Methods and systems are provided for accurately learning the zero point of an intake gas oxygen sensor during selected idling conditions. The learned zero point is used to infer EGR flow and accordingly adjust EGR valve control. In addition, EGR valve leakage is diagnosed based on the zero point learned during an idle adaptation relative to a zero point learned during a DFSO adaptation.

Engine systems may utilize recirculation of exhaust gas from an engine exhaust system to an engine intake system (intake passage), a process referred to as exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), to reduce regulated emissions. An EGR system may include various sensors to measure and/or control the EGR. As one example, the EGR system may include an intake gas constituent sensor, such as an oxygen sensor, which may be employed to measure oxygen to determine the proportion of combusted gases in an intake passage of the engine. The sensor may also be used during non-EGR conditions to determine the oxygen content of fresh intake air. The EGR system may additionally or optionally include an exhaust gas oxygen sensor coupled to the exhaust manifold for estimating a combustion air-fuel ratio.
As such, when the intake oxygen sensor is used for EGR control, the EGR is measured as a function of the change in oxygen due to EGR as a diluent. To determine the change in the amount of oxygen, a reference point corresponding to an oxygen reading when no EGR is present is required. Such a reference point is called the "zero point" of the oxygen sensor. Due to the sensitivity of the oxygen sensor to pressure, as well as aging, there may be large deviations in the "zero point" at different engine operating conditions. In particular, aging and piece-to-piece variability may account for the biggest cause of change in the zero point oxygen reading. Therefore the oxygen sensor may need to be regularly calibrated and a correction factor may need to be learned.
One example method for calibrating an exhaust gas oxygen sensor is depicted by Ishiguro et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 8,417,413. Therein, a correction factor is learned based on an oxygen sensor output during engine fuel-cut off conditions. However, the inventors have recognized that approaches used for zero point estimation in exhaust oxygen sensors may not be applied for zero point estimation of intake oxygen sensors. This is because in addition to being sensitive to pressure and part-to-part variability, due to equilibration of the sensed gas by a catalyzing sensing element of the sensor, the oxygen sensor is also sensitive to the presence of fuel or other reductants and oxidants. As a result, the output of the intake oxygen sensor may be affected by the presence of purge hydrocarbons and/or positive crankcase ventilation gases received in the engine intake during the calibration conditions. The sensor measurements may be confounded by the various sensitivities, the accuracy of the sensor may be reduced, and thus, measurement and/or control of EGR, may be degraded.
In one example, some of the above issues may be addressed by a method for an engine comprising: learning a reference point for an intake oxygen sensor at a reference intake pressure during selected engine idling conditions; and adjusting EGR flow to the engine based on an intake oxygen concentration estimated by the sensor relative to the learned reference point, and further based on a change in intake pressure from the reference intake pressure. In this way, a zero point reading for an intake oxygen sensor may be learned more reliably, improving accuracy of EGR control.
For example, at the first engine idle following every engine start, an idle adaptation of the intake oxygen sensor may be performed. This may allow aging effects of the sensor to be learned. In addition, if a new sensor has been installed in the vehicle, the idle adaptation may be used to compensate for part-to-part variations. During the idle adaptation, an output of the intake manifold oxygen sensor may be monitored for a duration of the engine idling condition. A relationship between the output of the sensor at a reference intake pressure may be learned and corrected for factors such as humidity. When the idle adaptation is complete, the output of the intake oxygen sensor may be used to estimate an EGR concentration, and thereby adjust an EGR flow. Specifically, the output may be adjusted with a pressure correction factor based on the current intake pressure and the reference intake pressure, and the corrected oxygen sensor output may be used to more accurately estimate the change in intake oxygen concentration with EGR dilution. By correcting for pressure changes, the pressure effect on oxygen sensor readings is compensated for. In addition, by performing the adaptation during idling conditions, the effect of PCV and purge HCs on the oxygen sensor output is reduced.
In this way, a relationship between an intake oxygen sensor and an intake pressure sensor can be learned, independent of the accuracy of either sensor, and used to adjust EGR flow. By performing the learning during idling conditions, corruption of sensor output due to ingestion of PCV and purge HCs is reduced. By performing the learning during the first engine idle since an engine start, the effect of sensor aging on the sensor output can be learned. In addition, the relationship between the oxygen sensor output and the pressure sensor output can be learned under relatively consistent engine speed-load conditions. By also performing the idle adaptation each time a new oxygen sensor or pressure sensor is installed in the vehicle, the idle adaptation may be used to compensate for part-to-part variations. Overall, the accuracy of EGR estimation is increased, allowing for improved EGR control.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Methods and systems for an oxygen sensor


A leadframe-based housing for a surface-mountable component, particularly a radiation-emitting component. The leadframe-based housing comprises electrical connector strips and at least one chip mounting area. One of the connector strips includes an injection aperture that enables a leadframe-based housing to be produced with a very small thickness in an injection molding process. A method for producing such housings is further specified.

The invention concerns electroluminescent diode components suitable in particular for surface-mounting on a printed circuit board, in which a housing base body produced by injection molding and comprising partially embedded electrical connector strips is provided with a recess, preferably implemented as a reflector, that has a radiation window aimed at the front side of the component housing. The recess, in which an electromagnetic-radiation-emitting chip is disposed, is filled for example with an encapsulant that is transparent to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the chip.
Such component housings are also suitable for use with radiation-detecting chips, in which case the radiation window must be transparent to electromagnetic radiation that is to be received by the chip.
The present patent application claims the priority of German Patent Application 10243247.3, whose disclosure content is hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention is suitable in particular for use with radiation-emitting components in which the chip is installed in a so-called premolded leadframe. This means that each leadframe is overmolded with a housing base body before the chip is mounted.
In the production of such a component housing, the connector strips are first partially stamped into a leadframe ribbon. The leadframe ribbon is then placed in a two-part injection mold which forms a cavity around the leadframe that serves to create the housing base body.
An injection compound, e.g. a white plastic, is then fed in through an injection nozzle, for example via the portion of the injection mold adjoining the back side of the leadframe, i.e. into the portion of the cavity adjoining the back side of the leadframe, and fills the entire cavity of the injection mold.
After the injection compound has at least partially solidified, the injection mold is opened. As the leadframe is removed from the mold, the injection compound located in the injection nozzle is torn away from the injection compound located in the cavity. In addition, the chip is preferably arranged on one of the connector strips in the recess provided for it, connected in an electrically conductive manner to the connector strips and provided with encapsulant. After this, the components interconnected by the leadframe ribbon can be separated from one another and thereby singulated from this interconnected structure.
A radiation-emitting component of the aforesaid kind is described, for example, in EP 0 400 176 A1. The component comprises a housing base body with a mounting area in which a leadframe is partially embedded. Portions of the leadframe are formed as connector strips that project from the housing base body and, as they proceed further, are bent so that their connection areas lie in one plane with the mounting area, which defines the mounting plane of the component.
The overall height of components produced in this manner can be reduced to less than about 1 mm only with high technical outlay, if at all. The minimum height of the front portion of the housing base body is then about
0.5 mm, that of the back wall of the housing base body about 0.3 mm, and the thickness of the connector strips about 0.1 mm.
The reason for this is that the layer thickness of the injection compound located in the cavity between the leadframe and the tear-off site at the injection nozzle must be great enough to prevent delamination between the back side of the leadframe and the injection compound, insofar as possible. Such delamination would drastically increase the risk of damage to the component during further processing or later on during operation. Current knowledge has it that the above-cited layer thickness of the injection compound must be so great that the mechanical tensile forces occurring in the injection compound during tear-off from the injection nozzle can be reduced to a level such that the forces exerted at the boundary with the leadframe are not sufficient to tear the injection compound away from the leadframe.
However, to permit, for example, a very small overall height on printed circuit boards and/or complete countersinking particularly into round openings (bores) in printed circuit boards, the height of the components must be kept as small as possible, and there is a pressing need to reduce the overall height far below the above-cited critical height of about 1 mm. In some applications, especially in mobile communication terminals, the radiation-emitting components should have a much smaller height.
The possibility of reducing the overall height of components by decreasing the height of the housing base body on the chip side is severely limited owing to the final height of the radiation-emitting chip. The possibility of reaching the stated goal by simply reducing the thickness of the housing base body on the back side of the leadframe is also severely limited, since, as explained above, if the layer of injection compound used to form the back side of the housing is too thin, it will easily be torn away with the injection nozzle that is to be removed during the injection process used to produce the housing, in which case the hermeticity and thus the operation of the component can be disrupted.

Leadframe-based housing, leadframe strip, surface-mounted optoelectronic-component, and production method


An automobile interior component includes a substrate component having a seam-mating section. The seam-mating section has a welt protrusion-mating channel that is useful for accurately position a welt strip. The automobile interior component further includes a trim cover having at least one join seam. A welt strip having a welt protrusion section is attached to the trim cover. The welt strip allows positioning of the trim cover over the substrate in that the welt protrusion section is positioned in the welt protrusion-mating channel. A method for manufacturing the automobile interior component is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automobile interior components in which soft trim cover material overlays a substrate component such that join and/or french seams in the soft trim cover material are aligned in a precise and stable manner.
2. Background Art
Many automobile interior components are of a construction in which a soft trim cover material layer overlays a substrate component. Modern fabrication of such components require increased tolerance control and stability for both initial and quality over time. Temporal instability may result from stresses induced in the soft trim cover material by the stretching and folding that is used to cover the substrate with the soft trim.
FIG. 1 provides an illustration of a prior art construction in which a substrate (usually at least partially foamed) is covered with soft trim layer. In FIG. 1, automobile interior component 10 includes trim cover 12 covering foam substrate 14. First trim pattern 16 is sewn to second trim pattern 18 along join seam 20. Typically, selvage section 22 is sewn to first trim pattern 16 along decorative seam 24. Similarly, selvage section 26 is sewn to second trim pattern 18 along decorative seam 28. Example of a decorative seam used in such applications is a French seam. In this prior art construction selvage sections 22, 26 along with join seam 20 are positioned over step section 30 with edge 32 of selvage section 22 aligned with edge 34 of foam substrate 14 and edge 36 of selvage section 26 aligned with edge 38 of foam substrate 14. In some variations only one edge is present for alignment. Although the prior art construction of FIG. 1 has worked reasonably well, tolerance control is problematic for some components. Loss of tolerance in the components results from variations in cutting trim patterns 16, 18, variations from sewing join seam 20 and decorative seams 24, 28, and variations in positioning trim cover 12 over the foam substrate 14.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,264 (the '264 patent) discloses another prior art construction in which a trim cover is placed over a foam substrate with somewhat improved tolerance control. FIG. 2 provides an illustration of the construction of the '264 patent. In this construction automobile interior component 50 includes trim cover 52 covering foam substrate 54. First trim pattern 56 is sewn to second trim pattern 58 along join seam 60 with positioning strip 62 interposes between first trim pattern 56 and second trim pattern 58. Again, selvage section 64 is sewn to first trim pattern 56 along decorative seam 66. Similarly, selvage section 68 is sewn to second trim pattern 58 along decorative seam 70. In this prior art construction selvage sections 64, 68 along with join seam 60 are positioned over step section 72 with edge 74 of selvage section 64 aligned with edge 76 of foam substrate 54 and edge 78 of selvage section 68 aligned with edge 80 of foam substrate 54. Improved positioning is achieved by placement of bottom section 82 of positioning strip 62 into positioning trench 84. Typically, this placement is accomplished by a person holding top section 86 during positioning or with automated placement. After placement, top section 86 of positioning strip 62 is torn away. Although the method of the '264 patent works well, the exposed sections of positioning strip 82 are sometimes undesirable. Moreover, the discarded top section 86 leads to undesirable material waste.
Accordingly, there exists a need for automobile interior components with improved positioning of a trim cover over a substrate.

Critical seam alignment of soft trim to automobile components

International Automotive Components Group North America, Inc.


A temperature sensor and a flow measuring device. The temperature sensor comprising: a housing which comprises a housing body from which at least a first shell and a second shell protrude, each of which shells comprises a first end section, a second end section and a longitudinal axis. A temperature sensor element is arranged, which has especially a thin-film resistance thermometer, wherein one of the temperature sensor elements is heatable, and which shells have outsides, which interface the housing with the environment. From each temperature sensor element at least one connection wire leads away, which is connected with a circuit board. The housing body has a housing chamber, which is connected with inner hollow spaces of the shells, wherein the circuit board is arranged in the housing chamber, and wherein the circuit board is positioned in the housing chamber by a snap-in connection.

Known from the state of the art are temperature sensors for industrial process technology. Their construction is similar to that of thermal flow-measuring devices, with the difference that conventional thermal flow-measuring devices usually use two temperature sensors embodied as equally as possible, which are, most often, arranged in pin-shaped, metal shells, so-called stingers or prongs, and lie in thermal contact with the medium flowing through a measuring tube or through the pipeline. Most often, they are immersed in the medium. For industrial application, the two temperature sensors are usually installed in a measuring tube; the temperature sensors can, however, also be mounted directly in the pipeline. One of the two temperature sensors is a so-called active temperature sensor, which is heated by means of a heating unit and which determines a temperature. Provided as a heating unit is either an additional resistance heater, or the temperature sensor itself is a resistance element, e.g. an RTD (Resistance Temperature Device) sensor, which is heated by conversion of electrical power, e.g. by a corresponding variation of the measuring electrical current. The second temperature sensor is a so-called passive temperature sensor: It measures the temperature of the medium at an as small as possible self-warming by the measuring current.
To this point in time, mainly RTD elements with helically wound platinum wires have been applied in thermal flow-measuring devices. In the case of thin-film resistance thermometers (TF-RTDs), conventionally, a meander-shaped platinum layer is vapor deposited on a substrate. Then another glass layer is applied for protecting the platinum layer. The cross section of the thin-film resistance thermometer is rectangular, in contrast with the round cross section of RTD-elements. The heat transfer into the resistance element and/or from the resistance element occurs accordingly via two oppositely lying surfaces, which together make up a large part of the total surface of a thin-film resistance thermometer.
German Patent DE 10 2010 061 731 A1 discloses a temperature sensor of a thermal flow-measuring device and its housing construction. Used therein are TF-RTDs.
To this point in time, connection concepts for RTDs in sensor housings are associated with a mounting of the RTDs in shells. Their connection wires are led from the shells.

Temperature sensor and thermal flow-measuring device


An air evacuation system is used for lining a container with a flexible liner. The container has a plurality of walls defining a cavity with an open top, and each wall has an interior surface and an exterior surface. The air evacuation system includes a platform for supporting the container in a formed state, wherein the container has the liner in an unseated position within the cavity. A vacuum assembly is coupled to the platform. The vacuum assembly includes a pump in airflow communication with at least one inlet positioned adjacent to the exterior surface of a first container wall. The vacuum assembly is configured to draw air using the at least one inlet from the cavity through the first container wall such that the liner is positioned substantially adjacent to the interior surface of the container in a seated position.

This invention relates generally to air evacuation systems and methods for lining a container, and more particularly, to air evacuation systems and methods for lining a container with a flexible liner.
Many businesses package products or waste materials before shipping the products or materials to other locations. Specifically, these businesses package the products or materials into containers for shipping and transportation. In at least some of these cases, the products or materials are packaged in containers lined with a flexible or plastic liner to reduce spoiling or spillage of the products or materials. For example, a corrugated container lined with a plastic liner may be used for shipping certain products or materials wherein the plastic liner is utilized to reduce spoilage of the products or leakage of the products through the corrugated container.
In at least some known applications of placing a flexible liner within a container, an operator will manually erect the container and then position the liner by hand within the container. This process can be time consuming and result in increased labor costs. Moreover, in at least some cases, the operator may fail to properly position the liner within the container (e.g., fully opening and expanding the liner within the container), which may result in reducing the amount of actual materials that can be loaded into the container or may result in damage to the liner when loading the materials into the container. In fact, in at least some know cases, an improperly positioned liner within a container may result in the liner being punctured during the loading of the material into the container, and thus, allowing the materials to spoil or leak through the container.
In response to the additional labor costs and improper positioning of a liner within a container, at least some known machines have been developed to aid in the lining of such containers. At least some known machines automate the lining process by physically placing the liner within the container. However, these machines require complex mechanical features and components. Specifically, mechanical arms are used to place the liner into the container along the sides and bottom walls of the container. At least some other known machines automate the lining process by placing the liner along the top of the container and blowing the liner into the container. At least some other known machines automate the lining process by removing the air between the liner and the container to draw the liner against the interior of the container. At least one of these known machines positions a vacuum plenum beneath an opened bottom portion of the container, and pulls the air from the container cavity through the open bottom portion of the container. However, because the container is formed after the liner is positioned within the container, the liner is not fully seated against the interior surfaces of the container.

Air evacuation systems and methods for lining a container

Smurfit-Stone Container Enterprises, Inc.


A display device provided with a screen, comprising: an optical filter having a blind sheet that comprises a plurality of semitranslucent layers having translucence arranged side-by-side extending in a horizontal direction and having a predetermined thickness in a vertical direction, and a plurality of transparent layers which are disposed between the semitranslucent layers and which are of a higher translucency than that of the semitranslucent layers and of a greater thickness than the thickness of the semitranslucent layers; and an adhesive member for sticking the optical filter to the screen, wherein the ratio of the transmittance of a limit angle of the screen with respect to the transmittance of the optical filter at the center of the screen is at least 0.10 and not more than 0.50.

Flat display devices comprise a thin planar display panel such as a plasma display panel or a field emission display panel or the like.
For example, a plasma display panel has a structure in which a pair of a front substrate and a rear substrate are disposed facing one another in parallel and the periphery of a discharge space between the front and rear substrates is sealed.
A reflective-type AC-type plasma display panel has a constitution in which a plurality of row electrode pairs that perform surface discharge (display discharge) on the inner face of the front substrate and a dielectric layer that covers the row electrode pairs are formed, in which, on the inner face side of the rear substrate facing the front substrate, column electrodes that are disposed in a direction orthogonal to the row electrode pairs and perform selective discharge with respect to one row electrode of the row electrode pairs and a column electrode protection layer that covers the column electrodes are formed, and in which a barrier wall that divides the discharge space into each of the discharge cells is formed between the front and rear substrates, phosphor layers color-divided into three primary colors red, green, and blue respectively being formed side by side in that order in each of the discharge cells.
In the conventional flat display device mentioned above, a front filter (panel protection plate) disposed in front of the flat display panel is constituted by sticking an external light anti-reflection sheet and a film that blocks electromagnetic waves and infrared waves generated by the flat display panel onto a glass substrate.
In addition, a technology where, in an LED display device having a plurality of LED elements, reflection by the LED elements is prevented by sticking a light-blocking louver film to the surface of the LED elements and irradiating the LED elements with external light in a direction intersecting the thickness direction is known. Here, the louver film is stuck to the surface of the LED elements by means of an adhesive material (See Patent Document 1).
In addition, a plasma display panel resin sheet capable of transmitting rectilinear light whereon transparent areas and dark-colored areas are formed alternately in the sheet surface direction is known. The transparent areas and dark-colored areas are each orthogonal or oblique with respect to the sheet surface and inclined in the form of layers. A technology that stacks a plasma display panel resin sheet, a bandpass filter and an electromagnetic wave shield layer is also known (See Patent Document 2).
In addition, in the case of a microlens array sheet in which a first material layer and a second material layer which has a smaller refractive index than that of the first material layer are sandwiched between two parallel planes and a micro unit lens that functions as a lens due to the fact that the interface between the first and second material layers forms a concave and/or convex shape is disposed in a planar state, a microlens array sheet formed by mounting at least a convex apex area of the first material layer of the micro unit lens on a transparent substrate via a pressure-sensitive adhesive or bonding adhesive such as an acrylic resin and, if necessary, via a spacer, as well as a liquid-crystal display that employs the microlens array sheet are also known (See Patent Document 3).
In addition, a reduction in the number of parts and simplification of the support structure of the flat display panel as well as a lower cost product are achieved by sticking a plastic optical filter integrally to the screen of the flat display panel instead of providing a protective panel made of a conventional glass substrate separately from the flat display panel (See Patent Document 4).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2000-29406    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2004-295045    Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. H09-127309    Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2004-206076
The external light of an indoor light or the like is generally reflected by the screen of a display device that displays an image such as a flat display panel or the like, whereby the problem of black luminance sharpness and deterioration in the contrast on the screen is generated.
In the prior art disclosed by the Patent Documents mentioned above, a sheet or film having a light-absorbing or light-blocking horizontal louver structure comprising a black or dark-colored material is adopted in order to improve the contrast and prevent external light. However, in cases where the viewer views the screen obliquely from above or at a position above the front of the screen, that is, in cases where the viewer views the screen at an inclination to the horizontal line of sight, there is a viewing angle problem that the screen be hardly seen or inconvenient for the viewer.
For example, with a display panel equipped with a sheet that has a black horizontal louver structure, in cases where the screen is viewed with a slope of 45 degrees as shown in FIG. 14, a plurality of louvers cast a shadow and the lower half of the screen cannot be seen. The upper half of the screen cannot be seen in cases where the screen is viewed at an angle of elevation.


An in-line expansion tank. As fluid traverses a pipe within the tank, it may pass into and displace a diaphragm disposed outside of the pipe if the fluid pressure is greater than a tank pressure pushing the diaphragm against the pipe. When the fluid pressure decreases, the fluid passes from the diaphragm back into the pipe.

There are many settings within water delivery systems in which the amount of water that must be contained varies over time. For example, water expands when heated. In a closed system, this expansion may cause dangerous increases in water pressure. While water heaters have relief valves to vent excess pressure and prevent damage to the water heater and surrounding piping, it is undesirable to have hot water venting out of a tank in a residential setting. As a result, expansion tanks are used to absorb the excess pressure and release water back into the water heater when the pressure decreases. In addition, expansion tanks may be used to modulate pressure spikes in water systems in which pressure is supplied by a pump, e.g., domestic well systems. Expansion tanks also find applications in forced hot water heating systems, water towers, and other settings.


Systems and methods including one or more processors and one or more non-transitory storage devices storing computing instructions configured to run on the one or more processors and perform: receiving an input identifying an anchor item; determining, using a quadruplet network associated with a neural network architecture, one or more item categories corresponding to complementary items associated with the anchor item; generating, using a ranking network associated with the neural network architecture, scores for the complementary items included in the one or more item categories; generating, using the ranking network associated with the neural network architecture, first ranking results for the complementary items based, at least in part, on the scores; and selecting one or more of the complementary items to be displayed based, at least in part, on the first ranking results. Other embodiments are disclosed herein.

In various scenarios, electronic platforms enable users to browse, view, purchase, and/or order items corresponding to various products and services. Electronic platforms can provide users with recommendations for items while they are accessing the electronic platform. However, providing appropriate recommendations can be technically challenging in scenarios where electronic platforms offer large quantities (e.g., thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions) of items. One technical problem involves accurately identifying items with high relevance within large datasets maintained by the electronic platforms. Another technical problem relates to providing recommendations in a quick and efficient manner so that recommendations are provided to users in real-time or near real-time as they are accessing the electronic platform.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements.
The terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms "include," and "have," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, system, article, device, or apparatus.
The terms "left," "right," "front," "back," "top," "bottom," "over," "under," and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the apparatus, methods, and/or articles of manufacture described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein.
The terms "couple," "coupled," "couples," "coupling," and the like should be broadly understood and refer to connecting two or more elements mechanically and/or otherwise. Two or more electrical elements may be electrically coupled together, but not be mechanically or otherwise coupled together. Coupling may be for any length of time, e.g., permanent or semi-permanent or only for an instant. "Electrical coupling" and the like should be broadly understood and include electrical coupling of all types. The absence of the word "removably," "removable," and the like near the word "coupled," and the like does not mean that the coupling, etc. in question is or is not removable.
As defined herein, two or more elements are "integral" if they are comprised of the same piece of material. As defined herein, two or more elements are "non-integral" if each is comprised of a different piece of material.
As defined herein, "real-time" can, in some embodiments, be defined with respect to operations carried out as soon as practically possible upon occurrence of a triggering event. A triggering event can include receipt of data necessary to execute a task or to otherwise process information. Because of delays inherent in transmission and/or in computing speeds, the term "real time" encompasses operations that occur in "near" real time or somewhat delayed from a triggering event. In a number of embodiments, "real time" can mean real time less a time delay for processing (e.g., determining) and/or transmitting data. The particular time delay can vary depending on the type and/or amount of the data, the processing speeds of the hardware, the transmission capability of the communication hardware, the transmission distance, etc. However, in many embodiments, the time delay can be less than approximately one second, two seconds, five seconds, or ten seconds.
As defined herein, "approximately" can, in some embodiments, mean within plus or minus ten percent of the stated value. In other embodiments, "approximately" can mean within plus or minus five percent of the stated value. In further embodiments, "approximately" can mean within plus or minus three percent of the stated value. In yet other embodiments, "approximately" can mean within plus or minus one percent of the stated value.

Systems and methods for generating recommendations using neural network and machine learning techniques


Provided are a backlight unit and a display device having the same. The display device according to an embodiment includes a display panel and a backlight unit for supplying light to the display panel. The backlight unit according to an embodiment includes a light guide plate, a light source disposed at a side of the light guide plate, a sensor sensing brightness or color temperature of natural light, an adaptive controller generating a voltage level signal to compensate for the brightness or color temperature of natural light, and a light source driver supplying a voltage corresponding to the voltage level signal to the light source. Thus, although the brightness or the color temperature of the natural light varies, uniform brightness or color temperature can be achieved by adjusting the brightness or the color temperature of the artificial light generated from the light source, thus displaying high-definition and high-quality images.

The present invention relates to a backlight unit using natural light and artificial light, and a display device having the same.
Recently, display devices for displaying a large amount of data are under development.
Display devices include a liquid display (LCD) device, an organic electroluminescent display device and a plasma display panel. Among them, a LCD device gradually expands its application area thanks to its characteristics of lightweight, slim profile, low power consumption and full-color moving picture. For example, an LCD device may be used for a mobile phone, a navigation system, a potable multimedia player (PMP), a monitor, a TV, and so forth.
The LCD device displays an image by controlling light transmittance. Since the LCD device is not a self-emission type display device, the LCD device essentially requires a light source such as backlight unit for artificially generating light. A light source used in the backlight unit may include a light emitting diode (LED), a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL), an external electrode fluorescent lamp (EEFL) or a flat fluorescent lamp (FFL).

Backlight unit and display device having the same


A predetermined touch action is performed by a user at a location on a touch-sensitive screen. The location is registered and associated with presentation content. If at least the first condition that the associated presentation content includes at least one portion of an uninterrupted character unit is satisfied, then at least one first selection menu is presented. The menu items from the first selection menu provide a selection option between the uninterrupted character unit and at least one second unit of text associated with the uninterrupted character unit as at least one element from the group includes a sentence and paragraph. Selection of a first menu item involves the uninterrupted character unit, and selection of a second menu item involves the second unit of text, being selected as the section of text to be selected.

Described below are a method for selecting a section of text from a text presented on a touch-sensitive screen at least as part of a presentation and a display and operator control apparatus having a touch-sensitive screen.
Touch-sensitive display and operator control apparatuses today, such as e.g. also mobile devices with touch-based operation such as smartphones, tablet PCs, E-books, etc., are being used more and more often to edit complex texts. This can involve e.g. sections of text being marked and being processed further by selecting further functions that are provided.
By way of example, US 2013/0091467 A1 describes a method for controlling menu options in which a section of text from a text displayed on a touchscreen can be selected by a user. After the section of text has been selected, a menu appears with multiple menu items and an icon that represents the section of text. The user can drag the marked text to one of the menu items. Subsequently, the selected menu item has a submenu displayed for it, from which various subfunctions can be selected.
There are likewise methods known, as described e.g. in DE 695 19 905 T2, for selecting a desired section of text that is to be processed further. In this context, DE 695 19 905 T2 describes a method for marking text on a display screen in a personal communication device. When a user touches the screen at a particular location, a start position for the marker is stipulated. If the touch is then maintained for a predetermined time, a marking mode is activated. In the marking mode, the user can then move his finger, with the text over which the finger is moved being marked. When a user stops touching the screen, the marking mode is terminated. The marked text is displayed to the user in a popup window and can be processed further. If the text that is intended to be marked is not all presented in the current presentation on the screen, then this method is user unfriendly, however, for the following reasons. Touch-sensitive display screens, such as e.g. those of smartphones, are relatively small, which means that it frequently arises that a text is not presented as a whole on the screen, but rather only a section is presented and the presentation can be moved through the whole text by scrolling. If, by way of example, a longer section of text needs to be marked that is not displayed as a whole in the current presentation, then scrolling is also required during the marking process. A known measure in this case is e.g. to initiate automatic scrolling when e.g. the finger of a user touching the screen approaches the bottom or top edge of the presentation. Marking of text in accordance with DE 695 19 905 T2 is highly susceptible to error in this case, however. If the automatic scrolling is carried out e.g. too quickly, then it is highly probable that too large a section of text is marked undesirably and the user has to perform the marking process again, or at least one very long time is taken before the desired section of text is ultimately marked. If the automatic scrolling is performed too slowly, then marking of a longer section of text is likewise very laborious. If the user inadvertently takes his finger from the screen briefly during the marking process, then the marking mode is terminated and the user has to perform the marking process again.

Methods for selecting a section of text on a touch-sensitive screen, and display and operator control apparatus


A method performed in a system having multiple navigable nodes interconnected in a hierarchical arrangement involves receiving an input containing at least one word identifiable with at least one keyword, identifying at least one node, other than the first node, not directly connected to the first node, but associated with the at least one keyword, and jumping to the identified node. A transaction processing system having a hierarchical arrangement of nodes and is configured for user navigation among the nodes. The system has an inverted index correlating keywords with at least some nodes in the arrangement so that when the user provides an input in response to a verbal description and the response includes a meaningful word correlatable with a keyword, the system will identify at least one node correlated to the meaningful word by the inverted index and jump to that node without first traversing any other node.

In everyday life, networks of choices set forth in a particular order or hierarchy are encountered with increasing frequency. Usually, it is desired to traverse the network in the most efficient manner possible to accomplish a particular goal.
In modern mathematics, graph theory is used to study networks of hierarchical choices. The hierarchical networks can be represented as a graph structure. Graph theory finds practical applications in chemistry, computer science, economics, electronics and linguistics.
A graph structure is a collection of points, called "vertices", and a collection of lines, called "edges". Each edge joins a pair of vertices or a single point to itself.
A simple example of a network represented by a graph structure is a road map. The vertices represent towns or cities. The edges represent the roads that connect the towns and cities.
Another type of network familiar to anyone who has a telephone is an automated telephone voice response system, such as commonly utilized by many large companies, to direct incoming calls to particular individuals or departments or to assist the caller in performing a transaction, such as making a purchase.
That type of telephone network can also be represented as a graph structure. When the system answers an incoming call, it transmits a verbal description or prompt to the caller: "If you would like to speak to Harry, press 1; if you would like to speak to Fred, press 2". (In general, we will use "verbal description" to mean a set of words relating to the subject matter whether presented audibly or in written form. The verbal descriptions may range from a few words to an entire document worth of text). A first vertex on the graph represents the initial prompt, which a caller hears upon reaching the telephone response system. If the user's response is pressing 1, calls are directed along a first edge to Harry, represented by a second vertex. If the response is pressing 2, the call is directed along a second edge to Fred, represented by a third vertex. Then, if the chosen person is not available, the caller is asked whether the caller wishes to leave a message. If the response is positive, the caller is directed along another edge to the selected person's voice mail, which would be represented by another vertex of the graph.
In general, whether for a telephone response network or for any other application representable by a graph structure, the caller or user of the system will have some goal. By "goal" we mean a combination of transactions and information accesses which the user seeks to accomplish. By "transaction" we mean an operation performed electronically with a user. In general, there will also be a combination of vertices or nodes in the graph that best represent or are closest to the goal the user is trying to accomplish. We call these vertices the "goal vertices".
For the user, the object in navigating the graph is to get from the first vertex to the goal vertices. If this is not done as quickly and efficiently as possible the user may become frustrated and give up. Moreover, as the number of possible choices or nodes in the network becomes larger, the number of possible pathways between the first vertex and the goal vertices multiplies rapidly. Therefore, the ability to reach the goal vertex can become more difficult, require navigation of an excessive number of choices or nodes, or discourage a user before the goal vertex is even reached.

Navigation in a hierarchical structured transaction processing system


Solutions such as for example groundwater, drinking water, extracting solutions and effluents contaminated with metals, radioactive species and organics, singly or in combination, are treated by first removing undesirable oxidizing agents from the contaminated solution. Then the contaminated solution is separately treated with aqueous solutions of ferrous sulfate and hydroxide, which precipitate substantially all of the contaminants. Next, the precipitate is treated with a flocculant and/or a coagulant to form an easily dewaterable and separable solid. The solid contaminants are readily removed from the cleansed solution. The process utilizes a novel combination of steps which maximizes contaminant removal, minimizes waste volume, and produces a recyclable solution and a manageable waste stream. The preferred hydroxide solutions are sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, and ammonium hydroxide.

This invention relates generally to precipitation and flocculation methods for decontaminating various types of solutions which are contaminated with a variety of contaminants such as heavy metals, radioactive compounds, and organic compounds, using a novel combination of treatment steps. More particularly, this invention relates to methods for decontaminating solutions using aqueous solutions of ferrous sulfate and hydroxides, in combination with flocculants, to precipitate the contaminants and ultimately separate them from solution.
There is increasing concern over the hazards posed by the rising levels of inorganic and organic contaminants within the world's water supplies due to accidental spills, leaks, mining practices and poor disposal practices. Most heavy metal and organic contaminants are toxic to some degree to all life-forms, and can have a deleterious effect on aquatic flora and fauna. In humans, toxic heavy metal poisoning can lead to severe nervous system disorders and can cause death.
In addition, the contamination of drinking water, ground water, soil washing extracting solutions, and leaching solutions presents a further problem in that large volumes of solution typically are affected, making treatment especially problematic. This problem is aggravated in geographical locations where water is in short supply, and the need to recycle is great.
Accordingly, numerous physical, chemical and biological methods for the removal of various contaminants from solutions have been proposed. For example, contaminated water could be treated with aerobic and anaerobic biological purification, electrolysis, membrane filtration, and ion exchange techniques. See "Extractive Methods For Soil Decontamination; A General Survey and Review of Operational Treatment Installations," J. W. Assink, in Contaminated Soil, Edited by J. W. Assink, and W. J. van den Brink, pp. 658, 1986, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. However, there are problems associated with each of these methods. Contaminated groundwater, soil washing solutions and leaching solutions typically have unique characteristics which adversely effect these available processes. For example, such solutions can contain suspended solids, dissolved humics, or varying compositions, which prevent the successful application of these techniques. In addition, many are not suitable for treatment of large volumes of water due to equipment limitations and cost constraints. For example, ion exchange processes are costly and adversely affected by solids, humics, and even slight changes in solution chemistry. Thus, significant amounts of contamination may remain even after application of the treatment.
Alternatively, it has been suggested that inorganic and organic contaminants in solution can be removed via precipitation techniques, wherein the contaminant is precipitated from solution at a specific pH using carbonates, hydroxides, sulfides, and/or silicates, in conjunction with flocculants or coagulants. Several of these techniques are described in Canter, L. W., and Knox, R. C., Ground Water Pollution Control, Lewis Publishers, Inc., 1985, pp. 110-120; and Willey, B. R., Finding Treatment Options for Inorganics, in WATER/Engineering & Management, Oct. 1987, pp. 28-31. Precipitation methods suffer from another set of drawbacks. For example, sulfide systems are difficult to handle, complex to operate, and often result in high waste volume and harmful residual levels of precipitating agent. Sulfide sludges also are susceptible to oxidation to sulfate when exposed to air, resulting in resolubilization of the metals. Carbonate systems, while relatively easy to operate, are difficult to control and often result in processing problems such as premature plugging of equipment. Hydroxide systems are widely used to remove inorganics because they are the most reliable, and have the added advantages of ease in chemical handling and low volume of sludge. However, the resulting sludge often is gelatinous and difficult to dewater, making treatment, separation, and storage of the contaminated material difficult. Silicate precipitation is not effective on all inorganic contaminants; for example, it does not readily precipitate anionic contaminants or mercury. Therefore, silicate precipitation methods usually are inefficient and ineffective in reducing the level of certain contaminates to environmentally acceptable levels.
What is needed is a simplified, easy-to-operate method of treating large volumes of solutions containing soluble and insoluble heavy metals, radioactive contaminants, and organic contaminants, singly or in combination, which effectively segregates the contaminates from the clean solution and concentrates the contaminated material in a manageable, low volume, concentrated waste stream.
There is a further need for a system that can effectively recover contaminants from extracting solutions used in soil washing processes, which allows recycling of the extracting solution, which requires a minimal amount of equipment and is economical to operate, and which further allows for the processing of recovered contaminants, such as metals, or other salable minerals.
There is also a need for a system which can effectively decontaminate solutions contaminated with both anionic and cationic ions.
There is a further need for a system which can effectively decontaminate solutions containing suspended solids, mobilized soil organics (e.g., humics), and having varying compositional make-ups.

Solution decontamination method using precipitation and flocculation techniques


There is provided an automated prescription filling system using a robotic arm in combination with an automatic pharmaceutical dispenser having a plurality of individual pill-counting units, each under the control of its own microprocessor. The automatic pharmaceutical dispensers are modified for use with the robotic arm. Because tablet counting is completely independent of the robotic arm, system throughput is higher than in systems of the prior art. Unlike systems of the prior art, each individual pill-counting unit can be removed from behind the pharmaceutical dispenser so that the system need not be stopped for such service. The fact that counting operations are divorced from robotic arm movements allows the arm movements to be optimized and multiple prescriptions to be processed simultaneously. Controller software optimizes movement of the robotic arm based upon such factors as the fullness of the vial being transported.

Automated pharmaceutical dispensing systems are available which automatically count a predetermined number of pills, tablets, capsules, or similar items. The term pill is used hereinafter to designate any pill, tablet, capsule, or similar solid form of pharmaceutical or similar item. It will be recognized that while a pharmacy has been chosen for purposes of disclosure, the inventive system may be applied to many other fields and the invention is not considered limited to the environment chosen for purposes of disclosure. Such systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,884,806; 5,907,493; and 6,202,923, all commonly assigned to the assignee of the instant application. In these systems, pills are counted from a reservoir into an output buffer upon command. Once the pills have been counted, an operator empties the buffer contents into a vial or similar container.
It is also known in the art to use robotic arms to automate portions of the prescription filling process in an automated pharmacy. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,812,410, for SYSTEM FOR DISPENSING DRUGS, issued Sep. 22, 1998 to Nicholas Lion, et al, and 5,838,575, for SYSTEM FOR DISPENSING DRUGS, issued Nov. 17, 1998 to Nicholas Lion, both teach a system wherein disposable containers of drugs are mounted vertically in a frame above individual counting units (i.e., base port subunits). Vials may be moved directly under the counting units to receive tablets or capsules counted from the disposable container. However, there is no teaching of a robotic arm or other robotic type manipulator. In some embodiments, vials to receive the pills, tablets or capsules are manufactured within or near the dispensing unit.
In contradistinction, the system of the present invention utilizes a robotic arm in combination with a multi-unit, automated pill dispensing unit. Pill counting is performed by individual independently operable pill counting units, each under direct control of an internal microprocessor. This allows pill-counting operations to be performed independently from movements of the robotic arm. While tablets are being counted, the robotic arm may be performing other tasks, such as fetching a labeled vial, moving an unlabeled vial to a labeling station, moving a filled vial from another counting unit to an output station, etc. In addition, no facility for manufacturing vials from plastic sheeting is provided.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,006,946 and 6,036,812 for PILL DISPENSING SYSTEM were both issued to Jeffery P. Williams, et al, on Dec. 28, 1999 and Mar. 14, 2000, respectively. Both of these patents teach using a robotic actuator for removing cassettes from a shelving unit, transferring the cassettes to a counting station, counting a predetermined number of tablets or capsules from the cassette into a vial, and ultimately returning the cassette to its proper place in the shelving unit and moving the filled vial to an output station.
The unit of the present invention, on the other hand, utilizes a robotic arm in combination with a sophisticated automatic pharmaceutical dispensing system wherein tablets or capsules are independently and simultaneously counted in each of the plurality of counting units in the dispensing system. This requires far fewer movements of the robotic arm and thus provides far greater throughput of the system because of the independence of the tablet counting operations from the robotic arm movement. In addition, parallel pill counting operations are possible, further improving system throughput. In the inventive system, no cassettes need be moved from a shelving unit to a counting unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,392 for PILL DISPENSING SYSTEM, issued Jan. 23, 2001 to Jeffery P. Williams, et al, teaches a bottle dispensing system for use in cooperation with the pill dispensing system disclosed in the '812 and '946 WILLIAMS patents described hereinabove.
The system of the present invention has no provision for dispensing bottles.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,967 for INTEGRATED AUTOMATED DRUG DISPENSER METHOD AND APPARATUS, issued Jul. 10, 2001 to Terrance J. Hebron, et al, teaches a system wherein at least one line of machines is provided to fill, label and cap vials of medication for a particular patient. Multiple prescriptions for a patient are grouped and accumulated in unique, patient-specific output bins.
The automated system of the present invention provides no facility for grouping various prescriptions for a particular patient, but rather fills each prescription independently. Only after the prescriptions have been inspected are they sent to a packaging area where multiple prescriptions for a single patient are identified and grouped for pickup by the patient.
None of these patents, either individually or in combination, anticipates or suggests the automated prescription filling system of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a system using a robotic arm in combination with an automatic pharmaceutical dispenser.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a system using a robotic arm in combination with an automatic pharmaceutical dispenser having a plurality of individual, independent, pill-counting units.
It is another object of the invention to provide a system using a robotic arm in combination with an automatic pharmaceutical dispenser wherein each individual pill-counting unit has a dedicated microprocessor.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a system using a robotic arm in combination with an automatic pharmaceutical dispenser wherein tablet or capsule counting is performed independently of and simultaneously with the movement of the robotic arm.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a system using a robotic arm in combination with an automatic pharmaceutical dispenser wherein an individual pill-counting unit may be serviced from behind the automatic pharmaceutical dispenser so that normal operation of the robotic arm with other dispensing modules can continue normally.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a system using a robotic arm in combination with an automatic pharmaceutical dispenser wherein replenishment of individual pill-counting units may be performed from behind the automatic pharmaceutical dispenser so that normal operation of the robotic arm with other dispensing modules can continue normally.

Robotic arm and method for using with an automatic pharmaceutical dispenser


A scrolling user interface comprises proportional scrolling responsive to contact in a proportional zone of a scrolling strip and multi-mode scrolling in response to contact in a multi-mode zone of the scrolling strip. Multi-mode scrolling can include proportional scrolling, continuous scrolling, or stepped scrolling.

It is highly desirable to provide a scrolling capability for efficiently moving through menus on electronic devices. As the capabilities of user devices improve, the need for more efficient scrolling increases. This is due to a variety of technological changes. Devices have ever increasing functionality as technologies converge on single platforms. Computers, mobile phones, personal digital assistants, music players, video players, televisions, and network technology are being encompassed on a single device. Larger memories and improved power performance have enabled users to store more information, allowing users to create larger collections of music, videos, contact lists, or the like.
Devices for performing these functions are being built smaller and smaller, such that it is necessary to manipulate large menus and libraries with small user interface and display. In many devices, it is highly desirable to support a scrolling input around the navigation area, to facilitate navigation in lists such as phone books and music or video libraries.
What is needed is a new user interface for improving the user experience when using in portable devices.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.


A flexible hook hanger comprises an elongate sheet of pliable backing, an adhesive layer and a hook element. The backing comprises first and second ends, a first zone positioned adjacent the first end, a second zone positioned adjacent the second end and a central zone positioned between the first and second zones. The adhesive layer is disposed on one side of the backing. The hook element is connected to the central zone. In one embodiment, the pliable backing comprises microstructured tape, and the adhesive layer comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive composition comprising one or more hydrocarbon block copolymers, and a polar phenolic tackifier. In another embodiment, at least one of the first and second zones includes a peel arrestor. For example, the first zone and the second zone have a first width and a second width, respectively, and the central zone has a third width that is less than at least one of the first width and the second width.

Many hanger designs have been developed over the years in which hooks are mechanically attached to a strip of backing material that can be secured to a surface using an adhesive. It is desirable for the adhesive to be strong to support the object hung by the hanger, while also having peelability so that the hanger can be removed from the surface to which the hanger is mounted without damage if removal of the hanger is attempted. Thus, there is a continuous balance between needs in selecting an adhesive for adhesive-backed hangers. Conventional adhesive-backed hangers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,724,568 to Rabinovitch and U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,480 to Frye.

Folding flap hanger device having multiple peel fronts


A unique through-hull water pickup device for mounting in a watercraft below the water line where the layer of water next to the hull is known as the boundary layer. The device includes a flange having a curved lip provided with grooves that channel water into the watercraft at a suitably low and fairly constant pressure or head and with low drag at varying speeds of the watercraft.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to water pickup devices for watercraft and more particularly, to a unique boundary layer water pickup device which includes a curved, grooved or slotted flange with a low profile fitted against the hull of a watercraft to take advantage of the relatively constant total head of the fluid boundary layer phenomenon. The through-hull device thus facilitates a flow of water through the device into the watercraft with a suitably low and fairly constant total head or pressure and with low drag at various speeds of the watercraft.
Water pickup devices for channeling water into a watercraft for various purposes, including cooling the engine, providing water for marine toilets, desalinators, wash down, an auxiliary generator and other marine purposes, have long been known in the art. In the common "through hull" design, the water pickup device includes a curved flange or lip which is fitted to the hull below the waterline and a threaded nipple extends from the lip through the hull, where it receives a nut for securing the device in the hull. Water pickup using this device is adequate to a speed of about 40 mph, beyond which the device fails to provide water to the watercraft interior.
One of the problems which is inherent in the operation of other water pickup devices with "scoops" in watercraft, is that of wide pressure variation in the water pickup system. This pressure varies from zero when the watercraft is at rest, to sometimes undesirably high pressures as the watercraft gains speed. Since the pressure varies widely, adequate water supply in the watercraft at a suitable working pressure is unpredictable. These devices typically extend well below the profile of the watercraft hull to deflect water into the hull and the pressure of the water being deflected by the scoop varies with the speed of the watercraft over the water. An early such water pickup device entitled "Valve" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 835,854, dated Nov. 13, 1906, to G. E. Franquist. The water pickup extends well below the plane of the bottom of the watercraft for scooping the water into a vertical chamber provided with a valve for controlling the flow of water into the watercraft. U.S. Pat. No. 1,641,670, dated Sep. 6, 1927, to G. M. French, details an "Intake" which is mounted against the bottom of the watercraft and is fitted with parallel slots and an optional, downwardly-extending flute for scooping water and channeling the water into a conduit extending into the watercraft. A "Cooling Water Intake Apparatus For Marine Vessels" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,317, dated Apr. 1, 1975, to Hikita. The device includes a tubular block which is adapted to be fitted into a through-hole provided in a watercraft hull, an intake pipe removably inserted in the tubular block and a strainer provided in the intake pipe for straining the water moving through the intake pipe. A valve is also provided on the tubular block to control the rate of flow of water through the apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,807, dated Apr. 22, 1975, to Reskusic et al, details a "Water Intake Strainer For Use On Boats" provided on a watercraft. The strainer includes an upward-tapering housing oriented in the normal direction of travel to expose a surface of desired profile for water pickup. U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,571, dated Dec. 6, 1977, to Philip M. Banner, details a "Marine Water Inlet Device" provided with adaptors that attach to the inlet pipe and a signal apparatus that indicates when a clogging condition exists in the water circulation system of the watercraft. U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,632, dated Mar. 7, 1989, to J. P. Hamel, details a "Bottom Scoop For Engine Cooling Water". The device includes an outer body portion secured to the outside surface of the hull of a watercraft and an inner body portion is removably disposed in the outer body portion. The inner body portion has openings in one end that admit water into a cavity in the inner body, from which cavity the water flows to the cooling system of a marine power plant.
It is an object of this invention to provide a unique, low profile water pickup device that utilizes fluid boundary layer phenomenon to channel water through the device at a suitably low and fairly constant total head or pressure at varying speeds of the watercraft.
Another object of this invention is to provide a boundary layer water pickup device which has a low profile, grooved flange secured in the hull of the watercraft, to take advantage of the characteristics of the boundary layer and thus provide a flow of water with an adequately low and fairly constant total head or pressure through the device with low drag and at varying speeds of the watercraft.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a boundary layer water pickup device which is characterized by a unique "through-hull" fitting mounted in the hull of a watercraft below the waterline. The fitting has a continuous, curved flange or lip provided with an opening and at least one water pickup groove located in the direction of motion of the watercraft, to channel water from the boundary layer of the watercraft, through the groove or grooves and opening elements of the pickup device with a suitably low and fairly constant total head or pressure and with low drag at various speeds of the watercraft through the water.


A method and system for effectively identifying an incoming peak traffic situation in an elevator system is provided. To allow faster detection of a peak traffic condition, use is made of both information obtained from traditional peak hour identification and history data obtained from statistics regarding the numbers of passengers. Traditional peak hour identification monitors the car weight and the number of calls in real time. Statistics provide information regarding typical rush hours in the building. In the method of the present invention, the number of passengers gathering on the lobby floor is forecast on the basis of statistics at the moment when the next elevator is at the lobby floor, ready to take in passengers. When the forecast number of passengers exceeds the car load threshold value for traditional peak hour identification, an incoming peak traffic mode can be activated reliably already on the basis of a single peak elevator.

When a passenger wishes to travel by elevator, he/she calls an elevator by pressing a landing call button installed at the floor. The control system of the elevator receives the call and tries to determine which one of the elevators in the elevator group is best able to serve the person having issued the call. This activity is call allocation. The problem to be solved by allocation is to select for each call an elevator that will minimize a preselected cost function.
The elevator group control system is typically configured to control the elevators in accordance with preselected control algorithms. The control algorithm selected depends on the traffic type prevailing in the building at the time. Therefore, the elevator group control system often comprises a traffic type detector. The traffic types identified by a basic traffic type detector are e.g. "normal traffic", "incoming peak traffic", "outgoing peak traffic" and "two-way peak traffic". Fast and reliable detection of an incoming peak traffic condition is particularly important. In office buildings, incoming peak traffic conditions may arise in the morning during a few minutes as people arrive at their jobs within a short time. An example of typical incoming traffic in an office building is presented in FIG. 1.
During incoming peak traffic, the primary function to be fulfilled by the group control system is to return elevators to the entrance floors in a suitable proportion. If in normal-traffic operating mode one elevator is returned for each call issued, then in incoming peak-traffic conditions elevators are returned directly to the entrance floors without a separate call until the system establishes that the peak traffic condition has ceased to exist. The operation of the system can not be influenced by allocation decisions made on the basis of landing calls, because on the entrance floors typically only one landing call, usually an up call, is valid. If direct return of elevators were not activated during incoming peak traffic, there would arise a situation where only two elevators for each entrance floor would be operating; one loaded with passengers and delivering them to their destination floors and another empty and returning to the entrance floor on the basis of a call issued from there. If incoming peak traffic is not identified quickly, long queues will build up in the lobby or in general on the entrance floor of the building and passenger waiting times will become longer. Long waiting times may cause dissatisfaction with the operation of the elevators.
On the other hand, the incoming peak mode should not be activated unnecessarily because direct return of elevators to the entrance floors is a strong measure and its uncalled-for activation will significantly interfere with the rest of elevator service in the building. In that case, calls issued from floors other than the entrance floors are obviously served more slowly than during normal traffic. The algorithm controlling the return of the elevators must be so designed that, during a long-lasting incoming peak traffic situation, calls issued from other floors will be served, although with a delay. Identification of an incoming peak traffic condition involves two partially contrary objectives. The identification must work as fast as possible, but it must not produce incorrect identification results.
In traditional identification of incoming peak traffic, the number of calls is monitored as passengers are entering an elevator in a lobby area (in this case, this comprises each entrance floor of the building). Among the calls, expressly the number of calls with a destination outside the lobby area are considered. When the number of calls exceeds a preset threshold value, the elevator in question is interpreted as a peak elevator and the situation as a potential incoming peak traffic condition.
A threshold value of a corresponding type is also set for the car load. When the elevator leaves the lobby area and its load exceeds the threshold value, the elevator is interpreted as a peak elevator and the situation as a potential incoming peak traffic condition. When two or more peak elevators are detected within a given time window, an incoming peak traffic mode is activated, which in turn starts direct return of elevators to the entrance floors. Two peak elevators at a given predetermined time are required to ensure that peak hour identification will not occur unnecessarily on the basis of occasional peak elevators outside actual peak traffic hours. On the other hand, this retards the identification of a real peak traffic situation at the early stage of a real peak traffic condition.
During actual peak traffic hours, it would be advantageous if the incoming peak traffic mode could be activated already on the basis of a single peak elevator identified. For this purpose, it is possible to set in the control system two separate time windows, typically for morning and lunch-time peak hours, during which the identification of a single peak elevator is sufficient for the activation of the incoming peak traffic mode. A problem with this solution is that it involves the necessity to know the building and its users' times of elevator utilization well enough to allow the aforesaid time windows to be set at the most probable times of beginning of peak traffic conditions. In addition, there should preferably be a possibility to set the time windows separately for each day of the week because the usage profile of the elevators of the building is typically different during the weekend as compared with weekdays. Weekdays again are mutually very similar to each other. However, in practice it is not possible to set the time windows separately for each day of the week because the control logic of the elevator system typically only allows two fixed time windows to be set.
Traffic Forecaster-based identification of peak traffic conditions (TF) calculates the numbers of passengers arriving to and leaving each floor of the building and maintains statistics of these numbers. The calculation is done during the time when the elevator is standing at the floor while passengers are leaving and entering the car. The calculation is based on the use of a car load weighing device and a light cell provided in the elevator door.
TF-based peak hour identification collects statistics of two different types: Long Term Statistics (LTS) and Short Term Statistics (STS). The unit measure used in LTS statistics is e.g. "number of passengers in 15 minutes" and in STS statistics "number of passengers in 5 minutes". LTS statistics are generated for each floor i. For each floor there are four traffic components k: passengers arriving to the floor from below, passengers arriving to the floor from above, passengers leaving the floor in the downward direction and passengers leaving the floor in the upward direction. In LTS statistics, the day is divided into 96 time slices t of 15 minutes each: the first slice covers the time from 00:00 to 00:15, the next from 00:15 to 00:30 and the last slice from 23:45 to 00:00. Thus, LTS statistics is a three-dimensional matrix Li,k,t. During the day, the passengers are collected into daily statistics Li,k,t*. At midnight, the collected diurnal statistics are subjected to statistical approval tests to ensure that the day collected is not e.g. a midweek holiday. If the diurnal statistics pass the approval tests, then the LTS statistics will be updated e.g. as follows:Li,k,t=(1−α)·Li,k,t+α·Li,k,t*,  (1)where α is an update factor (0<α<1). The selected α-value is generally small (0.1 . . . 0.2). With typical α values, the method preserves most of the old data and adds some new data. Depending on the school, this up-dating method is called exponential equalization or linear IIR (IIR, Infinite Impulse Response) low-pass filtering. Equation (1) yields a floating average of traffic component k for floor i of the building during time slice t. It describes a past situation, in other words, it gives the average number of passengers having moved before on floor i during the time slice t in question.
The floors comprised in the lobby area of the building being known, it is possible to produce from LTS statistics a traffic profile as shown in FIG. 1. By proportioning the traffic components to the calculated transport capacity of the elevator group and using fuzzy logic, it is possible to identify different traffic types even with very fine distinctions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,559 describes a method of this type for determining the traffic type on the basis of statistical data. In practice, however, LTS statistics cannot be used directly for determining the traffic type prevailing in a building because LTS statistics represent a long-term average of traffic observed in the building in the past. What is actually going on in the building at the moment under consideration may differ widely from the long-term average. Therefore, the traffic type obtained from LTS statistics should be interpreted as indicating the traffic type that typically prevails in the building at each instant of time.
In an attempt to solve the above-mentioned problem, short-term STS statistics have been introduced. STS statistics differ from LTS statistics in that they form a two-dimensional matrix Si,k, where i represents the floor and k the traffic component. The time index t is missing because the number of passengers is calculated and included in STS statistics in a floating manner for the time of five minutes preceding the current instant. In other words, passengers having used the elevator over five minutes ago are removed from the statistics. To identify the traffic type currently prevailing in the building, STS statistics are subjected to the same aforementioned fuzzy logic deduction procedure as LTS statistics.
After this, the information contained in the LTS and STS statistics are combined via a fairly complicated chain of inferences. In this connection, the traffic types given by the statistics are compared to each other, the traffic intensities measured by STS are compared to the transport capacity of the system and the LTS statistics are utilized to obtain confirmation of the traffic type given by the STS statistics.
There are two problems of principle associated with this method. First, LTS and STS statistics are not mutually comparable because the length of the period under consideration is not the same: typically 15 minutes in LTS and 5 minutes in STS. In addition, the time slices in LTS statistics are stationary and have a permanent length of 15 minutes, whereas in STS statistics the time window floats steplessly over the entire diurnal cycle. Second, particularly in view of incoming peak traffic, the five-minute time window of STS statistics is still too long to be used for the activation of an incoming peak mode.
A third problem is associated with practical implementation. The complicated deduction procedure for combining the traffic types produced by STS and LTS require many threshold values to be separately adjusted. Also, trimming and testing the set of rules themselves is a laborious task.


Magnetic spin-torque memory cells, often referred to as magnetic tunnel junction cells, which have magnetic anisotropies (i.e., magnetization orientation at zero field and zero current) of the associated ferromagnetic layers aligned perpendicular to the wafer plane, or “out-of-plane”. A memory cell may have a ferromagnetic free layer, a first pinned reference layer and a second pinned reference layer, each having a magnetic anisotropy perpendicular to the substrate. The free layer has a magnetization orientation perpendicular to the substrate that is switchable by spin torque from a first orientation to an opposite second orientation.

New types of memory have demonstrated significant potential to compete with commonly utilized forms of memory. For example, non-volatile spin-transfer torque random access memory (referred to herein as ST-RAM) has been discussed as a "universal" memory. Magnetic tunnel junction cells have has attracted much attention for their application in ST-RAM due to their high speed, relatively high density and low power consumption.
Most activities have been focused on magnetic tunnel junction cells with in-plane magnetic anisotropies. However, there are limits on how low the switching current can be for adequate thermal stability, which further limits the size of the CMOS transistor which ultimately limits the density of the memory array. In addition, there is very low tolerance of the cell shape and edge roughness, which can be challenging photolithographic techniques. Techniques, designs and modifications designed to improve magnetic tunnel junction cell structures and materials remain an important area of advancement to maximize the advantages of ST-RAM.

ST-RAM cells with perpendicular anisotropy


A method for increasing hydraulic capacity of a gravity sewer system includes installing a receiving structure within or proximate to at least a portion of the gravity sewer system. The receiving structure has at least one fluid inlet opening, at least one liquid outlet opening, and at least one gas outlet opening. The method further includes evacuating at least some of any gas within the receiving structure through at least one gas outlet opening to create a vacuum within the receiving structure. The method further includes receiving a flow of at least liquid through the at least one fluid inlet opening of the receiving structure and into the receiving structure. The method further includes discharging at least some of the liquid from the receiving structure through the at least one liquid outlet opening of the receiving structure.

The present invention is directed generally to an apparatus and method for increasing the hydraulic capacity of a sewer system. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a receiving structure positioned within or proximate to an existing gravity sewer system for increasing the hydraulic capacity of the sewer system during a period in which the capacity of the existing sewer system would otherwise be exceeded.
Combined sewer systems were the "state-of-the-art" during the early 20th century. In addition to the collection and transport of municipal wastewater, these combined sewers were designed for stormwater flows as well—therefore the term "combined." The design of combined sewer systems included "overflow structures." When a wet weather event (for example, a storm, heavy rain or snowmelt) created stormwater flows which exceeded the design capacity (i.e., hydraulic capacity) of the combined sewer system, the excess flow (i.e., the combined sewer overflow "CSO") would be intentionally diverted to nearby surface water via these overflow structures.
Later in the 20th century, the "state-of-the-art" shifted to the design and construction of separate sewers—individual sewer systems for municipal wastewater and stormwater. The design capacity of the sanitary sewer was intended to collect and transport municipal wastewater from the service area. Experience has shown that unintended water from non-municipal sources (i.e., stormwater) also enters the sanitary sewers. During wet weather events these excessive flows create sanitary sewer overflows ("SSO") at locations which were not intentionally designed to accommodate such overflows.
One example of a prior art sewer system is shown in FIG. 1. The prior art sewer system, generally designated 12, typically includes an upstream portion, pipe or conduit 12a and a downstream portion, pipe or conduit 12b. The downstream conduit 12b typically has an existing capacity (due to size, slope, etc.) which is greater than the increased capacity desired for the upstream conduit 12a. The downstream conduit 12b is typically connected to or leads to a treatment facility (not shown). The upstream and downstream conduits 12a, 12b may be operatively connected by a manhole or other open area 40 having a removable manhole cover or lid 42 to provide access to the manhole 40.
At full-flow of a liquid, such as wastewater, stormwater, or a combination of wastewater and stormwater, a hydraulic gradient 14 is typically parallel to the slope of the upstream conduit 12a. While normally depicted above the upstream conduit 12a, in FIG. 1 the hydraulic gradient 14 is intentionally shown beneath the upstream conduit 12a in order to more clearly demonstrate the effect of the present invention. The upstream and downstream conduits 12a, 12b have a certain hydraulic capacity at full-flow of a liquid, which is determined by its size, shape and/or material-of-construction and its hydraulic gradient 14. Upstream flows (i.e., to the left in FIG. 1) in excess of this full-flow hydraulic capacity will cause the liquid in the upstream conduit 12a to back-up and overflow.
The current approach taken by the United States Environmental Protection Agency ("USEPA") to deal with the issue of CSO and SSO environmental impacts is based on legally-binding "Consent Decree" agreements between the USEPA and the sewer system entity—typically a municipal government or agency. The individually-negotiated Consent Decrees include a scope-of-work and schedule intended to reduce the frequency and volume of CSO during wet weather events.
The scope-of-work includes an assessment and evaluation of technically-feasible alternatives. Where increased hydraulic capacity is needed in order to reduce the frequency and volume of overflows, the typical alternatives often considered are parallel sewers and/or tunnels. Such alternatives are often very expensive solutions to deal with short-duration problems created by only a few wet weather events annually.
Therefore, it would be desirable to create an apparatus and method that alleviates or overcomes the above-described disadvantages of conventional sewer systems. More specifically, it would be desirable to create an attachment or addition to existing gravity sewer systems that—when necessary or desired—increases the hydraulic capacity of the sewer system, which is preferably an established or existing gravity sewer system. The present invention accomplishes the above objectives.

Apparatus and method for increasing hydraulic capacity of a sewer


A rotary bearing is disclosed for pivotably connecting a journal to a similar cylindrical saddle formed in a chassis member. The rotary bearing is provided with an annular sleeve having inner surface sides to freely rotatably cooperate with the journal. The annular sleeve outer surface has affixed to it an arcuate flange extending radially outward and about a limited portion of the sleeve periphery. The flange includes a relatively thin web section and a thicker head portion spaced radially outward therefrom to enable the flange to interconnect with the arcuate slot formed in a semi-cylindrical saddle surface. The rotary bearing can be quickly installed and removed without the use of fasteners or installation tools and is particularly suitably adapted for use in mounting an upright vacuum motor/fan assembly to the cleaner head chassis.

Upright vacuum cleaners frequently utilize a combined motor/fan assembly which is attached to the upright handle bag portion and is pivotably mounted to and generally housed within a floor-mounted chassis. The motor/fan assembly blows dirt-ladened air directly from the fan chamber into the handle bag assembly. Since the motor/fan assembly and handle are affixed to one another, the air passageway therebetween may be rigid having smooth interior walls which do not tend to collect dirt and debris. The handle and attached motor/fan assembly typically are capable of rotating approximately 90.degree. relative to the chassis assembly. One axial end of the motor/fan assembly typically provides an air inlet to the fan chamber while the opposite end provides a rotary output shaft for driving a rotary brush.
Typically, vacuum cleaners of the prior art design pivotably mount the motor/fan assembly to the chassis utilizing a pair of conventional journal bearings. A cylindrical journal is formed on each end of the motor/fan assembly generally coaxial with the motor/fan axis. A pair of corresponding webs having a semi-cylindrical saddle sized to cooperate with each of the journal are formed in the chassis. A pair of semi-cylindrical caps are affixed to the chassis using conventional fasteners such as screws or the like to form a cylindrical bearing surface rotatably cooperating with the journals on the motor/fan assembly. Vacuum cleaners of this general prior art design are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,637,092, 4,996,737, 5,056,175 and Des. 301,648.

Quick connect rotary bearing for a vacuum cleaner


A secondary battery including a circuit board unnecessitating a cut-out portion is provided. The secondary battery includes a battery cell having a cell tab, a protective circuit module electrically connected to the cell tab and having a circuit pattern formed therein, and a connection tab attached to the protective circuit module and electrically connected to the circuit pattern, wherein the connection tab includes a conductive layer adhered to the protective circuit module and including a first plating layer formed on the conductive layer and a second plating layer formed on the first plating layer, and the cell tab is welded to the connection tab.

1. Field
The present embodiments relate to a secondary battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable electric/electronic devices have a battery pack to be operated in any place where a power source is not separately available. The battery pack employs rechargeable secondary batteries in an economical aspect.
Examples of the secondary battery include nickel-cadmium (Ni—Cd), nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH), lithium (Li) batteries, and lithium ion batteries. Among them, the Li secondary batteries are widely used for portable electric-electronic devices because of a five times higher operating voltage and a higher energy density per unit weight than the Ni—Cd or Ni-MH batteries.
Secondary batteries are manufactured in various shapes such as a cylindrical shape, a prismatic shape and a pouch shape.
In addition, secondary batteries are used with a protective circuit module connected to a battery cell in view of safety. The protective circuit module is used in the secondary battery such that a printed circuit pattern is formed on an insulating substrate, and a plurality of electric devices and a protection circuit, are attached to the printed circuit pattern.
However, a portion of the protective circuit module should be cut out to enable welding of a cell tab of the battery cell.