A miniature portable equipment in the present invention comprising a packing comprising a butyl rubber having a crosslinking structure composed of carbon to carbon bonds of the formula:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a miniature portable equipment having a specified packing, particularly a wristwatch having a specified packing or miniature portable information equipment terminal having a specified packing. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wristwatch of long-life specification wherein use is made of, for example, a long-life battery or a solar cell energized by conversion of light to electrical energy, or of mechanical specification wherein no battery is needed, or of specification wherein washing can be effected by the use of, for example, an ultrasonic cleaner, which wristwatch is fitted with a packing capable of inhibiting the penetration of water and steam from outside and also the penetration of human sweat and sebaceous matter, etc. and hence being excellent in long-term waterproofness.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is demanded for miniature portable equipments, a representative example of which is a wristwatch, to be waterproof because these are daily worn.
For example, referring to FIG. 4 which shows a partial section of a wristwatch exterior component, ring-shaped waterproof rubber packings are disposed at seal portions of the wristwatch exterior component, namely, interstice between wristwatch case main body 4 and back lid 7, interstice between the case main body 4 and windshield glass 2, portion of stem 6, portion of push button, etc. With respect to the packings shown in FIG. 4, packing 3 is generally called "windshield glass packing", packing 5 as "stem O-ring", and packing 1 as "back lid O-ring". FIG. 5 shows a section from which the outline of waterproof structure for the interstice between wristwatch case main body 4 and back lid 7 is apparent. This waterproof structure is constituted of a ring-shaped elastic back lid O-ring 1 fitted in compressed condition in a concave groove formed in the back lid 7. The penetration of water from outside is inhibited, and the waterproofness for wristwatch internal parts is ensured, by compressing the back lid O-ring 1 into contact with the case main body 4 and the back lid 7 and maintaining an appropriate contact stress.
Moreover, for example, referring to FIG. 6 which is a partial sectional view of conventional wristwatch structure, stem pipe 13 is secured to wristwatch case 11, and stem 12 has ring-shaped groove 18 provided on stem shaft portion 17. Waterproof packing 15 is fitted in the ring-shaped groove 18. For time resetting, winding stem 16 is coupled with the stem shaft portion 17. In this structure, the stem shaft portion 17 of the stem 2 oscillates inside the stem pipe 13 with the waterproof packing 15 interposed therebetween. The waterproofness for the wristwatch case 11 is ensured by the waterproof packing 15 compressed into contact with the inner wall surface of stem pipe 13.
With respect to the above waterproof packing for use in the wristwatch exterior component, from the viewpoint of long-term durability of packing waterproofness, it is demanded that the packing per se be nonpermeable to water and moisture, and further that the penetration of water from the above compressed contact part do not occur, accordingly, the packing in compressed contact condition exhibits long-term wear resistance and low compression set properties.
It is common to use, as a material for the above waterproof packing, for example, a nitrile rubber which is an acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer (hereinafter referred to as "NBR rubber"), a butyl rubber which is an isobutylene-isoprene copolymer (hereinafter referred to as "IIR rubber") or an ethylenepropylene rubber which is an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (hereinafter referred to as "EPDM rubber) in accordance with a demanded specification.
However, in the above conventional method, in the use of NBR rubber as the waterproof rubber packing material, although ensuring excellent resistance to oil and wear, the NBR rubber has a drawback in that not only the water ad moisture permeabilities but also the compression set.
In the use of IIR rubber, although ensuring excellent nonpermeability to water and moisture, the IIR rubber has a drawback in that not only is the wear resistance poor but also the compression set is large.
Also, in the use of EPDM rubber, although ensuring excellent nonpermeability to water and moisture, the EPDM rubber has a drawback in that not only is the wear resistance poor but also the compression set is large.
That is, with respect to the conventional packings of synthetic rubber materials, it is difficult to satisfy both the nonpermeability to water and moisture and the low compression set, and these synthetic rubber materials have posed a problem in compression set.
Therefore, with respect to conventional wristwatches having packings constituted of the above materials, when a compressive force is exerted thereon for a prolonged period of time, the packings would suffer a plastic deformation. Thus, an appropriate contact stress cannot be maintained, so that a gap would occur at waterproof seal portions. As a result, it has been impracticable to maintain waterproof and moisture proof performance. In particular, with respect to a wristwatch of long-life specification including a movement (module) wherein use is made of, for example, a long-life battery or a solar cell energized by conversion of light to electrical energy, or a wristwatch of mechanical specification, only replacement of waterproof rubber packings must be inevitably carried out every two to three years although battery replacement is not needed to thereby fail to realize a maintenance-free wristwatch. Furthermore, there has been a problem such that waterproof failure may be brought about by washing of a wristwatch by means of an ultrasonic cleaner or the like.
Description will be made in greater detail with reference to the partial sectional view of wristwatch shown in FIG. 6.
Generally, the stem 12 inserted in the stem pipe 13 is likely to be rickety in the direction perpendicular to axial direction as much as a distance corresponding to the interstice between the circumferential surface of stem shaft portion 17 and the inner wall surface of stem pipe 13. Also, the stem 12 is likely to be rickety between the circumferential surface of stem pipe 13 and the inner wall surface of stem collar portion 14 as much as the interstice therebetween. In the use of wristwatches for a prolonged period of time, it would occur that conventional waterproof packings 15 are deteriorated per se and deformed by the deterioration of packings by influences from outside dust and human sweat with the result that the compressive contact force on the inner wall surface of stem pipe 13 is unfavorably reduced.
When a large external force, for example, one resulting from collision of a matter upon the stem 12 in water, is applied to the stem 12 provided with the waterproof packing 15 whose compressive contact force has been reduced, the stem shaft portion 17 would suffer a move interlocked with the ricketiness of the stem 12. Thus, the state of uniform compressed contact of waterproof packing 15 would be highly likely to collapse with the result that the waterproof packing 15 would be set aside. Therefore, there has been a problem such that water penetration is likely to occur at portions where the compressed contact of waterproof packing 15 has been weakened. Furthermore, when the waterproof packing is deformed, the deformation may cause such a problem that, at the rotation of stem and at the oscillation inside the stem pipe, the move would be heavy.
The present invention has been made with a view toward solving the above technological problems of the related art. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a miniature portable equipment such as a wristwatch or miniature portable information equipment terminal fitted with a packing which is excellent in not only nonpermeability to water and moisture but also compression set performance and which, even when used for long, exhibits only a slight plastic deformation to thereby ensure excellent durability. Further, with respect to wristwatches of long-life movement (module) specification, a particular object of the present invention is to provide a maintenance-free wristwatch or a wristwatch of specification wherein washing can be effected by the use of, for example, an ultrasonic cleaner.


In one embodiment, a cache memory includes a cache array including a plurality of entries for caching cache lines of data, where the plurality of entries are distributed between a first region implemented in a first memory technology and a second region implemented in a second memory technology. The cache memory further includes a cache directory of the contents of the cache array and a cache controller that controls operation of the cache memory.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to data storage, and in particular, to a cache memory having a non-uniform cache architecture (NUCA).
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional multiprocessor computer system includes multiple processing units all coupled to a system interconnect. Coupled to the system interconnect is a system memory, which represents the lowest level of volatile memory in the multiprocessor computer system and is generally is accessible for read and write access by all processing units. In order to reduce access latency to instructions and data residing in the system memory, each processing unit is typically further supported by a respective multi-level cache hierarchy for temporarily storing instructions and data retrieved from the system memory.
In current large-scale computer systems, it is common to use "deep" cache hierarchies, with small and fast L1 caches implemented, for example, in Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) and with multiple larger and slower lower level caches implemented, for example, in Embedded Dynamic Random Access Memory (EDRAM). Conventional "deep" cache hierarchies are characterized by significant cache management overhead (e.g., to manage coherency across all levels of the hierarchy), high latency access to lower levels of the cache hierarchy, and storage inefficiency in that a single multi-level cache hierarchy may hold multiple copies of a same cache line.
In an attempt to improve upon conventional "deep" cache hierarchies, a number of Non-Uniform Cache Architectures (NUCAs) have been proposed. In general, a NUCA flattens the conventional multi-level cache hierarchy by using a fewer numbers of cache hierarchy levels with a large number of banks of the same memory technology (e.g., SRAM, EDRAM, etc.) in each level of the cache hierarchy. As a consequence of the physical structure of such cache architectures, entries in different banks of the same cache memory have non-uniform access times dependent on physical position, giving rise to the term NUCA.
Various new cache management policies have been proposed for NUCA caches, including static NUCA (S-NUCA) and dynamic NUCA (D-NUCA). In an S-NUCA cache, data are statically allocated to the cache banks (e.g., based upon index bits of memory addresses) and remain in the allocated banks until deallocated. In contrast, a D-NUCA cache permits data to reside in different banks and employs a migration mechanism to move data among the banks to reduce wire delay effects. For example, in a D-NUCA cache employing generational promotion, the storage locations or entries comprising each congruence class are ranked by access latency, and upon access a cache line in a congruence class is promoted to the next lower latency entry of that congruence class and demoted to a higher latency entry as other cache lines in the congruence class are accessed.

International Business Machines Corporation


A power converter includes a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a primary side circuit coupled to the primary winding, and a secondary side circuit coupled to the secondary winding and configured to output a substantially direct current (DC) output. The primary side circuit is configured to receive an input voltage and to switch the input voltage across the primary winding of the transformer. The secondary side circuit includes an active forward mode rectifier.

In push-pull type power converters (e.g., push-pull, half bridge, and full bridge converters), non-linearity in output current is exhibited due to magnetizing current flowing through output rectifier diodes and magnetizing energy being not utilized for zero voltage switching (ZVS) clamping of the power converter's primary switch. FIGS. 12-15 are diagrams of some known rectifiers for push-pull type converters. More specifically, FIG. 12 is a center tapped full bridge bipolar output rectifier, FIG. 13 is a center tapped full wave positive rectifier, FIG. 14 is a center tapped full wave negatively clamped rectifier, and FIG. 15 is a center tapped full wave negative voltage rectifier. In some known rectifiers, the rectifier diodes compensate and discharge the magnetizing component of the transformer current and the diodes are utilized for freewheeling of the inductors. The diode losses are relatively high and the output current is non-linear with respect to the input modulation on the transformer.


A hybrid inner fixed structure is disclosed. The inner fixed structure may have an inner fixed structure panel having an inner fixed structure panel surface and an inset panel having an inset panel surface disposed in at least partial contact with a first portion of the inner fixed structure panel surface. In this manner, a hybrid inner fixed structure may be designed to be both lightweight and heat tolerant.

Turbine engines typically have an internal fixed structure that wraps around the engine and forms the inner surface of the fan duct. Often times, it is desirable to make the IFS from a lightweight material, such as graphite. However, portions of the IFS are exposed to very high temperatures and traditionally require additional shielding. Often, heat blankets cover portions of the IFS; however, these blankets are prone to degradation, damage, and failure. Thus, an IFS with enhanced heat tolerance is desired.


A female coupler for a breakaway thread-lock quick disconnect coupling having a retainer wire positioned interiorly of an outer housing and a coupler support portion that prevents contamination of the retainer wire and a capture space formed by grooves in the outer housing and an inner housing, which may prevent degradation of performance and/or decrease the chances that the retainer wire is dislodged.

During normal operation or servicing of an aircraft, the aircraft is often subject to scheduled, unscheduled or emergency repairs or maintenance. Separation of one sub-system from its main system is a routine maintenance procedure. In order to increase working efficiency, reduction of the processing time to disconnect and reconnect the sub-systems is desired for the entire maintenance or repair mission.
In order to do so, quick connect/disconnect couplings have been provided to allow for quick connection/disconnection and sealing of a female and male component. In such couplings, the male and female components are connected together, for example, by pushing the male part into the female part. The coupling can be provided with a release mechanism to disconnect the male and female components. Known quick connect/disconnect couplings have included a female coupler having a retainer wire on an outer diameter of an outer housing to retain in place components of the coupler. In such a coupling, the retainer wire is exposed to environmental elements and has the potential of being dislodged during use.

Breakaway thread-lock quick connect/disconnect coupling


A portable electronic device includes first and second bodies. The first body includes a guiding rail, a restoring component, a first magnet disposed in the guiding rail, top and bottom surfaces. The guiding rail is connected between the top and bottom surfaces. The restoring component is disposed at one end of the guiding rail close to the top surface. The second body including a second magnet is pivotally connected to the first body for rotating from leaning on the top surface till leaning on the bottom surface. When the second body leans on the top surface, the first magnet is attracted to the second magnet to lean on the restoring component. When the second body leans on the bottom surface, an attraction force between the first and second magnets is greater than a restoring force provided by the restoring component so the second magnet moves toward the bottom surface.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electronic device, and specifically relates to a portable electronic device.
Description of Related Art
As the technology industries develop in recent years, portable electronic devices, such as notebook (NB), tablet PC, and smart phone, etc., are used frequently in our daily life. Types and functions of the electronic devices are increasingly diversified, and the electronic devices are more popular due to convenience and practicality thereof and can be used for different purposes according to requirements of the user.
Taking a notebook computer as an example, the electronic device may have a top body and a bottom body, and the top and bottom bodies are pivotally connected to each other via the rotating assembly. Therefore, the top body can rotate relatively to the bottom body via the rotating assembly so as to unfold and to expose the display located on the top body. However, this type of the electronic device has only one operating mode even through the rotating angle between the top body and the bottom body can be adjusted according to requirements.
Therefore, there are some techniques to make the top body rotate 360 degrees relatively to the bottom body, so the top body may rotate from a closing state till the top body is stacked on the bottom surface of the bottom body to be used as a tablet PC. Moreover, in order to fix the relative position between the top body and the bottom body in the closing state and the tablet state, a plurality of magnets are usually disposed in the top body and the bottom body, so as to make the top body attract the top surface of the bottom body in the closing state, and to make the top body attract the bottom surface of the bottom body in the tablet state. However, the components in the above-mentioned device is relatively complicated and many magnets need to be used. In addition, in order to achieve a sufficient attraction force, the size of the magnet is increased accordingly and thus the price is also relatively expensive, so that the size of the portable electronic device cannot be effectively reduced and the cost of production of the portable electronic device is also increased.


A bumper and dusting attachment for a vacuum cleaner head generally provides a flexible body of mesh material having fleece on its exterior surface. The body defines a medial chamber and has a first end portion, a second end portion, a top edge, a bottom edge, a back surface and a front. Padding, having a retentive memory, fills the medial chamber adding thickness to the body. A protruding lip formed in the front surface extends elongately from the first end portion to the second end portion and protrudes outwardly from the front surface when the body is fastened to a vacuum cleaner head. Cooperating strips of hook and loop fastener carried by the back surface of the body and on the vacuum cleaner head provide for releasable attachment of the body to the vacuum cleaner head.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to brushes, scrubbers and general cleaning, and more particularly to a protective bumper cleaning attachment for vacuum cleaner heads.
2. Background and Description of Prior Art
Most carpeted interior spaces have mop-boards, or similar moldings, attached to vertical walls adjacent the floor. Mop boards protect the wall adjacent the floor from damage, commonly caused by vacuum cleaners, as well as provide some decoration and contrast between the floor and wall. Unfortunately, because mop boards extend somewhat horizontally from the wall, they tend to collect dust and dirt, and therefore need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Dusting of mop boards generally requires a person to crawl on their hands and knees around the periphery of the room with a cleaning apparatus, or to use a long handled brush type cleaning apparatus. In either case, cleaning the mop boards is a separate task performed independently of other cleaning tasks.
The instant invention eliminates the separate task of cleaning mop boards by providing a resiliently deformable cleaning body of heavy pile fleece on an exterior surface that is releasably fastened to a periphery of the vacuum cleaner head. The body dusts and cleans the mop boards and floor moldings as it is moved therealong at the same time the floor adjacent the mop boards is vacuumed. The body is not a rigid, but tends toward a generally linear extended configuration and is releasably fastened to front and side portions of a vacuum cleaner head with cooperating strips of hook and loop fastener.
A protruding lip extends elongately between opposing end portions of the body, and bending the body around the periphery of the vacuum cleaner head, in order to attach the body thereto, causes the lip to protrude forwardly and outwardly away from the body. The forward and outward protrusion allows the lip to frictionally communicate with the horizontal surfaces and concave depressions of the mop board, as the vacuum carrying the body is operated adjacent the mop board. Friction between the heavy pile fleece and the mop board as the body is moved thereagainst and therealong generates a charge of static electricity in the fleece. The static electricity enhances the dust gathering tendency of the fleece. The body is also machine washable.
My invention does not reside in any one of the identified features individually but rather in the synergistic combination of all of its structures, which give rise to the functions necessarily flowing therefrom as hereinafter specified and claimed.

Bumper and dusting attachment for vacuum cleaner head


To provide a protector that is detachable with one hand and that eliminates the need of re-gripping a medical needle to perform puncture; and a medical needle assembly constituted by a combination of the protector and a medical needle.

Medical needles include venous indwelling needles for use in fluid infusion (drip infusion) or the like, dialysis indwelling needles for use in dialysis, non-indwelling injection needles, and the like. Each of these medical needles constitutes a medical needle assembly by being attached with a protector (needle cap) that covers a needle tip to protect the needle body of a product before use.
If a protector that covers a needle tip is easily detachable, there is a concern that a medical worker may prick a finger or the like on the needle tip by accident. Therefore, each of a protector and a medical needle is generally provided with an engaging member. However, when employing a structure in which a protector is engaged with a medical needle, it is difficult to detach the protector with one hand because it is necessary to hold the medical needle with one hand and to grip and pull off the protector with the other hand to perform puncture.
Thus, a medical needle assembly such as that presented in PTL 1 has been proposed. The medical needle assembly disclosed in PTL 1 is capable of engaging a protector with a medical needle to suppress the protector from being easily detached during non-use such as during transport. The engaged state can be easily released for use to enable the protector to be detached with one hand.
The medical needle assembly (needle cap-attached syringe) disclosed in PTL 1 includes a needle (needle body), a needle-supporting member (hub), and a needle cap (protector), and the needle-supporting member and the needle cap are each provided with an engaging member and an inclined surface (refer to the claims in PTL 1).
For use, the thumb of a hand holding a syringe body is placed on a side surface of the needle cap in a state in which the needle cap is fitted to the needle-supporting member of the syringe body, and the needle cap is rotated in a direction of pressing the inclined surface of the needle cap against an inclined surface of a needle cap receiver. Consequently, a rotational force applied to the needle cap is converted into the force of pressing the needle cap in an axial direction due to an action of the inclined surface of the needle cap receiver. The needle cap is thereby moved forward relative to the syringe body, and the engaged state between a projection of the needle cap and a projection of the needle-supporting member is released. Accordingly, it is possible to easily detach the needle cap from the syringe body by a one-hand operation (refer to, for example, paragraph [0012] and FIG. 5 of PTL 1).

Abstract: A protector 1 is a protector that is detachably fitted and attached to a medical needle 2. When a proximal end portion of the protector 1 is pressed in a state in which the protector 1 is attached to the medical needle 2, the fitted state thereof is thereby released, and the protector 1 is detached from the medical needle 2.


A wireless system for locating a signal emitter includes at least three base stations for receiving the emitter signal, and a central processing site for converting information from the received signals into range estimates. Specifically, an antenna array at each base station for receives the emitter signal, and a beamformer isolates the direct path component of this received signal from interference and multi-path signals using cyclic phase minimizer techniques. In operation, an extractor is used to separate a cyclostationary feature from the direct path component of the emitter signal, and the cyclostationary feature is identified in an absolute time reference. The identified cyclostationary feature is then passed to the central processing site. At the central processing site, phase delay characteristics of the cyclostationary features from all participating base stations are compared with each other to obtain phase difference measurements. These phase difference measurements are then converted into differential range estimates for locating the emitter.

In many situations and for many reasons it may be desirable to locate a radio transmitter using passive techniques (i.e. analyzing signals received from the unknown location) rather than active techniques (i.e. initiating signals to detect and identify the unknown location). For instance, passive techniques may be preferable if many different transmitters are located in the same general area, and a particular one of these many transmitters needs to be located. Further, passive techniques may be preferable if a transmitter, at an unknown location, is particularly difficult to detect and uniquely identify in its environment.
Locating a transmitter that is mobile and which has subsequently moved from its last known location can be particularly troublesome. Mobility, however, is an increasingly common feature of communications systems. For the case in point, consider a mobile cellular phone. With specific regard to the user of a cellular phone in a cellular telecommunications network, the ability to locate the particular cellular phone can be advantageous for several reasons. To name but a few of these advantages, information as to the exact location of a subscriber unit would be helpful for: 1) emergency 911 operators, 2) fleet tracking, 3) geoselective billing, 4) wide-area traffic monitoring, and 5) motorist assistance. In one aspect, the ability to locate a transmitting station relies on rather simple geometry.
Geometrically, several techniques can be used to find and locate an unknown point on the earth's surface. Perhaps, the simplest technique requires only range and bearing information. Thus, given that there is some known point from which measurements can be taken, it is possible to locate an unknown point if both the distance (range) and direction (bearing) from the known point to the unknown point can be determined. For another technique, if range can not be determined, bearings from two known points can be used to locate the unknown point. According to still another technique, if bearings can not be determined, the range differences from three known points, or measurements proportional to these range differences, can be used to locate the unknown point. Not surprisingly, various techniques for using electronic equipment to locate unknown points have been proposed.
One well known and widely used technique for locating the position of a mobile terminal is to have the terminal broadcast information about its location. For example, this can be done using the GPS system. This technique, although very effective and very accurate, increases the cost of the mobile terminal significantly. A second technique involves what is well known as Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA). For TDOA, the arrival time of a transmitted signal is determined at several known points. These arrival times are then used to locate the unknown point. TDOA, however, is vulnerable to errors induced by cochannel interference and multi-path propagation. Yet another technique involves determining the Angle of Arrival (AOA) of an emitter signal at several known points. Using AOA, however, additional specifically designed and calibrated antennas, with attendant increased costs, are required. In contrast with these previously used techniques, the present invention recognizes less costly systems, using uncalibrated antennas, can be used with equally effective results.
As implied above, by comparing range differences proportional measurements from a transmitter to several known points, the unknown location of the transmitter can be determined. To do this, however, it is necessary, to first determine the direct path component of the transmitted signal. This is so because it is the direct path component which has traveled the direct straight line distance from the transmitter to the receiving antenna. Consequently, cochannel interference and multi-path signals or reflections need to be eliminated or ignored. Typically, this is done by establishing a beamformer which serves to isolate the direct path component of the signal of interest.
Heretofore, several types of beamformers have been proposed. Most pertinent to the present invention are the so-called "blind" beamformers. These "blind" beamformers include systems which typically use 1) Eigenvector Techniques, 2) a Constant Modulus Algorithm, or 3) Least Squares Techniques. Such systems are currently available, and are variously applied by skilled artisans where appropriate. All of these "blind" beamformers, however, share one weakness when used to estimate propagation time. Namely, this weakness is that strong, highly correlated multi-path components will introduce a positive bias that the system is not able to correct.
In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wireless system for determining the location of a signal emitter which is not influenced by the positive bias of strong, highly correlated multipath components. Another object of the present invention is to provide a wireless system for determining the location of a signal emitter which is able to retrieve range difference proportional measurements from the direct path component of a transmitted signal using uncalibrated antenna arrays. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method for identifying the direct path component of an emitter signal using the phase delay characteristics of a cyclostationary feature in the signal, referred to herein as a Cyclic Phase Minimizer. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a wireless system and method for using such a system that is relatively easy to employ, simple to use, and comparatively cost effective.


A catalytic gas turbine includes a compressor, a catalytic combustor, a turbine, and a flow path conducting a bypass portion of the compressed air around the combustor and turbine. A method of operating the catalytic gas turbine to activate a catalyst in the catalytic combustor includes opening an inlet guide vane upstream of the compressor to a position to produce an increased volume of compressed air. The increased volume exceeds a volume of compressed air needed to support combustion. A bypass portion of the compressed air is extracted and directed around the combustor and turbine. The method may also include extracting a recirculation portion of the compressed air and directing the recirculation portion into the inlet of the compressor.

It is known to use catalytic combustion in gas turbines to reduce NOx emissions. Catalytic gas turbines may include a compressor, a catalytic combustor, and a turbine. Typically, a catalyst is provided in an upstream portion of the catalytic combustor to catalytically accelerate a combustion process, thereby allowing combustion to occur at lower temperatures for reducing NOx formation. To initiate the catalytic combustion process, the catalyst must first be heated to an activation temperature. One such catalytic combustion technique, known as lean catalytic, lean burn (LCL) combustion, involves completely mixing fuel and air to form a lean fuel mixture that is passed over a catalytically active surface prior to introduction into a downstream combustion zone. However, the LCL technique requires precise control of fuel and air volumes and may require the use a complex preburner to bring the fuel/air mixture to lightoff conditions. An alternative catalytic combustion technique is the rich catalytic, lean burn (RCL) combustion process that includes mixing fuel with a first portion of air from a compressor to form a rich fuel mixture. The rich fuel mixture is passed over a catalytic surface and mixed with a second portion of air in a post catalytic combustion zone to complete the combustion process. Activation of the catalyst is achieved when the temperature of the compressed air exiting the compressor and entering the catalytic reactor element is elevated to a temperature at which the catalyst becomes active. During startup and loading of the gas turbine, a pilot flame is typically used to initiate and then stabilize combustion in the downstream combustion zone until the catalyst is activated. One problem with the use of a pilot, however, is that the pilot is typically a diffusion-type flame producing undesired NOx emissions. In addition, at a certain point during startup loading, such as at 50% of a base load, the pilot alone may not be able to sustain stable combustion. Consequently, the catalyst needs to be activated before reaching a point of loading wherein the pilot may be unable to sustain stabilized combustion. For example, in older gas turbines having comparatively lower compression ratios, or in a relatively cold ambient temperature environment, it may take longer for the compressor exit gas temperature to reach a catalyst activation temperature. As a result, pilot stabilized combustion in the downstream combustion zone may become unstable before catalytic combustion can be activated. Accordingly, early activation of the catalyst in a catalytic gas turbine is desired.

Control of gas turbine for catalyst activation


An apparatus for generating an oscillating signal including a negative-resistance circuit, a crystal, and a component to modify a series resonance of the crystal to decrease power consumption of the negative-resistance circuit in generating the oscillating signal. The component may include a positive-reactance circuit, one or more inductive elements, or pair of inductive elements coupled to the crystal. The apparatus may further include a frequency-tuning component for adjusting a frequency of the oscillating signal, such as a variable capacitor coupled to the crystal. The negative-resistance circuit may include a digital inverter circuit, an inverting analog amplifier, or a self-regulating circuit. The apparatus may further include a quiescent current source to supply a steady-state current to the negative-resistance circuit, and a start up current source to supply a boost current to the negative-resistance circuit only during start up to expedite the oscillating signal in reaching a defined steady-state condition.

In many communication systems, an oscillator is employed to generate a reference oscillating signal from which other signals and/or clocks are produced. For example, the reference oscillating signal may be used to generate one or more clocks for driving digital and analog circuitry. Additionally, the reference oscillating signal may be employed in a local oscillator (LO) for downconverting radio frequency (RF), intermediate frequency (IF), or other signals to lower or baseband frequencies, and/or for upconverting baseband signals to IF, RF, or other higher frequencies.
Many of these communication systems are portable systems, such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld devices, and other portable communication devices. These portable communication systems typically rely on a limited power source, such as a battery, to perform the various intended operations. A limited power source typically has a continuous use lifetime that depends on the amount of power drawn by the portable device. It is generally desired to extend the continuous use lifetime as much as possible. Accordingly, portable communication systems are more frequently designed to consume less and less power.
With regard to oscillators, their power consumption generally depends on the frequency tuning range of the oscillating signal being generated. For example, if an oscillator is designed using a very expensive and precise crystal (Xtal), the frequency tuning range need not be that large. Consequently, the power consumption of the oscillator may be maintained relatively low. On the other hand, if an oscillator is designed using an inexpensive and not-so-precise Xtal, the frequency tuning range generally needs to be larger in order to ensure that the frequency of the oscillating signal is maintained within specification. Unfortunately, the power consumption of the oscillator is generally greater with the wider frequency tuning range. This is better explained with reference to the following example.
FIG. 1A illustrates a block/schematic diagram of a conventional apparatus 100 for generating an oscillating signal. The conventional apparatus 100 typically comprises a negative resistance circuit 102 and a resonator coupled in a feedback configuration with the negative resistance circuit. The resonator, in this example, includes a Xtal 104 and a pair of variable capacitors CP, typically referred to in the relevant art as Pierce capacitors. The variable capacitors CP serve to provide external tuning of the frequency of the oscillating signal generated by the apparatus 100.
FIG. 1B illustrates a graph of an impedance versus frequency of the resonator of the conventional apparatus 100. If, for example, the Pierce capacitors CP of the conventional oscillator 100 are removed, the frequency of the oscillating signal is dictated substantially by the Xtal 104. In such a case, the frequency of the oscillating signal falls substantially on the parallel resonance of the Xtal 104, as indicated in the graph. At the parallel resonance, the power drawn by the negative resistance circuit 102 is substantially minimized because the impedance of the resonator is substantially maximized.
If the Xtal 104 is very precise from lot-to-lot, the parallel resonance for the Xtal does not significantly change from lot-to-lot. If the tolerance of the parallel resonance is within the frequency deviation specification of the oscillator 100, then the Pierce capacitors CP need not be required, and the oscillator may be operated in a power efficient manner. However, such a precise Xtal 104 is typically very expensive. Thus, in order to reduce cost of the oscillator 100, a less precise and cheaper Xtal 104 may be employed. This may have the adverse consequence of the parallel resonance of the Xtal 104 from lot-to-lot varying more than the frequency deviation specification of the oscillator 100. In such a case, frequency tuning may be required, thereby, mandating the use of one or more variable capacitors CP.
The effects of adding capacitance CP to the resonator of the oscillator 100 is to decrease the frequency of the oscillating signal. This has the consequence of lowering the impedance of the resonator from the impedance associated with the parallel resonance of the Xtal 104 towards the impedance associated with the series resonance of the Xtal, as indicated by the oscillator tunable range in the graph. As the impedance of the resonator moves closer to the series resonance of the Xtal 104, the negative resistance circuit 102 consumes more power.
The power consumption is related to the pullability or frequency difference between the parallel resonance and the series resonance of the Xtal 104. For a given frequency of the oscillating signal, the power consumption of the oscillator 100 is less if the pullability is larger. Or, conversely, for a given frequency of the oscillating signal, the power consumption of the oscillator 100 is more if the pullability is smaller. Thus, there is a need to increase the pullability of the oscillator 100 in order to operate the oscillator 100 in a more power efficient manner.

System and method for reducing power consumption of an oscillator


A significant recent trend in the internet and mobile telephony has been the dominance of user generated content. As such, in mobile technology have permitted users to upload content onto the internet, whereby sites provide an easily accessible and manageable medium for users to share their thoughts and form a portal for media-rich exchanges. It has been found that much of what is exchanged by users in such settings is context-sensitive, ranging from users' moods and opinions, to communication about users' plans. Broadly contemplated herein, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the invention, is the employment of data mining in information repositories settings to efficiently classify an information stream in real-time and thereby discern user intent.

With the mushrooming popularity of networking applications, it can be appreciated that an a relatively large amount of user-related information has become publicly available, and such publicly available information can potentially be mined in real-time. However, such data mining presents a challenge of identifying the right context and/or content (hereinafter also referred to as information or data) and devising techniques to extract such content based on a user context.


Embodiments of the present disclosure describe methods, apparatus, and system configurations for conditional pre-programming of nonvolatile memory before erasure. In one instance, the method includes receiving a request to erase information in a portion of the nonvolatile memory device, in which the portion includes a plurality of storage units, determining whether one or more storage units of the plurality of storage units included in the portion of the non-volatile memory device are programmed, pre-programming the portion of the non-volatile memory device if the one or more storage units are determined to be programmed, and erasing the pre-programmed portion of the non-volatile memory device. A number of determined programmed storage units may not exceed a predetermined value. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Nonvolatile memory devices, such as flash memory devices, may be read an instance (e.g., "page") at a time in a random access fashion, may be programmed an instance at a time in a sequential access fashion, but may be erased a "block" of the memory device at a time. In some situations, such as when a memory device is partially programmed, conventional erasure techniques may not ensure complete erasure of at least some of the previously programmed portions of a memory device. As a result, errors may occur in subsequent reprogramming and/or reading the memory device.


A wearable activity device may include a body configured to be worn around a user's wrist. A cavity may be formed within the body, and one or more cavity apertures may be disposed within the body with each cavity aperture providing access to a cavity. One or more bands may be coupled to the body, and each band may comprise an external portion and an internal portion. The external portions may be positioned exterior to the body and may extend between two cavity apertures and the internal portions may be positioned within a cavity. The size of each external portion may be expandable to allow it to be positioned around a user's finger while the body is worn on the wrist, and the size of the external portion of each band may be decreased in size to preferably rest against the body when it is not positioned around a finger.

Most people lead busy lives having many activities that they need and wish to accomplish. However, it can be increasingly difficult to remember and perform these activities. Additionally, many people suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and other memory and cognitive diseases and disorders. While memory and remembering devices, such as setting alarms and reminders in a smartphone, they tend to be time consuming to set up and can be disruptive to other individuals. Furthermore, these devices must be protected from liquids and shock so as to be difficult to use in an active setting.
Therefore, a need exists for novel devices which may be used to provide a reminder for one or more activities. A further need exists for novel reminder providing devices which are not audibly or visually intrusive to other individuals. There is also a need for novel reminder providing devices which are not time consuming to set up but which are quickly and easily manipulated. Still a further need exists for novel reminder providing devices which are durable and which can be used in watersports, physically demanding and contact sports, and other active settings.


A sheet feeder is provided. The sheet feeder includes a sheet tray which retains a sheet; a first rotating body for applying a first conveying force to the sheet retained in the sheet tray; a second rotating body for applying a second conveying force to the sheet retained in the sheet tray; and a conveying force transfer unit which controls the second rotating body based on whether the first rotating body slips on the sheet.

A related art sheet feeder is provided in an image-recording device such as a printer. The related art sheet feeder includes a sheet tray and feed rollers. Sheets placed on the related art sheet tray are separated one by one by the feed rollers, and the separated sheets are fed in the conveying direction.
The above-described related art sheet feeder includes a device which comprises two feed rollers apart in the conveying direction of sheets, as, for example, disclosed in Patent Document 1.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-146455


Disclosed are detergent compositions comprising a suds inhibiting amount of a synergistic antifoaming combination, and preferably further comprising a high-sudsing surfactant such as an amine oxide surfactant. The antifoaming combination consists of a carboxylated poly(oxyalkylated) alcohol cosurfactant and a silicone antifoaming agent in a weight ratio of from about 1:50 to about 1000:1. Both individual elements of the antifoaming combination are known. The carboxylated poly(oxyalkylated) alcohol has the formula ##STR1## wherein R is a hydrocarbon-containing group having from about 6 to about 18 carbon atoms; each R' is independently selected from the group of hydrogen, methyl and carboxylic acid-containing groups having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms wherein the cosurfactant contains at least one such carboxylic acid-containing group; M is selected from the group of hydrogen and sulfate; x is a number from about 3 to about 75.

Detergent compositions normally contain surfactants which tend to produce suds (foam) when agitated in aqueous solution. For many applications, especially in automatic laundry and dishwashing machines, excess suds production is a serious problem with detergent compositions and with many detergent surfactants it is necessary to add suds inhibiting compounds, hereinafter referred to as antifoaming agents, in order to achieve acceptable sudsing characteristics.
Silicone-based materials, for example polydimethylsiloxane, are commonly used in detergent compositions as antifoaming agents. These silicone-based antifoaming agents, referred to generically hereinafter as silicone antifoaming agents, are known to be very useful at low levels in various detergent compositions. These silicone antifoaming agents have been incorporated singly or in combination with various solid materials such as silica aerogels and xerogels and hydrophobic silicas of various types, into solid and liquid detergent formulations.
There are, however, limitations to incorporating silicone antifoaming agents into certain detergent compositions. Silicone antifoaming agents are not as effective when used with suds boosting (high-sudsing) surfactants like fatty acid amides and alkanolamides, betaines, sulfobetaines and amine oxides, all of which tend to produce stable foams. Higher levels of silicone antifoaming agents are typically needed when used with such high-sudsing surfactants which can add substantially to formulation costs and with liquid formulations, in particular, can cause aesthetic problems. Silicone antifoaming agents by design are insoluble in water and are suspended as an emulsion with nonionic surfactants. At high levels, the silicone emulsion can be visible thus leading to a clouding or hazy appearance.
The foregoing considerations involving antifoaming agents for use in detergent compositions, especially high-sudsing detergent compositions, indicates that there is a continuing need to provide such compositions with improved antifoaming agents therein. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a low-sudsing detergent composition with a highly effective antifoaming agent therein, and further to provide such a low-sudsing composition which also contains a high-sudsing surfactant. It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide such a composition wherein the high-sudsing surfactant is an amine oxide surfactant.

Detergent compositions comprising a synergistic antifoaming combination


A method of calibrating an engine core of a gas turbine engine, wherein the engine core includes a turbine, combustion equipment, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor, the core shaft arranged to drive a propulsive fan of the gas turbine engine, the method including: providing a resistance load on the core shaft, the resistance load arranged to replicate the load of a propulsive fan; driving the engine core; measuring a performance parameter or the engine core; measuring a thrust generated by the engine core; and determining power rating data of the engine core, providing a correlation between the performance parameter and the thrust.

Gas turbine aircraft engines comprise a propulsive fan arranged downstream of an air intake. The fan is surrounded by a fan case, and typically generates two separate airflows. A first airflow is received by a core of the engine, and a second airflow is received in a bypass duct. The core comprises one or more compressors, a combustor, and one or more turbines. The bypass duct is defined around the core.
In use, the core airflow is compressed by the compressors, mixed with fuel and combusted in the combustor. The combustion products are expanded through the turbine stages and exhausted through a core nozzle. The turbines drive the compressor stages and propulsive fan through one or more interconnecting shafts.
Typically, whilst some thrust is provided by the core nozzle, the majority of the thrust generated by the engine is provided by the propulsive fan, through the bypass duct. Propulsive efficiency of the gas turbine can be improved by increasing the bypass ratio (the ratio of the air mass flow through the bypass duct to the air mass flow through the core). The bypass ratio is related to the size of the fan which in turn is limited by the rotation speed of the fan, as a large fan rotating at high speed may experience unwanted distortion of the fan, and other effects.
If the fan is driven by a reduction gearbox, it can be driven at slower speeds than the shafts from the turbines. This enables the fan to be increased in size, facilitating an increase of the bypass duct ratio.
In flight, it is not possible to directly measure the thrust produced by a gas turbine engine. Therefore, prior to entering into service, gas turbine engines are calibrated to provide a correlation between a measurable parameter, such as rotation speed of one of the core shafts or torque on the core shafts, to a known thrust output. Based on this, the thrust being produced by an engine can be determined. Typically, engines are calibrated as a single component. Therefore, when part of the engine needs to be serviced, overhauled or replaced or repaired, the whole engine must be taken out of use, and transported back to a maintenance location.

Method and system for calibrating an engine core by determining power rating data of the engine core


In an OELD panel capable of decreasing a cross-talk and an OELD apparatus having the OELD panel, a switching part is formed in a unit pixel defined by a data line and a scan line to control the output of a data signal in response to a scan signal. A current supply line is disposed on at least two sides of the unit pixel to transfer a current. The sides of the unit pixel are disposed adjacent to one another. An organic electro luminescent part generates a light in response to the current. A driving part is disposed between the organic electro luminescent part and the current supply line to control the current in response to the data signal outputted from the switching part. Therefore, the current supply line forms a net shape to decrease a cross-talk.

A display apparatus may be classified into a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus, a plasma display panel (PDP), an organic electro luminescent display (OELD) apparatus, etc. A monitor for a computer may include the LCD apparatus. The LCD apparatus has low luminance, narrow viewing angle, etc. The CRT has heavy weight, large volume, etc.
The OELD apparatus has various characteristics, for example, such as low cost, high luminance, thin thickness, light weight, etc.
The OELD apparatus generates a light using an electro-luminescence of an organic material or polymers. When an electric energy is applied to the organic material or the polymers, the light is generated through the electro-luminescence. Therefore, a backlight may be omitted so that the OELD apparatus has thinner thickness and lower cost than the LCD apparatus. In addition, the OELD apparatus has wider viewing angle and higher luminance than the LCD apparatus.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a pixel of a conventional organic electro luminescent panel.
Referring to FIG. 1, an organic electro luminescent driving element of the conventional organic electro luminescent panel includes a switching transistor (QS), a storage capacitor (Cst), a driving transistor (QD) and an organic electro luminescent element. Current supply lines (VDD lines) are formed with data lines in a direction that is substantially in parallel with the data line. A pixel is electrically connected to each of the current supply lines (VDD lines). The number of the pixels is equal to that of scan lines.
The organic electro luminescent display (OELD) apparatus has lower luminance than the cathode ray tube (CRT). An organic electro luminescent display (OELD) apparatus of a passive type has lower luminance than an organic electro luminescent display (OELD) apparatus of an active type. The organic electro luminescent display (OELD) apparatus of a passive type generates the light when a voltage is applied to one of the scan lines. An active layer of a light emitting cell generates the light in proportion to an amount of a current that is applied to the active layer.
A cross-talk may be formed in a direction that is substantially in parallel with the current supply lines (VDD lines) while the organic electro luminescent panel is operated.
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a cross-talk of a conventional organic electro luminescent panel.
Referring to FIG. 2, when a voltage drop of each of the current supply lines (VDD lines) corresponding to a column A where a white block is not displayed is small and a voltage drop of each of the current supply lines (VDD lines) corresponding to a column B where the white is displayed is large, pixels in the column B, which receive a current from each of the current supply lines (VDD lines) of the column B display a dark gray color.
Therefore, pixels disposed adjacent to an upper portion of the white block and a lower portion of the white block display the dark gray color that is darker than that of pixels spaced apart from the white block, thereby forming the cross-talk. In addition, the voltage drop of each of the current supply lines (VDD lines) increases in proportion to a size of the white block.
Furthermore, a luminance of the pixels disposed adjacent to the upper and lower portions of the white block decreases in proportion to the size of the white block, therefore forming the cross-talk.
The luminance of the pixels decreases in inverse proportion to a light emitting area, and a change of the luminance in a longitudinal direction is greater than that in the horizontal direction.


An apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag that can improve versatility of the apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag, and further simplify equipment configuration and reduce costs of users by enabling information transmission/reception with a RFID circuit element in and outside the apparatus is provided. The apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag is provided with a housing constituting an outer profile of an apparatus main body and communicable regions both inside and outside the housing and has a loop antenna LC that can transmit/receive information with a RFID circuit element for a label production and a RFID circuit element for an information reading provided with an IC circuit part storing information and a loop antenna that transmits/receives information and a driving roller provided in the housing and configured to feed a tag label tape with print.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag configured to transmit/receive information via radio communication with a RFID circuit element provided with an IC circuit part storing information and a tag antenna.
2. Description of the Related Art
A RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system configured to read/write information contactlessly between a small-sized RFID tag and a reader (reading apparatus)/writer (writing apparatus) is known. For example, a RFID circuit element provided at a label-like RFID tag includes an IC circuit part storing predetermined RFID tag information and an antenna connected to the IC circuit part for information transmission/reception, and even if the RFID tag is stained or arranged at a hidden position, an access (information reading/writing) to the RFID tag information of the IC circuit part is possible from the reader/writer side, and practical use in various fields including merchandize control, inspection process and the like is expected.
As an apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag (recording apparatus) configured to write information in such RFID circuit element, the one described in JP, A, 2004-82432 is known. In this prior art, when a band-like tag tape (mount) on which a rectangular label pieces (labels) are bonded with a predetermined interval is fed out of a roll of a tape with RFID tags (roll paper) and fed on a feeding path, predetermined RFID tag information generated on the side of the apparatus is transmitted to the antenna of the RFID circuit element built in each label piece and sequentially written in the IC circuit part (IC chip) connected to the antenna, and print information corresponding to the written RFID tag information is printed by a printing device (recording head) on the surface of a RFID label so as to complete a RFID label.
In general, a RFID label produced by performing writing of RFID tag information by an apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag (writing apparatus) of the prior art and related print is provided on a target to be managed (products and the like) by affixation and the like. Then, by reading the RFID tag information out of the RFID label provided at the product and the like by a reader (reading apparatus), information relating to the product is obtained and management and the like of the product is conducted. In order to actually conduct product management and the like by producing the RFID label and using the same as above, a system provided with both functions as reader and writer is needed. However, a writer of prior art does not have a function as reader or even if it has such function, the reader function is constituted only for communication with a tag for writing and the reader function can not be applied to management of the product and the like. Thus, a reader should be prepared separately.
On the other hand, in the apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag of the prior art, if a usual print label not provided with a RFID circuit element is to be produced, for example, an apparatus antenna configured to perform radio communication with a RFID circuit element and a command-information generating portion configured to generate command information are not required. In such a case, if the apparatus antenna and the command-information generating portion can be used for another purpose, convenience can be improved. There is also an advantage that even while the RFID label is not produced, the apparatus antenna and the command-information generating portion are not left idle but can be used effectively, for example.

Apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag


Provided are a ramp signal calibration apparatus and method and image sensor including the apparatus. The apparatus includes: an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) including a trimmable transistor having a gain value that varies according to stored data, and configured to receive a ramp signal in a state where the gain value is a first gain value, and to output first and second output signals; a subtractor configured to calculate a difference between the first and second output signals; a digital comparator configured to compare the difference with a reference value and to determine whether a slope of the ramp signal has changed; and a counter configured to change the stored data based on whether the slope of the ramp signal has changed, wherein when the counter changes the data, the first gain value of the trimmable transistor is changed to a second gain value according to the changed data.

1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a ramp signal calibration apparatus and method and an image sensor including the ramp signal calibration apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image pickup device includes an image sensor. An image sensor is a semiconductor device that converts optical information into an electrical signal. Examples of the image sensor include a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor and a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor.
A CMOS image sensor uses a column-parallel analog-to-digital conversion structure in order to improve power efficiency. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) included in the CMOS image sensor is located in a small pixel column pitch. Therefore, a single slope analog-to-digital converter (SS ADC) and a two-step single slope analog-to-digital converter (TS SS ADC) may be used. The SS ADC is very small in size and has a high reliability. The TS SS ADC performs a coarse analog-to-digital conversion process for converting high-order bits and a fine analog-to-digital conversion process for converting lower-order bits in order to reduce the conversion time.

Ramp signal calibration apparatus and method and image sensor including the ramp signal calibration apparatus

Dongguk University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation


In a method and apparatus for three-dimensionally correcting distortions of an image dataset, a magnetic resonance device containing a basic field magnetic system for generating a basic magnetic field and a gradient system for generating gradient fields generates an image dataset and coefficients of a spherical function-series expansion of the basic magnetic field and/or of the gradient fields are used for the correction. Coefficients are thereby used, which have been determined, in the framework of a design and/or production procedure, forth basic field magnetic system and/or gradient system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for three-dimensionally correcting distortions of an image dataset and a magnetic resonance apparatus for implementing the method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Magnetic resonance is a known technique for acquiring images of the inside of a body of an examination subject. In a magnetic resonance apparatus, rapidly switched gradient fields that are generated by a gradient system are superimposed onto a static basic magnetic field, which is generated by a basic field magnet system. Furthermore, the magnetic resonance apparatus has a high-frequency system, which irradiates high-frequency signals into the examination subject for triggering magnetic resonance signals and which receives the generated magnetic resonance signals, on the basis of which image datasets are prepared.
In magnetic resonance imaging, sufficient homogeneity of the basic magnetic field constitutes a determining factor for the quality of the magnetic resonance images. Non-homogeneity of the basic magnetic field, within an imaging volume of the apparatus, thereby causes geometric distortions of the magnetic resonance image, which is proportional to the field non-homogeneity. The same is true for non-linearities of the gradient fields.
A distortion-free and location-accurate imaging is important for many applications, for example when magnetic resonance images are used for planning radiotherapy of tumors or for preparing or performing a surgical intervention.
Magnetic resonance apparatuses are known which have an examination space for accepting the examination subject, such as a patient, which can be accessed from all sides for the purpose of intraoperative interventions and which is large and openly designed for accommodating claustrophobic patients. In apparatuses of this type, the problem of distortions is intensified as a result of the construction, particularly at the edges of the imaging volume and in apparatuses having an intense basic magnetic field.
A shim device is a known measure for improving the basic magnetic field homogeneity. Shim coils are used for this purpose, which homogenize the basic magnetic field when suitably operated with direct currents. As is known from German Patent 195 11 791, the basic magnetic field can be described within the imaging volume with coefficients of a spherical function series expansion. The shim coils are normally fashioned such that they essentially compensate a specific inhomogeneous field portion corresponding to one of the coefficients. A corresponding correcting measure is not utilized for the gradient fields.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,208 discloses a pick-up method for magnetic resonance images wherein, despite non-homogeneity of the basic magnetic field, an image dataset having only little distortion is produced by a combination of two image datasets, which are generated by specific pulse sequences. For this purpose, a first image dataset is produced from an area of the examination subject to be imaged by a first pulse sequence. Subsequently, a second image dataset is produced from the same area to be imaged by a second pulse sequence, which differs from the first pulse sequence only by virtue of exchanged operational signs. Finally, a third image dataset free of distortions is obtained by combining two image datasets. In the aforementioned method, the obtainable exactness of the distortion correction, however, is limited to 2 to 3 mm topical resolution. Furthermore, such a course of action cannot be performed for all pulse sequences, and the pick-up time is doubled, since two image datasets are picked up for acquiring a magnetic resonance image with little distortion, so that only a reduced patient throughput can be achieved.
A method for correcting distortions as a result of non-homogeneity of the basic magnetic field and/or non-linearities of the gradient is disclosed in German Patent 198 29 850 which utilizes coefficients of the spherical function-series expansion for the basic magnetic field and/or for the gradient fields in order to eliminate distortions of an image dataset. At least coefficients describing field non-homogeneity of the basic magnetic field and/or nonlinear field components of the gradient fields are used. The precision of the correcting method depends on the exact knowledge of the aforementioned coefficients. The coefficients are determined using as phantom. For this purpose, the phantom is positioned in the imaging volume of the magnetic resonance apparatus and magnetic resonance images of the phantom are picked up. The coefficients are determined from a partially automatic evaluation and partially manual evaluation of these magnetic resonance images. Since the entire imaging volume of the magnetic resonance apparatus is acquired by the phantom, it is comparatively large with approximately 0.25 m3, comparatively heavy with more than 20 kg and therefore is correspondingly difficult to handle. As a result of component drift in the magnetic resonance apparatus, the pickups with the phantom are repeated every two to three weeks for determining the coefficients. The apparatus is unavailable for examining patients during the repetitions of the pickups. Moreover, only a precision of 2 to 3 mm spatial resolution can be obtained for correction of distortions using coefficients that have been determined on the basis of the phantom.
An object of the present invention is to create an improved method for precisely three-dimensionally correcting distortions of an image dataset and a magnetic resonance apparatus for implementing the method, which, among other things, alleviates the aforementioned disadvantages of known methods and apparatuses.
The above object is achieved in accordance with the principles of the present invention in a method for three-dimensionally correcting distortions of an image dataset obtained in a magnetic resonance apparatus having a basic field magnet system and a gradient system, wherein coefficients of a spherical function-series expansion of the basic magnetic field and/or of the gradient field are utilized for correcting the distortions, and wherein these coefficients are determined in a design and/or production procedure for the basic magnetic field system and/or the gradient system.
The above object also is achieved in a magnetic resonance imaging system designed to implement the above-described method.
Since coefficients are used, which, due to the inventive method, are very precisely determined in the framework of a design (development) and/or production procedure for the basic field magnet field and/or gradient system, they are also available with high precision for the method for three-dimensionally correcting distortions. Among other things, high precision can be obtained during the correction of distortions as a result thereof. Furthermore, magnetic resonance pickups of a phantom for determining coefficients therefore are not necessary. The disadvantages that are associated with the aforementioned phantom method therefore do not occur. It is also not necessary to repeat pulse sequences, which extends the pickup time, for eliminating distortions.

Method for three-dimensionally correcting distortions and magnetic resonance apparatus for implementing the method


A current switching device comprises, in a box, at least one polar current path, disposed between two connecting terminals. The at least one polar current path comprising, in series, a break pole formed by at least one stationary contact and at least one mobile contact, a protective thermal tripping device having a bi-metal strip surrounded by a heater element and a protective magnetic tripping device having a coil wound around a coil form in which a mobile core slides. A wire of the coil being connected by an intermediate conductor to an end of the heater element. A wire of the heater element comprising a lower end which is substantially straight and without curvature, the lower end of the wire of the heater element being soldered to the intermediate conductor. The intermediate conductor being soldered to a substantially straight lower end of the coil wire. The two tripping devices being carried by a support which is slidably removable from the box.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a current switching device, comprising in a box, at least one polar current path, established between two connecting terminals, with, in series, a break pole formed by at least one stationary contact and at least one mobile contact, a protective thermal tripping device consisting of a bimetal strip surrounded by a heater element and a protective magnetic tripping device consisting of a coil wound around a coil form in which a mobile core slides, the wire of the coil being connected by an intermediate conductor to the end of the heater element.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In certain protective devices such as cut-out switches or relay switches there is a protective thermal and magnetic module providing a protection against overloads. This thermal-magnetic module comprises a bimetal strip thermal tripping device able to control the opening of the contacts via a tripping mechanism, in response to an overload current.
The thermal-magnetic module also comprises an electromagnetic tripping device provided with a mobile core sliding in a coil form through whose coil the polar current passes. The displacement of the core, in response to an overload or an overcurrent, actuates the opening of the contacts.
The two tripping devices (magnetic and thermal) are housed on the same side of the contact bridge as for example in patent EP-0 237 607. However, this arrangement lengthens the conductive connections between the stationary contact and the bimetal strip and between the magnetic tripping device and the connecting terminal.


The present disclosure discloses a near-eye display apparatus including: a first display screen and a second display screen; and a first collimating lens, a second collimating lens, a first polarization converter which converts emitted light of the first display screen into first circularly polarized light, a second polarization converter which converts emitted light of the second display screen into second circularly polarized light, a waveguide plate configured to conduct the first circularly polarized light and the second circularly polarized light, and a super lens which is located in a light emitting region of the waveguide plate.

Near-eye display is currently a hot research topic, involving aspects such as virtual reality display in the form of helmets and augmented reality display in the form of smart glasses. Near-eye display can provide people with an unprecedented sense of interaction, and has important application value in many fields such as telemedicine, industrial design, education, military virtual training, and entertainment.
The Virtual Reality (VR) technology presents a fully enclosed virtual environment, and the Augmented Reality (AR) technology is an augmented projection method that superimposes virtual scenes on the real environment. These two popular display methods have been introduced to the public life and widely applied.

Beijing BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.


An installation and method for halal killing poultry, such as chicken, turkey, duck and quail, includes the steps of: i) suspending the poultry with the poultry head down; ii) positioning the suspended poultry head via a V-shaped positioning element; and iii) killing the poultry near the suspended and positioned poultry head, optionally the poultry may be prestunned.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and to an installation for killing poultry. The method and installation may be used for in an industrial manner and at high production rate halal killing of poultry.
2. Description of Related Art
In the process for obtaining halal poultry carcasses and poultry parts and meat it is of major importance that the poultry up to killing remain in a comfortable stage of good feeling. Stress is to be avoided as much as possible.
The prescribed method of ritual slaughter of all animals consists of a swift, deep transverse incision with a sharp knife across the neck, cutting through the windpipe, the food pipe, the vagus nerve jugular veins and carotid arteries of both sides but leaving the spinal cord intact. Furthermore it opens the circulatory system that is at high pressure to the air causing pressure to equalize and the blood pressure in the brain to fall to zero. As the brain requires a constant flow of blood under pressure for the animal to retain consciousness, anemia of the brain causes loss of awareness and perception.
If the poultry after being brought in a suspended position hanging downwardly from the legs, is not in a stage of good feeling and relaxation, it will be difficult if at all possible to correctly kill the animal. The animal will become stressed and will fiddle and sway around by waving with its wings. In such a situation killing will occur in an uncontrolled manner so that there is a real risk that an animal is not swiftly and properly killed. This is considered an unacceptable impact on correct animal treatment and an offence of animal integrity.
In addition, if poultry under stress its muscles will contract resulting in insufficient bleeding and debleeding. This will have an adverse effect on the ultimate quality of the obtained halal slaughtered poultry.
Furthermore, the suspended animal may be anxious in exploring the surroundings while suspended. This means that the animal is relatively movable with head and/or wings which makes electro-stunning relatively uncontrolled and often insufficient or not effective.
It is the object of the invention to provide a method according to the invention which method avoids to a major extent the above mentioned risks and disadvantages and substantially all animals are properly halal killed in a controlled manner and at high production rate. This method of the invention allows in a controlled manner halal killing of poultry at a minimum risk for inappropriate or even no killing.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and installation for killing poultry


An optical inspection module detects defects on an active surface of a substrate in an integrated process tool system. The optical inspection module includes an enclosure, a substrate holder, a light source, a light beam path, a lens and a photodetector array. The light source has a light beam port. The light beam path extends from the light beam port to the substrate holder and has a grazing angle of incidence with respect to the active surface of the substrate. The light beam path illuminates substantially the entire active surface. The lens is oriented to collect non-secularly reflected light scattered from the light beam path by any defects on the active surface. The photodetector array has a plurality of pixels which are positioned within a focal plane of the lens. Each pixel corresponds to an area on the active surface, and the plurality of pixels together form a field of view that covers substantially the entire active surface.

The present invention relates to an optical inspection apparatus for detecting particles and surface defects on electronic or magnetic substrates. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for imaging the entire substrate within an integrated processing environment.
The presence of contaminant particles on the surface of electronic substrates such as semiconductor wafers can lead to the formation of defects during the microelectronics fabrication process. In order to maintain high manufacturing yield and thus low manufacturing costs, it is necessary that contaminated wafers be identified and cleaned during the manufacturing process.
In general, wafer inspection systems have been configured as highly sensitive, stand-alone inspection systems which typically have dedicated material handling systems for handling the substrates to be inspected. These systems are designed to provide sensitivity to extremely small defects and particles. This is generally accomplished by minimizing the background scattering from the surface either by using a small laser spot size (in laser scanning systems) or a high magnification objective lens for camera based inspection systems. In addition, many of these inspection systems use special techniques to minimize background scatter when inspecting patterned substrates, such semiconductor wafers formed by photolithography etching and deposition process steps. These systems are thus complex in design and expensive. The high cost of these inspection systems necessarily means that the number of such systems present in production lines is low. As a result, inspections for particles and defects are relatively few and far between. Since a very large number of process steps are involved in the processing of electronic substrates, the low frequency of wafer inspections between process steps may lead to contaminated substrates remaining undetected for a long period of time. This leads to lower yield and increased rework costs.
The present invention addresses these and other problems, and offers other advantages over the prior art.

Optical inspection module and method for detecting particles and defects on substrates in integrated process tools


A fifth wheel latching assembly is provided having first and second locking assemblies. The first locking assembly includes first and second jaw members, which are movable between open and locked configurations. In the locked configurations, at least one of the first and second jaw members locks a kingpin in place for towing. The second locking assembly includes a latch element which is movable between open and locked positions. In its closed position, the latch element locks a kingpin in place for towing. The first and second locking assemblies independently lock the kingpin in place. Kingpin insertion causes automatic locking of the first and second locking assemblies.

Fifth wheel hitch mechanisms are commonly used to couple a towed trailer or recreational vehicle to a towing vehicle. A towing vehicle may include, but is not limited to, a semi-tractor, tow truck, or pickup truck. Generally, the towing vehicle will include a latching assembly, also called a fifth wheel hitch. For example, in the case of a pickup truck, a latching assembly is attached to the floor of the truck bed. The item to be towed includes a kingpin, which the latching assembly engages. In some cases, this arrangement is reversed with the kingpin attached to the towing vehicle and the latching assembly or hitch attached to the item to be towed. Accordingly, the latching assembly captures and locks the kingpin in place in order to pull the towed vehicle.
A dangerous situation occurs when a towed item uncouples from a towing vehicle during use. However, fifth wheel latching assemblies of the prior art do not provide secondary locking mechanisms to prevent decoupling of the kingpin in the event that the hitch assembly fails. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,896,363 to Cockram et al. and 5,839,745 to Cattau et al. disclose fifth wheel hitch devices with single jaw members to hold a kingpin in place. In these devices, should the jaw members fail, decoupling will occur. In other previous fifth wheel latching assemblies, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,543,837 to Crawley and 6,935,650 to Grinde et al., two jaw members are employed to lock a kingpin in place. However, these devices do not include a second locking means to prevent decoupling in the event that the two jaw members separate.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,132,825 to Choquette et al. discloses a fifth wheel hitch including two opposing jaw pieces, a tumbler, and a latch. The two opposing jaw pieces are biased in an open, unlocked position by a spring. The tumbler is the only locking mechanism and, in the locked position, holds the jaw pieces closed. Should the tumbler fail, the jaw pieces will be pulled to their open positions by the spring, thus allowing decoupling of the hitch and kingpin.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,210,558 to Mann et al. discloses a fifth wheel hitch having a secondary lock assembly. However the Mann et al. secondary lock assembly does not solve the problem of preventing kingpin decoupling in the event that the primary lock assembly fails. Specifically, the Mann et al. assembly includes a jaw member which captures the kingpin. A locking wedge holds the jaw member in place to lock the kingpin for towing. When the wedge member is not in place, the jaw member is held open by a spring. The wedge is connected to a tie bar, which is in turn connected to a pull bar located near the front (towards the towing vehicle) of the fifth wheel hitch. A locking mechanism is present to lock the pull bar, and accordingly the tie bar and wedge, in the locked position. However, should the wedge, tie bar, or pull bar fail, the locking mechanism will not prevent decoupling of the kingpin by the hitch. Moreover, the secondary locking mechanism disclosed in Mann et al. must be manually activated by the user.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,796 to Thorwall et al., which discloses an integrated cam lever and handle lock fifth wheel, locking of a single locking mechanism is automatic upon kingpin insertion. The Thorwall et al. device discloses a single jaw, cam arm, locking plunger, release arm, and release handle. In the locked position, the locking plunger engages the single jaw and is held in place by the positions of the cam arm, release arm, and release handle. However, the single jaw requires engagement with the plunger to lock the kingpin in place. Therefore, failure of the plunger or locking mechanism will cause decoupling of the kingpin by the jaw element.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a fifth wheel latching assembly that provides two locking mechanisms which both independently prevent uncoupling of a kingpin from the latching assembly. Moreover, there is a need in the art for a fifth wheel latching assembly wherein two locking assemblies are automatically locked upon insertion of a kingpin without manual activation by the user. The fifth wheel latching assembly should include few moving parts and allow for quick coupling and decoupling of the latching assembly and kingpin.


An optical transmitter comprises an amplitude modulation unit performing amplitude modulation of only a one-side amplitude of a main signal with a low-frequency signal having a predetermined frequency. An optical modulator receives an input signal generated after the one-side amplitude modulation, and modulates an incoming light in response to the received signal in accordance with a predetermined modulation-characteristic curve to output an optical output signal. An operating point control unit applies a predetermined bias voltage to the optical modulator to control a level of the input signal substantially applied to the modulation-characteristic curve so that the one-side amplitude of the main signal is applied to a minimum portion of the modulation-characteristic curve of the optical modulator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical transmitter provided with an optical modulator of, for example, Mach-Zehnder type, and a control method of the optical transmitter. More specifically, the present invention relates to an optical transmitter which is capable of effectively maintaining an extinction ratio of an optical modulator and improves the extinction ratio under given conditions, and a control method of the optical transmitter.
2. Description of the Related Art
As for an optical transmitter used for an optical communication system, a direct modulation method that modulates a drive current to be supplied to a semiconductor laser in accordance with a data signal is known.
However, if the direct modulation method is used, there is the tendency that the influences of dynamic wavelength variations (chirping) in the optical output signal of the optical transmitter become increasingly large due to the influences of the wavelength dispersion in the optical fiber as the transmission rate becomes high. Apparently, the direct modulation method is not suitable for long-distance transmission.
To eliminate the problem, the study has been carried out on the use of an optical transmitter provided with a Mach-Zehnder optical modulator which does not easily cause the chirping theoretically.
Even if there is damping of the transmission signal in the long-distance transmission, the maintenance of the extinction ratio is essential to the optical transmitter using the Mach-Zehnder optical modulator in order to attain the signal transmission with a predetermined level of precision.
FIG. 1 shows the composition of a conventional optical transmitter including a Mach-Zehnder optical modulator.
As shown in FIG. 1, a Mach-Zehnder optical modulator 20 receives the direct-current light from a LD (laser diode) light source 10. A driver circuit 40 drives the optical modulator 20 in response to the electric input signal which is externally supplied to the driver circuit 40, so that the optical modulator 20 transmits the optical output signal according to the input signal concerned.
FIG. 2 shows the composition of the Mach-Zehnder optical modulator in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the input/output characteristics of a Mach-Zehnder optical modulator.
As shown in FIG. 2, the Mach-Zehnder optical modulator is configured so that the input light from the light source is split into two light beams on the two optical waveguide paths. The voltage as the input signal is applied to the electrode on one of the two optical waveguide paths, and the Mach-Zehnder optical modulator outputs the optical output signal. The optical output signal which is output by the optical modulator is in accordance with the modulation-characteristic curve as shown in FIG. 3.
When the high-speed input signal is supplied as the applied voltage of the optical modulator, the high-speed optical output signal is obtained at the output of the optical modulator.
Hereinafter, the difference in voltage between the top (peak) and the bottom (valley) in the waveform of the input signal to the Mach-Zehnder optical modulator which is capable of using a maximum range of the modulation characteristic curve will be referred to as Vπ (FIG. 3).
As indicated in FIG. 3, the extinction ratio EX mentioned above is represented by a value derived from the ratio of the maximum value VH to the minimum value VL in the waveform of the optical output signal of the optical modulator. Namely, the extinction ratio EX is represented by the following formula.EX=10×log VH/VL[dB]
When the value of the extinction ratio EX becomes poor (small), it indicates that the optical-transmission characteristics will deteriorate. Moreover, the extinction ratio EX tends to become poor (small) due to the inter-symbol interference when the bit rate becomes large.

Optical transmitter and its control method


A method and apparatus for providing a storm door mortise lock that prevents lockout with a lock body having opposed side plates and a cam in between the side plates, the cam being in operative interaction with a dead bolt assembly. The mortise lock body also may include one or more stops within the deadbolt assembly to limit the rotation of the cam and prevent a lockout situation. A thumb turn button and key cylinder are secured to opposite escutcheon plates. A spindle traverses from the key cylinder through the cam through hole and terminates in the mounting slot of the thumb turn button. Rotation of either the thumb turn button or the key cylinder turns the spindle and actuates the cam that actuates the dead bolt assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a storm door mortise lock and more specifically to a storm door mortise lock that prevents a lockout situation.
2. Prior Art
Storm door mortise locks typically have a dead bolt that is activated by a key cylinder body having a cam. The cam is rotated by either turning a thumb turn button or by use of the correct key in the key cylinder.
The key cylinder body of the prior art created a danger that a lockout situation could occur. If the cam was over rotated, it would fall out of the notch in the dead bolt assembly and if the dead bolt assembly stopped in a position wherein the cam cannot re-enter the dead bolt. This could leave the dead bolt engaged without a means to disengage it, commonly known as a lockout situation. This would greatly inconvenience the storm door operator and possibly require the disassembly of the storm door. There is therefore a need for a mortise lock that will prevent a lockout situation.
As seen in FIG. 4, one solution of preventing a lockout situation is to provide stops to halt the forward and rearward movement of the cam. While this prevents a lockout situation, there is no biasing effect by the stops against the cam to provide a positive feedback to the user that the deadbolt is moving from an unlocked to locked position and vice versa. There is therefore a need for a spring that influences the cam to provide a positive feedback of movement.
In addition, the prior art utilized a spring on the inside of the deadbolt. This spring acted upon the cam to bias it toward the stop and out of the plane of the deadbolt. If there was a flaw in the stop such as a crack, an improperly bent stop, or improperly placed stop the spring could push the cam out of the plane of the deadbolt and cause a lockout situation. There is therefore a need for a spring located outside the deadbolt which biases the cam into the plane of the deadbolt thus preventing a lockout situation.
Still further, the prior art does not use a cam that is interconnected with the dead bolt. This lack of interconnection provides the possibility of a lockout situation as there becomes wear on the stops. In addition, during mass manufacture of the mortise lock it is important to have a rapid evaluation process of interconnectivity that results in preventing a lockout situation. Therefore, there is a need for an interconnection with the cam which prevents a lockout situation and provides for rapid evaluation during the manufacturing process to assure that a lockout situation is prevented.
There is therefore a need for a storm door with a mortise lock that avoids these and other problems.
Features of the Present Invention
A general feature of the present invention is the provision of a storm door mortise lock which overcomes the problems found in the prior art.
A still further feature of the present invention is the provision of a storm door mortise lock that includes built in stops in the deadbolt to prevent a lockout situation.
A still further feature of the present invention is the provision of a storm door mortise lock that has a spring which provides positive feedback that the deadbolt is moving from an unlocked to a locked position.
A still further feature of the present invention is the provision of a storm door mortise lock with a cam body interacting with the spring which provides positive feedback that the deadbolt is moving from an unlocked to a locked position.
A still further feature of the present invention is the provision of a storm door mortise lock that includes a spring biasing the cam inside the plane of the deadbolt.
A still further feature of the present invention is the provision of a storm door mortise lock that interconnects the deadbolt with the cam to prevent a lockout situation.
These, as well as other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification and claims.

Storm door mortise lock that prevents lockout