A pedal drive system imparts a rotational force, in part, through linear travel of the pedal. The system comprises parallel, dislocated first and second rotating shafts. A first left sprocket and a first right sprocket are each mounted on the first shaft. A second left sprocket and a second right sprocket are each mounted on the second shaft. A left chain is looped around the first left sprocket and the second left sprocket and engages the teeth of those sprockets. A right chain is, likewise, looped around the first right sprocket and the second right sprocket and engages the teeth of those sprockets. A right pedal is affixed to the right chain, and a left pedal is affixed to the left chain. The first shaft is affixed with a forward sprocket for rotation with the first left and first right sprockets. A driven wheel is affixed with a rearward sprocket. A drive chain is looped around the forward sprocket and the rearward sprocket, and engages the teeth of those sprockets. As force is applied to the pedals causing the first and second left sprockets and the first and second right sprockets to rotate, the forward sprocket rotates moving the drive chain. As the drive chain moves with rotation of the forward sprocket, the drive chain rotates the rearward sprocket because of the engagement of the rearward sprocket teeth with the chain.

The present invention relates, in general, to drive systems and, more particularly, to a pedal drive system for imparting a rotational force through linear travel of the pedal.
The conventional bicycle is an example of a device that employs a crank and sprocket drive system. That type drive system utilizes the force supplied by a rider to pedals traveling in circular paths in order to generate rotational motion propelling the bicycle in a forward direction. Typically, bicycles include two opposing rotatingly mounted cranks. The cranks are drivingly connected through a chain to a rear wheel of the bicycle which is in contact with a stationary surface, such as the ground. Pedals are attached to the ends of the cranks. A seat is provided on the bicycle for supporting a rider. A rider may mount the bicycle by positioning himself on the seat of the bicycle and placing his feet on the pedals of the bicycle. To propel the bicycle forward, the rider exerts force through his feet against the pedals, thereby causing the cranks to rotate, and thus creating a torque. The torque is transferred via the chain to the rear wheel, thereby causing the rear wheel to rotate. The friction of the rotating wheel against the stationary surface causes the bicycle to move forward.
A drawback to the foregoing system for propelling a bicycle is that, as the rider imparts force to the pedals of the bicycle, his feet are constrained to move in a circular manner. It can be appreciated that the rider induces, through the cranks, a torque with respect to each pedal and crank that is equal to the product of the force applied to the pedal times the length of the crank perpendicular to that force, i.e., the moment arm. The moment arm is proportional to the leverage, or mechanical advantage, of the bicycle for transmitting force supplied by the rider to the wheels to thereby propel the bicycle.
The forces exertable by a bicyclist on rotating pedals are primarily directed vertically downward. This is the case because both the rider's weight due to gravity and the rider's leg strength due to the human physique create primarily vertically downward directed forces when the rider is positioned on the bicycle. When a crank moving through its circular path of motion is generally horizontal with respect to the surface and continuing downward movement in the circular path, therefore, the moment arm is the entire length of the crank. Hence, the mechanical advantage is maximized when the crank is so positioned. When a crank moving through its circular path of motion is generally vertical with respect to the surface and beginning downward movement in the circular path, (i.e., when the pedal is at the top of the circular path of motion), however, then the moment arm is zero. Hence, the mechanical advantage is minimized when the crank is so positioned. As the respective cranks of the typical bicycle rotate along their circular paths between vertical and horizontal positions, the mechanical advantage ranges between maximum and minimum values directly proportional to the maximum and minimum length of the moment arms.
Unfortunately, the maximum mechanical advantage is achieved only instantaneously (i.e., for less than one degree of rotational travel) as the crank passes through the horizontal position and continues its circular path. As the crank moves from the horizontal position to the vertical position at the bottom of the circular path, the mechanical advantage decreases from maximum to minimum. As the mechanical advantage decreases, the energy exerted by the rider becomes less efficiently utilized. It can be shown, assuming a rider's energy is utilized with 100% efficiency when the cranks in their rotation are horizontal (i.e., because of the rider's weight and strength directed downward), that the average efficiency with which his energy is utilized as he pedals in a circular path is about 64%, as calculated by averaging the sine of each of the 360 degrees of the path of the two cranks. Such inefficient utilization of energy is readily appreciated when the rider attempts to accelerate his bicycle from a stationary position by exerting downwardly directed forces while the cranks are positioned vertically. Similar inefficiency is also observed when a driver accelerates an automobile from a stationary position in a high gear instead of a low gear. Energy is, thus, not efficiently utilized and acceleration and speed maintenance is, thus, greatly impeded.
Therefore, what is needed is a drive system in which a substantially maximum mechanical advantage is sustained, and in which fluctuation of the mechanical advantage is minimized, over the full stroke of the drive system.


The present invention provides a cross-over housing for a gas lift valve. In the present invention, the series of radial apertures, or jets, typically utilized within the cross-over housing of a production pressure operated gas lift valve are removed. In their place, a substantially continuous through opening is employed, having an area somewhat greater than the area of the pressure chamber seat. This avoids the occurrence of sonic flow, or critical flow, within the jets of the prior art which hampered the ability of the pressure chamber valve to close. The new configuration for the cross-over housing allows the bellows within the pressure chamber to sense the decrease in production fluid pressure, or tubing pressure, as gas is injected, allowing the pressure chamber valve to be reseated.

This invention is not the result of federally sponsored research or development, and no government license rights exist as of the time of filing herein.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to artificial lift for hydrocarbon wells. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved housing for a production pressure operated gas lift valve.
2. Background of the Related Art
The production of fluid hydrocarbons from wells involves technologies that vary depending upon the characteristics of the well. While some wells are capable of producing under naturally induced reservoir pressures, more common are wells which employ some form of an artificial lift production procedure, During the life of any producing well, the natural reservoir pressure decreases as gases and liquids are removed from the formation. As the natural formation pressure of a well decreases, the hydrostatic pressure from fluid within the production tubing becomes greater than the formation pressure, thereby inhibiting the flow of hydrocarbons from the formation to the surface. This phenomenon may also occur naturally in deep wells that encounter flow resistance from the substantial hydrostatic head.
In such wells, it is conventional to periodically remove the accumulated liquids by artificial lift techniques. One such technique which has been know for many years involves the use of gas lift devices.
Gas lift is a method of producing hydrocarbons by which gas is injected through a pressure-sensitive valve into the tubing. One or more valves are placed at or above the production zone. In operation, gas under pressure is injected into the annular space between casing and tubing above the production packer. The pressurized gas is delivered from the gas lift valve and into the tubing. Fluid that is in the tubing above the gas injection port is displaced, lightened by mixing with the gas, and is raised to the surface by the expanding gas.
The gas lift process closely simulates the natural flow process but provides a highly economical enhancement of that process. When natural gas is produced with oil or is available from nearby wells from injection, gas lift becomes an economical means for enhancing the hydrocarbon recovery from an oil well.
Some gas lift valves are tubing-retrievable, meaning they are placed between joints of the tubing string and are pulled along with the tubing. Other gas lift valves are wireline retrievable. Such valves are run in side pocket mandrels and pulled and replaced by means of a wire line unit. Wireline retrievable gas lift valves are typically configured between joints of the tubing string.
Over the years, gas lift valves have been designed which operate based upon different pressure sources. One common valve is the production-pressure operated (PPO) gas lift valve. In this arrangement, pressure from inside of the tubing provides the primary pressure source for operation of the gas lift valve. Hydrostatic pressure of fluid within the tubing, coupled also with pressure from the producing formation causes fluids from the tubing to enter the pressure chamber within the gas lift valve. At the same time, pressure from gas injected into the tubing-casing annulus is also forced into the pressure chamber via a separate through-opening. Together, these fluids act upon a bellows within the pressure chamber, above a ball and seat valve.
The bellows is spring-biased or gas-charged to hold the pressure chamber valve in a closed position. However, when a preset level of pressure is reached, the bellows contracts, lifting the valve stem and ball off the seat. Fluids acting upon the bellows are then expelled from the gas lift valve into the tubing. In this manner, the hydrostatic head within the tubing is lightened.
The typical seat for a production pressure operated gas lift valve resides on a housing known as a cross-over housing. In this embodiment, production fluid and casing gas both enter the pressure chamber of the gas lift valve through the cross-over housing. The production fluid and the casing gas cross paths through the housing, but do not commingle within the housing; hence, the name. Production fluids enter the cross-over housing via a series of radial apertures, or jets, machined longitudinally into the housing. Casing gas enters the housing via one or more elbow-shaped through- openings which places the annulus and the seat of the cross-over housing in direct fluid communication. In this manner, formation fluids apply pressure on the bellows, while casing gas acts directly on the seat under the ball of the valve.
At some preset point, the combined pressure from the formation fluids and the casing gas will unseat the pressure chamber valve. When this occurs, the formation fluid commingles with the injected gas from the casing within the pressure chamber. When the production pressure overcomes the preset charge or spring force of the bellows assembly, the bellows is compressed and the valve stem and ball is lifted off the valve seat, opening the pressure chamber valve. Because the casing gas is maintained at a pressure greater than that of the formation, the formation fluid is expelled back through the cross-over housing jets. This means that formation fluids, commingled with casing gas, make a 180 degree turn, exiting the pressure chamber through the jets. The pressure on the bellows within the pressure chamber then drops, causing the valve to reseat.
It has been discovered that an operational problem sometimes arises with respect to the reseating of the pressure chamber valve. In some instances, the bellows is unable to recognize a pressure drop within the pressure chamber after the valve is unseated. Analysis of this phenomenon reveals that the configuration of the jets sometimes restricts the ability of the tubing pressure to be sensed above the cross-over housing. In this regard, sonic flow, or critical flow, is created within the crossover configuration of the housing such that the pressure on the bellows remains at a level sufficient to the keep the pressure chamber valve unseated. This, in turn, causes continuous injection of gas into the production string, thereby inhibiting hydrocarbon production.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a gas lift valve wherein the pressure chamber valve closes properly after being unseated, thereby injecting gas into the production string intermittently.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a configuration for a cross-over housing within a production pressure operated gas lift valve which facilitates the egress of casing gas from the pressure chamber after the pressure chamber valve has been unseated.
Yet another object of the present invention is to replace the series of radial apertures within the seat housing of a production pressure operated gas lift valve with a substantially continuous through-opening.
Still further, an object of the present invention is to provide a substantially continuous aperture within the cross-over housing for a production pressure operated gas lift valve, whereby the substantially continuous aperture permits an increased volume of gas to flow through the cross-over housing without reaching critical flow so that the bellows can sense a pressure drop, thus allowing the pressure chamber valve to be reseated.
And another object of the present invention is to provide a more efficient production pressure operated gas lift valve having an improved cross-over housing capable of being utilized in both top and bottom latch gas lift valves.
Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide a cross-over housing for a gas lift valve which is easier to machine and more economical to produce.
The present invention provides a more efficient gas lift valve by presenting an improved cross-over housing. In the present invention, the series of radial apertures, or jets, typically utilized within the cross-over housing of a production pressure operated gas lift valve are removed. In their place is a substantially continuous, arcuate aperture. The aperture will also have an area significantly greater than the area of the casing gas through-opening, or seat. This allows the bellows within the pressure chamber of the gas lift valve to sense the eventual pressure drop of tubing pressure which occurs during gas injection. This, in turn, allows the pressure chamber valve to be reseated.


The present invention relates to compositions and methods for identifying abnormalities in TSC signaling pathways. In particular, the present invention relates to methods of diagnosing and treating disorders such as tuberous sclerosis, which are caused by mutations in the TSC genes. The present invention further relates to methods and compositions for treating cancers mediated by TSC signaling disorders.

Tuberous Sclerosis (TSC) is a relatively common inheritable genetic disorder that occurs in approximately 1 in 6000 of the population and is characterized by the development of hamartomas in a variety of organs (Young & Povey, Mol. Med. Today 4, 313-319 (1998)). Common clinical symptoms include seizures, mental retardation, autism, kidney failure, facial angiofibromas and cardial Rhabdomyomas (Gomez, Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 615, 1-7 (1991)). In addition, many affected individuals have cyst-like areas within certain skeletal regions, particularly bones of the fingers and toes (phalanges). Characteristic skin lesions include sharply defined areas of decreased skin coloration (hypopigmentation) that may develop during infancy and relatively small reddish nodules that may appear on the cheeks and nose beginning at approximately age four. These reddish lesions eventually enlarge, blend together (coalesce), and develop a wart-like appearance (sebaceous adenomas). Additional skin lesions may also develop, including flat, "coffee-colored" areas of increased skin pigmentation (café-au-lait spots); benign, fibrous nodules (fibromas) arising around or beneath the nails; or rough, elevated, "knobby" lesions (shagreen patches) on the lower back.
TSC may be present at birth, but signs of the disorder can be subtle and full symptoms may take some time to develop. As a result, TSC is frequently unrecognized and misdiagnosed for years. In most cases the first clue to recognizing TSC is the presence of seizures or delayed development. In other cases, the first sign may be white patches on the skin (hypomelanotic macules).
Diagnosis of the disorder is based on a careful clinical exam in combination with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, which may show tubers in the brain, and an ultrasound of the heart, liver, and kidneys, which may show tumors in those organs. Diagnosis also involves a careful examination of the skin for the wide variety of skin features, the fingernails and toenails for ungual fibromas, the teeth and gums for dental pits and/or gum fibromas, and the eyes for dilated pupils. A Wood's lamp or ultraviolet light may be used to locate the hypomelantic macules, which are sometimes hard to see on infants and individuals with pale or fair skin.
In infants TSC may be suspected if the child has cardiac rhabdomyomas or seizures (infantile spasms) at birth. With a careful examination of the skin and brain, it may be possible to diagnose TSC in a very young infant. However, most children are not diagnosed until later in life when their seizures begin and other symptoms such as facial angiofibromas appear.
There is no specific treatment for tuberous sclerosis. Treatment is symptomatic and may include anticonvulsant therapy for seizures, dermabrasion and laser removal techniques for the skin manifestations, drug therapy for neurobehavioral problems, treatment of high blood pressure caused by the kidney problems, and surgery to remove growing tumors.
The prognosis for individuals with tuberous sclerosis varies depending on the severity of symptoms. There is no cure. Those individuals with mild symptoms generally do well and live long productive lives, while individuals with the more severe form may have serious disabilities. In rare cases, seizures, infections, or tumors in vital organs may cause complications in some organs such as the kidneys and brain that can lead to severe difficulties and even death.
Improved TSC early diagnostics are needed to allow for earlier treatment. Additional therapeutics are also needed. Preferred therapeutics are those that treat symptoms systemically.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Diagnosis and treatment of diseases arising from defects in the tuberous sclerosis pathway

The Regents of the University of Michigan


A procedure for drilling out a cement plug from a liner top using a drill bit with extendible cutting elements to avoid the need for changing bits during the procedure.

This invention relates to cementing of liners in wellbores, and more specifically to an improved method of cleaning a cement plug from the top of a liner after it has been cemented in place.
In the drilling of oil and gas wells, it is common to place one or more casing strings in the wellbore extending downward from the surface. These casing strings are typically held in place by cement placed between the borehole wall and the exterior of the casing string(s).
In many cases, a "liner" is run into the uncased portion of a wellbore. A liner is a truncated section of casing that is used to case open hole below a previously set casing string. The liner extends from the bottom of the open hole section and overlaps up into the previously set casing string. The overlap can range from 100 feet to 500 feet. Liners are usually suspended from the previously set casing string by means of a liner hanger/packer assembly. The liner is cemented in place to create a bond between the pipe and the formation. In cementing the liner, typically the cement is pumped down to the liner and through a running-in tool, followed by a displacement fluid that forces the cement into the annulus between the borehole wall and the liner, and into the overlap between the liner and the previously set casing string, and above the running-in tool. After removing the running-in tool, it is common to end up with a cement "plug" in the lower casing above the top of the liner that has to be drilled out before the well can be placed on production. A further complication is that part of the cement plug, before it sets, settles into the top portion of the liner, and must also be drilled out. Normal cleanout practice is to drill out the cement plug above the liner top with a large diameter bit, and then replace the bit with a smaller one and drill out the plug in the top of the liner. This obviously requires a time consuming "round trip" of the drill pipe in order to change the drill bit.

Method for cleaning cement plug from wellbore liner


An overheat protection device for a movable body surface includes a thermal fuse having a fuse element which melts at a predetermined temperature, bridges electrodes in a pair and melts at a temperature equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature to break an electrical connection between the pair of electrodes, and a pair of long elastic bodies, to each of which one of the electrodes is electrically connected at an end or its periphery of the elastic body through a lead. At least one of pairs of upper surfaces and lower surfaces of the elastic bodies are spatially on a same plane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an overheat protection device used for prevention of overheating of the surface of a movable body, which is heated by a heating device while temperature control is performed on the surface, an overheat protection apparatus, and a temperature control device having a function as a temperature detection device for temperature control in addition to a function of such overheat protection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, some electronic devices, electric heaters, heat exchangers and the like (e.g., water heaters and air heating apparatuses) detect the temperature in a predetermined position with a temperature sensor for temperature control. These devices are provided with a temperature control unit to stop energization or combustion when the detected temperature has exceeded a target temperature. However, there is a possibility that such temperature control unit operates abnormally due to a trouble or break in circuit parts of an internal control circuit. Accordingly, a protection device for overheating (overheat protection device) is previously provided in a position to avoid abnormal overheating in addition to the above-described temperature control unit. As a safety measure, when the protection device is activated, a break is caused in a power circuit of the heating device, thereby a serious accident can be prevented.
As such a protection device, a resettable device such as a bimetal switch and an unresettable type thermal fuse using a thermo-sensitive pellet (sensor) of insulating chemical material or fusible alloy which melts at a particular temperature are known. Among the latter devices, generally, a thermal fuse using fusible alloy has a simple structure, and is a low-cost and low-price device.
FIG. 17 is a plan view showing an example of a thermal fuse (hereinbelow, also referred to as a "fusible alloy thermal fuse") using a fusible alloy. FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view along a line K—K in FIG. 17. Note that in FIG. 17, some members are cut, and portions that would exist if not cut, or portions hidden with cut parts are indicated with dot and broken lines.
In FIG. 17 and FIG. 18, reference numeral 110 denotes a rectangular insulating substrate of ceramic material such as alumina. A pair of electrodes 104a and 104b, of calcined Ag conductive paste such as Ag paste, AgPd paste or AgPt paste, are formed at both ends of the insulating substrate 110. A fuse element 102 of a fusible alloy which melts in response to ambient temperature is connected, by welding and the like, between the pair of electrodes 104a and 104b, in a state where it bridges the both electrodes, integrally with these electrodes. The surface of the fuse element 102 is covered with flux 106, and the entire flux 106 is covered with an insulating cap 108 of mold member of alumina ceramic or resin, and further, the perimeter of the cap is fix-sealed with seal resin and the like. In accordance with necessity, leads are connected by soldering and the like to the pair of electrodes 104a and 104b, and the fuse is provided as a thermal fuse.
FIG. 19 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of a so-called axial type (cylindrical) fusible alloy thermal fuse. In the fusible alloy thermal fuse, a pair of leads 114a and 114b with round ends and cross section are provided such that the ends having an electrode function are opposed to each other. The opposed ends of the pair of leads 114a and 114b are fixed by welding and the like to both ends of a fuse element 112 of a low-fusion point alloy having round ends and cross section, and covered with flux 116. Further, the fuse is inserted into a cylindrical insulating case 120 of alumina ceramic and the like, and openings at both ends of the insulating case 120 are sealed with insulating seal material 118 of epoxy resin and the like.
In the fusible alloy thermal fuse, when the temperature of the thermal fuse itself has exceeded a predetermined temperature as an abnormal temperature in response to thermal conduction, a convection current and radiation from a subject of detection, the fuse element 102 or 112 of fusible alloy melts then the opposed ends of the pair of electrodes 104a and 104b or the leads 114a and 114b are electrically isolated, thus a break is caused in a power circuit of a heating device, thereby a serious accident can be prevented.
However, in a case where the temperature of the subject of detection rapidly rises, the temperature of the thermal fuse is greatly different from that of the subject of detection. In such a case, an influence on a user and peripheral devices can be prevented, but there is a possibility that the function of thermally protecting the subject of detection and ensuring sufficient safety cannot be performed. Further, in a case where the subject of detection is a movable body such as a rotary member, since it is generally impossible to bring the thermal fuse into direct contact with the subject of detection, the thermal fuse is provided with an interval from the subject of detection. In this case, there is no thermal conduction from the subject of detection and the thermal response of the thermal fuse is not excellent. Accordingly, in some cases, when the thermal fuse is actuated, the temperature of the subject of detection has already reached a temperature to cause thermal damage.
A particular example is a rotary heating body (heating roller, a heating belt and the like) of a fixing apparatus incorporated in an electrophotographic apparatus such as a copier or a printer. In such a fixing apparatus, an unfixed toner image is heated and pressurized by the rotary heating body of the fixing apparatus, thereby toner is fuse-fixed. In recent years, in the electrophotographic apparatus, further reduction of heating time (warm-up time) between switch-on and fixing-possible time (improvement in instant startablity) is needed. For this purpose, there is a trend of heating upon start with higher heating energy in comparison with the thermal capacity of the rotary heating body. In such a case, the problem is noticeable in the response of the thermal fuse when the temperature of the rotary heating body as a subject of detection is greatly different from that of the thermal fuse.

Overheat protection device for movable body surface, overheat protection apparatus using the same and temperature control device


A programmable antifuse element comprising adjacent bodies of germanium and aluminum or aluminum alloy form forming a low resistance connection of good mechanical and thermal properties when heated to a temperature where alloying of the aluminum and germanium occurs. Heating for the purpose of programming the antifuse element can be done by electrical resistance heating in the germanium, which may be doped to achieve a desired resistance value, or by laser irradiation. Due to the high resistance of intrinsic or lightly doped germanium, a resistance change ratio of greater than 10,000:1 is achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to programmable structures for forming programmable connections in integrated circuit devices and, more particularly, to an antifuse structure for selectively forming connections between circuits and circuit elements in integrated circuit devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As the scale of integration has increased in the manufacture of integrated circuits, it has become economically necessary to provide redundant circuits in virtually all devices manufactured in order to preserve acceptable levels of manufacturing yield. Upon formation of the integrated circuit to certain levels of completeness, testing may be done and defective circuits disconnected by destroying a fusible link or fuse with a high level of current. A similar mechanism is employed in known "antifuses" such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,538 to Mobsen et al. where an insulator is destroyed in order to form a connection rather than to interrupt a connection, often accompanied by flow of molten conductive material at a high temperature. These practices, while widely employed have several significant drawbacks even though a substantial economic gain is realized.
The destruction of known fusible links and insulators in known antifuses inherently causes electrical, mechanical and thermal stressing of at least a portion of the integrated circuit and may also cause damage beyond the capability of current repair techniques. The thermal stressing may also initiate processes such as metal migration in other connectors or changes in transistor characteristics which compromise integrated circuit performance. Therefore, the relatively violent processes associated with fuses and, especially, antifuses may cause significant loss of manufacturing yield. Further, when the present state of the art provides only for the destruction of connections with acceptably low likelihood of chip damage, often complex arrangements may be required during integrated circuit design in order to insure that redundant structures will be connected when the fusible links are destroyed. Alternatively, redundant pinouts or address decoder modifications may be required in the same fashion that fusible links are destroyed to assure that redundant structure can be effectively and functionally substituted for the disconnected structure.
Further, electrical programming of fuses and antifuses may be difficult in some cases due to the difficulty of making connections to the integrated circuit chip to be modified. Often, different electrical connections must be made to the chip for each fuse or antifuse to be programmed. Further, to reduce the risk of damage to other circuit elements when the programmable element is destroyed, a relatively large "footprint" must be dedicated to the fuse in order to allow for temperature reduction through thermal conduction and heat dissipation in the vicinity of each fuse.
Additionally, in programming of fuses and antifuses, the process tolerances (e.g. operating margins for programming) are sufficiently small that programmable elements may not be completely destroyed when programming is done. The fuses also must be fabricated with a significant resistance and the difference in resistance between an intact fuse and a "destroyed" fuse may only be a few orders of magnitude (e.g. a factor of several hundred). Conversely, the delicacy of programmable elements in fuses and antifuses often allows programming to occur accidentally during electrical burn-in.

Method for forming an antifuse element with electrical or optical programming

International Business Machines Corporation


The stroller applies a first link of the linkage assembly pivotally connecting between the handle and the protecting guard and a second link of the linkage pivotally connecting between the front frame and the protecting guard. During the folding process of the stroller, the first and the second links drive the protecting guard to move and rotate to a position that is substantially parallel with the handle, the front frame, the rear frame, and the bottom frame, bringing the stroller to a smallest size when in the folded position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stroller, and more specifically, to a stroller with linkage assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most strollers in the present market have folding apparatus to fold the strollers into a smaller size for easy transportation. In the mean time, to provide convenience and safety for the child therein, the strollers usually have protecting guard composed by armrests and a tray according to the prior art. However, the protecting guard usually takes more space than is expected in a folded stroller when effort is made to fold the stroller to a small size. Examples for description purpose are listed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,998 and in the U.S. patent application #2003/0201626A1, which in both the disclosures, the armrests stretch out of the stroller and take more space when the stroller is folded.
There is another example that illustrates a stroller having a detachable tray, such as the U.S. patent application 2006/0125210A1, which assembles the tray on the stroller by a mechanism and if the size of the folded stroller is to be reduced to a smallest scale, the tray needs to be detached from the stroller first.


An apparatus and method compensate for the sensitivity of at least one line current differential element of a first current differential relay providing differential protection for a transmission line of a power system during a single-phase pole-open condition. The apparatus includes a first delta filter configured to remove a first pre-fault current from a first fault current of the transmission line to derive a compensated first current phasor. The apparatus also includes a second delta filter configured to remove a second pre-fault current from a second fault current of the transmission line to derive a compensated second current phasor. The compensated first and second current phasors are provided to the at least one line current differential element to compensate the sensitivity of the at least one line current differential element.

The present invention generally relates to power system protection, and more specifically, to a system, apparatus and method for compensating the sensitivity of a sequence element in a line current differential relay in a power system.
Electric power systems are designed to generate, transmit and distribute electrical energy to loads. In order to accomplish this, power systems generally include a variety of power system elements such as electrical generators, electrical motors, power transformers, power transmission lines, buses and capacitors, to name a few. As a result, power systems typically include protective devices and associated procedures to protect the power system elements from abnormal conditions such as electrical short circuits, overloads, frequency excursions, voltage fluctuations, and the like.
A protective device and associated procedure acts to isolate some power system element(s) from the remainder of the power system upon detection of the abnormal condition or a fault in, or related to, the power system element(s). Logically grouped zones of protection, or protection zones utilizing the protective devices and procedures, are established to efficiently manage faults or other abnormal conditions occurring in the power system elements.
In general, protection zones may be classified into six types including: (1) generators and generator-transformer elements (2) transformers, (3) buses, (4) lines (transmission, sub-transmission and distribution), (5) utilization equipment (motors, static loads), and (6) capacitor or reactor banks. As a result, a variety of protective devices are required. Such protective devices may include different types of protective relays, surge protectors, arc gaps and associated circuit breakers and reclosers.
Although the fundamentals of power system protection are similar, each of the six types of protection zones uses protective devices that are based on the characteristics of the power system elements in that category. More specifically, different protective relays utilizing a variety of protective schemes (e.g., differential current comparisons, magnitude comparisons, frequency sensing), are required to protect the various power system elements. For example, a line current differential relay, having electrical connections to the transmission line via current transformers (designed to step-down the primary current to a magnitude suitable for use by the line current differential relay), is designed to monitor current flowing in a transmission line by measuring the current flowing into and out of terminal points of the transmission line, and calculating inter alia, the sum of all measured current, or the operate current. As is known, when the transmission line is operating under normal conditions, the sum of all of the (primary) currents entering the line is about zero (Kirchhoff's current law). If the transmission line has a short circuit or is faulted, the corresponding relay operate current will be substantially different from zero, indicating that there is some impermissible path through which a current is flowing. If the operate current exceeds some threshold, or pickup current, and some differential inequality is satisfied, the line current differential relay issues a trip signal to an associated power circuit breaker(s) causing it to open and isolate the faulted bus from the remainder of the power system.
For example, in the case of multi-terminal line using the percentage differential principle, we would have the next criteria for operation . . . ,Ioperate>k·IrestraintandIoperate>Ipuwhere Ioperate=|Ī1+Ī2+Ī3+ . . . Īn or the phasor sum of currents flowing in the protection zone, and Irestraint=(|Ī1|+|Ī2|+|Ī3|+ . . . |Īn|)/p or the sum of the absolute value of the current phasors representing the current flowing through the protection zone, where k=differential percentage, Ipu=minimum pickup current value, and p=number of terminals. Thus, the line current differential relay requires that the operate current exceeds a minimum pickup value and some percentage of the total current flowing through the protection zone before the line current differential relay may issue a breaker tripping signal.
Typical protection of a transmission line is generally performed using two line current differential relays coupled to the transmission line via current transformers as described above, with each relay located at different extremities of the line. Such a configuration requires that each differential relay communicates its current and voltage measurement data to the other via a communication channel (e.g., microwave channel, telephone grade channel, fiber optics, etc.).
Providing line current differential protection for a transmission line generally includes incorporation of both phase elements and sequence elements in the line current differential relay; that is, incorporation of an A-phase element, a B-phase element and a C-phase element, and a possibly a zero-sequence or ground element and a negative-sequence element. Depending upon the type of fault detected in the transmission line, one or more of the phase and/or sequence elements will operate to cause the line current differential relay to assert and subsequently issue a trip signal to an associated power circuit breaker(s). For example, in the case of an A-phase-to-ground fault, the A-phase element, the zero-sequence element, and the negative-sequence element may operate.
As is known, however, some or all of the A-phase element, the zero-sequence element, and/or the negative-sequence element may fail to operate properly when certain conditions exist. For example, if the fault resistance, Rf of the A-phase-to-ground fault is above the resistive limit of sensitivity, the A-phase element may fail to properly detect the fault. In other words, under certain circumstances (such as an overloaded line, a highly resistive fault, a pole-open condition), an unbalanced network condition, or a cross-country fault condition, some or all of the A-, B- and/or C-phase current elements ("phase elements" ), and the zero-sequence phase element and/or the negative-sequence phase element ("sequence elements" ) may "lose their sensitivity to detect a fault condition". Accordingly, a fault may go undetected by some or all of the three phase and/or the two sequence elements of the line current differential relay(s), possibly resulting in removal from operation a larger portion of the power system network by the back-up protection.

System, apparatus and method for compensating the sensitivity of a sequence element in a line current differential relay in a power system

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.


A probe for dispensing a flowable material includes a body having a first end and a second and a passage extending therethrough. The probe has a first engagement portion configured to have a deformed state when the first end of the body is in contact with a dispensing component, and an undeformed state. The probe has a channel having a floor and two walls and is on the first engagement portion. The probe has a second engagement portion to frictionally fit within the dispensing component and to form a seal between the probe and the component. The probe has a locking groove to prevent movement of the probe relative to the dispensing component. In the undeformed state, the walls of the channel are spaced apart at a first distance, and in the deformed state, the walls are spaced apart at a second, smaller distance.

Rigid or flexible containers are extensively used throughout the food service industry for storing and dispensing soft drink syrups and other such beverages, as well as wine, dairy products, enteral feeding solutions, fruit juices, tea and coffee concentrates, puddings, cheese sauces, and many other flowable materials, including those that must be filled aseptically. The containers may have inlets and/or spouts for filling and dispensing the container contents. The containers are often placed within a corrugated paper box. Such packaging systems are commonly referred to as "bag-in-box" systems wherein the spout extends through an opening in the box to dispense the contents. Bag-in-box packaging systems are often used in restaurants, institutional food service centers, and convenience stores to facilitate service of liquid food products such as syrups, toppings, condiments, beverages and dairy products. These containers typically have a capacity of 1 to 6 gallons.
The containers are connected to a dispensing mechanism, such as a spout, cap, tube, or faucet. In order to properly place the various dispensing components and containers in fluid communication together, it is necessary to connect them to prevent accidental disconnects and leaks. The dispensing mechanism must be reliable such that dispensing of the contents is achieved without wasting the dispensed materials through leakage or uncontrolled opening of the connection component and the like.
There are shortcomings with conventional connection adapters used to connect components as described above. First, existing adapters are difficult to connect and require excessive force. Furthermore, many existing options are not sufficiently secured and can be removed or reused improperly. Moreover, poor connections often lead to leaks, spills, and delays in production. Therefore, there is a need for an improved adapter probe that can be used with a container to facilitate better dispensing of the materials therein.

Dispensing probe for dispensing flowable material


There is provided a method of testing an electrical switchgear system. A node in the electrical switchgear system monitors a power line signal and controls a breaker based on the power line signal. The method includes applying an analog signal to the node, and receiving data representing a status of the breaker. The analog signal simulates the power line signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to electrical distribution equipment, and more particularly, to testing components in an electrical switchgear system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A switchgear system receives electrical power from an electric utility company and distributes the electrical power at a customer site. Such a system typically includes devices such as current transformers (CT), potential transformer (PT), also known as voltage transformers, human machine interface devices to display metering data, e.g., kilowatts-hours, circuit breakers, and protection relays in addition to circuit breakers.
The switchgear system also includes a controller, referred to as a node, associated with each circuit breaker. The node monitors signals such as current from a CT and voltage from a PT, and based on the condition of the signals, controls the circuit breaker with which the node is associated. For example, if the node determines that the current exceeds a predetermined value, the node can control the circuit breaker to trip, i.e., open.
Industrial power distribution systems commonly divide incoming power into a number of branch circuits, where the branch circuits supply power to various equipment (i.e., loads) in an industrial facility. Circuit breakers are provided in each branch circuit to facilitate protection of equipment within the branch circuit. Accordingly, the switchgear system would include a plurality of nodes.
Switchgear systems are typically tested by applying or manipulating currents and voltages at or near normal operating levels. As such, the tests employ high current sources and high voltage sources, and test signals are injected at only one point in the system at a time. High voltage test equipment is typically expensive as compared to low voltage equipment. Also, high voltage testing presents more safety concerns to test personnel than ordinarily exist for low voltage testing. Furthermore, many tests require a part of the system, or perhaps the full system, to be taken off-line during the tests.
Some test solutions only establish a communication link with a device under test. For example, consider a test kit that interfaces with a trip unit under test via a three-wire digital communication link through a test jack on the trip unit. Such a test kit only allows for simulation of time-overcurrent conditions on a single breaker, and so it does not provide for testing of coordinated protection functions such as modified differential ground fault and bus differential. Furthermore, this type of test kit does not inject actual voltages or currents, but rather digital signals representing current or voltage levels. Also, some components, analog to digital converters for example, are not tested when communication link test methods are used. Consequently, this test kit alone does not fully exercise or test the trip unit.


An apparatus comprising a first circuit, a second circuit and a third circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate an upconverted signal in response to an input signal and a first oscillation signal. The second circuit may be configured to generate a downconverted signal in response to the upconverted signal and as second oscillation signal. The third circuit may be configured to generate an output signal in response to the downconverted signal and a third oscillation signal derived from the second oscillation signal. The upconverting and downconverting may filter undesired channels from the output signal.

Referring to FIG. 1, a current single conversion tuner module 10 is shown. Single conversion refers to the number of frequency translations that the incoming signal is subjected. For example, in the U.S. the frequency plan for most cable networks span the frequencies from 54 MHz to 857 MHz. Each channel at the input of the tuner 10 spans 6 MHz for a total of 133 input channels. The tuner 10 selects one out of the multitude of channels and translates the selected channel to a fixed IF frequency of 44 MHz. Frequency translation is also commonly termed as conversion, hence the tuner 10 is often referred to as a single conversion system. The single conversion is achieved by mixing the incoming signals with a local oscillator signal (OSC) present inside the tuner 10. For example, if an incoming channel centered at 100 MHz is mixed with a 144 MHz local oscillator signal, the resultant signal at the output of the mixer 14 is a sum frequency product at 244 MHz and a difference frequency product at 44 MHz. The sum frequency product is typically eliminated by use of a SAW filter 16, centered at the desired output or Intermediate Frequency (IF), in this case at 44 MHz. SAW filters provide a high degree of selectivity to the incoming signals providing a significant level of attenuation to signals outside of the pass band. In the U.S., the SAW filter pass band is selected to be approximately one channel bandwidth (i.e., 6 MHz).
If in the above illustration, the channel at 100 MHz is defined as the desired channel, there also exists an image or undesired channel which could also mix with the local oscillator signal OSC and produce an output at the IF of 44 MHz. Consider an example of a channel at 188 MHz. If the channel were to be mixed with a local oscillator signal at 144 MHz, the channel could also produce a difference output at the IF of 44 MHz and a sum frequency output product at 188 MHz. The SAW filter 16 would attenuate the output at 188 MHz. However, the SAW filter 16 would not be able to distinguish between the output of the image channel mixing and the output of the desired channel mixing, both of which would be at the desired IF of 44 MHz. The single conversion tuner 10 overcomes an undesired channel by the use of the tracking channel filter 12 at the input of the tuner 10. The incoming signals pass through the tracking filter 12 before the mixer 14. Tracking filters are typically 20–40 MHz wide and eliminate the undesired image channel from being subjected to the mixing process, thereby ensuring that the output at the IF is only due to that of the desired channel.
For a given mixing step, there exists an undesired image channel spaced at twice the IF from the desired channel. While the use of input tracking filters greatly alleviates the image channel problem, input filters need to track the local oscillator frequency in order to ensure that the image rejection is maintained across the input signal band. Moreover, in cable modem systems, for proper operation each modem also needs to present a controlled input impedance across the input frequency band. The input tracking filters present a non-uniform input impedance across the input frequency range while attenuating the image channel. Typically, input tacking filters have tuned passive devices, which need to be manually tuned during the tuner module assembly process. Manual tuning is a significant portion of the manufacturing costs. To overcome the single conversion tuner drawbacks, tuner manufacturers have introduced tuner modules, which feature a dual conversion architecture.
Referring to FIG. 2, a typical dual conversion tuner module 20 is shown. In dual conversion tuners the frequency translation from the input frequency band of 48 MHz–857 MHz to the output IF of 44 MHz is achieved in two mixing steps. Nominally the first mixing step 24 involves upconverting the entire input frequency band to a first IF frequency (IF1) which is 1100 MHz. There are two desirable properties associated with this upconversion mixing. The first IF at 1100 MHz is out of band to the input channel frequency band. Also, the image channel for the first IF needs to be filtered out with a fixed low pass filter 22 at the input of the tuner 20. The low pass filter 22 would not have to be a tracking filter and could help present a controlled impedance to a cable network. If for example, the desired channel is located at 100 MHz, the first local oscillator signal frequency (OSCL) would have to be 1200 MHz for a subtractive upcoversion mixing step for a first IF of 1100 MHz. Since the tuner module 20 still has to have an output at 44 MHz, the second mixing step 28 downcoverts the signal at the first IF by mixing it with a second local oscillator signal (OSC2) at a frequency of 1056 MHz.
As in the single conversion tuner 10, there exists a SAW filter 30, which provides the desired channel selectivity at 44 MHz. However, the dual conversion tuner architecture has the following drawback. The image channel for the second mixing step 28 could still be present at the first IF output IF1. For example, in the above illustration if there is a signal present at the first IF IF1 at 1012 MHz, the signal too would downconvert and appear at the second IF output IF2 at 44 MHz. The SAW filter 30 would not be able to distinguish such a signal from the desired channel. Therefore, the filter 26 at the first IF of 1100 MHz should have a narrow pass band or a high enough Q (quality factor) to suppress the signal at the image frequency of the second mixing process. Typically the Q would have to be about 50 to ensure sufficient attenuation of the image. Such a narrowband filter at high frequencies such as 1100 MHz are expensive and often necessitate the use of a matching network to properly interface to both the output of the first mixer 24 and to the input of the second mixer 28.
Since the dual conversion architecture 20 employs two mixing steps, there could be additional distortion and phase noise compared to the single conversion tuner architecture 10. Each mixing step could introduce distortion due to the mixing process. The phase noise present in the local oscillator signal(s) could also degrade the signal integrity.

Triple conversion RF tuner with synchronous local oscillators


The thermal efficiency of dual-column chassis can be improved by re-locating line card to connection plane (LC-to-CP) interfaces to the center of the connection plane, as this allows inter line card channels (inter-LC channels) to be routed in a manner that avoids bisecting the thermal throughways over which convection cooling air is circulated to the line cards. One technique for centrally locating the LC-to-CP interfaces on the connection plane is to invert one column of line cards. Another technique for centrally locating the LC-to-CP interfaces on the connection plane is to use non-uniform line cards. An additional benefit of centrally locating the LC-to-CP interfaces on the connection plane is that the inter-LC channels extending between perpendicularly adjacent line cards are shortened, which increases server performance by virtue of reducing switching latency.

Modern servers are typically designed on a modular chassis in order to allow additional line cards to be added when more capacity is needed. Modular chassis are often designed to accommodate active cooling components (e.g., fans, etc.) to regulate the temperature of the line cards housed therein. Indeed, cooling efficiency may be an important consideration during chassis design, as chassis designs that provide efficient cooling may allow servers to achieve better performance. For example, thermally efficient chassis designs may achieve reduced power consumption and/or quieter server operation by using smaller or lower duty-cycle active cooling components, as well as improved thermal dissipation for increased server longevity. Accordingly, chassis designs that allow for more effective/efficient cooling of line cards are desired.

Centralized chassis architecture for half-width boards


A transformation document generation mechanism (TDGM) for automatically generating a transformation document given a source document and a target document is disclosed. The TDGM analyzes each document and builds a pattern dictionary for each that records the patterns found in that document. Thereafter, the TDGM processes the pattern dictionaries to automatically generate the transformation document. In doing so, the TDGM automatically generates pattern creation templates in the transformation document. These templates (when invoked by a transformation processor at a later time while processing a source document with the transformation document) will cause particular patterns to be created in a result document. In addition, the TDGM generates zero or more copy templates in the transformation document to copy identical elements, if any, from the source document to the result document. Once that is done, the transformation document is created and may be refined by a user. By performing much of the underlying document analysis for the user, and by generating an initial transformation document, the TDGM simplifies the transformation document creation process.

The XML (eXtensible Markup Language) specification established by the W3C Organization provides a standardized methodology for exchanging structured data between different mechanisms. The different mechanisms may be different components within the same system (e.g. different program components) or they may be completely separate systems (e.g. systems of different companies, or different servers on the World Wide Web). Basically, XML allows structured data to be exchanged in a textual format using "element tags" to specify structure and to delimit different sets of data.
An example of a portion of an XML document is shown in FIG. 1. In this example, information about a person is being exchanged. To indicate that the information pertains to a person, the "person" element tags are used to delimit the data. Nested within the "person" element tags are two sets of information: (1) a name; and (2) an address. These sets of information are also delimited using the "Name" and "Address" element tags, respectively. Nested within the "Name" element tags are three child elements, namely, a first, middle, and last name, each of which is delimited by respective element tags, and each of which has an associated value. Likewise, nested within the "Address" element tags are four child elements, namely, a street, city, state, and zip code, each of which is delimited by respective element tags, and each of which has an associated value. By delimiting the sets of data using nested element tags in this manner, the XML document makes it clear how the data is structured, and what each set of data represents. As a result, any mechanism that is capable of understanding the element tags used to delimit the data will be able to interpret and process the data. In this manner, XML makes it possible to exchange structured data in a textual, program-independent, and platform-independent manner. It is this general nature of XML that makes it so flexible and versatile. Because of its versatility, XML has grown significantly in popularity in recent years. The above discussion provides just a brief description of the XML specification. More information on XML may be found on the W3C website at [www.]w3c.org (Note: the reference to w3c.org is not intended to be a hyperlink.) All of the information on that website, as of the filing date of the present application, is incorporated herein by reference.
In some instances, before data in an XML document can be processed or rendered, the XML document first needs to be transformed. For example, if the information of the person shown in FIG. 1 is to be rendered on a cellular phone display, and the cellular phone display does not have enough room for a middle name, then the XML document may first need to be transformed by removing the "middle" name element before the information is provided to the cellular phone to be displayed. As another example, the element tag used in one system may differ from the element tag used in another system. For example, the "person" element tag in one system may correspond to the "employee" element tag in another system. Before the XML document is processed into the other system, the XML document is first transformed to change the "person" element tag to an "employee" element tag. These are examples of simple transformations that can be made to an XML document. Many other more complex transformations may also be made.
To enable an XML document (referred to as a source document) to be transformed into another document (referred to as a target document), there is currently provided a transformation language, known as XSLT (eXtensible stylesheet language transformation). Using XSLT, a transformation document can be created which, when processed together with the source document, gives rise to the target document. In effect, the transformation document specifies the transformations that need to be made to the source document to derive the target document. For example, the transformation document may specify that whenever a "person" element tag is encountered in the source document, an "employee" element tag should be created in the target document. According to the XSLT specification, the transformation document is itself an XML document; thus, it conforms to all of the requirements to which all XML documents conform.
If it is known from the outset how a source document is to be transformed to derive a target document, then the creation of a transformation document is relatively straightforward. A user or programmer simply creates templates in the transformation document, using XSLT, to implement all of the desired transformations. In many implementations, however, it is not known how a source document is to be transformed to derive a target document. Instead, a user/programmer is simply given a source document and a target document, and asked to create a transformation document that will transform the source document into the target document. This can be a very daunting task because it can potentially require the user/programmer to intensely analyze and compare both documents to determine the transformations that need to be made. If the two documents are lengthy, the amount of manhours required to create the transformation document could be immense. Given the difficulty and the amount of resources currently required to manually create a transformation document from a source and a target document, it is evident that a mechanism for facilitating the document creation process is needed.

Enhanced mechanism for automatically generating a transformation document


The controller is used, in particular, for controlling an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle. An actuation signal is defined and used to determine the gear speed which is to be selected or the transmission ratio which is to be set. The actuation signal is a function of the position of the accelerator pedal, of the vehicle speed or, possibly, of further measured of variables. The controller includes a classification system which receives the measured variables and parameters derived therefrom as input variables and which generates output variables with reference to an evaluation of the measured variables and parameters. The output variables take into account certain assignments of the driving behavior of the driver, the respective driving state or the respective load state of the motor vehicle. The controller contains an evaluation circuit in which an intervention signal, which is generated by manual intervention by the driver, is evaluated and, subsequent thereto, one of the prescribed assignments is modified by emitting an evaluation signal. In this context, subfunctions of the controller can be switched off or important stored parameters of subfunctions can be modified without entirely deactivating them.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to motor vehicle controllers and, more particularly, to a control unit for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle. The controller or control unit defines an actuation signal for the transmission as a function of a variable which defines the output torque desired by the driver, of a measured variable which defines the engine speed or the vehicle speed, and, if appropriate, of further measured variables. The system has a classification system to which the measured variables, or parameters derived therefrom are fed as input variables and by means of which an output variable is generated with reference to an evaluation of the measured variables and parameters, with which output variable, in accordance with prescribed assignments, the driving behavior of the driver, the respective driving state or the respective load state of the motor vehicle is taken into account during the determination of the transmission ratio. If the transmission is a step-by-step variable speed transmission, then the controller generates actuation signals or shift signals with which the respective most favorable gear speed is selected. If the transmission is an infinitely variable speed transmission, the actuating signal controls the transmission ratio. Controllers of this type are also used, analogously, in the context of other devices or assemblies in motor vehicles, such as a traction controller or a rear wheel steering system.
Modern transmission controllers adapt the selection of the gear speed or transmission ratio to, inter alia, the driving behavior of the driver and/or the route In the first case, the behavior of the driver is evaluated by reference to characteristic input variables of the controller and derived variables calculated therefrom (referred to below as derivatives or else parameters), and it is converted into a modified transmission ratio selection adapted to the driver. See European application EP 0 638 742 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,145 (German patent DE 33 41 652 C2). The knowledge which is stored in the controller in the form of a reference and with which, for example, the driver is classified as "steady", "normal", or "sporty", is permanently prescribed here and there is always a fixed assignment between a behavior of the driver and a "driver class." Thus, frequent and rapid movement of the accelerator pedal, for example, will always lead to a sporty evaluation of the driver and to the activation of a corresponding transmission ratio selection, i.e. for example to shifting up at relatively high rotational speeds.
However, such a fixed assignment is not satisfactory in all cases. For example, it is perfectly possible for an objectively rather steady driver, i.e. a driver who does not require high driving performance and acceleration, nevertheless, for some reason, to make frequent and rapid pedal changes. This can lead to an incorrect adaptation of the control system. It is also possible that the gear-shifting behavior or transmission ratio selection assigned to the driver by the controller simply does not correspond to what she imagines as her ideal.
There are also other basic functions of an adaptive transmission controller which, owing to the generally fixed assignment, cause the controller to behave in a way which is not accepted by the driver. This is a result not only of the different personal wishes of drivers but also can be due to the fact that there are different driving habits in different countries. For example, an active gear-shifting strategy, which is heavily influenced by manually shifted transmissions, is generally considered ideal in Europe, while the typical driver in the United States prefers the traditional automatic transmission controller which uses manually selected gear-shifting patterns. A system which is highly adaptive in accordance with European habits will not generally be accepted in the United States.
An example of different drivers' wishes is the adapted gear-shifting behavior on an uphill route. From a technical point of view, the selection of a prescribed gear-shifting pattern which prevents so-called oscillating in the gear-shifting in a step-by-step variable speed transmission is most expedient. For this purpose, shifting-up operations are generally displaced to a higher traveling speed. However, this may be disruptive for those drivers who are accustomed to an absolutely fixed relationship between one position of the accelerator pedal, one speed of the vehicle and the respective transmission ratio or the respective gear speed, and thus prefer such a constant control behavior. In order to be able to satisfy such drivers with an adaptive transmission controller, it is therefore necessary to be able to correct or modify the "fixed knowledge" stored in the transmission controller.

Controller for an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle


Apparatus for testing mechanical properties of a sample cement composition. The apparatus includes an annular test chamber and a variable stress system. The variable stress system communicates with the annular test chamber. The variable stress system is operable to control at least one of temperature or pressure applied to the sample cement composition in the annular test chamber during and after curing of the sample cement composition. One or more sensors are coupled to the annular test chamber. The sensors are operable to sense at least one of stress, strain and displacement from the sample cement composition in response to one or more changes applied to the annular test chamber by the variable stress system for determination of at least one mechanical property of the sample cement composition.

Oil and gas wells extend from the surface to one or more subterranean formations of rock containing oil and/or gas. The well is typically cased by cementing a steel or other suitable casing in the well bore. The casing stabilizes the sides of the well bore, prevents pollution of fresh water reservoirs and/or prevents fluids from zones other than oil and gas producing zones from entering the well bore.
Cementing operations pump wet cement slurry down a well bore to fill the space between the casing and the rock walls. The cement protects the casing and prevents water and other fluids from flowing vertically in the space between the casing and rock walls of the well bore. Typically, cementing operations are designed and supervised by engineers. Laboratory technicians test and select the cement slurry and additives.
Cement compositions are designed for a variety of well bore conditions, which may vary in depth, temperature and pressure. In designing a cement composition for a well bore, a number of potential slurries are typically tested for mechanical properties. Mechanical properties are often determined using circular cylinder samples. The samples are cured at pressure and temperature, depressurized, machined to proper geometry and dimensional tolerances, placed in a pressure vessel, re-loaded hydrostatically to a predetermined confining pressure, and then tested to failure. Another method for establishing mechanical properties is to measure acoustic velocities and calculate mechanical properties based on linear elastic theory and various empirical correlations. These dynamic measurements are performed at extremely high loading rates and the data is corrected for lower loading rates expected under in situ conditions.

Apparatus and method for determining mechanical properties of cement for a well bore


An airbag unit for motor vehicles, with a tubular gas generator, tied to a motor vehicle structure, for generating a filling gas for a gas bag. The tubular gas generator is displaceable in the direction of its tube axis in relation to the motor vehicle structure and being in interaction with a deformation element which, under the action of a force which is greater than or equal to a defined minimum force, is deformed and makes it possible for the tubular gas generator to be displaced along its tube axis.

The invention relates to an airbag unit for a motor vehicle.
Airbag units are used in motor vehicles in order to increase passive safety and to improve vehicle occupant protection. The airbag units generally have, in this context, a gas bag and a gas generator for filling the gas bag with a filling gas. For use in airbag units, different types of gas generators are known, in particular also tubular gas generators, in which the gas generator housing has a tubular design. These tubular gas generators have the advantage that they are of very slender design and therefore have a small construction dimension in the tube cross-section direction. In the case of a stationary installation of the tubular gas generator, in which the tube axis points in the direction of the vehicle interior, a particularly favourable installation dimension is achieved in the otherwise limited surface of the dashboard.
There is the problem, in the case of a stationary installation of a tubular gas generator, that the tubular gas generator itself entails a risk of injury, since it is a projecting part fixed to the vehicle. For parts of this kind which are fixed to the vehicle and are adjacent to the vehicle interior, there are legally prescribed limit values for the acceleration which may be exerted by the parts, for example in the event of a head-on impact, on the head. Parts arranged in the dashboard region must therefore have a defined deformation behaviour, so that these limit values can be fulfilled. However, because of their function of generating a pressure gas, tubular gas generators are not deformable to the necessary extent.


Transesterification processes for producing a compound of formula (I)

Methacrylic acid esters or acrylic acid esters are usually obtained by the reaction of alcohols with simple methacrylic acid esters such as methyl methacrylate or ethyl acrylate. Alkaline catalysts such as lithium hydroxides can be utilized in this transesterification processes. In addition, other metal catalysts such as titanium compounds may be used. Further, other transesterification catalysts that may be utilized include potassium cyanide, potassium cyanate and potassium thiocyanate.

Process for the preparation of (meth)acrylic esters and derivatives

Abstract: wherein R1 is H or a methyl group, A and B are each, independently, a linear or branched C2-C5 alkylene group, comprising reacting: an acrylate or methacrylate of formula (II)

Abstract: wherein R1 is H or a methyl group and R2 is a C1-C4 alkyl group, with a compound of formula (III)

Abstract: wherein the reaction is performed: (i) in the presence of calcium oxide and calcium hydroxide, and (ii) wherein the molar ratio of the compounds of formula (II) to formula (III) is less than 4:1 or 3:1 respectively.


One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates biasing receiver circuits within an integrated circuit. During operation, the system provides n receiver circuits within the integrated circuit to be biased. Next, the system provides n+m communication channels between n drivers and n receivers, wherein m is a number of additional communication channels, and wherein m>0. Then, the system couples the n+m communication channels to the n drivers, wherein each driver is selectively coupled to m+1 communication channels. The system also couples the n+m communication channels to the n receivers, wherein each receiver is selectively coupled to m+1 communication channels. In this way, at any given time n of the communication channels are active and m of the communication channels are inactive. Finally, the system refreshes inactive m communication channels' biases while the m inactive communication channels are not communicating signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to integrated circuits. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for using extra communication bits to refresh receiver circuits without exposing the refresh mechanism to the architecture and without suffering a bandwidth penalty.
2. Related Art
Typical communication systems can be decomposed into three parts: a driver, a channel, and a receiver. Each part has at least one and often many bits running in parallel. For example, an on-chip bus from a memory to an arithmetic unit can be a 64-bit system, with 64 drivers, a 64-bit wire bus as the channel, and 64 receivers. In another example, an optical system between switch line cards can be a 4-bit system, with 4 lasers, a single optical fiber channel with four wavelengths, and 4 optical receiver diodes.
In communication systems using capacitively-coupled or inductively-coupled inputs (such as those based on Proximity Communication) or on-chip capacitive or inductive coupling, the receiver's inputs need to be set up (or biased) to a preferred mode of operation. This may be performed, for example, to set the receiver threshold between the digital values of "0" and "1", to increase its signal sensitivity, to decrease its delay, or to reduce its power consumption.
This biasing, or refreshing, can be performed periodically. During this refreshing, the inputs get pre-charged to the right bias before each data item is received, or post-charged to the right bias after each data item is received. However, such pre/post-charge circuits tend to be power-inefficient because they typically operate on every single data item. Furthermore, they typically limit data rates because the receiver has only half the bit period to actually receive the data; the other half of the bit period is spent refreshing. Finally, refreshing every cycle is often unnecessary, as the bias may degrade only as a result of secondary effects such as leakage. Thus, bias schemes that operate more infrequently can be desirable.
Biasing a receiver infrequently is most simply accomplished by building an "every-cycle" bias circuit and squelching the bias circuit most of the time. However, this raises the problem of architectural exposure. In this example, higher-level control structures need to be aware of when and how long the channel refreshes. In other words, a system designed to refresh after 100 data items requires the next bits to pause while the system refreshes all of its receivers. Moreover, this increases complexity in the control mechanism, and it costs bandwidth. For example, if the refresh takes the same time as ten communicated data items, the bandwidth cost for refresh is 10%. Additionally, some refreshing (to establish a threshold voltage for a non-DC-balanced data stream, for instance) may require transmitting a special mid-level signal during the refresh, making it difficult to refresh in a single bit period or less.
Hence, what is needed is a bias mechanism that does not suffer from the problems described above.

Method and apparatus for refreshing receiver circuits using extra communication bits


A facsimile apparatus has a line I/F section that transmits and receives a signal through a network to which an exchange is connected, a modem signal detection section that detects a modem signal transmitted through the network, a ring signal detection section that detects a ring signal transmitted through the network from the exchange, a switch section that switches a signal detection mode of the line I/F section between a ring signal detection mode in which the ring signal detection section detects the ring signal and a modem signal detection mode in which the modem signal detection section detects the modem signal, and an operating state determination section that determines an operating state of the facsimile apparatus, wherein if the operating state determination section determines that the facsimile apparatus is in a standby mode, the switch section switches the signal detection mode into the ring signal detection mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a facsimile apparatus and in particular to a facsimile apparatus that can switch a detection mode at an appropriate timing to reliably detect a modem signal and a ring signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
A facsimile apparatus using a semiconductor DAA (Data Access Arrangement) is available (Refer to JP-A-2003-51926 and US 2003/0048483 A1). According to the facsimile apparatus, modem signals including tone signals such as a CNG signal and a DTMF signal can be detected without using a transformer. Thus, the apparatus configuration can be simplified and miniaturized for reducing costs as compared with a facsimile apparatus in a related art using a transformer. The semiconductor DAA includes not only a detection section for detecting a modem signal, but also a detection section for detecting a ring signal.
JP-A-2003-51926 is referred to as a related art.
However, the above facsimile apparatus cannot simultaneously detect the modem signal and the ring signal. That is, the semiconductor DAA can only detect the modem signal or the ring signal at a time and therefore unless the signal detection mode as to which signal is to be detected is switched at an appropriate timing, detection of the signal results in failure.


A vehicle body lower structure includes: a floor connected to a dashboard panel, extending toward the vehicle rear side; a tunnel provided at a vehicle width direction center portion extending from the dashboard panel through the floor in the vehicle front-rear direction; a dashboard cross member joined to the dashboard panel, spanning in the vehicle width direction between a front end of the tunnel and a vehicle side section; and an under floor brace provided to a front end portion of the tunnel, extending in the vehicle width direction at the opposite side to the cabin, including both ends extending further toward the vehicle width direction outside than the front end portion of the tunnel and are fixed to the dashboard panel, the ends being located in positions facing vehicle width direction inside ends of the dashboard cross member via the dashboard panel.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle body lower structure.
2. Related Art
Hitherto structures are proposed that prevent deformation of a vehicle lower side in the event of a collision (see, for example Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 2002-362419, 2007-153012, and 2010-228731). A structure exists, for example, in which one end of a dashboard cross member is joined to a side face of a tunnel via a tunnel member, with the other end of the dashboard cross member joined to an A pillar. The tunnel member straddles an upper face of the tunnel and is joined to the tunnel (see, for example JP-A No. 2002-362419). In such a structure, rigidity of the tunnel is increased by the tunnel member, and when load toward the vehicle width direction inside is input to the dashboard cross member, the load is transmitted to the tunnel portion side.
However, vehicle cabin space is reduced by the above structure, and there is accordingly room for improvement regarding this point.


A fluid jet nozzle has a water chamber accommodating therein pressurized fluid, an orifice communicating with the water chamber and contracting the fluid from the water chamber, a throat communicating with the orifice and through which the fluid from the orifice passes, a multiplication chamber communicating with the throat and receiving the fluid from the throat for multiplying cavitation, and a diffusion chamber receiving the fluid from the multiplication chamber for diffusing the fluid.

The present invention relates to a liquid jet nozzle for inducing cavitation in a fluid, and a stress improving treatment method using the nozzle.
In apparatus and devices of a nuclear power plant made of austenitic SUS304 stainless steel or Ni base alloy, stress corrosion cracking occurs in some cases. It is well known that such stress corrosion cracking is affected very largely by residual stresses, that is, it is remarkably accelerated in a state of residual tensile stress and is suppressed in a state of residual compressive stress.
Controlling residual stress not only suppresses stress corrosion cracking, but the stress corrosion cracking can be prevented by changing the residual tensile stress to residual compressive stress.
Further, the residual stress improvement serves not only for stress corrosion cracking resistance but for prevention of damage due to corrosion, fatigue, corrosion fatigue, etc.
Therefore, in a nuclear power plant, it is important to improve the stress by changing the residual tensile stress caused in welded portions of an apparatus and various devices to residual compressive stress.
A metal surface strengthening method is disclosed in JP A 59-193215, wherein residual tensile stress caused by working, such as welding, is reduced by causing residual compressive stress to occur on a surface of a metal material, thereby to prevent damage, such as stress corrosion, corrosion, fatigue, corrosion fatigue, etc.
This method is designed to strengthen metal by peening, that is, by causing cavities to be produced in liquid by jetting liquid at high pressure and high velocity from a nozzle onto the metal submerged in the liquid and utilizing the collapse impact force of the cavities to apply a force to the metal.
A nozzle for jetting liquid at high pressure and high speed is disclosed in JP A 59-25681.
JP A 59-25681 discloses a submerged jet nozzle which is provided with an orifice having a section in the shape of a circle, an ellipse or a rectangle, and which has a diffusion chamber disposed downstream of the orifice and expanding at an angle of 20-60.degree. with respect to the axis of the orifice, in order to increase the submerged jet flow.
JP A 59-25681 also discloses that the length of a jet hole extending from the orifice is 4 to 20 times the diameter of the orifice, and this construction reduces the flow velocity loss of the submerged jet flow and can cause the jet flow to reach a more remote area.
However, JP A 59-193215 does not disclose any specific means for jetting liquid of high pressure and high speed.
On the other hand, JP A 59-25681 has an object to suppress decay of the jet flow, and does not disclose any means for obtaining jet flow with cavitation.
Thus, in the prior devices, in order to achieve a sufficient effect, it is essential to shorten the distance (jet distance) between the nozzle and an object to be treated, and it is difficult to attain a peening effect in a case where the jet distance is long and in a case where decay in the jet flow velocity is remarkably large, as in a submerged jet, even if the jet distance is short.
In jetting in the atmosphere, the jet velocity decay is small, however, it is required to raise the jet pressure to a super high pressure in JP A 59-25681 in which only an impingement dynamic pressure is used. Therefore, the apparatus is disadvantageous also in performance and in the cost of a pump, and relevant apparatuses.

Fluid jet nozzle and stress improving treatment method using the nozzle


A display unit is controlled so that a plurality of parameter setting screens respectively corresponding to a plurality of steps sequentially executed in a predetermined order in quantitation is sequentially displayed and a plurality of step indexes respectively corresponding to the plurality of steps is displayed. In a plurality of parameter setting screens, inputting of a plurality of parameters respectively corresponding to the plurality of steps is received. Each time inputting of parameters in each parameter setting screen is completed, the received parameters are set in an unchangeable manner. The display unit is controlled so that each time parameters are set in one parameter setting screen, the next parameter setting screen is displayed, and the step index corresponding to the displayed parameter setting screen which is being displayed among the plurality of step indexes is displayed in such a manner as to be distinguishable from the other step indexes. A spectrophotometer is controlled based on the set parameters. The sample is quantified by a quantitative execution unit based on the set plurality of parameters.

In a spectroscopic analysis device, light absorption quantities, light emission amounts, etc., of a plurality of standard samples each having a known concentration (hereinafter, a light absorption quantity will be described as an example) is measured. With this, a calibration curve showing the correspondence relation between the light absorption quantity and the concentration of a plurality of standard samples is generated. Thereafter, a light absorption quantity of an unknown sample whose concentration is unknown is measured. Based on the measured light absorption quantity of the unknown sample and the generated calibration curve, the concentration of the unknown sample is quantified. When performing the above-described measurement, a user sets appropriate measurement conditions to a spectroscopic analysis device.
Patent Document 1 describes a spectrophotometer in which measurement parameters (measurement conditions) can be input selectively between an all parameter mode and a partial parameter mode. The all parameter mode is selected by a user who is sufficiently familiar with measurement parameters and receives inputting of a number measurement parameters ("unit", "wavelength", "photometric value range", "slit-width" and "cumulative number"). The partial parameter mode is selected by a user who is not fully familiar with measurement parameters and receives inputting of only the required minimum basic measurement parameters ("unit" and "wavelength").    Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H8-233729

Spectroscopic analysis control device, spectroscopic analysis device, spectroscopic analysis control method, and spectroscopic analysis control program


Automation systems, methods, and mediums. A method includes displaying, in a user interface, a portion of code associated with a process running in the automation system. The process is associated with a point variable in the automation system. The portion of code includes the point variable. The method further includes identifying a location of a cursor in a user interface in response to detecting the cursor in the location associated with the user interface for a period of time. The method includes requesting the point value of the point variable in the portion of code and associated with the location of the cursor. The method includes receiving the value associated with the variable over a network connection. The method includes displaying the point value in the user interface in association with the point variable.

Building automation systems encompass a wide variety of systems that aid in the monitoring and control of various aspects of building operation. Building automation systems include security systems, fire safety systems, lighting systems, and HVAC systems. The elements of a building automation system are widely dispersed throughout a facility. For example, an HVAC system may include temperature sensors and ventilation damper controls, as well as other elements that are located in virtually every area of a facility. These building automation systems typically have one or more centralized control stations from which system data may be monitored and various aspects of system operation may be controlled and/or monitored.
To allow for monitoring and control of the dispersed control system elements, building automation systems often employ multi-level communication networks to communicate operational and/or alarm information between operating elements, such as sensors and actuators, and the centralized control station. One example of a building automation system is the APOGEE® building automation system, available from Siemens Industry, Inc. Building Technologies Division of Buffalo Grove, Ill. ("Siemens"). In this system, several control stations connected via an Ethernet or another type of network may be distributed throughout one or more building locations, each having the ability to monitor and control system operation.

Methods and systems in an automation system for viewing a current value of a point identified in code of a corresponding point control process