving concealment of the dice, including an open top end and an open bottom end, a closed opaque wall extending therebetween, and a longitudinal axis. A plurality of spaced-apart slats are disposed across the bottom end so as to define a plurality of viewing holes. The slats prevent dice from being ejected from the cup when said cup is shaken with said top end covered, and when the cup is inverted to cover dice on a flat surface, the slats provide an impediment to seeing the dice through the viewing holes unless viewed at a sufficiently small angle relative to said longitudinal axis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cups for throwing dice in dice games, and more particularly to dice cups adapted for use in Liar's Dice or variants thereof, and still more particularly to a dice cup with a see through bottom that conceals the results of the dice throw to all but the cup holder.
2. Discussion of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR §§ 61.97, 1.98:
A turn in a game of chance is often commenced by throwing or rolling one or more dice. When the die are rolled, the score used in the turn of play is almost invariably the value or values showing on the uppermost face of the dice after they come to rest. In a game of pure chance, it is imperative that the dice roll randomly without any control exercised over the outcome by the person rolling or throwing the dice. In consequence, immediately before the throw the dice or die are blindly shaken and allowed to rotate and change position freely. To minimize the influence by the thrower, rather than using bare hands, the dice may first be shaken in a dice cup, and then rolled from the cup or clapped down onto a table surface to bring the dice to rest.
Some dice games involve concealing the dice after a roll. The most well known among such games is Liar's Dice (known as Call my Bluff or Perudo in the commercial versions). The game originated in South America and has become a popular gambling or drinking game in the United States. It goes by the name of Dudo or Cachito in South America, though the South American variants are typically called Mexicali or Mexican in the United States.
There are several versions of Liar's Dice, the most important being "individual hand," "common hand," and "Mexican", mentioned above. All variations involve two or more players, the use of five six-sided dice, a dice cup, and then use of the dice cup to conceal the dice after each roll. When the dice come to rest, the thrower tips the cup, looks at the result, and commences the bidding process. Subsequent bids and bets are made about the result of the roll based on the credibility of the opening bid and the successor bids. Thus, while the dice remain concealed, players must either raise a bid or challenge the bid in turn. As noted, the concealment is generally effected by tipping the cup only slightly, such that only the thrower can see the dice trapped under the cup. However, cheating is common (nearly encouraged), and the player throwing the dice often cup their hands around the base of the cup as it is tipped to more fully conceal the dice.
The number of dice and dice cups differs according the game variation played. In the "common hand" variation, each player is provided with a set of dice; the players each roll one dice and conceal the throw from the other players. Bids are made by each player based on the dice he/she sees plus a prediction of all the dice concealed dice (namely, the dice thrown by all the other players). In the "individual hand" variation, at each turn one set of dice is passed from one player to the next. Bids are made according to the dice as they are in front of the bidder after selected dice have been re-rolled. Both the common hand and individual hand variations use a set of five six-sided dice. In the variant known as Mexican Liar's Dice, only three dice are used.
However, in each variation, and in each round of play, the roll of the dice and the progression of bidding takes place with the dice concealed from all players other than the thrower. Typically, the bidding begins with the dice thrower openly stating the minimum number of a chosen face showing on the dice rolled (one "4" for instance"). The statement may be a an accurate description of the roll, or it may be an outright lie. Thus, the name Liar's Dice comes from the practice of responsive bids, which can include calling the first bidder a "liar" by challenging the bid and forcing him/her to lift the cup to reveal the dice and show whether the bid was valid. In such a case, if the same number or more of the chosen face number are revealed, then the bid is considered successful, and the throwing player wins. Otherwise the challenger wins.
As would be expected, numerous dice cups have been styled for particular dice games, either because the cup fits the physical needs of the game or because of other design constraints that dictate a certain design. Backgammon dice cups, for instance, tend to be oval in shape and have a relatively thin profile. Such a shape is driven by the need to fit the dice up in the case typically used for the backgammon game. Interestingly, no special design has been proposed for use in playing Liar's dice, and the kind of cup employed in Liar's Dice is merely the classically styled leather or vinyl cup having a generally cylindrical shape, a bottom bumper, and bull lips. Occasionally the interior of the cup is provided with a soft material to dampen the sound of the rattling dice. The classic cups require the thrower to tip the cup to view the dice.
It would be desirable if the ritual of tipping the cup to view the dice could be entirely eliminated. This would free the thrower's hands to attend to other matters (handling a drink, for instance), and it would also free him from having to lean closely down to see the dice under the ever-so-slightly tipped cup. This would focus more attention on his or her face, and the lying would have to be more skillful and convincing. A dice cup with a restricted viewing window might accomplish such an objective.
Dice caps with windows for viewing a dice roll have been devised. For instance, dice cups with transparent walls are shown in each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 148,374 to Mains; 1,781,983 to Koch; and 3,892,410 to Hoetzel.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,143 to Albright et al teaches a lottery number selector including buoyant cubes contained in a fluid tight and generally opaque container. The container has a window for viewing a predetermined number of the cubes temporarily trapped and arranged adjacent the window after agitating the container by a user. A cube receiving channel is formed within the container adjacent the window for releasably trapping a desired number of cubes adjacent the window.
In a variation on the Albright invention, U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,488 to Kohlhagen describes a sealed cube with six transparent windows, in which is disposed a second cube having six number bearing faces, each in register with and in relatively close proximity to a corresponding face of the first cube. An optical shielding liquid within the container fills the container so that when the die is at rest a transparent bubble is formed between an upper, horizontally disposed insignia bearing face and the container face in registration with the upper face. The shielding liquid obscures all of the other number bearing faces. In this manner, only the uppermost face of the inner cube can be seen.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,618 to Ramos teaches a lockable, tamper proof dice cup for use in games of chance, which includes a transparent cylindrical wall attached to a receiver base to form a chamber for containing dice. A locking mechanism comprising a tamper proof set screw with an end engaging the cylindrical wall captures the dice within the chamber and prevents unauthorized removal of the wall from the base. Dice, however, can be seen from all sides of the wall.
The foregoing patents reflect the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. Reference to, and discussion of, these patents is intended to aid in discharging Applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above-indicated patents disclose, teach, suggest, show, or otherwise render obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein. Specifically, none teach or show a dice cup that provides means for selectively viewing the results of the dice throw without having to tip the dice cup; more particularly, the foregoing patents do not teach or describe a dice cup with means for the dice thrower to view the results of a dice roll by looking at the dice through a viewing window while also preventing others from viewing the dice.


In detention of abrasion on a rapier band controlled in reciprocation by a rapier guide, the principal of detection is closely related to the critical abrasion (.alpha.) of the rapier band and the system calls for no substantial modification in construction of the rapier band in production. In a first embodiment, a longitudinal channel of a depth greater then the critical abrasion is formed in the guide face of the rapier guide so that an abrasion sensor attached to the rapier guide detects the dimension of a non-abraded region on the rapier guide projecting into the channel. In a second embodiment, a photoelectric sensor is attached to the rapier guide so that its detection beam passes through the rapier band at a distance of .beta. from the guide face, .beta. being equal to a sum of the critical abrasion (.alpha.) and the initial gap between the rapier band and the guide face of the rapier guide. The critical abrasion (.alpha.) of the rapier band can be easily and freely adjusted by end users only by changing the position of the sensor or sensors.

The present invention relates to an abrasion detector for a rapier band on a rapier loom, and more particularly relates to an improvement in detection of abrasion of a rapier band used for reciprocation of a rapier head on a rapier loom.
In general on a rapier loom, each weft is inserted into an open shed by means of a rapier head, i.e. an weft gripper, reciprocating in the weft direction. The rapier head is driven for reciprocation by a rapier band, i.e. a tape, which cooperates with an oscillating band wheel, i.e. a driving wheel.
In the following description, the term "critical abrasion" refers to a limit of abrasion of a rapier band beyond which the rapier band cannot exhibit its expected function. Generally, the critical abrasion of a rapier band is 1 mm or smaller. In practice, however, the critical abrasion of a rapier band is not fixed but more or less varies depending upon process conditions and/or user's requirements. The term "guide face" refers to the face of a rapier guide which causes abrasion of a rapier band through its direct surface contact.
A wide variety of systems have been developed for detection of abrasion of rapier bands. In most cases, some modifications are applied to rapier bands. One typical example disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Hei. 2-14045 on "A strap for controlling movement of an weft gripper on a shuttleless loom. In the case of this prior art system, a strap is embedded in a rapier band while extending in the longitudinal direction of the latter. The strap is made of a material which allows transmission of optical, electric or magnetic signals. The system further includes a detection head which is arranged in a face to face relationship to the rapier band incorporating the above-described strap. The depth of the strap embedded in the rapier band is chosen so that the strap is exposed on the surface of the rapier band when abrasion of the latter exceeds the prescribed critical abrasion. Surface exposure of the strap is sensed by the detection head and translated into accurance of excessive abrasion.
In the case of this prior art system, incorporation of the separate strap into the rapier band causes significant rise in cost due to its complicated construction. Since a rapier band is a sort of consumative product, its high production cost is a serious disadvantage in marketing. Further, since the critical abrasion is in general very small in dimension, accuracy in detection is greatly swayed by accuracy in production of the strap and/or accuracy in incorporation of the strap in the rapier band. As a result, no high degree of reliability in detection is in general expected. The strap is embedded into the rapier band during production of the latter. Stated otherwise, the critical abrasion of the rapier band is fixed at the stage of production and no free adjustment by users is accepted.


A radio communication terminal 100 includes: a first storage unit 1171 configured to store a PRL list L1 used for connection to a communication provider-provided WLAN provided by a communication provider, a content of the first storage unit 1171 being rewritable by the communication provider; and a second storage unit 1172 configured to store a user registration list L2 used for connection to a user-registered WLAN registered by a user of the radio communication terminal, the second storage unit 1172 being rewritable by the user. The radio communication terminal 100 selects any one of the communication provider-provided WLAN and the user-registered WLAN, based on the PRL list L1 and the user registration list L2.

Along with the recent development of radio communication techniques, an environment is being created in which, depending on a requirement (e.g., communication speed), a radio communication terminal selectively uses multiple radio communication networks (e.g., a mobile communication network and a wireless LAN). To this end, a method of having a radio communication terminal include a so-called roaming function for selectively using multiple radio communication networks is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
A radio communication terminal has a storage unit for storing connection information, or more specifically, a preferred roaming list (PRL), which includes information on each of the radio communication networks, such as their identification information, priorities, regions, and frequencies used. The storage unit is configured by a flash memory or the like. Eased on the contents of the PRL, the radio communication terminal selects an appropriate radio communication network.
In general, the contents of the PRL are rewritable only by a communication provider (e.g., a communication provider providing the radio communication terminal). In addition, the user of the radio communication terminal can add information (e.g., an SSID) to the PRL, the information needed for selecting a radio communication network (e.g., a public wireless LAN) provided by other than the communication provider.    Non-patent Document 1: "IP Based Over-the-Air Device Management (IOTA-DM) for cdma2000 Systems 3GPP2 C.S0064-0 Version 1.0," 3GPP2, September 2005

Radio communication terminal that selects among radio communication networks


A semiconductor memory device includes a pulse signal generator configured to combine a plurality of external command signals to generate a normal register control signal and an extended register control signal in response to a clock signal; a reset signal generator configured to receive operating information of a delay locked loop (DLL) circuit from an outside to generate a reset signal for a reset operation of the DLL circuit in response to the normal register control signal or the extended register control signal; and the DLL circuit configured to perform a reset operation in response to the reset signal.

The present invention relates to semiconductor design technology, and more particularly, to a control circuit which is adapted for controlling a delay locked loop of a semiconductor memory device.
A system is implemented with a plurality of semiconductor devices. Among them, a semiconductor memory device is used to store data. The semiconductor memory device outputs data corresponding to addresses received from a data processor, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), or stores data received from the data processor into unit cells corresponding to addresses inputted together with the data.
As the operating speed of the system increases, the data processor requires the semiconductor memory device to input/output data at higher speed. As semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) technologies rapidly develop, the operating speed of the data processor increases, but the data input/output speed of the semiconductor memory device does not keep up with the increased operating speed of the data processor.
Many attempts have been made to develop semiconductor memory devices that can increase data input/output speed up to the level required by the data processor. One of these semiconductor memory devices is a synchronous memory device that outputs data at each period of a system clock. Specifically, the synchronous memory device outputs or receives data to or from the data processor in synchronization with the system clock. However, because even the synchronous memory device could not keep up with the operating speed of the data processor, a double data rate (DDR) synchronous memory device was developed. The DDR synchronous memory device outputs or receives data at each transition of the system clock. That is, the DDR synchronous memory device outputs or receives data in synchronization with falling edges and rising edges of the system clock.
However, the system clock inevitably has a delay time until it arrives at a data output circuit because it passes through a clock input buffer, a clock transmission line, etc. Thus, if the data output circuit outputs data in synchronization with the delayed system clock, an external device will receive data that are not synchronized with rising edges and falling edges of the system clock.
To solve this problem, the semiconductor memory device uses a delay locked loop (DLL) circuit to lock a delay of a clock signal. The DLL circuit compensates for the delay caused by internal circuits of the semiconductor memory device until the system clock inputted to the semiconductor memory device is transferred to the data output circuit. The DLL circuit finds the delay time of the system clock, which is caused by the clock input buffer, the clock transmission line, etc. of the semiconductor memory device. Then, the DLL circuit delays the system clock as much as the found delay time and outputs the delayed system clock to the data output circuit. That is, the DLL circuit outputs a delayed-locked clock (DLL clock) to the data output circuit. The data output circuit outputs data in synchronization with the DLL clock. Therefore, the data are correctly outputted to the external circuit in synchronization with the system clock.
In an actual operation, the DLL clock is transferred to the output buffer at a time point earlier by one period than a time point when the data must be outputted, and the output buffer outputs data in synchronization with the received DLL clock. Therefore, the data is outputted faster than the delay of the system clock caused by the internal circuit of the semiconductor memory device. In this way, the data are correctly outputted in synchronization with the rising and falling edges of the system clock which is inputted to the semiconductor memory device. That is, the DLL circuit is a circuit to find how fast the data must be outputted in order to compensate for the delay of the system clock within the semiconductor memory device.
Meanwhile, a reset signal is internally generated and applied to the DLL circuit so as to reset the DLL circuit. In general, the semiconductor memory device generates a pulse signal using the inputted clock signal, and then generates the reset signal using the pulse signal to reset the DLL circuit. However, as the frequency of the clock signal inputted to the semiconductor memory device becomes higher, it is more difficult to stably generate the reset signal for resetting the DLL circuit.

Semiconductor memory device and method for driving the same


A citrus fruit squeezing machine has a section for accumulating and feeding the fruit, a section for squeezing the fruit and respective sections for conveying and collecting the juice and the peels of the squeezed fruit. The section for squeezing the fruit includes two plates disposed laterally as well as symmetrically to a cutting blade. The plates are supported in such a way as to be convergent and inclined downwards and towards the cutting blade. The cutting blade is fitted on a support plate having its lower part pivoted on the framework of the machine. The support plate is also connected with a toggle compound lever which can be manually driven or driven by a motor. The toggle compound lever moves the support plate towards the plates which are both straddled by the cutting blade when they are in the starting position. At first, the cutting blade moves toward the piece of fruit and cuts a fairly good part of it. Then, arms of the support plate impact corresponding rolls on the plates and drive the plates toward each other with the consequent squeezing of the fruit.

The present invention relates to a new citrus-fruit squeezing machine, in particular to a machine for squeezing oranges and the like that has a very simple structure and operation and, moreover, which squeezes the fruit after cutting the same into two parts.
Various kinds of machines for squeezing citrus-fruit are already known.
The machines are structurally complicated and possess some functional restrictions.
Some kinds of such known machines perform the cutting of the fruit before squeezing the same. This is carried out by devices for catching and conveying a single piece of fruit to the cutting and squeezing devices.
These devices are rather complicated and work only if fed fruit of adequate sizes or fruit having only very limited overall size differences.
Therefore, the user must previously gauge and select the fruit to be squeezed.
Also the cutting and squeezing devices are complicated and frequently do not effect an ideal squeezing operation.
There are other well known machines that are more simple with respect to both their structures and their operating modes such as those described in Italian Patent Application Nos. 45784 A/89 and 45769 A/90 respectively filed on Oct. 19, 1989 and Nov. 8, 1990 by the same inventor.
Such machines also possess some drawbacks as follows.
The squeezing operation is essentially carried out through the simple squashing of the fruit between two opposite plates without the previous cutting of the fruit.
It follows that the squashing causes both the squeezing of the citrus-fruit and the extraction from its peel of oils and other essential substances that mix with the fruit's juice and alter its taste.
This drawback is not sufficiently obviated even by providing a blade on a squeezing plate in such a way as to cut the citrus-fruit, as described, for example, in the above-mentioned Italian Application No. 45784 A/89, because the action of such blade is carried out during the squashing and its effectiveness is very limited.


An improved cartridge mounted mechanical seal for providing a seal between a housing and a rotatable shaft is provided, including at least one radial stud which extends from the inside of the rotary sleeve of the seal through the rotary sleeve and into the lock collar of the seal so as to transmit torque from the shaft to the rotating face of the seal.

1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates generally to mechanical seals and, more specifically to cartridge mounted mechanical seals which.
2. Prior Art.
Mechanical seals are used to provide a seal between various components on a rotating shaft. Such seals take many different forms. In the field of cartridge mounted seals are mechanical seals which have at least one set of contacting seal faces, one rotary face and one stationary face, the rotary face being driven by its connection to a sleeve which is mounted nonrotatably to the shaft. The entire cartridge seal unit is installed by simply sliding the sleeve and the attached seal components onto the shaft and fixing the sleeve in place. A gland plate is provided for supporting the stationary seal face. The gland plate is usually bolted to the housing (such as a pump housing) through which the shaft extends.
Cartridge mounted mechanical seals are shipped and installed as a unit. The rotary sleeve of the seal and the lock collar of prior art seals are held in place during shipment by temporary clips or cams, which work in conjunction with set screws which are threaded through holes in the lock collar and the sleeve. A typical arrangement is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Cup point set screws 60 extend through lock collar 61 and sleeve 62. Upon installation, cup point set screws 60 dig into shaft 63, setting the seal in position. Although some seals have only cup point set screws to both set and drive the seal, this is not desirable. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, dog point set screws 64 having a blunt end are installed through holes in the lock collar 61 and the sleeve 62. The hole in sleeve 62 matingly receives the end of dog point screw 64. Thus, the lock collar 61 receives torque from the cup point set screws 60 and drives the sleeve 62 via the dog point screws 64, protecting the cup point screws 60 and threads from excessive wear. Dog point screws 64 also provide a means for maintaining axial alignment of seal parts during shipment.
While the dog point set screws 64 solve the problem of excessive wear of the cup point screws 60 as well as maintain axial alignment, several other problems present themselves. It is difficult to determine from the exterior of the lock collar 61 which screws are which, resulting in accidental loosening or tightening of the wrong screws. For example, a dog point screw 64 may be overtightened to the point where the blunt end of the screw abuts the shaft, causing the lock collar 61 and/or the sleeve 62 to bend. Further, during rotation of shaft 63 dog point screws 64 may back out of their holes causing excessive torque to be transmitted to cup point screws 60, galling threads and damaging the seal. Also, should dog point screws be mistakenly removed or loosened during shipment, axial misalignment of the seal can result.


A ventilation system for urging flue gases from an exhaust source through an exhaust conduit has an exhaust outlet for venting the gases and an exhaust inlet communicating with the exhaust source. A blower fan is provided for creating a positive air flow away from the exhaust inlet to urge the flue gases through the exhaust conduit and out of the exhaust outlet. A blower pipe channels air from the blower fan into the exhaust conduit past the exhaust inlet so as to create a venturi effect to draw exhaust from the exhaust inlet into the exhaust conduit. Duct work may be provided so that the blower fan draws fresh air from the ambient, namely from outside the structure housing the exhaust sources, rather than from inside the structure.

Residential, commercial and industrial structures typically house some sort of combustion sources, such as a furnace and hot water tank, to provide heat and hot water to the occupants. Such combustion sources require air for combustion, and a ventilation in system to vent the resulting gas fumes or exhaust out of the structure. The hot exhaust will usually rise up the exhaust outlet or chimney of the ventilation system and exit to atmosphere.
However, as is well known, a down-draft, or back-draft, in the exhaust outlet may impede or even reverse the travel of the exhaust through the ventilation system. A down-drafts might arise due to atmospheric conditions, or where a "negative" air pressure (i.e. an air pressure lower than that outside the structure) is created within the structure during operation of another combustion source having another exhaust outlet. The most common example of the latter is in residential settings during operation of a fireplace having its own chimney. A fire in a fireplace will typically consume large quantities of indoor air which, if a window is not opened, will often be replaced by fresh air drawn into the residence by a down-draft through the ventilation system servicing other combustion sources, such as the furnace and hot water tank. Should the furnace and/or the hot water tank begin operation during such down-draft, the resulting exhaust may not be sufficient to create a proper up-draft in chimney, and so may be forced to escape into the utility room or other areas of the structure through an air inlet near the bottom of the chimney, through the exhaust source itself, or by another route. Such escape may cause smoke damage to contents within the structure, and may create a dangerous and potentially lethal situation if the fumes are toxic, such as carbon monoxide poisoning.
Prior art systems employ hinged doors or flaps (i.e. dampers) at the air inlet which are urged closed in a down-draft, but dampers do not always seal correctly and have been ineffective.
What is therefore desired is a novel ventilation system which overcomes the limitations and disadvantages of existing systems. Preferably, it should provide for a venting means to induce a positive air flow up an exhaust conduit to prevent down-drafts during operation of exhaust sources and to urge exhaust through the ventilation system to the ambient. In particular, the venting means should include a device for creating a venturi effect to help draw the exhaust away from the exhaust sources and channel the exhaust along the ventilation system toward the ambient. Preferably, the venting means should be controlled to operate only when desired, namely during operation of the exhaust sources when fumes must be vented. The ventilation system should also provide the option of channeling fresh air from the ambient to the venting means and exhaust sources so as not to deplete air within the structure and avoid negative air pressure therewithin.


Diagnosing communications between computer systems includes sending a message from a sending node to a receiving node. The receiving node detects an error in the receiving node receiving the message and captures the data regarding the error on the receiving. A diagnostic log request is sent from the receiving node to the sending node, the diagnostic log request including a request for the sending node to log information. The sending node diagnoses the communications error in response to the diagnostic log response.

This invention relates generally to inter-computer communications, and more particularly to diagnosing communications between computer systems.
Diagnosing errors in inter-computer communication links is often difficult because the site where an error is detected is often not where the error is actually occurring. For example, one side of a communication link may send a message to another and expect a reply, but never receive one. The error is likely to be on the other side, but the sending side detects the error.
The situation is often complicated by several factors. One such factor is the difficulty in correlating any log information on both sides of the communication link because separate logs are based on time clocks that are not synchronized. Another factor is that the different sides can be physically distant from one another, from across a room from one another to kilometers apart. In the latter case in particular, the time delay in communication substantially increases the difficulty of correlating error indications on the two sides of the communication link. A root issue, however, is that error detection is on one side of a communication link while the error cause is on the other.
In addition, cases are regularly encountered which are not adequately anticipated and covered by the responses and diagnostics preprogrammed or built into the communications system. Exemplary situations that typically cause problems include a silent (e.g., unlogged) drop of a message by the recipient node for reasons unknown, a message received with header information that is incorrect or unanticipated, and a message exchange sequence that exhibits unanticipated delays or hangs. Often such under-anticipated events will elicit standard responses, such as logging of status or error information, but, in practice, this has turned out to not always be enough.
It would be desirable to be able to improve the diagnosis of communication errors between nodes.

International Business Machines Corporation


A secure document printing and delivery management system includes one or more print delivery vehicles, each of which includes an onboard print device. When the system receives a print job from a requesting device, it will select a print delivery vehicle instruct the print delivery vehicle to navigate to a delivery location. Upon arrival at the delivery location, the system will detect and verify a security token presented by a recipient. In response to detecting and verifying the token, the system may print the document (if not already printed) and it will present the document to the recipient.

In today's business environment, many employees work remotely, away from a centralized office. Remote workers may operate in their private homes, in restaurants or coffee shops, in hotels or vacation rentals, or even while at the worksite of a customer, vendor or other business partner. Remote work may be temporary, or it may be a long-term arrangement. In each of these situations, workers may need to print documents for review, but they cannot use the print services that are commonly available in their offices. In some remote locations, print devices simply may not be available for the worker to use. In others, print devices may be available, but in order to send print jobs to those devices the remote workers must connect their work-issued computing device to a potentially-unsecure third party network, email documents to an external party, or otherwise risk exposing confidential business documents and systems to external viewers.
This document describes new methods and systems directed to solving the issues described above, and/or other problems.

System and method for secure delivery of printed documents via mobile print center


The present invention provides a system for dispensing an air treatment and audibly indicating the dispensing and/or a change in the dispensing intensity. An exemplary audible indicator may include a pattern of a plurality of audible indicators having the same or different durations, having the same or different intensities, separated by the same or different intervals, and having the same or different audible impressions. Different audible indicators are associated with different device states, such as not dispensing, dispensing to create ambiance, dispensing in response to a malodor, or dispensing to offset habituation. Different audible indicators may also be associated with different malodors, or different intensities of the same or different malodors.

Vapor-dispensing devices typically include a volatizable material and a dispensing system configured to facilitate evaporation of the volatizable material into the surrounding air. For example, in some systems, a liquid material is contained in a reservoir, and is volatized with heat, pump, aerosol, fan, etc.
Known vapor-dispensing devices may be improved upon in a number of respects. For example, a consumer may wish to be notified of an air treatment to appreciate its effectiveness.

Air treatment device having an audible indicator


An opposed-piston internal combustion engine is configured so that one cylinder is provided with two pistons and these pistons reciprocate symmetrically with each other. The engine comprises: an expanded chamber formed at part of a wall of the cylinder positioned between the two pistons when a volume between the two pistons is the minimum and extending in a radial direction of the cylinder; an intake passage communicated with the expanded chamber; an exhaust passage communicated with the expanded chamber; an intake valve opening and closing the intake passage with respect to the expanded chamber; an exhaust valve opening and closing the exhaust passage with respect to the expanded chamber, and crankshafts respectively connected to the pistons. The expanded chamber formed so as to stick out from a wall surface of the cylinder in the same direction as axes of rotation of the crankshafts.

Known in the past has been an opposed-piston internal combustion engine in which two pistons are provided in a single cylinder and in which these pistons reciprocate symmetrically with each other (for example, JP 2017-193994 A, JP 2016-217202 A, JP 2016-109111 A and JP 2014-206174 A).
In such an opposed-piston internal combustion engine, it has been proposed to provide an expanded chamber formed at the part of the wall of the cylinder, which is positioned between the two pistons when the volume between the two pistons is the smallest, and extending in the radial direction of the cylinder (for example, JP 2017-193994 A and JP 2016-217202 A). This expanded chamber is communicated with an intake passage and exhaust passage, and is provided with an intake valve and exhaust valve opening and closing these intake passage and exhaust passage with respect to the expanded chamber. As a result, it is possible to open and close the intake valve and exhaust valve without interference with the pistons.

Opposed-piston internal combustion engine


A pressure sustaining system for an LPG bombe may include the LPG bombe, in which an LPG fuel may be injected and which may be equipped with a ventilation tunnel for emitting the air inside the LPG bombe, and a check valve unit, installed at an opening of the ventilation tunnel, with a fixed conversion pressure so as to keep an air pressure inside the LPG bombe above a predetermined value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pressure sustaining system for LPG bombe, and more particularly, to a pressure sustaining system for LPG bombe, which sustains the pressure of the LPG fuel even at a low temperature thereby improving a vehicle's cold start ability.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) fuel has a high octane number, excellent heat-resisting property and is inexpensive, so it is commonly used in a variety of commercial vehicles including a car. Such LPG fuel is a gaseous material which is liquefied at a room temperature by applying a fixed magnitude of pressure and is pumped into a bombe for use.
Ordinarily, a LPG bombe is formed using a steel plate with a fixed, minimum thickness, and it is formed in a cylindrical shape having a certain capacity. On one end, a charging valve is formed for charging the LPG fuel, and on the other end is formed a pressure indicator to indicate the volume of gas stored inside.
Charging of the LPG fuel is done through a charging valve, and once the charging is complete, the charging valve is closed so as to prevent overcharging. The LPG fuel stored in the LPG bombe by a fixed, minimum pressure is supplied to the combustion chamber in the quantity required by the engine.
In the case of a LPG bombe according to the prior art, the volumetric efficiency of the fuel tank is purely achieved by compression, and therefore, if the compression pressure drops and reaches the atmospheric pressure, the LPG fuel in the fuel tank can no longer be used and must be re-charged.
Especially, the start ability of an engine declines in the winter time. For example, in the summer time when the temperature is 20˜30° C. (butane 100%), the pressure inside the fuel tank is approximately 3 bar, and the gauge pressure at the injector is 8 to 10 bar, but in the winter time when it is −25° C. to 0° C. (butane 100%), the pressure inside the fuel tank reaches 0 bar, while the gauge pressure at the injector is 5 bar, which means the fuel pressure goes down and the start ability of a an engine drops significantly.
Hence, a pressure sustaining system, which keeps the pressure inside a LPG bombe constant and above the atmospheric pressure so that the start ability does not drop in low temperatures such as in winter, is in demand.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

Pressure sustaining system for LPG bombe


Methods for communicating a ranking characterizing a portion of a roadway include: (a) ranking at least one segment of a roadway based on an amount of deviation between a true driving behavior on the at least one segment of the roadway and an expected driving behavior predefined for the at least one segment of the roadway; and (b) communicating the ranking to a client. Apparatuses for communicating a ranking characterizing a portion of a roadway are described.

Recent research demonstrates that a vehicle may be safely driven with limited or with no assistance from a human operator. Such vehicles are referred to as autonomous vehicles (a.k.a., driverless, self-driving, robotic, and/or driver-free vehicles). Autonomous vehicles may be equipped with sensors (e.g., radar sensors) that sense the environment of the vehicle as the vehicle travels. Moreover, autonomous vehicles may navigate without human input.
At present, autonomous vehicles exist primarily as prototypes and demonstration systems. However, in the future, autonomous vehicles may be used on public roadways. When autonomous vehicles become more commonplace, human passengers may experience discomfort brought about by the unnatural, robotic driving style of robotic vehicles. Since individual human drivers exhibit different idiosyncratic tendencies, preferences, and habits behind the steering wheel (e.g., following distance, sudden vs. gradual braking, sudden vs. gradual acceleration, sharpness of turns, frequency of lane changes, and/or the like), a human driver being transported in a driverless vehicle may conclude that the advantages of autonomous driving (e.g., the opportunity to use one's commute time for a constructive purpose, improvements in safety, etc.) are outweighed by the unnatural quality of the robotic driving style.

Personalized driving ranking and alerting


A memory card drive which is compatible with MS-DOS computer systems as w as other computers which do not use MS-DOS as the operating system. The memory card drive comprises an embedded server which is a bridge between a client computer and a pair of memory cards allowing for communication and data transfer between the client computer and the memory cards. The server includes an ethernet interface which connects the server to ethernet bus which is connected to the client computer. The server has a memory card interface module which allows the client computer to communicate with the memory cards and thereby transfer data to the memory cards and retrieve data from the memory cards. The server also includes an embedded computer which enables and controls the functions and operation of the memory card interface and ethernet interface using a computer software program. The embedded computer has a two megabyte hard drive which has the computer software program stored therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to IBM compatible personal computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a digital computer system having an IBM compatible personal computer for providing a bridge between a host computer and PCMCIA memory cards which allows for data transfer between the host computer and the memory cards.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The Personal Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) memory card is a widely accepted storage medium for use with personal computers. The memory card's small size, large storage capacity and ruggedness have made the memory card the ideal storage device for storage of data in military and civilian systems.
The personal computer memory card was originally developed for use with palm top and lab top MS-DOS compatible computers. During the course of development of the personal computer memory card, several different types of memory cards which use varying technologies and architectures have evolved.
The personal computer memory card is made from two primary technologies: (1) the Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) and (2) the Flash Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM). Static Random Access Memory Cards have a memory mapped architecture, while Flash Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory Cards have memory mapped series I and II and Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) architectures.
A computer system or drive transferring data to a memory mapped PC memory card needs specific card parameters such as timing parameters for the card, block size and card memory size for a successful data transfer.
Series I memory cards do not have built in attribute sections containing the required card parameters. These card parameters must be transferred to the memory card along with the data for later extraction by a computer system having custom software.
Series II PC memory cards include an attribute section which has a standardized Card Information Structure (CIS) describing the memory card's device parameters. In addition, Series II PC memory cards have an on board controller to control write and erase timing functions which eliminates these functions from the computer system transferring the data.
Unlike ATA PC memory cards, memory mapped PC memory cards do not have a file system. These memory mapped PC cards may include memory mapped data dumps, programs that are executed in place, files which use a commercial flash file system or files which use a custom flash file system. In addition, Microsoft's FFS2 flash file system and M-System's TrueFFS flash file system, which are the two largest commercially available flash file systems, are not compatible.
Presently, a number PC Memory Card drives are not capable of interfacing with all PC memory cards. In particular, computers which are not compatible with IBM personal computers (MS-DOS compatible) can only interface with a limited number of PC memory cards. Further, a number of PC I/O Cards include device drives required by the memory card for operation which can only be run from an IBM compatible personal computer.
For example, there are commercially available from Adtron Corporation of Chandler, Arizona PC Card drives which interface to a host computer via the Small Computer Systems interface (SCSI). These PC Card drives allow the host computer to read, write to, format and erase ATA Flash Disk cards. However, these PC Card drives do not allow for (1)erasing, writing or formatting of PCMCIA Flash Memory cards; and (2) communication with some PC I/O cards. These PC Card drives are also limited to reading from and writing to pre-formatted Static Random Access Memory cards. Accordingly, there is a need for a PC card drive which is compatible with MS-DOS computer systems as well as other computers which do not use MS-DOS as the operating system. In addition, the PC card drive should support all utilities including writing to the memory card, formatting the memory card, reading the memory card and erasing the memory card.

Programmable stand-alone drive apparatus for interfacing a host computer with PCMCIA memory cards having multiple formats

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A semiconductor device includes: a silicon substrate; and a field effect transistor including a gate insulating film over the silicon substrate, a gate electrode on the gate insulating film, and source and drain regions. The gate electrode includes, in part in contact with the gate insulating film, a crystallized Ni silicide region containing an impurity element of a conductivity type opposite to a conductivity type of a channel region in the field effect transistor.

In the development of cutting-edge CMOS (complementary MOS) devices for which smaller and smaller transistors are required, the deterioration of the driving current due to the depletion of polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) electrodes is posing a problem. In view of this problem, a technique of preventing the deterioration of the driving current by applying metal gate electrodes and thereby avoiding the depletion of electrodes is being studied.
The materials considered for use for the metal gate electrodes include pure metals, metal nitrides and silicides, but in any case it is required that the threshold voltages (Vth) of the n-type MOSFET (hereinafter "nMOS") and the p-type MOSFET (hereinafter "pMOS") can be set to appropriate levels.
Whereas it is required to set Vth to about ±0.1 eV for high performance CMOS transistors, in order to meet this requirement it is necessary to use for the gate electrode a material of which the work function is not greater than that of n-type poly-Si (4.0 eV) for nMOS or one of which the work function is not smaller than that of p-type poly-Si (5.2 eV) for pMOS.
As means of realizing these objectives, a method of controlling the Vth of transistors by separately using heterogeneous metals or alloys having different work functions for the gate electrodes of nMOS and pMOS (dual metal gate technique) is proposed.
For instance, it is stated in Non-Patent Document 1 (International electron devices meeting technical digest 2002, p. 359) that the work functions of Ta and Ru formed on SiO2 are 4.125 eV and 4.95 eV, respectively, and work function modulation by 0.8 eV is possible between these two electrodes.
On the other hand, techniques regarding full silicide electrodes in which poly-Si is fully silicided with Ni, Hf, W or the like is now attracting attention.
For instance, Patent Document 1 (U.S. Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005/0070062) discloses that, by using SiO2 as the gate insulating film and a silicide electrode obtained by full silicidation of poly-Si into which impurities including P and B have been implanted as the gate electrode, (1) the formation process can be made more compatible with conventional CMOS processes and (2) the threshold voltage can be controlled by adding impurities to poly-Si before silicidation over SiO2.
This disclosure suggests that the full silicide electrode is a promising metal gate. In particular, the threshold control made possible by adding impurities resulted in an effective work function of about 4.2 to 4.4 eV for nMOS or about 4.7 to 4.9 eV for pMOS where impurities used in conventional semiconductor processes (B, Al, Ga, In and Ti for pMOS or N, P, As, Sb and Bi for nMOS) were applied. Such variations in threshold occur from the segregation of the added impurities on the silicide electrode/SiO2 gate insulating film interface by the so-called "snowplowing" effect at the time of silicidation. As the threshold control by the addition of impurities enables differentiated production of pMOS and nMOS, it is considered a promising method for controlling the threshold of transistors using SiO2 as the gate insulating film.
Further, according to a technique described in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-129551), where gate electrodes have the Ni content of 30 to 60% and contain n-type impurities for nMOS and gate electrodes have the Ni content of 40 to 70% and contain p-type impurities for pMOS, effective work functions of about 4.1 eV and 5.1 eV have been obtained, respectively.
However, these techniques involve the following problems,
The dual metal gate technique for differentiated production of heterogeneous metals or alloys having different work functions requires a process for removing the metal layer deposited over either the pMOS or nMOS gate insulating film by etching, which deteriorates the quality of the gate insulating film during etching, thereby causing a drop in the performance characteristics and reliability of the element.
When an NiSi electrode (nickel monosilicide electrode) obtained by implanting an impurity such as P and B into poly-Si and fully siliciding the poly-Si with Ni is used as the gate electrode on the SiO2 gate insulating film, the effective work function achieved for nMOS is about 4.2 to 4.4 eV or the effective work function achieved for pMOS is about 4.7 to 4.9 eV, as described above, but realization of a high performance transistor requires achievement of a lower threshold by controlling the effective work function.
According to Patent Document 2, where gate electrodes have the Ni content of 30 to 60% and contain n-type impurities for nMOS and gate electrodes have the Ni content of 40 to 60% and contain p-type impurities for pMOS, effective work functions of about 4.1 eV and 5.1 eV are obtained, respectively. However, no Ni silicide electrode having effective work functions permitting achievement of a threshold required for realizing high performance nMOS and pMOS in this composition region (4.0 eV for nMOS and 5.2 eV for pMOS) has been discovered as yet.
As the tightness of adhesion between the gate electrode and SiO2 gate insulating film is very poor when the Ni content of the gate electrode is 40% or above, the gate electrode/insulating film interface is apt to come off, often causing a deterioration in element performance. Also, when the Ni content of the gate electrode is 40% or above, compressive stress attributable to the electrode is known to work on the gate insulating film and result in a drop in the reliability of the gate insulating film (International electron devices meeting technical digest 2005, p. 709). By reason of these points, it is preferable for the Ni content of the Ni silicide electrode to be less than 40%, but no Ni silicide electrode capable of realizing a threshold needed for high performance pMOS in this content region has been discovered as yet.
In fabricating a CMOS device, it is preferable for both nMOS and pMOS silicide electrodes to be formed in one round of silicidation with a view to cost reduction through simplification of the process. To achieve this purpose, it is necessary for the nMOS and pMOS Ni full silicide gate electrodes to have the same composition, but no Ni silicide electrode having effective work functions to permit realization of thresholds needed for a high performance CMOS device (4.0 eV for nMOS and 5.2 eV for pMOS), while the silicides that constitute the nMOS and pMOS gate electrodes have the same composition, has been discovered as yet.
It is also required, along with the miniaturization of elements, to restrain unevenness of the thresholds of transistors.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof


Exemplary embodiments of the invention to provide an efficient and productive method to form a reliable film. A method to form a film according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in which a transferring layer formed on a substrate is transferred to a workpiece to form a predetermined film on the workpiece, includes treating a surface of the workpiece to enhance or improve the adhesion between the transferring layer and the workpiece by chemical interaction.

1. Field of Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a method to form a predetermined film on a workpiece, a method to form a wiring pattern using the method to form a film, a method to manufacture a semiconductor device, and to an electro-optical device and an electronic device that have the wiring pattern and/or the semiconductor device.
2. Description of Related Art
The industrial application of a transferring technique utilizing a laser is disclosed in the related art. For example, techniques called laser thermal transfer and laser-induced thermal imaging (LITI) have been adopted. For example, related art Documents Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-208881 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-249342 disclose techniques in which transferring layers formed on substrates are transferred to workpieces by laser irradiation.

Method for forming film, method for forming wiring pattern, method for manufacturing semiconductor device, electro-optical device, and electronic device


Methods and apparatus for facilitating program data acquisition. In one embodiment, a set-top box is set to enter an auto-off state based on a user-defined auto-off time. Once the set-top box has entered the auto-off state, a channel from which program guide data may be obtained may be automatically tune to. The auto-off state may be automatically exited in order to either respond to a user interaction or to avoid missing previously-programmed recordings. Upon exiting the auto-off state, the set-top box may be tuned back to the channel that it was tuned to prior to entering the auto-off state.

The Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) has changed the lives of television (TV) viewers by allowing viewers to time-shift TV programs to match their lifestyles. Using the VCR, the viewer stores programs onto magnetic tape; this can then be played back at the viewer's convenience. The VCR gives the viewer the ability to pause the program playback whenever he desires, fast-forward through unwanted program material or commercials, and to replay favorite scenes. However, a VCR cannot both capture and play back information at the same time.
The use of a digital computer system to solve this problem has been suggested. U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,551 issued to Logan et al., on Dec. 6, 1994, teaches a method for concurrent video recording and playback. It presents a microprocessor-controlled broadcast and playback device. However, the approach requires that the microprocessor and hard disk must be very fast in order to keep up with high video rates found in television transmission.
The use of a multimedia time-warping system to solve this problem has been suggested. U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,389 issued to Barton et al. on May 15, 2001 teaches such a system, which utilizes the approach that decouples the microprocessor from the high video data rates, thereby reducing the microprocessor and system requirements, which are at a premium. The common name employed in the art to describe such a multimedia time-warping system is Digital Video Recorder (DVR). DVR systems typically provide the ability to navigate through content which has been stored or cached. Such navigation may include, for example, fast forwarding or reversing through a stored program.
Set-top boxes, whether equipped with DVR functionality or not, must sometimes tune to a particular channel in order to acquire program guide data. Moreover, the set-top box must sometimes be in a stand-by mode as well. Since acquiring fresh program data can take several hours, and since program data should be performed daily, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus which minimizes viewer impact. In the case of a DVR set-top box, there is the added need for an improved method and apparatus for acquiring program guide data while not interfering with previously-scheduled DVR recordings.

Method and apparatus for facilitating program data acquisition


An apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving data in a multi-user multi-antenna communication system is provided. A data transmitting apparatus and method computes a TX filter of a transmitter in an improved scheme and transmits the computed TX filter to a receiver in a one-way channel sounding scheme. A data receiving apparatus and method receives the TX filter over a channel and uses the product of the received TX filter and a channel matrix as an RX filter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving data in a multi-user multi-antenna communication system. In particular, the present invention relates to a data transmitting apparatus and method for computing a transmit (TX) filter of a transmitter in an improved scheme and transmitting the computed TX filter to a receiver in a one-way channel sounding scheme; and a data receiving apparatus and method for receiving the TX filter over a channel and using the product of the received TX filter and a channel matrix as a receive (RX) filter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Research has been conducted on Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) channels over ten years. In addition, researches are being conducted on a multi-user multi-antenna communication system. The use of multi-antenna in a transmitter increases spectral efficiency and also the use of a multi-antenna in a receiver further increases spectral efficiency. Research on the multi-user multi-antenna communication system is intended to apply the above fact to a multi-user communication system.
A MIMO communication system establishes a multi-link between a transmitter and a single user, thereby increasing spectral efficiency. In the MIMO communication system, only one user can access a given resource among channel resources (e.g., subcarriers, spreading codes, and cell sectors) at a time. That is, a MIMO link (i.e., independent data streams) exists between a transmitter and only one receiver at a given time. On the other hand, the multi-user multi-antenna communication system allows a plurality of users (terminals) to access the same resource simultaneously, and independent data streams occur between a transmitter and a plurality of user receivers. The multiplexing scheme used for this is called "multi-user Spatial Multiplexing (SM)".
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a multi-user multi-antenna communication system where communications are performed between a transmitter having a plurality of TX antennas and a plurality of receivers each having a plurality of RX antennas.
Referring to FIG. 1, a base station (BS) transmitter 110 having N number of TX antennas (simply referred to as "N TX antennas") communicates with K user receivers 120, 130 and 140 each having a plurality of RX antennas. The transmitter 110 transmits independent data streams to the receivers 120, 130 and 140 by using a multi-user SM scheme.
A MIMO broadcast channel, an example of a multi-user multi-antenna communication channel, is a downlink (DL) channel of a cellular network where a base station (transmitter) uses multiple TX antenna.
An example of a theoretical scheme for a MIMO broadcast channel in a cellular system is disclosed in M. Costa, "Writing On Dirty Paper", IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, Vol. 29, No. 3; pp. 439-441, May 1983. This theoretical scheme is, however, unrealistic because it is based on the assumption that a transmitter and every user receiver accurately know the channels of all user receivers. In addition, the above theoretical scheme is highly complex because it uses non-linear precoding techniques.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a multi-user multi-antenna communication system where a transmitter uses a plurality of TX antennas and a TX filter and a plurality of receivers each using a plurality of RX antennas and an RX filter. For actual communication, a transmitter uses a TX filter and each receiver uses an RX filter.
Referring to FIG. 2, the transmitter includes SM TX filters 210, 220 and 230 that incorporate TX filters Ml, Mk, . . . , Mn, respectively. Likewise, the receivers respectively include SM RX filters 240, 250 and 260 that incorporate RX filters Wl, Wk, . . . , Wn, respectively.
A multi-user SM scheme, disclosed in Lai-U Choi and Ross D. Murch, "A Transmit Preprocessing Technique for Multiuser MIMO Systems Using a Decomposition Approach", IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 773-786, July 2003, is based on the assumption that some entity (terminal) knows channel matrixes of all users (terminals) and can compute TX/RX filters for optimization of communication performance.
The disclosed multi-user SM scheme is, however, silent on which entity can compute the TX/RX filters, and on how the computed TX/RX filter information (knowledge) can be transmitted from a transmitter to receivers. If information (knowledge) about all the respective channel matrixes between the transmitter and the receivers is available to the receiver, it is called "global channel information (knowledge)". This is, however, also impossible in an actual system.
FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating spectral efficiencies depending on the type of algorithm used in a multi-user multi-antenna communication system. In FIG. 3, local Channel State Information (CSI) refers to a realistic case where each receiver knows only its own channel matrix. Global CSI refers to an unrealistic case where each receiver knows channel matrixes of all receivers. Partial CSI refers to a case where a transmitter uses some measure of channel. quality, which indicates CSI such as signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Complete CSI refers to a case where a transmitter uses the complex entry of CSI in itself.
As can be seen from FIG. 3, the frequency efficiency in the case of transmission to a single user (single-user closed loop, local CSI, complete CSI), as illustrated mark +, is lower by 4.6 bits/sec/Hz than that in the case of sum-capacity (nonlinear precoding scheme; global CSI, complete CSI), as illustrated mark ∇, which is the theoretical maximum data rate of a multi-user communication having four TX antennas, four users, and four RX antennas. Although not illustrated in FIG. 3, the frequency efficiency decreases when multiplex transmission is performed on user receivers but a transmitter and a receiver use partial CSI and local CSI, respectively.
The spatial efficiency in the case of a coordinated beamforming algorithm, as illustrated mark o, is lower by 0.7 bits/sec/Hz than that in the case of the sum-capacity. The use of the coordinated beamforming algorithm makes it possible to design an effective method of transmitting information about RX filters to user receivers by transmitting only one layer to each user receiver, as disclosed in B. Farhang-Boroujeny, Q. Spencer and L. Swindlehurst, "Layering Techniques for Space-Time Communication in Multi-User Networks," in Proceedings of IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC'03 Fall), Orlando, Fla., Oct., 6-9, 2003, Vol. 2, pp. 1339-1343.
The coordinated beamforming algorithm is now described in detail.
First, an algorithm for computing TX/RX filters follows:
Computation Phase
Ai represents the ith column of any matrix A. When the matrix A is Singular Value Decomposition (SVD)-processed, A=UDV*. Here, U and V are unitary matrixes and D is a singular value of the matrix A with diagonal elements arranged in descending order. The principal left singular vector of the matrix A is denoted as Ul that is the first column of the matrix U.
The following computation is performed on the assumption that a base station has a complete CSI.
Initializationfor k = 1:KHk = UDV   SVDWk = U1endRepeat times:Effective channel vector computationfor k = 1:K      H          eff      ,      k        =            W      k      *                  H      k      endUpdate of TX/RX filtersfor k = 1:K      H          stacked      ,      k        =            [                                    H                          eff              ,              1                        T                                                              .                                          .                                          .                                                                H                          eff              ,                              k                -                1                                      T                                                                                H                          eff              ,                              k                +                1                                      T                                                              .                                          .                                          .                                                                H                          eff              ,              K                        T                              ]        T  Hstacked,k = UkDkVk   SVDMk = Vk,N       W    k    =                    H        k                          V                  k          ,          N                                                    H          k                                  V                      k            ,            N                                     endEnd of iterations
where SVD represents singular value decomposition, D is a diagonal matrix, and U and V are unitary matrixes. Heff,k represents an effective channel matrix of a user receiver k that the receiver actually experiences, and Hstacked,k represents effective channels of receivers of all users other than the user receiver k. Mk is a TX filter matrix for the user receiver k, Wk is an RX filter matrix for the user receiver k, and Vk,n is a singular vector in the num space of Hstacked,k. T represents a transpose, and * represents a complex conjugate transpose.
As the algorithm is iterated to convergence, a transmitter performs zero-forcing beamforming (ZFBF) on each user receiver based on an effective channel matrix containing an RX filter.
Although not indicated in the above algorithm, SVD is again used to calculate Wk from Mk. As a result, the above algorithm performs SVD on each user receiver twice during the computation of the TX/RX filters and performs SVD once during the initialization, which causes a complexity problem. Moreover, the base station knows the optimal TX/RX filters for each of N user receivers but the user receivers do not. However, the above algorithm is silent on a technique for informing the receivers of the optimal RX filters. What is therefore required are: (a) a scheme for informing the receivers of the optimal RX filters;
(b) a data transmitting apparatus and method for a multi-antenna communication system that can provide a simpler scheme for computing a TX filter and an improved scheme for enabling a receiver to easily compute an RX filter; and (c) a data receiving apparatus and method for a multi-antenna communication system that can efficiently receive a TX filter computed by a transmitter. Finally, what is required is a data transmitting/receiving apparatus and method for a multi-user multi-antenna communication system that can reduce the system complexity, increase the spectral efficiency and be implemented even when a receiver does not know the channels of other receivers.

Apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving data in multi-user multi-antenna communication system


Methods and systems are provided for cardiac computed tomography imaging. In one embodiment, a method comprises reconstructing an image from projection data acquired during a scan with a reconstruction time determined based on a model relating a timing of an event to be imaged to a heart rate measured during the scan. In this way, the timing of a reconstruction may be consistently applied for a series of reconstructions, thereby inherently registering the reconstructions.

Non-invasive imaging technologies allow images of the internal structures of a patient or object to be obtained without performing an invasive procedure on the patient or object. In particular, technologies such as computed tomography (CT) use various physical principles, such as the differential transmission of x-rays through the target volume, to acquire image data and to construct tomographic images (e.g., three-dimensional representations of the interior of the human body or of other imaged structures).
Dynamic perfusion of the heart, liver, or other organs requires that images be generated over a period of time as a contrast agent moves through the organ. Analysis of the variation in the localized contrast agent is then used to infer any of a number of perfusion metrics, such as the blood flow, volume, or mean transit time. The analysis requires that the same portion of anatomy be analyzed at a series of time points. Displacements in the anatomy from image to image or volume to volume will introduce errors and reduce the accuracy of the perfusion analysis.

Methods and systems for computed tomography


An electro-optical transducer connector assembly (10) including an electro-optical transducer (15), a transducer housing (25) having a connector portion (45) that extends through an opening (21) in a wall (12) of the enclosure (11) for an electrical apparatus (8), such as a computer. Transducer assembly (15) preferably is a transceiver which includes a laser diode/photo detector assembly (19) and a printed wiring assembly (17). An optical channel (23) having two fiber optic members (23a, 23b) is releasably mechanically connected by a first connector portion (43) and a second connector portion (45) telescoped inside the first connector portion (43) so as to optically align the fiber optic members (23a, 23b) with the transducer (15). The connector assembly (10) has a small diameter snout (47) which allows the opening (12) in the electromagnetically shielded apparatus (8) to be minimized, and the transducer housing (25) positions the active radiation generating elements of the transducer (15) at a stand-off distance (X) away from the wall opening (12) to reduce EMI as a result of radiation generated by both the transducer assembly (15) and the electrical circuit (13) of the electrical apparatus (8).

Many computers, as well as other high frequency electrical apparatus or equipment, are sources of significant electromagnetic radiation. As a result, there exists extensive legislation regulating the amount of electromagnetic interference ("EMI") which can be emitted from such equipment. In order to meet or comply with EMI regulations, therefore, manufacturers must provide electromagnetic shielding on equipment enclosures. While effective, electromagnetically shielded electrical equipment enclosures will nevertheless require openings for the communication of input and output signals to and/or from the electrical circuit within the enclosure. Thus, the shielded enclosures routinely are provided with input/output openings through which input/output electrical and/or optical cables are connected, often by a releasable connector assembly.
In recent years, it has become highly desirable for various reasons to communicate into and out of such high frequency electrical apparatus, using optical communication cables. Thus, a fiber-optic cable will be releasably connected through an opening in the enclosure or chassis wall to an electro-optical transducer assembly positioned inside the enclosure and electrically coupled to the apparatus circuitry. If the two-way communication of signals is required, an electro-optical transceiver is employed, but as used herein, the expression "transducer" shall broadly include both electro-optical transducers, suitable for one-way communications, and electro-optical transceivers, suitable for two-way communications.
Electro-optical transducers include their own electrical circuitry, which often operates at a significantly higher switching frequency than the other electrical circuit functions in the equipment. Thus, a computer may operate at a clock or bus switching frequency of 250 MHz, while the electro-optical transducer coupled to the computer electrical circuit is operating at 500 MHz or more. Moreover, the transducer assembly will be a source of harmonic energy radiation at frequencies up to the 5 to 6 GHz range for a fundamental clock rate of 500 MHz. EMI problems increase as the radiation source frequency increases since containing the radiation becomes more difficult as the frequency wavelength shortens and smaller and smaller circuitry elements become effective antennas and smaller enclosure features become antennas.
Shielding the basic high frequency electrical circuit, therefore, is not enough; steps also need to be taken to shield communications transducers and to minimize the size and number of openings which are present in the enclosure for the electrical apparatus to accommodate such transducers. Still further, communication cables for electrical apparatus must be easily disconnected from and connected to the electrical apparatus, and they must be capable of withstanding axial and transverse loading during normal use without becoming mechanically or optically uncoupled from the basic system circuitry.
Prior art electro-optical connector assemblies are known in which the mating connector blocks are employed to join a fiber-optic cables together at the computer chassis wall. Such systems, however, have employed undesirably large openings through the computer wall or have positioned the electro-optical transducer assembly undesirably close to the opening for the cable, or both. Prior connector assemblies for electro-optical transducers also have contained ungrounded or protruding metal components which can re-radiate energy present in the transducer assembly. Other disadvantages of prior electro-optical connector assemblies have included their high cost, difficulty in maintaining optical alignment, and large size (which limits the number of input/output connections).
The present invention solves many of these problems and drawbacks of current electro-optical connectors with a design that is relatively elegant in its simplicity, easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and reliable in its operation.

Miniature electro-optical connector assembly


A laminated coil includes a laminated body having magnetic body sections that are provided on both main surfaces of a non-magnetic body section and include a plurality of stacked magnetic layers, the non-magnetic body section including at least one non-magnetic layer, and a coil including helically connected coil conductors provided in the laminated body. The conductor width of at least one of the coil conductors provided inside the non-magnetic body sections and the coil conductors provided on both main surfaces of the non-magnetic body sections is greater than the conductor width of the other coil conductors in the laminated body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laminated coil and, more specifically, to an open magnetic path type laminated coil having an excellent direct current (DC) superposition characteristic.
2. Description of the Related Art
An open magnetic path type laminated coil has been proposed as a known laminated coil in order to prevent a sudden decrease in the inductance value due to magnetic saturation inside a magnetic body. As described in Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 1-35483, an open magnetic path type laminated coil includes a non-magnetic layer provided inside a laminated coil including magnetic layers. According to the structure of the open magnetic path type laminated coil, magnetic flux leaks from portions in the magnetic layers to the outside of the laminated coil, making it difficult for magnetic saturation to occur inside the magnetic body. As a result, reduction in inductance caused by a direct current is reduced, and the DC superposition characteristic is improved.
Although the open magnetic path type laminated coil according to Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 1-35483 has an excellent DC superposition characteristic, there is a problem in that the inductance characteristic is unsatisfactory. In other words, since the non-magnetic layer is disposed at a location along the path of magnetic flux, the magnetic flux is blocked, causing a reduction in inductance. To obtain the desired inductance, the inductance may be increased by increasing the number of coil turns. However, an increase in the number of coil turns causes the direct current resistance to be significantly increased.


An apparatus and method for controlling the power supplied to a fixing unit are provided. The apparatus includes a voltage detector detecting a voltage of input power supplied to heat at least one heating lamp, a synch signal generator generating a synch signal in response to the detected voltage, a switching unit switching a supply path of the input power to be applied to the at least one heating lamp, and a controller having table information of temporal duty level values of the input power that is initially supplied, and outputting a control signal for controlling a switching operation of the switching unit using the generated synch signal and the table information, wherein the switching unit performs the switching operation corresponding to the control signal. Accordingly, by sequentially increasing the input power for initial heating of the heating lamps, flickering and harmonic characteristics of a display device can be reduced, and by setting the duty level values to supply the maximum input power within a certain time, an initial heating time of the heating lamps can be minimized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device in which a load is supplied using alternating current (AC) power. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling power supplied to a fixing unit to reduce an instantaneous heating time of the fixing unit and a flicker characteristic.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional fixing circuit for laser printers and photocopiers includes a controller for determining whether power is supplied to a fixing unit, a triac switching unit for supplying alternating current (AC) power to the fixing unit, and a triac driver for controlling the triac.
The conventional fixing circuit controller controls the fixing unit by receiving AC power from an input power supply and applying the AC power to components of the fixing unit. That is, the controller detects a temperature of the fixing unit using a temperature sensor, outputs a switch-on signal if it is determined that a temperature increase is needed, and applies the AC power to the fixing unit by activating the triac to an on-state at a zero-crossing time in every switching period using a photo triac in response to the switch-on signal.
As described above, in the conventional fixing circuit, since the controller simply controls the triac switching unit in order to control the temperature of the fixing unit, without having information on the AC power, such as information on a voltage synch angle of the AC power, irregular turn-on timing causes flickering of a display device using the same power source as an image forming device.
In addition, to reduce a print ready time, a supply of relatively high power may be needed in an initial warm-up of a fixing unit. However, this power increase causes an excessive inrush current, resulting in more pronounced flickering and a harmonic characteristic of the display device.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method for controlling power supplied to a fixing unit.

Apparatus and method for controlling power supplied to fixing unit


Use of a ternary blowing agent mixture containing water, HCFC-22, and either or both of methylene chloride or 1,1,1-trichloroethane allows the preparation of rigid urethane and polyisocyanurate foams displaying good dimensional stability and low aged k-factors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to rigid polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams. More particularly, the present invention pertains to such foams prepared employing as the blowing agent, a ternary blowing agent system containing HCFC-22, water, and either or both of methylene chloride or 1,1,1-trichloroethane.
2. Background of the Invention
Due to environmental concerns, the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) as blowing agents for plastic foams has come under increasing scrutiny, and such blowing agents are scheduled to be phased out early in the next decade. In the United States, such blowing agents are also subject to increasing taxation to deter their use.
Water has become an acceptable substitute for CFCs in a variety of polyurethane foams, particularly for polyurethane flexible foams. However, in rigid foams, where low thermal conductivity is an important factor, use of water alone as a blowing agent produces foams containing carbon dioxide in the cells, resulting in foams with undesirably high k-factors. The use of water in conjunction with blowing agents having low ozone depletion potential such as monochlorodifluoromethane (refrigerant 22, R-22, HCFC-22) has improved k-factors measurably, however the dimensional stability of such foams often suffers, particularly at low densities, and the aged k-factors also could stand improvement. Finally, since HCFC-22 is a gas, the amount of HCFC-22 useable in a formulation is often limited due to the lack of pressurized tanks and other equipment to relatively low amounts, c.a. 1-5 weight percent. At this low level, appreciable amounts of water must be utilized to keep foam density down. Use of pressurized equipment can minimize this drawback, but the foams produced with high levels of HCFC-22 are undesirably flammable.

Polyurethane and polyisocyanurate rigid foams prepared using ternary blowing agent mixtures


A two-stroke engine has a cylinder with a combustion chamber and a reciprocating piston for driving a crankshaft. Transfer passages connect the crankcase in at least one position of the piston with the combustion chamber and open by piston-controlled transfer ports into the combustion chamber. An inlet opens into the crankcase and an outlet is provided at the combustion chamber. The engine is dividable into four sectors parallel to a longitudinal cylinder axis. The transfer port of a first transfer passage is arranged in the first sector, the outlet is arranged in the second sector, the transfer port of a second transfer passage is provided in the third sector, and the inlet is arranged in the fourth sector. Within the cylinder the first and second transfer passages, at a spacing from a separation plane between cylinder and crankcase, pass together into one of the second and fourth sectors.

The invention concerns a two-stroke internal combustion engine, a sand core for producing a two-stroke engine, and a method for operating a two-stroke internal combustion engine.
A two-stroke engine with oppositely arranged transfer passages is disclosed in EP 1 135 585 B1. The transfer passages are guided in the crankcase about the circumference of the crankshaft. In the cylinder the transfer passages are guided, coming from opposite cylinder sides, to a location below the outlet of the combustion chamber. In order to dispose both transfer passages within the crankcase, a separate insert is provided which separates the transfer passages from each other and from the crankcase interior.
The object of the invention is to provide a two-stroke engine that has a simple configuration and low exhaust gas values. Another object of the invention resides in providing a sand core for producing the two-stroke engine with which the two-stroke engine is producible in a simple way with minimal manufacturing tolerances. Another object of the invention resides in providing a method for operating a two-stroke engine with which low exhaust gas values are reached.

Two-stroke engine, sand core for producing a two-stroke engine, and method for operating a two-stroke engine


A metal pipe having at least one smooth portion and at least one grooved portion is obtained by progressive deformation of its wall in at least two consecutive phases. Each phase is carried out using a tool assembly including a grooved female die that accommodates the portion of pipe being deformed, and a grooved male punch that moves axially in order to give the pipe a cross section with an undulating profile, defining longitudinal ribs distributed around the pipe. The majority of the ribs each have a width in the circumferential direction that is less than the distance in the circumferential direction from one rib to the next. The pipe is subjected to a further deformation step in order to force the flanks of each rib into contact with each other using a tool assembly that includes radially movable sectors or a bushing that supports a plurality of radial rollers.

The present invention refers to methods in the fabrication of metal pipes and concerns in particular a method for the fabrication of a metal pipe having a wall with at least one smooth portion and at least one grooved portion.
Methods are already known (see, for example, the documents U.S. Pat. No. 629,245, U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,673 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,290) for the fabrication of a metal pipe with a grooved portion, in which the grooved portion is obtained from, an initially smooth portion by means of progressive deformation of the wall of the smooth portion in at least two consecutive phases, where each phase is performed with the help of a tool assembly including a grooved female die, designed to receive the portion of pipe being deformed, and a grooved male punch, axially movable within the aforesaid portion of pipe and defining a plurality of longitudinal ribs distributed around the pipe in positions that are circumferentially spaced apart from each other.
The known methods, however, have the drawback of not enabling the production of a pipe structure having an elevated resistance to deformation, both flexural and torsional, and at the same time a relatively reduced weight.
The purpose of the present invention is to realize a method of the above specified type that is able to overcome the drawbacks of the known solutions and in particular guarantees the production of a pipe having optimal characteristics.
A further purpose is to realize a method that can be implemented with simple equipment and at relatively reduced cost, and with quick and easy steps, enabling an increased productivity.
In order to accomplish the aforesaid purpose, the method according to the invention has all the characteristics that were indicated in the beginning of the present specification and furthermore is characterized by the fact that the majority of the aforesaid ribs formed by means of the aforesaid progressive deformation of the initially smooth portion of pipe each have a width in the circumferential direction that is significantly smaller than the distance in the circumferential direction from one rib to another and by the fact that subsequently to the said progressive deformation of the said portion of pipe, the latter is subjected to a further operation of deformation in order to press into contact with each other the flanks of each rib, at least for the greater portion of said ribs.
Thanks to this characteristic, the method according to the invention guarantees the production of a structure having the desired resistance, without detriment to the characteristics of lightness and in particular without requiring the use of a pipe of elevated thickness, which brings obvious advantages also from the standpoint of manufacturing cost.
According to another preferred characteristic, both at the end of said progressive deformation of said portion of pipe (1a), and alter said further deformation step to press into contact with each other the flanks of each rib, the wall of the pipe maintains a cylindrical shape between one rib and another.
Further preferred characteristics of the present invention are indicated in the appended claims, which are an integral part of the teaching provided herein.

Method and apparatus for fabricating a metal pipe having at least one smooth portion and at least one grooved portion


A system for propelling a nanosatellite, including a pair of separated electrodes defining an ignition space therebetween a power source operationally connected to the pair of separated electrodes. Also included is a liquid propellant reservoir a pump reconnected in fluidic communication with reservoir and the ignition space and an electronic controller operationally corrected to the power source and to the pump.

This section introduces aspects that may help facilitate a better understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, these statements are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is or is not prior art.
The rapid development and application of nanosatellite technology has vastly accelerated mission complexity—sparking interest in robust, low power, and high specific impulse micropropulsion systems. Pulsed plasma thrusters (PPTs) have been extensively investigated and employed to fill such roles, debuting on the 1964 Soviet Zond 2. Like magnetoplasmadynamic engines, PPTs accelerate plasma propellant through the Lorentz-force—preferably with a minimum of thermal and electromagnetic loss. In lieu of an applied external magnetic field, an induced component resulting from current traversal through the electrodes and plasma supplies the B-field required for acceleration. High discharge currents (typically around 100 amps) enable sufficiently high J×B Lorentz-force magnitudes. Typically, PPTs utilize a capacitor bank for energy storage, which is subsequently converted into kinetic motion, heating, and propellant ionization upon initiation of the discharge. These capacitors can be charged by on-board or solar energy. Accordingly, stored energy maybe implemented in power-limited nanosatellites for attitude control maneuvers. Another particularly significant benefit to pulsed operation is increased thrust efficiency, enabled by the ability to operate at higher discharge currents without thermal electrode damage. The operation at these higher discharge currents results in a quadratic increase in thrust. In addition, unsteady operation can further prevent energy losses from radiation and electron-ion thermalization.
Typical nanosatellite PPT designs are ablative in nature (APPTs) and operate with solid phase propellants such as polytetrafluoroethylene or similar fluorocarbons. The surfaces of these propellants are vaporized with high currents, and the resulting plasma is accelerated to produce thrust. This process places a harsh limit on efficiency (typically <15%)—plagued by late-ablation and the presence of thermally expelled macroparticles. Impulse bit variability (nonuniform ablation), low mass flow control, and contamination pose further problems to the implementation of APPTs. These disadvantages are often disregarded, however, as high reliability and low tankage fractions may provide an attractive thruster option.
Gas-fed pulsed plasma thrusters (GF-PPTs) pose a stark contrast to their ablative contemporaries. These variants offer relatively high efficiencies of 20-70% and precision mass flow-control at the cost of complex injection systems. These apparatuses can strain implementation in satellites which have limited volumetric capabilities, namely CubeSats. Gas injection arrangements also place a mechanical limit on firing frequency due to the limitations Imposed by mechanical solenoid valves. Further, difficulties often arise in attempting to establish a desired mass density distribution before ignition—where inductive delay and gas injection must be properly timed.
An igniter subsystem is used to initiate PPT firing events in small satellites. Alongside carbonization, igniters are often the limiting factor in thruster operational lifetime. A variety of ignition techniques have been used with varying success ranging from 400 to 1,000,000 firing cycles. It has been demonstrated that low-energy surface flashover (LESF) is an attractive candidate for reliable and long-lasting ignition for micropropulsion systems. LESF modifies classic surface flashover between two metal electrodes separated by a dielectric material by limiting the amount of the energy available for each individual flashover event. This subsequently reduce the risk of damage to the flashover assembly. Upwards of 1.5 million breakdown events were demonstrated by the LESF igniter without significant damage to the assembly.
Thus, although PPTs with solid and gaseous propellants have been employed with limited degrees of success in nanosatellites, robust PPT systems have yet to be developed, and there remains an unmet need to address the above mentioned issues. The present invention addresses this need.

Liquid-fed pulsed plasma thruster for propelling nanosatellites