Described are devices used to manufacture or assemble firearm ammunition using either new or used metallic cartridge cases. Specifically, these devices combine the necessary means to trim cartridge cases to a predetermined length while removing burrs and chambering both the inside and outside of the case mouth, removing cartridge case material used to crimp primers into the cartridge case by swaging, cutting the cartridge case primer pocket to a predetermined depth, chambering both the inside and outside surface of the cartridge case flash hole, and trimming the wall thickness of the cartridge case neck to a uniform dimension, all with the same device and by a manner that increases convenience and accuracy over any other means currently available.

This invention relates to devices used to manufacture or assemble firearm ammunition using either new or used metallic cartridge cases. Specifically, this invention combines the necessary means to trim cartridge cases to a predetermined length while removing burrs and chambering both the inside and outside of the case mouth, remove cartridge case material used to crimp primers into the cartridge case by swaging, cutting the cartridge case primer pocket to a predetermined depth, chambering both the inside and outside surface of the cartridge case flash hole, and trimming the wall thickness of the cartridge case neck to a uniform dimension, all with the same device and by a manner that increases convenience and accuracy over any other means currently available.
Description of Prior Art
Numerous machines have been invented to perform the necessary steps to recondition and reuse fired cartridge cases. During the physical act of firing a modern firearm using metallic cartridge cases, the case expands slightly due to the high pressure contained inside the cartridge case. The case is contained on all but one surface by the firearm""s chamber so that the projectile is forced to leave the cartridge case and travel through the barrel to the muzzle and towards its intended target by the intense pressure released or generated by the propellant. Once the firing process has concluded, the now empty cartridge case may be removed from the firearm and either discarded or reused.
It is standard accepted practice to resize or swage the cartridge case into a metallic die to reform the case to its proper dimensions, which were distorted by the high pressures generated during the previous firing. When the cartridge case is resized, the diameters of the case are reduced slightly so the case may then be reinserted into a firearm""s chamber without interference. Without resizing, the cartridge case may not enter a chamber and function as intended. While the resizing process reduces the diameters of the case along its main axis, the material displaced lengths the cartridge case along the major axis of the case. Typical values of overall length increase range from 0.002xe2x80x3 to 0.015xe2x80x3 per firing and resizing sequence. When using the existing known art to resize a cartridge case, the additional length appears at the mouth of cartridge case. It is then necessary to remove the excess material before reusing the case.
To remove this excess material from the cartridge case mouth, some type of mechanical process is used to cut the material off of the cartridge case while leaving the head of the case undisturbed. Typical devices currently used include the use of a rotating cutter(s) acting on a fixed case held by the case head, rotating cutter(s) acting on a fixed case held by some type of gage or die, rotating cutter(s) acting on a case inserted into some type of fixed gage or die, or files used to remove the case material exposed above a gage surface. These devices all leave the cartridge case mouth in full contact with the cutting device until manually removed. Most of these current devices also leave burrs along the freshly cut surface of the case mouth, which must be removed to safely reuse the cartridge case. If the burrs are not removed from both the inside surface and outside surface of the case neck before a projectile is inserted in the cartridge case, then into a firearm""s chamber, excessive force may be applied to the projectile by the chamber walls acting like a clamp or collet holding device restricting its ability to leave the cartridge case and cause increased pressures inside the firearm chamber.
While many devices exist to trim the excess material from a resized metallic cartridge case, none are known to index the cartridge case to the cutting surfaces and remove the case from the cutting surface automatically or prevent the case from contacting the cutting surface without some action, namely physically moving the cutter and case away from each other.
Accordingly it is an object of this invention to trim the mouth of resized cartridge cases to the desired overall length by indexing the case off some known repeatable point of the case other than the case head, chamber the case mouth edges on both the inside and outside and outside surfaces, and automatically withdraw the case from the cutting blade when additional manual force is not applied. The cutting of material from the case neck stops when the cartridge case has engaged the case holder assembly and the moving portion of the case holder assembly reaches a mechanical stop. Withdrawing the case from the cutting surface occurs when the manual pressure applied to the case during the trimming process is removed. A spring device lifts the cartridge case away from the cutting surface until the user applies some pressure to the case to force the case towards the cutting surface, and away from the cutting surface once the user added pressure is removed.
To reuse cartridge cases that have had the primer swaged or staked in place, it is necessary to first remove the used primer and recondition the primer pocket to remove the material displaced by the swaging process. Without removing this material, a new cartridge primer cannot be inserted properly because the exposed edge of the primer pocket is dimensionally smaller than the remaining depth of the pocket and the outside diameter of a new primer. Existing devices used for this process are typically one of two types, those cutting material from the case, and those that swage the material back away from the cartridge case primer pocket using a mechanical force. With either device it is desirable, for more accurate ammunition, to make the finished primer pocket as uniform in dimension as possible and with a flat bottom in the primer pocket perpendicular to the cartridge case main axis. By using a mechanical cutting device to remove the displaced material away from the primer pocket and cut the bottom of the primer pocket flat, the overall dimensional accuracy of the finished primer pocket is higher than with a swaging type device. The overall dimensional uniformity from case to case in a given lot of cartridges will greatly influence the accuracy potential of the cartridges when fired. Ammunition prepared with cartridge cases using uniformed primer pockets will be generally yield a smaller dispersion around an aiming point, a very desirable feature for users trying to achieve the utmost in accuracy.
Other devices exist for removing the excess material and cutting the bottom surface of the primer pocket, but typically are two step devices. One step is to remove the excess material, and another to cut the flat surface of the pocket. One other device is known to exist the combines these two steps into one process. While there are several known tools to remove the excess material and uniform the bottom of the primer pocket, none are known to be combined with a cartridge case trimmer that automatically removes the case from the cutting surface.
To facilitate more uniform ignition of propellant inside a cartridge case typically yields a more accurate cartridge. Accordingly, it is common practice to remove any burrs present around the opening inside a cartridge case between the primer pocket and the inside of the cartridge. This passage is typically known as the flash hole. If burrs are present on either side of the flash hole, the flame released from the primer upon detonation may not enter the cartridge case main body to ignite the propellant in an even manner. Propellant ignited from an even axially centered flash produces more uniform ignition and combustion than that ignited by a flash entering the cartridge case main body in some random orientation. As is seen with uniforming primer pockets, ammunition prepared with cartridge cases having the flash hole surfaces deburred will typically yield a smaller dispersion than those without the benefit of the deburring process. Typically known devices for deburring the flash hole of cartridge cases use a small metal cutting bit to chamber the edge of the flash hole from both the inside and outside of the case. This will remove any burrs remaining from the punching process typically used in the manufacture of cartridge cases.
There are several known varieties of tools used to deburr the flash hole of a cartridge case, but none are known to be combined with the previously mentioned devices that can automatically remove the cartridge case from the cutting action.
Metallic cartridge cases are typically manufactured by a deep drawing process to extrude the basic shape and form of the cartridge case from a strip of brass alloy material. During the initial forming and subsequent resizing for reuse, the wall of the cartridge case neck can become uneven or non-uniform in thickness. Cartridge cases with a case neck of uneven thickness can affect the case""s ability to release the projectile during the firing process. By removing the additional material around the case neck and making the case neck wall thickness more uniform, the initial movement of the projectile out of the cartridge case is more properly aligned with the bore of the barrel. By aligning the projectile closer to the true axis of the barrel, the projectile""s path down the barrel and to its intended target is straighter and more accurate. Existing devices to remove this excess material all use some type of cutting blade aligned perpendicular to the axis of the cartridge case and support the case neck by use of a mandrel inside the case neck. The purpose of the mandrel is to ensure the case neck wall thickness is uniform and aligned with the axis of the case. If the excess material in the cartridge case neck is removed without supporting the case neck very close to the cutting action, the case neck will deflect away from the pressure of the cutting tool and an uneven surface will result. Known devices exist that use an automated feature of the device to move the cutter across the surface of the case neck parallel to the axis of the cartridge case and others use hand pressure to move the cutting across the surface. This procedure can be accomplished by rotating the cartridge case around a fixed cutting blade and mandrel assembly or by the cutting blade and mandrel rotating around a fixed cartridge case held in place.
While there are several known varieties of devices to accomplish trueing, turning, or shaving the cartridge case neck, none are known to combine this with trimming the overall length of the case, removing the staked or swaged material from a primer pocket, uniforming the primer pocket size, shape, and depth, and deburring the flash hole of a cartridge case into one device or with the ability to withdraw the case from the cutting surfaces automatically.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to trim the overall length of a cartridge case and remove burrs on both the inside surface and outside surface of the case mouth at the same time, remove excess material from the cartridge case primer pocket, uniform the cartridge case primer pocket size, shape, and depth, deburr the flash hole of a cartridge case, and true, turn or shave the cartridge case neck with one device by the using interchangeable accessories on a single device. Another object of the present invention is to withdraw the case from the cutting surfaces of each operation by using a case holding device that will move the case when the manual pressure used to hold the cartridge case in the cartridge case holder assembly is removed.
In one embodiment of the invention, a base is constructed to hold and position body housing bearings, a rotating shaft, cartridge case positioning device, a power source, and control device. This base will allow the orientation of the devices mounted to the base to changed easily from horizontal to vertical without any additional parts or necessary modifications. The bearings in the body housing support the rotating shaft aligned axially with a removable cartridge case position device. A power source, positioned also on the base, drives the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft has provisions to mount interchangeable sections on the end opposite the driving device. Each different interchangeable section may be attached to the end of the rotating shaft and are designed to perform a one or more of the functions described above. The removable cartridge case holder has an internal profile closely matching the specific caliber of cartridge desired and the portion of the cartridge case to be inserted, and is constructed in such a manner as to lift the cartridge case away from any device attached to the rotating shaft when not acted upon by some force. Some interchangeable cartridge case holders are intended to position a case with the neck of the case presented to the rotating shaft, others are intended to position a case with the head presented to the rotating shaft.
When trimming a cartridge case using the invention, a case is inserted into the case holder by hand while the power source drives the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is equipped with the case trimming interchangeable section holding a cutting blade that has surfaces positioned to remove material from the overall length of the case, as well as remove burrs or chamber both the inside and outside surfaces of the case mouth. The case holder is designed to allow the cartridge case to be inserted into the inner portion until some surface of the case contacts a mating surface inside the inner portion of the case holder and the case neck projects beyond the surface of the case holder. Once the case is in contact with the inner portion of the case holder, the inner portion and case move together towards the cutting blade and against a spring contained in the space between the inner and outer portions of the case holder assembly. A final mechanical stop is formed between the inner and outer portions of the case holder assembly. Once these two surfaces meet, the cartridge case cannot move toward the cutting blade any further. As the case mouth contacts the rotating cutting blade, excess material is removed and the edges of the case mouth are chambered. Once the rotating blade has removed the material desired, the cases is then released and the captive spring will life the case and inner portion of the case holder away from the rotating cutting blade. If the unit is positioned with the rotating shaft in a vertical orientation, any debris created by the removal of the excess material will fall away from the case holder and case, falling into the chamber created by the body and cover around the cutting blade. If the device is positioned with the rotating shaft in a horizontal position, any debris from the cutting action can fall into the inner portion of the case holder assembly when the case is removed from the device. If the debris is not removed before the next case is inserted into the case holder assembly, it is possible to falsely index the case to the cutting surfaces by resting on the debris and not the intended inner surface of the case holder.
When using the invention to remove the material swaged into the primer pocket, a case is inserted into the case holder by hand while the power source drives the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is equipped with the primer pocket deswaging interchangeable section holding a cutting blade that has surfaces positioned to remove material from the edge of the cartridge primer pocket. The case holder is designed to allow the cartridge case to be inserted into the inner portion until some surface of the case contacts a mating surface inside the inner portion of the case holder and positioning the head of the case towards the cutting blade. Once the case is in contact with the inner portion of the case holder, the inner portion and case move together towards the cutting blade and against a spring contained in the space between the inner and outer portions of the case holder assembly. As the primer pocket edges of the case contact the rotating cutting blade, excess material is removed and the edges of the primer pocket are chamfered. Once the rotating blade has removed the material desired, the case is the released and the captive spring will lift the case and inner portion of the case holder away from the rotating cutting blade. If the unit is positioned with the rotating shaft in a vertical orientation, any debris created by the removal of the excess material will fall away from the case holder and case, falling into the chamber created by the body and cover around the cutting blade.
When using the invention to cut the primer pockets of several cases to a uniform set of dimensions, a case is inserted into the case holder by hand while the power source drives the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is equipped with the primer pocket uniforming interchangeable section holding a cutting blade that has surfaces positioned to remove material from the sides and bottom of the cartridge case primer pocket. The case holder is designed to allow the cartridge case to be inserted into the inner portion until some surface of the case contacts a mating surface inside the inner portion of the case holder and positioning the head of the case towards the cutting blade. Once the case is in contact with the inner portion of the case holder, the inner portion and case move together towards the cutting blade and against a spring contained in the space between the inner and outer portions of the case holder assembly. As the primer pocket surfaces contact the rotating cutting blade, excess material is removed and the primer pocket is uniformed. Once the rotating blade has removed the material desired, the case is the released and the captive spring will life the case and inner portion of the case holder away from the rotating cutting blade. If the unit is positioned with the rotating shaft in a vertical orientation, any debris created by the removal of the excess material will fall away from the case holder and case, falling into the chamber created by the body and cover around the cutting blade.
When using the invention to remove any burrs and chamber the edges of a cartridge case flash hole, a case is inserted into the cases holder by hand while the power source drives the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is equipped with the flash hole deburring interchangeable section holding a cutting blade that has surfaces positioned to remove material from the edge of the cartridge case flash hole. The case holder is designed to allow the cartridge case to be inserted into the inner portion until some surface of the case contacts a mating surface inside the inner portion of the case holder and the case neck projecting beyond the surface of the case holder. Once the case is in contact with the inner portion of the case holder, the inner portion and case move together towards the cutting blade and against a spring contained in the space between the inner and outer portions of the case holder assembly. As the edges of the flash hole contact the rotating cutting blade, excess material is removed and the edges of the edges of the flash hole are chamfered. Once the rotating blade has removed the material desired, the case is the released and the captive spring will lift the case and inner portion of the case holder away from the rotating cutting blade. If the unit is positioned with the rotating shaft in a vertical orientation, any debris created by the removal of the excess material will fall away from the case holder and case, falling into the chamber created by the body and cover around the cutting blade.
When using the invention to true, turn or shave excess material from a cartridge case neck wall, a case is inserted into the case holder by hand while the power source drives the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is equipped with the case neck turner interchangeable section holding a cutting blade that has surfaces positioned to remove material from the outer surface of the cartridge case neck while supporting the case neck with a mandrel inside the case neck. The case holder is designed to allow the cartridge case to be inserted into the inner portion until some surface of the case contacts a mating surface inside the inner portion of the case holder and the case neck projecting beyond the surface of the case holder. Once the case is in contact with the inner portion of the case holder, the inner portion and case move together towards the cutting blade and against a spring contained in the space between the inner and outer portions of the case holder assembly. As the outer surface of the case neck contact the rotating cutting blade, excess material is removed and the case neck wall thickness is turned to uniform thickness. Once the rotating blade has removed the material desired, the case is the released and the captive spring will lift the case and inner portion of the case holder away from the rotating cutting blade. If the unit is positioned with the rotating shaft in a vertical orientation, any debris created by the removal of the excess material will fall away from the case holder and case, falling into the chamber created by the body and cover around the cutting blade.
This invention has alternate embodiments with a rotating shaft configured to only trim cartridge cases or deswage primer pockets or uniform primer pockets or deburr primer pocket flash holes or neck turn cartridge case necks and not perform the other functions listed above by using a rotating shaft without the interchangeable sections, i.e. dedicated function devices rather than a multiple function device, but still automatically withdraw the case from the cutting surface when manual pressure is not applied. Another alternate embodiment of the invention uses a variable speed power source. This will allow the user to set the speed of the rotating shaft and attached cutting surfaces of the speed best suited for the operation performed.
These and other features of the present invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art from a review of the following detailed description along with the accompanying drawings.


A personal electronic device protective wallet covering. A main housing is dimensioned to fit securely and snugly around a personal electronic device. The main housing includes a window disposed on a front side of the housing allowing usable access to a front surface of a device disposed in the housing. A rear protective face at least partially covers a rear surface of the device disposed inside. A preferably externally accessible pocket is formed coextensively with the rear protective face, adapted to allow insertion and removal of cards or paper currency into and out of the pocket in the manner of a wallet. The window may be an absence of housing material, allowing direct user contact with the front of the device, or it may thin and transparent, allowing functional contact therethrough. The pocket may be formed between the housing and the device or between the housing and an additional layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to protective coverings for personal digital/data assistants (PDAs), cellular telephones, and similar portable and/or hand-held electronic devices. More specifically, the invention relates to protective coverings for PDAs that are capable of also carrying other items as well as the PDA.
2. Description of Related Art
In many countries, the majority of the population carries at least one hand-held or otherwise portable electronic device, such as a cell phone, a PDA (e.g., a Blackberry®, made by Research in Motion, Ltd., of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, and/or an iPhone®, made by Apple, Inc., of Cupertino, Calif.), or similar device which carries both their personal and business data (hereinafter collectively and generically "PDAs" or "personal electronic devices"). There has been a trend towards combining several functions of different types within the same device so as to minimize pocket or purse clutter and to make the products more integrated, useful and convenient. There has also been a trend to shrink the size of PDAs to make them as portable as possible, preferably pocket-sized (meaning, able to fit within the average person's pants pocket comfortably).
However, if one is out and about with one's cell phone or PDA, one still must carry a wallet for one's cash, credit cards, train passes, identification cards or badges, and the like. The greater the number of such items a person carries around, the greater the likelihood that she will either forget one or more of the items at home, and the greater the likelihood that she will misplace one in a restaurant, bar, office, etc. Even were one not to lose or misplace anything, fumbling around looking for a wallet while holding a PDA or vice versa wastes time, is uncomfortable for the user, and reduces the "cool" factor of having a cutting edge PDA. There is a long-felt need to somehow make carrying a PDA even more convenient and efficient.
A number of different types of protective coverings are available for PDAs. For example, see: US Patent Application No. 2007/0223183 to Oja; US Patent Application No. 2007/0215663 to Chongson et al.; US Patent Application No. 2002/0101411 to Chang; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,892,880 to Nieves; 6,758,335 to Kajiya; 6,483,697 to Jenks et al.; 6,445,577 to Madsen et al.; 6,347,796 to Grossman et al.; 6,239,968 to Kim et al.; 5,348,347 to Shink; or 5,006,699 to Felkner et al.
These conventional coverings tend to fall into four general categories: a soft covering or "skin" that hugs the contour of the PDA, made from a resilient material such as silicone rubber; hard shell cases made from plastic or metal; flip/folio-style coverings that provide an openable and closeable front cover over the PDA; and camera-case style bags that are usually soft, pliable, cushioned, and significantly larger than the PDA itself.
Each of these categories has its drawbacks. The first category, the "skin" covering, is quite popular, however it serves only to cover the device; it cannot hold anything else.
The second category, hard clamshell-style cases, includes the abovementioned Chang US patent application and the abovementioned Kajiya, Madsen, Jenks, and Kim et al. US patents. While these cases may protect the PDA inside, they must be fully opened in order to use the PDA. Also, these cases are not designed to hold anything but the PDA itself.
The third category is flip/folio-style cases; this category includes the abovementioned Oja US patent application and the abovementioned Nieves, Grossman, Shink, and Felkner US patents. As with the clamshell cases, a cover flips open and closed over the PDA, usually with a securing mechanism such as a snap, a magnet, or hook and loop fasteners (e.g., Velcro®). In order to use the PDA, the cover must be opened, thereby exposing the front of the device. This is inconvenient. Additionally, the presence of a flip-openable cover adds such a significant amount of bulk to the otherwise pocket-sized PDA so as to render it less convenient to carry. As an example, the Shink patent teaches a diaper-bag-like roll that has not one fold-over flap of a cover but four fold-over panels. Also, the majority of this style of case can only hold the PDA itself, although some such as Felkner, Nieves, and Shink may have an internal pocket. By providing a pocket internal to the case, the case must be opened in order to access the pocket. This is inconvenient, and risks injury to the PDA for the sake of accessing the pocket.
Finally, the fourth category of camera-bag-style coverings includes the abovementioned Chongson et al. US patent application. This style likely offers the most protection (depending on the amount of cushioning provided), however it is potentially the most dangerous and the least convenient. For one, not only cannot the user use the PDA when the bag is closed, the PDA must be wholly removed from the safety of the bag in order to be used. Thus, in order to use the PDA, the user must render the PDA complete susceptible to catastrophic damage (e.g., by dropping it). Moreover, the bag-style covering is so large as to render the PDA no longer so small to be convenient; for example, in Chongson, the bag is so large, the user must wear the bag with the PDA inside. It is no longer pocket-sized, and thus unacceptable for many users; one may as well carry a backpack or a suitcase.
Thus, there is a long-felt need to provide a PDA cover that protects the device, and makes the device more convenient and efficient, while keeping true to the pocket-sized portable and personal nature of a PDA.

Protective covering for personal electronic device


Techniques for improved wake-up signal (WUS) operation in a wireless communication system are described. In accordance with one embodiment, a wireless communications device may receive, from a gNB, information indicating parameters associated with a wake-up signal time window and may power down its first receiver and second receiver based on a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle. The wireless communications device may wake up the second receiver to receive, from the gNB, a wake-up signal during a configured WUS time window and determine whether a wake-up or a non-wake-up condition is indicated. If a wake-up condition is indicated, then the wireless communications device may wake up the first receiver before an on duration of the DRX cycle to synchronize timing with the gNB, detect a new radio physical downlink control channel (NR-PDCCH) during the on duration of the DRX cycle, and reset a size of the wake-up signal time window.

3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) TR 38.913—Study on Scenarios and Requirements for Next Generation Access Technologies; (Release 14), V0.2.0—defines scenarios and requirements for New Radio (NR) technologies. The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for eMBB, URLLC and mMTC devices are summarized in Table 1 below.
TABLE 1KPIs for eMBB, URLLC and mMTC DevicesDeviceKPIDescriptionRequirementeMBBPeak data ratePeak data rate is the highest theoretical data rate20 Gbps forwhich is the received data bits assuming error-freedownlink andconditions assignable to a single mobile station,10 Gbps forwhen all assignable radio resources for theuplinkcorresponding link direction are utilized (i.e.,excluding radio resources that are used for physicallayer synchronization, reference signals or pilots,guard bands and guard times).MobilityMobility interruption time means the shortest time0 ms for intra-interruptionduration supported by the system during which a usersystemtimeterminal cannot exchange user plane packets withmobilityany base station during transitions.Data PlaneFor eMBB value, the evaluation needs to consider all4 ms for UL,Latencytypical delays associated with the transfer of the dataand 4 ms forpackets in an efficient way (e.g. applicableDLprocedural delay when resources are not pre-allocated, averaged HARQ retransmission delay,impacts of network architecture).URLLCControl PlaneControl plane latency refers to the time to move from10msLatencya battery efficient state (e.g., IDLE) to start ofcontinuous data transfer (e.g., ACTIVE).Data PlaneFor URLLC the target for user plane latency for UL0.5msLatencyand DL. Furthermore, if possible, the latency shouldalso be low enough to support the use of the nextgeneration access technologies as a wireless transporttechnology that can be used within the nextgeneration access architecture.ReliabilityReliability can be evaluated by the success1-10-5probability of transmitting X bytes (1) within 1 ms,within 1 ms.which is the time it takes to deliver a small datapacket from the radio protocol layer 2/3 SDU ingresspoint to the radio protocol layer 2/3 SDU point of theradio interface, at a certain channel quality (e.g.,coverage-edge).NOTE1: Specific value for X is FFS.mMTCCoverage"Maximum coupling loss" (MCL) in uplink and164dBdownlink between device and Base Station site(antenna connector(s)) for a data rate of [X bps],where the data rate is observed at the egress/ingresspoint of the radio protocol stack in uplink anddownlink.UE BatteryUser Equipment (UE) battery life can be evaluated15yearsLifeby the battery life of the UE without recharge. FormMTC, UE battery life in extreme coverage shall bebased on the activity of mobile originated datatransfer consisting of [200 bytes] Uplink (UL) perday followed by [20 bytes] Downlink (DL) fromMaximum Coupling Loss (MCL) of x number dB,assuming a stored energy capacity of [5 Wh],ConnectionConnection density refers to total number of devices106 devices/km2Densityfulfilling specific Quality of Service (QoS) per unitarea (per km2). QoS definition should take intoaccount the amount of data or access requestgenerated within a time t_gen that can be sent orreceived within a given time, t_sendrx, with x %probability.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example of discontinuous reception (DRX) cycles and user equipment (UE) behaviors 100. In Long-Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE Advanced (LTE-A), a UE in RRC_CONNECTED state may monitor the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) to get a downlink transmission grant for it to receive downlink data on the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH). The Connected state DRX procedure is introduced in LTE/LTE-A standards to achieve UE power saving. A DRX cycle comprises of an On Duration 190 and a DRX period. During On Duration 190, a UE monitors the PDCCH for a grant. Whenever a grant is received 191, the UE starts an Inactive Timer. The UE keeps monitoring the PDCCH 195 until the Inactivity Timer expires 197 or is stopped by a MAC command. The UE then enters a DRX period (e.g., the Short DRX cycle 193 or Long DRX cycle 196 in which the UE may go into the sleep mode 192, 194 to save power). During the sleep mode 192, 194 portions of the DRX period, the UE may power down its receiver.
FIG. 2 is a diagram of an example DRX cycle in which no grant is received 200. A DRX cycle in which no grant is received is the Connected Mode DRX (CDRX) state 201. A DRX cycle where a grant is received is considered an Active state. In CDRX cycles, the UE may perform the following: wake up from a sleep 202; spend the time and energy on ramp-up 203 from sleep 202; monitor the PDCCH for ON duration 204; ramp down 205; and go back to sleep 202.
R1-1700820, UE Power Evaluation for DRX with Wake-Up Signaling, Qualcomm Incorporated, provides the following summary of the modem power states:
Modem PowerStatesDescriptionActive: PDCCH-Assuming DRX is configured and UE is in connectedonlymode, this state corresponds to the condition that UE's(Inactivity timerinactivity timer has started and not expired. For theactivated and notpurpose of this analysis, the associated ON duration isexpired)also considered part of this state. The UE ismonitoring PDCCH by decoding within the searchspace every subframe (SF), but there is no grant. If theUE is capable of microsleep, it would go into briefsleep until the next subframe.Active: DataAssuming DRX is configured and UE is in connected(Inactivity timermode, for which UE is active, similar to the aboveactivated and notstate, but UE gets a grant for data (PDSCH orexpired)PUSCH).CDRXAssuming DRX is configured and UE is in connected(ON-duration-onlymode, this state corresponds to UE going through acycle)"grant-less" CDRX cycle (which includes ONduration followed by sleep duration). UE does notreceive any grant during the ON duration, so itsinactivity timer does not trigger.
FIG. 3 is a diagram of examples of modem power states time weight distributions 300. In the example of FIG. 3, the YOUTUBE Time Weight Distribution example includes time for CDRX 301, active: PDCCH only 302, and active: data 303. The GOOGLE HANGOUT Time Weight Distribution example includes time for CDRX 306, active: PDCCH only 304, and active: data 305. The Web-browsing Time Weight Distribution example includes time for CDRX 309, active: PDCCH only 308, and active: data 307.
The following aspects of the UE energy consumption and power saving feature in NR have been discussed for 5G NR in current 3GPP efforts: studying the impact of UE downlink (DL) reception energy consumption and considering the total power consumption focusing on DoU, e.g., UE decoding power consumption in the physical layer DL control blind decoding in lack of grant, in the slot with the data, in the data reception process, in the measurement, and in the synchronization signal (SS); and studying UE power reduction techniques.
FIG. 4 is an example of a Wake-up Signal (WUS) without a grant during the DRX cycle 400. Wake-up Signals along with CDRX have been discussed as potential solutions for further reducing UE power consumption. In the example of FIG. 4, a gNB (i.e. a next generation NB) may send a WUS 401, 402 to a UE before the start of the ON duration 404 of the DRX cycle 405 as indicated by the WUS signal offset 403. The UE may wake up only its low-power WUS receiver to detect the WUS 401, 402. The main receiver of the UE may remain off to save power. The WUS may indicate to the UE whether it should expect a grant during the upcoming ON duration 404. If no grant is expected, the UE may go back to sleep and skip the ON duration. If the energy expended to receive the WUS is substantially lower than the energy to get through the ON duration, power consumption for that CDRX state may be reduced. Because there may be benefits for using a WUS, such as reduced UE power consumption, there is a need for WUS design for NR.


A family of new crystalline molecular sieves designated SSZ-91 is disclosed, as are methods for making SSZ-91 and uses for SSZ-91. Molecular sieve SSZ-91 is structurally similar to sieves falling within the ZSM-48 family of molecular sieves, and is characterized as: (1) having a low degree of faulting, (2) a low aspect ratio that inhibits hydrocracking as compared to conventional ZSM-48 materials having an aspect ratio of greater than 8, and (3) is substantially phase pure.

Because of their unique sieving characteristics, as well as their catalytic properties, crystalline molecular sieves and molecular sieves are especially useful in applications such as hydrocarbon conversion, gas drying and separation. Although many different crystalline molecular sieves have been disclosed, there is a continuing need for new molecular sieves with desirable properties for gas separation and drying, hydrocarbon and chemical conversions, and other applications. New molecular sieves may contain novel internal pore architectures, providing enhanced selectivities in these processes.
Molecular sieves have distinct crystal structures which are demonstrated by distinct X-ray diffraction patterns. The crystal structure defines cavities and pores which are characteristic of the different species.
Molecular sieves are classified by the Structure Commission of the International Zeolite Association according to the rules of the IUPAC Commission on Zeolite Nomenclature. According to this classification, framework type zeolites and other crystalline microporous molecular sieves, for which a structure has been established, are assigned a three letter code and are described in the "Atlas of Zeolite Framework Types" Sixth Revised Edition, Elsevier (2007) and the Database of Molecular sieve Structures on the International Zeolite Association's website (http://www.iza-online.org).
The structure of a molecular sieve can be either ordered or disordered. Molecular sieves having an ordered structure have periodic building units (PerBUs) that are periodically ordered in all three dimensions. Structurally disordered structures show periodic ordering in dimensions less than three (i.e., in two, one or zero dimensions). Disorder occurs when the PerBUs connect in different ways, or when two or more PerBUs intergrow within the same crystal. Crystal structures built from PerBUs are called end-member structures if periodic ordering is achieved in all three dimensions.
In disordered materials, planar stacking faults occur where the material contains ordering in two dimensions. Planar faults disrupt the channels formed by the material's pore system. Planar faults located near the surface limit diffusion pathways otherwise required in order to allow feedstock components to access the catalytically active portions of the pore system. Therefore, as the degree of faulting increases, the catalytic activity of the material typically decreases.
In the case of crystals with planar faults, interpretation of X-ray diffraction patterns requires an ability to simulate the effects of stacking disorder. DIFFaX is a computer program based on a mathematical model for calculating intensities from crystals containing planar faults. (See, M. M. J. Treacy et al., Proceedings of the Royal Chemical Society, London, A (1991), Vol. 433, pp. 499-520). DIFFaX is the simulation program selected by and available from the International Zeolite Association to simulate the XRD powder patterns for intergrown phases of molecular sieves. (See "Collection of Simulated XRD Powder Patterns for Zeolites" by M. M. J. Treacy and J. B. Higgins, 2001, Fourth Edition, published on behalf of the Structure Commission of the International Zeolite Association). It has also been used to theoretically study intergrown phases of AEI, CHAand KFI molecular sieves, as reported by K. P. Lillerud et al. in "Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis", 1994, Vol. 84, pp. 543-550. DIFFaX is a well-known and established method to characterize disordered crystalline materials with planar faults such as intergrown molecular sieves.
The designation ZSM-48 refers to a family of disordered materials, each characterized as having a one-dimensional 10-ring tubular pore system. The pores are formed of rolled up honeycomb-like sheets of fused tetrahedral 6-ring structures, and the pore aperture contains 10 tetrahedral-atoms. Zeolites EU-2, ZSM-30 and EU-11 fall into the ZSM-48 family of zeolites.
According to Lobo and Koningsveld, the ZSM-48 family of molecular sieves consists of nine polytypes. (See J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 13222-13230). These materials have very similar, but not identical, X-ray diffraction patterns. The Lobo and Koningsveld paper describes their analysis of three ZSM-48 samples provided by Dr. Alexander Kuperman of Chevron Corporation. Each of the three samples, labeled Samples A, B and C, respectively, were prepared using three different structure directing agents. Comparative Examples 2 and 3 herein below correspond to Samples A and B described in the Lobo and Koningsveld paper.
The Lobo and Koningsveld paper describes Sample A as being polytype 6, and Sample B as being a faulted polytype 6. The paper further describes the morphology of Sample A as consisting of needle-like crystals having a diameter of ˜20 nm and a length of ˜0.5 μm. The morphology of Sample B consisted of long, narrow crystals having a width of ˜0.5 μm and a length of 4-8 μm. As indicated in Comparative Examples 2 and 3 below, the scanning electron microscopy images for Samples A and B are presented herein in FIGS. 3 and 4.
Kirschhock and co-workers describe the successful synthesis of phase-pure polytype 6. (See, Chem. Mater. 2009, 21, 371-380). In their paper, Kirschhock and co-workers describe their phase-pure polytype 6 material (which they refer to as COK-8) as having a morphology consisting of long needle-like crystals (width, 15-80 nm; length, 0.5-4 μm) with a very large length/width ratio, growing along the interconnecting pore direction.
As indicated in the Kirschhock paper, molecular sieves from the ZSM-48 family of molecular sieves consist of 10-ring, 1-dimensional pore structures, wherein the channels formed by the interconnected pores extend perpendicular to the long axis of the needles. Therefore, the channel openings are located at the short ends of the needles. As the length-to-diameter ratio (also known as aspect ratio) of these needles increases, so does the diffusion pathway for the hydrocarbon feed. As the diffusion pathway increases, so does the residence time of the feed in the channels. A longer residence time results in increased undesirable hydrocracking of the feed with a concomitant reduction in selectivity.
Accordingly, there is a current need for ZSM-48 molecular sieves which exhibit lower degree of hydrocracking over known ZSM-48 molecular sieves. There is also a continuing need for ZSM-48 molecular sieves which are phase pure or substantially phase-pure, and have a low degree of disorder within the structure (a low degree of faulting).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Molecular sieve SSZ-91, methods for preparing SSZ-91, and uses for SSZ-91


The invention concerns a movable object, e.g. a roll of printed products (1) with a winding core (2) onto which printed products are wound with the help of a winding tape (3). The inventive movable object carries data stored in an integrated circuit (23) and an antenna, whereby the data can be read or overwritten respectively without contact by a reading/writing device with a main reading direction (L). The antenna is designed as an antenna loop (5) with a gap, whereby the ends of the loop (5) are contacted with the integrated circuit which is e.g. arranged on a connecting piece and whereby an antenna area is defined by the antenna loop (5). The object is positionable relative to the reading/writing device (10) such that the main reading direction (L) penetrates the antenna area vertically or obliquely.

In the most varied areas of applications such as fabrication, maintenance, analysis, stock keeping etc. it is desired more and more to equip movable objects with automatically readable identification means. Such identification means is e.g. used for automatic identification of the objects. Automatically readable identification means are e.g. markings readable with optical means or electronically stored data.
Optical markings are e.g. bar codes. Reading of such optical identification means is carried out without contact, whereby a reading distance and a reading angle must be maintained within a given range and whereby the marking must be visible, i.e. not separated from the reading equipment by a non-transparent medium.
Electronically stored data is e.g. stored in a corresponding integrated circuit which circuit is attached to the object to be identified. For reading the stored data, this kind of circuit is contacted by a reading device or by a probe of such a device or it comprises an antenna and the stored data are read without contact by a appropriately equipped reading device. Circuit, antenna and reading device can be designed such that the data which is stored in the circuit can not only be read by the device but can also be overwritten (reading/writing device) and also such that the energy required in the circuit for reading or overwriting is transmitted from the device to the circuit without contact such that no special source of energy (e.g. battery) is required for the circuit on the movable object.
In contrast to the optical markings, electronically stored data can take over a controlling function as well as an identifying function, i.e. with the help of such data suitably equipped devices can be triggered directly.
For data communication with contact, the reading/writing device and the object are to be brought into a precisely defined relative position. Data communication without contact is possible in more or less freely selectable relative positions of object and reading/writing device depending on the design of circuit, antenna and reading/writing device. However, in a system with a large freedom concerning the position of the reading/writing device it is more difficult or no longer possible without further means to restrict the data communication to one specific object or to functionally couple a locality with an object (for localizing objects and/or for control functions to be taken over by objects being present in one specific position).

Movable object carrying electronically stored data to be read and or/overwritten by a non-contact reading/writing device


A valve arrangement is provided for an exhaust gas recirculation device of an internal-combustion engine. The engine has at least one inlet and at least one outlet. The recirculation device includes an inlet on the internal-combustion engine outlet side, an outlet on the internal-combustion engine inlet side, and several, particularly two flow paths extending between the inlet and the outlet and being parallel at least in areas. The valve arrangement has a first control element and a second control element for automatically regulating/controlling fluid flow flowing between the inlet and the outlet and automatically regulating/controlling the distribution of this fluid flow between the several flow paths. A common actuator is provided for operating the first control element as well as the second control element.

The invention relates to a valve arrangement for an exhaust gas recirculation device of an internal-combustion engine with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, having an inlet on the internal-combustion engine outlet side, an outlet on the internal-combustion engine inlet side, and several, particularly two, flow paths extending between the inlet and the outlet and being parallel at least in areas. The valve arrangement has a first control element and a second control element for automatically regulating/controlling the fluid flow flowing between the inlet and the outlet and automatically regulating/controlling the distribution of this fluid flow between the several flow paths.
The exhaust gas recirculation (AGR) is a measure for reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) particularly in the case of internal-combustion engines and is significant mainly in the case of lean-operation internal-combustion engines. In this case, a partial exhaust gas flow will be admixed again in an automatically regulated/controlled manner to the internal-combustion engine on the intake side by way of a flow duct via an exhaust gas recirculation valve.
The admixing of fuel gas can take place in front of or into the combustion chamber. The resulting mixture of fuel gas and exhaust gas has a lower useful heat value relative to the volume and therefore no longer reaches the temperature in the combustion chamber of the internal-combustion engine that is required for the formation of NOx. The exhaust gas recirculation normally takes place in the partial load range.
An improved NOx reduction can be achieved when the exhaust gas is cooled before the admixing to the fuel gas. This cooling takes place particularly in the case of higher-power engines, in which case an exhaust gas recirculation cooler is used. Further advantages are achieved when not only the recirculated exhaust gas flow as a whole but also its cooling can be automatically regulated/controlled.
From German patent document DE 10 2006 000 348 A1, an arrangement for the recirculation of exhaust gas is known which has an inlet on the side of the internal-combustion engine outlet, an outlet on the side of the internal-combustion engine inlet, and two parallel flow paths extending between the inlet and the outlet. One flow path includes an exhaust gas recirculation cooler, while the other flow path forms a bypass for bypassing the exhaust gas recirculation cooler. For automatically regulating/controlling the entire exhaust gas flow flowing between the inlet and the outlet, an exhaust gas recirculation valve is provided; an automatic regulating/controlling of the distribution of the recirculated exhaust gas between the two flow paths and thus of the cooling takes place by way of a cooling valve.
In this case, it is a disadvantage that, in addition to the two valve control elements, also the corresponding periphery, in particular including actuators, additional outputs at an internal-combustion engine control unit, cable harness taps, is required.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a valve arrangement of the concerned type, in which particularly an additional actuator, additional outputs on an internal-combustion engine control unit, and cable harness taps, can be eliminated. Such an arrangement should require only little space and be distinguished by a good tightness of the control elements in the closed condition and by high flow rates when the control elements are maximally opened.
This object is achieved by a valve arrangement for an exhaust gas recirculation device of an internal-combustion engine including at least one inlet and at least one outlet, having an inlet on the internal-combustion engine outlet side, an outlet on the internal-combustion engine inlet side, and several, particularly two, flow paths extending between the inlet and the outlet and being parallel at least in areas. The valve arrangement has a first control element and a second control element for automatically regulating/controlling the fluid flow flowing between the inlet and the outlet and automatically regulating/controlling the distribution of this fluid flow between the several flow paths. According to the invention, a common actuator is provided for actuating the first control element as well as the second control element.
The actuator can preferably be adjusted between a first actuator end position and a second actuator end position. An actuator starting position is provided which is situated between the first and the second actuator end position, particularly at least approximately in the center between the first actuator end position and the second actuator end position. In this case, starting from the actuator starting position, an actuation is made possible in the direction of the first actuator end position and in the direction of the second actuator end position.
During an actuation starting from the actuator starting position in the direction of the first or the second actuator end position, it is particularly advantageous for the first control element and the second control element to be actuated successively and/or simultaneously. Here, an actuation of the first and of the second control element can take place in different fashions. Likewise, it is advantageous, during an actuation starting from the actuator starting position in the direction of the first actuator end position, to actuate only the first control element or only the second control element, and during an actuation in the direction of the second actuator end position, to actuate only the respectively other control element. Also, an actuation of only the first control element during an actuation starting from the actuator starting position in the direction of the first or the second actuator end position offers special advantages.
The first control element and/or the second control element are expediently acted upon by spring force in the closing direction, so that by way of the actuator an actuation takes place in the opening direction, and in the closing direction the first and/or the second control element follows the actuator in a manner acted-upon by spring force. By way of this arrangement, a fail-safe function is also ensured. Likewise, it is considered to be useful for the first control element and/or the second control element to be restrictedly guided in the opening and in the closing direction. In this case, the closing force does not depend on the force of a spring, but is also applied by the actuator and the corresponding control element follows the actuator not only in a force-locking but also in a form-locking manner.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, a first transmission device is provided between the actuator and the first control element, and a second transmission device is provided between the actuator and the second control element. The transmission devices are used for converting the actuator movement into a movement of the control elements, and in each case permit transmission ratio profiles especially adapted to the requirements.
In the case of a valve arrangement in which the actuator is a rotary drive, preferably the first transmission device and/or the second transmission device is suitable for converting a rotatory movement to a linear movement.
It is very advantageous for the first transmission device and/or the second transmission device to have at least one gate and at least one driving device interacting with the latter. In this context, a "gate" is also an element driving a driving device, even though no or at least no significant relative movement takes place between the driving device and this element.
It was found to be particularly useful that, by way of the second transmission device, a discontinuous movement transmission is achieved between the actuator and the second control element, so that the second control element will not always be actuated when the actuator is operated.
It is also advantageous for the first transmission device and/or the second transmission device to have a toothing with an input and an output toothing.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention of the valve arrangement, the second control element is acted upon by spring force in a bistable manner in the direction of an opening or a closing position. The second control element is therefore acted upon by a force in the direction of the opening or closing position, in which case, for example, during actuation starting from the opening position, first an actuation takes place against the (decreasingly effective) spring force; then a neutral dead center is reached in which the spring force is not active in the opening or closing direction, and then, as a result of the spring force, a "snapping over" takes place in the direction of the closing position. In the reverse direction, the bistable control element will act correspondingly.
By means of the actuator and the second transmission device, the second control element can expediently be displaced in a dead-center-overriding manner between the opening position or a closing position.
The second transmission device preferably includes transmission elements having play and a force-type connection which changes as a function of the actuating direction, so that a hysteresis is achieved. When the dead center is exceeded, an actuation of the second control element is therefore obtained caused by the spring force while passing through the play, independently of an actuator movement. During an opening movement, a correlation of movements between the actuator and the control element exists that is different than during a closing movement.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Valve arrangement for an exhaust gas recirculation device

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A control system for a rechargeable battery including at least two electrochemical generators electrically connected by a power line. The system includes a protection unit and at least two control units respectively connected to the terminals of each electrochemical generator. Each control unit is designed to measure at least one operating parameter pertaining to the generator and to command the protection unit by transmission of carrier currents on the power line. The control system dispenses with the master processor for commanding the battery protection units and reduces the connecting wires by dispensing with the measurement leads designed to transmit the measurements of the operating parameters of each generator to the master processor.

The invention relates to the field of rechargeable batteries comprising a plurality of electrochemical generators connected to each other in series and/or in parallel by a power line. The invention relates more particularly to the field of battery operation control systems.
A control system can monitor the charge and discharge status of the battery, as well as the temperature and/or the current in each electrochemical generator. Each electrochemical generator constitutes an independent module that can be discharged so that the battery supplies the electrical power required by a given application, for example an electric vehicle. Moreover, the battery can be recharged to increase the stored capacity in each electrochemical generator. A power line connects the generators to each other and ends in terminals designed for connection to the application.
The voltage measured at the terminals of a battery can be representative of the charge status of the electrochemical generators (or accumulators) that constitute the battery modules. The charge status of the electrochemical generators is thus subject to permanent monitoring by voltage monitoring devices. More particularly, these devices are designed to prevent the electrochemical generators experiencing overcharging or severe discharging, which reduce battery performance and especially limit battery life.
Documents EP A0678753, EP A0855780 and EP A1018652 describe systems and methods for controlling a set of electrochemical generators comprising a common logic and a plurality of measurement interfaces associated with each generator. The common logic is integrated into a master processor of the battery receiving the measurements coming from each generator interface acting as slave parts. The master processor controls one or more protection units according to the measurements supplied by the slave interfaces. The master processor represents a significant part of the cost of the battery control system. In fact, this master processor is generally specific to each type of battery (number and type of generators, operating parameters dependant on the target application, etc.). Moreover, the control systems described in the above-mentioned documents require complex and costly wiring. In EP A 1018652, a measurement interface is individually associated with each generator and a common logic is provided for the control system as a whole. The individual measurement interfaces provide their measurement signals successively by means of a first wired serial connection. The measurement signals are transmitted in response to interface selection pulses transmitted in series from one interface to the other by a second serial wired link. The quantity of measuring wires is particularly important and increases the risk of system malfunction.
Document WO A 2004/047215 proposes dispensing with the wiring required for the transmission of the measurements between the slave interfaces associated with each generator and the master processor, by transmitting these measurements via a wireless link, in particular via a radio link. This document however does not propose dispensing with the master processor. Furthermore, a radio link can be unreliable and if interference breaks the radio link, the system can be delayed in detecting abnormal operating conditions.
Moreover, document JP 11318033 describes a centralised management system for a battery. This document also proposes dispensing with the connecting wires required for transmission of the measurements between the slave interfaces associated with each generator and the master processor, by transmitting these measurements by connecting onto the power line. This document, however, does not propose dispensing with the master processor.
A need therefore exists for a simpler and cheaper battery control system, and in particular for a control system that allows for the master processor to be dispensed with, while reducing the connecting wires for the transmission of the parameter measurements for each generator.

System and method for controlling a rechargeable battery


A method and system identify characteristics of transaction description strings. The method and system extracts time data and location data from transaction description strings. The method and system generate estimated time data and location data for transaction strings that lack time data and location data by analyzing the time data and location data extracted from other transaction description strings. The method and system generate a user profile based on the estimated time data and estimated location data.

Every year millions of people around the world use electronic data management systems to help manage their personal data. For example, many people utilize data management systems to help manage their finances. Such data management systems gather data related to transactions of their users. The users can monitor many, even all, of their transactions and other matters from a single data management system. Data management systems can help users save time by eliminating the need for users to check several different accounts in order to manage their data.
Automated download of transaction data from, as an example, financial institutions can be a highly valued feature of data management systems such as bookkeeping systems, tax return preparation systems, and personal financial tracking systems. Downloaded transactions can help users reconcile their income and expenses and create business reports in bookkeeping systems, help locate donations and other deductions in tax return preparation systems, and help users monitor their spending and budgets in personal data tracking systems.
Additionally, data management systems can generate profiles for their users in order to provide more personalized data management services based on the data that is known about the users, making for more focused and customized user experiences. However, it is currently often difficult to obtain relevant user profile data. Transactions represent one possible source of data from which user profiles can be generated. Each transaction includes a transaction description string that typically identifies some characteristics of the transactions. As a specific illustrative example, transaction strings can typically include a date and a price. In addition, some transaction description strings include some information associated with the parties involved, such as a type of merchant, a name of a merchant, or a store number. A small portion of the transaction description strings include a time of day for the transaction or enough detail about the parties to determine the geolocation associated with the transaction.
However, because the large majority of transactions do not include a time of day or a geolocation associated with the transaction, traditional data management systems are unable to generate user profiles that take into account the times of day and the geolocations of the large majority of transactions. Accordingly, traditional data management systems are unable to more fully personalize data management services for users. The result is that some users of the traditional data management systems may feel that the traditional data management systems do not meet their personal needs. These users may become frustrated and may abandon the traditional data management systems.
What is needed is a method and system that solves the long-standing technical problem of data management systems that are unable to identify many relevant details associated with transactions when transaction description strings do not explicitly include these details.

Method and system for using time-location transaction signatures to enrich user profiles


Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a technique for analyzing data records using a touch screen interface. A touch event is received from the touch screen interface to relate a first data object with at least a second data object. In response to receiving the touch event, at least one data record of the first data object relating to the second data object is retrieved using a unique identifier of the first data object. A time chart of the first data object for the retrieved at least one data record is constructed based on a time parameter from the retrieved record of the first data object.

User interface (UI) is often one of the most important parts of a computer program because it determines how easily a user can communicate with the program. A powerful program with a poorly designed UI has little value. Text-based and graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that use windows, icons, and pop-up menus have become standard on personal computers. Text-based UIs as well as GUIs typically use an input device, such as a keyboard, mouse or stylus, to provide user input and control the movement of a cursor or pointer on a display screen.
Touch-sensitive surfaces are rapidly becoming more common in computing devices. A natural input device for computing devices with touch-sensitive surfaces is a user's finger. They are very convenient as they allow a user to make natural gestures familiar to the user in other contexts, such as by entering handwriting using a stylus. Many of these devices also allow input to be provided by a user's fingertip. The term touch-sensitive surface or device will be used herein to refer to such surfaces or devices that are configured to detect the touch of any type of "stylus" such as a stylus, stylus type device or a user's finger, fingers, hand or hands.
As portable electronic devices become more compact, and the number of functions performed by a given device increase, it has become a significant challenge to design a user interface that allows users to easily interact with various devices including multifunction devices. This challenge is particularly significant for handheld portable devices, which have much smaller screens than desktop or laptop computers. This situation is unfortunate because the user interface is the gateway through which users receive not only content but also respond to user actions or behaviors, including user attempts to access a device's features, tools, and functions. Some portable communication devices (e.g., PDAs, mobile telephones, sometimes called mobile phones, cell phones, cellular telephones, smart phones, and the like) have resorted to adding more pushbuttons, increasing the density of push buttons, overloading the functions of pushbuttons, or using complex menu systems to allow a user to access, store and manipulate data. These conventional user interfaces often result in complicated key sequences and menu hierarchies that must be memorized and accessed by the user.
Many conventional user interfaces, such as those that include physical pushbuttons, are also inflexible. This may prevent a user interface from being configured and/or adapted by either an application running on the portable device or by users. When coupled with the time consuming requirement to memorize multiple key sequences and menu hierarchies, and the difficulty in activating a desired pushbutton, such inflexibility is frustrating to most users.
To avoid problems associated with pushbuttons and complex menu systems, portable electronic devices may use touch screen displays with simple and intuitive interfaces. Each set of applications may require a specific set of touch commands, however in many cases commands are obvious and require very little or no learning time. Conventional interfaces make some sophisticated software tools unusable by many people not skilled in using high-tech gadgets. Accordingly, there is a need for touch screen display electronic devices with more transparent and intuitive user interfaces. Such interfaces increase the effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction with portable multifunction devices. The need to elaborate methods of touch screen device user's gesture recognition and flexible touch commands has been recognized in both industry and academia. Numerous inventions have been reported in that area. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,519,223 "Recognizing gestures and using gestures for interacting with software applications" by Dehlin et al, an interactive display table is described that senses and infers natural hand or finger positions, or movement of an object, to detect gestures. Specific gestures are used to execute applications, carryout functions in an application, create a virtual object, or do other interactions, each of which is associated with a different gesture.
Unfortunately, there are few if any systems applying touch screen technology to important tasks related to processing data records. One important set of applications that could greatly benefit from a new and intuitive interface based on touch screen display technology is analysis of data records and/or files with similar content. For example, medical records which are being currently transferred from paper to electronic format(s). Advancements in online and document tracking technologies (e.g., XML, SGML, etc.) make it possible to standardize medical records. E.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,624,027 "Method and system for automated medical records processing" by Stern et al provides a means for reducing the complexity of collecting patient information and helps to generate the appropriate number and type of medical codes for a specific type of medical process or practice when processed. One embodiment also includes processing applications that allow easy and automated collection, processing, displaying and recording of medical codes (e.g., diagnosis codes, billing codes, insurance codes, etc.), medical records and other medical data. The medical codes, records and data including patient encounter information are displayed in real-time on electronic templates prior to, during or immediately after a patient encounter.
In the United States, the development of standards for Electronic Medical Records (EMR) interoperability is at the forefront of the national health care agenda. EMRs are an important factor in interoperability and sharing data between practicing physicians, pharmacies and hospitals. Many physicians currently have computerized practice management systems that can be used in conjunction with health information exchange (HIE), allowing for first steps in sharing patient information (lab results, public health reporting) which are necessary for timely, patient-centered and portable care. In the United States, approximately one-quarter of office-based physicians reported fully or partially using EMR systems in 2005. A complete EMR system has four basic functions: computerized orders for prescriptions, computerized orders for tests, reporting of test results, and physician notes. During examination of a patient's medical history it is often valuable to examine and compare medical records of relatives because such records may provide additional information related to the patient's medical issue. Therefore, a system, method and computer readable medium facilitating such examination and comparison is needed. With the growing popularity of touch screen technology, it is necessary to deploy such features on computing devices with touch screen interfaces. Ease of use and intuitive interface of touch screen computing devices will make such features popular in the medical field.
What is also needed is an application that can be utilized with a device including a touch screen or display (such as a mobile device or desktop monitor) that allows the user to align data, displayed on a touch screen, according to an identifier or tag associated with one or more data units. The tag could be a time tag, for example, a timestamp relating data units to events that occurred sometime in the past or will occur in the future. Alternatively, the tag could be the distance from a reference point, and it could be associated with data units describing real estate items such as houses, office buildings, data centers, etc. Applications taking advantage of such commands will be described in embodiments below. Some of the applications can be specialized (e.g., in the medical field) and suitable for touch screen devices larger than the ones used in mobile handset devices. In the embodiments below, the benefits of relevant simple and intuitive touch screen commands will be disclosed.
The present invention can be used with various applications. These applications include but are not limited to the analysis of medical reports, displaying numerous historic events, for example, in museums or in schools during history lessons. These applications are given only as examples, and it should be noted that the invented touch screen commands could also be used in other applications such as map applications. Any person skilled in the art will recognize that this invention can be used in many other applications.

System and method for analysing data records utilizing a touch screen interface


The disclosure provides a method for managing multiple operating systems in a terminal. The terminal includes multiple operating systems and a management system. The management system is configured to manage the multiple operating systems. The management system includes a cross-system application database. The method includes: when a first operating system in the multiple operating systems runs in a foreground, and a second operating system in the multiple operating systems runs in a background, if the second operating system receives a first message of a first application in the second operating system, sending, by the second operating system, a notification message to the management system; storing, by the management system, the notification message into the cross-system application database; and listening, by the first operating system, on the cross-system application database, and outputting a prompt of the first message when listening and obtaining the notification message.

In recent years, a terminal device has more powerful functions and supports more functions. Multiple systems can simultaneously run on one terminal. Only one system occupies a foreground, and the other systems run in a background. The multiple systems are separated from each other by using a container technology, and may be dynamically switched in real time. However, although separation between the systems brings better security, the separation also brings some inconvenience. For example, when a system processes an email, another system receives an instant message. In this case, it is relatively inconvenient if the terminal switches to the another system to process the message and then switches to the original system.
Currently, a cross-system application security protection solution is provided in the prior art. In this solution, a shared area is created based on multiple systems and used for running a shared application in the systems. However, in this solution, whether an application in the shared area has received an instant message still cannot be perceived, and a user needs to actively switch to a corresponding system to check whether there is an instant message. Consequently, user experience is poor.

Method for managing multiple operating systems in a terminal


An embodiment of the safety lid system includes a container having an interior chamber and a lid moveably connected to the container, an arm having a locking end is functionally connected to the lid, and a holding device having an interior channel adapted for disposing a portion of the locking end is connected to the container. The locking end of the arm is moveable from a locked position wherein the locking end is disposed within the channel of the holding device securing the lid to the container in a position restricting access to the interior chamber and an unlocked position wherein the locking end is removed from the channel. The arm may be biased toward the container wherein when the system is in the locked position the arm must be urged outward from the container to lift the lid from the container.

Toilet lids are readily opened, providing easy access into the toilet bowl chamber. It is well known that toilet bowls are an attractive hazard to small children. Children often find the toilet bowl a prime location to float their boat and to deposit items. These make shift ponds pose a risk of infection, poisoning and drowning. Additionally, the deposited items tend to impair the efficient operation of the toilet bowl. Unrestricted access to toilet bowls poses similar risks to pets. Therefore, it is often desired to restrict access to toilet bowl chambers.
Heretofore, many devices have been provided in an attempt to restrict access to toilet bowls. These devices have failed to gain acceptance and wide spread use for various reasons including expense, difficult installation, difficulty in using, unsightly appearance and ineffectiveness.
Therefore, it is a desire to provide a safety lid system for restricting access to a chamber that addresses shortcomings of prior art lid systems. It is a further desire to provide a safety lid system that restricts access by children and pets to the toilet bowl. It is a still further desire to provide a safety lid kit that is readily connectable to existing toilet bowl installations.


A method for generating a modified orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol, the method may include generating, for each pair of FDR error and outer OFDM symbol constellation sample that belong to a same sub-carrier, a modified OFDM symbol constellation sample thereby providing multiple modified OFDM symbol constellation samples; and calculating the modified OFDM symbol; wherein the calculating of the modified OFDM symbol comprises performing a frequency domain to time domain conversion of (a) the multiple modified OFDM symbol constellation samples and (b) unmodified OFDM symbol constellation samples.

One of the major problems in OFDM modulations is high Peak-to-Average Power Ratio (PAPR) of transmitted OFDM signals. Therefore, the OFDM receiver's detection efficiency is very sensitive to the nonlinear devices used in its signal processing loop, such as Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) and High Power Amplifier (HPA), which may severely impair system performance due to induced spectral regrowth and detection efficiency degradation.
For example, most radio systems employ the HPA in the transmitter to obtain sufficient transmits power and the HPA is usually operated at or near the saturation region to achieve the maximum output power efficiency, and thus the memory-less nonlinear distortion due to high PAPR of the input signals will be introduced into the communication channels.
If the HPA is not operated in linear region with large power back-off, it is impossible to keep the out-of-band power below the specified limits. This situation leads to very inefficient amplification and expensive transmitters.
When a HPA have a high dynamic range, it exhibits poor power efficiency. It has been shown that PAPR reduction can significantly save the power, in which the net power saving is directly proportional to the desired average output power and it is highly dependent upon the clipping probability level. Suppose that an ideal linear model for HPA, where linear amplification is achieved up to the saturation point, and thus we obtain:
  η  =      0.5    PAPR
To illustrate the power inefficiency of a HPA in terms of the PAPR, we give an example of OFDM signals with 256 subcarriers and its CCDF has been shown in FIG. 6.
In order to guarantee that probability of the clipped OFDM frames is less than 0.01%, we need to apply an input backoff (IBO) equivalent to the PAPR at the 10−4 probability level, i.e. (25.235), referring to the FIG. 6, and thus the efficiency of HPA becomes ˜1.98
Therefore, so low efficiency is a strong motivation to reduce the PAPR in OFDM systems.
As shown in FIG. 7, different curves of the CCDF have been given for random original OFDM symbols generated and different PAPR reduction schemes. From FIG. 6, it is very clear that all schemes can reduce the PAPR largely in OFDM system. However, their performances of the PAPR reduction are different.
For example, when the PAPRs are 2.6 dB, 4.5 dB, 6.6 dB, 6.8 dB, 6.9 dB and 11.7 dB for the exponential companding, error companding, PTS, TR, clipping scheme and original OFDM signals, respectively. Obviously, the signals compounded by the nonlinear companding transform with exponential function can reduce the PAPR largest and the PAPR reduction of the clipping scheme is the smallest among these typical methods. Although clipping scheme can improve its performance of the PAPR reduction through reducing its preset clipping level A.
However, the performance of the BER will be degraded largely when its preset clipping level is reduced.
FIG. 7 depicts the performance of BER versus SNR of actual OFDM signals with PAPR reduction based on different schemes over the AWGN channel, in which the typical HPA of the Solid State Power Amplifier (S SPA) has been considered. Note that SSPA produces no phase distortion and only the AM/AM conversion. In FIG. 7, the performance bounds are obtained by ignoring the effect of SSPA and directly transmitting the original OFDM signals through the AWGN channels. Generally speaking, the performances of the BER with different PAPR reduction schemes have some degradation from FIG. 7. Specifically, to achieve a BER of the minimum required SNR is 13.8 dB (performance bound).
There is a growing need to provide efficient systems, computer readable media and method for generating modified OFDM symbols that will comply with reduced peak to average ration requirements.


A solid-state imaging device includes pixels, arranged in a matrix, each of which converts light into a signal voltage. The solid-state imaging device also includes column signal lines, each of which is provided for corresponding one of columns, so that the signal voltage is provided to corresponding one of the column signal lines. Additionally, the solid-state imaging device includes AD converting units, each of which is provided for the corresponding one of the column signal lines, and is configured to convert the signal voltage into a digital signal. Each of the AD converting units includes a comparing unit generating an output signal indicating a greater voltage of the signal voltage and a reference voltage, and a counting unit counting a count value until logic of the output signal is inverted The solid-state imaging device further includes a suspending unit suspending power supply to the comparing units after the logic of the output signals is inverted.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to solid-state imaging devices, and more particularly, to a solid-state imaging device including an AD converting circuit for each of columns.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Solid-state imaging devices, converting light into electric signals, are utilized in various electric appliances, such as digital video cameras, digital still cameras, and fax machines. CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensors and CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) image sensors are well known as solid-state imaging devices.
A CMOS image sensor AD-converts an electric signal read from pixels arranged in a matrix, and outputs the converted electric signal, a resulting digital signal, out of the sensor.
As a conventional CMOS image sensor, there is a solid-state imaging device including an AD converting circuit for each of columns and outputting an AD converted digital signal on a line-to-line basis (See Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-303648).
A conventional solid-state imaging device, including an AD converting circuit for each of columns, shall be described hereinafter.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram exemplifying a structure of the conventional solid-state imaging device. A conventional solid-state imaging device 500 in FIG. 1 includes a pixel array 501, a column scanning unit 502, an AD converting unit 503, a reference voltage generating unit 504, a row scanning unit 505, an output unit 506, and a timing controlling unit 507.
The pixel array 501 includes pixels 508 arranged in a matrix. Each of the pixels 508 converts received light into a signal voltage, and provides the converted signal voltage to a column signal line provided on each of columns.
The column scanning unit 502 sequentially selects lines of the pixels 508.
The AD converting unit 503 dynamically converts each of signal voltages provided to associated column signal lines into a digital signal. The AD converting unit 503 includes an AD converting circuit on each column, and each of AD converting circuits includes a comparator 509, and a counter 511.
Each comparator 509 compares the signal voltage provided to the column signal line and a reference voltage RAMP, and then outputs an output signal showing the greater voltage, either the signal voltage or the reference voltage RAMP.
Using a clock ADCLK, the counter 511 counts a count value. The counter 511 suspends the counting, upon the output signal outputted from the comparator 509 inverting.
The reference voltage generating unit 504 generates the reference voltage RAMP.
The row scanning unit 505 sequentially selects columns of the associated pixels 508.
The output unit 506 outputs the digital signals converted by the AD converting unit 503 out of the conventional solid-state imaging device 500.
The timing controlling unit 507 controls operational timing of the column scanning unit 502, the AD converting unit 503, the reference voltage generating unit 504, and the row scanning unit 505.
The above structure allows the conventional solid-state imaging device 500 to AD-convert the signal voltages generated the pixels 508 on a line-to-line basis, and then to outputs the AD-converted signal voltages; namely digital signals.
The solid-state imaging device 500, however, includes as many AD converting circuits as the number of columns of the pixel 508. Thus, unfortunately, a consumption current of the AD converting unit 503 is large. Specifically, a bias current of the comparator 509 on each column is approximately 10 μA. Having approximately 2500 columns, the consumption current of the AD converting unit 503 is 25 mA. This increases the power consumption of the conventional solid-state imaging device 500. Moreover, in the case where the number of the pixels increases in the future, the power consumption of the AD converting unit 503 increases further.
In addition, a typical digital still camera and a digital video camera are battery-powered. Hence, in order to realize long recording time on digital still cameras and digital video cameras, solid-state imaging devices in the digital still cameras and the digital video cameras are desired to consume small amount of electricity.

Solid-state imaging device including A/D converting circuit with power-down controller


An olefinic thermoplastic elastomer with improved properties can be obtained by melting and kneading a graft copolymer, acrylic rubber, a crosslinking agent, and a co-crosslinking agent. The graft copolymer is composed of an olefin polymer segment formed from a nonpolar α-olefin monomer and a vinyl polymer segment formed from a vinyl monomer, with particles of one segment being dispersed in the other segment. The particle diameter is 0.01 to 1 μm. The acrylic rubber can be obtained by polymerizing a monomer mixture containing methoxyethyl acrylate.

Acrylic rubber exhibits excellent oil resistance, heat resistance, and ozone resistance, and is therefore used in various hoses and seals, such as packings and gaskets.
Hoses and seals using acrylic rubber are produced by mixing acrylic rubber with a filler, an antioxidant, a processing aid, and a vulcanizing agent, molding by vulcanization, and then further carrying out secondary vulcanization. The vulcanizing steps complicate a process for producing a molding of acrylic rubber, and make it difficult to recycle a molding of acrylic rubber or a defective product generated during production of the molding.
In recent years, an olefinic thermoplastic elastomer has been widely used in place of vulcanized rubber in interior and exterior parts of automobiles and in the field of electric appliances.
For example, an olefinic thermoplastic elastomer comprising polypropylene and ethylene-propylene rubber (see Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 4826838 (pages 38 to 60)) and an olefinic thermoplastic elastomer comprising polypropylene and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (hereinafter abbreviated to NBR) (see Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 4-48817 (pages 5 to 12)) are known.
Since olefin resins and acrylic rubbers are inherently incompatible with each other, a favorable olefinic thermoplastic elastomer cannot be obtained if an olefin resin and acrylic rubber are simply blended. In this context, an olefinic thermoplastic elastomer produced by adding a compatibilizer that enhances compatibility between olefin resins and acrylic rubbers is known (see Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 60-156738 (pages 38 to 69)).
However, the olefinic thermoplastic elastomer disclosed in Patent Document 1 exhibits inferior oil resistance, and the olefinic thermoplastic elastomer disclosed in Patent Document 2 exhibits excellent oil resistance, but exhibits inferior heat resistance and weather resistance. Therefore, parts made of the elastomers of Patent Documents 1 and 2 are not suitable for use in places requiring both oil resistance and heat resistance, such as engine rooms in automobiles. Since olefin resins and acrylic rubbers are not sufficiently compatible in the olefinic thermoplastic elastomer of Patent Document 3, parts made of the elastomer still do not have sufficient oil resistance.
As described above, the olefinic thermoplastic elastomers of the prior art do not satisfy requirements for oil resistance, heat resistance, mechanical properties (which refer to compression set, tensile strength, elongation at break (or fracture elongation), and hardness in this specification), moldability, and recycling characteristics.

Olefinic thermoplastic elastomer and moldings thereof


An opto-acoustoelectric device encompasses a diaphragm having a diffraction grating, the diaphragm is susceptible to a vibration driven by an external force; a light source oriented to irradiate the diffraction grating; and a photo detector configured to detect the light diffracted by the diffraction grating and to convert the detected light into an electric signal. The electric signal corresponds to a displacement of the vibration in the diaphragm.

1. Field of the Invention
Present invention relates to opto-acoustoelectric devices and method for analyzing mechanical vibration and sound using the opto-acoustoelectric devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In optical microphones of earlier technology, a diaphragm is stacked on a supporting substrate by some type of tensile force. Because of the mechanical configuration, the resonance frequency of the diaphragm was uniquely determined according to physical parameters such as mass and spring constant. Even though the frequency characteristic of the optical microphone is nominally specified as being flat, the diaphragm's sensitivity drops actually as frequency deviates from the inherent resonant frequency of the diaphragm. A technique of arranging a plurality of diaphragms, each of the diaphragms having different sizes and spring constants, is reported as an approach to realizing a microphone having a broad dynamic range.
On the other hand, the condenser microphone detects the diaphragm's vibrational displacement caused by acoustic pressure (sound pressure) by the variation of electrostatic capacitance. Compared to the condenser microphone, the optical microphone beams light onto a diaphragm. As the diaphragm vibrates in response to sound pressure, changes in the intensity of the reflected light are detected as the oscillating displacement of the diaphragm. Compared to the condenser microphone, the optical microphone is expected to have excellent performance in directivity and noise tolerance attributes.
In the optical microphones of earlier technology however, the diaphragm is exposed to gas laser, solid-state laser, or semiconductor laser diode light output, and changes in the intensity of the reflected light are detected as the oscillating displacement of the diaphragm. However, there are drawbacks inherent in the mechanical structure and the dimensional constraints of the methods proposed in the above-mentioned earlier technology. Also concerning mounting methodology, there are concerns that manufacturing yield would drop due to an increase in constituent components
Also, optical microphones of earlier technology require an incidental-light optics system for guiding incident light onto the diaphragm, and catoptrical system for guiding reflected light to a given photo detector. Because high optical precision is required of these optics systems, optical fiber or optical waveguides are used to make it possible to establish an arbitrary optical path Also, the light beam shifts atop the photodetector's surface in correspondence with the physical displacement of the diaphragm caused by vibration, thus in order to greatly widen the shift width of the reflected light beam, measures such as establishing a lens between the diaphragm and the circuit board, on which the light emitting and detection elements are mounted, are essential. In other words, because the diameter of the light waves reflected from the diaphragm is widened using light focusing methods of optical microphones of earlier technology, great light intensity is essential in order for the photo detector to detect differences in light intensity and sense minute vibrational displacement of the diaphragm.
As a result, optics such as optical path supplementation elements and compensation elements became essential. Because of the optics, aside from the light-emitting elements, the light emitting detection elements and the diaphragm, other auxiliary optical elements and a new supplemental system are required to satisfy the demand of high-precision optical alignment of optics. Therefore, complicated optics of an optical microphone leads to reduced manufactured yield, and the entire cost as a system increases. Also, when optical fiber or optical waveguide is employed, the application range of optical microphones of earlier technology becomes narrow.

Opto-acoustoelectric device and methods for analyzing mechanical vibration and sound