The present invention is a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding a turbo code. In the encoder, an interleaver interleaves and delays a block of input bits to generate interleaved input bits and delayed input bits. A first encoder generates a first, second, and third encoded bits. A second encoder generates a fourth encoded bit. A symbol generator generates a plurality of symbols which correspond to the input bits. In a decoder, a sync search engine detects a synchronizing pattern and extracts symbols from the encoded bits. An input buffer is coupled to the sync search engine to store the extracted symbols. A first soft-in-soft-out (SISO1) is coupled to the input buffer to generate a first soft decision set based on the extracted symbols. An interleaver is coupled to the SISO1 to interleave the first soft decision set. A second soft-in-soft-out (SISO2) is coupled to the input buffer and the interleaver to generate a second soft decision set. A de-interleaver is coupled to the SISO2 to de-interleave the second soft decision set. An adder is coupled to the SISO1 and the de-interleaver to generate a hard decision set.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication systems. In particular, the present invention relates to the encoding and decoding of the Turbo code for use in an integrated modem system.
2. Description of Related Art
Coded digital communication techniques play an important role in modern communication systems. The objectives of error-correcting coding and decoding of information include the improvement of communication reliability and efficiency. In 1948, Claude Shannon demonstrated that by proper encoding and decoding of information, errors induced by a noisy channel could be reduced to any desired level, subject to a code rate constraint.
A channel encoder is characterized by three parameters: (1) the number of codewords in the codeword dictionary, or simply the code, Mc; (2) the dimensionality (codeword length) of the code Nc; and (3) the code rate rc defined as rc=log2 Mc/Nc bits/dimension. There are two types of code: the linear block code and convolutional codes. The linear (Nc, Kc) block code can be used for error control purposes by partitioning the data stream into blocks containing Kc bits each. An Nc-symbol codeword is formed for transmission by using an encoding rule to associate the r=Ncxe2x88x92Kc parity check bits with each Kc data bits. In contrast, the encoded data in convolutional codes do not have a simple block structure. A convolutional encoder operates on the input bit stream such that each information bit can affect a finite number of consecutive symbols in the encoder output.
Techniques for encoding and decoding convolutional codes are well known. The Viterbi algorithm (VA) is an elegant and efficient method for performing maximum likelihood (ML) decoding of convolutional codes. Powerful error-correction capability can be obtained by concatenating a Viterbi decoded convolutional code with a Reed-Solomon (RS) block code. The theory, design, and performance of the convolutional codes are discussed extensively in literature. Examples of the literature include xe2x80x9cDigital Communication Techniques: Signal design and detectionxe2x80x9d by Marvin K. Simon, Sami M. Hinedi, and William C. Lindsey, published by Prentice Hall, 1995, xe2x80x9cAdvanced Digital Communications: Systems and signal processing techniquesxe2x80x9d, edited by Kamilo Feher, published by Prentice Hall, 1987.
Turbo code is a recently discovered class of forward error correcting (FEC) codes that has performance approaching the theoretical limit suggested by the Shannon coding theorem. Turbo code therefore is attractive for high performance communication systems. The theory and design techniques of turbo code can be found in literature. Examples of turbo code literature include the paper xe2x80x9cTurbo Codes for PCS Applicationsxe2x80x9d by D. Divsalar and F. Pollara of Jet Propulson Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,747 issued to Berrou.
However, the implementation of turbo code in an integrated modem environment presents a number of challenges. First, the code should operate with different waveforms having different types of modulation and different data rates. Second, the implementation should be compatible with the existing code word such as the Reed-Solomon code for various modes. Third, the implementation should be compatible with standard clock rate used in the system. Fourth, the amount of hardware including interleaving buffers should be reasonable.
Accordingly, there is a need in the technology to provide a flexible and efficient technique to implement an encoder and decoder using the turbo code in an integrated modem system.
The present invention is a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding a turbo code. In the encoder, an interleaver interleaves and delays a block of input bits to generate interleaved input bits and delayed input bits. A first encoder generates a first, second, and third encoded bits. A second encoder generates a fourth encoded bit. A symbol generator generates a plurality of symbols which correspond to the input bits. In a decoder, a sync search engine detects a synchronizing pattern and extracts symbols from the encoded bits. An input buffer is coupled to the sync search engine to store the extracted symbols. A first soft-in-soft-out (SISO1) is coupled to the input buffer to generate a first soft decision set based on the extracted symbols. An interleaver is coupled to the SISO1 to interleave the first soft decision set. A second soft-in-soft-out (SISO2) is coupled to the input buffer and the interleaver to generate a second soft decision set. A de-interleaver is coupled to the SISO2 to de-interleave the second soft decision set. An adder is coupled to the SISO1 and the de-interleaver to generate a hard decision set.

Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding a turbo code in an integrated modem system

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention describes a multiple switch selection device where the movement of the first member may be very limited such that the overall construction height of the device may be very shallow, whereby the applications where such a multiple switch selection device can be built in, may be widened. Furthermore, it is also an object of the present invention to make the multiple switch selection device more versatile such that a wider range of input may be generated from one single device.

The present invention relates to a multiple switch selection device.
These types of devices may advantageously be used in connection with for example telephones, remote controls or other appliances for, as an example, television sets, radios and the like. By manipulating a first member it is possible to select which switch should be activated, for example according to a menu on the television screen. In this manner it is possible to leaf through different selections and by appropriate selection procedures switch between the different menus. For example on a telephone, it might be desirable to select the telephone book first and thereafter select the entries listed under the letter "K" and after this finally select and call one entry listed under the entry "K". Correspondingly, for television sets these devices may be used in order to select the sound quality, the sound level, the colour tone etc. by leafing through different menus which will be presented on the screen.
The known types of devices function by rotating a first member in relation to a second member until the cursor, for example a colour bar on the television screen, has moved to the entry which is desirable to select. Thereafter, by depressing the entire first member, this depressing will be regarded as "enter" and the selected entry will be chosen. In order to achieve a determined selection, the first member has to be firmly depressed such that a firm switch action is achieved.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,196 is a known construction which typically is found as tuning buttons on stereo systems. The document discloses two different constructions, where both constructions have the fact in common that the device is a different type of selection device within the meaning of the present invention in that it is not possible to turn the button endlessly in one or the other direction. Due to the configuration of stationary and moveable contact points respectively arranged on an insulating substrate connected to the housing of the device and on an elastic substrate mounted on the rotatable button, such that after the two parts have engaged and an input is registered, the elastic nature of the substrates will bias the button to return to its original position. Secondary input may be achieved by tilting and/or depressing the button, thereby activating resilient switch means which in response to the action will deform an thereby signal to the user by tactile response that an input has been activated.
Furthermore, due to the multidirectional character as well as the construction combining a housing in which housing a plurality of substrates and various contacts are arranged, as well as the possibility to tilt and depress the button, the overall construction height is rather high and bulky, and furthermore the button must project from the surface in order for a user to hold the button and perform the desired manipulation in order to activate the different switches. Also, the use of elastic materials (rubber) only provides a limited service life in that the rubber will deteriorate and eventually disintegrate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,684 another example of a prior art device is disclosed. This device comprises two rotatable buttons. On a PCB a jog and shuttle switch is mounted which is adapted to register the movement of the centrally arranged button. In order to isolate the movement of the centrally arranged button and the outer button arranged coaxially with the inner button, a PCB holder is provided, which holder serves to distribute pressure/input from the outer button to switches provided on the PCB. In operation the two buttons therefore by being rotatably and tiltably mounted, with aid from the PCB and the PCB holder elements, may direct input to/from the different switches mounted on the PCB and register input from the jog respectively shuttle switches arranged coaxially with the inner button. The outer button is furthermore limited in its ability to rotate and will be biased towards a "rest position". The centrally arranged button is connected to an adjustable resistor (potentiometer) whereby no endless rotational movement may be carried out, but only movement corresponding to an analogue input may be generated.


In a method for controlling a safety device in a motor vehicle, wherein the safety device is controlled as a function of at least one preset characteristic of a vehicle seat in the motor vehicle, an electric adjusting mechanism, which is provided for adjusting the preset characteristic of the vehicle seat, detects the measured adjustments, which relate to the preset characteristic, and that the preset characteristic is determined with the aid of the measured adjustments.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a safety device in a motor vehicle, wherein the safety device is controlled as a function of at least one preset characteristic of a vehicle seat in the motor vehicle.
In order to guarantee an optimal protective effect and/or to avoid endangering the vehicle occupants, it is known to design the control of the safety devices in motor vehicles, for example, the firing of an airbag, as a function of the position of the seat of a vehicle occupant sitting on the vehicle seat.
Furthermore, it is known from the prior art, such as French patent document FR 2761032, to derive the seat position of a vehicle occupant sitting on the vehicle seat from the preset characteristics of the vehicle seat. Therefore, a safety device is controlled as a function of the preset characteristics. For example, the setting position of the vehicle seat in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle constitutes a preset characteristic in this context. Even the tilt of the seat backrest, the adjusted height of the seat, the height of the head support and other settings may constitute the preset characteristics of the vehicle seat in this context.
For example, if one assumes that the vehicle occupant is sitting upright and leaning back, one can derive approximately the sitting position of the vehicle occupant from the preset characteristics of the vehicle seat. In addition to the sitting position of a vehicle occupant sitting on the vehicle seat, such preset characteristics of a vehicle seat can be used to derive other parameters of a vehicle occupant, which can be considered in controlling the safety devices. For example, a vehicle seat that is adjusted far down and/or back opposite the longitudinal direction of the vehicle may indicate that the respective vehicle occupant is very tall; tightly pushed together seat cheeks may indicate a low body weight of the vehicle occupant.
A stepwise control of the actuators of an airbag or the control of a belt force limiter may be carried out, as known from the prior art, as a function of the vehicle occupant's seat position (or other parameters), which are derived from the preset characteristics of the vehicle seat. A stepwise airbag control may serve to avoid injuries caused by firing the airbag with its full capacity when the distance between the airbag module and the upper torso of the vehicle occupant is short.
One key process step in such methods often consists of assigning one of several defined occupant classes to a vehicle occupant on the basis of the seat position (or other parameters) derived from the preset characteristics of the vehicle seat. Known characteristics of such classes are the so-called "5th percentile adult female" and the so-called "50th percentile adult male."
In order to determine the preset characteristics of the vehicle seat it is known to measure the respective preset characteristic with one or more sensors. Thus, for example, Hall switches or optical sensors are often used. In current systems such sensors are often mounted along a longitudinal adjustment rail of a vehicle seat. However, the sensors are often very expensive, depending on the model. Mounting such sensors often involves a very complicated installation process. For example, the sensors usually require their own supply lines. The sensors and optionally their supply lines are often exposed to high mechanical stresses and are, therefore, susceptible to damage and/or destruction. In addition, the information processing unit (usually an airbag controller), which is assigned to such a sensor, requires a separate signal input for picking up the sensor signals and a certain calculating power for processing the same. Furthermore, the reliability of such sensors is inadequate due to the underlying concept alone. For example, contactless sensors are susceptible to coverings.
An object of the present invention is to provide a simple method for controlling a safety device in a motor vehicle, with which a preset characteristic can be determined with little complexity.
The invention is based on the idea that in many vehicle seats at least one preset characteristic, for example, the longitudinal seat position, can be adjusted by an electric adjusting mechanism. Such an electric adjusting mechanism may be constructed with little technical complexity in such a manner that the measured adjustments, which relate to the adjustment and, thus, to the change in the preset characteristic, may be detected by the mechanism. Then the preset characteristic itself may be determined with such measured adjustment values.
A measured adjustment value in the context of the invention may be first of all, any measured quantity, which is obtained with the electric adjusting mechanism and relates to the preset characteristic, for example, allows conclusions to be drawn about it. In the simplest case, it may be the measured quantity of a sensor, which is assigned to the electric adjusting mechanism and measures directly the preset characteristic.
A measured adjustment value in the context of the invention may also be any measured quantity that relates to an adjustment, i.e., a change, in the preset characteristic by the electric adjusting mechanism. It may be, for example, the output signal of a sensor, which monitors the movement of an actuator of the electric adjusting mechanism. Also, the current consumption of an actuator of the electric adjusting mechanism, for example, may be evaluated.
If the correlation between the activity of the electric adjusting mechanism and the resulting movement of the vehicle seat, in particular the resulting change in the preset characteristic of interest, is known, then the preset characteristic itself may be derived from it. An additional condition is that under some circumstances the preset characteristic must be known at least approximately prior to the activity of the adjusting mechanism. However, this condition may be fulfilled if the measured adjustment values are detected and processed with high accuracy and/or if the calibration method is appropriate.
Then the preset characteristic, which relates to the vehicle seat and is determined by the method of the invention, may be used to control the safety device, for example an airbag, of the motor vehicle. According to the invention, the electric adjusting mechanism of the vehicle seat is connected to a controller for controlling the safety device by communications hardware. The corresponding information is transferred from the electric adjusting mechanism to the controller for controlling the safety device.
In so doing, the preset characteristic may already be determined by the electric adjusting mechanism with the aid of the measured adjustment values and may be transferred as the finished result to the controller for controlling the safety device. However, the measured adjustment values themselves may also be transferred to the controller for controlling the safety device, for example, an airbag controller. Even the determination and transfer of an intermediate result is conceivable. Similarly, the preset characteristic may already be further evaluated in the electric adjusting mechanism, and the result of this evaluation may be transferred. Therefore, the electric adjusting mechanism may already have categorized the vehicle occupant sitting on the vehicle seat by the preset characteristic.
A significant difference between the method of the invention and this class of method according to the prior art lies in the fact that the prior art sensors for picking up a preset characteristic of the vehicle seat are designed independently of the electric adjusting mechanism. They are usually assigned to the respective safety device and are connected to the safety device by communications hardware. The prior art methods have high costs, high integration complexity, high susceptibility and low reliability. In the invention, however, the measured adjustment values are obtained directly by the electric adjusting mechanism and/or a component of the same. In addition, the electric adjusting mechanism may exhibit at least one suitable sensor, which is assigned directly to the adjusting mechanism. Such a sensor may be integrated by hardware into the adjusting mechanism and/or a part of the same. However, such a sensor may also be designed separately from the other components of the electric adjusting mechanism and may be connected to the electric adjusting mechanism only by communications hardware. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a sensor is connected directly to an actuator of the adjusting mechanism. The activity of the actuator may be monitored easily and reliably in this way.
Thus, the present invention provides a simple, inexpensive and reliable method for determining a preset characteristic of a vehicle seat, as a function of which a safety device in a motor vehicle may be controlled.
The data, obtained according to the invention, may relate to the configuration and/or preset values of the vehicle seat. The data correspond to the data of a seat memory function or can be converted into such a function. Correspondingly, the data obtained according to the invention may additionally be used for a seat memory function.
A single preset characteristic or a plurality of preset characteristics of the vehicle seat may be determined by the invention. The preset characteristic(s) in the context of the invention may be the setting position of the vehicle seat in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The setting position of the vehicle seat in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle makes an especially conclusive statement about the spatial position of the upper torso of the respective vehicle occupant. This spatial position in turn is crucial for an optimal control of many safety devices.
The determination of the preset characteristic according to the present invention may be carried out on the basis of the relative measurement. That is, the preset characteristic is determined by measuring and/or estimating the change in the preset characteristic with respect to a previously known setting position.
For example, electrical drive motors are used in many electric adjusting mechanisms for vehicle seats. The movement of the vehicle seat and, therefore, also the change in a preset characteristic of the vehicle seat, are usually in direct correlation with the activity of the drive motor. Thus, the number of revolutions of a drive motor or a component of a gear, connected between the drive motor and the vehicle seat, may indicate the resulting change in the preset characteristic.
Revolutions of drive motors may be recorded very easily with so-called pulse generators. Correspondingly, a pulse generator, which is connected to a drive motor or the gear of a drive motor of the adjusting mechanism, may be used for recording the measured adjustment values. Depending on the design, such a pulse generator may detect fractions of a revolution or whole revolutions of the drive motor at a very high angular resolution. A very inexpensive variant that is easy to evaluate is the so-called Hall counter, which usually delivers only a single pulse per revolution. Yet in many applications, satisfactory accuracy may be obtained initially even with Hall counters.
Every conceivable method of measurement for determining the preset characteristic has a limited accuracy. In particular, a determination of the preset characteristic on the basis of a relative measurement may lead to a drift in the preset characteristic that is determined in this manner. At the same time slight inaccuracies of the underlying measurement method accumulate. The inaccuracy that results from the measurement method or for other reasons with respect to determining the preset characteristic is reduced and/or eliminated by calibration, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
In order to calibrate, a state may be induced in which the absolute value of the preset characteristic is known. For example, an actuator may be operated until a mechanical stop is reached. Then the relative measurement may be continued based on the known absolute value of the preset characteristic. In everyday practice, it is often customary for calibration purposes to move the vehicle seat to the front until it reaches the stop of its longitudinal guide rail.
Provided that the calibration can be carried out without the interaction of a vehicle occupant or a service expert or without having a negative impact on the vehicle occupants or on the normal travel motion, the calibration may be carried out automatically and may be, for example, triggered by the electric adjusting mechanism itself. The calibration may be carried out as a function of a gauge for an inaccuracy in determining the preset characteristic.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the gauge for an inaccuracy in determining the preset characteristic may be defined and determined in such a way that the number of adjustment events of the electric adjusting mechanism since the last calibration serves as the gauge for the inaccuracy. An aspect of this further embodiment of the invention is that in many of the possible measurement principles for determining the measured adjustments, especially with the use of pulse generators, a certain, principle-dependent measurement error (e.g., quantization error) occurs at the start and/or stop of any adjustment event independently of its scale. Therefore, crucial for the resulting cumulative error is surprisingly not the scale since the last calibration and not the total duration of use since the last calibration, but rather the number of adjustment events since the last calibration.
The number of adjustment events since the last calibration may be recorded in a very simple way with an electronic counter. This counter may be assigned to the electric adjusting mechanism. As an alternative, the electric adjusting mechanism may report each adjustment event to an external counter. The counter may be reset for each calibration.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the calibration may be brought about with the cooperation of a vehicle occupant. For example, it may be necessary for the vehicle occupant to actuate the electric adjusting mechanism for calibration purposes in such a manner that a mechanical stop is reached. Such a calibration state may be induced consciously, but also inadvertently, especially without any calibration intention, by the vehicle occupant. Usually such a calibration, which is carried out accidentally and/or unintentionally by a vehicle occupant, is prevented by suitable measures. For example, a so-called soft block, i.e., a virtual stop, may be provided. Therefore, the vehicle seat cannot be moved beyond a defined measured or estimated position in order not to reach an actual mechanical stop.
If, however, a calibration is desired, such a measure for preventing the vehicle occupant from being able to carry out a calibration can also be specifically deactivated. The calibration may be desired if the determination of the preset characteristic has an intrinsically high inaccuracy or rather uncertainty. Correspondingly, a measure for preventing a vehicle occupant from being able to carry out a calibration may be deactivated as a function of a gauge for an inaccuracy in determining the preset characteristic.
In this exemplary embodiment of the invention, the number of adjustment events of the electric adjusting mechanism since the last calibration may serve as the gauge for the inaccuracy of the preset characteristic.
It may be advantageous to make the actual calibration of the electric adjusting mechanism (usually setting the current value of the relative measurement to a known absolute value) subject to the additional conditions, in order to avoid miscalibrations. For example, a miscalibration could be generated by a coin sliding into a seat rail. The coin may be inadvertently detected by the electric adjusting mechanism as a mechanical stop. A suitable additional condition is a positive result of a plausibility test. Such a plausibility test may be conducted as follows. A tolerance range, within which a mechanical stop (or another calibration triggering point) is expected, is determined from the number of adjustment events of the electric adjusting mechanism (or another gauge for the inaccuracy).
If at this stage the electric adjusting mechanism detects that a mechanical stop has been reached (or detects another calibration triggering event), it is checked whether the current seat setting, which is determined by the relative measurement, is in the tolerance range. Only if this plausibility test leads to a positive result is a calibration carried out. This exemplary embodiment of the invention considers the idea that even if the measurement is flawed, the preset characteristic is always known at least approximately. Especially when it is possible for the respective vehicle occupant to conduct an inadvertent and/or unintentional calibration, it may be advantageous to make the actual calibration subject to such a plausibility condition.
It may also be advantageous to send a request for calibration as a function of a gauge for an inaccuracy in determining the preset characteristic. This output to the driver of the motor vehicle may ensue, for example, by an optical or acoustical unit. However, an entry into an error storage of the motor vehicle may also be made, or a service provider may be informed by a wireless communications link.
If no calibration has occurred over a prolonged period of time or after a large number of adjustment events, the result may very well be a high inaccuracy or rather uncertainty in determining the preset characteristic. The safety device may be controlled as a function of the preset characteristic. If, however, it is known only inadequately, it may be advantageous to adapt the control at least in such a way that specific variants of the control that may have an especially negative impact in the event of a faulty value of the preset characteristic are ruled out.
For example, a method that makes a fundamental distinction between a "5th percentile adult female" and a "50th percentile adult male" can be further developed in such a way that if there is a considerable amount of inaccuracy or rather uncertainty about the preset characteristic, the assumption is always a "50th percentile adult male." Thus, the risk of an especially poor combination of the actual vehicle occupant and a hypothesis about the vehicle occupant is eliminated. Even in this exemplary embodiment of the invention the number of adjustment events of the electric adjusting mechanism since the last calibration may serve as the gauge for the inaccuracy of the preset characteristic.
The aforementioned measures to be taken as a function of a gauge for an inaccuracy in determining the preset characteristic may be implemented individually or in any combination. As the inaccuracy increases, the measures may be implemented gradually in an especially advantageous manner, for example, in gradation. Therefore, if, for example, the number of adjustment events of the electric adjusting mechanism since the last calibration exceeds a first threshold, a random calibration may be allowed. When a second threshold is exceeded, the driver is requested to initiate a calibration. When a third threshold is exceeded, an error is entered, and the control of the safety device is changed over to a more reliable mode that is independent of the preset characteristic.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method for controlling a safety device in a motor vehicle

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A network device such as a router or switch, in one embodiment, includes a timing analyzer which is capable of providing timing analysis over one or more network circuits. The timing analyzer, in one aspect, receives a data packet traveling across a circuit emulation service (“CES”) circuit such as T1 or E1 circuit. Upon obtaining an arrival timestamp associated with the data packet, the arrival timestamp is stored in a timestamp buffer in accordance with a first-in first-out (“FIFO”) storage sequence. After identifying the oldest arrival timestamp in the timestamp buffer, an offset is generated based on the result of comparison between the arrival timestamp and the oldest timestamp. The timing analyzer can also be configured to generate timing reports on-demand based on generated offset(s).

A network environment typically includes various network devices, such as routers, line modules, hubs, and/or switches, for delivery of digital information via conventional network transporting formats such as packets and frames. Packets, packet frames, data streams, and/or data traffics typically travel from source devices to destination devices via one or more packet switched networks ("PSNs") or networks. Information pertaining to the transfer of data packet(s) and/or frame(s) through the network(s) is usually embedded within the packet and/or frame itself. Each packet, for instance, traveling through multiple nodes via one or more communications networks such as Internet and/or Ethernet, can typically be handled independently from other packets in a packet stream or traffic. Each node which may include routing, switching, and/or bridging engines processes incoming packets or frames, and determines where the packet(s) or frame(s) should be forwarded.
To deliver high performance, it is critical for a network or PSN to maintain high speed data traffic flowing through circuit emulation service ("CES") circuits with minimal packet loss and/or drop. CES, for example, allows packet transport via synchronous circuits such as T1/E1 over asynchronous networks. Note that T1 is a digital carrier signal that transmits digital signal with a data rate of about 1.544 megabits per second. T1, for example, contains twenty four digital channels and requires a network device having digital connection(s). E1, which is similar to T1, is used for digital transmission with a data rate of about 2.048 megabits per second. Unlike T1, E1 has 32 channels at the speed of 64 Kbps per channel.
A CES carrier typically does not know the content of data stream that the carrier transports, as well as timing characteristics associated with the data stream. However, when a timing problem occurs at the endpoint of a CES, it is usually difficult to debug because without invasive debugging techniques, it is often hard to ascertain the root of the problem. Such invasive procedure(s) can render outage(s) of network service to all connected customers, invasive procedure(s) typically is the last option to debug the problems. For example, when a legacy time-division multiplexing ("TDM") circuit is replaced with a SAToP (Structure-Agnostic TDM over Packet) or CESoPSN (circuit emulation service over PSN) link(s), TDM data streams generated at one endpoint of SAToP can fail due to unpredictable reasons, such as incorrect device configuration, network congestion, circuit overloading, and the like. Note that incorrect or inaccurate timing configuration at one endpoint circuit could cause the other far-end circuit to fail.

Method and apparatus for providing timing analysis for packet streams over packet carriers


A wiring substrate includes: an insulating substrate including a base portion comprising a through hole having a first opening and a second opening, and a frame portion located on the base portion; and a heat dissipator disposed on a side of the base portion that is opposite to the frame portion so as to block the second opening, wherein an inner surface of the through hole faces a side surface of the heat dissipator with a clearance being provided between the inner surface of the through hole and the side surface of the heat dissipator.

Heretofore a wiring substrate constructed of a ceramics-made insulating substrate on a principal surface of which an electronic element is mounted is known.
In the wiring substrate just described, a recess for receiving and mounting an electronic element is provided in an upper surface of the insulating substrate. The wiring substrate includes wiring conductors disposed on a surface and in an interior of the insulating substrate (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2015-159245).

Wiring substrate, electronic device and electronic module


Fuel supply equipment for a vehicle includes a fuel filter cover for covering a fuel filter that is disposed outside of a fuel tank. A fuel pressure regulator for keeping fuel supplied to a fuel injection system under predetermined pressure is arranged so that the fuel pressure regulator is located inside the fuel filter cover and is overlapped with the fuel filter cover when a vehicle is viewed from the side. The fuel pressure regulator is connected to an outflow side of the fuel filter via a fuel hose for keeping fuel supplied to a fuel injection system under predetermined pressure. A holder for supporting the fuel pressure regulator is attached to the fuel filter cover before it is attached to a body frame. The resulting configuration enhances the ability to install and maintain a fuel filter provided outside the fuel tank.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicular fuel supply equipment and an installation structure for a fuel filter of a vehicle provided with a fuel pressure regulator.
2. Description of Background Art
Vehicular fuel supply equipment provided with a fuel pressure regulator for keeping fuel supplied to an internal combustion engine under predetermined pressure is known (for example, refer to JP-U No. S62-162375 (FIG. 1).
As shown in FIG. 1 of JP-U No. S62-162375, vehicular fuel supply equipment is provided with a fuel tank 1 (also hereinafter, reference numerals in the patent document 1 will be used as they are), a fuel pump 6 connected to the fuel tank 1 via a fuel pipe 5A, a regulator 7 connected to the outflow side of the fuel pump 6, an injector 8 connected to the regulator 7 via a fuel pipe 5B and a return pipe 9 for returning extra fuel from the regulator 7 to the fuel tank 1.
There is a case that a fuel filter is inserted in an intermediate part of the fuel pipe 5A for example in the fuel supply equipment in JP-U No. S62-162375. The fuel filter is different from the existing fuel filter provided to the fuel tank 1.
A hose on the outflow side of the fuel pump 6, the fuel pipe 5B and the return hose 9 are connected to the fuel pressure regulator 7 and many pipes are already connected, if a new fuel filter is added, the number of pipes connected to the fuel filter further increases. When the number of pipes is increased, a problem that assembly work gets intricate occurs.
In the fuel supply equipment, when the fuel filter and the fuel pressure regulator to which the three hoses are connected are added outside the fuel tank, it is desirable that technique for enabling enhancing productivity related to assembly is provided.
The fuel pipes 5A and 5B and the return pipe 9 are connected to the regulator 7 and are connected to the fuel filter provided on the upstream side of the regulator 7.
In such a case, depending upon positional relation between the regulator 7 and the fuel filter, it may be difficult to identify which pipe should be detached and it is important to prevent maintainability from being deteriorated.


The present invention tunes, or focuses, an input device's effective targeting capability to the task at hand in a computer system. If there are only 5 choices selectable by a user on a given active screen area on the computer's display device, the present invention logically constrains the input device's cursor movement is to only those five positions, no matter what pixel-by-pixel movement is actually being generated by the movement of the input device. The currently displayed area and its selectable subcomponents (e.g., radio buttons) at any given moment are determined. A logical map of these selectable items and subcomponents is created for use as a filter for input coordinates received from the input device, with each selectable item mapped to a "region" of the input coordinate field. Upon initiation of the present invention, a start point, in the logical map is determined from for the current location of the input device on screen cursor. A highlight is placed around the onscreen selectable item identified by the start point coordinates according to the map. All input device movements are tracked, and mapped to the logical map of the screen area. If at any time mouse movement causes the cursor to enter the logical region identified in the map with a different selectable item than the one currently highlighted, the highlight is moved to the new selectable item and the old highlight is erased. If the input device indicates the user has selected the highlighted item, the action associated with the item is executed. In this manner, the input device cursor will be constrained to move from one selectable item to the next and never be located in a position where an item may not be selected.

A typical Graphical User Interface (GUI) presents a user with many onscreen objects which are used to accept input from a user, such as menus, dialog boxes, list boxes, buttons, icons or windows themselves. In the most simple example of how such a GUI accepts input from a user, the user positions his or her input device cursor, e.g., an arrow, over the object and selects the object through some sort of action, e.g. clicking a button on a mouse. Typically the onscreen object to be selected is represented by a small number of pixels (as compared to the entire screen area). The user must locate the mouse cursor at its current position on the screen, maneuver and focus the cursor on the few pixels which represent the object to be selected, and pick the object using the pick button of the input device. In some cases, especially where the input device is difficult to use, such as a mouse or other pointing device associated with a laptop computer, this task can take a disproportionate amount of effort and concentration.
In most cases, the actual required "effective resolution" of the menu/control item "targets" is low. The actual accuracy needed to hit a target item out of the total field of targets would be well below the accuracy demanded by the pixel-by-pixel mode of the input device and its cursor display. For example, in a typical dialog box there may be only 5 or 10 choices of buttons or text input areas. Each of these selectable choices are represented by an onscreen area of approximately 300 square pixels. However, to select a particular button, the user must position the cursor over this 300 square pixel target from the total screen field of approximately 300,000 square pixels. Thus, the pointing device must be accurate and steady enough to hit a target 1/1000 the size of the field. Yet the 10 choices in the field would ideally require only the ability to hit a target 1/10 the size of the field. Thus the act of picking a menu choice is at least 100 times as difficult as it needs to be.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to greatly increase the ease of use of an input device such as mouse or other pointing device in a Graphical User Interface environment.
It is also and object of the present invention to increase the efficiency of such an input device in enabling the selection of an onscreen item such as an icon or a dialog box button.
It is a further object of the present invention to decrease the likelihood of error in selecting an onscreen object.

Method for efficient input device selection of onscreen objects


A resolver signal processing device includes an output signal state detection unit and a disconnection detection unit. The output signal state detection unit calculates a sum of squares of a signal with a first phase and a signal with a second phase which are output signals of a two-phase output type resolver based on the output signals. The disconnection identification unit outputs information representing a disconnection state of any of a first signal system which supplies an excitation signal of the resolver and a second signal system of the output signals based on a size of a variation range in which the sum of squares periodically changes.

A resolver signal processing device extracts a rotation angle of a motor connected to a resolver on the basis of a resolver output. However, correct phase information cannot be detected when an abnormal state such as disconnection of the resolver from the resolver signal processing device occurs. In a case where the resolver signal processing device is applied to a system that requires phase information detection accuracy, detection of occurrence of disconnection without omission is required, which is not easy.

Resolver signal processing device, drive apparatus, resolver signal processing method, and program

TOSHIBA MITSUBISHI-ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION


A gas turbine engine system includes a gas turbine engine and a fuel turbine system. The gas turbine engine includes an air inlet, compressor, combustor, turbine, and heat exchange system. The heat exchange system is configured to transfer thermal energy from an inlet air flow or exhaust air flow to a fuel to produce a gaseous fuel that is used to drive a fuel turbine and fuel pump and used for combustion in the gas turbine engine. The fuel turbine is in fluid communication with the heat exchange system and the combustor and configured to extract energy from expansion of the gaseous fuel. The fuel pump is configured to be driven by the fuel turbine and is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger system.

The present disclosure relates generally to a gas turbine engine of an aircraft and, more specifically to a gas turbine engine using non-traditional cooled liquid fuel with pre-compression inlet air cooling and a turbo-generator.
Aircraft engines are being simultaneously challenged to provide increases in thermal efficiency, electrical power generation, and thermal management while reducing environmental emissions. Shaft power extraction impacts sizing of turbomachinery components and can have an adverse impact on performance and operability. Thermal management (e.g, providing a heat sink for engine and external systems) is limited by engine internal temperatures and can result in excessive pressure losses as heat is rejected using heat exchangers or other devices. Use of existing hydrocarbon fuel as a heat sink is limited to fuel temperature typically under 450° F. due to coking and decomposition of fuels at high temperatures. Thermal efficiency improvement trends typically involve providing a higher overall pressure ratio (OPR) of the compression system with associated increases in compressor discharge pressure (P3) and accompanying temperature (T3). The OPR is increased by increasing a compressor discharge pressure (P3). As pressure increases across the compressor, temperature also increases. Current aircraft designs are generally limited by operational temperature limits of materials used for gas turbine structures. As aircraft speeds increase, inlet temperatures (T2) increase, which poses a challenge for providing improvements in thermal efficiency as T2 greatly impacts T3 and thereby the achievable OPR. For example, for a MIL-E-5007D inlet recovery, the temperature (T2) entering into the engine at subsonic cruise of Mach 0.8 at 45,000 feet is −20° F. (−29° C.), while the inlet temperature at the same altitude at Mach 3.0 is in excess of 630° F. (332° C.). This increased temperature greatly impacts the ability to operate at a high OPR due to limitations in material capability at high temperature. In addition, the relationship between T2, OPR, and T3 may result in the formation of harmful emissions including nitrogen oxides (NOx), which can be produced in the compression cycle of the engine with production compounded in subsequent combustion and turbine operations. This will be of particular concern for potential future commercial supersonic transport or business jet aircraft flying at higher altitudes (i.e., greater than 60,000 feet) where NOx emissions can have an increased environmental impact. While emission reductions in NOx, as well as carbon monoxide and particulates is desirable, it often runs counter to desired cycle characteristics and can be difficult to achieve with current hydrocarbon fuels. New engine concepts that could fundamentally alter the impact of these trends are desired.

Hybrid expander cycle with pre-compression cooling and turbo-generator


To provide a toner recovery apparatus including: a toner transporting duct; and an endless toner transporting belt; wherein the toner transporting belt is rotated in a loop form in such a way that it descends in a region where the outer circumferential surface faces a ceiling surface of the toner transporting duct and that it rises in a region where the outer circumferential surface of the toner transporting belt faces a bottom surface of the toner transporting duct, the toner recovery apparatus transports the residual toner to the outlet by holding the toner by the convex parts, spaces formed between convex parts and the bottom surface of the toner transporting duct, and the toner comprises a binding resin, releasing agent, coloring material and external additive, and torque T (mNm) measured by torque measurement method using a conical rotor in a space ratio of 50% to 60% is 1.0 to 2.5.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner recovery apparatus, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus, which are used for the formation of an electrophotographic image in an electrostatic copier, a laser printer, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent demands for compact, high-speed, and low-cost electrostatic copiers and laser beam printers have prompted the development of compact, low-cost, and high-speed printers that are designed particularly for use in a small office or home office and for individual users.
Along with such a trend, full color laser printers that employ a tandem development system and an intermediate transfer method system are being predominated. Various makers have tried to downsize the integral process cartridge or the printer machine itself by devising the position or layout of the cartridge in the main body.
An example of a method for downsizing a process cartridge is to integrate all of the cartridge units including a toner hopper, a development unit, a cleaning unit, and a recovery unit for recovering a residual toner (hereinafter referred to as "waste toner"), and as one example of the configuration for downsizing the main body, various makers have marketed machines in which an intermediate transfer belt is placed horizontally and an integral process cartridge is disposed above the belt.
Particularly, in the case of such a main body configuration, since a transfer belt is disposed below a process cartridge, the physical relationship of units in the process cartridge will necessary be such that the developing and transferring unit is placed at the lowest part of the process cartridge and a toner hopper part (including a toner replenishing/stirring mechanism, and the like) and a waste toner recovery part are placed over the developing and transferring unit. If aiming at downsizing of a main body with such a configuration, the integral cartridge is designed so as to arrange the developing unit, hopper unit and waste toner recovery part in a vertical direction to minimize the area where the cartridge is disposed.
On the other hand, there have been conventionally proposed various means of transporting and collecting a waste toner removed in a cleaning part to a recovery unit, and a toner transfer method using a toner transporting belt has been proposed particularly as a waste toner recovery mechanism for a process cartridge with consideration of downsizing and cost reduction.
For example, Japanese Patent (JP-B) No. 3281595 describes a toner recovery apparatus as described below. That is, a process cartridge is provided with an endless groove in the side flame thereof, a side plate is fixed to the surface of the side frame formed with the groove in such a way that the groove is covered with this side plate, whereby a toner transporting duct is defined. This toner transporting duct is designed to have in the lower part thereof an inlet through which a waste toner enters from a cleaning unit, and this inlet is provided with a connection hole to communicate with the cleaning unit. Further, the toner transporting duct is designed to have in the upper part thereof an outlet provided with a connection hole to communicate with the toner recovery part. In addition, an endless toner transporting belt provided with a plurality of convex parts on the outer circumferential surface is housed so as to be rotatable along the groove. By rotating this toner transporting belt, a waste toner transported into the inlet from the cleaning unit is drawn up with the convex parts on the toner transporting belt, to transport in the outlet placed in apart above the inlet. The waste toner discharged by the toner transporting belt is collected in the toner recovery part by falling down into the toner recovery part from the outlet unit.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 08-15971, a toner transporting duct similar to the above described one is formed on a side surface of a process cartridge, which duct is defined by a waste toner transporting member and is gently inclined at an angle of about 30 degrees. This toner transporting duct is designed to have in the lower part thereof an inlet through which a waste toner enters from the cleaning unit, and this inlet is provided with a connection hole to communicate with the cleaning unit. Further, the toner transporting duct is designed to have in the upper part thereof an outlet provided with a connection hole to communicate with the toner recovery part. An endless waste toner transporting belt provided with a plurality of convex parts on the outer circumferential surface is provided in this toner transporting duct so as to freely rotate, and the waste toner transported into the inlet from the cleaning unit is transported toward the outlet while being scraped along with the bottom of the toner transporting duct by the convex parts on the toner transporting belt, and is collected in the toner recovery part.
However, the current situation is that the process cartridge with a vertical structure for achieving further reduced size in the above described related art still fails to realize sufficient performance as a waste toner recovery mechanism.
That is, in JP-B No. 3281595, although a waste toner is held against a toner transporting belt for transportation to the outlet, the toner transporting belt is oscillated by oscillation transmitted from a driving part, and the waste toner supported on the belt is spilled down from a gap between convex parts on the belt and the internal wall of the toner transporting duct by its own weight. The amount of the toner supported on the toner transporting belt therefore decreases on the way of toner transportation, whereby the toner transportation efficiency is lowered, and further, the toner particles spilled down still remains inside the transporting duct to cause clogging, thereby preventing rotation of the transporting belt. In JP-A No. 08-15971, the waste toner is transported in the outlet while being scraped along the bottom of the toner transporting duct by convex parts on the transporting belt. While such a transportation form is suitable for a horizontal process cartridge having a transporting duct with a comparatively gentle slope, however, in the case of necessarily taking a structure where the slope of the transporting duct has to be sharp, like a vertical process cartridge, the efficiency of transporting the waste toner disclosed in JP-A No. 08-15971 is insufficient, and in the same way as described in JP-B No. 3281595, there causes a problem where the waste toner on the way of transportation duct is spilled down from a gap between the bottom of the transporting duct and convex parts on the transporting belt.

Toner recovery apparatus, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus


A regulator of a vehicle AC generator is formed of an IC regulator of a mold package type and a regulator holder having an IC regulator mount portion. A press-fit fitting structure (140A, 230A, 140C, or 230D) is provided between an attachment plane of the IC regulator mount portion (110A) and an attachment plane of the IC regulator (200A) or between an inner wall surface of the IC regulator mount portion and an outer wall surface of the IC regulator.

A regulator that is a voltage control apparatus of a vehicle AC generator is furnished with a function of regulating an output voltage of a generator by controlling ON and OFF of a field current flown through a field winding.
Besides the voltage control function, regulators used recently are furnished with a communication function with an external in-vehicle device and a function of suppressing an abrupt rise in drive torque of a generator by making an increase in output current moderate when an electrical load increases. On the other hand, the mainstream of a voltage control circuit in the regulator is in the form of integrated circuit (IC) chips and an IC regulator of a mold package type in which a voltage control circuit and connection terminals of the voltage control circuit and an external circuit are molded integrally (see, for example, Patent Document 1) is used in some cases.
The IC regulator of the mold package type is mounted on a regulator holder having an integrally molded insert terminal to which a connection terminal of the IC regulator is joined. In this instance, in order to join the connection terminals at high reliability, it is necessary to position the connection terminals with respect to each other first and then to mechanically fix the IC regulator to the regulator holder.
Patent Document 1 describes an example where positioning is performed by bringing a protrusion provided to an IC regulator mount portion of the regulator holder into engagement with a through-hole provided to the IC regulator so that mechanical fixation is achieved.


The monitoring of the qualities of the optical signal transmitted from a light amplifying relay and nodes of transmission networks. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for correct monitoring the qualities of the optical signal. While conventional methods monitor the qualities of the optical signal solely by the intensity of the optical signal, the present invention provides an apparatus and method for extracting the clock component of data from the optical signal transmitted and measuring the magnitude and then detecting the presence or absence of the signal and the error rate upon receiving the deteriorated signal due to the chromatic dispersion. The present invention comprises the simple measuring apparatus having a optical coupler 1, a signal conversion means 2, a narrow optical detector 3, a super high frequency rectifier 4 and a voltage detector 5. In application of management and maintenance of optical transmission systems using a light amplifier and photoelectric transmission networks, the present invention provides a high reliability in monitoring the qualities of the optical signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for monitoring the qualities of optical signals in optical transmission systems or photoelectric transmission networks employing a light amplifier, and more specifically to an apparatus and method for monitoring the qualities of the optical signals using the amplitudes of clocks.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,816 entitled xe2x80x9cQualities monitoring and fault location in optical transmissionxe2x80x9d disclosed a technique for monitoring the qualities of optical signals for optical transmission systems. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,029 entitled xe2x80x9cMethod and apparatus for monitoring performance of optical transmission systemxe2x80x9d disclosed a technique for monitoring the performance of optical transmission system.
As light amplifiers capable of direct amplification of light are commercialized recently for optical transmission systems, transmission distance of optical transmission systems remarkably increases. Now, optical transmission systems whose relayless transmission distance amounts to several hundreds of kilometers are commercially available. Also, a number of studies have been performed on the photoelectric transmission networks, which achieve line distributions and branch connections without converting optical signals into electrical signals. This photoelectric transmission network is expected to be used as a major infrastructure of transmission networks in the forthcoming information superhighway era.
However, in order to utilize transmission systems efficiently, it should be noted that these systems are managed and maintained based upon the qualities of the optical signals carrying the information such as the optical signal intensity, the signal to noise ratio, and the error rate upon receiving the signal. Also, the reliability of communication needs to be assured.
In conventional optical communications that do not employ light amplifiers, the quality information of the optical signal needed for the management and maintenance of the systems can be correctly detected by converting optical signals into electrical signals at relay that relays the optical signal or at the receiving terminal of optical signals.
However, since systems using light amplifiers employ light amplifying relays instead of conventional electrical relays, light amplifying relays don""t convert optical signals into electrical signals. Optical signals are not to be converted to electrical signals even in the nodes of the photoelectric transmission networks as well, and thus branch connections or line distributions are performed in the form of optical signals. Accordingly, the method capable of detecting the quality information of the optical signal needed for the management and maintenance of the systems or networks depends only upon the measurement of the signal to noise ratio of optical signals. Results of this measurement provide only smaller portion of the information than needed. For example, when optical signals do not carry any meaningful data, it is supposed to be determined as normal state by measuring only the intensity of optical signals, but communication fails in practice
The object of the present invention is providing an apparatus and method for monitoring the qualities of optical signals such as the presence or absence of the signals and the error rates upon receiving signals. It extracts clock components from the transmitted optical signals and measures magnitude of the clock amplitude in light transmission systems or photoelectric transmission networks.
To achieve this object, the monitoring apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by comprising:
an optical signal processing means for separating a portion of optical signals from the optical signals in transmitting through an optical fiber and converting the separated portion into signals having clock components;
a narrow optical detection means for converting the optical signal outputted from the optical signal processing means into electrical signals and then extracting only clock frequency components from the electrical signals to output the extracted components as sine waves;
a super high frequency (SHF) rectifying means for converting the output of the optical detection means into direct current (DC) signals;
a voltage detection means for measuring the magnitude of the direct current signals outputted from the SHF rectifying means; and
a means for monitoring the qualities of the optical signal using the magnitude of the voltage, corresponding to the clock amplitude, outputted from said voltage detection means.
Also, the monitoring method according to the present invention is characterized by comprising the steps of:
separating a portion of an optical signal from the optical signal in transmitting through an optical fiber and converting the separated portion in to a signal having clock components;
converting the optical signals outputted in the separating step into electrical signals and then extracting only clock frequency components from the electrical signals to output the extracted components as sine waves;
converting the output of the converting the optical signals step into direct current (DC) signals;
measuring the magnitude of the direct current signals outputted in the converting the output step; and
monitoring the presence or absence of data and the qualities of the optical signal including the bit error rates upon receiving the optical signals using the magnitude of voltage corresponding to the amplitude of the clock measured in the measuring step.

Apparatus and method for monitoring the qualities of optical signal using clock amplitude

Korea Advanced Institute Science and Technology


A monitoring method to monitor efficiency of air-blowing devices in a ventilation system. First, an optimal system curve is provided. Then, the air-blowing devices are activated with a first current frequency to obtain a first fan performance curve of the air-blowing devices according to the first current frequency and a test record. Next, first flow rates of the air-blowing devices are detected, and first system curves and efficiencies of the air-blowing devices are obtained by comparing the first flow rates with the first fan performance curve.

The invention relates to monitoring methods, and particularly to methods of monitoring efficiency of air-blowing devices.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional air-blowing device 100, which connects to an equipment 300 with a pipe 110 and to a stack 200 with a pipe 120. Fume exhaust gas in the equipment 300 is drawn by air-blowing device 100, and exhausted through the pipe 110, pipe 120, and the stack 200.
When a factory is built, air-blowing device performance (flow rate, pressure drop etc.) exactly fit the air-blowing requirement of the factory, according to the quantity of fume exhaust gas produced. As all equipments in the factory operate simultaneously, the air-blowing devices are activated with highest current frequency and optimal efficiency. However, the equipment do not always all operate simultaneously. When some of the equipment shuts down, the amount of fume exhaust gas decreases, and the activating current frequency should decrease accordingly to reduce energy consumption and improve operating efficiency.
However, adjustment of the activating current frequency cannot achieve high efficiency without feedback control. FIG. 1b shows air-blowing devices 100, 100′ and 100″, disposed in a ventilation system. Air-blowing devices 100, 100′ and 100″ remove fume exhaust gas from the equipment 300 through the pipe 110 (comprising pipes 111, 112, and 113) and the stack 200. However, distances between the pipe 111 and the air-blowing devices 100, 100′ and 100″ are different; thus, the operating efficiencies of the air-blowing devices are different. For example, air-blowing device 100 may have better efficiency than air-blowing devices 100′. Therefore, to improve efficiency, the activating current frequency of the air-blowing devices should be adjusted separately according to feedback monitoring information.

Industrial Technology Research Institute


An optical assembly includes a barrel including a slot, a lens installed inside the barrel for magnifying an image, a magnification-adjusting mechanism installed outside and around the barrel including an adjusting loop installed outside the barrel in a rotatable manner including a groove on a side facing the barrel, and a roller installed between the adjusting loop and the barrel. The optical machine further includes a rod for adjusting the magnification of the lens. One end of the rod is installed inside the slot of the barrel in a slidable manner, and another end of the rod is installed inside the groove of the adjusting loop in a slidable manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical assembly with a lens magnification-adjusting function, and more particularly, to an optical assembly having tangential actuation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conferences, a host can project related material or graphs onto a screen with a projector to let participants better understand the discussion. However, with the advance of video/audio equipments and storage media, such as high power stereos and large capacity DVDs, families can also enjoy the same experience in a home theater through an extra-large screen and a projector in combination with a stereo sound system.
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an optical assembly 10 of a projector of the prior art. The optical assembly 10 includes a barrel 12 including a spiral slot 14, a lens 16 installed inside the barrel 12 for magnifying an image, and a rod 18. The rod 18 is installed within the slot 14 of the barrel 12 in a slidable manner. The movement of the rod 18 is constrained by the slot 14 of the barrel 12 so that the magnification (zoom in/zoom out) is adjusted by the rod 18. That is, a displacement of the rod 18 consists of a combination of a tangential displacement and an axial displacement relative to the barrel 12. This kind of magnification-adjusting mechanism is very common, for example, consider many optical assemblies manufactured by Zeiss®. However, users are used to rotating the barrel 12 for adjusting magnification of the lens 16. That is, users are familiar with magnification-adjusting mechanisms requiring tangential movement of the barrel 12 instead of axial movement relative to the barrel 12. Thus, the magnification-adjusting mechanism of the optical assembly 10 does not correspond to the habits of users such that it is inconvenient for users to operate the magnification-adjusting mechanism of the optical assembly 10.

Optical assembly with a lens magnification-adjusting function


A method for the start up of a concrete pump using a small amount of an aqueous suspension of polymers, amorphous silicone dioxide and water-reducer rather than a conventional cement slurry.

Pumping concrete is often more economical than conventional methods of transporting concrete from a mixing plant to formwork. It enables a continuous feed of concrete to be placed at high speed with access to every part of the site. Concrete pumping is sometimes the only possible placing method where the job is inaccessible or the timescale of the construction work makes slower methods impractical.
The transport and placing of concrete by pump is an increasingly popular method. It is very fast and efficient and results in little waste of concrete. Not all concrete will pump, however, and minor variations in the concrete mix can make an otherwise pumpable mix completely unpumpable. The sand grading is particularly important and variations in grading can rapidly cause unpumpability. Even if only a small part of the mix in the hopper proves to be unpumpable, the pump may become blocked, leading to a time-consuming and expensive delay while the pump is stripped down, and the blockage removed.
A common problem associated with concrete pumps results during the starting phase. The pipes are dry and most likely covered with a thin layer of cement from previous pumpings.
When starting up, the concrete will gradually dehydrate while passing through the dry pipes. This creates a plug before reaching the end of the pipe. It is time consuming to disassemble the pump and remove the plug.
Before pumping concrete, the pump and pipeline must be grouted with about 500 liters of a cement slurry or rich mortar in accordance with the pump manufacturer's recommendations. Pumping should be started immediately after grouting. The aforementioned recommendations typically include the following steps:
1. Pour slurry or mortar into hopper while operating the pump slowly;
2. Discharge excess grout to waste, not into formwork;
3. Retain some grout in the hopper to be remixed with the first hopper full of concrete; and
4. Fit the protecting grill on the hopper before loading concrete.
When pumping downhill, a tight plug of damp cement bags or a sponge rubber ball should precede the grout to ensure that the walls of the pipe are properly lined.
Unfortunately the above procedure results in some new disadvantages. For example, the concrete mixing plant has to mix the cement slurry separately which takes time and money relative to the normal production. Also, present standards and regulation prohibit transport of the cement slurry in the same truck, at the same time, as the construction concrete. In this regard, if regulations are broken, or do not exist, the cement slurry is often put on top of the construction concrete in the lorry. This risks mixing during transport which will negatively influence concrete quality. Additionally, since the cement slurry must not be mixed with the concrete, it must be unpumped on the outside of the mould, and removed as waste.

Lubricating suspension for pumping concrete


An automatic flushing system is equipped with a buoyancy mechanism to unseat a valve set in a tank of a toilet. The automatic flushing system, equipped with battery power, includes sets of sensing, actuating, latching, buoyancy, unseat/seat and valve members. The battery power only provides electrical power to sensing and actuating members to release a float from an engaged position to a release position. Thus, the buoyancy of the float may unseat a valve to open a drain of the tank.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a flushing system for tank-type toilets and, more particularly to an automatic flushing system with buoyancy-actuating means to actuate flush valve.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,169,118 and 5,244,179 relates to an automatic operated toilet room flush valve, wherein a solenoid operated automatic flush valve, which is battery-operated and utilizes a latching solenoid to limit power drain on the battery. Accordingly, when the infrared sensor detects the presence of a user of a toilet, the flush valve is automatically driven to open to complete the flushing operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,132 relates to a flush control system for a plumbing fixture having electrical components that electrically operate a flush valve, wherein an electrical circuit is activated to lift a normally closed cover for a predetermined time. When the cover is subsequently lowered, the flush valve is actuated for a second predetermined time. U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,397 relates to an automatic flushing device for a toilet, wherein the flushing of water is controlled by a switch actuated by a lid, such that, when the lid is opened, a control circuit opens a flush valve for a predetermined period of time to flush the toilet prior to use, and when the lid is closed after use, the control circuit again opens the valve for a predetermined period of time to flush the toilet again. U.S. Pat. No. 2,200,687 relates to a toilet bowl in which the seat and cover members may be automatically closed under predetermined conditions after being shifted to a raised position, and in which a mechanism is incorporated for coactions with one of the seat and cover members as it is moved to a closed position for actuating the flushing valve of the toilet. U.S. Pat. No. 1,313,740 relates to a manually operated mechanism for raising the cover of a toilet bowl and for lowering the cover and flushing the bowl, the mechanism including a pivotally mounted and manually operated lever which is connected, through the medium of a bar, to the cover, which lever engages and idly operates a pivoted pawl upon the raising action of the cover, and strikes and operates the pawl in a movement which lowers the cover for operating the flushing mechanism to flush the bowl simultaneously with the lowering of the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,287,113 relates to a toilet flushing mechanism that includes a longitudinally movable bar that is connected to a pivoted cover or seat of a toilet bowl, and a plurality of pawls and levers that are controlled by the depressions of foot rods for moving the bar longitudinally to move the pivoted seat and also to operate the flushing mechanism of the toilet at the time when the seat is started to be moved into a closed position.
All other prior arts related to toilet flushing automation require alterations to existing flush mechanism of the existing toilet to achieve the purpose of control, the present invention retrofits with existing tank-type toilet and works with existing manual flush mechanism. No structure alteration is required for existing tank toilet.
In addition, all other flush actuation prior arts did not consider utilizing the natural resource, buoyancy, to actuate flush valve, hence automation for such a actuation device requires more power or energy; battery application is impractical, either require larger size of battery and motor or require power from A/C power supply; furthermore, the life cycles of batteries were dramatically shorter and require significant more cost of maintenance.
Neither of these systems previously proposed, however, combine the desirable characteristics of being economical, durable, simple to operate and install by user.


A safety apparatus of a battery module for a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes cell terminals disposed in battery cells disposed in a row. A safety bus bar electrically connects two cell terminals disposed diagonally in two battery cells adjacent to each other among the battery cells. In addition, the safety bus bar maintains the electrical connection when the battery cells are not expanded and opens a circuit to prevent electricity from flowing when at least one battery cell is expanded.

(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a safety apparatus of a battery module for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a technology associated with a safety apparatus of a battery module for a vehicle that can maintain stability by opening a circuit to prevent electricity from flowing when a battery cell is expanded by abnormal phenomena (e.g., overcharge, over-discharge, internal short-circuit, substantially high temperature, and the like).
(b) Background Art
A hybrid electric vehicle, a fuel battery vehicle, and an electric vehicle are configured to drive a vehicle by using an electric motor and require a high-voltage battery pack that provides driving power to the electric motor.
The high-voltage battery pack uses a lithium ion rechargeable battery which is considered a next-generation energy storage and generally the lithium ion rechargeable battery type for the vehicle includes varies according to manufacturer, but generally a can type and a pouch type are used, and includes a module and a packet based on the number and shapes of cells which are determined by each manufacturer.
For example, eight battery cells are connected in series to constitute one battery module (e.g., CMA, cell module assemble), and nine battery modules (CMA), one battery management system (BMS), and one power relay assembly (PRA) are combined to constitute one battery pack (BMA, battery module assemble).
A technology that maintains durability and safety is applied to the lithium ion rechargeable battery and a safety device that induces electric short-circuit when an abnormal phenomenon occurs is used to maintain vehicle safety. In other words, parts used as safety elements in the related art include a positive temperature coefficient (PTC), a thermal fuse, a bi-metal with PTC, and the like, and the PTC is an element that has resistance that increases when a temperature increases. The resistance of the PTC also increases under an operating temperature to decrease charge/discharge efficiency and when high current is conducted, voltage drop causes reduction of battery utility zone and further, when the PTC is exposed to moisture, high temperature, and the like, reliability deteriorates. Therefore, the PTC may be unsuitable for a vehicle which is used for 10 years or more.
In addition, the thermal fuse is an element wherein an internal circuit is fused by heat when the temperature of the thermal fuse increases. The thermal fuse has a lower resistance than the PTC and has an increased operating capability when the high current is generated due to short circuit, and the like, but may be fused by heat generated in the cell when overcharged with low current. However, the temperature does not increase up to a fuse temperature due to limitations such as an installation position, and the like and when an element operating at a low temperature is used, the operating capability may decreased due to high current generated at the acceleration of the vehicle, and as a result, the thermal fuse may be unsuitable for being used for the vehicle.
Further, the bi-metal with PTC has a higher resistance than that of a general PTC, but the bi-metal with PTC is unsuitable to be used for the vehicle due to malfunctions of bi-metal by vibration and shock.
The description provided above as a related art of the present invention is just for helping understanding the background of the present invention and should not be construed as being included in the related art known by those skilled in the art.

Safety apparatus of battery module for vehicle


The present disclosure provides forming nanostructures with precision dimension control and minimum lithographic related errors for features with dimension under 14 nanometers and beyond. A self-aligned multiple spacer patterning (SAMSP) process is provided herein and the process utilizes minimum lithographic exposure process, but rather multiple deposition/etching process to incrementally reduce feature sizes formed in the mask along the manufacturing process, until a desired extreme small dimension nanostructures are formed in a mask layer.

Field
Examples of the present disclosure generally relate to forming nanostructures in a film layer. Particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods for forming nanostructures with precision dimension control and minimum lithographic related errors
Description of the Related Art
In the manufacture of integrated circuits (IC), or chips, patterns representing different layers of the chip are created by a chip designer. A series of reusable masks, or photomasks, are created from these patterns in order to transfer the design of each chip layer onto a semiconductor substrate during the manufacturing process. Mask pattern generation systems use precision lasers or electron beams to image the design of each layer of the chip onto a respective mask. The masks are then used much like photographic negatives to transfer the circuit patterns for each layer onto a semiconductor substrate. These layers are built up using a sequence of processes and translate into the tiny transistors and electrical circuits that comprise each completed chip. Thus, any defects in the mask may be transferred to the chip, potentially adversely affecting performance. Defects that are severe enough may render the mask completely useless. Typically, a set of 15 to 100 masks is used to construct a chip and can be used repeatedly.
With the shrink of critical dimensions (CD), present optical lithography is approaching a technological limit at the 45 nanometer (nm) technology node. Next generation lithography (NGL) is expected to replace the conventional optical lithography method, for example, in the 32 nm technology node and beyond. The images of the patterned mask are projected through the high-precision optical system onto the substrate surface, which is coated with a layer of photoresist layer. The patterns are then formed on the substrate surface after complex chemical reactions and follow-on manufacturing steps, such as development, post-exposure bake and wet or dry etching.
Multiple patterning technique is a technology developed for photolithography to enhance the feature density. A simple example for utilizing the multiple patterning technique is double patterning, where a conventional lithography process is enhanced to produce double the expected number of features. Double exposure is a sequence of two separate exposures of the same photoresist layer using two different photomasks. This technique is commonly used for patterns in the same layer which look very different or have incompatible densities or pitches.
Double patterning lithography (DPL) is an effective technique to improve resolution. DPL theoretically doubles resolution through pitch splitting. DPL involves two separate exposures and etch steps (litho-etch-litho-etch, or called LELE or L2E2). DPL is particularly suitable for 20 nm generation technology and is one of the promising candidate solutions for scaling down to 14 nm technology and beyond. In some structures that require feature pitch down under 10 nm, higher number of the patterning technique, such as quadruple patterning or octuple patterning (L4E4 or L8E8), may be required to push the dimension limit. However, the lithography exposure process is an expensive process. Multiple practices of the lithography exposure processes for just a single layer patterning not only time consuming, but also significantly increase manufacturing cost. Furthermore, as well known in the art, overlay errors (or pattern registration errors) between layers are often inevitable during the lithographic exposure process. Thus, multiple exposure process on a single layer may enhance undesired overlay errors that may be detriment to device performance. With the shrink of critical dimensions (CD), overlay error in the critical layers of the device structure must be minimal or eliminated in order to reliably produce devices with minimal feature sizes.
Therefore, there is a need for forming nanostructures with precision dimension control and minimum lithographic related errors.

Self-aligned multiple spacer patterning schemes for advanced nanometer technology


There is provided an input apparatus which makes it possible to reduce the size and weight of the apparatus on which it is mounted while improving the ease of use through its jog dial functionality. On a joint section for allowing a first housing and a second housing to be opened to a predetermined angle is provided the input apparatus (jog dial function section) that functions as a jog dial. This input apparatus is formed on at least a part of a cylindrical section of a structure in which the cylindrical section, which is part of the second housing, is fitted between a pair of shoulder portions of the first housing. As used above, “at least a part” refers to an area that can be touched by a user's finger when the first housing and the second housing are opened.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an input apparatus for a portable electronic device that is configured relatively small so as to be portable. Further, the present invention relates to a portable electronic device, and in particular to portable electronic device and input method for a portable electronic device that use jog dial functionality for input operation.
2. Description of Related Art
Today, portable electronic devices such as mobile telephone terminals having, in order to make it possible to perform complex input operations simply, an input apparatus commonly referred to as a jog dial have been commercialized. FIG. 19 shows an example of one such mobile telephone terminal having a conventional jog dial input apparatus. This mobile telephone terminal 200 is constructed in such a manner that a first housing 201 and a second housing 202 are joined at a joint 203 so as to be foldable. In such a case, keys 204, such as function keys, and a jog dial 205 are provided on the first housing 201, and a display section 206 is provided on the second housing 202.
The jog dial 205 rotates, with a rotation shaft formed in the longitudinal direction of the dial at the center, in a given direction and the direction opposite thereto. Therefore, it is configured with a rotatable member, and further, the jog dial can be pressed inward towards the rotation shaft. In this case, the rotation of the rotation member is accompanied by some clicking feeling, and, for example, each time the rotation member is rotated by a given angle, such as a few ten degrees, a mechanical click occurs.
Such a jog dial 205 enables various operations that combine a rotational operation and a pressing operation. For example, a selection of an item to be inputted (for example, text) may be performed through rotation, and the selected item may be confirmed by pressing. In addition, operations such as menu selection with a finger are made possible. Thus, with a jog dial, various operations can be performed easily with just one operation means. And, as mentioned above, by having a mechanical click occur every time the jog dial is rotated by a given angle, the user is, based on the number of clicks that have occurred, able to know how much input has been given (for example, how many steps), and the ease of use is improved.
In addition, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-244787, there is disclosed a particular configuration of a mobile information device in which a mechanical jog dial is provided on a hinge section, and in which the mechanical jog dial is exposed even when the display panel is folded.

Input apparatus, portable electronic device and input method for a portable electronic device


Provided is an object information acquiring apparatus including a probe in which a plurality of elements transmitting an ultrasound wave to a measurement target region of an object and receiving a reflected wave is arranged in a first direction, and a mechanical scanning unit that moves the probe in the first direction and a direction crossing the first direction. A transmission processor, to each element included in a transmission aperture element row transmitting the ultrasound wave, inputs an input signal for driving the element, and a received signal processor combines received signals obtained by the elements included in a reception aperture element row receiving the ultrasound wave. A generator generates property information on the object from the combined signal, and a controller that determines at least one of the number of elements included in the transmission aperture element row.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an object information acquiring apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
An apparatus for acquiring object information is known in which an ultrasound beam is transmitted toward an object, a reflected wave from inside the object is received, and the received signal is converted into an image. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-028366 (Patent Literature 1) discloses a method for generating a three-dimensional ultrasound echo image of a wide region by mechanically scanning a probe in which elements transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves are arranged one-dimensionally. In the apparatus used in this method, a three-dimensional image can be configured by mechanically scanning the probe in a direction crossing the electronic scanning direction, while acquiring tomographic images by electronic scanning of the ultrasound transmitted/received beam. Such a method makes it possible to perform imaging of a three-dimensional region within a wide range of the object in an easy manner and, therefore, is suitable when a wide-range imaging region is required, such as in diagnostic breast imaging.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-028366


Systems and methods provide a parameterized scheduling system that incorporates end-user application awareness and can be used with scheduling groups that contain data streams from heterogeneous applications. Individual data queues within a scheduling group can be created based on application class, specific application, individual data streams or some combination thereof. Application information and Application Factors (AF) are used to modify scheduler parameters such as weights and credits to differentiate between data streams assigned to a scheduling group. Dynamic AF settings may adjust relative importance of user applications to maximize user Quality of Experience (QoE) in response to recurring network patterns, one-time events, application characteristics, protocol characteristics, device characteristics, service level agreements, or combinations thereof. Scheduling parameters may be dynamic and incorporate the notions of “duration neglect” and “recency effect” in an end-user's perception of video quality in order to optimally manage video traffic during periods of congestion.

The present invention generally relates to the field of communication systems and to systems and methods for optimizing system performance through weight-based or credit-based scheduling in capacity and spectrum constrained, multiple-access communication systems.
In a communication network, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) network, each node and subnet has limitations on the amount of data which can be effectively transported at any given time. In a wired network, this is often a function of equipment capability. For example, a Gigabit Ethernet link can transport no more than 1 billion bits of traffic per second. In a wireless network the capacity is limited by the channel bandwidth, the transmission technology, and the communication protocols used. A wireless network is further constrained by the amount of spectrum allocated to a service area and the quality of the signal between the sending and receiving systems. Because these aspects can be dynamic, the capacity of a wireless system may vary over time.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for prioritizing and scheduling packets in a communication network