A master station including at least a token packet (Iso) management table in which the overall band of the bus is partitioned into certain bands, rewrites the token packet (Iso) management table according to the bandwidth required in Isochronous data transmission between stations to at least control transmission of token packets (Iso) and dynamically control the bandwidth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication networks, and more particularly to a communication network including a single master station and a plurality of slave stations.
2. Description of the Background Art
In these years, Local Area Networks (hereinafter referred to as LANs) are in use, which are data communication systems in which a large number of independent devices can directly communicate with one another within an adequate distance through a physical link having a prescribed data rate. Media access controls in the LANs include the token passing. FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a token ring LAN adopting the token passing and the data communication in that LAN. In FIG. 31, stations 3101, 3102 and 3103 are connected to a ring-shaped bus 3104 to communicate with one another. These stations 3101-3103 are previously provided with ID information in an un-overlapping manner for specifying each station. The data communication in this LAN will now be described referring to FIG. 31.
In the LAN, as shown in FIG. 31(a), a token 3105 circulates along the bus 3104. The format of this token 3105 includes, as shown in FIG. 32(a), a starting delimiter 3201, an access control field 3202 and an ending delimiter 3203.
Each station once acquires the token 3105 coming from the bus 3104. When having no data to transmit at this time, however, it sends out the token 3105 onto the bus 3104 toward a station located on the downstream. This operation is continuously repeated, so that the token 3105 is constantly circulating on the bus 3104 in a certain direction when no station has data to transmit
As shown in FIG. 31(b), the station 3102 currently holds transmission data 3106. As shown in FIG. 32(b), the frame format of the transmission data 3106 includes destination address 3204, source address 3205, information 3206, frame status 3207 and other necessary control information (starting delimiter, access control field, frame control, frame check sequence and ending delimiter). The station 3102 acquires and holds the coming token 3105 and then, as shown in FIG. 31(c), sends out the transmission data 3106 onto the bus 3104. It is assumed that this transmission data 3106 contains ID information for the station 3101 as the destination address 3204.
The station 3103 located downstream of the station 3102 acquires the coming transmission data 3106. The station 3103 then determines whether the ID information of the destination address 3204 included in the transmission data 3106 agree with the ID information assigned to itself. In the station 3103, the two pieces of ID information disagree. In this case, the station 3103 sends out the transmission data 3106 onto the bus 3104.
Next, as shown in FIG. 31(d), the station 3101 acquires the transmission data 3106 and operates similarly to the station 3103. In the station 3101, the ID information stored in the destination address 3204 agrees with the ID information assigned to it. In this case, the station 3101 copies the information 3206 included in the transmission data 3106 and indicates reception of the information by using a frame copy bit included in the frame status 3207. Then the station 3101 sends out the transmission data 3106 onto the bus 3104.
The transmission data 3106 circulates around the bus 3104 and returns to the station 3102, as shown in FIG. 31(e). The station 3102, knowing that it has sent out the transmission data 3106, detects the head of the frame to know that the transmission data 3106 sent by itself has returned. The station 3102 then checks the frame copy bit included in the frame status 3207 to know that the station 3101 has received the data. Thus, knowing that the data communication to the station 3101 has been normally achieved, the station 3102 sends out the currently held token 3105 onto the bus 3104, as shown in FIG. 31(f). A series of operation for data communication are thus ended.
Recently, with the digitization of picture data and sound data, not only are computers connected to the LAN but various AV (Audio Video) equipment handling picture data and sound data are also connected to the LAN. This has brought about mixed existence of two kinds of data with different natures in the LAN: Asynchronous data and Isochronous data. That is to say, the AV equipment perform communication of computer data such as AV equipment control commands, or the Asynchronous data for controlling the data communication, and they further perform communication of digital AV data image-compressed by MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) and the like, or the Isochronous data. The digital AV data (Isochronous data), having a highly real-time nature, that is, having continuity in time, requires that the communication should be done certainly within a certain time period.
In conventional LANs, however, the token is sent around even to stations having no transmission data and a station which has acquired the token keeps it until it confirms that the data transmitted by itself has been received by a destination station. If a certain station keeps the token arrested with a plurality of stations transferring Isochronous data, other stations can not transfer the Isochronous data. Then the real-time nature of Isochronous data held in other stations are not satisfied, causing problems in the data communication.
Although not the above-mentioned token ring LAN, a single master station for controlling transmission of tokens and a plurality of slave stations only for data communication are connected to a Master Slave Network, where each station analyzes a coming token and then sends out the token onto the bus. FIG. 33 is a diagram illustrating the analysis of the token 336 in each station.
In FIG. 33, in the Master Slave Network, a master station 331a and slave stations 331b, 331c and 331d are connected to the ring-shaped bus 335 so that they can communicate with each other. The master station 331a includes a token transfer and analysis executing device 332a and a storage device 333a. The slave stations 331b-331d include analysis executing devices 332b-332d and storage devices 333b-333d.
The token transfer and analysis executing device 332a sends out the token 336 onto the bus 335 through the storage device 333a. The token 336 is once stored in the storage device 333b of the slave station 331b and then analyzed by the analysis executing device 332b. When this analysis is finished, the token 336 is transferred from the slave station 331b to the bus 335 again and inputted to the slave station 331c. The analysis executing device 332c too applies such analyzing process as performed in the analysis executing device 332b to the token 336 stored in the internal storage device 333c. Such analyzing process is similarly performed in the slave station 331c as well and the token 336 is finally stored in the storage device 333a in the master station 331a. The token transfer and analysis executing device 332a applies the analyzing process described above to the token 336 stored in the storage device 333a and then sends out the analyzed token 336 onto the bus 335.
In the conventional Master Slave Network, the analysis executing devices 332b-332d and the token transfer and analysis executing device 332a apply analyzing process to the token 336 stored in the storage devices 333b-333d and 333a. That is to say, it takes the time required for transfer on the bus 335 plus the time required for analyzing processes in the slave stations 331b-331d. Accordingly, it takes a long time before the token 336 comes back to the master station 331 a. Similarly, data sent out by a slave station which has acquired the token 336 also takes a long time to circulate around the bus 335. Since this problem becomes more serious as a larger number of stations are connected, high utilization efficiency and high response can not be expected with a large number of stations connected in the Master Slave Network. To solve the problem, it is suggested to improve the utilization efficiency and response speed by causing the storage devices and analysis executing devices to operate at higher speeds or by reducing the number of stations connected to the network. However, remarkable effects are not expected.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A method for sharing user information in browsers of a mobile terminal is disclosed in the present invention and comprises steps of: receiving a second operating command for importing the user information to a second browser; executing a first operating command for exporting the user information from the first browser in accordance with the second operating command for importing the user information to the second browser, and the first operating command is a command for exporting the user information from the first browser.

With the increasing of the development of mobile telecommunication technique and people's living standard, the usage of many different kinds of the communication terminals, such as cellular phone, is more and more popular. The cellular phone has become a significant communication tool. With the continuous progress of the technology, the function of the cellular phone is increased day after day and not only includes a communication function but also includes a music playing function, an online chatting function and so on.
Nowadays, the cellular phone connecting to the Internet has become a trend, and the browser of the mobile phone is a portal to connect to the Internet and has become more and more popular. The competition of the browser of the cellular phone in the market is becoming increasingly fierce, so the function and the user experience in the browser of the cellular phone are become better and better. Most of the functions in the browser of PC (Personal Computer) are gradually included in the browser of the cellular phone.
The browser in the present day is not only a tool to decode HyperText Markup Language (HTML) but also focuses on user convenience. For example, the function of the popular GPS (Global Positioning System) is more and more intelligent. Processing is performed by using a cache, thus the loading speed of the web pages can be accelerated. A password memorizing function for user convenience is further included, so the user is not requested to reenter the username and the password every time when the user logs in the same web site. The performance of the browser is greatly improved by including the above functions.
However, the compatibility and the interactivity with other browsers in the browser of the PC or the cellular phone are easily ignored when trying to improve the performance itself.
Especially in the era of smart phones, the program installation of the cellular phone is as convenient and easy as that of the PC. As a result, it is not unusual for a user to have many browsers installed in one cellular phone. In addition to the basic functions of the cellular phone such as dialing and connecting to the Internet, many cellular phone venders preinstall two or three browsers when the cellular phone is released in the market, especially as there are more and more different kinds of browsers in the present time. Therefore, the user can have many different options and can choose any one of the browsers in accordance with the advantages thereof.
Although it is much convenience for the user to use the browsers, it would also cause some inconveniences for the user. For example, when the user uses many different browsers, the compatibility and the interactivity between browser and browser are ignored. If the user is browsing a web site, such as Facebook, Twitter and so on, which is requested to log in, by a default browser in Android, the default browser in Android will memorize the account and the password of the user. But the user is requested to input the account and the password when the user uses a different browser, such as Opera, Firefox or the like, to browse the same web site another day. If the user visits such websites frequently, it is not convenience for the user.
Therefore, the current technology is requested to improve and develop.

Method and apparatus for sharing user information in browsers of a mobile terminal

TCL MOBILE COMMUNICATION CO., LTD. HUIZHOU


A monolithic device for determining a translation, the monolithic device being fabricated from a single continuous piece of a glass substrate. The monolithic device comprises at least one frame, a moving platform linked to the at least one frame and an optical transducer. The at least one frame is fabricated from the glass substrate. The moving platform is fabricated from the glass substrate, wherein the moving platform is linked to the at least one frame via at least one elastic hinge. The at least one elastic hinge is also fabricated from the glass substrate. The optical transducer is imbedded into the moving platform and the at least one frame.

Alignment and positioning equipment are important as they are required in nearly all research and manufacturing processes. Conventionally, translation stages are used extensively in the industry for alignment and positioning. Translation stages provide a motion or a translation when a force is applied onto them. The motion may be a desired end action, or the motion may be a way to measure the force applied onto or by the translation stage. In the former case the translation stage is used to position or move objects, while in the latter case the stage is used to measure or sense a force. Translation may be linear, or rotational, or a combination of both. Translation maybe along one axis or along several axes.
Some existing translation stages employ transducers to provide a signal that is a function of the translation stage position with respect to a reference frame. Often these translation stages measure or monitor electrical or magnetic parameters to determine their position. These translation stages may be affected by electromagnetic fields and the results may not be very accurate. Conversely, electrically powered translation stages may also create perturbation in the surrounding EM field. This is particularly undesirable in instruments based on magnetic resonance. Moreover, since most translation stages are opaque, their use is constrained in many applications, for example to move samples under a microscope, or to perform spectroscopy.
Further, some transducers measure or monitor optical parameters to determine the translation stage position. These are known as optical transducers. Optical transducers are known in the art and generally employ a light-source and an optical-detector and some means to vary an intensity of light falling on the optical-detector in accordance with the displacement of the translation stage. However, the accuracy of these translation stages that use optical transducers can be affected by vibrations, high temperatures, temperature changes or air turbulence.
Translation stages are generally made of metal. More recently, some microstages have been made of silicon. Most of the existing translation stages, which incorporate position transducers, are non-monolithic devices. They are made of multiple pieces, often of different materials, which are fastened together. High accuracy translation stages are factory calibrated. The calibration and general performance of the devices are susceptible to vibrations and the manufacturing is rather complex. Furthermore, in some cases, calibration procedures have to be performed regularly to maintain a desired level of accuracy. Therefore, most of the existing translation stages are affected by high temperature, electromagnetic fields, vibrations, shocks and air turbulences. Most existing translation stages are also subject to wear. Furthermore they may not be compatible with chemically sensitive applications.
Therefore, there is a need for a translation stage which gives accurate results and which is not, or less, affected by high temperatures, electromagnetic fields, vibrations, shocks, air turbulences, and chemically corrosive or sensitive environments.


A system and method for modulating a phase component of an electromagnetic signal includes a phase/frequency detector having first and second inputs and an output. The first phase/frequency detector input may be configured to receive a reference signal. The system may include an oscillator having an input and an output. The oscillator may be configured to generate a desired oscillator output signal at its output. A divider may be configured to receive the oscillator output signal. The divider may have a divider count input and a divider carryout output that may be connected to the second phase/frequency detector input. A loop filter may be connected in series between the phase/frequency detector output and the oscillator input. The loop filter has a transfer function including at least two frequency response rate change points, where each of the frequency rate change points corresponds to a pole or a zero in the transfer function.

Electromagnetic waves and signals (hereinafter "signals") are utilized for many different purposes. For example, electromagnetic signals may be processed in order to convey information, such as by attenuating and/or amplifying electromagnetic wave characteristics, for instance, as is seen when modulating the amplitude, frequency or phase of an electrical current or radio frequency (RF) wave to transmit data. As another example, power may be conveyed along a wave in a controlled fashion by attenuating and or amplifying electromagnetic signals, such as is seen when modulating voltage or current in a circuit. Moreover, the uses may be combined, such as when information may be conveyed through a signal by processing power characteristics.
Electromagnetic signal processing may be accomplished through digital or analog techniques. Digital and analog attenuation and/or amplification also may be combined—that is, the same wave form may be subject to various types of digital and/or analog attenuation and/or amplification within a system in order to accomplish desired tasks.
In the processing of electronic signals, phase-locked loop systems, also known as phase-locked loops, may be used for a wide variety of purposes, such as frequency synthesizers and phase modulators in transceivers for wireless communications devices such as GSM (Global System for Mobile communications), PCS (Personal Communication System), PCN (Personal Communications Network), and DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) devices. In a typical phase-locked loop ("PLL"), a reference signal at a reference frequency is input to a phase/frequency detector along with a feedback signal derived from the output of the PLL. The output of the frequency/phase detector is filtered by a loop filter and applied to a voltage controlled oscillator to generate an output signal at the desired frequency. The output signal frequency then forms at least part of the feedback signal input to the phase/frequency detector.
A low-pass loop filter may be used in a phase-locked loop to reduce spurious signals near the baseband, as well as noise at higher frequencies. One type of loop filter for use in a phase-locked loop is a second-order or third-order low-pass filter with a single corner frequency and a constant roll-off. However, designing the appropriate filter can be difficult and involve compromise. For instance, if the corner frequency of the loop filter is set low to effectively reduce noise at higher frequencies, then it may undesirably reduce the higher frequencies of the baseband. Similarly, if the corner frequency of the loop filter is set higher to accommodate the entire baseband, then the loop filter may not effectively reduce noise at higher frequencies.
Another difficulty may arise if a phase-locked loop is used in combination with a pre-emphasis filter to provide a combined flat frequency response. If the corner frequency of the loop filter is set low to effectively reduce spurious signals close to the baseband, then it may require an undesirably high gain from the pre-emphasis filter to compensate.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods and systems for filtering electromagnetic signals in a phase-locked loop that effectively reduce both close-in spurious signals and higher-frequency noise signals without unnecessarily reducing the baseband signal or requiring a pre-emphasis filter with an undesirably high gain. There also is a need for signal modulators and transmitters that employ phase-locked loops with such filtering methods and systems.

System and method for signal filtering in a phase-locked loop system


In at least some implementations, a throttle body assembly includes a body that has multiple throttle bores, multiple throttle valve heads received one in each of the throttle bores, at least one throttle valve shaft to which the throttle valve heads are coupled, and at least one of a fuel metering valve and a vapor separator carried by the body.

Many engines utilize a throttle valve to control or throttle air flow to the engine in accordance with a demand on the engine. Such throttle valves may be used, for example, in throttle bodies of fuel injected engine systems. Many such throttle valves include a valve head carried on a shaft that is rotated to change the orientation of the valve head relative to fluid flow in a passage, to vary the flow rate of the fluid in and through the passage. In some applications, the throttle valve is rotated between an idle position, associated with low speed and low load engine operation, and a wide open or fully open position, associated with high speed and/or high load engine operation. Fuel may be provided from a relatively high pressure fuel injector (e.g. fuel pressure of 35 psi or more) for mixing with air to provide to the engine a combustible fuel and air mixture. The high pressure fuel injector is located downstream of the throttle body.

Low pressure fuel injection system for a multi-cylinder light-duty internal combustion engine


An antibiotic microwave oven for cooking a foodstuff within its cooking chamber utilizing high frequency energy, including an antibiotic layer provided to the cooking chamber for killing bacteria bred within the cooking chamber contaminated by the foodstuff being cooked and for preventing the propagation of harmful microbes. The antibiotic layer is formed of zeolite-Ag, thus killing escherichia coli, salmonella typhimurium, pseudomonas aeruginosa, and bacillus alvei.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave oven having an antibiotic effect. More particularly, it relates to an antibiotic microwave oven whose interior is coated with a material containing a substance that kills harmful bacteria and eumycetes.
2. Discussion of Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, a microwave oven includes a main body 10, a cooking chamber 20 provided to one side of main body 10 and in which a foodstuff F to be cooked is placed, a door 30 opening and closing cooking chamber 20, a control panel 40 provided to the other side of main body 10 for controlling the electrical components, a turntable 50 rotating foodstuff F placed on a tray of cooking chamber 20 to be cooked by high frequency energy.
When cooking using the conventional microwave oven, foodstuff F in cooking chamber 20 may boil over or spatter, thus making cooking chamber 20 dirty, which breeds harmful eumycetes and bacteria within cooking chamber 20.


A clutch mechanism includes a friction clutch with a clutch spring, a clutch lever connected to the friction clutch via clutch wires and being manually operable against the urging force of the clutch spring, and a clutch assisting device. The clutch assist device has an assist mechanism having an auxiliary force member (e.g., a spring) that urges the clutch wires in such a direction as to disengage the friction clutch while the clutch lever is moved from a disengage start position, where the clutch lever receives the reactive force of the clutch spring, to a disengaged position, where the disengagement of the friction clutch is completed. The assist mechanism maintains the urging force of the auxiliary spring applied to the clutch wires within a fixed range while the clutch lever is shifted from the midpoint between the disengage start position and the disengaged position to the disengage position. The clutch assist device reduces the manual force required to operate the clutch while preserving the operational feel of the clutch lever when moving the lever from a released position to a half clutched position, to a full clutch position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clutch assist device which can reduce the force necessary to operate a friction clutch to engage and disengage a transmission of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
An engine unit of a vehicle, for example a motorcycle, is often equipped with a friction clutch that operates to engage and disengage a transmission. With the clutch engaged, the transmission transfers torque from the engine crankshaft to one or more wheels of the motorcycle and, with the clutch disengaged, the transmission is decoupled from the engine so as not transfer a driving torque to the wheel(s). The friction clutch typically has friction plates and clutch plates laid alternately next to one another. A clutch spring presses the friction plates against the clutch plates and biases the friction plates into this state so as to transmit torque.
The clutch has a clutch release mechanism. The clutch release mechanism, which is used to release the pressure against the friction plates caused by the clutch spring, is coupled to a clutch operating lever via a clutch wire. A Bowden-wire cable is often used as the clutch wire and includes an inner wire that slides relative to an outer sheath. The clutch operating lever is usually disposed on the handlebars of the motorcycle. When the rider squeezes the clutch operating lever, the friction plates are separated from the clutch plates, against the urging force of the clutch spring, to disengage the clutch and, hence, the transmission from the engine.
With a friction clutch used in a high-power, high-revolution engine, it is desired to set the biasing load of the clutch spring to a high value to increase the torque capacity of the clutch. However, since the clutch operating lever is operated manually, it often is difficult for at least some riders to operate the clutch operating lever when the biasing load of the clutch spring is increased.
A clutch assist mechanism has been previously proposed to reduce the force necessary to actuate the clutch operating lever. See Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 7-132872. The clutch assist device disclosed in this patent publication is incorporated in a clutch release mechanism to which the clutch wire is connected.
The conventional assist mechanism has an arm rotatable together with a push lever of the clutch release mechanism and a spring unit disposed between an end of the arm and the engine. The spring unit has a spring holder which can expand and contract in its axial direction and a compression coil spring for urging the spring holder in the direction in which the spring holder expands. The spring holder has a first end rotatably connected to the end of the arm and a second end rotatably connected to a bracket extending from the engine.
In the conventional assist mechanism, the center of rotation of the arm and the first and second ends of the spring holder are aligned on one straight line when the clutch operating lever is operated by a distance corresponding to its free play (i.e., movement of the clutch operating lever before disengagement of the clutch start). Therefore, the urging force of the compression coil spring acts in such a direction as to compress the arm and does not act as a force (moment) to rotate the arm.
However, when the clutch lever is rotated beyond the free play range, the joint between the end of the arm and the first end of the spring holder is offset from the straight line connecting the center of rotation of the arm and the second end of the spring holder. Therefore, the urging force of the compression coil spring acts in such a direction as to rotate the arm, and the arm is forcibly rotated in such a direction to disengage the friction clutch. As a result, the urging force of the compression coil spring is added to the force applied to operate the clutch lever and the force necessary to operate the clutch lever to disengage the friction clutch is reduced.
According to the clutch operating device disclosed in the above-noted Japanese patent publication, when the clutch lever is rotated to a disengage start position at the end of the free play range, the urging force of the clutch spring is applied to the clutch lever. The compression coil spring of the assist mechanism expands to cancel the urging force of the clutch spring in synchronization with the operation of the clutch lever in such a direction as to disengage the friction clutch after the clutch lever has passed the disengage start position.
In the clutch operating device, however, the compression coil spring of the assist mechanism can freely expand after the clutch lever has passed the disengage start position. Therefore, the urging force of the compression coil spring applied from the arm to the push lever is not controlled. That is, since an end of the spring holder is directly connected to an end of the arm and the spring unit rotates in the same manner as the arm, the magnitude of the urging force applied to the push lever is left uncontrolled.
Thus, it is not possible to prevent the clutch lever from suddenly becoming light as it gets close to a disengage position where the friction clutch is disengaged while the clutch lever is moved to disengage the friction clutch. Therefore, the operating feel of the clutch lever is unnatural, and there is still room for improvement in terms of the operability of the clutch lever.
When the clutch lever is moved to disengage the friction clutch, the force necessary to operate the clutch lever is preferably small especially in the first half between the disengage start position and the disengage position (the half on the side of the disengage start position). That is, it is preferable to reduce the force necessary to operate the clutch lever in the initial stage of what is called half-clutch operation. However, with the conventional clutch operation device, a large force is necessary in the first stage of the half-clutch operation. Therefore, there is also room for improvement in terms of the operability of the clutch lever in this respect.
A need therefore exists for a clutch operation assisting device with which the operation of the operating element when disengaging the clutch does not feel awkward and which can improve the operability of the assist mechanism.

Operating assist device for vehicle clutch


Retrofittable hay bale measuring apparatus measures the size of the hay bale being formed, and indicates the size of the bale being formed to a control and display unit. The baler operator sets the desired hay bale size and monitors the baler operation on the display. A contact wheel, which contacts the hay bale and rotates as the bale is being formed, is rotationally attached to a measuring wheel. Alternatively, the contact wheel may itself comprise the measuring wheel. The rotation of the measuring wheel is monitored by a rotation detector which generates a hay bale measuring signal, and sends it to the control and display unit. The control and display unit generates a signal which indicates to the baler when it is time to tie off a bale of hay, based upon the measuring signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hay balers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a retrofittable measuring device to determine bale size for use in hay balers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hay balers are complicated mechanical devices designed to pick up previously cut hay in the field, form it into uniform bales, tie the bales, and drop the bales on the ground as the operator drives the hay baler at a reasonably uniform rate of speed. Modern hay balers are extremely complicated, requiring constant maintenance and adjustment to operate properly. One area which becomes uncalibrated particularly quickly are the mechanisms for measuring and forming uniform bales of hay.
A detailed description of the structure and operation of hay balers may be found in many sources. For example, refer to John Deere Operator Manual OME81606 (BALER 468), or AGCO Hesston Form Number 700 710 200 (4655 Square Baler). However, a brief discussion of the measuring and tying mechanisms on conventional hay balers will assist in understanding the current invention. FIG. 1 shows a string box 10 containing several balls 12 of string 15. The particular string box 10 shown in FIG. 1 contains six balls of string. The end of one ball of string is tied to the beginning of the next roll until three rolls are tied together, and the beginning of the first roll is threaded through several eyelet's 13 and a hole 14 before being provided to one of the two tying mechanisms. The other three rolls are similarly tied together, strung through separate eyelet's 13 and the other hole 14, and provided to the other tying mechanism.
FIGS. 2 and 3 show the measuring mechanism used in conventional hay balers. All conventional hay balers use approximately the same measuring mechanism, with some small changes. Measuring assembly 35 comprises trip arm 34, arms 36 and 38, arc 37, and stop collar 42. Star wheel 44 is connected to metering gear 45 via rod 46. Trip arm 34 moves into and out of contact with cam 22.
The measuring mechanism starts out in the configuration shown in FIG. 2, as the hay bale is being formed. Star wheel 44 contacts the top surface of the hay bale being formed. As the hay moves past, star wheel 44 turns counterclockwise, turning rod or shaft 46 connected to metering gear 45. Metering gear 45 causes arc 37 to move upward until the shaft moves into trip notch 40. This allows the measuring assembly 35 to move left and rotate clockwise slightly, except trip arm 34, which rotates counterclockwise, so that end 32 moves out of contact with dog 31, and reset roller 33 moves out of the way of protrusion 29. Spring loaded gear 20 begins to rotate counterclockwise. This is the configuration shown in FIG. 3
Gear 20 rotates counterclockwise one revolution. As it rotates, lower portion 23 of reset cam 22 forces reset roller 33 to the right, rotating trip arm 34 clockwise. This causes the measuring assembly to rotate clockwise back to its original position shown in FIG. 2. Metering gear 45 stops when it hits stop collar 42. Protrusion 29 on rim 28 moves roller 33 slightly upward, moving end 32 of arm 34 back into position to contact dog 31 and prevent gear 20 from rotating further.
Chain 26 engages with gear teeth 24, and is used to drive the knotting mechanism shown in FIGS. 4A-4F. In some hay balers, chain 26 is replaced by a gear for driving the knotting mechanism. The size of the hay bales is controlled by loosening stop adjustment 43, moving stop collar 42, and retightening stop adjustment 43. This method of determining hay bale size is inherently imprecise, and stop collar 42 is subject to jarring and vibrations which cause it to move while the baler is operating. Thus, hay bales from a short period of baling can vary in size so much they are difficult to stack.
FIGS. 4A through 4F show the bale tying process mechanically triggered by the rotation of gear 20. In FIG. 4A, the bale is being formed, and string 15 is held in string disk 49 by string holder 48. It is fed from string box 10. String 15 feeds down from string holder 49, over billhook 52, through guide 51, over the top of bale. Needle 60 holds the other end of string 15, pulling it around under the bale. In FIG. 4B, needle 60 brings the end of string 15 up through guide 51 and into string disk 49. In FIG. 4C, billhook 52 starts to rotate to the left, forming a loop of string around the hook. In FIG. 4D, billhook jaw 54 opens to receive the string as billhook 52 continues to rotate. In FIG. 4E, billhook jaw 54 closes to pull the knot tight, and knife 56 on knife arm 57 cuts the string. Needle 60 withdraws, pulling string 15 in place for the next bale. In FIG. 4F the severed ends of the string slide out of billhook 52.
A need remains in the art for improved retrofittable apparatus for measuring hay bales in hay balers.

Retrofit measuring device for a hay baler


A head for taking liquid samples and intended to be used in a sampling system associated with a nuclear fuel processing installation, includes a sampling tank (10) in which is removably received a needle body (16), which supports a sampling needle, to which can be fixed a vacuum sampling container (46). The needle body (16) has an extension (34) provided with holes, which surrounds the lower part of the needle (18) immersed in a cavity (26) of the sampling tank (10). The lower end (36) of said extension (34) seals a draining passage (32), which opens into the bottom of the cavity (26). This makes it possible to ensure a larger liquid quantity.

The invention relates to a sampling head comprising a needle, whose lower end is immersed in a liquid to be sampled and whose upper end is able to pierce a diaphragm sealing a vacuum sampling container, so that a given quantity of liquid is automatically sampled in said container under the suction effect caused by the vacuum prevailing within the container.
In certain industries, such as the chemical and nuclear industries, it may prove necessary to carry out analyses of liquids present in installations. This more particularly applies to certain radioactive liquids in nuclear fuel processing installations.
In order not to disturb the operation of the installation, punctual sampling takes place of the quantities necessary for these analyses. As described in FR-A-1,401,298 and FR-A-2,058,751, a known solution consists of using for this purpose a liquid sampling system having several sampling heads individually connected to different parts of the installation, so as to make it possible to take samples of different radioactive liquids. The sampling system also has a tool system installed in a glove box, which makes it possible to fix a diaphragm sealing the end of a vacuum container to the needle of one of the sampling heads. The latter are then arranged in circular manner to the bottom of a glove box, so that a tool fitted to a rotary plug arranged coaxially to said circle gives access to each of the sampling heads.
In a sampling system of this type, each sampling head comprises a sampling tank fixed in the bottom of the glove box and a removable needle body supporting the needle, which is fitted into a receptacle of the sampling tank. Below the receptacle the needle is immersed in a cavity formed in the sampling tank and at the upper end of which is open to an intake tube and a discharge tube for a fluid to be sampled. These two tubes connect the sampling head to the installation in which the fluid is to be sampled, so that said fluid circulates in the sampling head at least when a sample has to be made on said head. Moreover, a small cross-section passage connects the bottom of the cavity to one of the tubes, in order to permit the emptying or drainage of the cavity when the circulation of the liquid to be sampled in the sampling head is stopped.
In such a sampling head, the drainage passage issuing into the bottom of the cavity helps to create turbulence within the latter. Thus, instead of only sampling the liquid, it frequently occurs that the containers suck in a large amount of gas, so that the liquid quantity sampled in the container proves inadequate for the analyses to be carried out. However, it is not possible to avoid the existence of the draining passage, because the need to drain the cavity every so often is vital for the quality of the samples taken.

Liquid sampling head having a removable needle body immersed in a cavity

Cogema-Compagnie Generale Des Matieres Nucleires


An apparatus, system, and method for dynamic, distributed coordination of parameters between a plurality of base stations in a cellular telecommunication network. An inter-cell communication interface connecting each given base station with the given base station's neighboring base stations is extended to communicate parameter settings between the given base station and the neighboring base stations. An apparatus in each given base station receives from the given base station's neighboring base stations, parameter settings being utilized by the neighboring base stations for transmitting and/or receiving in associated neighboring cells. The apparatus utilizes the parameter settings received from the neighboring base stations as factors to determine local parameter settings for the given base station. The given base station then sends the local parameter settings and supplemental information to the neighboring base stations so that optimal network-wide parameter settings can be selected.

The present invention relates to cellular telecommunication systems. More particularly, and not by way of limitation, the present invention is directed to an apparatus, system, and method for dynamic, distributed coordination of parameters between a plurality of base stations in a cellular telecommunication network.
In a cellular network, it is sometimes necessary for each base station in the network to select a set of parameters that is uniquely distinguishable from those in use in the base station's immediate neighboring cells. For a downlink transmission, for example, each base station needs to transmit a locally unique Reference Signal (RS) to enable User Equipments (UEs) operating within the base station's cell to identify the cell and to synchronize to the downlink transmission. Each base station needs to select (or have assigned) an RS that is different from the base station's immediate neighboring cells. In another example, each base station may select (or be assigned) one of several frequency bands for transmission. If the same frequency band is only reused in other cells that are far away, inter-cell interference can be significantly reduced. This is the classical frequency planning methodology commonly practiced in second generation networks such as the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM).
There are also occasions when each base station may need to set a value to a parameter such as transmit power or radio radiation beam direction, in such a way that the setting is compatible with the settings of neighboring cells in order to optimize performance of the entire network.

Dynamic, distributed coordination of parameters in a cellular telecommunication network


A method of operating an induction distance sensor employs a sensor having a vane or tongue of magnetic material disposed movably between two inductive coils for changing their inductances in the opposite sense upon movement of the tongue. With respect to sensor signals U.sub.s and U.sub.e, the method employs the portion U.sub.sL of U.sub.s which is in phase with the imaginary part U.sub.eL of U.sub.e. Furthermore, the value U.sub.sL measured in this way is to be further increased by U.sub.e /U.sub.eL in order to compensate for the temperature influences on the ohmic resistances. Furthermore, the errors which can be caused by erroneous controls U.sub.e1 and U.sub.e2 are also corrected. For this purpose, the total voltage is applied at intervals to a reference sensor which consists of a precision resistance divider. In this way, the exact middle point M of the total voltage U.sub.e =U.sub.e1 and U.sub.e2 can be determined by measurement, and the middle-point voltage U.sub.m with respect to zero potential determined, which is divided into the real part U.sub. MR which is in phase with U.sub.e and the imaginary part U.sub.ML which lags behind it by 90.degree.. With the phase angle .alpha. between U.sub.eR and U.sub.eL, the correction value is EQU .DELTA.U.sub.sL =U.sub.MR .times.sin .alpha.+U.sub.ML .times.cos .alpha..

The present invention relates to a method of operating an inductive distance sensor in which a first coil is acted on by a defined sinusoidal voltage U.sub.e1 and a second coil, which is connected electrically in series with the first coil and is spaced from it, is acted on by a sinusoidal voltage of the same value but opposite phase U.sub.e2. An element of magnetic material, which may be shaped as a tang or tongue, changes its relative distance from the coils and thus their inductances L.sub.1 and L.sub.2, the tongue being positioned between the coils under the influence of a measurement variable. A voltage U.sub.s with respect to zero potential is tapped off between the coils to serve as a useful signal.
A distance sensor of this type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,070 wherein the tongue is mounted separately from the coils to a beam, such as a bogie beam, to move relative to the coils in response to a bending of the beam, the bending constituting the measurement variable. It is used, inter alia, to determine the state of load of airplanes in which the load is determined by the shear flexure of the wheel axles or other supporting parts of the landing gear. For the evaluation of the signal, use is made either directly of the voltage U.sub.s or else of the portion U.sub.se thereof which is of the same phase as U.sub.e1. In this connection, the result of the measurement can only be free of error if, on the one hand, the sinusoidal voltages U.sub.e1 and U.sub.e2 are exactly the same and precisely in phase opposition and, on the other hand, it can be assumed that the ohmic resistances in the two coil branches are exactly the same and do not change with temperature. Said conditions are not present in practice so that the signals obtained with such distance sensors are always subject to a greater or lessor error.
For uses in which the measurement error must not be greater than .+-.1%, it is, therefore, necessary to analyze the potential sources of error in order to seek possibilities of avoiding them or of compensating for them.
It is an object of the present invention to avoid errors connected to the use of U.sub.s or U.sub.se as measurement signal and to compensate for errors which are due to the ohmic resistances and their temperature-dependent change and are unavoidable despite careful manufacture and adjustment of the distance sensors. Furthermore, compensation is also to be effected of errors which result from the fact that U.sub.e1 is not precisely equal to U.sub.e2, that U.sub.e1 and U.sub.e2 are not precisely 180.degree. out of phase, and/or that he sinusoidal voltages U.sub.e1 and U.sub.e2 differ from the pre-established value.

Operation of inductive distance sensor by scaling output signal by vectorially obtained factor


A network master (M) having charge of an operation of a main device (L) and one or more network slaves (S1 to S3) each having charge of a safety determining device (A to C) for determining safety which is an operating permission condition of the main device (L) are connected on the network. Each network slave comprises means for selectively performing a first operation for transmitting information including data for maintenance of the safety determining device or both determination output of the safety determining device and data for maintenance of the safety determining device, to the network master and a second operation for transmitting information including the determination output of the safety determining device but not including the data for maintenance of the safety determining device at all or hardly including it to the network master. The first operation in the network slave is performed when the main device is in a stopped state and the second operation in the network slave is performed when the main device is in an operating state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety network system for organically connecting a main device such as a machine tool or the like in which operation safety measure is required, to a plurality of safety determining devices such as safety light curtains or the like which determine an operation safety condition or the like, and more particularly, it relates to a safety network system having high reliability in which aged deterioration of a safety determining device itself or the like can be appropriately managed without lowering responsibility of stopping a main device when a danger condition occurs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a case where a system having a main device such as a machine tool or the like in which operation safety measure is required and a plurality of safety determining devices such as safety light curtains or the like which determine an operation safety condition or the like is designed, when a network is intervened between those system components and a signal is transmitted or received by communication, the degree of design freedom of the system is improved as compared with a case where those components are directly connected without the network.
More specifically, a network master having charge of an operation of a main device and one or more network slaves having charge of a safety determining device for determining safety which is an operating permission condition of the main device are connected on the network. The network master comprises means for monitoring a determination output of each safety determining device through reception information from each network slave, and stopping the operation of the main device when danger is recognized based on the determination output of the safety determining device. Therefore, any safety determining device determines danger (a human body intrudes in an operation region of the main device or the like), the information (danger/safety) to the effect that is immediately transmitted from the network slave to the network master, and the main device is switched from an operating state to a stopped state by action of the network master.
In order to improve safety of the system, reliability of the safety determining device itself has to be secured. As the safety determining device, there are a safety light curtain, a safety door switch, a safety limit switch and the like. Since aged deterioration occurs in various kinds of transducers such as an output relay, a light emitting element, a light receiving element, a magnetic element and the like contained in the safety determining device, when the operation hours (or energized hours) or the number of operations reaches a predetermined value, the main device is stopped and maintenance such as exchange, repair and check is needed.
In order to appropriately manage a maintenance time of the safety determining device, it is necessary to know an operating condition of the safety determining device which is under the charge of each network slave, on the side of the network master. Therefore, it is necessary that the network slave inform the network master of data for maintenance (data for determining necessity of maintenance) such as the number of on-off times of an output, energized hours, record of malfunction detection and the like of each safety determining device.
When both on/off data (referred to as safety check data hereinafter) which shows whether the output from the safety determining device is safe or dangerous and data for maintenance are constantly transmitted from each network slave to the network master, the operating condition of each safety determining device can be constantly and accurately understood on the side of the network master.
However, since the amount of communication data is increased as the whole of the system, transmission of the safety check data is delayed and when any safety determining device detects human body intrusion or the like and outputs danger determination, response time while the main device is switched from the operating state to the stopped state is lowered.


In a substrate testing device, a testing unit acquires a tested result of a substrate by scanning of an electron beam. An alignment mark detecting unit optically detects an alignment mark on the substrate. A substrate position calculating unit calculates a substrate position within the substrate testing device from a position of the alignment mark. A position aligning unit aligns a position of the tested result with the calculated substrate position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate alignment mechanism and a substrate testing device having the substrate alignment mechanism and a substrate testing method, which is applicable to testing a TFT array substrate for use in flat panel displays such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the manufacturing process of flat panel displays such as liquid crystal display or organic EL display, a plurality of panels having a pattern of TFT array are usually formed on a glass substrate, and each panel is cut out from the glass substrate. In testing the flat panel displays, the glass substrate is tested, or the TFTs or pixels formed on the glass substrate are evaluated for the characteristics.
To test the TFT array formed on the substrate, the TFT array substrate is usually held on the stage.
In testing the TFT array, a repair operation is performed using the tested result, whereby it is required to determine a defect position accurately. Therefore, it is required that a substrate testing device locates a substrate to be tested at the same position every time. However, a substrate conveying mechanism such as a movable stage does not have an enough precision to meet the requirements. Though the mechanical alignment may be made to adjust the alignment, there is a limitation on the precision in the mechanical adjustment of alignment, whereby it is difficult to meet the necessary precision.
To make the alignment adjustment of the substrate, it is common that an alignment mark is provided on the substrate, and detected to determine the substrate position with respect to the substrate testing device. Since the substrate testing device with SEM tests the substrate employing the electron beam, the alignment mark may be detected by the scanning of the electron beam.
However, when the alignment mark is detected employing the electron beam, it may be difficult to detect the alignment mark accurately, depending on the material of the alignment mark. For example, when the alignment mark is made of an insulating material, there is a problem that the alignment mark is charged up due to irradiation with the electron beam, causing a failure such as discharge. Also, there is another problem that the alignment mark is difficult to distinguish from the substrate, because they are very close in the signal intensity and thereby the image contrast.

Substrate testing device and substrate testing method


In a power supply control apparatus for controlling turn-on/turn-off of power of a main power supply to a load via a switch section, a drive signal producing section produces a drive signal for controlling ON/OFF operations of the switch section, based on an activation signal output from an activating section. A standby power supply supplies operation power to the activating section 11 and the drive signal producing section. A power failure monitoring section produces an energization signal indicative of a result of monitoring of an output of the main power supply, and outputs the signal to the activating section. The activating section outputs the activation signal based on the energization signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power supply control apparatus and a power supply control method, and more particularly to a power supply control apparatus which controls turn-on/turn-off of a main power supply, and a power supply control method for the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an audio-visual apparatus such as a television receiver or a VCR, or a power apparatus such as an air conditioning apparatus, turn-on/turn-off of the power supply (main power supply) is controlled by using a remote controller. Under such conditions, recently, many techniques for improving the energy consumption efficiency, or attaining energy saving have been proposed. As a technique for saving a wasted electric power in a standby period of a remote control signal, for example, a standby power supply circuit comprising switching means, controlling means (a relay coil), a microcomputer, a solar battery, and the like has been proposed (for example, JP-UM-A-5-80077). In the technique of Patent Reference 1, a circuit system including the controlling means, a remote control receiver, and the microcomputer is powered by electric energy converted by the solar battery.
In order to save electric energy, a power-saving apparatus in which standby power of an electronic circuit for receiving a signal from a remote controller is saved, and a power-saving battery circuit is operated by a solar battery has been proposed (for example, JP-A-2000-232730). In the technique of JP-A-2000-232730, in order to attain power saving, the solar battery, an electric double layer capacitor, a latching relay, and the like are used.

Supply control apparatus and power supply control method


A technique for reducing the likelihood that a frequency detector will incorrectly assert control over a VCO because of metastable-induced errors involves qualifying frequency detector control signals by requiring multiple consecutive control signals that indicate the frequency detector should assert control over the VCO before the frequency detector is allowed to assert control over the VCO. In an embodiment, the frequency detector control signals are qualified by a series of full-swing library cell flip-flops.

Phase-locked loops (PLLs) are used in data communications and telecommunications applications to lock onto the frequency of a signal. In particular, PLLs are often used in serializer/deserializer (SerDes) applications. A typical PLL includes a phase detector, a charge pump, a loop filter, and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) that produces a VCO signal. A central component in ensuring signal lock is the phase detector. There are generally two classes of phase detectors, analog and digital. With a digital phase detector, if the frequency difference between the input and VCO signals is too large (typically greater than 1%), it is difficult for the PLL to achieve lock. Separate frequency detectors have been added to PLLs with digital phase detectors to ensure that the PLLs are able to achieve lock when the frequencies of the input and VCO signals are far apart (i.e., outside the capture range of the digital phase detector). The frequency detector of a PLL provides a frequency measurement of the VCO signal that is used to determine whether or not the frequency detector should assert control over the VCO signal. If the frequency detector is to assert control over the VCO signal, then the frequency detector is used to pull the frequency of the VCO signal close to a pre-established target frequency. Once the frequency of the VCO signal is within the capture range of the phase detector, control of the VCO is switched over to the phase detector.
One type of frequency detector, which is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/714,037, filed Nov. 14, 2003, and entitled PROGRAMMABLE FREQUENCY DETECTOR FOR USE WITH A PHASE-LOCKED LOOP, utilizes a counter that counts the transitions of the VCO signal over a known sampling period to measure the frequency of the VCO signal. The timing of the transition sampling is tied to an external reference clock that is not synchronized with the VCO signal. Because the reference clock signal and the VCO signal are not synchronized, it is possible that the rising edges of the VCO signal and the signal that enables the counter could coincide with each other and cause the counter to be driven into a temporary metastable state. The metastable state of the counter can cause the counter to have an inaccurate value at the end of the respective sampling period. If the metastable state causes the counter value to be higher or lower than it should have been at the end of the sampling period, then the inaccurate counter value could cause the frequency detector to assert control over the VCO signal even though the frequency of the VCO is within the established deadband region. Although metastable-induced errors would likely be rare, they are unacceptable in some applications.
One technique for controlling metastable-induced errors involves passing the counter enable signal through a series of flip-flops, which are driven by the VCO, before the enable signal is applied to the counter. Passing the counter enable signal through a series of flip-flops gives time for a metastable state to resolve itself before reaching the counter and ensures that the rising edges of the VCO and retimed enable signals do not coincide. A drawback to passing the counter enable signal through a series of flip-flops is that the performance requirements of the flip-flops dictate the use of high power flip-flops, such as common mode logic (CML) flip-flops. In addition to consuming relatively large amounts of power, high power flip-flops typically require a large area on an integrated circuit (IC) chip compared to full-swing library cell flip-flops. Additionally, buffer amplifiers are required because all of the flip-flops must be driven by the same VCO signal.
In view of the above, what is needed is a technique for operating a PLL that reduces the likelihood that the frequency detector will incorrectly assert control over the VCO because of metastable-induced errors.

Reducing metastable-induced errors from a frequency detector that is used in a phase-locked loop


Disclosed are tapered dielectric and conductor structures which provide controlled impedance interconnection while signal conductor lines transition from finer pitches to coarser pitches thereby obviating electrical discontinuities generally associated with changes of circuit contact pitch. Also disclosed are methods for the construction of the devices and applications therefore.

The overall performance of high speed electronic systems operating in the multi-gigabit per second range is ultimately dependant on the signal integrity of the transmitted data. The first steps in controlling signal integrity are made in the design of the circuit. Choices made in terms of circuit layout, the materials used and the general architecture of the complete assembly will all have impact on the quality of the transmitted electronic signal. One of the major concerns in maintaining signal integrity is to assure that the signal encounters as few parasitic effects and electrical discontinuities as possible. One solution would be to have all signals in an electronic system be made by means of coaxial cable connections to provide and maintain a fully shielded conductor path having unvarying characteristic impedance through its entire path. However, this solution is impractical and too expensive for most electronic products. In place of coaxial cables, microstrip and stripline interconnection paths are constructed to control the impedance and provide a measure of shielding. While these solutions have worked well for the industry for some years, as the electronics industry transitions into the gigahertz frequency due to the continuing advance of semiconductors processing, the old methods must be either replaced with new ones or the old methods must be modified to accommodate the changes needed. This is especially true as signals from the IC chip start out at a very fine pitch (i.e. circuit or contact width and spacing) and must from there graduate to the coarser pitches required for next level assembly. These transitions are normally characterized by junctions that are abrupt as the signal moves from one part of the interconnection chain to the next and, depending on the speed of the signal, these transitions can have profound effects on the signal integrity, manifest in the form of reflections and ringing in the circuit. Thus as circuit speeds climb, there is need for new approaches to design of interconnections from the chip through the interconnection chain, which will provide relief from those current design features and elements that degrade circuit performance.

Tapered dielectric and conductor structures and applications thereof


In various embodiments, a rigid lens is attached to a light-emitting semiconductor die via a layer of encapsulant having a thickness insufficient to prevent propagation of thermal expansion mismatch-induced strain between the rigid lens and the semiconductor die.

The output powers, efficiencies, and lifetimes of short-wavelength ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV LEDs), i.e., LEDs that emit light at wavelengths less than 350 nm, based on the nitride semiconductor system remain limited due to high defect levels in the active region. These limitations are particularly problematic (and notable) in devices designed to emit at wavelengths less than 270 nm. Most development effort has been carried out on devices formed on foreign substrates such as sapphire where defect densities remain high despite innovative defect reduction strategies. These high defect densities limit both the efficiency and the reliability of devices grown on such substrates.
The recent introduction of low-defect, crystalline aluminum nitride (AlN) substrates has the potential to dramatically improve nitride-based optoelectronic semiconductor devices, particularly those having high aluminum concentration, due to the benefits of having lower defects in the active regions of these devices. For example, UV LEDs pseudomorphically grown on AlN substrates have been demonstrated to have higher efficiencies, higher power and longer lifetimes compared to similar devices formed on other substrates. Generally, these pseudomorphic UV LEDs are mounted for packaging in a "flip-chip" configuration, where the light generated in the active region of the device is emitted through the AlN substrate, while the LED dies have their front surfaces bonded to a polycrystalline (ceramic) AlN submount. Because of the high crystalline perfection that is achievable in the active device region of such devices, internal efficiencies greater than 60% have been demonstrated. Unfortunately, the photon-extraction efficiency is often still very poor in these devices, ranging from about 4% to about 15% achieved using surface-patterning techniques.
For several reasons, the photon extraction efficiency from short-wavelength UV LEDs is poor compared to visible LEDs. Thus, the current generation of short-wavelength UV LEDs has low wall-plug efficiencies (WPE) of, at best, only a few percent, where WPE is defined as the ratio of usable optical power (in this case, emitted UV light) achieved from the diode divided by the electrical power into the device. The WPE of an LED can be calculated by taking the product of the electrical efficiency (ηel), the photon extraction efficiency (ηex), and the internal efficiency (IE); i.e., WPE=ηel×ηex×IE. The IE itself is the product of current injection efficiency (ηinj) and the internal quantum efficiency (IQE); i.e., IE=ηinj×IQE. Thus, a low ηex will deleteriously impact the WPE even after the IE has been improved via the reduction of internal crystalline defects enabled by, e.g., the use of the AlN substrates referenced above as platforms for the devices.
Several issues can contribute to low photon-extraction efficiency. First, even the highest-quality AlN substrates available generally have some absorption in the UV wavelength range, even at wavelengths longer than the band edge in AlN (which is approximately 210 nm). This absorption tends to result in some of the UV light generated in the active area of the device being absorbed in the substrate, hence diminishing the amount of light emitted from the substrate surface. Additionally, UV LEDs suffer because approximately half of the generated photons are directed toward the p-contact and absorbed by the p-GaN of that contact. Even when photons are directed toward the AlN surface, only 9.4% can escape from an untreated surface due to the large index of refraction of the AlN, which results in a small escape cone. Additional photons are lost on their way to the exit surface due to absorption in the AlN wafer. These losses are multiplicative and the average photon extraction efficiency is only about 2.5%.
In typical LED fabrication, the large difference in the index of refraction between the LED structure and air (and resulting lack of photon extraction) can be greatly ameliorated by using an encapsulant with an intermediate index of refraction. Specifically, many conventional designs feature a "dome" of the encapsulant material disposed over and at least partially surrounding the LED (and subsequently cured by a thermal treatment). The encapsulation increases the critical angle of total internal reflection through the top surface of the semiconductor die, which has led to significant improvements in photon-extraction efficiency for visible LEDs.
To further improve photon-extraction efficiency, attempts have been made to attach optical elements to LEDs using either an encapsulant or an adhesive. An advantage of utilizing such an optical element is that the light emitted by the diode may be directed outward in a more precise way (i.e., as defined by the shape and properties of the optical element). However, optical elements and LEDs generally have different coefficients of thermal expansion, which may result in damage to the LED or the bonding material as the LED heats up during operation. Thus, generally quite thick encapsulant layers have been utilized in order to mitigate the effects of this thermal-expansion mismatch and prevent propagation of thermal expansion mismatch-induced strain between the LED and the optical element.
Unfortunately, LED encapsulants and adhesives are generally organic and/or polymeric compounds featuring carbon-hydrogen bonds (and/or other interatomic bonds) that are easily damaged by UV radiation, leading to degradation of the encapsulant or adhesive. The degradation is particularly severe with exposure to UVC radiation (i.e., radiation at wavelengths less than 300 nm). Thus, using an encapsulant to improve photon extraction is typically ineffective with UV LEDs. And although UV-resistant encapsulants have been developed, even these compounds exhibit degradation upon exposures far less than the desired service lifetime of UV LEDs. For example, the Deep UV-200 encapsulant available from Schott North America, Inc. of Elmsford, N.Y., exhibits a 15% drop in transmittance for 300 nm light after only 1000 hours of exposure.
Thus, there is a need for an easily implementable approach to effectively increase the photon-extraction efficiency from UV LEDs that overcomes the lack of stable encapsulants that are transparent to UV radiation, particularly UVC radiation. Such an approach would desirably enable high transmittance and reliability of UV LEDs without significant degradation over the intended service lifetime of these devices, e.g., approximately 10,000 hours or even longer.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Photon extraction from nitride ultraviolet light-emitting devices


A syringe structure is arranged for use in application of a stream of paint onto a support surface for use by artisans and the like in application of a viscous paint fluid onto various surfaces. The syringe structure includes a tubular body and plunger, with a forwardmost end of the tubular body including removably mounted applicator tips of various sizes.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to paint application structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved paint applicator syringe wherein the same is directed for the use of various sized tips removable mounted relative to a body for application of various sizes of paint streams onto a support surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Syringe structure of various types are utilized in the prior art and typically, syringes are of a medical utilization such as indicated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,484,915; 4,533,962; 4,650,468.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by providing for a syringe structure particularly directed to the application of a viscous fluid through variously sized nozzles and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A vehicle reservoir tank has an anti-spill chamber and an overflow channel. The anti-spill chamber has a body portion, an inlet at one end of the body portion and an outlet at another end of body portion. The anti-spill chamber is configured and arranged to restrict fluid flowing from a main reservoir chamber. The overflow channel has a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate curved portion. The first end portion is fluidly coupled to the outlet of the anti-spill chamber. The intermediate curved portion extends from the first end portion to the second end portion such that the second end portion of the overflow channel extends downwardly relative to the first end portion. The second end portion extends along an area of the body portion of the anti-spill chamber to restrict the flow from the anti-spill chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a vehicle reservoir tank. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vehicle reservoir tank that prevents the spilling of fluid during vehicle movement.
2. Background Information
Currently, most automotive vehicles use a "water cooled" internal combustion engine. Typically, an engine coolant (liquid) is forcefully circulated by a water pump through a cooling circuit that includes an engine coolant jacket of the engine and an air cooled radiator. The cooling circuit is also typically provided with a vehicle reservoir tank, which is fluidly connected to the radiator, which then provides the engine coolant to the engine. Some vehicle reservoir tanks have an overflow port to prevent the fluid from flooding components of the vehicle.
During vehicle movement, such as transportation of vehicles to a dealer, the vehicle is often tilted and jostled such that the coolant in the reservoir tank is sloshed around and sometimes spills out of the overflow spout. Thus, the coolant or fluid in the vehicle reservoir tank can unnecessarily spill out of the overflow spout. This can result in a loss of coolant as well as a mess in the engine compartment. If too much coolant is loss than a thermal incident can occur when operating the vehicle. Moreover, if the coolant is not cleaned up from the engine compartment after a coolant spill, then a coolant odor can occur during operation of the vehicle.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved vehicle reservoir tank that prevents unnecessary spillage of fluid during vehicle movement. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc.


The invention concerns lachrymal plugs, and methods for setting said devices. It concerns a lachrymal plug (10) designed to be inserted in the lachrymal canaliculi (5), said plug, optionally provided with an axial duct, comprising on its outer walls flexible elements (11) foldable on said walls to enable the plug to be inserted in the lachrymal duct and adapted to straighten up once the lachrymal plug is set, so as to maintain the latter in position. The invention generally concerns means for controlling the flow of tears running from the surface of the eye towards the nasal cavity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to lachrymal plugs and methods for positioning these devices.
The present invention is generally directed to controlling the flow of tears running from the surface of the eye towards the nasal cavity.
2. Discussion of Background Information
The normal functioning of the human eye requires that its outer surface be constantly covered with a lubricating film constituted by tears, that ensure both rinsing and protection due to the natural anti-infectious antibiotics that they contain. They are produced by a series of glands located in the eyelids and about the periphery of the eye.
The deficiency in maintaining the stability of this film on the eyeball can cause various nuisances, such as stinging, irritations, burning sensations and sight deterioration in the case of dryness on the eye surface.
Tears are produced continuously, the excess of fluid being drained from the eyeball surface 1 through two point openings constituting the upper 2 and lower 3 lachrymal points located near the inner corner of the eye and communicating with ducts known as canaliculi 4, 5, that lead to a lachrymal sac 6 that opens out into the nasal cavity 7. The lachrymal points 2, 3 are capable of opening or closing in the manner of a sphincter-type muscle, so as to ensure controlling the flow of the fluid (FIG. 1).
The lack of lachrymal fluid on the eyeball is generally due to a deficiency of the productive glands, which can be caused by age or by other factors.
It is possible to improve the situation by acting on the lachrymal ducts by completely or partially blocking them.
In particular, permanent blockage, possibly by surgery (cauterization, laser) of the lachrymal ducts, can be a method for treating tear-related deficiencies. When the flow of tears in the nasolachrymal sac is thus prevented, the volume of remaining tears generates greater moisture.
This method has the drawback of being irreversible, barring a new surgical intervention. To overcome this, removable devices capable of being positioned in a lachrymal duct and removed without surgical intervention have been proposed. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,137, filed by "EAGLE VISION," describes a device for controlling the lachrymal fluid that blocks the flow of this fluid originating from the surface of the eye, and comprising an inverted truncated cone-shaped end portion and a head provided with a widened dome. The end portion is arranged to facilitate the positioning of the device through a point opening, and the widened dome prevents the complete penetration of the device into the vertical portion of the canaliculus through the point opening.
Nevertheless, this type of device has risks of accidental migration or expulsion. Furthermore, it requires a special apparatus for positioning and extraction, and it does not allow increasing the flow of the lachrymal fluid.
International Publication No. WO 98/33461, filed by Mr. Alain Foueré, co-Applicant of the present application, describes a screwable meatus plug adapted to be implanted in the lachrymal points, and constituted of a substantially cylindrical body whose lateral surface comprises a helical threading, similar to that of a screw allowing to position it or remove it by screwing or unscrewing, the meatus plug comprising, or not, an axial through duct allowing the passage of a predetermined flow of lachrymal fluid.
However, this implant allows intervening only on the lachrymal points 2, 3, and not on the other parts of the tear flow system, such as the canaliculi 4, 5 (see FIG. 1).
Given their design, the dimensions of known systems must be adapted to the morphology of each patient, which requires a more or less wide range of prostheses of each type, resulting in an increase of the manufacturing and storing costs.

Lachrymal plugs and methods for setting same


Novel compositions of matter comprise certain derivatives of 9,9-dialkyl fluorene diamine (AFDA). The resultant compositions, whether compositions of matter or monomers that are subsequently incorporated into a polymer, are unique and useful in a variety of applications. Useful applications of AFDA-based material include heavy ion radiation shielding components and components of optical and electronic devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the synthesis and use of novel compositions of matter derived from 9,9-dialkyl fluorene diamine (AFDA). The resultant compositions are unique and are useful in a variety of applications, such as heavy ion radiation shielding components and as components for optical and electronic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fluorene is an important component in materials applications ranging from composite building materials to organic electronics. An important feature of fluorene is that it has two locations, the bridge carbon and the aromatic rings, where various species can be attached. For example, amine groups can be placed on the aromatic rings, such as in the case of the commercially available 2,7-diaminofluorene which is commonly used in the synthesis of larger molecules and polymers.
A problem generally associated with fluorene containing molecules is their insolubility resulting from fluorene being a rigid molecule. Due to the insolubility, the addition of alkyl chains on the fluorene at the nine position (bridge carbon) is a common method for enhancing the solubility of other fluorene containing materials. For example, fluorenes containing borate ester and halogen substitution on the rings commonly contain alkyl chains at the 9 position to enhance solubility. However, the use of alkyl side chains on fluorene diamine has never been demonstrated.
Materials possessing the combined features of structural integrity and shielding against heavy ion radiation (HIR) will be required for future manned space missions. Spacecraft and space habitats are continually bombarded with small amounts of HIR, and in some instances large doses are encountered during certain events such as solar flares. HIR is dangerous to living systems and electronics and must therefore be attenuated to ensure mission safety and longevity. Hydrogen is recognized as the best element for absorbing HIR and high hydrogen content polymers, such as polyethylene, are currently used as shielding materials. However, high hydrogen content polymers are typically not good building materials and can only be used as parasitic cladding. In contrast, aromatic polymers, which contain lower amounts of hydrogen, are good structural materials and could serve as the structural components in spacecraft and space habitats. An ideal material for use in space would be a polymer composition that contains sufficient hydrogen content (aliphatic) for radiation shielding and sufficient aromatic character for structural integrity.

Aromatic/aliphatic diamine derivatives for advanced compositions and polymers

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


A multi-path device includes a plurality of communication paths being defined between a plurality of first transceivers and one second transceiver. Each communication path contains at least one repeater. Each signal transmission from the first transceiver to the second transceiver contains an identifiable copy of an identical signal copy over each communication path. There is a signal quality determining portion associated with the second transceiver for determining the quality of the signal copy received by the second transceiver via each of said communication paths. A communication path limiting portion controls the strength of each communication path based upon said signal quality determining portion. It is envisioned that this device may use a CDMA communication protocol.

Two problems that occur in communication systems are referred to as dropout and fade. These problems arise in multi-path systems, wherein a signal proceeds to a receiver along a plurality of communication paths of different transmission lengths, with the received signal being a composite of different signals having randomly varying delays and amplitudes.
One approach to dealing with these multi-path problems is described in the article "A Communication Technique For Multi-Path Channels" by R. Price and P. E. Green, Jr. (Proceedings of the IRE, March 1958, pages 555-570). These authors describe a system that performs a continuous, detailed measurement of a single multi-path characteristic. This knowledge is then exploited to combat the effects of multi-path fading. Specifically, selective fading is treated by first detecting the individual echo signal, and then adding the signals using an appropriate algebraic correlation technique. Inter-symbol interference is dealt with by reinserting different delays into the various detected echoes. This system is referred to as a "Rake" system.
In general, the purpose of the Rake system is to equalize the signal dispersion from a single transmitter through an ionospheric multi-path medium, thereby reducing the inter-symbol interference and improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The Rake system is applicable to a multipath system which has a large number of incremental delays resulting from the different conditions in each of the paths. It necessitates lengthy tapped delay lines with a large number of taps, to compensate for the equally large number of multiple paths. Furthermore, the Rake signals have no significant Doppler spread, and the length of the tapped delay line is significantly shorter than the length of an information bit. As a result, the Rake system is not suitable for use in communication systems where the time and the frequency of the received signal varies greatly.
The journal article "Increased Capacity Using CDMA For Mobile Satellite Communication", by K. S. Gilhousen et al. (IEEE Journal on Selected Areas In Communications, vol. 8, No. 4, May 1990, pages 503-514) describes the performance of a spread-spectrum (SS) Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communication system in a mobile satellite environment. These authors mention (page 506) that multiple satellites provide a further method for improving CDMA capacity by combining the coherent signals that are transmitted between a terminal and all satellites in view.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,307, issued Feb. 13, 1990, entitled "Spread Spectrum Multiple Access Communication System Using Satellite Or Terrestrial Repeaters", K. S. Gilhousen et al. describe a communication system that provides marginal isolation between different user communication signals. The marginal isolation is provided by simultaneously generating multiple steerable beams using a single omni-directional antenna with polarization enhancement. Power control devices are used to adjust the output power, either in accordance with their input activity level, or with a minimum allowable power level for maintaining a communication path. In col. 32 it is stated that satellite or terrestrial based repeaters provide a variety of communication paths which compensate for Doppler Shifts and multi-path problems, to provide an increased reliability of the communication path.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,626, issued Aug. 3, 1993, S. A. Ames discloses a "Repeater Diversity Spread Spectrum Communication System" (incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). This communication system utilizes multi-path spread spectrum radio techniques, and which utilizes at least one linear communications repeater for each of those paths. In this disclosure, the term "linear" as relating to repeaters is defined as a repeater which is powered in such a manner as to provide an output which is within the linear range of all of its components, and will not experience excessive signal distortions within the power range applied to the repeater. In the Ames system, all of the repeaters are normally configured to transmit at their full power even when one of the repeaters is blocked or otherwise unusable. This continuous, full power transmission expends considerable repeater energy, which is of particular concern in satellite based repeaters.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,840, issued Mar. 3, 1992, D. L. Schilling discloses an apparatus for adaptive-power control of a spread-spectrum transmitter of a mobile station operating in a cellular communications network. This adaptive power control only regulates a signal over a single path, and is not applied to more than one path.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,109, issued Oct. 8, 1991, Gilhousen illustrates a multi-path CDMA transmission system, configured for cellular telephones, incorporating a power control system which adjusts the strength of a transmission signal (in cell-site 12), depending upon variation in the signal power. There is only one transmitting antenna which transmits the signal to each cell-site 12, or repeater.
The prior art illustrates a progression of multi-path spread spectrum systems capable of providing increasing levels of signal transmission quality. However, none of the above systems utilizes a multi-path spread spectrum system which also provides a mechanism to limit future transmissions of signal copies over a particular communication path based on signal quality.
One of the prime considerations in satellite applications is energy expenditure and conservation. If a multiple communication path system (the term "communication path" is defined in this disclosure as a combination of a first transceiver, a second transceiver, and at least one repeater) could be constructed that consumes less average overall energy while transmitted data with equivalent reliability, then smaller and/or lighter repeaters could be utilized, which would result in smaller and/or lighter satellites.

Multipath communication system optimizer


The present invention provides a project optimization software tool in which a single window in a graphical user interface serves as a tool for planning future actions, reviewing past actions, organizing meetings and launching executable software tools. A project pathway window supports: 1) the listing and viewing of sequences of pathway steps, which, if accomplished, lead towards a defined project goal, 2) the ability to link software tools to those pathway steps, and launch the software tools for execution, 3) the creation of meeting agendas, each of which may encompass several pathway steps, without demoting the included pathway steps, and 4) the marking of the status of pathway steps.

In the personal computer software market, there have long been four main areas of software development: word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and graphic design/drawing. More recently, there has been a proliferation of offerings in three other areas:
1. groupware, a category of software designed to help people work together, of which Lotus Development Corporation's Notes.RTM. package is an example, PA1 2. personal information managers (PIM's), which help people organize their schedules, appointments, lists of things to do, etc., and PA1 3. diagramming tools, such as flowcharting packages. PA1 1. Project teams, formed to conceive and implement process improvements, become overly concerned with the use of the improvement/management tools available to them, and lose sight of long-term objectives. PA1 2. Meeting agendas and minutes, as well as progress reports, create heavy paperwork burdens. PA1 3. Data collected about processes are often incomplete or flawed, and analysis is, therefore, prone to error. PA1 4. Many standard quality improvement tools are very tedious when used manually.
The expansion of software development activity indicates an ongoing endeavor to harness the power of the computer to help people work more effectively and efficiently, both as individuals and as team members. This endeavor is spurred not only by economic necessity, but by advances in the theory of organization management. Management experts indicate that as much as 50% of the work performed in organizations is unnecessary. Many case studies demonstrate that this waste can be cut dramatically by using modern total quality management (TQM), process reengineering, and strategic planning methods.
These methods typically require the cooperation of several people from various departments within an organization; in many cases a formal team is organized specifically to improve a work process or solve a problem. The work of problem-solving or process improvement generally benefits from a systematic approach, involving a cycle or cycles of diagramming processes, analyzing root causes, seeking creative solutions, choosing promising ideas, testing them, collecting and analyzing data, and instituting the changes that work best.
In many ways, this systematic approach to work improvement is derived from the scientific method described by Francis Bacon, and later by John Dewey. The modern theorists who have had the most influence on this type of work have been W. Edwards Deming and Joseph Juran. Deming and Juran have propounded detailed cycles of systematic effort to improve processes, but organizations have tended to modify their suggestions to suit their own needs, leading to a multiplicity of methods which are in active use in all sectors of the economy.
However, organizations which employ these methodologies encounter a fairly consistent set of constraints or problems, including the following
A number of software developers supply software packages designed to reduce or eliminate one or more of these constraints. However, none of these software packages provides thorough utility to overcome the constraints listed above.
As common in all projects requiring the use of several distinct software tools, project organization is lacking. For example, it is very difficult for the project team to keep track of the overall project during its progression. Moreover, organizing work files becomes a daunting task when several or numerous members of a project team must access several software tools.
It is, therefore, very desirable to develop a project organization and optimization tool that provides thorough utility to support quality improvement activities. More generally, it is desirable to develop a project organization and optimization tool for use in projects including one or more process steps involving the use of one or more specific, executable software tools.

Project organization and optimization tool and method of use thereof