A press for attaching nuts to pipes has an upper base, a lower base, a movable support having a base end supported at a rear end of the lower base and a front end extending to the front end side of the lower base, a nut receiving recess provided in a piston of a hydraulic cylinder at the front end of the movable support and disposed at the upper end of a lower pattern, a lifter for the movable support, a stopper for the middle position of the movable support, a crimping die as an upper pattern mounted on the upper pattern support and movably disposed vertically on a same axial line as the lower pattern, and a hydraulic cylinder for pressing an upper pattern disposed on the upper base, and pressing the crimping die downward.

Patent document 1 discloses a device for attaching a nut to a pipe by attaching to the inner wall of a metal square pipe so as to tighten with screw from outside of the square pipe, by using a so-called self-piercing nut in which each nut punches a hole in a metal sheet, and the rim of this hole is crimped simultaneously and pressed into the side wall groove of the nut, and attached to the metal sheet.
The device disclosed in patent document 1 is a manual device, which has not been put in practical use so far in the conventional background.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 53-16394 (Japanese Patent No. 0943112)


In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a plurality of optical module ports in communication with a physical layer device in a network device. Communication of signals from the physical layer device to the optical module ports is configured such that the signals received at the optical module ports adjacent to one another are at different phases to reduce electromagnetic interference associated with the optical module ports.

Optical transceiver modules are commonly used in switches and routers. With the development of higher performance electronic devices, system power, number of ports, and frequency continue to increase, resulting in EMI challenges, especially with regard to optical module cages and optical modules.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Multiple port network device with differential ports for reduced electromagnetic interference at optical modules


A method is provided for quantitative determination of the pressure comfort of a seat cushion. For this purpose, the sitting surface of the seat cushion to be tested is loaded mechanically in a manner that corresponds to a normal individual sitting in it, and the seat distribution is then determined with an interposed measuring mat. The signals from the individual pressure sensors of the measuring mat are summarized in accordance with anthropomorphically determined loading ranges with different pressure sensitivity thresholds groupwise and evaluated separately for the individual areas. For this purpose, the pressure measurement signals are multiplied by a factor or a pressure-dependent progressively increasing evaluation function and the product function is integrated. The pressure sensitivity threshold is assigned a value of 1. Depending on the difference between the respective pressure measurement value and the pressure sensitivity threshold (p.sub.0) the quality factor increases approximately parabolically or in geometric stages with increasing difference. The sum of the integral values obtained for the product functions is output as a rating number for the pressure comfort of the cushion. The comfort investigation can be performed with subjects of different sizes or seat testing punches of different sizes (5%, 50%, and 95% percentile), with an average or total value for all the results being used as a rating number for pressure comfort.

The invention relates to a method for determining the pressure comfort of seat cushions.
In the development of seats, especially vehicle seats, a question of good pressure comfort arises because the occupants, and especially the driver, sometimes have to remain seated on vehicle seats for many hours with only limited movement. In this regard, questions of optimum seat pressure distribution play a role. The behavior of a seat in this regard is determined by a number of factors, for example the design, structure, and finishing of the multi-layer combination of the covering material and the material, type, and structure of the seat foundation and the like. If the sitting pressure of a seat cushion is unfavorable when an individual sits on it, it will be perceived as unpleasant and uncomfortable for prolonged sitting.
In the course of seat development, various seat and cushion designs are prepared as trial samples and these must be compared with one another in an objective and reproducible fashion regarding various testing and evaluation criteria, especially as regards pressure comfort, in order to be able to pick the best trial sample in this way. Not only new trial samples from actual seat development but also various test seats from other sources, for example seats of earlier seat generations, used seats, or seats from outside development or manufacturing facilities, are compared with one another.
In the past, comfort-relevant seat testing could only be performed by test subjects. This of course produces only subjective test results that depend on how the individual tested was feeling that day, in other words results that are inaccurate and nonreproducible. Such tests are also costly in terms of time and personnel because the test must be performed in the vehicle and by several test subjects in order to yield results that show less scatter. The installation of a seat to be tested in a vehicle is also time-consuming, especially when comparison-testing objects from outside manufacturers.
The goal of the invention is to provide a method that offers a quantitative, realistic, and reproducible statement about the pressure comfort of test seats when testing seats for pressure comfort.
This goal is achieved according to the invention by a method for determining the pressure comfort of a seat cushion. According to this method, during realistic mechanical loading of the seat with the seat cushion to be tested, the sitting pressure distribution on the surface of the seat is measured with a suitable known measuring mat and the signals from the individual pressure sensors in the measuring mat are evaluated. For this purpose, the measurement signals from suitably anthropomorphically determined loading areas with different pressure sensitivity thresholds are combined in groups and evaluated separately for the individual areas. In each area, the pressure measurement values are evaluated in accordance with the magnitude of the determined pressure, i.e. multiplied by a factor. The greater the pressure in a certain sensor field differs from the pressure sensitivity threshold, the higher this measured value is rated and the higher the corresponding quality factor, with a pressure-dependent progressively increasing quality factor being used in this case. The pressure sensitivity threshold (p.sub.0) of the respective area is assigned a value of 1 as a quality factor. Depending on the difference between the individual measured pressure value and the pressure sensitivity threshold, the quality factor increases progressively with an increasing difference. By means of the multiplicative evaluation of the pressure distribution function, a product function is obtained for each area of the seat and is then integrated. The sum of the integral values of the product functions obtained is output as the rating number for the pressure comfort of the cushion.
The sitting surface of the seat cushion to be tested can be stressed by a seated test subject or, preferably, by means of an anthropomorphically designed seat testing punch. The comfort test can be conducted with persons of different sizes or with seat testing punches of different sizes (5%, 50%, and 95% percentiles), and an average or sum of all the results can be used as a rating number for pressure comfort.
In conjunction with optimum sitting pressure distribution, it can be said in general that body weight when sitting should optimally be supported by the buttocks and therefore primarily by the two so-called ischial humps. The sitting pressure distribution should therefore have pronounced maxima in the vicinity of the two ischial humps, said maxima making a gentle transition to a lower pressure level in the surrounding area, while in the vicinity of the thighs the sitting pressure should be as flat as possible and taper to zero at the edge of the cushion that faces the backs of the knees.
The measurement principle is based on human perception of the sitting pressure. The receptors in humans that feel contact pressure are distributed over the entire body surface. The sensitivity of the receptors differs in various skin areas, however. Sensitivity to pressure depends on the following: (1) the respective sensitivity of the skin area to which the pressure is being applied; (2) the size of the area exposed to the pressure, in other words the number of receptors that are impacted above the pressure sensitivity threshold; (3) the magnitude of the stimulus; (4) the fact that subjective pressure sensitivity increases exponentially with increasing application of pressure; and (5) the duration of the stimulating effect.
Practical experience with the measurement method according to the invention and a comparison of the measured pressure comfort numbers for various seats with subjective statements from test subjects who tested the seats confirm that the measurement method offers quantitatively reproducible and especially representative information about the pressure comfort of seats.
The following advantages can be achieved by the invention:
(1) the tests proceed under exactly defined measurement conditions;
(2) the anatomy and anthropomorphy of human beings as well as the subjective sensitivity of the test subjects are the basis of the measurement method and signal evaluation;
(3) measurement results are obtained that are reproducible and representative of pressure comfort, in other words they are objective;
(4) series measurements with anthropomorphically designed seat testing punches are quite possible, especially if the optimum quality number range has first been determined by statistical tests on human subjects;
(5) the measurement results from different seats, new developments from one's own development program, or seats from other manufacturers can be assigned to a uniform measurement scale and compared with one another as a result without difficulty;
(6) differences and special features of pressure distribution that cannot be detected by simply looking at a pressure distribution diagram are clearly shown by the measurable pressure comfort number and therefore can be followed systematically for the first time;
(7) as a result of the invention, seat development can proceed more clearly for optimum seat pressure comfort and can be considerably speeded up;
(8) since the measurement method proceeds in all phases under defined conditions and leads to a reproducible, representative, and numerical measurement result, the measurement method can be standardized, which would considerably facilitate contact between seat suppliers and automobile developers.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method for quantitative determination of the pressure comfort of a seat cushion


A mirror assembly for a vehicle includes an opening, a mirror housing having a window portion, a mirror unit positioned over the opening, and a light unit. The light unit includes a lamp lens positioned over the window portion, a light source arranged in the mirror housing at a position closer to a front side of the vehicle than the mirror unit, and a light distribution control unit for controlling light distribution so that light from the light source is distributed to a range from the outer side to the back side of the vehicle.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mirror assembly that is used for a vehicle and that includes a light unit.
2) Description of the Related Art
Vehicle mirror assemblies that include a light unit are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid Open (JP-A) No. 2002-019519, JP-A No. 2002-337606, and U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 6,695,465 B2.
Such a mirror assembly is attached to an outer surface of a vehicle. The mirror assembly includes a mirror housing and a light unit. A portion ranging from a front side to an outer side of the mirror housing is closed, and a portion in a back side thereof is open. A window portion is provided in a part of at least the outer side portion of the closed portion. The light unit includes a lamp lens positioned in the window portion, a lamp housing for forming a lamp room together with the lamp lens, and a light source such as a light emitting diode (LED) arranged in the lamp room.
If the light source in the light unit is lit, the light emitted from the light source passes through the lamp lens and is radiated to the exterior of the outside mirror assembly ranging from the outer side to the back side of the vehicle. With this radiation, the light unit of the outside mirror assembly performs a turn lamp function such as a signal lamp.
However, the lamp lenses of the light units of some of the mirror assemblies project from the mirror housings making the appearance of the mirror assembly bad. If the lamp lens is to be completely enclosed within the mirror housing, the mirror housing becomes bulkier.

Vehicle mirror assembly that includes light unit


The invention relates to the use of flavonoids as flavoring substances and/or as salt substitutes. A mixture of several flavonoids such as from onion, apple and tea are mixed to form a composition. The flavonoid preparation may be used as a general flavouring substance and as a salt substitute in home cooking as well as in food industry.

The present invention relates to the use of flavonoids as flavouring substances and/or as salt substitutes, to a composition containing flavonoids as well as to a process for the production of said flavonoid composition. A flavonoid powder preparation according to the present invention is especially well suited to be used as a general flavouring substance. The flavonoid composition according to the invention is suitable for replacing table salt totally or in part in household cooking as well as in food industry.
Flavonoids are one of the widest found groups of vegetable chemical compounds. They are polyphenolic antioxidants naturally present in vegetables, fruits, and beverages such as tea and wine. More than 2000 flavonoids have been found and identified. All flavonoids have a common biosynthetic origin and they therefore possess the same basic structural element, namely a 2-phenyl chromane skeleton. Flavonoids occur mainly as glycosides but they may also be in the form of free phenols and sulphates.
Oxidation of low density lipoproteins by free radicals is thought to play a central part in the development of atherosclerosis. Antioxidants may thus delay the onset of atherogenesis. Several flavonoid compounds have been shown to have antioxidant properties in vitro, inhibiting the oxidation of low density lipoproteins and reducing thrombotic tendencies by inhibiting platelet aggregation.
In a big Dutch study Hertog MGL, et al., Lancet 1993; 342:1007-11, showed that regular intake of foodstuffs which naturally contain flavonoids decreased mortality from myocardial infarction by half. The flavonoid content of the diet was calculated on the basis of an intake of tea, onions and apples.
A recent Finnish study by Knekt P., et al., BMJ, Feb. 24, 1996, Vol. 312, p. 478-481, supports the above findings. People eating a lot of apples and onions seem to be better protected from the risk of coronary diseases than those lacking said foodstuffs in their diet. Especially women seem to benefit from a diet rich of flavonoids. The risk of mortality from coronary diseases for the group of women receiving the biggest amount of flavonoids was only half of the risk for the group receiving the smallest amount. For men the difference was 20 per cent. According to the above study, flavonoids posses similar oxidation inhibiting effect on cells as vitamins E and C.
In the prior art the intake of flavonoids was provided by people eating flavonoid-containing fruits and vegetables or drinking flavonoid-rich beverages such as tea and wine.
The present invention is based on the realization that flavonoids may be extracted and/or powdered and made into a flavouring substance, a spice, which may be used as a general seasoning on or in food.
An object of the invention is thus to provide a functional spice based on flavonoids.
An object of the invention is also to provide a seasoning having an inherent taste of salt.
An object of the invention is further to provide a substitute for table salt in the food industry, in restaurants as well as in household cooking.
An object of the invention is also to provide a salt substitute for ready-made foods, bakery products, snacks, etc.
A further object of the invention is to provide an easy way of adding health bringing flavonoids to the normal diet of a person.
Another object of the invention is to provide a seasoning having antioxidant properties in vitro and in vivo and being capable of inhibiting the oxidation of low density lipoproteins and of reducing thrombotic tendencies by inhibiting platelet aggregation.
The use of the flavonoid flavouring substance according to the present invention will have the dual benefit of providing a good aromatic taste to the food and of supplementing the person""s normal diet with healthy flavonoids without requiring him or her to drink a lot of wine or eat a lot of onions or apples.
By allowing a reduction of the salt intake in food by 50% or more, preferably down to 25% of the normal intake of salt, the present flavonoid composition provides for the first time a realistic way of reducing the amount of salt in the diet to an acceptable level while retaining the taste of salt in the food at an accustomed level. It is an accepted fact that reducing the salt intake to about 25% of the present normal level significantly reduces the risk for fatal coronary diseases.
In addition to a reduction of the salt intake, a regular and continuous intake of flavonoids as such also has the effect of reducing the risk for coronary diseases. Thus a dual benefit is obtained by the present invention in both a reduction of salt intake and an increase in flavonoid intake. The flavonoid composition of the present invention is easy to use and is suitable for both household and industrial use.
The present invention is defined in the appended claims.
Thus, the present invention is directed to the use of flavonoids as flavouring substances. According to the invention the flavonoid flavouring may be used in food industry, in restaurants as well as in household cooking. The preferred use comprises use as a substitute for salt in food.
The flavonoid flavouring of the present invention may be used in the food industry in ready-made foods, in bakery products, in snacks, beverages, etc. Since the flavonoids are only marginally affected by normal cooking temperatures, the flavonoids may be included into the food before cooking. If the flavonoids are to be sprinkled on the surface of foods. it may be desirable to add the flavonoids after the cooking since the flavonoid flavouring composition may be coloured dark by the heating process.
In an especially preferred use of the present invention the flavonoids are sprinkled on potato chips after the deep frying procedure as a substitute for all or part of the salt normally used. In another preferred embodiment, at least a part of the salt used in baking bread is replaced by flavonoid flavouring.
The preferred flavonoids are selected from flavonoids of onion, tea and apple, and an especially preferred mixture comprises a powdered spice containing onion powder (about 30%), green or black tea extract (about 34%), and apple powder (about 18%) with the rest being made up of an edible carrier such as di- or tricalcium phosphate and/or silicon dioxide.
The present invention is also directed to a flavouring composition containing the above flavonoids or flavonoid mixture. The flavonoid composition of the present invention contains a combination of several, preferably at least three flavonoids, which are preferably selected so as to provide a salty taste. Thus, a preferred embodiment comprises a flavouring substance which may substitute table salt.
The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of a flavouring composition, wherein onion powder. tea extract and apple powder are mixed with an edible carrier to provide a flavonoid spice composition.
The flavonoid powder preparation developed according to the invention is classified as a Functional Food or a Functional Spice and it can be used as a general flavouring substance.
It is especially well suited for flavouring foods, but it may also be used to flavor beverages, snacks, etc.
The preferred embodiment according to the invention comprises a mixture of flavonoids contained in onion powder, green tea extract and apple powder. Although this seasoning does not contain any table salt at all, it has a taste which resembles that of a mild aroma salt. A specific benefit of the invention is obtained when the seasoning according to the invention is used to replace salt in the cooking of food. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of salt in the food without a reduction of the salty taste, thus providing a significant health benefit.
A daily use of the flavonoid seasoning in normal cooking at home, in restaurants. and/or in ready-made foods will ensure that the population will get a sufficient intake of flavonoids with their normal diet. This is believed to reduce the likelihood of coronary heart diseases and to decrease the mortality from myocardial infarction. In the preparation of food at home, the flavonoid seasoning may be portioned according to each person""s taste. Since flavonoids do not decompose at heating, cooking of the food does not cause a problem.
The seasoning according to the invention may be used for example:
as such as a flavouring lacking salt;
as a flavouring including about 25% salt;
in olive oil to give taste for salad dressings;
on slices of tomato and cucumber for example on top of slices of bread;
in the flavouring of all kinds of meat dishes;
in making aroma butter or aroma margarine to be used on top of a steak;
in making a herbal salt by adding ordinary table salt to the flavonoid seasoning;
in making a grill salt by combining about 25% table salt with about 75% (by weight) of the flavonoid seasoning;
as a liquid or solid salt substitute in the food industry; etc.
The persons skilled in the art will realize that there exist a huge number of ways in which the flavonoid seasoning can be included into the diet, and the present invention should not be considered limited to the examples listed in the present specification.
The beneficial effect of the seasoning according to the invention on health is based on the flavonoids, especially a combination of flavonoids from apple, onion and tea, which the product contains. In the preferred flavouring composition the natural protective agents are in the right proportion to each other and the product so maximizes the flavonoid-protection.
It will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that the proportions of the flavonoids may be varied according to the taste and need of the users. For instance, in a district where green tea is drunk in large amounts, the preferred seasoning may comprise less of the green tea extract and more of one or the other flavonoid ingredients. However, it has been found to be especially beneficial to mix onion powder and green tea extract in fairly equal amounts with about half that amount of apple powder.
The seasoning according to the invention may also contain other components, such as other vegetable components containing flavonoids and components having other properties, such as special flavouring properties not natural to the flavonoids in question.
The seasoning according to the invention is preferably mixed with edible carrier or filler compounds which are easily powdered and which add body to the seasoning. Such carriers are preferably inert compounds such as calcium phosphate and/or silica. The seasoning may also be produced in liquid or paste form and added to other seasonings such as mustard or soya sauce.
In many industrial applications the flavonoid composition may be used as such to be included as a flavouring and/or salt substitute into ready-made foods, bread, snacks, etc. The flavonoid composition has been found to have an antioxidant property which also is useful in the food industry.

Flavoring composition, production and use thereof


An information terminal unit with history management functions, wherein the user clicks on previous and later history buttons using a mouse. Clicking a history button causes a URL assigned with a version number to be created. The URL is sent to a relay server, which searches its cache for the requested data and, if the requested version is found, transfers that data back to the information terminal unit. This provides the user with a feasible method to access past data that may no longer exist in the desirable form.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to database technology and an information terminal unit with history management functions for searching for or acquiring data particularly from information providers, which are connected to each other via a network and configured as a distributed database system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional distributed database systems use the Internet via a plurality of information providers (servers). Most servers distributed throughout a database structure called the World Wide Web (WWW) on the Internet provide their own individual data that users on the information terminal unit end obtain when the need arises.
Servers scattered throughout this WWW are linked together to form a distributed database using a mechanism called hyperlinks. Hyperlinks use indexes called uniform resource locators (URLs), contained in one data, or location, of the database, to point to other data in the database. Users follow these indexes to semi-automatically move to other servers and obtain data from those servers.
These URLs are basically name references and do not themselves contain the essential content of the data pointed to by the hyperlinks. Therefore, the existence of a hyperlink does not necessarily guarantee the existence of the actual data to which the hyperlink points.
Further, a feature of the distributed database system on the Internet is that the processing is not consistent throughout, but rather separate and individual processing is performed for each server. In general, the processes for creating links and for preparing data are different. In such a database system, specific data corresponding to a hyperlink will not always exist even if the hyperlink has been created.
Hence, users of the database service have only been able to search or acquire data that is available at the time of use, because the servers used to provide the data service are not all consistent in processing. For example, data that could be found or acquired in the past is sometimes altered at another point in time. When this happens, a user wanting to search or acquire that past data cannot, but can now only access the current altered data.
Since this past data cannot be accessed when the need arises, the user could save data onto a local disk while the data is still accessible, when the user thinks that data might be useful in the future.
However, it is not feasible for all users to save all the data they will need, and a large memory capacity would be necessary to store all that data. Further, if a large amount of data is saved, much labor would be required to process that data, determining which data are necessary for the user.

Information terminal unit with history management functions


A sunlight reflector for vehicles includes a first layer of polyester film having a reflectively coated side and a non-reflectively coated side; a second layer of polyester film adjacent said first layer and adherently joined to said first layer at intervals, and "VELCRO" hooks and loops for attachment of the sunlight reflector to the inside of a vehicle.

On hot sunny days, especially in the Southern states, the interior of a vehicle left sunny parking area can become very hot in a short time. Because of the green house effect, interior automobile temperatures of as much as 140.degree. Fahrenheit are achieved frequently. This extreme heat causes accelerated deterioration of vehicle interiors, instrumentation, audio components and, often times, to items left in the car.
A driver returning to a sun-heated vehicle may at times be unable to touch metal parts of the vehicle without suffering burned hands. Even the metallic portions of seatbelts may be so hot they cannot be touched and secured about the driver or passengers. In some vehicles a hydrocarbon vapor residue from over-heated interior components deposits on the insides of the automobile windows, forming a film which can be very difficult to remove from the windows and which is detrimental to visibility.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for an efficient, effective means for reflecting solar energy from the glass windows of an automobile parked in the sunlight.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a reflecting means which is efficient and effective for reflecting sunlight from automobile windows.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sunlight reflector which can be quickly and easily secured within a car window before leaving the car parked in a sunny location.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a sunlight reflector which can be used as an emergency blanket if needed, to reflect heat inwardly when secured around a person in need of protection from cold.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sunlight reflector which can be adapted for use in vehicles of all sizes, configurations and types.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become evident in light of the following detailed description.


System and method are provided to detect objects in a scene frame of two-dimensional (2D) video using image processing and determine object image coordinates of the detected objects in the scene frame. The system and method deploy a virtual camera in a three-dimensional (3D) environment to create a virtual image frame in the environment and generate a floor in the environment in a plane below the virtual camera. The system and method adjust the virtual camera to change a height and angle relative to the virtual image frame. The system and method generate at an extended reality (XR) coordinate location relative to the floor for placing the detected object in the environment. The XR coordinate location is a point of intersection of a ray cast of the virtual camera through the virtual frame on the floor that translates to the image coordinate in the virtual image frame.

Embodiments relate to augmented and extended reality and, more specifically, to creating augmented or extended reality from two-dimensional content.
A long-felt need has existed for being able to create simulated real-world content via virtual representative scenarios. However, creating sufficiently rich context and content on platforms that include a computer system or processor including, but not limited to, personal computers, handheld devices, smart phones, gaming consoles, augmented reality devices and virtual reality devices, require a significant cost in terms of time, labor, and technical expertise. Designing the environmental setting, implementing relevant actions to simulate real-world events and interactions, designing and creating instructional content, and integrating all of these aspects within a digital form requires substantial effort. Thus, having an ability to rapidly and repeatedly create multiple, varied and useful scenarios is a significant barrier due to cost and the specialized skillsets involved.
Supporting technologies are emerging to resolve these challenges which may facilitate rapid scene replication and generate novel immersive content using approaches for automated object recognition, procedural generation of 3D assets, and human behavior modeling. Among these solutions are photogrammetry, laser scanning, ambient sensors, and crowd-sourced 3D modeling. These technologies facilitate capturing content from real-world settings and events. Machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) are approaches to object detection and behavior capture, and these types of solutions can assist with translating existing media into a virtualized representation.
Though these technologies exist, they are not integrated where a reduction in significant cost in terms of time, labor, and technical expertise are possible. Users and manufacturers would benefit from a system and method that provides for a unified architecture that can achieve automated virtual scenario generation from existing media inputs.

System and method to convert two-dimensional video into three-dimensional extended reality content


Systems and methods for diagnosing and facilitating repair of system components and/or improving watering schedules are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of diagnosing a sprinkler system component is disclosed that includes initiating a sprinkler system zone run for a particular zone of a sprinkler system, capturing image data for the sprinkler system run, uploading the image data to a network node, processing the image data at the network node to produce data on the sprinkler system or a sprinkler system component, and generating an action item for the sprinkler system or sprinkler system component based on the data produced at the network node.

Conventional landscaping sprinkler systems have their irrigation schedules set manually at the beginning of a watering season and are typically not adjusted based on weather. Additionally, homeowners typically lack knowledge about landscaping and sprinkler systems to create an optimal irrigation schedule. The result is often an over-watered lawn with wasted water as runoff, an under-watered lawn, or both, depending on the sprinkler zone or location within the sprinkler zone.
Recent advances in watering systems include smart watering systems. Smart watering systems control irrigation schedules of a sprinkler system. This may include automatically updating irrigation schedules based on qualitative and quantitative feedback and meteorological data. Smart sprinkler systems may match optimal or near-optimal irrigation schedules to sprinkler zones based on landscaping and sprinkler system characteristics. An example of a smart watering system is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0319941, entitled "System and method for an improved sprinkler control system," filed May 6, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference for any and all purposes.
Although smart watering systems can enhance watering, there remains a need for new and improved designs. In particular, there remains a need for systems and methods that provide improved diagnostic methods for facilitating repair of system components and/or improving watering schedules.

Image data for improving and diagnosing sprinkler controller performance


A control device for controlling an automatic transmission determines whether a fluid pressure of the operation fluid acting on a friction engagement element that is switched from a released-state to an engaged-state is in a fully-decreased state. If determined that the fluid pressure is not in a fully-decreased state, control of a manual valve is delayed. In such manner, the hydraulic circuit is switched by the manual valve after the full decrease of the fluid pressure of the operation fluid acting on the just-engaged friction engagement element. As a result, an abrupt rise of the fluid pressure is prevented and a shock in the automatic transmission is reduced.

Generally, within an automatic transmission, a control system may control a manual valve and a fluid-pressure control valve, as disclosed in a patent document 1 (i.e., Japanese patent No. 5151543). The manual valve switches a gearbox hydraulic circuit to control an operation fluid which acts on friction engagement elements such as a clutch or a brake. The fluid-pressure control valve controls a fluid pressure of the operation fluid acting on the friction engagement elements. The manual valve and the fluid-pressure control valve are controlled according to a driver operation when the driver switches the shift range.
As shown in FIG. 2, for example, when a target range is switched from the D range to the N range by an operation of a range selector, by controlling the manual valve from a D range position to an N range position for the switching of the hydraulic circuit from the D range to the N range, the fluid pressure that acts on the friction engagement element is reduced, and the friction engagement element is switched to a released-state from an engaged-state.
Then, in case that a target range is switched back to the D range from the N range, by controlling the manual valve from the N range position to the D range position, the hydraulic circuit for the N range is switched to the hydraulic circuit for the D range, together with an output of an fluid-pressure increase instruction (i.e., a specific instruction value) for the increase of the fluid pressure that acts on the friction engagement element, and the friction engagement element is switched to an engaged-state from a released-state.
In such a course of switching of the hydraulic circuits, there may be a situation when a target range is switched back to the D range immediately after switching from the D range to the N range, depending on an operation of the range selector. In such a case, as indicated by a dashed line (in the fourth row) in FIG. 2, if the manual valve is controlled to be put in a D range position and the hydraulic circuit is switched to the hydraulic circuit for the D range at a time t1 of switching of a target range from the N range to the D range, the switching of the hydraulic circuit for the N range to the hydraulic circuit for the D range occurs before the fluid pressure that acts on the friction engagement element fully decreases, which results in that the fluid pressure that acts on the friction engagement element cannot be fully lowered at a timing of such a switching of the hydraulic circuit. Thus, in such a case, since the fluid pressure control which raises the fluid pressure that acts on the friction engagement element starts in a state where the fluid pressure that acts on the friction engagement element has not fully decreased, the fluid pressure that acts on the friction engagement element may rise steeply and abruptly, which causes a shock in the automatic transmission.


A system for locating corresponding ends of a communications or data patch cable used to conduct a signal between computing or telecommunications devices. The invention provides a physical indication of the location of an opposite end of a given patch cable when a switching means on the first end of the same cable is activated. The invention utilizes an existing pair of wires in category-type cables to send a DC voltage when activated to illuminate a light emitting diode in the opposite end of a patch cable thereby providing an immediate indication of the location of the termination of the opposite end of a patch cable making it possible to visually identify a cable without removing the cable from service or from connection of the modular plugs on either end of the cable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communications and data processing patch cords and cables used in telephone systems, computer networking systems including ethernet connections, and for other electronic cabling systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Communications and computer networking systems generally utilize cabling complying with certain standards such as ethernet or other related cabling standard protocols. Many buildings utilize networking cable which conforms to an ethernet standard utilizing what is commonly known as Category 5 ("Cat 5") Wire standards or higher. Telephone systems such as electronic telephone switches and private branch exchanges may utilize similar cabling known as Category 3 ("Cat 3") Wire. In all of the categories commonly available for communications cabling or networking patch cords, modular type plugs are used at each end of one particular branch in order to connect the cabling from a device such as a telephone or a computer network card, to an area where patch panels are supplied to allow flexibility in the cabling topography in any one location. Such cable installations are commonly referred to "premise wiring" being the cabling that is permanently installed throughout the building as part of the building utility or information infrastructure and ultimately is consolidated to a MDF (main data frame/facility) or several IDF's (intermediate data frames/facilities connecting to the MDF in larger facilities) where the consolidated patch panels are located as well as centrally located data devices needing to be connected to the premise wiring. Premise wiring is fixed in nature, that is, once installed, such wiring is dedicated to identified or defined locations within the premises.
Networking closets where connecting cabling generally converges can be difficult to manage in middle to large scale installations where there may be dozens, and perhaps hundreds of cable converging in a closet where patch panels are utilized to allow flexibility in connections and reconfiguration of the networking layout. In most telephone communications and networking wiring closets (referred to MDF or IDF), there are multiple devices which include switches, routers, hubs, servers, telecommunications equipment and other devices which all are connected using conventional patch panels. Patch panels, usually a starting point of the premises wiring, allow flexibility in the interconnection of the physical wires that are run through the facility being served. The wires used in such installations are intended to deliver data and voice to the various locations throughout a physical environment, such as an office building, multiple building campus or the like.
Patch panels and data devices must be connected together via a cable length commonly referred to as a "patch cable". Commonly, the cables running through the physical plant or building converging on a given network closet number in the hundreds and are typically of like design, length and color, without any distinctive identifying marks. Even if various colors are used to designate the difference between telephone cabling, computer network cabling or video cabling, it is still difficult to differentiate between the groups of cable within one category.
In a modest office building, for example, with thirty-five different offices within the building, there can be at least thirty-five different network cables converging on a network cable closet, as well as thirty-five or more telephone cables and other communications or data cables which may include video cabling also. In such installations all of the premises wiring is run to a termination point, being the patch panel or several patch panels at either an MDF or an IDF. From the patch panel, patch cables are run to the appropriate devices commonly located in the networking closet which may be standard rack configured equipment or devices such as the hubs, routers, computers, remote disk drives or even the servers themselves. In the simplest terms, a patch cable, as referenced in this application, can be thought of as an extension cord to plugging in the phone or the computer from the termination point on the patch panel to the ultimate device being connected to each individual computer or telephone.
In such a cabling environment the cables are normally bundled together and run through a series of cable management devices which can be wire ties, hooks, cable trays and other conduits to get the cables from the device in a particular office to the patch panel in the networking closet. Connections are not permanent and they often need to be moved between various devices on demand or to reconfigure the data processing network or telephone system being used. The very reason patch panels exist are to allow reconfiguration of the cables without the need to permanently rewire the end of the cable terminating in the wire or cable closet. One particular connection from the networking closet must go to a specific location in the building to correlate to the intended use for a telephone or a particular network device such as a laptop or desktop computer.
Currently a popular way to keep track of the corresponding ends of a particular physical cable is to run one cable at a time and create a physical written log that references where each cable starts and finishes. Such a log would reference connection points, not the cables themselves. For example, a log may say that patch panel port #1 goes to switch #3, port #5, and is used for data. This is repeated hundreds of times and this conventional effort at keeping track of the topography or configuration of the physical wiring in a given building becomes a problem. Not only is it time consuming, it's sometimes inaccurate, and it is not always a permanent reference.
Also, under normal circumstances, if the log gets lost, or the writer makes a mistake, or if any changes are made in the wiring closet that are not documented (a common situation), one must start the entire process over. Such a process also does not account for the addition of new devices to the network closet or to the device or equipment rack contained therein, additional premise wiring being installed and needing to be patched into the system, individual patch cabling replacement due to upgrade or failure (which would need to be completed one cable at a time to maintain or create a log), or a network device being removed.
It is also possible to place hang tags on the end of cables, or to put bands on the cable which have a number corresponding to the same cable at each end. For example, a given cable can be marked "D-30" on each end of the cable so that one would be able to search through a bundle looking for the same reference at the other end of the cable. This is time consuming in itself, and labels fall off, are difficult to find within a thick bundle of cables, and otherwise are occasionally misread if they are reviewed upside-down and must be addressed on a one by one basis.
A common example of errors in log keeping might be that if a network cabling technician is requested to take ports 100 through 105 on a given patch panel which may be currently assigned to a telephone device, and switch them over to a data device, then the wiring log does not accurately reflect where the cables on ports 100 to 105 are plugged in. Such an event is common in buildings where there may be limited numbers of ports available into a given room. A conference room may need to temporarily reassign jacks from telephone use to data use for multiple computers in presentations or other temporary needs. On the other end of each cable, one has to physically verify the routing of each individual cable. This may entail unplugging each cable one at a time and following it through the hundreds of cables in the wire management devices to determine where it terminates on the other end, and what equipment it may be plugged into. This is and has been a time consuming task for many wiring technicians and network administrators.
The most commonly found wiring scheme in most physical cabling layouts today are the Category 3, 5 and 6 cabling for which the standards are well known in a variety of uses for telecommunications and ethernet networking. The ubiquitous ethernet plug termination device is known as an RJ45 modular connector which is used for Category 3, Category 5 and Category 6 wiring. The typical unshielded twisted pair (UTP) or shielded twisted pair (STP) category cables have eight wires or conductors, which comprise four pairs of wires. Each pair can consist of a solid color wire and a white and color striped wire of the same color to designate the pair. Each of the pairs are twisted together to utilize noise cancellation and to prevent radiation of a signal as is a required characteristic of ethernet cabling.
The pairs designated for conventional 10BaseT ethernet or 100BaseT ethernet are orange and green in a typical Category 5 cable. The other two pairs in the cable, brown and blue, are unused for virtually all applications. The two wiring standards for these cables are called T-568A and T-568B. These standards differ only in pin assignments, not in the uses of the various colors in the standard code. The T-568A specification reverses the orange and green connections, so that the blue and orange pairs are on the center four pins of a typical connector, which makes in more compatible with telephone voice connections. Although it should be noted that most off-the-shelf data equipment and cables seem to be wired for the T-568B standard, there is no difference in connectivity between the T-568B and the T-568A cables. Either wiring may be found in typical systems.
The eight conductor (four pairs) of wiring for a typical ethernet plug is terminated in the RJ45 ("Registered Jack45") modular connector. There are eight connection pins in the RJ45 numbered accordingly. As mentioned above, there are four conductors (two pairs) that typically are not used at all in most applications. Virtually all of the patch cables used in category wiring are of the RJ45 type, although the smaller RJ-11 ("Registered Jack-11") type connector is used for many telephone cabling and has four or six wire connections.
It would be useful to have a system in which it would be immediately apparent as to where the opposite end of a given patch cable currently connected to a patch panel may terminate. Although there are portable devices which can be plugged into cable jacks to send tones, and other signals which may be received on the opposite end of a connector or panel by plugging in a corresponding test device, there is a need for an integrated system which is built in to a given patch cable and does not require external connections, test equipment or other complicated testing protocol. Many of the test devices now used in confirming network cable and patch panel performance still require that the user find the other end of a patch cable to test the connection anyway.
It is, accordingly, the object of the present invention to present a means to identify and locate the opposite end of a data or telecommunications patch cord without removing the cord from service and without applying any external apparatus.
It is also an object of the present invention to present a means to integrate a cable end identification system within a given ethernet or telecommunications patch cord.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a computer patch cord cable system which contains an internal power supply integrated into a modular plug on the cable, with a modular plug on the opposite end of the cable containing an integrated light signaling means operatively connected through the patch cable to the power supply which may be selectively activated to provide recognition of the matching ends of the said patch cable.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a modular plug in the form of a RJ45 style connector for use in ethernet and other networking environments which contain an integrated cable end identification system within the connector to allow for direct retrofit or new cable construction which may be used in an existing ethernet environment without any need to change the configuration of the system wiring.

Patch cable physical link identification device


An iron golf clubhead includes a blade which is formed from a first material and a hosel and a junction portion which are formed from a second material which is less dense than the material of the blade. The blade includes a toe end and a heel end and a flat bracket which extends from the heel end. The junction portion surrounds the bracket and is secured thereto.

This invention relates to iron type golf clubs, and, more particularly, to an iron clubhead which is formed from two different materials.
An iron clubhead includes a blade, which includes the club face for striking a golf ball, and a hosel, to which the shaft is secured. A junction portion connects the hosel and the blade. Iron clubheads are conventionally forged or cast in a single, integral piece from metal or metal alloy.
Some clubheads are formed from two or more different materials. For example, a metal core can be covered with fiber-reinforced composite material, or the face and back of the clubhead can be formed from different materials. In such cases, however, the hosel and junction are generally formed integrally with a portion of the blade.
Each numbered golf iron, for example a 5 iron, has a standard weight which does not vary much between various manufacturers of golf clubs. A typical iron clubhead has about 78% of its weight in the blade area and about 22% of its weight in the junction area. Ball flight and distance is affected by the weight of the blade and the manner in which the weight is distributed in the blade. The weight in the hosel and the junction area has little or no effect on the ball.
Some clubs have redistributed weight from the hosel to the blade by forming openings or cutouts in the hosel. However, such openings interrupt the integrity of the hosel. Other clubs have reduced the length of the hosel or eliminated the hosel. However, the attachment of the shaft to the clubhead can be adversely affected.


A system and method are provided for screening a semiconductor laser. The method includes: (i) operating the laser at a first of a number of drive currents; (ii) acquiring a number (N) of frames of data from a sensor in an optical navigation system (ONS) receiving speckle pattern in light from the laser reflected from a surface proximal to the ONS, the sensor data including differential signal values; (iii) calculating an average differential signal value (AVG) for the N frames of data; (iv) sorting the N frames of data across a plurality of bins including a Bin_0 for frames of data having a differential signal value within a predetermined amount of the AVG; and (v) determining if a number of frames of data in any bins other than Bin_0 exceed a predetermined threshold, and if so recording the drive current.

Semiconductor lasers are widely used in a variety of applications including optical navigation systems (ONS) used to track movement of the ONS relative to a surface. One type of ONS increasingly used in, for example, optical computer mice may be a speckle-based ONS. In a speckle-based ONS, movement between the system and the surface may be sensed based on displacement of a complex intensity distribution pattern, known as speckle, which may be generated by scattering coherent light from a semiconductor laser off an optically rough surface. Because speckle may be produced by interference of reflected light, speckle-based ONSs are polarization and/or frequency sensitive such that a shift in a state of polarization (SOP) of the laser could result in an abrupt, erroneous indication of movement. For this reason, semiconductor lasers used in such applications must have a stable fixed SOP.
One type of semiconductor laser frequently used in speckle-based ONS's may be a vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). VCSEL's are used due to their lower manufacturing costs, reliability, and symmetrical optical output. VCSELs are manufactured by forming two distributed Bragg reflector mirrors, each including multiple layers of alternating materials with varying refractive index on a semiconductor substrate. Laser beams are emitted perpendicular from a top surface of the VCSEL and are polarized along crystallographic planes of the layers. As a result, VCSELs can quickly switch states of polarization and/or emit light simultaneously from multiple SOPs. Conventional approaches to solving SOP switching or hopping include using polarization stabilized VCSEL's, which typically have higher cost.

System and method for screening semiconductor lasers


An encryption system includes a plurality of encryption operations including individual encryption operations and group encryption operations available for application in the encryption of data. The plurality of encryption operations are selected from the group consisting of functional variance, functional alignment, mathematical offset, wide XOR function, short logical rotation, long logical rotation, functional order, and address encryption. The system includes at least one round of encryption composed of a first encryption operation and a second encryption operation. The first encryption operation is selected from the plurality of encryption operations acting upon input data to generate a first encrypted data set. The second encryption operation is selected from the plurality of encryption operations acting upon the first encrypted data set to generate a second encrypted data set. The first encryption operation and the second encryption operation are different.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an encryption system. More particularly, the invention relates to an exclusive encryption system employing a unique encryption algorithm for each implementation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various methods for encrypting digital data exist. Some of those are well known, as in the case of the DES Digital Encryption Standard) and AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). Both of these standards depend on the security of the key and the complexity and thoroughness of the encryption system to preclude any statistical attacks. Further, in modern cryptography, as it applies to digital data, the accepted practice is to use encryption systems that operate on large block sizes (such as 128-bit data or larger) with large keys (128-bit or greater). This practice makes brute force attack (attempting every possible combination) upon the encrypted data difficult and impractical. Modern encryption systems further employ multiple rounds (or iterations) of encryption to add further complexity and reduce recognizable patterns in the data.
The encryption systems utilizing DES and AES are well known and have been well scrutinized, evaluated, and tested. These encryption systems represent a departure from the historical norm where the details of the encryption system were closely guarded. The philosophy of these public encryption systems is to make the details public in order to strengthen the algorithms (as a result of scrutiny and evaluation of the encryption community) and keep the large key (which is relatively immune to brute force attack) secure. Ultimately, the security of these systems resides in the use of large and secure keys.
One issue that is not addressed in public encryption systems such as DES and AES is the problem of covert research and attacks. Often referred to as "Hackers" and the activities as "Hacker attacks", there is an element of society that has demonstrated a desire to scrutinize, evaluate, and test security systems without the intention of sharing their results for the purpose of constructive contribution. These people (and others) have demonstrated a desire to exploit weaknesses without sharing details of the weakness so that improved security systems can be developed.
The present exclusive encryption system addresses this limitation of public encryption systems by providing a system and method for employing a unique encryption algorithm while still using an encryption system that has been strengthened by public analysis and evaluation.


Medical dressings and medical dressing kits that can be used to proved positive pressure wound therapy. The medical dressings include one or more normally-closed valves. The medical dressing kits may further include fittings.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is well accepted, however, there can be serious disadvantages with systemic delivery of oxygen. Elevated systemic oxygen can result in oxygen toxicity leading to central nervous system issues, pulmonary disease, and seizures. While external hyperbaric oxygen chambers have been used over the years to treat the wounds and sores of medical patients, the following problems have persisted: (1) patient immobility and potential claustrophobia, (2) lack of portability of the equipment, (3) excessive cost for purchasing and operating specially designed oxygen delivery equipment used in conjunction with hyperbaric chambers. Many attempts have been made to simplify the therapy. For example, several have suggested using inflatable bags wrapped about limbs or even the entire lower body. These solutions are still cumbersome and do not allow patient mobility. Many others have developed compositions comprising fluids such as perfluorinated alkanes to deliver oxygen to the tissue. These compositions have questionable toxicity and wound healing potential.
There are many other medicaments that can be advantageous to wound care (e.g., antimicrobial agents, chemotaxis agents, steroids and other anti-inflammatories, growth promoters, and vasodilators), that can be delivered in a gas, vapor, or aerosolized phase under pressure. Conventional therapy requires a procedure of removing a dressing to access the wound and apply the medicament. This procedure potentially exposes the wound to contamination, can cause skin stripping, and is time consuming and costly due to frequent dressing changes. There is a need for a convenient and safe method of delivering medicaments to a wound or portion of skin without the need to remove the dressing.

Positive pressure medical dressings with valve and kits containing same


A single-action discharge valve for discharging a vessel's contents. The valve has a valve body with a passage therethrough through which the contents are discharged, a frangible seal held within the valve body and sealing the passage while the seal is intact, and a solenoid including an armature moveable from a first to a second position. As the armature moves, pins or teeth impact and break the frangible seal. Magnets hold the armature in the first position until the solenoid is actuated. The armature is substantially exterior of the passage so that discharge is unimpeded. In one embodiment, the pins reciprocate radially when cammed by the armature and impact the sidewall of a frangible dome seal. In other embodiments, teeth on the armature, or pins in the armature's path, reciprocate parallel to the armature's movement and impact a frangible disk.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to discharge valves for releasing gaseous, liquid, or dry material from a pressurized storage vessel, and in particular, to a remotely-operated single-action discharge valve for releasing material from a pressurized storage vessel.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
It is often desired to provide a discharge valve to release a material, such as a gas or liquid or mixture thereof, or a dry material or powder, from a pressurized vessel, and it is further desirable to have such a valve be remotely actuated. Often, the material to be released is corrosive and may corrode the internal components of the valve over time prior to actuation of the valve. Prior art approaches are known that use an explosive charge to cause a piston to drive a piercing element through a valve seal, and such approaches are undesirable if used with a flammable discharge material that might ignite.
It is therefore desirable to have a single-action discharge valve that can be remotely actuated to discharge the contents of a vessel under pressure. It is further desirable that internal components of the valve not be exposed prior to actuation to the pressurized material to be released. Applications for such a valve include release of fire extinguishing material, release of counter-agents in biological and chemical warfare laboratories, and emergency release of fuel in airplanes and boats. When used for emergency release of fuel or other liquids, the valve can be used to discharge from a port on a bottom region of a vessel such as, for example, a fuel tank, and the weight of the liquid in the vessel provides pressure to discharge through the valve, and it is desirable that such a valve have a design that permits scaling from small to large sizes to accommodate a desired discharge rate.
A preliminary patentability search produced the following patents and patent publications, some of which may be relevant to the present invention: Sundholm et al., U.S. Patent Application publication 2005/011552, published Jan. 20, 2005; Harris et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,180, issued Dec. 10, 1974; Rozniecki, U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,237, issued Oct. 28, 1975; Zehr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,780, issued Feb. 8, 1977; Thomas, U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,681, issued Jul. 6, 1999; Thomas, U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,383, issued Dec. 26, 2000; Ahlers, U.S. Pat. No. 6,107,940, issued Jun. 21, 2005; and McLane, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 7,117,950, issued Oct. 10, 2006.
Additionally, the following patent references are also known: Hardesty, U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,892, issued Oct. 5, 1976; Wittbrodt et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,680, issued Jan. 16, 1990; Swanson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,592, issued Apr. 5, 1994; James, U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,624, issued Feb. 20, 2001; and Grabow, U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,404, issued Sep. 16, 2003.
Sundholm et al., U.S. Patent Application publication 2005/011552, at FIG. 2, discloses an explosive charge that propels a piercing element to pierce a disk, and FIG. 3 discloses a pressure-driven piston that causes a piercing element to pierce a disk. Harris et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,180, discloses an explosive detonator that causes a pin to pierce a valve seal and release a fire-extinguishing medium under pressure. Rozniecki, U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,237, discloses a ruptureable disc that is pierced by a cutting annulus that is moved by an explosive charge. At column 1, lines 45 to 50, Rozniecki discloses use of infrared and ultraviolet sensors to sense fire. Hardesty, U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,892, discloses an explosive valve having an electrical detonator that shears a diaphragm seal. Zehr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,780, discloses a rupturing head for fire extinguishers wherein a fusible link melts and causes a spring-loaded punch to rupture a sealing disk. Wittbrodt et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,680, discloses sensors for a fire suppressant system and, at column 3, lines 27-30, discloses the use of solenoid and explosive-activated squib valves. Swanson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,592, discloses an electrically-operated valve having a spring-biased check valve with a solenoid-actuated pilot valve. Thomas, U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,681, discloses a fire extinguishing system for automotive vehicles in which an explosive squib propels a pin extending axially from a piston to puncture a sealed outlet of a cylinder, thereby releasing extinguishing material, and an alternate embodiment discloses using a solenoid to propel the piston and pin. Thomas, U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,383, has a similar disclosure to Thomas, U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,681, and additionally discloses control circuitry with sensors. Ahlers, U.S. Pat. No. 6,107,940, discloses a valve in which a pressure cartridge actuator is used to cause a pressure wave that ruptures a frangible disc to release fire suppressant material. James, U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,624, discloses a fire extinguisher in which a matchhead detonator, of the type used in pyrotechnic devices, is used to move a piston with a sharp spike so that the spike ruptures a diaphragm and causes release of fire suppressant material. Grabow, U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,404, discloses a fire extinguisher piping system below deck in an aircraft, with discharge nozzles in the passenger and crew compartments. McLane, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 7,117,950, discloses a manual discharge fire suppression system in combination with either an electrically-operated explosive squib or an electrically-driven solenoid that moves a piston from a retracted position to a extended position, thereby causing a ram with a piercing member to pierce a seal and cause a fire suppressant to be released.
None of these references, either singly or in combination, disclose or suggest the present invention.


An electrochromic device including a selective membrane separating two liquid media including at least one electrochromic compound and at least one compound able to be oxidized or reduced and showing low energy consumption.

Electrochromic devices typically have a structure comprising two transparent outer layers, for example two sheets of organic or mineral glass, two electrically conductive layers, i.e. electrodes, deposited on the inner faces of the outer layers and connected to a power supply, an electrolyte placed between the two electrically conductive layers at the center of said device and an electrochromic compound.
The electrochromic compound is chosen so that it is colored in the reduced state and colorless or weakly colored in the oxidized state, or vice versa.
With such electrochromic devices, it is possible to control state of electrochromic compounds by an electric current, hence its color. Finally, the light transmission of the electrochromic device is controlled with an electric current. Generally, several electrochromic compounds are used in combination.
Efficiency of electrochromic devices is led by a compromise between several performances.
Transparency of the electrochromic device in its clear state, or passive state when no electric current is applied, has to be high.
Transparency in the dark state, or active state when an electric current is applied, is to be defined according to the use of the electrochromic device. In some applications, a very low transmittance is required. For instance, sunglasses of class 4 have a transmission lower than 4%.
The range of transmission between the clear state and the dark state is a second measure of the performance of the electrochromic device.
Then, energy is required to switch from clear to dark state, and sometimes to maintain the dark state. For mobile devices, in which energy storage systems are required, lowering energy consumption is key to obtain light and compact devices. Energy efficiency is a third measure of the performance of the electrochromic device.
Last, the time required to fade from clear state to dark state is important. If some applications like windows can fade slowly, i.e. within minutes, a much quicker fading time is required for head worn devices, like helmets for motorcyclists. In addition, for safety reasons, the electrochromic device should be in the clear state if no more energy is available. Fading rate is a fourth measure of the performance of the electrochromic device.
Electrochromic compounds may be of different types.
Solid layers are often deposited directly in contact with electrodes. Such systems usually do not require much energy because electrochromic compounds remain in their colored or clear state in the absence of electric current. However, solid layers are not able to provide dense color and very low transmission in dark state, unless they are thick. And thick layers react usually slowly. In addition, solid layers may induce light scattering and haze.
When low transmission in dark state and quick fading time are required, electrochromic compounds are used in liquid media.
In this case, the concentration of electrochromic compound yielding dense color in the dark state can be reached quickly. In addition, colored compounds are able to diffuse in the liquid medium and may combine with another compound to switch to colourless state. This relaxation phenomenon has two consequences.
When electric current is shut, in passive state, electrochromic compounds will automatically reach their colourless state and the electrochromic device will be in clear state. Depending on the concentration of compounds, characteristics of liquid medium and geometry of device, fading rate can be very quick.
As electrochromic compounds are continuously recombining, maintaining a constant colored state requires forming colored compounds continuously by application of electric current. Energy consumption is therefore higher in liquid based systems.
It is then desirable to improve electrochromic devices based on liquid media to lower energy consumption while keeping high transmission in clear state, large range of transmission between clear and dark state and quick fading.
The objective of the present invention has been to control recombination of electrochromic compounds in a device based on liquid media, so as to keep an acceptable balance between energy consumption and switching times from clear to dark state, and vice versa. The electrochromic device developed by the applicant relies on a membrane through which electrochromic compounds cannot diffuse easily but which has almost no effect on diffusion of small charged compounds like counter ions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,034 discloses an electrochromic device comprising a selective ion transport layer. This membrane may be inorganic or organic and separates a solid layer of electrochromic material (inorganic or polymers) on one side and an electrolyte layer on the other side. This electrolyte may be solid or liquid and contains compound able to be oxidized or reduced. When electric current is imposed, electrochromic material and compound undergo oxidation or reduction and are separated by selective ion transport layer. This allows to keep the colored state with very low energy consumption, and even to recover energy when recombination occurs. These systems are however not very transparent in clear state (around 77%) and the leakage current through the latter determines the time required for fading when no energy is applied (open circuit), typically several hours.

Electrochromic device with selective membrane


A hollow crank arm for a bicycle comprising a body of elongated shape, at the ends of which are formed, respectively, an area for connection of the bottom bracket spindle and an area for connection of the pedal. The body includes a cavity of elongated shape and two solid end portions which are the aforesaid connection areas for the bottom bracket spindle and for the pedal. The crank arm is preferably formed through a forging process.

The Japanese document No. 5116670 describes a process for forming an inner cavity in the solid body of a crank arm by extrusion. According to this proposal, the cavity extends up to one end of the crank arm. Consequently, in order to obtain the threaded hole for fixing of the pedal it is necessary to provide an insert fixed in an end area of the crank arm. This solution presents structural strength problems in so far as it gives rise to a basically tubular structure opened at one end. This presents poor resistance to torsional and bending stresses, in particular owing to the fact that the point of application of a load, represented by the area of connection to the pedal, is provided in a hollow part. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,803 describes a process for producing a hollow crank arm by casting, in which a sand core is positioned in a die and the molten metal is poured into the die and solidified in order to form a crank arm body with an elongated cavity having a blind bottom and an end that opens to the outside of the hole which is provided for fixing the pedal. Also this solution presents strength problems because the cavity opens into the hole for connection of the pedal and thus weakens that area.

Hollow crank arm for a bicycle and process for manufacturing the same


An identification of a multi-component development artifact to be shared is obtained in a development environment. A remote receiver with whom to share components of the artifact is designated. Components of the artifact are shared with the remote receiver by automatically locating the components and sending the located components in a package with associated type descriptions. After the package is received, a check for conflicts is made, and acceptable components are merged into the local development environment.

The development of software applications often involves the coordinated efforts of many people (e.g., software developers, testers, and others). While working in teams, individual developers often create or modify artifacts, such as source code, libraries, programming language constructs, configuration files, build files, or even entire projects.
Software development teams often use Integrated Development Environments (IDES) for browsing, writing, debugging, and testing program code. Some IDEs may be considered operating environments for software development artifacts.

Artifact sharing from a development environment


According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording medium includes: a substrate, a seed layer positioned above the substrate, and a magnetic recording layer structure positioned above the seed layer. The magnetic recording layer structure includes: a first magnetic recording layer having a plurality of FePtCu magnetic grains and a first segregant, and a second magnetic recording layer positioned above the first magnetic recording layer, the second magnetic recording layer having a plurality of FePt magnetic grains and a second segregant, where a Curie temperature of the first magnetic recording layer is lower than a Curie temperature of the second magnetic recording layer.

The heart of a computer is a magnetic hard disk drive (HDD) which typically includes a rotating magnetic disk, a slider that has read and write heads, a suspension arm above the rotating disk and an actuator arm that swings the suspension arm to place the read and/or write heads over selected circular tracks on the rotating disk. The suspension arm biases the slider into contact with the surface of the disk when the disk is not rotating but, when the disk rotates, air is swirled by the rotating disk adjacent to an air bearing surface (ABS) of the slider causing the slider to ride on an air bearing a slight distance from the surface of the rotating disk. When the slider rides on the air bearing the write and read heads are employed for writing magnetic impressions to and reading magnetic signal fields from the rotating disk. The read and write heads are connected to processing circuitry that operates according to a computer program to implement the writing and reading functions.
The volume of information processing in the information age is increasing rapidly. In particular, it is desired that HDDs be able to store more information in their limited area and volume. A technical approach to this desire is to increase the capacity by increasing the recording density of the HDD. To achieve higher recording density, further miniaturization of recording bits is effective, which in turn typically requires the design of smaller and smaller components.
However, the further miniaturization of the various components, particularly, the size and/or pitch of magnetic grains, presents its own set of challenges and obstacles in conventional products. Noise performance and spatial resolution are key parameters in magnetic recording media and are ongoing challenges to advance the achievable areal density of media. The dominant media noise source today is transition jitter. In sputtered media, it reflects the finite size, random positioning and dispersions in size, orientation and magnetic properties of the fine grains that comprise the media.
HAMR, also referred to as thermally assisted magnetic recording, has emerged as a promising magnetic recording technique to address grain size and transition jitter. As the coercivity of the ferromagnetic recording material is temperature dependent, HAMR employs heat to lower the effective coercivity of a localized region of the magnetic media and write data therein. The data state becomes stored, or "fixed," upon cooling the magnetic media to ambient temperatures (i.e., normal operating temperatures typically in a range between about 15° C. and 60° C.). Heating the magnetic media may be accomplished by a number of techniques such as directing electromagnetic radiation (e.g. visible, infrared, ultraviolet light, etc.) onto the magnetic media surface via focused laser beams or near field optical sources. HAMR techniques may be applied to longitudinal and/or perpendicular recording systems, although the highest density storage systems are more likely to be perpendicular recording systems.
HAMR thus allows use of magnetic recording materials with substantially higher magnetic anisotropy and smaller thermally stable grains as compared to conventional magnetic recording techniques. Moreover, to further increase the areal density of magnetic recording media, granular magnetic recording materials may be utilized. Granular magnetic recording materials typically include a plurality of magnetic grains separated by one or more segregants, which aid in limiting the lateral exchange coupling between the magnetic grains. These segregants may influence magnetic properties, the size and shape of the magnetic grains, the exchange coupling strength between the magnetic grains, the grain boundary width, etc.

Heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) media having a highly ordered crystalline structure


In an internal combustion engine in which air-fuel ratio feedback control is performed using an A/F sensor mounted upstream of an exhaust gas purifying catalyst, a deviation in the characteristic of the A/F sensor is estimated and the air-fuel ratio feedback control and catalyst deterioration judging processes are performed accounting for the estimated deviation. If the characteristic of the A/F sensor deviates in an output increasing direction, the amount of fuel correction will become excessively large, and the period from the time an output voltage VAF crosses a target voltage VAFT to the time it returns to the target voltage will become short compared with a normally functioning A/F sensor. On the other hand, if the characteristic of the A/F sensor deviates in an output decreasing direction, the amount of fuel correction will become excessively small, and that period will become long compared with a normally functioning A/F sensor. In the present invention, the output voltage VAF of the A/F sensor is monitored, and its amplitude VP and period CPER are calculated; then, based on the relationship between them, a correction factor K for correcting VAF based on the characteristic deviation is obtained. Instead of the amplitude VP and period CPER, a response curve length and an area enclosed by VAF and VAFT may be used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air-fuel ratio control apparatus for controlling the mixture ratio of air and fuel (air-fuel ratio: A/F) in an internal combustion engine at a desired value by supplying an appropriate quantity of fuel in accordance with the amount of intake air, and more particularly to an air-fuel ratio control apparatus which performs air-fuel ratio feedback control with an air-fuel ratio sensor (A/F sensor), capable of linearly detecting the air-fuel ratio, mounted upstream of an exhaust gas purifying catalyst.
2. Description of the Related Art
Three-way catalysts for simultaneously promoting the oxidation of unburned constituents (HC and CO) and the reduction of nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x) in automotive exhaust have long been used on automotive engines to control exhaust emissions. For a maximum oxidation/reduction efficiency of the three-way catalyst, the air-fuel ratio (A/F), a measure of engine combustion state, must be controlled within a very narrow range (called the window) centered at stoichiometry. To achieve this, in fuel injection control in an engine, an O.sub.2 sensor (oxygen concentration sensor--see FIG. 1) is mounted that detects whether the air-fuel ratio is on the lean side or rich side with respect to stoichiometry on the basis of the concentration of residual oxygen in the exhaust gas, and air-fuel ratio feedback control is performed to correct the quantity of fuel based on the sensor output.
In such an air-fuel ratio feedback control configuration, the O.sub.2 sensor for detecting the concentration of oxygen is mounted as close as possible to the combustion chamber, that is, on the upstream side of the catalytic converter. Furthermore, to compensate for variations in the output characteristic of the O.sub.2 sensor, a double O.sub.2 sensor system having a second O.sub.2 sensor on the downstream side of the catalytic converter has also been introduced for commercial use. The principle of this system is based on the fact that, on the downstream side of a catalytic converter, the exhaust gas is thoroughly stirred, and its oxygen concentration is almost in equilibrium by the action of the three-way catalyst; consequently, the output of the downstream O.sub.2 sensor changes mildly compared with the upstream O.sub.2 sensor, and thus indicates whether the air-fuel mixture as a whole is on the rich side or lean side. In the double O.sub.2 sensor system, sub air-fuel ratio feedback control is performed using the O.sub.2 sensor downstream of the catalyst in addition to the main air-fuel ratio feedback control by the O.sub.2 sensor upstream of the catalyst, and the air-fuel ratio correction factor used in the main air-fuel ratio feedback control is corrected based on the output of the downstream O.sub.2 sensor, to accommodate variations in the output characteristic of the upstream O.sub.2 sensor and thereby improve the precision of the air-fuel ratio control.
Even when such a precise air-fuel ratio control is performed, if the catalyst deteriorates due to exposure to exhaust gas heat or poisoning by lead and other contaminants, a satisfactory exhaust gas purification performance cannot be obtained. To address this problem, a variety of catalyst deterioration detection devices have been proposed in the prior art. One such device diagnoses the deterioration of the catalyst by detecting a decrease in an O.sub.2 storage effect (the function to store excessive oxygen and reuse it for the purification of unburned exhaust emissions) after warmup using an O.sub.2 sensor mounted on the downstream side of the catalyst. That is, deterioration of the catalyst leads to a degradation in the purification performance after warmup, and the above device deduces the degradation of the purification performance from a decrease in the O.sub.2 storage effect; more specifically, by using an output signal from the downstream O.sub.2 sensor, the device obtains response curve length, feedback frequency, etc. and detects the decrease of the O.sub.2 storage effect and, hence, the deterioration of the catalyst. For example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 5-98948 (corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,501) discloses a device which obtains the output response curve length of the downstream O.sub.2 sensor during feedback control toward stoichiometry, and based on that, detects catalyst deterioration.
On the other hand, recent years have also seen the development of an internal combustion engine in which the air-fuel ratio is controlled so that the three-way catalyst can consistently provide a constant and stable purification performance. That is, the O.sub.2 storage capability is such that, when the exhaust gas is in a lean state, excessive oxygen is adsorbed, and when the exhaust gas is in a rich state, the necessary oxygen is released, thereby purifying the exhaust gas; however, such a capability is limited. To make an effective use of the O.sub.2 storage capability, therefore, it is important to maintain the amount of oxygen stored in the catalyst at a prescribed level (for example, one-half the maximum oxygen storage amount) so that the next change in the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas can be accommodated, whether it is a change to a rich state or a lean state. When the amount of oxygen is maintained in this manner, a consistent O.sub.2 adsorption/desorption function can be achieved, thus ensuring a consistent oxidation/reduction performance of the catalyst.
In the internal combustion engine in which the O.sub.2 storage amount is controlled to a constant level to maintain the purification performance of the catalyst, an air-fuel ratio (A/F) sensor (see FIG. 2) capable of linearly detecting air-fuel ratio is used, and feedback control (F/B control) is performed based on a proportional-integral operation (PI operation). That is, a feedback fuel correction amount is calculated by
Next fuel correction amount=K.sub.p *(Present fuel error)+K.sub.s *.SIGMA.(previous fuel errors) PA1 Fuel error=(Fuel amount actually burned in cylinder)-(Target fuel amount in cylinder with intake air at stoichiometry) PA1 Fuel amount actually burned in cylinder=Detected value of air amount/Detected value of air-fuel ratio PA1 K.sub.p =Proportional gain PA1 K.sub.s =Integral gain
where
As can be seen from the above equation for the fuel correction amount, the proportional term is the component that acts to maintain the air-fuel ratio at stoichiometry, as in the feedback control using an O.sub.2 sensor, while the integral term is the component that acts to eliminate the steady-state error (offset). That is, by the action of the integral term, the O.sub.2 storage amount in the catalyst is maintained at a constant level. For example, when a lean gas occurs as a result of abrupt acceleration or the like, the air-fuel ratio is enriched by the action of the integral term, offsetting the effect of the lean gas.
As described above, in the air-fuel ratio feedback control based on the output voltage of the A/F sensor, control is performed in such a manner as to increase the fuel correction amount as the difference between the output voltage and the target voltage (voltage equivalent to stoichiometry) increases; accordingly, if there occurs a deviation in the output characteristic (out of range) or response characteristic of the A/F sensor, it becomes difficult to achieve a desired air-fuel ratio feedback control. For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, if the A/F sensor shows an excessive response, and the fluctuation of the output voltage VAF (indicated by a solid line) of the A/F sensor becomes greater than the fluctuation of the voltage (indicated by a dashed line) that the sensor should indicate in response to the real A/F (the voltage equivalent to real A/F), the fuel correction amount will become larger than originally designed and the time required to return to the stoichiometry equivalent voltage (target voltage), that is, the cycle of the air-fuel ratio fluctuation, will become shorter. Conversely, as shown in FIG. 3B, if the fluctuation of the output voltage VAF (indicated by a solid line) of the A/F sensor becomes smaller than that of the real A/F equivalent voltage (indicated by a dashed line) because of a deterioration of the A/F sensor response, the fuel correction amount will become smaller than originally designed and the cycle of the air-fuel ratio fluctuation will become longer. Accordingly, in air-fuel ratio feedback control using an A/F sensor, it is important that a deviation in the characteristic of the A/F sensor be compensated for to achieve an air-fuel ratio control accuracy of an acceptable level. Furthermore, it is desirable that a notification be made when a deviation or deterioration is detected in the characteristic of the A/F sensor.
In internal combustion engines in which air-fuel ratio feedback control is performed based on the output voltage of an A/F sensor, an O.sub.2 sensor may also be provided on the downstream side of the catalyst to perform sub air-fuel ratio feedback control. In the sub air-fuel ratio feedback control, displacements of the output voltage VOS of the O.sub.2 sensor from the target voltage VOST are summed and, based on the sum value, the output voltage VAF of the A/F sensor is corrected, thereby bringing VOS close to the target voltage VOST (that is, the center of the air-fuel ratio fluctuation is gradually shifted until the target voltage is reached). In this case also, catalyst deterioration can be detected by detecting a decrease in the catalyst's O.sub.2 storage effect using the O.sub.2 sensor, as in the double O.sub.2 sensor system.
More specifically, when the O.sub.2 storage performance drops due to deterioration of the catalyst, the output voltage VOS of the O.sub.2 sensor mounted downstream of the catalyst changes in a short cycle; on the other hand, when the catalyst is normally functioning, the output voltage VOS changes only slightly in a longer cycle because of the catalyst's O.sub.2 storage effect. In detecting catalyst deterioration based on the response curve length of the O.sub.2 sensor output voltage VOS, the response curve length LVOS of the VOS is obtained over a predetermined monitoring period, and when the value exceeds a critical value, the catalyst is judged as being deteriorated. Here, the critical value is determined according to the response curve length LVAF of the A/F sensor output voltage VAF calculated over the same predetermined period, and is made larger as LVAF becomes longer. For example, in FIG. 4, when the point expressed by (LVAF, LVOS) is above the critical value curve shown in the figure, the catalyst is judged as being deteriorated.
However, when the fluctuation of the A/F sensor output voltage VAF (indicated by the solid line) shows a larger value than the actual A/F fluctuation (indicated by the dashed line) because of an excessive response of the A/F sensor, as shown in FIG. 3A, the resulting value will be displaced and indicate point 1! in the normal region in FIG. 4 despite the condition that should indicate point (1) in the abnormal region. In that case, the catalyst is judged as being normal when it should be judged as being abnormal. Conversely, when the fluctuation of the A/F sensor output voltage VAF (indicated by the solid line) shows a smaller value than the actual A/F fluctuation (indicated by the dashed line) because of deterioration of the A/F sensor response, as shown in FIG. 3B, the resulting value will be displaced and indicate point 2! in the abnormal region in FIG. 4 despite the condition that should indicate point (2) in the normal region. In that case, the catalyst is detected as being abnormal when it should be judged as being normal. Therefore, when judging catalyst deterioration also, it is important to compensate for a deviation in the characteristic of the A/F sensor if the accuracy of catalyst deterioration judgement is to be improved.

Air-fuel ratio control apparatus for internal combustion engine


A system and method for performing audiometric testing utilizes an independently normalized audiometer and independently calibrated earphones.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for calibrating earphones for audiometric testing, and more particularly to a system for separately calibrating audiometers to produce a normalized output and earphones according to an objective standard, so that any independently calibrated earphones may be used with any audiometer.
Audiometers are used to test the hearing capabilities of individuals. An audiometric test is performed by operating an audiometer to present precise audible tones or other stimulus to a test subject by acoustic transducers such as earphones. The test subject indicates whether the tones have been heard by an input mechanism such as a handswitch.
The earphones are typically either connected directly to the audiometer by use of industry standard stereo jacks or through the wall of a sound room by such stereo jacks connected to the audiometer. Earphones may include two wires and two stereo plugs, one for the each ear. A problem can arise if the two stereo plugs associated with the earphones are inserted into incorrect stereo jacks of the audiometer, for example if the left ear stereo plug is inserted into the right ear stereo jack of the audiometer. Extreme care is required to assure that earphones plugs are inserted properly into an audiometer before testing is conducted.
In addition, earphones traditionally are calibrated for a specific audiometer to which they are connected. That is, earphones can only be considered to be properly calibrated and ready for use if they are connected to the specific audiometer for which they had been calibrated. Earphones may not be used interchangeably with multiple audiometers. It is therefore very important to ensure that certain earphones are used with only certain audiometers so that valid audiometric test results are obtained.
The level of care that must be taken to assure that earphones are connected properly to an audiometer, and that earphones are only connected to a certain audiometer for which they are calibrated, requires significant administration and oversight. This increases the cost of operating and maintaining an audiometric testing facility. U.S. Pat. No. 6,468,224 describes a calibrated audiometer system that utilizes integrated circuit chips embedded in the plugs associated with the earphones and the handswitch, allowing identification information to be obtained to confirm that the headphones are being used with a correct audiometer and that the headphones are plugged into the proper jacks of the audiometer. It would be of further use in the art to provide an improved system and method for calibrating earphones for performing audiometric testing, so that any calibrated earphones may be used with any normalized audiometer.

Apparatus and method for calibrating earphones for audiometric testing