Provided is a radar device includes a transmitting unit, a receiving unit for receiving the electromagnetic wave reflected by a target object of the transmission electromagnetic wave, a target object measuring unit for measuring at least a distance between the radar device and the target object on the basis of the transmission and reception electromagnetic waves, a transmission output control unit (S1, S2) for stopping or reducing a transmission output of the transmitting unit under a predetermined condition, a transmission output control function abnormality determining unit (S3 to S6) for determining that the transmission output control unit is abnormal upon receiving the reception electromagnetic wave having an intensity exceeding a predetermined threshold value even at the time of one of stop and reduction of the transmission output, and an abnormality determination time processing unit (S7) for stopping a power supply of the radar device when an abnormality is determined.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radar device, and more particularly, to an in-vehicle radar device.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional radar device of this type, there is an in-vehicle automatic cruising device having radar means for detecting an inter-vehicle distance from a preceding vehicle, velocity detecting means for detecting a velocity of a subject vehicle, and arithmetic processing means for outputting a velocity command to a vehicle velocity changing mechanism so as to keep an appropriate inter-vehicle distance on the basis of the inter-vehicle distance and the subject vehicle velocity. The in-vehicle automatic cruising device also includes determining means for determining whether the subject vehicle is in a substantially stop state or a normal travel state on the basis of the inter-vehicle distance and the subject vehicle velocity, and control means for controlling an output of the radar means according to the travel state determined by the determining means. With the above configuration, when the subject vehicle is in the substantially stop state, a power of a laser beam is reduced so that even when an eye of a pedestrian around the subject vehicle is erroneously irradiated with the laser beam, the eye is not injured, thus making it possible to ensure safety of the pedestrian around the subject vehicle (for example, see JP 62-259111 A).
Also, in an energy projection type sensing system in which an energy is projected to the outside to observe a reaction on the basis of the projected energy, there are provided diagnosing means for diagnosing a presence or absence of a state where an adverse affect may occur due to the projection of the energy, energy projection control means for limiting the irradiation of the energy when the diagnosing means diagnoses that the state described above is present. With the above configuration, the system can flexibly cope with a status change of environments to which the energy is to be projected, so as to prevent the subject environment from being adversely affected by the energy projection in advance (for example, see JP 10-2952 A).
At present, a frequency of 76 to 77 GHz of a millimeter wave band is allowed in respective countries for the in-vehicle radar device. For example, in U.S.A., Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates transmission outputs of electromagnetic waves at a time of stop and traveling with the in-vehicle radar millimeter wave band, and an upper limit of the transmission output at the time of stop must be smaller than the upper limit of the transmission output at the time of traveling. Hence, in the in-vehicle radar device having a configuration that complies with the FCC, in a case where the transmission output at the time of traveling is larger than the upper limit of the transmission output at the time of stop, the radar device is required to have a function of reducing the transmission output at the time of stop to be lower than the upper limit of the transmission output at the time of stop, or stopping the transmission output in a case where it is unnecessary to detect a target object at the time of stop.
As described above, as the radar device of this type, there is required a radar device that surely stops or reduces the transmission output at the time of stop.

Radar device with transmission output control and transmission output control function abnormality determining means


In an expeditious approach to transmitting updated data objects from one computing site to another, a transmitting site compares an updated data object with its previous version, and only includes the changed subparts in its transmission to the receiving site. The data object is therefore sent in a compacted state. The transmitting site also sends a map showing the changed subparts""s relative positions within the entire data object. The receiving site retrieves a locally stored previous version of the data object, and combines the data object""s unchanged subparts with the changed subparts recently sent by the transmitting site.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the expedited transmission of machine-readable data from one site to another. More particularly, the invention concerns a method and apparatus that expeditiously transmits an updated data object from one site to another by comparing the updated data object to its previous version at the first site, sending the updated data object to the second site minus any unchanged parts, and then reconstructing the updated data object at the second site using a locally stored copy of the data""s previous version.
2. Description of the Related Art
In today""s information age, people are always seeking faster ways of exchanging data. One technique is to use faster communications media, such as substituting a T1 line for a residential telephone line, for example. Another technique compresses the data before transmission, and thereby completes the data transfer more quickly by sending a smaller package of data. In any case, the exchange of data always incurs some expense, and people always welcome new ways to transfer data quickly and thereby save money.
The remote copy environment is one area in which data transfer problems are especially acute. A direct access storage device (xe2x80x9cDASDxe2x80x9d) remote copy pair includes primary and secondary storage sites. The primary storage site receives user data from a host and stores that data utilizing DASD media such as magnetic disk drives. The primary site routinely forwards new data to the secondary site, enabling the secondary site to maintain a mirrored copy of the primary site""s contents. In this way, the secondary site may be easily substituted for the first site if the primary site fails. Data transfer is central to the remote copy environment because the primary site""s entire function is to receive and store data, and all of this data must be somehow xe2x80x9cmirroredxe2x80x9d to the secondary site. This is complicated by the fact that the amount of data transfer is often substantial, and the remote copy pairs are often separated geographically. With geographical separation, expensive transmission lines must be used to transfer data, and the transfer cost is relative to the number of transmission lines and their bandwidth.
Even though significant advances have been made in data transfer technology, IBM engineers are continually striving to reduce costs by further improving data transfer speed. In certain cost-critical or time-critical applications, known data transfer approaches may not be completely satisfactory.
Broadly, the present invention concerns a more expeditious approach to transmitting updated data objects from one site to another. Namely, a transmitting site compares the updated data object with its previous version, and only includes the changed subparts in its transmission to the receiving site. The data object is therefore sent in a compacted state, constituting a compacted data object. The transmitting site also sends a map showing the changed subparts"" relative positions within the entire data object. The receiving site retrieves a locally stored previous version of the data object, and combines the data object""s unchanged subparts (stored locally) with the changed subparts (recently sent by the transmitting site).
In one embodiment, the transmitting site makes a queue entry for each updated data object that is received. Then, the site compares the new and existing data objects and incrementally prepares the compacted data object and map. A data transmission routine serially processes the queue by transmitting, each item represented by a queue entry. If a data objects queue entry percolates to the top of the queue before the compacted data object is completed, the partially complete map and compacted data object are sent anyway, still achieving some savings in transmission speed. In this case, the data object""s brief wait time in the queue indicates that there is no backlog of data objects for transmission, and efficiency does not suffer.
In one embodiment, the invention may be implemented to provide a method to expeditiously transmit data updates by selectively omitting unchanged data parts and identifying their relative positions within the data updates. In another embodiment, the invention may be implemented to provide an apparatus, such as a computing site, programmed to expeditiously send and/or receive data updates by selectively omitting unchanged data parts and identifying their relative positions within the data updates. In still another embodiment, the invention may be implemented to provide a signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital data processing apparatus to perform operations as described above. Another embodiment concerns logic circuitry having multiple interconnected electrically conductive elements configured to perform operations as described above.
The invention affords its users with a number of distinct advantages. Chiefly, the invention abbreviates data updates for faster transmission between computing sites. Instead of assuming that the entire data object has changed as with prior approaches, the present invention compares new and existing data objects to find the changed subparts of the new data object, and restricts data transmission to those changed subparts. With less data to send, the overall transmission occupies less time, freeing valuable input/output components to perform other tasks. Also, when the computing sites are remotely located, the reduced data transmission time saves money required to rent long distance communication lines, such as T1 lines, etc. Moreover, in contrast to prior approaches that use computation-intensive data compression algorithms, the invention achieves low processing overhead by completely omitting large blocks of data from transmission, based on results of a relatively fast data comparison. Advantageously, this invention may incoporate data compression algorithms as well, further conserving transmission bandwidth. Although the content of the transmitted data is different with this invention, overhead is still low because this type data can be sent using existing code. Furthermore, the invention is compatible with mirroring storage systems that communicate directly (i.e., peer-to-peer remote copy or xe2x80x9cPPRCxe2x80x9d systems), as well as systems that utilize a data mover to transmit data from one site to another (i.e., extended remote copy or xe2x80x9cXRCxe2x80x9d systems). Additionally, the invention works with both open and count key data (xe2x80x9cCKDxe2x80x9d) systems. The invention also provides a number of other advantages and benefits, which should be apparent from the following description of the invention.

Method of transmitting streamlined data updates by selectively omitting unchanged data parts

International Business Machines Corporation


An ice maker of a refrigerator includes a tray assembly having an upper tray that defines upper portions of a plurality of ice making chambers. Each of the plurality of ice making chambers is configured to receive water and generate an ice piece. The tray assembly also includes a lower tray that is located vertically below the upper tray, that is configured to rotate relative to the upper tray, and that defines lower portions of the plurality of ice making chambers, wherein at least one of the upper tray or the lower tray comprises a flexible tray made of a flexible material. Additionally, a case is configured to accommodate the flexible tray to restrict a deformation of the flexible tray. A heater that is located between the case and the flexible tray is configured to supply heat to the plurality of ice making chambers through the flexible tray.

Generally, refrigerators are appliances that can be used to cool and store food items. A storage space inside the refrigerator may be cooled using cool air, and the food items may be stored in a refrigerated or a frozen state.
In some cases, an ice maker may be provided in the refrigerator. For example, water can be supplied automatically from a water supply source to an ice tray to form ice pieces. In some cases, the formed ice pieces may be removed by heating the tray or by physically removing the ice pieces. Ice pieces formed in this manner typically have crescent or cubic shapes. In some cases, spherical ice may be made by the use of appropriately designed ice trays.
During the ice making process, air bubbles can become trapped inside the ice, thus leading to a cloudy, opaque appearance. Allowing the air bubbles to escape during the ice making process, on the other hand, can help lead to the formation of clear, transparent ice pieces.


A reluctance type synchronous motor comprises: a stator with a plurality of slots placed at an even pitch angle wherein stored inside each slot is a stator winding for creating stator magnetic poles with a predetermined phase alternating current being supplied thereto. A rotor sustained by a shaft and changing magnetic reluctance in its circumferential direction by inclusion inside of a plurality of magnetic isolating portions creates desired magnetic poles. At least one of the central angles between magnetic poles created at the rotor is shifted from the other central angles so that torque ripples during rotation can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure of a rotor for improving torque ripple reduction of a reluctance type synchronous motor used for feed drive and positioning of a machining spindle of a machine tool. More specifically, the present invention aims to improve the characteristics by adjusting magnetic reluctance change of both a rotor and a stator relative to a rotation angle of the motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Motor torque ripples are mainly caused by permeance changes due to changes in relative positions of a rotor and a stator. By this permeance change, magnetic energy stored in void spaces between a rotor and a stator changes, which leads to torque ripples. More specifically, stator slot ripples due to stator tooth and pole ripples due to magnetic poles of a rotor are cited as causes of torque ripples.
As a method to reduce torque ripples (mainly slot ripples) of a motor creating magnetic field using a permanent magnet and used for servo mechanism, a technique to skew a central angle of magnetic poles of a stator or a rotor in rotational direction by an angle equivalent to one or two times a pitch angle of a slot (the angle depending on winding order) has been known conventionally.
The main objective of this technique is to cancel phases of torque ripples in macroscopic view by skewing rotor or stator magnetic poles.
FIG. 14 shows an example of a conventional reluctance type synchronous motor.
For convenience in explanation, an example with 6 air slits per one magnetic pole of a rotor, 4 rotor magnetic poles rotor, and 12 stator slots is shown. Slits are not necessarily air slits, and the numbers of magnetic poles and slots are not limited to the numbers used here.
The stator 1 is composed of a layer of thin, soft magnetic material plates made of a material such as silicon steel. The stator comprises teeth and slots. Each slot stores a stator winding 5.
The rotor composed of a layer of thin, soft magnetic material plates 2 which includes magnetic isolating portions 4 creating magnetic paths in the plates 2. The magnetic isolating portions 4 can be composed of non-magnetic material such as resin or aluminum. This example uses air which is the simplest and most convenient magnetic isolating portion. In other words, the soft magnetic material 2 is filled with air stored in the slits.
In this example, the rotor structure is implemented by layering soft magnetic material plates. Therefore, minute joints exist at the periphery of the rotor (so that the rotor will not break into pieces due to the slits of the magnetic isolating portions 4). Magnetic short circuits in these joints can be ignored by thinning the joints.
If soft magnetic material plates are cut into a horse shoe shape and layered/fixed radially along a q-axis 7 and centered at a rotational shaft 3 (generally called a "flux barrier type reluctance motor"), the minute joints described above are not necessary.
The magnetic poles defined at the rotor by the magnetic isolating portions 4 have two imaginary axes used for explanation of motor control. One of these is a d-axis 6 which is a magnetic pole center and the other is the q-axis 7 which is a magnetic boundary of the neighboring poles.
For motor control, a field current (d-axis current) which generates a field component flows through the d-axis 6, while an armature current (q-axis current) which generates a torque component flows through the q-axis 7.
By the flow of the field current, a solenoid equivalent to a permanent magnet of a permanent magnet motor is created at the rotor. The armature current is exactly the same as an armature current of a permanent magnet motor. Therefore, by controlling d-axis and q-axis currents, a torque and control performance of a reluctance motor, which are equivalent to a permanent magnet motor and according to the Flemming's left hand law, can be obtained.
As is already known, small magnetic domains are created within a permanent magnet of a permanent magnet motor, and each magnetic domain has a magnetomotive force. In other words, a magnetic flux density at the surface of a magnetic pole can be almost even, since there exists means to confine the small magnetic flux.
However, in a relationship between teeth of the stator 1 and magnetic paths of a rotor of a reluctance type synchronous motor (composed of soft magnetic material 2 and the magnetic isolating portions 4), the soft magnetic material creating magnetic paths in rotational direction exists separately, which leads to dispersed magnetic energy stored in void spaces between the stator 1 and the rotor.
The dispersed magnetic energy appears as torque ripples upon controlling of the motor, and may cause troubles such as noise or undulated machining patterns of work piece when the reluctance motor of this kind is used for feeding the rotational shaft.
As described above, in a permanent magnet motor using a permanent magnet on a rotor, magnetic domains are created within the permanent magnet, and each domain has a magnetomotive force. Therefore, a magnetic flux density at the surface of magnetic poles is almost even, since there exists means to confine the magnetic flux. As a result, skewing of magnetic poles of a rotor or a stator can easily reduce torque ripples (especially slot ripples due to a stator slot period).
However, if a rotor of a synchronous motor is composed of a soft magnetic material and rotates in synchronization with rotating magnetic field of a stator, magnetic flux to passes an area of low magnetic reluctance within magnetic poles of the rotor. Therefore, reducing torque ripples by skewing is difficult due to the fact that a gap width of a rotor's magnetic poles relative to a stator's magnetic poles is different (i.e., an effective gap width of the rotor is reduced due to skewing), which leads to leakage of magnetic flux towards low magnetic reluctance areas within the rotor.


A vehicular control device includes (i) situation detection units that detect situation of the vehicle, occupants, or a surrounding area; (ii) a storage unit for storing a model representing association between variables indicating the situation and variables indicating presence or absence of operation needs for each in-vehicle unit, (iii) an inference execution unit that determines presence or absence of the operation needs for each in-vehicle unit using the stored model; (iv) a control unit that controls each in-vehicle unit based on a result of determination by the inference execution unit; (v) an operation detection unit that detects the operation of each in-vehicle unit; and (vi) a model learning unit that learns the stored model using the detected situation when the operation of each in-vehicle unit is detected by the operation detection unit, and an event involving the presence of operation needs for the in-vehicle unit.

There are conventionally known devices that control multiple in-vehicle units mounted in a vehicle according to the situation. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle agent system in which various units mounted in a vehicle can be effectively utilized without troubling the driver. Here, driver information storing means is provided to beforehand store correspondences between conditions, such as instructions and situations, and in-vehicle units suitable for the conditions. When an instruction is given from a driver or the situation changes, an in-vehicle unit is controlled based on the correspondence stored in the driver information storing means. Further, response determining means is provided to confirm the driver's intention before an in-vehicle unit is controlled; thereby, the correspondence in the driver information storing means is updated according to determination made by the response determining means.
Patent Document 2 discloses a device that estimates the driver's intention and controls an in-vehicle unit based on the result of the estimation to lessen the load on the driver. In the device disclosed in this document, control start conditions and the details of control are stored beforehand in a control information table in correspondence with each other. When the state of the driver satisfies a control start condition stored in the control information table, the control device carries out the details of control in correspondence with it. This document also discloses that a control information table is updated based on change in the state of the driver that occurs when control is carried out, change in the state of operation that occurs when control is canceled, or the like.                Patent Document 1: JP-2003-252130 A        Patent Document 2: JP-2005-329800 A
As mentioned above, there are known control devices that control equipment mounted in a vehicle according to a predetermined condition and control devices that update conditions based on the driver's response to control selected according to the situation or the like. However, the devices disclosed in the above documents involve problems. In these devices, a condition is updated based on whether or not the driver accepts control selected by the device, and the frequency with which a condition is updated is very low.
In the devices disclosed in the above documents, further, a control condition is updated by determining whether or not the correspondence between a condition and control stored in a table is appropriate, based on the result of acceptance by the driver. When predetermined control is carried out under a predetermined condition and the driver does not accept the control, that condition is not suitable for the driver and should not be used from the next time onward. In the devices disclosed in the above documents, to cope with this, a record in which a set of the predetermined condition and control for the condition is stored is substantially deleted from a table. It can be said that the devices disclosed in the above documents can also carry out control suitable for the driver by learning in that control that will be highly probably rejected by the driver is not carried out. However, this update method is disadvantageous. The method is such that a condition unsuitable for the driver is just excluded, and it works only in the direction in which the range of in-vehicle unit control is narrowed.

Control device for controlling in-vehicle unit


A rocking assembly for a bed has a mattress frame, a base frame and a rocking driver. The base frame supports the mattress frame. The rocking driver is mounted on the base frame and has a motor, a flywheel and a connecting rod. The flywheel is rotated by the motor. The connecting rod is connected eccentrically to the flywheel and pivotally to the mattress frame. When the motor turns, the connecting rod rocks the mattress frame so a person lying on the bed rocks from side to side and pressure on individual parts of the person's body is alleviated so blood can circulate to the areas and bedsores will not develop.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bed, and more particularly to a rocking bed.
2. Description of Related Art
Bedsores are very common among people who are bedridden for a long time, such as people with extended debilitating illnesses and people in comas or vegetative states. Bedsores are caused by a particular part of a person's body being in contact with a bed so long that circulation is restricted and infection sets in.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a rocking bed to obviate or mitigate the aforementioned problems.


When a thermoplastic spacer is applied to a glass pane in the production of insulating glass panes, the nozzle from which the plastic with the desired cross sectional shape is extruded along the edge of the glass pane. The speed with which the plastic is applied along the edge of the glass pane is chosen depending on the temperature of the plastic. Here, for a stipulated temperature setpoint the speed with which the plastic is applied along the edge of the glass pane is stipulated. If the temperature increases, the speed is increased; conversely, when the temperature drops below the setpoint, the speed with which the plastic is applied along the edge of the glass pane is reduced. This ensures that the correct amount of thermoplastic is always extruded onto the glass pane and a spacer with a uniform cross section is obtained.

The invention relates to a process for applying a spacer of thermoplastic to a glass pane in the course of producing insulated glass panes in which thermoplastic is applied to a glass pane along its edge.
In addition to spacers of metal, generally hollow aluminum sections, producing insulating glass with plastic spacers has been known for a long time, there being essentially two embodiments.
One embodiment (xe2x80x9cswiggle stripxe2x80x9d) uses a prefabricated strand of butyl rubber which, withdrawn from a storage reel, is pressed onto one glass pane of an insulating glass pane (DE 37 26 274 C).
Another process (xe2x80x9cBiverxe2x80x9d process) calls for applying a setting plastic to the glass pane from a nozzle which is moved along the edge of the glass pane (EP 0 176 388 A).
Finally, recently it has been repeatedly proposed that thermoplastic spacers be used, generally proceeding such that the thermoplastic is extruded directly onto one glass pane from an application nozzle as a strand with the desired cross sectional shapexe2x80x94generally rectangular (DE 196 32 063 C). In the latter process for producing spacers for insulating glass panes, when the strand which is designed to be used as the spacer is applied, due to the use of thermoplastic, problems arise to the extent that the accurate control of the amount of thermoplastic to be applied is not easily possible. In one known process the attempt is made to use the amount to be applied for accurate proportioning by combination of a plunger pump for delivery of thermoplastic to the nozzle and a gear pump which is provided on the nozzle.
The latter measure (combination plunger pump-gear pump) is not able to ensure under all circumstances that exactly the correct amount of thermoplastic is applied to the glass pane per unit of length of spacer which is to be applied from the nozzle.
The reason for this is that the viscosity, therefore the flow behavior of the thermoplastic, is extremely dependent on temperature. Regardless of the circumstance that insulated lines are used for transport of the thermoplastic heated to a temperature which corresponds to the desired flow behavior to the nozzle, major problems occur when the temperature fluctuates.
Control of the delivery pressure depending on quantity and viscosity in the processing of thermoplastic is known from AT 399 497 B, EP 0 124 188 A and U.S. Pat. No. 4 922 852 A.
The object of the invention is to devise a process of the initially mentioned type with which it is ensured as independently of temperature fluctuations as possible that the correct amount of thermoplastic is applied at the time to form a spacer for insulating glass panes.

Process for application of spacers for insulating glass panes of thermoplastic material


The invention concerns a method of producing a one-part piston which, in the region of the piston ring zone, has a closed cooling duct and a recess between the piston ring zone and the box-shaped piston body. The method comprises the following steps: A piston blank is produced by a forging process and the annular recess is produced by machining so that an upper part of the piston skirt remains connected to a radially inner region below the piston crown. The axial height of the recess corresponds at least to the axial height of the cooling duct. The cooling duct, which is open at the bottom, is produced by machining and hub bores are formed and the outer contour of the piston is finished. The cooling duct, which is open at the bottom, is closed by a two-part cover ring.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of producing a one-piece piston having a cooling duct.
2. The Prior Art
Such a piston, which is manufactured from steel by casting, is known from practical operation. To obtain a closed cooling duct, releasable casting cores have to be used, which complicate the production process and make it expensive.
A one-piece cooling duct piston is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,947. However, this reference does not teach anything regarding the method of producing such a piston.
The present invention deals with the problem of producing a one-piece piston having a closed cooling duct in a constructionally simple way.
This problem is solved with a method for producing a one-piece piston having a closed cooling duct annularly extending in the piston crown at the level of the piston ring band, and an annular recess between the piston ring band and the box-shaped piston skirt. The piston skirt is connected with the piston bosses suspended on the piston crown and to a radially inner region below the crown. The method comprises forging a piston blank, machining an annular recess between the piston ring band and the box-shaped piston skirt, with the depth of the recess being machined so that the upper end of the skirt remains connected to the radially inner region below the crown, machining a downwardly-open cooling duct, producing boss bores and finishing the outer contour of the piston, and closing the downwardly-open cooling duct with a cover ring.
In regard to the state of the art, the design of a jointed piston (articulated piston) needs to be mentioned as well, where the crown of the piston is connected with the piston pin separately from the piston skirt only via the pin (see, for example, DE-OS 36 43 039). With such a jointed piston, there is a cooling duct in the crown of the piston that is open at the bottom, such duct being closed with a divided sheet metal ring. The manufacture of such a cooling duct is possible only by dividing the piston in two parts, which, however, leads to increased expenditure in the manufacture of the jointed piston because the piston skirt has to be additionally machined separately. In addition, as compared to the one-piece piston according to the invention, such a jointed piston requires a longer piston pin, which increases the weight.
A method of producing a one-part cooling duct piston is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,533, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. The present invention improves on this patent by machining the annular recess so that the upper end of the piston skirt remains connected to the radially inner region below the crown. The connection can extend all around, or could be strut-like and only be in selected locations.
The present invention is an improvement over the previous one-piece piston because it is a stronger design and has correspondingly higher safety margins in highly stressed areas. In addition, the piston secondary motion is reduced because of the stiffer design, which results in less ring motion, which reduces wear and lessens oil requirements, and has a reduced risk of cavitation. Furthermore, the improved design makes the distribution of side load more even, contributing to less cylinder liner wear. Finally, the piston of the present invention is easier to machine. It allows for a turning operation with fewer interruptions, and requires no deburring action. In certain cases, the stiffness of the skirt is sufficient to guide the piston only in the skirt section. Guidance in the ring band area could be eliminated, if desired.


Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) generally make code errors as they convert analog display signals to digital display signals of digital displays. Code-correction structures are provided that correct these code errors by initially configuring the ADCs to provide digital signals with redundant resolution. In particular, analog display signal having 2N discrete analog levels are converted with M-bit ADCs wherein M exceeds N. This redundancy is utilized with a controller that distinguishes differences between an occurrence pattern of digital codes and a desired error-free pattern of digital codes. Subsequently, the controller corrects the digital code to reduce the observed differences.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to digital displays and, more particularly, to display interfaces that adapt analog display signals to digital displays.
2. Description of the Related Art
The cathode ray tube (CRT) has been the standard computer-display monitor for many years. Because CRTs have generally responded to analog display signals, there currently exists a huge installed base of computers (more than a billion) that incorporate digital-to-analog converters (DACs) which are configured to generate CRT analog display signals.
Recently, digital display devices (e.g., flat-panel displays, liquid crystal displays, projectors, digital television displays and near-to-eye displays) have become increasingly popular. Although it is anticipated that all-digital interfaces will eventually become the standard interface for these displays, analog interfaces must be available for the near future because of the large existing installation base of computers.
In response to the need for both analog and digital interfaces, an open industry group known as the Digital-Display Working Group (DDWG) has developed a digital-visual interface (DVI) specification which establishes analog and digital interface standards. In particular, these standards reference the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) specifications for the implementation of analog interfaces.
Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are typically used to adapt the analog display signals to a digital display. Because these converters are generally prone to make conversion errors (e.g., offset and gain errors), the generated digital display signal often includes errors which degrade image parameters (e.g., brightness and contrast in primary colors) of the digital display.

Code-correction structures and methods for digital displays


To reduce electromagnetic wave transmission loss, a connecting portion is provided on the end portion of a waveguide. A connecting portion has a first half and a second half, each made of a dielectric material. An antenna formed on a printed circuit board is interposed between the first half and the second half. The connecting portion has conductive portions and. The conductive portions have a shape corresponding to the cross-section of the conductive portion of the waveguide in cross-section orthogonal to the direction in which the circuit board extends, and surround the first half and the second half.

The Present Disclosure relates, generally, to a transmission device for transmitting high-frequency waves such as millimeter waves and microwaves.
The waveguide disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3902062, the content of which is fully incorporated in its entirety herein, is a waveguide for transmitting millimeter waves and microwaves and which is made of a dielectric material with a conductive coating. In the '062 patent, the conductive material provided on the surface of the waveguide has a slit on the bottom surface in the end portion. The end portion of the waveguide is arranged on a printed circuit board, and the slit is positioned on an electrical wire functioning as the antenna which is formed in the printed circuit board.
In the structure disclosed in the '062 patent, electromagnetic waves emitted upwards from the electrical wire pass through the slit and into the wave guide, and are transmitted through the waveguide. However, the electromagnetic waves emitted downward from the electrical wire (the electromagnetic waves emitted towards the printed circuit board) enter the waveguide with difficulty, and significant transmission loss occurs.

High-frequency wave transmitting device including a connecting portion for connecting a waveguide to an antenna


Disclosed is a process for the direct extraction of an omega-3 fatty acid enriched triglyceride product comprising unsaturated triglycerides with a fatty acid strand of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) from a crude fish oil comprising unsaturated triglycerides and saturated triglycerides having strands comprising fatty acids of at least one stearic acid, palmitic and oleic acid. Each triglyceride in the crude fish oil can be characterized by a Partition Number (PN) according to the formula:PN=TC−2DBwherein TC is a total number of carbon atoms in the fatty acid strand, and DB is the number of double bonds in the fatty acid strand. Crude fish oil diluted in non-polar solvent directly passed to an SMB zone, comprising a normal phase separation with a hydrophilic stationary phase agent and a non-polar/organic polar mobile phase desorbent to provide an omega-3 fatty acid enriched triglyceride product.

The principle components of crude fish oil are triglycerides, which can represent over 90 percent of the total composition of crude fish oil. The balance consists of partial glycerides; that is, mono- or diglycerides, free fatty acids, phospholipids and a group of chemicals known as the unsaponifiable fraction. Crude fish oils are very similar to one another in their physical nature. They are considered as liquid oils; but, in fact, they contain sufficient triglycerides of intermediate melting point for the oils to be partially solid at 20° C. The triglycerides usually occur in various combinations of less desirable fatty acids in between the more desirable DHA.
Fish oil is oil derived from the tissues of oily fish. Fish oils contain the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) along with other unsaturated triglyceride species including: docosapentanoic acid (DPA), stearadonic acid (SDA), alpha linolenic acid (ALA), gamma linolenic acid (GLA), linoleic acid (LIN) and oleic acid (OLE) and saturated triglycerides including stearic acid (STA) and palmitic acid (PAL). DHA and EPA are poly unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids (also called ω-3 fatty acids) are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) with a double bond (C═C) at the third carbon atom from the end of the carbon chain. The fatty acids have two ends, the carboxylic acid (—COOH) end, which is considered the beginning of the chain, thus "alpha", and the methyl (CH3) end, which is considered the "tail" of the chain, thus "omega." The nomenclature of the fatty acid is taken from the location of the first double bond, counted from the methyl end, that is, the omega (ω-). The three types of omega-3 fatty acids involved in human physiology are ALA (found in plant oils), EPA, and DHA (both commonly found in marine oils).
In nature the fatty acids combine as triplets with a glycerol back bone forming triglycerides (oil). The structures of EPA and DHA are shown hereinbelow:

Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids that are essential nutrients for health. Humans need omega-3 fatty acids for numerous normal body functions, such as controlling blood clotting and building cell membranes in the brain. Because human bodies cannot make omega-3 fatty acids, these omega-3 fatty acids must be obtained from food. Omega-3 fatty acids are also associated with many human health benefits, including protection against heart disease and possibly stroke. Recent studies are identifying potential benefits for a wide range of conditions including cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and other autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Triglycerides of DHA in naturally occurring form with a purity of greater than or equal to 40 weight percent have recently been shown to stimulate the neural growth in infants.
The major source of DHA and EPA is from marine oils, or fish oil derived from oily fish tissues and is in triglyceride form. Separation of unsaturated fats and fat derivatives from saturated fats and fat derivatives is difficult because the unsaturated components are susceptible to thermal and oxidative degradation and because their physical properties do not differ from those of the saturated components. The concentration of the unsaturated components in the form of parent triglycerides is more difficult, because the fatty acids are randomly arranged on the glycerol backbone of the triglyceride. Therefore the parent oil is usually converted into free fatty acids (FFA) or fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) before separation into polyunsaturated and saturated fractions is carried out.
Typically, crude fish oil is esterified at conventional esterification temperatures above about 60° C. The resulting conventionally esterified effluent is water washed and passed to a molecular distillation process for the separation of lower carbon number esters and to enrich the concentration of the Omega-3 ester components. The molecular distillation is typically carried out at a molecular distillation temperature in excess of about 200° C. at very low pressures of about 1 to about 10 mBar (0.1 to 1 kPa). This heating during the molecular distillation results in the breakdown of the EPA and causes isomers of EPA to form. The lower carbon number fatty acid esters and the isomers of EPA act as impurities in the subsequent purification steps to obtain a high purity EPA and DHA content products.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,491,522 to Haraldsson, for example, discloses a process for the lipase-catalyzed esterification of fish oil or marine oil. In Haraldsson, compositions which contain EPA and DHA as free acids or hexyl esters are esterified with ethanol in the presence of a lipase catalyst under essentially organic solvent-free conditions and separated by distillation. The process, the reaction is conducted at 40° C. under vacuum to remove co-produced water. At such conditions, at least a portion of the EPA is lost to isomerization into less valuable components.
The use of urea complexes to separate saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids from polyunsaturated fatty acids has been known since the 1950's. The separation procedure is typically performed by dissolving a mixture of FFA (or fatty acid derivatives) in a hot aqueous alcohol solution that contains the appropriate amount of urea. When the solution is cooled, the urea preferentially forms solid complexes with saturated fatty acids and these are removed by filtration. The aqueous alcohol filtrate solution, which is enriched in unsaturated fatty acids, also contains urea. Therefore the fatty acids are recovered from the filtrate by solvent extraction with a non-polar organic solvent, such as hexane or isooctane, in which the urea is insoluble. U.S. Pat. No. 7,709,668 discloses a process for extracting lipophilic compounds from urea-containing solutions comprising using a near-critical fluid to produce a urea containing precipitate and a near-critical fluid phase containing the lipophilic compound; separating the near-critical fluid phase from the urea containing precipitate; and reducing the pressure of the near-critical fluid phase to recover the lipophilic compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,302 discloses a process for recovering at least one of purified polyunsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acid mixtures using simulated continuous countercurrent moving bed chromatography which comprises a first step of either a stationary bed chromatography or multi-stage countercurrent column fraction followed by the step of simulated continuous countercurrent moving bed chromatography in which the solvent is at supercritical pressure to recover the purified polyunsaturated fatty acid or mixture thereof. The simulated continuous countercurrent moving bed chromatography process employs a stationary phase as a reverse phase bonded silica gel with alkanes of C8 or C18, especially C18 bonded silica gel and an eluent chosen from the group consisting of short chain alcohols, ethers, esters or ketones or mixtures thereof, or mixtures with water.
Heating fatty acids either in the transesterification of triglycerides to fatty acid esters, or in the subsequent separation of the desired fatty acid derivative from a solvent or co-solvent has been shown to isomerize the EPA molecules and reduce the overall recovery of these valuable components.
Previous methods for extraction of EPA, DHA and other useful polyunsaturated fatty acids from their triglycerides, have not been satisfactory for the purification of DHA triglycerides from crude fish oils, or for the production of purified fatty acids. The term "purity" is used here to mean not only in the sense of being separated from all other fatty acids of different chain lengths and different number and placement of unsaturations, but also purity of the particular cis-trans structure. Prior art methods not only did not yield sufficient purity, but in many cases also required such extreme physical and chemical conditions as to cause some degree of degradation of the fatty acids, formation of peroxides, and/or conversion of at least some of the cis-bonds to the less desirable trans form.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a process for the recovery and purification of DHA Triglycerides from fatty oils such as crude fish oils.

Continuous process for extraction of unsaturated triglycerides from fish oil


A numerically controlled machine tool such as a roll grinder grinds a workpiece into a roll shape by rotating the workpiece about its own axis at a prescribed speed, and moving a grinding tool in radial and axial directions of the workpiece. The machine tool has a first motor for rotating the grinding tool about its own axis and a second motor for moving toward and away from the workpiece in the radial direction thereof. The machine tool also includes a detector for detecting a drive current supplied to the first motor, and a control unit for comparing the value of the drive current detected by the detector and a preset current value and for controlling the second motor based on the result of comparison.

The present invention relates to a numerically controlled machine tool such as a roll grinder for grinding a workpiece into a roll shape and a method of controlling grinding operation of the numerically controlled machine tool, and more particularly to a numerically controlled machine tool capable of machining a workpiece to a desired shape while correcting wear, damage, and the like of a workpiece and taking into account elastic deformation of the workpiece, wear of a tool, and the like.
Numerically controlled machine tools, typically roll grinders for grinding workpieces into roll shapes, are generally arranged to grind the workpiece into a roll shape while rotating the workpiece at a prescribed speed, moving a tool radially toward and away from the workpiece and axially of the workpiece. Since the tool has to be moved, the machine tool has a memory for storing numerical control data by which amounts of radial movement of the tool are successively programmed dependent on axial positions of the tool, and a control unit for supplying command pulses to drive units to move the tool based on the numerical control data. The numerically controlled machine tools are widely used for machining rolls or the like.
Rolls to be machined by numerically controlled machine tools include differently shaped rolls ranging from simple cylindrical rolls to rolls having taper, sine, and arcuate outer peripheral shapes to meet various applications. Heretofore, rolls having such outer peripheral shapes have generally been ground by employing cams. Use of cams is however disadvantageous in that a suitable cam has to be selected when a roll to be ground has a different outer peripheral shape, a different length, a different radius, or other different parameters, and that the efficiency of the grinding process is low.
It is possible to machine a workpiece relatively simply into a desired roll which has an outer peripheral shape that can be represented by a relatively simple formula, such as a sine curve. In this machining process, a workpiece portion to be machined, is divided into small segments, each of which is approximated by a straight line or an arc to produce numerical control data (machining program), and the produced numerical data are used to control the machine tool. However, since machining programs thus produced are very long and complex, they are not suitable for manufacturing rolls having complicated outer peripheral shapes.
For grinding a workpiece highly precisely into a roll, the depth of cut by which the workpiece is radially ground by a tool (i.e., a rotatable grinding wheel) is of great importance during the grinding process. If there were no other factors or elements to be taken into consideration, then a target (command) depth of cut would be the same as a net depth of cut, making it possible to grind the workpiece accurately.
On a roll grinder, however, the rotatable grinding wheel is worn as the grinding process goes on, and hence the actual depth of cut is smaller than a given target depth of cut. In addition, since the grinding wheel is pressed against the workpiece under certain pressure during the grinding process, the workpiece or roll is slightly elastically deformed. The amount by which the roll is elastically deformed is also responsible for reducing the actual depth of cut smaller than the given target depth of cut.
High-precision grinding of a workpiece into a roll therefore requires a machining program to be prepared while taken into account wear on the grinding wheel, and elastic deformation of the roll. Inasmuch as the amounts of correction to be effected by the machining program for wear and elastic deformation vary from grinding wheel to grinding wheel and from roll to roll, predictive values for the amounts of correction have to be determined with respect to each grinding wheel and each roll. The amount of wear of the grinding wheel varies with time in the grinding process, and it is highly difficult to prepare the numerical control program taking such a time-dependent variation in the amount of wear into consideration. One practice for grinding a workpiece using a machining program prepared on predictive values has been to measure the dimensions of a roll to confirm the dimensional accuracy thereof when the grinding wheel approaches a target cutting position, correct the depth of cut, and start the grinding process again. This grinding operation is however very poor in efficiency.
Rolls which have been in use for certain periods of time are worn differently dependent on what they have been used for and how they have been used. Even a single roll has a portion which is worn to a larger extent and a portion which is worn to a smaller extent. For efficiently grinding such a roll, therefore, the portion which is less worn has to be intensively ground to a desired roll shape, a process known as a truing process.
In the truing process, an individual roll shape is measured to check how it is worn, and based on the measurement, a machining program is prepared for grinding the roll. Alternatively, a machining program for grinding the roll to a uniform diameter irrespective of how it is worn is used to grind the roll. According to the former procedure, machining programs have to be prepared respectively for rolls to be ground, dependent on the worn conditions of the rolls. The latter uniform grinding method does not require machining programs to be prepared for the respective rolls, but results in a long machining time since the rolls must be ground uniformy regardless of their worn conditions.

Numerically controlled machine tool and method of controlling grinding operation thereof


A screen panel for a wood-chip digester, comprises a screen plate having a plurality of slots therein that are curved in the form of an arc. Each slot has a generally parallel-sided middle portion in the middle of the thickness of the screen plate, which middle portion has a width in the range of from 3 mm to 10 mm, and a portion that tapers out at an angle on each side of the middle portion, at a half-angle in the range of from 10° to 20°, for approximately one quarter of the thickness of the plate. All of the slots have their concave sides facing in the upstream direction of chip flow in the digester.

A digester is a vessel in which wood chips are treated with heat, liquid, and chemicals in order to break down the chips into a pulp that can be further processed into paper, paperboard, or the like. The digester is typically an upright cylinder with a conically tapering or domed top end. A batch of wood chips may be loaded into the digester and then pulped, or wood chips may be continuously loaded in at the top end and pulp continuously removed at the bottom. The cooking liquor is continuously pumped into and out of the digester, so that its temperature and chemical content can be maintained.
In order to allow free circulation of the cooking liquor into and out of the digester, while keeping the chips within the digester, perforated metal screen plates are provided, spaced a short distance inward from the walls of the digester. These screen plates define and separate a central volume, containing the wood chips, and an annular space, acting as a manifold by means of which the liquor can be distributed and collected. The screen plates are typically made of stainless steel, and the perforations in the screen plates are typically circular holes.
For practical reasons, the screen typically consists of a circle of from 16 to 24 panels, each individually mounted on and removable from supports within the digester. The panels are usually curved so that they together form a cylinder or a truncated cone, depending on where in the digester they are to be installed. For example, in the conical top of a digester there may be 20 panels, each about 60″ (1.5 m) long, 6.5″ (165 mm) wide at the narrow end, and 20″ (500 mm) wide at the wide end, forming a cone about 40″ (1 m) in diameter at the narrow end and about 125″ (3.25 m) in diameter at the wide end. The panels may instead be rectangular or trapezoidal, forming a multi-sided prism or pyramid. These panels are easier to fabricate and, especially if the number of panels in the circle is large, form an adequate approximation to a cone or cylinder for many purposes.
As an alternative to holes, it has been proposed to use screen plates with straight slots angled obliquely. Examples of such screen plates are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,039,841 (Hernesniemi) and 6,165,323 (Shearer), both assigned to Ahlstrom.


Various embodiments pertain to techniques for decreasing an amount of time to a browser onload event by asynchronously loading web page content. In various embodiments, frames are utilized to trigger an onload event before all content in a web page is loaded. In some embodiments, various components of the web page, such as advertisements, are provided in frames, and the loading of the components is triggered by an onload event of the frame. In other words, an empty frame can be provided for the purposes of triggering both a frame onload event and an onload event for the web page. The frame onload event can cause a page script to be executed effective to load the components into the frames. In some embodiments, two or more nested frames are utilized to provide asynchronous loading of web page components while maintaining compatibility of the advertisement or multimedia items and the web page.

As a web page is loaded by a web browser, the web browser provides various visual indications to a user that the web page has not fully loaded. The indications can be, for example, a status bar message such as "loaded 17 out of 23 items" or displaying an hourglass icon in addition to or in place of a mouse cursor. Such indications can be provided to a user until an "onload" event is triggered, signaling that the web page has no pending components to be loaded.
A time to achieve an onload event can be a measure of website performance. Specifically, longer load times can cause a user perception that a website exhibits poor performance which, in turn, can lead to the user abandoning the website and defecting to other, more responsive websites. In order to reduce the time to achieve the onload event, some websites have delayed the loading of one or more components, such as advertisements, until after the onload event has been triggered. However, by not loading advertisements until after the onload event, the websites can also experience a decrease in advertisement engagement, (e.g., clicks on advertisements, views, etc.), which can lead to difficulties in attracting advertisers and negotiating advertisement rates, as well as decreased advertising revenue.

Reducing ad impact to browser onload event


A droplet ejecting apparatus and an ejection abnormality detecting/determining method are provided that, depending upon a capacitance change of an actuator after a droplet ejecting operation, measures the period of residual vibration on the vibration plate to thereby enable detection of an ejection abnormality and determination of a cause thereof.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a droplet ejecting apparatus and ejection abnormality detecting/determining method for a droplet ejecting head.
2. Related Art
The ink jet printer, as a droplet ejecting apparatus, forms an image on a predetermined paper by ejecting ink droplets from a plurality of nozzles. The ink jet printer has a print head (ink jet head) provided with a plurality of nozzles. However, clogging possibly takes place at certain nozzles due to ink viscosity increase, air bubble mixing, dust or paper powder adhesion or the like, resulting in impossible ink ejection. Nozzle clogging causes dot missing in the printed image, raising a cause of image deterioration.
Conventionally, there has been devised, as a method of detecting such an ejection abnormality of ink droplets (hereinafter referred also to as "dot missing"), a method of optically detecting a state that an ink droplet is not to be ejected at the ink jet head nozzles (ink droplet ejection abnormality) (e.g. JP-A-8-309963, etc.). This method makes it possible to specify a nozzle causing dot missing (ejection abnormality).
However, in the above optical dot-missing (droplet ejection abnormality) detecting method, a detector including a light source and optical sensor is attached on the droplet ejecting apparatus (e.g. ink jet printer). In this detection method, there is generally a problem that the light source and the optical sensor must be set up with accuracy so that the droplet ejected at the droplet ejection head (ink jet head) nozzle can pass through between the light source and the optical sensor, to thereby block the light between the light source and the optical sensor. In addition, such a detector is usually expensive, which problematically raises the manufacturing cost of ink jet printers. Furthermore, there is a possibility that the ink mist from the nozzles and paper powder of printing papers, etc. cause contamination in the light-source output part and optical-sensor detector part, resulting in a problematic reliability in the detector.
Meanwhile, in the above optical type dot-missing detecting method, although detection is possible for dot missing at the nozzles, i.e., ink-droplet ejection abnormality (non-ejection), the cause of dot missing (ejection abnormality) cannot be specified (determined) depending upon the detection result. Thus, there is a problem of impossibility to select and carry out a suitable recovery process corresponding to the cause of dot missing. Consequently, despite the state being recoverable by a wiping process for example, ink is pump-out from the ink jet head, thus increasing waste ink (useless ink). Otherwise, instead of doing the proper recovery process, a plurality of recovery steps is carried out to thereby lower or degrade the throughput over the ink jet printer (droplet ejecting apparatus).
It is an object of the present invention to provide a droplet ejecting apparatus and ejection abnormality detecting/determining method for a droplet ejecting head that, depending upon a capacitance change on a vibration plate of an actuator after droplet ejecting operation, the period of residual vibration on the vibration plate is measured to thereby detect an ejection abnormality on the droplet ejection head and determine a cause of the ejection abnormality.

Droplet ejecting apparatus and ejection abnormality detecting/determining method for a droplet ejecting head


A method of preparing a pipe for joining to another pipe, the method including the steps of fixing a cutting tool to one side of a fusion welding machine; fixing a pipe to an other side of the welding machine; moving the cutting tool with respect to the pipe so that the cutting tool engages an internal wall of the pipe to thereby cut the internal wall of the pipe, preparing the pipe for joining to another pipe.

The advantages provided by underground pipes are well recognized by people in the various industries, such as telecommunication, oil, water and gas. However, the laying of underground pipes can be expensive and time consuming. This is especially the case when the terrain provides substantial landscape obstacles such as undulating ground and rivers, in addition, the client requires the pipes to be buried deep into the ground.
The development of the plough system (known in the industry as the "SpiderPlow, Foeck Plough or Spider Plough") has revolutionized the laying of underground pipe. The plough system consists of a winch vehicle which is attached via a cable to a plough vehicle. The plough system can lay polyethylene pipe very quick in a variety of terrain.
When a pipeline is laid, the outer diameter of the pipe generally does not change. However, the internal diameter of the pipe often changes to increase or decrease the wall thickness of the pipe. The increase in wall thickness of the pipe is usually required when the pipe is likely to encounter increased forces such as when it is located under a road or watercourse.
Polyethylene pipes that are laid using a plough vehicle are often joined using a fast fusion welding machine. Polyethylene pipe that is joined through fusion welding normally creates a butt joint. A butt joint is formed by holding the two sections of pipe rigidly using a two pairs of jaws which form part of the fusion welding machine. The two ends of the pipes are faced to square the ends of the pipes and prepare the pipes for welding. The ends of the pipes are then heated above their melting point using a heating element. The pipes are then pushed together using the jaws which forces the two melted faces of the respective pipes together to fuse into each other and hence form the butt joint.
Fusion welding usually creates a joint that is as strong as or stronger than the parent material and is very reliable when used on pipes that have the same wall thickness. However, fusion welding does not work well with pipes that have different wall thickness. Therefore, when two pipes of a different wall thickness needs to be joined together, a prefabricated, transition section of pipe is often used. The transition section of pipe has two ends of different wall thickness which reflect the wall thickness of each of the pipes that the transition section of pipe is to be joined.
An transition section of pipe is undesirable as the transition section must be preordered and premade and must be ready on-site when needed. Further, the fusion welding of this transition section is time consuming and cumbersome due to the number of welds required.
The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

Method of preparing a pipe for joining to another pipe


A storage device may include, at least one memory device including at least a first single-level cell (SLC) region, a second SLC region, and at least one multi-level cell (MLC) region, the first SLC region having a higher data read speed than the second SLC region, and the second SLC region having a higher data read speed than the at least one MLC region, and a storage controller configured to control the migration of data among the first SLC region, the second SLC region, and the at least one MLC region.

Various example embodiments of the inventive concepts relate to storage controllers, storage devices including a non-volatile memory including the storage controller, and/or methods of operating the storage controllers, etc.
A flash memory device stores data by changing a threshold voltage of memory cells and reads the data using a desired and/or predetermined read level. Recently, storage devices including flash memory, such as solid-state drive (SSD), a memory card, etc., have been widely used. This is because the flash memory is a nonvolatile device having desired characteristics, such as low power consumption and a high integration degree.
In the flash memory, in order to store write data transmitted from a host, the write data is stored in a memory block of a single-level cell area or a memory block of a multi-level cell area according to characteristics of the write data.

Storage controller and storage device including the same


A novel reusable flexible hand-held, mitten-shaped glove to which one or more layers of abrasive, cleaning, or polishing material may be attached to the glove's face by means of a suitable non-permanent, pressure-sensitive, and moisture-resistant adhesive that has been applied to the back of the material. The abrasive, cleaning, or polishing material may be peeled off as needed either to expose fresh material or to attach new material to the face of the glove.

The hand-held non-powered use of sandpaper to smooth a surface or use of non-abrasive materials to clean and polish surfaces have had numerous inherent difficulties.
Currently, one method has been to affix the sandpaper or other material to a device such as a sanding block. The block, as the name implies, provides a flat face with which to make contact with a surface to be finished. However, such devices work best only on finishing surfaces that are equally flat. If the surface is curved, the use of a sanding block-type device with a flat face will cause uneven contact with that surface. If an abrasive material is being used, the device's flat face may actually damage the object being worked upon.
Alternatively, the user may simply hold the sandpaper or non-abrasive material by hand to make contact with the surface to be finished. The advantages of this method are that it does not require the purchase of any special devices and that the hand-held finishing material can easily be conformed to the shape of any curved surfaces. Unfortunately, this method is not practical for finishing larger surfaces because sustained use may cause hand cramping or even repetitive hand stress injury. Further, unless a work glove is worn, moving the sandpaper or other material along a surface exposes the hand to physical injury or trauma from the work object. This method, while inexpensive, also has the disadvantage of not being able to apply the sandpaper or other material with even pressure upon the surface.


A pure amorphous form of rosuvastatin calcium substantially free from alkali metal impurities is disclosed. A process of preparing a pure amorphous form of rosuvastatin calcium is disclosed, which comprises hydrolysis of C1-C5 alkyl esters of rosuvastatin, preferably tert-butyl ester of rosuvastatin, with an organic nitrogen base, e.g. guanidines, amidines, amines and quaternary ammonium hydroxides, in the presence of water, optionally containing aprotic solvent, following the conversion of thus obtained rosuvastatin salt with a source of calcium to obtain rosuvastatin calcium, which is then isolated. An alternative process is disclosed, which comprises the conversion of numerous novel ammonium salts of rosuvastatin, preferably tert-octylammonium salt of rosuvastatin, with the source of calcium to desired commercial rosuvastatin calcium. Rosuvastatin calcium is an inhibitor of HMG CoA reductase, useful in the treatment of hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis.

Rosuvastatin is generic name for (+)-7-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-6-isopropyl-2-(N-methyl-N-methylsulfonylamino)pyrimidin-5-yl]-(3R,5S)-dihydroxy-(E)-heptenoic acid administered in the therapy as its calcium salt as commercial drug, and illustrated in Formula 1 hereinafter, which compound is an inhibitor of the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMG CoA reductase), useful in the treatment of hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis. Rosuvastatin and the synthesis of rosuvastatin calcium was first described in patent EP-B-521 471; in the last two steps of the whole synthesis provided by hydrolysis of methyl ester of rosuvastatin (methyl rosuvastatin) in polar solvent, e.g. ethanol, in the presence of a base, e.g. sodium hydroxide, following by isolation of sodium salt of rosuvastatin and converting said sodium salt of rosuvastatin with a water soluble calcium salt under aqueous conditions to calcium salt of rosuvastatin. The process for the preparation of the intermediates described in EP-B-521 471 patent is incorporate herein by reference.
WO 2005/023778 describes a process for the preparation of rosuvastatin calcium by conversion of C1 to C4 alkyl ester of rosuvastatin, preferably tert-butyl ester of rosuvastatin with a base, preferably sodium hydroxide, in the presence of a C1 to C4 alcohol, preferably ethanol, to a solution of rosuvastatin salt, e.g. its sodium salt and converted said salt into rosuvastatin calcium by adding a source of calcium to said solution.
A novel crystalline form of rosuvastatin calcium can be prepared by crystallization of amorphous form of rosuvastatin calcium from a mixture of: (i) water and acetonitrile in the ratio of 1:1 by volume; (ii) water and acetone in the ratio of 1:1 by volume; or water, methanol and methyl tert-butyl ether in the ratio of 1:1:1 by volume, what is described in WO 2000/042024.
WO 01/60804 discloses certain novel amine salt with rosuvastatin, which may be prepared by addition of an appropriate amine or base to a solution of rosuvastatin acid in acetonitrile or ethyl acetate. Certain novel amine salts of rosuvastatin, preferably its crystalline methylammonium salt, may be used in the preparation of amorphous calcium salt of rosuvastatin, which process comprises sequential reaction of the crystalline methylammonium salt of rosuvastatin with sodium hydroxide, followed by a water soluble calcium salt, such as calcium chloride, under aqueous conditions. An approach is disclosed in WO 2005/051921 where rosuvastatin calcium salt is purified by conversion into isopropylammonium or cyclohexylammonium salt and back to calcium salt.

It is well known that alkali metal salts of organic acids are often hygroscopic what may cause problems at isolation. Indeed the isolation of sodium salt of rosuvastatin, which can be an intermediate in preparing rosuvastatin calcium salt, might be unrepeatable in yield and physical state what depends on the reaction conditions and evaporation of solvents, which is difficult to control. International publication WO 2005/23778 tried to avoid said problems without isolating rosuvastatin sodium salt by extraction of impurities from its aqueous solution into water immiscible solvent, but by using C1 to C4 alcohols as reaction medium a risk of conversion into specific impurities still existed. Namely, it is known that β-hydroxy acids in alcoholic alkali solution are submitted to dehydration what may lead after realkoxylation into special side products (see FIG. 1, Scheme 1, wherein R and R1 independently denotes C1 to C5 alkyl group), O-alkyl derivatives of rosuvastatin, e.g. O-ethyl rosuvastatin.
Therefore a need for an efficient process for preparing pure amorphous rosuvastatin calcium, without any significant amounts of side products and in having the exact stoichimetric content without other alkali metal cation, still exists.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process for preparing amorphous rosuvastatin calcium of impurities


This invention relates to a method for decolorizing a dyed denim fabric through a dry ozone process to obtain an aesthetically pleasing decolorized look or fashionably faded look in the denim fabric. The method comprises three dry ozone treatment processes used alone or in combination thereof. The first dry ozone treatment process includes wetting a denim textile product with water and oxidizing it with ozone. The second dry ozone treatment process includes spraying water to desired areas of the textile product and oxidizing it with ozone. The third dry ozone treatment process includes loading the denim textile product and wetted cotton fabric scraps into a drum, and oxidizing them with ozone.

Denim fabric has been decolorized to produce an aesthetically pleasing decolorized look or fashionably faded look. Two major means used for such decolorization are stones and bleaches. Stones such as pumice stones are used to create a used and abused appearance in denim fabric through a physical washing of the denim fabric with stones or rocks having an abrasive surface. Alternatively, bleaches such as potassium permanganate, peroxide, or hypochlorite are used with or without stones to decolorize or discolorize the surface of denim fabric.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional fabric decolorization method which comprises a dry process S110, a desize process S120, an optional resin process S130, an abrasion process S140, a decolorization process S150, a local decolorization process S160 and a finish process S170.
Dry process S110 is first performed on garments to achieve used or worn out look, and the dry process includes hand sand, whisker, grinding and laser operation. After the dry process S110, the desize process S120 is conducted to remove starch from the raw fabric. In this process S120, enzymes such as amylase enzyme, lubricant and/or wetting may be applied to the fabric and then, the fabric is rinsed. After the desize process S120, the resin process S130 may or may not be performed. The resin process S130 is to achieve three dimensional rigid look in the fabric and can be done by the processes of resin dip or spray, dry and resin cure.
Then, the abrasion process S140 is conducted on the fabric using stone, superstone (like sand), and/or neutral enzyme. Then, the fabric is rinsed and dried. After the abrasion process S140, the decolorization process S150 and the local decolorization process S160 are conducted on the fabric. The decolorization process S150 is performed on the overall areas of the garments whereas the local decolorization process S160 is conducted on desired areas of the garments. Bleach or potassium permanganate is applied and then, the garments are neutralized using chemicals such as sodium meta bisulfate.
Pumice stones are widely used for the abrasion process and adding pumice stones gives the additional effect of a faded or worn look, especially at the seam allowance or on stitches. The pumice abrades the surface of the garments like sandpaper, removing some dye particles from the surfaces of the yarn.
Bleaching gives garments a more used look and brighter complexion and is usually carried out by strong oxidizing agents such as potassium permanganate, hypochlorite, or peroxide. Bleaching may be performed on the garments in overall or selectively using a spray. Oxidation has to be followed by neutralization because the remaining bleach will keep on damaging the fabric.
Lastly, the finish process S170 is performed. Pocket white, softener and/or tint may be applied to the garments. Laccase enzyme may be used for a special effect and rewashing with bleach or potassium permanganate followed by neutralization may be optionally conducted.
While the denim garments are decolorized, high quantities of indigo dye are separated and they soil weft threads, inside pockets as well as labels. To prevent this backstaining, pocket white is used to separate indigo. Pocket white may be applied in every treatment phase on the denim fabric. The application of pocket white during stone washing or separate after-washing leads to a reduction of the backstaining.
A number of problems have been presented by the use of stones and/or bleaches. First, the use of stones creates a considerable amount of damage to the denim products and the machine used for the stone washing process and a lot of time and labor have to be spent to remove stones and rocks in pockets, creases, and interior folds of the garment and in the machine. All the suspended solid of stone debris goes down to the wastewater and this makes it more costly to dump the wastewater to the sanitation system. Furthermore, the stone abrasion process is not selective and everything in the machines gets abraded whether it's a garment, a metal button or a rivet on the garments. This significantly reduces the quality of the garments.
Besides, use of bleach or potassium permanganate requires the neutralization process because the remaining bleach or oxidative will continue to damage the garments and affect the shade and color of the garments. Additionally, the use of bleach or potassium permanganate may cause environmental problems by increasing suspended solids and chemical oxygen demand in wastewater as well as the volume of wastewater itself. These increases will lead to increased time and cost to treat wastewater because suspended solids in wastewater always have to be treated and environmental regulations have put severe stress on the textile industry to control pollution by wastewater treatment and disposing of the used pumice stones.
For the case of decolorizing t-shirts, there are several ways to dye t-shirts: direct dyeing, pigment dyeing, sulfur dyeing and reactive dyeing. Reactive dyeing uses a chemical reaction to dye a t-shirt. Stones or bleaches may be used to decolorize t-shirts if they are dyed by direct dyeing or pigment dyeing. Even if reactive dyeing produces vibrant colors of a t-shirt, there is no conventional way to decolorize t-shirts with reactive dyeing.
Accordingly, to solve the above problems, a need for a method for decolorizing a dyed denim fabric through a dry ozone process to obtain an aesthetically pleasing decolorized look or fashionably faded look in the denim fabric has been present for a long time considering the expansive demands in the everyday life. This invention is directed to solve these problems and satisfy the long-felt need.

Method for decolorizing a denim fabric using ozone


A variable golf club head includes multiple skeletal faces each having a ball contacting surface, a point for shaft attachment, and an attachment surface typically opposite the ball contacting surface. In the construction of the variable golf club head, one skeletal face is selected from the multiplicity of skeletal faces provided. Each skeletal face away from the ball contacting surface is provided with an array of fastening points, the array varying with the particular skeletal face selected. Multiple head covering bodies are provided for each skeletal face to fasten over the backside of each skeletal face and extend away from the ball contacting surface. These head covering bodies impart to the variable golf club head appearance and aerodynamics. Each head covering body is typically capable of being fastened to a series of skeletal faces at selected fastening points. Various head weights are provided correspondingly varying in density, dimension, and shape for placement interior of the golf club head to the skeletal face away from the ball or to the covering body, or both.

Each golfer is unique. Because of the infinite physical and mental variations of humanity, each golfer has his own unique individual physiology and individual psychology. These unique individual physiologies and individual psychologies produce a correspondingly unique individual golf swing. Unfortunately, the sale of golf clubs is not aimed at this uniqueness of every golfer's swing.
At this time, there are three general ways in which golf clubs are manufactured, marketed, and sold. A first group of manufacturers of golf clubs sell their clubs in the finished and assembled state. Marketing, and not the purchasing individual, has much to do with the sale and use of such golf clubs. A second group assembles golf clubs from their individual components including the grip, shaft, and club head components. Within the constraints of the manufactured components, this second group achieves a limited customizing of golf clubs. A third group designs clubs to match the "physics" of a golf club striking a golf ball. Unfortunately, golf and physics are not the same. Analysis of these generic manufacture, marketing, and sale of golf clubs to the average golfer establishes the fallacious theoretical foundation of these practices.
Regarding the sale of the golf clubs in the finished and assembled state, a short example of how such clubs are designed will suffice. Typically, a world famous professional golf athlete usually prefers a "professional's favorite club." This "professional's favorite club" is usually a customized golf club, tailor made to the professional and the product of numerous iterations to match the required needs of the professional golf athlete. It is a common practice to duplicate such clubs. Thereafter, by attaching the name of the professional golf athlete to the finished and assembled duplicate of his golf club, substantial sales are generated.
This practice defies logic and common sense. The professional golf athlete is usually a physically fit, mentally unique, full-time professional golfer. To compare this professional golf athlete to the randomly selected amateur who is of random build, typically unfit, mentally unsure, and a part-time opportunistic golfer is not logical. To further assume that golf clubs sold in the finished and assembled state can be transferred without consequence from the professional golf athlete to the randomly selected amateur defies logic.
Unfortunately, golf clubs sold in the finished and assembled state can never match the required weighting, appearance, feel, and performance which can be individually tailored to each golfer. This sale of clubs in their finished and assembled state assumes that the weighting, appearance, feel, and performance will be the same for the unique professional golfer and the randomly selected amateur. The mere statement of this proposition establishes its fallacious logic.
A second group of golf club manufacturers can be described as the component manufacturers group. They manufacture and or sell golf club components singularly. These components include the grip, the shaft, and the club head. Final assembly of the grip, shaft, and club head components is left to a group of golf club assemblers, who combine these golf club components. More often than not, the combination includes copies or imitations of the professional's favorite club at reduced prices. Thus, although the possibility of some individual customization of golf clubs is present, the opportunity is frequently forfeited in favor of the current "professional's favorite club" fad. Further, and once these golf clubs are assembled, club change seldom occurs. The purchasing golfer is constrained to the assembled golf club unit.
A third group of golf club manufacturers can be described as the vendors of "engineered" golf clubs. Characteristic of these clubs are unique grips, carbon fiber shafts, and engineered impact heads. Taking the case of the engineered impact heads, in one engineered golf club design, the mass of the golf club head is concentrated at the periphery of the club head while the center of the club is hollowed to reduce the centrally located mass of the club. This design takes into account the well-known engineering principle of "rotational moment of inertia." With such a club head, if the golf ball is hit off center, the tendency of the club to correspondingly drive the ball off center is reduced.
Unfortunately, for this "engineered" design, it is frequently forgotten that golf is a physical game governed by arbitrary rules which are not ergonomically matched to the arbitrary and random physiological and psychological state of the average human.
In golf, the player must place his feet on one side of the ball and swing a golf club eccentrically to his body on the other side of his feet to contact the ball on a random other than-level green. The golf ball is aimed at a hole having non uniform placement on a green with random and changing elevations with placed holes that are constantly changed. Further, the golf club (here are known as a "putter") is required to be asymmetric with respect to the human body. According to the rules of golf, the putter head at its bottom green contacting surface must be inclined with respect to the shaft at least 10 degrees. The putter at its face can be inclined upwardly up to 10 degrees away from the green. The shaft can have a 20 degree variation with respect to the putter head within the plane of swing of the putter. Further, attachment of the shaft to the putter head can vary within wide limits so long as the shaft fastens anywhere to the putter head. Ergonomically, considering the human body and the laws of physics, golf has arbitrary, random, and other than optimal characteristics which cannot be solved by "engineered" designs.
Compounding the way in which golf clubs are manufactured, marketed and sold is the propensity of the average golfer to change. During youth, strength, coordination and mental attitude rapidly and (usually) favorably change. At maturity, strength, coordination and mental attitude usually have some predictability but are nevertheless dynamic. Finally, with age, strength, coordination, and mental attitude again undergo (usually) unfavorable change. Yet in this latter "with age" case, golf is more frequently played by the dedicated player.
In this environment, the (average) golfer is encouraged to maintain a precisely repeatable swing and stroke for maximum accuracy and predictability of his game. The golf club is an integral part of the precisely repeatable swing and stroke. Unfortunately, and as set forth above, there has been no attempt to individually tailor golf clubs to the average golfer within the overall constraints set forth above.

Individually customized golf club and process


In one embodiment, a machine learning model for predicting one or more metrics is run in a network which includes a centralized controller device interconnected with a plurality of edge devices. A batch version of the machine learning model that operates in batch mode is hosted at the centralized controller device. Then, an incremental version of the machine learning model that operates in incremental mode is pushed to an edge device of the plurality of edge devices, such that the incremental version of the machine learning model is hosted at the edge device. As a result, the batch version and the incremental version of the machine learning model run in parallel with one another.

Low power and Lossy Networks (LLNs), e.g., sensor networks, have a myriad of applications, such as Smart Grid and Smart Cities. Various challenges are presented with LLNs, such as lossy links, low bandwidth, battery operation, low memory and/or processing capability, etc. One example routing solution to LLN challenges is a protocol called Routing Protocol for LLNs or "RPL," which is a distance vector routing protocol that builds a Destination Oriented Directed Acyclic Graph (DODAG, or simply DAG) in addition to a set of features to bound the control traffic, support local (and slow) repair, etc. The RPL architecture provides a flexible method by which each node performs DODAG discovery, construction, and maintenance.
Learning Machines (LM) are computational entities that rely on one or more machine learning algorithms for performing a task for which they have not been explicitly programmed to perform. In particular, they are capable of adjusting their behavior to their environment. In the context of LLNs, this ability can be very important, as the network often faces changing conditions and requirements that can be too large for being efficiently managed by a network operator.
Many LMs operate in a so-called batch mode, where a large dataset is collected, and the entire dataset is processed at once. However, batch learning algorithms can be very computation- and memory-intensive, and thus, are often not well-suited to real-time systems that need to quickly incorporate fresh incoming data, as are typically the case with devices at the edge, such as routers. As such, batch algorithms can be better suited for operation at a centralized network controller (e.g., in the cloud). On the other hand, other LMs operate in a so-called incremental mode, where the LM knowledge can be incremented with new data points at any time. Incremental learning algorithms are more lightweight and adaptable than their batch mode counterparts, and thus, are better suited for operation at the edge.

Hierarchical hybrid batch-incremental learning


Cord reels are disclosed, which are adapted to keep electrical cords organized within a reasonable area. According to one example, a cord reel can include a fixed housing with electrical prongs protruding from one end, and a rotational housing coupled to the fixed housing. The rotational housing may be adapted to hold an electrical cord. At least one electrical receptacle adapted to receive an appliance plug, such as a standard plug or a residual current device (RCD) plug, may be mounted to the rotational housing such that the appliance plug and an immediately adjacent appliance cord will rotate at least substantially within a limited cylindrical plane. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also included.

In many environments, multiple electrical devices may be used in a relatively small area. For example, multiple electrical devices may be employed in a conventional residential bathroom, such as a hair dryer, a curling iron, a straightener, an electrical razor, etc. Typically many or even all of such electrical components may obtain electrical power by means of an electrical cord that is configured to be coupled with a conventional electrical outlet.
In instances where several electrical devices are utilized in a small area, the electrical cords of two or more electrical devices may become tangled. As a result, the electrical devices can become difficult to use or may require substantial time to untangle. In other instances, an electrical device (e.g., television, toaster, etc.) may be positioned near an electrical outlet so that the device's cord is substantially longer than the distance to the electrical outlet. In such instances, the excess cord may be found filling the floor or counter space in an unsightly manner. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide cord reels that are capable of keeping such electrical cords organized.
Other aspects, features, and embodiments associated with the present disclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the following description in conjunction with the accompanying figures.


A screening system including a first modality comprising at least one inductive sensor, and a second modality including at least one metal detection coil configured to generate a magnetic field, said induction sensor configured to detect a change in the magnetic field generated by the metal detection coil.

This invention relates generally to personnel screening systems utilized at passenger terminals, and more particularly, to an integrated passenger screening system.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has recently mandated more stringent inspection procedures be implemented by the travel industry to reduce the possibility of passengers boarding a carrier such as a plane, for example, carrying concealed weapons, explosives, or other contraband. To facilitate preventing passengers boarding a plane carrying concealed weapons, explosives, etc., the TSA requires that all passengers be screened prior to boarding the aircraft.
For example, passengers arriving at the airport terminal first submit to a manual verification process that generally includes presenting their boarding pass and a form of identification such as a driver's license or passport, for example, to security personnel. The security personnel then manually verify that the passenger has a valid boarding pass, the name on the identification corresponds to the name on the boarding pass, and that the picture on the license or passport corresponds to the passenger presenting the license and boarding pass to the security personnel.
After the manual verification process is completed, the passenger is requested to walk through a metal detector to ensure that the passenger is not carrying any concealed weapons. While the metal detector is reasonably effective at detecting specific quantities of metal, the metal detector can not distinguish between a possible weapon or other non-threatening items such as shoes that may include metallic portions. More specifically, known metal detectors may intrepret metallic shanks fabricated into many common shoes as metallic weapons hidden in the shoes or on the ankle/calf region beneath clothing. As a result, metallic portions of known shoes may walk through metal detectors.
Because of the potential for a high false alarm rate, security personnel frequently request that passengers remove their shoes and place their shoes into the baggage screening system such that security personnel can visually verify the metallic object prior to the passenger boarding the plane and to also ascertain whether the shoes may conceal any explosive material or devices. As a result, the known metal detection system is time-consuming for the passengers, and does not distinguish between metallic portions fabricated into many common shoes and metallic weapons hidden in the shoes or near the ankle/calf region of the passenger.


A system and a method are disclosed for providing a constant swing high-gain complementary differential limiting amplifier. High gain for the differential amplifier is created by providing a current to the driving transistors that is a combination of any of (a) constant current, (b) transconductance based current, and (c) temperature compensated based current. A constant differential output swing is created by providing a varying differential current to the output load resistors of the differential amplifier that tracks process and temperature variations within the output load resistors.

In the telecommunications industry data transfer rates continue to increase. As data transfer rates continue to increase there are increasing demands made on the capabilities of closed-loop amplifiers. In particular, it is becoming increasing difficult to meet the stability criteria for closed-loop amplifiers that are capable of handling the data rates demanded for modern telecommunication channels. For this reason, the design and development of open-loop limiting amplifier cells are becoming increasingly important.
Prior art differential amplifier circuits are generally capable of providing a constant output differential voltage swing. However, prior art differential amplifier circuits are not generally able to maintain high levels of gain at the same time that they provide a constant output differential voltage swing. That is, the techniques employed by prior art differential amplifiers create significant variations in the amplifier gain.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a system and method that is capable of providing an improved differential amplifier circuit that is capable of providing both high levels of amplifier gain and a constant output differential voltage swing.

System and method for providing a constant swing high-gain complementary differential limiting amplifier