An electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM) or other memory integrated circuit (IC) includes memory cells arranged in N blocks. The number of blocks, N, is selected to maximize utilization of the space available in a standard IC package. The number of blocks need not be an even power of two. More than log2(N) address bits are used to select between the blocks. A plurality of such memory ICs forms an array addressed by a memory controller, providing a number of directly addressable memory locations that need not be an even power of two. Addressing is provided for decoding chip select lines, block select lines, and other address lines. Staggered block decode lines associated with the memory blocks allow juxtaposition of the blocks to form a row in which connections are easily verified.

This invention relates generally to integrated circuit memories and particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a memory architecture and addressing for optimized storage density in an integrated circuit package or on a circuit board.
Computer systems, communications systems, and other electronic devices often utilize integrated circuit memories for storing data. For example, dynamic random access memories (DRAMs) provide dense solid-state data storage that is quickly accessed for reading or writing. DRAMs are a volatile form of memory; stored data is lost when power is removed. DRAMs also must typically be refreshed in order to maintain the stored data. In another example, static random access memories (SRAMs) provide volatile data storage that avoids any periodic refresh requirement. xe2x80x9cFlashxe2x80x9d and other electrically erasable and programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs) provide nonvolatile data storage; stored data is maintained when power is removed. Access and programming times may be longer for EEPROMs than for DRAMs. Other types of commercial memory integrated circuits are also available.
Many applications require large amounts of memory capacity in order to meet data storage requirements. For many such applications, several memory integrated circuits are each individually disposed in an integrated circuit package, and the packages are mounted on a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board is then plugged into an available slot in the computer system or other electronic device such that a microprocessor can access the memory integrated circuits for storing and retrieving data. For applications requiring even larger amounts of memory capacity, several such printed circuit boards carrying memory integrated circuits are plugged into available slots for use by the computer system or other electronic device.
Modern computer systems, communications systems, and other electronic devices demand a high degree of functionality in a minimum volume, for portability and other reasons. Moreover, the electronics industry often uses standardized integrated circuit packages, so that system designers can design and build a computer system using standard components. Because the xe2x80x9cfootprintxe2x80x9d of a standardized integrated circuit package (i.e., its size, connection locations, etc.) is known, the system designer can design the other portions of the computer system assuming a standard integrated circuit package. Thus, a computer system can be designed even before the design of the actual memory integrated circuits carried within the standard integrated circuit package. Such flexibility is particularly important in the computer industry, in which product design cycles are extremely short. Products not timely introduced with the maximum available functionality may not be marketable. Thus, there is a strong need for electronics products that are designed with standardized integrated circuit packages, but which offer maximum functionality while occupying a minimum volume.
The present invention provides, among other things, an integrated circuit (IC) architecture that optimizes memory storage density, such as for a particular size of standard IC package. This increases memory density per unit volume and advantageously allows design of a computer, communication, or other electronic system using standard IC packages while the memory IC is concurrently being designed. This enables timely introduction of high storage density products onto a highly competitive electronics market.
In one embodiment, the invention provides, among other things, an apparatus including a memory integrated circuit (IC), and an IC carrier. The memory IC includes a plurality of N memory blocks arranged in a row in a first dimension, wherein log2(N) is a noninteger. The memory blocks include a block size B1 in the first dimension. Each memory block include a plurality of memory cells. The IC carrier includes an area carrying the memory IC. The area includes a size C1 in the first dimension, and the memory IC includes a die size D1 in the first dimension, wherein (C1-D1) is approximately less than B1. In one embodiment, the apparatus also includes a computer system including a processor communicatively coupled to the memory IC. In a further embodiment, the apparatus also includes a plurality of the memory ICs, a memory controller coupled to the memory ICs, and a processor coupled to the memory controller.
Another aspect of the invention provides, among other things, an apparatus that includes a plurality of X memory ICs. Each memory IC includes Y directly addressable storage locations, wherein log2(Y) is a noninteger. The apparatus also includes a memory controller. The memory controller decodes A address inputs into (X)(Y) addresses, leaving (2)A{(X)(Y)} addresses unused. In one embodiment, each memory IC includes a chip select input and a plurality of other memory cell address inputs. Data is accessed on a particular one of the memory ICs only when the chip select input is active. The memory controller is independently coupled to each chip select input, selecting between the chip select inputs by decoding a number Z of the A address inputs, wherein Z greater than log2(X). In one embodiment, using memory ICs having some memory cells that are not functional, the addressing is used to decode Y directly addressable functional storage locations, wherein log2(Y) is a noninteger.
Another aspect of the invention provides, among other things, a method that includes forming an integrated circuit (IC). The IC includes a plurality of N memory blocks arranged in a row in a first dimension, wherein log2(N) is a noninteger. The memory IC has a die size D1 in the first dimension. The memory blocks include a block size B1 in the first dimension. Each memory block including a plurality of memory cells. The method also includes disposing the memory IC on an area of an IC carrier. The area has a size C1 in the first dimension, wherein (C1-D1) is approximately less than B1.
The present invention minimizes space wasted by putting a too-small memory IC in a particular standard IC package. Instead, the number of memory blocks is increased such that the memory die size uses more of the available space, providing correspondingly more storage capacity. Many applications exist for the present invention. For example, the packaged memory ICs can be arranged on a printed circuit board (PCB), such as a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card, providing a removable, high density, high capacity, credit-card size nonvolatile flash memory for laptop computers or other applications. These and other advantages will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the invention and viewing the accompanying drawings.

Memory architecture and addressing for optimized density in integrated circuit package or on circuit board


A hydraulic cylinder (10) is disclosed comprising a cylinder housing (12) with a housing bore (14), a piston (16) held longitudinally displaceably in the housing bore, a piston rod (18) allocated to the piston and a fixing element (20) which before a first cylinder operation is detachably connected with the piston rod and fixes this in a predetermined stroke position in relation to the cylinder housing and is designed to release the piston rod in relation to the cylinder housing on the first cylinder operation. According to the invention, before the first cylinder operation the fixing element in a first position is detachably connected with a center area (22) of the piston rod and on cylinder first operation can be moved from the first position to a second position area (24), in particular stationary in relation to the piston rod, in which it can be fixed for further cylinder operations. The result is a simply designed hydraulic cylinder in which the fixing element provided for temporary tying of the piston rod in particular leaves untouched the end of the piston rod facing away from the piston and also does not hinder further the operation of the hydraulic cylinder.

A conventional hydraulic clutch control for motor vehicles has a master cylinder which is connected to a reservoir filled with hydraulic fluid. The master cylinder has a cylinder housing in whose housing bore a piston is held longitudinally displaceably. The master cylinder piston in the housing bore of the cylinder housing defines a pressure chamber and by means of a clutch pedal or an electric motor drive can be mechanically pressurized by an activating force. The pressure chamber of the master cylinder is hydraulically connected via a pressure line with a pressure chamber of a slave cylinder so that the pressure generated in the pressure chamber of the master cylinder by pressing the clutch pedal or electric motor movement of the master cylinder piston can be transferred via the fluid column in the pressure line to the pressure chamber of the slave cylinder. The slave cylinder also has a cylinder housing with a housing bore in which is held longitudinally displaceably a piston which delimits the pressure chamber of the slave cylinder and can thus be pressurized with the pressure generated in the master cylinder. Allocated to the slave cylinder piston is a piston rod which acts on a clutch lever which in turn is actively connected with the clutch release bearing. As a result the clutch release bearing can, via the slave cylinder piston, be pressurized with an activation force in order, via a release mechanism, to separate the clutch pressure plate from the clutch carrier plate and hence the engine from the gearbox of the motor vehicle.
In particular in connection with hydraulic clutch controls which are supplied to the assembly line of the motor vehicle manufacturer as preassembled units of master cylinder, reservoir, pressure line and slave cylinder, prefilled with hydraulic fluid, the prior art (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,802, U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,804, GB 2 241 298 A) has already proposed temporarily tying the piston rod of the slave cylinder in a predetermined stroke position in relation to the cylinder housing of the slave cylinder in order to avoid overfilling of the hydraulic clutch control, for its transport and to simplify installation of the unit in the motor vehicle.
Thus the GB 2 241 298 A reference discloses a slave cylinder with a cylinder housing having a housing bore, a piston held longitudinally displaceably in the housing bore and a piston rod allocated to the piston, in which slave cylinder is provided a fixing element which before first operation of the slave cylinder is detachably connected with the piston rod and fixes this in a predetermined stroke i.e. axial position in relation to the cylinder housing, and which furthermore is designed on first operation of the slave cylinder to release the piston rod in relation to the cylinder housing. In this prior art the fixing element has a ring flange section which is inserted in a stepped end section of the housing bore of the cylinder housing at its open end and fixed there by means of a locking ring. From the ring flange section of the fixing element, several thin fixing strips extend radially inwards to the end of the piston rod facing away from the piston where they transform as one piece into the piston rod head in order to tie the piston rod in relation to the cylinder housing in a predetermined stroke position before first operation of the slave cylinder. When the slave cylinder is activated for the first time, the fixing strips on the ring flange section tear off and release the piston rod.
Although in relation to previous solutions (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,802, U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,804) in which the fixing element had a separate retaining cap placed on the piston rod head which was detachably clamped by means of fixing strips in relation to the outer periphery of the cylinder housing in order to hold the piston rod in a predetermined stroke position in relation to the cylinder housing, this prior art has the advantage that assembly of the slave cylinder is considerably easier because of the one-piece design of the fixing element and piston rod, the generic-state of the art requires further improvement in particular in functional respects. In the generic prior art it is not possible to attach to the head of the piston rod facing away from the piston a slip cup or dust protection cap swivellable in relation to the piston rod, as is known for example from the prior art according to DE 195 16 392 A1 or DE 100 38 012 A1. Also in operation of the slave cylinder problems can arise in that the fixing strips formed on the piston rod head and torn away from the ring flange section of the fixing element hinder the function of the slave cylinder as they obstruct any necessary stroke-dependent angular movement of the piston rod in relation to the center axis of the cylinder housing.
What is needed is a hydraulic cylinder designed as simply as possible, in particular a slave cylinder for a hydraulic clutch control for motor vehicles, in which before first operation of the hydraulic cylinder the piston rod is tied in a predetermined stroke position in relation to the cylinder housing and is released on first operation of the hydraulic cylinder without the problems outlined above in the discussion of the prior art.


An apparatus for determining if a combustion condition in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine occurred includes a combustion sensor for sensing the occurrence of the combustion condition in the combustion chamber and producing a combustion signal responsive to the combustion condition, a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature condition in an exhaust passage from the combustion chamber and producing a temperature signal having a characteristic indicative of the sensed temperature condition, and a controller connected for receiving the combustion signal and the temperature signal and operable in the absence of receipt of an expected combustion signal to determine if the combustion condition occurred by comparing the temperature signal characteristic with a predetermined characteristic value indicative of the occurrence of the combustion condition in the combustion chamber.

Currently, in many internal combustion engines an electronic controller is used to control the air fuel mixture delivered to a combustion chamber of a cylinder of the engine, and to produce a timed ignition signal in response to sensed engine parameters to ignite the mixture in engines that are spark ignited. Generally, in a spark ignited engine, the ignition signal is delivered to a spark plug which is disposed centrally in the combustion chamber, and a flame is produced when the spark ignites the air fuel mixture.
A combustion sensor, which can be an ion probe, optical device, thermocouple, or like device, is typically also located in the combustion chamber. Examples of conventional combustion sensors and systems are shown in Earleson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,669, issued Aug. 6, 1991; Maddock et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,980, issued Aug. 20, 1991; McCombie, U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,641, issued Feb. 28, 1995; and Wood, UK patent application GB 2282221, published Mar. 29, 1995. In operation, a combustion sensor typically produces a combustion signal in response to the presence of a predetermined combustion condition in the combustion chamber, such as, in the case of an ion probe, the flame propagating past the ion probe. If the flame is not detected by the combustion sensor, a combustion signal is not produced or delivered to the electronic controller. In the absence of the combustion signal, the electronic controller determines that the cylinder is "dead", that is, for some reason or another the combustion condition is not occurring in the combustion chamber. The electronic controller will then proceed to cutout the affected cylinder, typically by terminating fuel delivery to the cylinder.
A problem that can occur, however, is that the electronic controller can cutout a cylinder because no combustion signal is received from the combustion sensor for that cylinder, even when combustion is actually occurring in the cylinder, because there is a problem with the combustion sensor feedback system.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.

Diagnostic apparatus and method for a combustion sensor feedback system


A semiconductor structure may include one or more metal gates, one or more channels below the one or more metal gates, a gate dielectric layer separating the one or more metal gates from the one or more channels, and a high-k material embedded in the gate dielectric layer. Both the high-k material and the gate dielectric layer may be in direct contact with the one or more channels. The high-k material may provide threshold voltage variation in the one or more metal gates. The high-k material is a first high-k material or a second high-k material. The semiconductor structure may only include the first high-k material embedded in the gate dielectric layer. The semiconductor structure may only include the second high-k material embedded in the gate dielectric layer. The semiconductor structure may include both the first high-k material and the second high-k material embedded in the gate dielectric layer.

The present invention relates generally to a semiconductor structure and a method of forming the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to secure chip identification using random threshold voltage (Vth) variation in a field effect transistor (FET) structure as a physically unclonable function (PUF).
A PUF is a physically-defined "digital fingerprint" that serves as a unique identity for a semiconductor device, such as, for example, a microprocessor. The PUF is a physical entity embodied in a physical structure. The PUF is based on a unique physical variation which may occur naturally during semiconductor manufacturing. The PUF may be implemented in an integrated circuit. The PUF may also be sued in applications with high security requirements, such as, for example, cryptography.

Secure chip identification using random threshold voltage variation in a field effect transistor structure as a physically unclonable function

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A laser scanning method and apparatus having a scanning hand piece 18 connected at the free end 20 of a hollow wave guide 14 to scan a beam of laser energy 22 in a predetermined pattern to uniformly ablate in an enlarged target area. The hand piece 18 includes a hollow shaft motor 40 having a conduit mounted therein for conducting the beam of laser energy 22. The conduit 54 has a proximal end 56 in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis 60 of the hollow shaft 48 and in light energy communication with the laser energy generator 12. The distal end 58 of the conduit 54 is mounted in the hollow shaft 48 so that it is eccentrically positioned with respect to the axis 60 of the hollow shaft 48. When the motor 40 is energized, the hollow shaft 48 rotates the distal end 58 of the conduit 54 in a predetermined circular pattern to scan the laser energy uniformly and thoroughly over the tissue in the target area.

The carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) laser beam has been used for many years in the ablation of living tissue. The CO.sub.2 laser causes a temperature rise in the tissue primarily due to the absorption of laser radiation by water in the tissue. When this water is heated to its boiling point, it causes an explosive ablation of the surrounding tissue. However, heat transfer to adjacent tissue may cause thermal damage, resulting in tissue necrosis, desiccation, or carbonization ("char") that hinders further ablation until the "charred" tissue is removed. One technique to minimize damaging heat transfer to adjacent, unablated tissue is to cause a rapid temperate rise in irradiated tissue.
One technique that has been developed to cause a rapid temperature rise in irradiated tissue and to minimize thermal damage in adjacent tissue is generically referred to as "superpulse" operation of the CO.sub.2 laser. Superpulse operation involves rapidly heating the irradiated tissue with pulsed laser energy followed by a period of no exposure to laser energy, which gives time for the heat in the non-ablated adjacent tissue to dissipate. The irradiance of the laser beam must be high enough for the absorbed energy to rapidly vaporize water in the target tissue and create an explosive ablation.
In theory, in order to create explosive ablation, tissue irradiance must be above 40 watts/mm.sup.2. However, in practice an irradiance of 70 watts/mm.sup.2 or greater is generally used.
For tissue with a thermal relaxation time of approximately 325 microseconds, the pulse duration of the laser in the superpulse monde is limited to a range of about 150 to 900 microseconds. The "off" time between pulses is typically a minimum of ten time constants or greater than 3.3 milliseconds. While increasing the off time between pulses allows more time for tissue to cool, it has the disadvantage of lowering average power and tissue ablation rates.
The maximum spot size of "char-free" superpulsed ablation is generally limited by the peak power of the laser system being used. The peak power required for superpulse ablation increases by the square of the diameter of the spot. For example, in order to ablate a two-millimeter diameter area, the laser system must be capable of delivering 20 watts of peak power, while a 3 mm spot would require 500 watts peak power. Therefore, to ablate large areas with a laser system having limited peak power, it is necessary to scan the beam over the large area, either by hand or using some type of scanning device. Presently, medical CO.sub.2 laser systems traditionally rely on articulated arms that have the disadvantage of being bulky and using awkward multi-segmented tubes with rotating mirrored joints to deliver the laser energy from the laser console to the treatment site.
Flexible hollow wave guides have been developed that have a more "fiber-like" feel to replace these articulated arms. The disadvantage to such hollow wave guides is they tend to have an energy distribution that is typically non-gaussian or multi-mode and changes as the wave guide is bent. Within a few millimeters of the distal end of the wave guide, the effect of the multi-mode output energy is insignificant. This is because tissue tends to integrate laser energy over small areas and produce fairly uniform "char-free" ablation if the laser is operated in a superpulse mode. However, as the distance between the end of the wave guide and the tissue increases, the output beam diverges to create a large spot size. The increased spot size not only requires increased peak power, but the multi-mode nature of the wave guide output can produce non-uniform ablation. Therefore, it is desirable to maintain a short distance between the end of the wave guide and the target tissue to achieve uniform ablation. This has the disadvantage of limiting the maximum usable spot size even though there is sufficient peak power to ablate larger areas with a single pulse of laser energy.
One solution is to maintain a small spot size and close distance to the target tissue and rapidly move the small beam of laser energy over the target area. A great deal of manual dexterity and experience is required to accomplish uniform ablation over a large area by hand. One proposed mechanical method for doing so is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,502 issued to Zair on May 2, 1995, which is directed to a system using one or two electromechanically rotated mirrors in combination with a focusing lens to cause the laser beam to trace Lissajous figures. The drawbacks to this system are the cumbersome and complex mechanical components and the effort required to maintain the mirrors and focusing lens in precise alignment. In addition, this proposed system does not address compatibility with pulsed laser beam radiation or flexible hollow wave guide systems.
Consequently, there is a need for a mechanically simple system for uniformly and thoroughly scanning a large target area with a beam of laser energy.


There are provided a device for detecting a rotation rate that prevents an eddy current from being generated in a housing member around a rotation rate sensor, and a device for detecting a rotation rate that prevents a decrease in the compressing efficiency of a fluid compressed by a rotor. A slit-shaped concave portion for preventing a generation of an eddy current is formed on the housing on both side of the rotation sensor. The rotation rate sensor generates a magnetic field by being supplied with a high-frequency alternating excitation current. The concave portion prevents an eddy current from being generated in the housing around the rotation rate sensor based on the magnetic field generated by the coil. The concave portion has a small capacity, and is formed along the flow of intake air. As a result, a decrease in the compression efficiency of the blades of the suction-side turbine can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for detecting a rotation rate that detects a rotation rate of a rotor which applies pressure to a fluid, in the path of the fluid, due to the rotation of the rotor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a device for detecting a rotation rate is known that detects a rotation rate of a turbine of a turbocharger which applies pressure to air to compress it and to force the compressed air into a combustion chamber.
For example, according to a device for detecting a rotation rate disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 2003-240788, a sensor detects a pressure or a sound generated by the rotation of a rotor in order to detect the rotation rate of the rotor. Further, as shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, a device for detecting a rotation rate uses an eddy current sensor 110 to detect a rotation rate of a turbine. A plurality of blades 104 are formed on the turbine in the radius direction.
The eddy current sensor 110 shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B is disposed on a housing member 100 forming the path of the fluid, so as to face the blades 104 of the turbine. The eddy current sensor 110 has a coil 112 that generates a magnetic field based on an alternating excitation current. When the blades 104 pass through the magnetic field generated by the coil 112, an eddy current is generated in the blades 104 to offset the magnetic field generated by the coil 112. The intensity of the magnetic field changes due to the eddy current generated in the blades 104, thereby changing the current that flows through the coil 112. As a result, the eddy current sensor 110 detects that the blades 104 pass through the magnetic field. The device for detecting a rotation rate detects a rotation rate of the turbine by detecting a change in the current that passes through the coil 112.
When a high-frequency alternating excitation current is supplied to the coil 112, an eddy current is generated in the housing member 100 around the eddy current sensor 110 due to a factor other than the rotation of the blades 104. When the eddy current is generated in the housing member 100, the eddy current sensor 110 cannot determine whether the current generated in the coil 112, due to a change in the intensity of the magnetic field, changes because of the eddy current generated in the housing member or because of the blades 104 that pass through the magnetic field. When the intensity of the magnetic field generated by the coil 112 decreases due to the eddy current generated in the housing member 100, the eddy current generated in the blades 104 becomes small when the blades 104 pass through the magnetic field. At the same time, when the blades 104 pass through the magnetic field, the current generated in the coil 112 also becomes small. As a result, it becomes difficult to detect the blades 104 that pass through the magnetic field, and there is a possibility that the device for detecting a rotation rate cannot detect the rotation rate of the turbine.
Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, when a concave portion 102 is formed in a ring shape on the housing member 100 to cover the surrounding of the eddy current sensor 110, the concave portion 102 can prevent an eddy current from being generated in the housing member 100 around the eddy current sensor 110.
However, when the ring-shaped concave portion 102 is formed around the eddy current sensor 110 as shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, a part of air that is about to be compressed by the rotation of the blades 104 passes through the concave portion 102 and flows downstream, instead of passing through between the blades 104 and the surface of the path of the fluid formed on the housing member 100. Consequently, the compression efficiency of the blades 104 decreases.


An impact absorption type steering column apparatus for an automotive vehicle is constructed so that a car body sided bracket secured to a car body is press-fitted to a column sided bracket provided separately from or integrally with a steering column, the steering column is supported by inserting a bolt through through-holes formed in the two brackets, and, when a secondary collision happens, an impact energy thereof is absorbed in a way that causes a flexural deformation of the car body sided bracket while moving the steering column towards the front of the automotive vehicle. In this apparatus, the through-hole of the column sided bracket is formed as an elongate hole extending to the rear side of the automotive vehicle from a position of the bolt.

In case an automotive vehicle falls into a collision, there is a possibility in which a driver might suffer a secondary collision with a steering wheel due to an inertia. Protection of the driver on this occasion involves adopting an impact absorption type steering column apparatus. A steering column, just when the driver secondarily collides with the steering wheel, separates together with a steering shaft from a car body, and an energy absorption member gets collapsed, thereby absorbing an impact energy thereof while moving forwards of the automotive vehicle.
An apparatus will be exemplified by way of one example of the impact absorption type steering column apparatus, wherein, as Japanese Patent No. 2978788 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-229577, disclose impact energy absorption systems, upon the secondary collision, its impact energy is absorbed by causing a flexural deformation of a car body sided bracket (a tilt bracket and a lower bracket) through which the steering column is secured to a car body.
By the way, in the case of Japanese Patent No. 2978788 given above, upon the secondary collision, the impact energy thereof causes the tilt bracket to make its flexural deformation towards of the automotive vehicle, a tilt position fastening bolt displaces along a groove for a tilt adjustment and reaches a lowermost position of this tilt adjustment groove, at which time a collapse stroke of the steering column comes to an end.
Further, in the case of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-229577 as well, upon the secondary collision, when the lower bracket makes a predetermined quantity of its flexural deformation forwards of the automotive vehicle, the collapse stroke of the steering column terminates, and the steering column stops.
Thus, it is normal that the quantity of the collapse stroke of the steering column is generally specified to a predetermined quantity corresponding to a configuration of the bracket, dimensions of the tilt adjustment groove, and so forth.
Depending on a type of the automotive vehicle and a delivery destination thereof, however, there is a demand for a further increase in the quantity of the collapse stroke of the steering column.

Shock absorbing steering column device for vehicle


Aspects of the disclosure provide for mechanisms for live virtual machine migration. A method of the disclosure includes: performing, by a processing device, at least one operation to migrate a virtual machine from a source computer system to a destination computer system, wherein the virtual machine is associated with a first network address; assigning, to the virtual machine, a second network address from a pool of network addresses, wherein the pool of network addresses is associated with a destination hypervisor running on the destination computer system; receiving, from a source hypervisor running on the source computer system, a data packet directed to the first network address and forwarded to the destination hypervisor using the second network address; and forwarding, by the destination hypervisor, the data packet to the virtual machine.

A virtualized computer system can include one or more host machines and run one or more hypervisors on the host machines. Each hypervisor can support one or more virtual machines, with each of the virtual machines running one or more applications under a guest operating system. From time to time, a virtual machine in the virtualized computer system may be moved (e.g., migrated) from one host machine to another host machine for a variety of reasons, such as load balancing on the host machines, upgrades of software and/or hardware of the host machines, etc.

Live virtual machine migration utilizing network address pools


Skin compositions comprising, hydrocortisone; allantoin; and a water-based vehicle that is essentially free of petroleum jelly, mineral oil and wax; and related method for protecting, healing and/or soothing the skin comprising: applying an effective amount of a cosmetic preparation selected from the group consisting of hand cream, foot cream, body cream, lip cream, lip gloss, lip stick, gel, balm and lotion to the skin surface; wherein said cosmetic preparation includes a skin composition made of hydrocortisone; allantoin; and a water-based vehicle that is essentially free of petroleum jelly, mineral oil and wax; and said effective amount is enough to protect, heal and/or soothe the skin surface.

Skin in general is composed of three distinct layers: the outer protective stratum corneum; the middle epidermis layer and the inner dermis layer. Sweat glands and hair roots are found in the dermis layer.
Lips are a type of skin. They are the two fleshy folds which surround the opening of the mouth in humans and many other vertebrates, and in humans are organs of speech essential to certain articulations. The pinkish or reddish margin of a human lip is composed of non glandular mucous membrane and is usually exposed when the mouth takes on its natural set.
Millions of people suffer from dry chapped lips each winter. The reason can be found in the structure of lips themselves. The lips' exposed mucous membrane structure is actually different than other skin. Unlike skin, lips do not have the same protective outer layer, or stratum corneum. Nor do lips have the same complement of oil and sweat glands found in other skin. Sweat glands add moisture to skin, but the lips' only source of moisture is saliva inside the mouth. Thus, harsh winter, wind, cold, sun and dryness—indoors and outdoors—make lips a vulnerable target for chapping. Various cosmetic products have been developed to aid in combating this problem.
In general, cosmetic and/or dermatological compositions are relatively well known and typically contain petroleum jelly, mineral oil and wax or a combination of these ingredients.
Representative patents and publications that relate to the general disclosure of cosmetic compositions containing ingredients such as alcohols, oils, saturated fatty acids, vitamins, etc. include U.S. Pat. No. 7,037,511 B1 to Gers-Barlag et al; U.S. Pat. No. 7,030,203 B2 to Mosbey et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,455,055 B1 to Walling et al.; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,309,657 B2 and 6,224,888 B1 to Vatter et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,228 to Frinkenaur et al.; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,725,429 and 4,678,663 to Scott et al.; U.S. Publication No. 2006/0110415 A1 to Gupta; U.S. Publication No. 2006/0034798 A1 to Mosbey et al.; U.S. Publication Nos. 2005/0014674 A1 and 2005/0008667 A1 to Liechty et al.; U.S. Publication No. 2006/0008489 A1 to Egawa et al.; U.S. Publication No. 2004/0258721 A1 to Bauer et al.; U.S. Publication No. 2004/0231070 A1 to Morrissey et al.; U.S. Publication No. 2004/0228821 A1 to Sunket et al.; U.S. Publication No. 2003/0118621 A1 to Heidenfelder et al.; and U.S. Publication Nos. 2001/0033850 A1 and 2001/0003586 A1 to Vatter et al.
Other known cosmetic compositions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,713,075 B2 to Bekele; U.S. Pat. No. 6,528,071 B2 to Vatter et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,351 to Viders; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,956 to Scott et al. In particular the Nichols patents and publications define smear resistant lip cosmetics that are said to contain no wax or petroleum jelly. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,509,009; 6,395,263; 6,203,809; 6,027,739; 6,001,374; 5,747,017 and U.S. Publications 2003/0003066 A1 and 2002/0197221 A1. However, these references do not contain either hydrocortisone or allantoin which are essential ingredients in the invention compositions.
It is well known that wax and related substances when applied to the skin surface, especially the lips, dry out rather than moisten the skin. The invention compositions have been formulated to be virtually waxless to moisten the skin surface and to provide no wax buildup. The compositions are also found to soothe and heal irritated or itchy skin surfaces.
It is therefore a general object of the invention to provide skin compositions made of a water-based vehicle essentially free of petroleum jelly, mineral oil and wax containing both hydrocortisone and allantoin. Advantageously over known compositions the present invention absorbs directly into the skin tissue and provides a moisturizer for the skin surface.
A specific object of the invention is to provide a lip composition that absorbs directly into the lip tissue and provides a moisturizer for the lip surface.
Another object of the invention is use of the composition in cosmetic preparations including creams, balms, lotions, gels, glosses or stick forms for application to skin tissue surfaces.
A specific object of the invention is to use as a lip healer for chapped red and sore lips and helps prevent further chapping.
Another object is to provide a multi-purpose composition for protecting the skin.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a multi-purpose composition for healing the skin.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a multi-purpose composition for soothing irritated or itchy skin.
Another object of the invention is to provide body, hand and foot creams, lotions and gels for protecting, healing and/or soothing the skin.
Another object of the invention is to provide a lip composition which aids in healing cold sores as well as sores caused by the herpes simplex virus.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a skin composition which aids in preventing, alleviating and/or hiding wrinkles and scars.
Another specific object of the invention is to provide a skin composition which contains sun screen materials to protect the skin.
Another specific object of the invention is to provide a method for protecting, healing and/or soothing the skin by topically applying an effective amount of the invention skin composition to protect, heal and/or soothe the skin surface.

Skin compositions containing hydrocortisone


A data transmission dictionary is provided, which is adapted for use by a computer system for encoding, storing, or retrieving hierarchically related data transmission information. The dictionary is comprised of a group of one or more computer searchable definition trees relating to transmission information of the computer system. The trees are derived from a first definition group which includes characteristics of commands, replies or data usable by the computer system. The characteristics include structure and value properties and restrictions, if any, applying to the commands, replies or data. Each tree represents, respectively, a definition of a the command, reply or data to which it relates. Each tree includes a root node identified by name, e.g., a codepoint. The root node includes information describing the type of definition tree concerned (i.e., whether it relates to a command, reply or data), and may include one or more internal or terminal descendant nodes. These nodes represent components of the definition represented by the tree. The descendent nodes include level information describing the level of the node within its tree. The nodes may include attribute information, and may include value requirements relating to transmission information represented by the nodes.

Data processing, for instance distributed processing, requires a connection protocol that defines specific flows, and interactions. These flows and interactions convey the intent and results of distributed processing requests. The protocol is necessary for semantic connectivity between applications and processors in a distributed environment. The protocol must define the responsibilities between the participants and specify when flows should occur and their contents. Distributed applications allow operations to be processed over a network of cooperating processors.
Clients and servers send information between each other using that set of protocols. These protocols define the order in which messages can be sent and received, the data that accompanies the messages, remote processor connection flows, and the means for converting data that is received from foreign environments.
The client provides the connection between the application and the servers via protocols. It supports the application end of the connection by: (1) Initiating a remote connection (2) Translating requests from the application into the standardized format, otherwise known as generating, (3) Translating replies from standardized formats into the application format, otherwise known as parsing, (4) Disconnecting the link from the remote processor when the application terminates or when it switches processors.
The server responds to requests received from the client. It supports the server end of the connection by: (1) Accepting a connection (2) Receiving input requests and data and converting them to its own internal format (parsing), (3) Constructing (generating) and sending standardized reply messages and data.
In particular, a distributed data processing architecture can use the Distributed Data Management Architecture (DDM) for providing the standardized format of the messages. DDM provides the conceptual framework for constructing common interfaces for command and reply interchange between a client and a server. Most DDM commands have internal statement counterparts.

Computer program product and program storage device for a data transmission dictionary for encoding, storing, and retrieving hierarchical data processing information for a computer system

International Business Machines Corporation


Image stylization is based on a learning network. A learning network is trained with a plurality of images and a reference image with a particular texture style. A plurality of different sub-networks of the learning network is trained, respectively. Specifically, one of the sub-networks is trained to extract one or more feature maps from the source image and transform the feature maps with the texture style applied thereon to a target image. Each of the feature maps indicates part of feature information of the source image. Another sub-network is trained to apply a specified texture style to the extracted feature maps, such that the target image generated based on the processed feature maps can embody the specified texture style.

Image stylization is to transform an original style of an image into other desired styles. A style of an image may also be referred to as a texture style of the image, which involves one or more texture features presented on the image surface, including, but not limited to, color matching, shading, the use of lines, and the like. The style of the image may involve some characteristic of the image in a certain aspect, for example, line drawings of objects in a sketch style or coarsening strokes in a painting style. In some cases, a style of an image may cover characteristics of the image in a plurality of aspects. For example, different works of many painters may be regarded as having different styles, and such styles may be embodied by colors, lights, lines, and the like in their paintings. When a style of an image is transformed, the content captured in that image remains substantially unchanged. For example, if an original image includes objects like buildings, people, sky, plants, and the like, these objects may still be maintained after the image stylization, and only their texture features are changed to embody the transformed texture style.
The function of image stylization may be provided by an electronic device having processing capability, such as a smartphone or a personal computer. In some use cases, a user may be allowed to select a specific style from different image styles to process an image input by the user. Most of current implementations of image stylization impose a relatively high requirement on processing resources and consume considerable time, which is not desired by a user who possesses an electronic device of limited processing resources and expects a rapid presentation of results.

Image stylization based on learning network


The method for the automated and assisted acquisition of anatomical surfaces includes a first acquisition of the surfaces undertaken in order to create a first numerical model and a perioperative second acquisition undertaken by scanning the surfaces in order to create a second numerical model for identifying the coordinates of the surfaces. The surfaces are supported by a robotic arm; and then the models are brought into correspondence by resetting. The scanning in the second acquisition includes making a preliminary identification of the coordinates of noteworthy points on the surfaces manually, assisted by the robotic arm, and the identifying parts a the points, in order to construct a reference frame and to determine a scanning region; creating an intermediate model from the reference frame and at least one of the points; preliminary resetting the first model with the second model; and automatically scanning the determined zone.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the medical field, in particular in operative methodology during the preparation and carrying out of surgical interventions.
The invention relates in particular to medical imaging and, in the perioperative phase, to the automated acquisition of anatomical surfaces, in particular of a patient's head and face, then the surface resetting of the acquired images with respect to images stored in pre-operative phase.
The invention will find an application in the assistance by robotics for the acquisition of anatomical surfaces and for the surface resetting.
To this end, the present invention relates to a method for automated and assisted acquisition of anatomical surfaces.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
In a known way, during a surgical operation on a patient, in particular within the framework of the neurosurgery at the level of a patient's head, the doctor uses systems providing an assistance, in particular by improving the surgical accuracy. To this end, such systems permit, in the perioperative phase, the acquisition of the anatomical surfaces aimed by the operation, then their resetting with respect to images already recorded, for example previously, during a pre-operative phase during an X-ray examination (CT-scan) or an MRI (stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging). It is thus possible for the doctor to accurately localize the patient with respect to the imaging for the operation.
In particular, the acquisition consists in identifying the actual position of the patient's anatomical zone, by performing a scanning of the surface of said zone using a pointer, for example in the form of a mechanical point, ultrasonic waves or a laser beam. The system then performs a surface resetting in the form of a comparison between this identification and the images recorded previously in the pre-operative phase, calculating the bringing into correspondence of the existing images with the patient's body at the time of the operation. In brief, for each identified point, an evaluation is performed so as to cause the acquired scatter diagram to correspond to the pre-recorded images.
Therefore, the way of performing the step of acquisition of the anatomical surfaces has a considerable influence on the accuracy of the operation that will follow. Several acquisition systems exist nowadays, which use different techniques for identifying the anatomical surfaces.
A first solution consists in positioning, at different particular places of the zone to be acquired, markers, in the form of a mask or pads, directly glued on the skin. These markers are then identified in the space by scanning with a mechanical point or a transmission/receiving beam, namely a laser.
The main drawback of such a scanning resides in its lack of accuracy, which depends on the way of localizing said markers as well as their number and their spatial distribution on the skin. The resetting resulting from the same is then little reliable, i.e. it exhibits important variations and shifts at the level of the surfaces located between the markers.
In addition, the markers can move, because of the elasticity of the skin, even detach. The placing of the markers also obliges to shave the portion of the cranium.
An alternative solution consists in passing over the anatomical zone with a pointer, the coordinates of which are located in the space, in particular through cameras.
According to an embodiment, said pointer can be mechanical, being in the form of a probe, the point of which enters directly into contact with the skin. Said point is manually displaced from one point to another, namely on the morphologically noteworthy points, and along particular anatomical lines of the zone involved, while its different positions and contact points are recorded in three dimensions.
However, though this technique permits to identify a larger number of points of the surface, it remains limited as to the number of points identified, about one hundred, requiring a restriction of the identification to determined lines and determined noteworthy places of the patient's anatomy. This restriction, due to the intervention by the operator, has automatically an influence on the quality of the subsequent surface resetting. Furthermore, the deformation of the skin during the scanning with the pointer is another cause for inaccuracy.
An alternative resides in a contactless pointer, permitting to obtain a larger number of points identified in a smaller period of time. Such a pointer is in the form of a light-radiation transmitter, such as a laser beam. Said transmitter is held in hand by the practitioner, who scans the anatomical zone with the laser.
A first known device comprises a transmitter in the form of a laser telemeter, the position and the orientation of which are constantly identified in the space, permitting to obtain the coordinates of each point recorded by the telemeter.
However, the accuracy of the identification by the telemeter remains limited. That is why it has been devised to directly record the impact of the emitted laser beam at the level of the skin. To this end, the transmitter transmits, on the one hand, a laser beam in the visible light spectrum, in order to allow the practitioner to display the point of impact and its scanning of the patient's anatomical zone and, on the other hand, a beam of invisible light, such as the infrareds, which are captured by specific sensors. Specifically, the reflection of the infrareds at the point of impact permits to accurately identify the position of said point in the space.
It should be noted that the localization of the telemeter or the point of impact of the laser beam uses an optical triangulation principle using various cameras.
Despite these various evolutions, the existing identification and scanning systems are not completely satisfactory.
Indeed, the scanning always occurs manually, creating a human factor, which reduces the accuracy of the identification, but also its repeatable nature, i.e. the scanning paths remain approximate and completely related to the practitioner.
In order to cope with these drawbacks, it has been devised to couple the transmitter to a robot. Such solutions are described in WO 2009/013406, WO 2005/122916 and WO 2005/032390.
In particular, the transmitter is fixed to the end of a robotized arm, hinged so as to have degrees of freedom of movement in the three dimensions. The position of the transmitter and the data it records are then identified in the space with respect to the reference system of said robotized arm.
In particular, a first previous acquisition of said anatomical surfaces is performed, so as to create a three-dimensional representation in the form of a first digital model; then, a second perioperative acquisition by scanning said surfaces is performed, so as to create a three-dimensional representation in the form of a second digital model; then, said scanning is performed with means for identifying the coordinates of said surfaces, said means being supported by a robotized arm; and finally a bringing into correspondence by resetting said first and second models is performed.
Therefore, one observes that the resetting of the models is not optimal, requiring the intervention of a data-processing operator, in order to try to cause the models to match. When this fails, it is necessary to repeat the scanning operation, increasing that more the duration of the intervention.
In addition, even though such devices permit to avoid depending from the operator, by automating the scanning of the anatomical surface, with a highly reproducible nature, this automation considerably limits the capabilities of adaptation of these devices with respect to the anatomical zone, in particular with respect to the different morphologies of the patients.
Furthermore, in all cases the existing devices use means for navigating within the display of the three-dimensional digital model obtained from the images so acquired. These navigation means necessarily require the identification of the transmitter, as previously evoked, thereafter of the surgical instruments.

Method for the automated and assisted acquisition of anatomical surfaces


An electronic proximity switching device with a proximity indicator and with an electronic switch which can be controlled by the proximity indicator. A plurality of these switching devices can be series connected without an unacceptable voltage drop occurring on the series connection when the switching devices are conductive, by the electronic switch of each switching device being connected to one input (2) of an AND element (3), another input (4) of the AND element (3) representing a control input (5) of the switching device, the output (6) of the AND element (3) representing the output (7) of the switching device, and load current flowing via the AND element (3) in the conductive state of the switching device. In other words there is AND element (3) in addition to an inductive proximity switch (1). A circuit for monitoring of the state of a system, for example, a fault state in an aerial railway or chairlift system, is provided with a plurality of switching devices (10), and with a control and evaluation unit (11), the switching devices (10) being series connected to one another and to the control and evaluation unit (11). When a fault state of the system is detected by the series connection of all switching devices (10), the fault can be located by interrogation of the switching devices with respect to their state (make or break contact state).

1 Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electronic switching device, preferably with a proximity indicator, for example, an oscillator, and with a an electronic switch which can be controlled by a proximity indicator, optionally via a switching amplifier. Furthermore, the invention relates to a circuit for monitoring of the satisfactory state and/or detection of a faulty state of a system, for example, a aerial railway or chairlift system, with a plurality of monitoring and detection devices and with at least one control and evaluation unit, the monitoring and detection devices being made as electronic switching devices of the aforementioned type and being series connected to one another and to the control and evaluation unit.
2 Description of Related Art
Electronic switching devices of the type to which the invention is directed are made of solid-state construction and have been increasingly used for almost thirty years instead of mechanically activated, electrical switching devices which have contacts, especially in electrical or electronic measurement and control circuits. In a contact-type switching device, either an electronic switch which was initially nonconductive becomes conductive (make contact type), an electronic switch which was initially conductive becomes nonconductive or blocked (break contact). This applies particularly to proximity switches, i.e., to proximity electronic switching devices.
With proximity switching devices, it is indicated whether an influence element to which the corresponding proximity switch is sensitive has approached near enough to the proximity switch. If, specifically, the influence element to which the corresponding proximity switch is sensitive has approached the proximity switch closely enough, the proximity indicator switches the electronic switch. With switching devices of the type under consideration, it can also be indicated whether a physical quantity of an influencing medium to which the switching device is sensitive has reached a corresponding value.
Thus, one important component of electronic switching devices of the type under consideration is, among others, the proximity indicator which can be externally influenced. In inductive or capacitive proximity switches, the proximity indicator is generally an inductively coupled oscillator or a capacitively coupled oscillator. Optoelectronic proximity switches have a photoresistor, a photodiode, or a phototransistor as the proximity indicator. Otherwise, electronic switching devices of the type to which the invention is directed include, for example, also so-called flow indicators which have a temperature measurement circuit.
Electronic switching devices of the type under consideration are often made as so-called two-wire switching devices, i.e., they can be connected via an external lead to one pole of a voltage source and only via another external lead to one terminal of a consumer, the other terminal of the consumer being connectable to the other pole of the voltage source.
In electronic switching devices which can be connected only via one external lead to one pole of a voltage source and only via one other external lead to one terminal of a consumer, it is not a problem to make available the operating voltage (=internal operating voltage) or the operating current required by the proximity indicator, and optionally, also the switching amplifier. This is because the internal operating voltage or operating current must be made available both in the conductive and also in the blocked state.
It is irrelevant whether an operating current or an internal operating voltage is made available, since the proximity indicator, and optionally the switching amplifier, of course require electrical power. Therefore, both an internal operating voltage and also operating current are required (compare the representation of these circumstances in German patent document 23 30 233, especially in column 5, line 68, to column 6, line 33).
Based on their function as switching devices, in the switching devices under consideration, in the conductive state almost no voltage drop will occur and in the blocked state almost no residual current will flow. However, it applies to all two-wire switching devices that, in the conductive state a voltage drop occurs and in the blocked state a residual current flows since, if no voltage drop were to occur in the two-wire switching devices in the conductive state, since no internal operating voltage for the proximity indicator and optionally the switching amplifier could be obtained, if in the blocked state no residual current were to flow, nor could any operating current be obtained.
It has already been stated initially that electronic switching devices of the type under consideration are used in measurement and control circuits. In particular, a plurality of switching devices of the type under consideration are often required in control circuits. The individual switching devices can be located relatively far apart and relatively great distances can be bridged between the individual switching devices and a central control, so that wiring of the switching devices among one another and to a central control can be expensive.
It has also been already stated initially that electronic switching devices of the type under consideration can be made as make contacts or a break contacts, In safety-relevant control circuits, switching devices made as break contacts are used since the safe state must be the de-energized state. The use of switching devices of the type under consideration made as break contacts, in safety relevant control circuits, requires series connection of all switching devices. If, in this series connection, only one switching device made as a break contact is not influenced, the electronic switch to which this switching device belongs is blocking, the circuit formed by series connection of all of the switching devices is de-energized.
As noted above, on switching devices which are made as two-wire switching devices, a voltage drop also occurs in the conductive state, as necessary for operation; this voltage drop can be roughly 5-10 V or even more throughout. In the series connection of a plurality of switching devices of the type under consideration, the voltage drop which occurs throughout the series connection of these switching devices can easily assume a value which is no longer acceptable.
Electronic switching devices of the type under consideration are made of a solid-state construction, as noted initially. Instead of the contact provided in an electrical switching device, there is an electronic switch. Even in those electronic switching devices of the type under consideration which are made not as two-wire switching devices, but as three-wire switching devices, in the conductive state, a voltage drop occurs which is not negligible. This voltage drop can also be added to a voltage drop which is no longer acceptable in the series connection of a plurality of switching devices of the type under consideration.
Systems of the most varied type, especially so-called safety-relevant systems, often require continual monitoring, i.e., monitoring of the satisfactory state, and generally in conjunction with monitoring of the satisfactory state, the detection of a faulty state. As soon as a faulty state has been detected, a safety-relevant measure is initiated.
In aerial railway and chairlift systems, the location of the cable relative to the cable rollers guiding the cable or carrying the cable must be monitored as the safety-relevant criterion. If the actual position of the cable relative to at least one cable roller does not correspond to the theoretical position, safety-relevant measures must be taken. For a slight deviation between the actual position of the cable and its theoretical position, the safety-relevant measure derived therefrom can be a reduction of cable speed. If the deviation between the actual position of the cable and the theoretical position exceeds a stipulated boundary value, the safety-relevant measure consists, in any case, in that the aerial railway system or chairlift system is instantaneously shut down.
In electrical, and today of course also in electronic circuits which act as control circuits, a distinction is made between the open circuit principle and the closed circuit principle. In the open circuit principle, for example, there is a control intervention into a system, for example, when a large enough control current flows in the control circuit. Switching devices in control circuits operating according to the open circuit principle are made as make contacts; they are electrically conductive when they are actuated. In contrast, in the closed circuit principle, for example, there is a control intervention into the system when no control current flows in the control circuit. Switching devices in control circuits operating according to the closed circuit principle are made as break contacts; they are electrically nonconductive when they are actuated.
In control circuits operating according to the open circuit principle, as was mentioned above, there is a control intervention into an assigned system when a sufficiently large control current flows in the control circuit. Therefore, the prerequisite for this is that, on the one hand, the necessary operating voltage is present, on the other hand, that there is no line break, and finally, that the switching device which is made as a make contact and which is present in this control circuit is serviceable. In contrast, in a control circuit which operates according to the closed circuit principle, there is a control intervention into a system belonging to it if no control current flows in the control circuit.
The aforementioned statements on the open circuit principle and the closed circuit principle make it clear that control circuits which are designed to trigger safety-relevant measures must operate according to the closed circuit principle. Since the de-energized state in the control circuit is evaluated such that the corresponding system is in the safe state, a failure of the operating voltage and a line break always lead to the system, if it is not in the safe state, being moved into the safe state. In an aerial railway or in a chairlift system, the safe state is of course for the cable drive to be turned off.
In control circuits operating according to the open circuit principle, therefore, in control circuits in which the switching devices are made as make contacts, the switching devices are connected in parallel; after actuating a switching device made as a make contact, the control circuit becomes active again. Conversely, in control circuits operating according to the closed circuit principle, therefore, in control circuits in which the switching devices are made as break contacts, the switching devices are connected in series, after actuating a switching device made as a break contact, the control circuit becomes de-energized and thus entirely active.

Electronic switching device and circuits with a plurality of such switching devices


An exit elbow for an aerated aquarium lift tube, designed so that by the combination of a top-most air release baffle and a submerged release jet, that the inevitable water spray from the implosion of aeration bubbles is contained within the exit elbow itself and not released into the atmosphere in the proximity of the tank's water surface or the lighting hood.

The present invention generally relates to animal husbandry in the form of aquatic animal culturing, aquarium aerators and or to a terminus for a commonly known system of liquid purification or separation, structural installation, closed circulating system for an aquarium.
An unfortunate consequence of the use in aquariums of popular undergravel filter plates, aeration lift tubes and standard exit elbows is that a stream of aeration bubbles is carried by the water flow from the standard exit elbow and subsequently across the surface of the water in the tank. The work of aeration and flow already having been accomplished within the airlift tube, the resultant wide stream of aeration bubbles, although not necessarily unpleasant to look at, serves little purpose.
The surface stream of aeration bubbles, while at the same time as serving little purpose, in fact, can be very harmful to both the function and the appearance of the aquarium as will be explained.
One need only put one's hand within an inch or two of the stream of aeration bubbles flowing across the surface of the water to verify that indeed, upon the continuous implosion of aeration bubbles, a fine spray of water is being impelled continuously into the atmosphere in this vicinity.
This is of little concern in a fresh water aquarium without a light hood, except that there will be a noticeable fine spotting around the edges of the tank. However, in a tank fitted with a light hood, it is inevitable that given a water level within a few inches of the top rim of the tank, that the glass or Plexiglas underside of the light hood will become constantly wetted from the never ending fine spray of water. Furthermore, it is all too likely that a thick, dark green film of algae, more than sufficient to completely block the intended light coming from the fluorescent tubes in the light hood, will form in this environment due to the light, warmth and constant fine spray of water onto the bottom of the light hood. As well, even more algae, although not as thick, will likely form on the underside of the horizontal structural surface that is found on the top of all Plexiglas tanks.
It is unacceptable to move the light hood further away, as this would diminish the often hard won illumination level. And there is not much you can do about the aeration spray landing on the underside of the horizontal surface that is found on the top of all Plexiglas tanks, altogether, other than lowering the water level drastically to what would be an unattractive level and also make waste of the water capacity of the aquarium.
In a saltwater aquarium these problems are compounded by a puddle of wet encrusted salt forming around the wet undersides of the light hoods, which since they are sitting on the Plexiglas horizontal surface on the top of the tank, carry a substantial quantity of the water sprayed onto the underside of the light hood onto the top surface of the Plexiglas itself, which ends up creeping across the surface and eventually encrusting down the sides of the tank and in particular forming in very large quantities behind the tank where one is not likely to see the accumulated salt, or even reach it, if the tank is sitting against a wall.
Even in a saltwater tank that is glass and has no light hood, water spray from the implosion of aeration bubbles lands on the filter tubes, airline tubes, tank top edges and any nearby walls. This small amount of fine spray of saltwater actually making its way outside of the tank, while hardly noticeable in a fresh water tank, eventually leads to huge amounts of encrusted salt deposits on the tank top edges, tank sides, all nearby aeration and filter tubes and on the wall when enjoying the use of a saltwater aquarium.
Aerating smaller containers without any airlift tubes, such as might be done to raise brine shrimp, creates even heavier saltwater spray from the implosion of aeration bubbles.
Clearly, since the surface stream of aeration bubbles serves little purpose, it would be desirable to eliminate the thousands of imploding aeration bubbles making their insidious way across the surface of the water, and yet still enjoy the benefits and ample aeration of an undergravel filter and aquarium airlift tube.
Numerous devices designed as a terminus for a stream of aerated water from an airlift tube have been disclosed in prior art. In all cases, the terminus devices described have been for the purpose of increased filtration of the water and not merely to contain spray, if not just a simple elbow. U.S. Pat. No. 2,676,921 to Vansteenkiste (1954) contains an unusually complete references cited section in regard to the early progression of airlift tubes and closed circulating systems for use in aquariums.
Furthermore, certain devices such as most protein skimmers, provide some means for the separation of aeration bubbles from the water stream, usually a simple half wall or else a downdraft tube, since by their nature the foam must be collected in one spot. Some even utilize extra aeration bubbles in a separated airlift tube for the purpose of creating a counter flow in the water. In any case, such devices would not work for containing the aeration spray from a commonly known standard airlift tube, and the models that separate aeration bubbles from the exit stream require a water pump.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,976 to Pond (1973) discloses a degasser having baffle means to cause the water to flow downwardly in a zigzag path. The stated purpose, however, is to degas harmful gasses from the water and not merely to contain the aeration bubbles in said degasser, although it will do both. This device requires a water pump and would also not function to contain aeration spray from a standard airlift tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,123 to Geung (1994) discloses a separate upright column, having an open top in combination with a water pump for spraying water for the express purpose of containing aeration bubbles in said upright column. Although effective, this design would also not work without a water pump, relies on downward water direction water flow, and will not function to contain aeration bubbles if the flow of water is in an upward direction, as with a standard airlift tube.


A tie down apparatus that may be utilized for securing an item, such as a safety chain, wherein the tie down apparatus may be used with a hitch mounting system. In one embodiment, the tie down apparatus may include a receiving member, a tie down member, and a locking member. The receiving member may include an opening located there through. The tie down member may include at least one aperture, wherein the locking member may extend therethrough. The locking member may selectively engage the receiving member. The locking member may include a head that engages with a safety chain member positioned on the tie down apparatus to prevent disengagement between the locking member and the receiving member.

It is well known in the art to utilize a trailer hitch to connect a trailer to a towing vehicle. There are many different types of trailer hitches known in the art that are attached to the towing vehicle in a variety of ways, depending on the type of hitch. Some of the most common types of hitches include gooseneck, fifth wheel, front mount, and the like. Typically, trailers are connected to a towing vehicle by way of a ball hitch secured to the vehicle and a ball socket coupling mechanism on the trailer that mounts over the ball and thereby allows the trailer to pivot behind the towing vehicle.
The ball hitch of some hitches, such as gooseneck, for example, is commonly mounted in the bed of a pickup truck near the longitudinal centerline of the bed. This allows the weight of the trailer to be evenly distributed between the tires on the two sides of the towing vehicle, such as a pickup truck. This type of hitch is often secured to the truck structure in an opening cut in the bed of the truck so that a substantial portion of the hitch attachment is located below the bed of the truck. In addition, the ball typically may be removed or lowered to a stowed position below the bed to ensure that the use of the bed is not substantially hindered by the presence of the ball.
Gooseneck trailer hitches are typically considered heavy duty and are made to operatively tow trailers weighing 10,000 pounds or more. Gooseneck hitches are made to accommodate things like horse trailers and other oddly shaped trailers whose weight is not evenly distributed. A gooseneck hitch is designed for use in a pickup truck similar to a fifth wheel. The difference is that the gooseneck uses a ball and coupler verses a kingpin and pin receiver. Gooseneck hitches are offered in a few types of configurations and can be mounted above or below the trucks pickup bed. Either design (above or below) allows for minimal obstruction when the ball is not in the towing position.
As is known in the art, a gooseneck trailer hitch is placed in the truck bed above the rear axle and the trailer is then secured to it. A gooseneck hitch is typically much stronger than a regular ball hitch and can haul much more weight. The primary goal of the gooseneck hitch is to provide as much of the gooseneck hitch assembly as possible beneath the bed of the pick-up truck. The hitch balls themselves are typically removable or retractable so that when the hitch is not in use, the hitch ball may be removed or retracted so as not to obstruct the bed of the pick-up truck in any significant manner.
With primary emphasis placed on storing/removing these hitch assemblies to avoid obstructions within the truck bed, hitch assemblies have generally overlooked the importance of placement of maintenance fittings and typically only include such fittings in inconvenient locations, such as under the bed of the truck.
Consumers often utilize additional trailer hitch accessories with their trailers. These accessories are products that mount or secure to the trailer, such as safety chains, couplers, coupler locks, jacks, trailer lights, bearing protectors, winches and hitch balls, for example.
Safety chains are often used in conjunction with a gooseneck hitch when towing a trailer. Safety chains are an added safety measure that is used to provide a secondary means of connection between the rear of the towing vehicle and the front of the trailer or towed vehicle in case of separation. If the safety chain is to be of value, assurance must be had that the safety chain will stay connected to the link if the hitch fails. The consumer should also make sure that the safety chains are never dragging on the road when hooked up. Safety chains come in a variety of different sizes and strengths.
Safety chains may be secured between the trailer and an anchor within the truck, preferably associated with the hitch to prevent the trailer from breaking away from the pickup truck in the event that the hitch uncouples from the hitch ball. To insure that the safety chain anchor does not substantially obstruct the bed of the truck when the hitch is not being used, the anchor may be adapted so that it may be removed from the hitch or so that it may be lowered to a stowed position in the hitch. Therefore, a need exists in the art to provide an improved safety chain tie down apparatus that is easily removable and operable as well as work with a variety of different hitches.

Safety chain tie down mechanism for under bed hitch mounting system


Provided herein are method and apparatus for perform radio link monitoring (RLM) based on a Reference signal (RS). An embodiment provides a user Equipment (UE) comprising circuitry configured to: decode a Reference Signal (RS) received from an access node; and determine beam quality for one or more beam pair links (BPLs) of the RS between the UE and the access node based on the decoded RS, wherein each of the BPLs comprises a transmit (Tx) beam of the access node and a receive (Rx) beam of the UE. Also provided is a procedure of RLM. At least some embodiments allow for beam recovery request for UE beam refinement, and allow for determining whether radio link failure (RLF) occurs.

To maintain a radio link between a user equipment (UE) and an access node such as a next Generation NodeB (gNB), beam quality for one or more beam pair links (BPLs) between the UE and the access node (for example, one or more BPLs used for control channel including common control channel and UE specific control channel) should be good enough. Therefore, it is important and necessary to perform beam monitoring or RLM to monitor beam quality for BPLs.

Method and apparatus for radio link monitoring


A document handling system, such as a mailing machine, includes a feeder station operative to feed documents from a stack in sequential fashion to a conveyor belt of a transport station. The feeder and transport stations include discrete drive motor controllers operatively associated with a speed control adapted to apply a control signal to the transport controller and a control signal to the feeder controller. The feeder controller signal is slaved to the transport controller signal so as to enable changes in document feeder and transport speeds through a single control. A separate gap control enables selective adjustment of the gap between successive documents for various size documents.

The present invention relates generally to document handling systems, and more particularly to a document handling system including a document feeder station operative to feed documents in successive one-at-a-time fashion to a transport conveyor, and having a novel system speed control enabling adjustment of both feeder and transport speeds with a single control without having to adjust the gap between successive documents.
It is a conventional practice in various document handling systems, such as mailing machines, to employ a document feeder station operative to feed documents in sequential one-at-a-time fashion from a generally vertical stack to a transport station employing at least one conveyor belt operative to convey the documents in spaced relation along a predetermined path. As the documents traverse the transport path, they generally pass one or more operating stations which perform various functions on the documents, such as applying alpha-numeric indicia to each document. Mailing systems of this general type are commercially available from Videojet Systems International, Inc., Wood Dale, Ill.
In document handling systems of the aforedescribed type, the document feeder and transport stations each typically employ a separate controller having a drive motor responsive to control signals to vary the motor speed, and thus the document feed rate (documents per hour) and transport speed (feet per minute). By selectively varying the feeder and transport drive motor speeds, variable spacing may be obtained to accommodate different size documents. Present mailing machines that have variable spacing typically use independent electronic speed controls for the feeder and transport drive motors. The speed of the feeder is set independently of the speed of the transport. If the speed of the transport is changed, the gap between documents or other pieces of media either becomes larger or smaller. This may cause a crash or jam to occur between successive documents or media pieces, or result in a loss of production because of excessive gaps. The feeder and transport drives of present mailing machines must be set by adjusting both controls and then fine tuning. The desirable approach is to set both feeder and transport speeds proportionally with a single speed control, and set the gap with another control. Thus, an inexpensive control for proportionally adjusting feeder and transport speeds manually with a single control, and adjusting the gap between successive documents with another control would provide a significant advantage over prior known mailing machines.

Speed control for document handling system


A motion sensor includes an infrared detector with a first set of detector elements and a second set of detector elements. The motion sensor also includes an optical system to direct electromagnetic energy from a first set of monitored volumes spaced at a pitch in a first direction onto the first set of detector elements and to direct electromagnetic energy from a second set of monitored volumes spaced at the pitch in the first direction onto the second set of detector elements. The second set of monitored volumes have an offset from the first set of monitored volumes in the first direction.

Technical Field
The present subject matter relates to motion detection. More specifically it relates to multi-output infrared radiation detectors and motion sensors using such an infrared detector.
Description of Related Art
Motion Sensors utilizing infrared (IR) radiation detectors are well known. Such sensors are often used in security systems or lighting systems to detect movement in a monitored space. An infrared detector detects changes in mid-infrared (IR) radiation having a wavelength of about 6-14 microns. These changes are due to temperature differences between a warm object, such as a warm blooded animal, and its background environment as the warm object moves through that environment. Upon detection of motion, motion sensors typically activate an audible alarm such as a siren, turn on a light, and/or transmit an indication that motion has been detected.
A typical infrared detector utilizes a pyroelectric or piezoelectric substrate with a detector element that consists of conductive areas on opposite sides of the substrate, acting as a capacitor. As the substrate changes temperature, charge is added or subtracted to the capacitor, changing the voltage across the capacitor. The amount of mid-IR radiation that hits the detector element determines the temperature of that area of the substrate, and therefore, the voltage across the capacitor that makes up the detector element. Some motion sensors utilize an infrared detector that includes multiple detector elements. To reduce the chance of false alarms, some infrared detectors include a pair of equally sized detector elements of opposing polarities. Non-focused out-of-band radiation, as well as ambient temperature changes or physical shock, is equally incident on both detector elements, thus causing the signals from the equal and opposite elements to roughly cancel one another.
Many motion sensors incorporate an optical array (comprised of optical elements, such as lenses, focusing mirrors, and so on) to be able to monitor a large space with a single infrared detector. The optical array directs the IR radiation from multiple monitored volumes onto the infrared detector, which sometimes includes filters to minimize the radiation outside of the desired mid-infrared range from reaching the infrared detector. Each of the monitored volumes is typically a pyramidal shaped volume extending into the space to be monitored with the apex of the pyramid at the motion sensor. Concentrations of radiation from each of the pyramids are projected by the optical arrays on to the infrared detector where they are superimposed, and different regions of the infrared detector are heated based on the amount of IR radiation received from the superimposed images. The detector elements on the infrared detector react to the localized heating by changing their voltage. The resultant change in voltage across the detector elements is monitored and used to detect motion in the space being monitored.


A computer implemented image editing tool and method for using the tool for color-selective editing of a digital image including multiple shapes with different color fills displayed on a display. The image editing tool includes a modified group color mixer which has a plurality of markers representing the colors of the plurality of shapes in the digital image. By dragging the markers, multiple shapes can be edited with the same group color mixer. The image editing tool also includes a color organizer which has swatches corresponding to the number of shapes and the color fills of shapes in the digital image. The swatches are positioned according to the positions of the corresponding shapes in the digital image for easy identification. Users can drag and drop swatches to swap colors between shapes, add new colors, discard colors, store colors for reference, edit multiple swatches simultaneously, and organize colors.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to image editing and more specifically to color-selective editing of digital images.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
The rapid development and increasing popularity of infrastructures such as the Internet, storages and computers for transmission, storage and processing of images, has made it more convenient to handle images as electronic documents. Digital images allow easy editing facilities and users can try various editing functions such as color combinations, different shapes, contrast, brightness, saturation and hue, etc. In existing color editing tools, a color mixer or a color palette provides the functionality for trying different color combinations on a display. The color mixer shows the color of the selected shape in the digital image by a marker. If there are a number of shapes in the digital image, the color of each shape has to be identified separately in the color mixer for color editing purposes, which is tedious for the user.
With existing color editing tools, a user selects a shape having a color fill in a digital image, opens the color mixer and changes the color. For another shape in the digital image, the user selects that other shape and repeats the process. If the user wants to change the color of a group of shapes he/she has to select and change the color of each shape individually. For example, a digital image may include four shapes (Si) each having a Color fill (Ci). Initially Ci is mapped to Si. But since location, size and relative placements of shapes having color fills can make a significant difference, a designer may want C1 to go to S3, C2 to go to S4, C3 to be discarded and a new color and C4 to be kept for reference. Also, he/she needs two new colors C5 and C6 to fill the shapes S1 and S2, and try new colors in the group. Currently there are no convenient ways of swapping colors of two different shapes having two different color fills. One has to manually select the color. Also, retaining colors for future references (the colors which one might use but is not sure) is not possible. The previous color selection will be lost if the color is changed. For effective color editing, the user must select, remember and manipulate a group of colors, swap colors and view different combinations to finalize the color.
Hence, there is a need for an improved system and method for selecting and reorganizing colors in a digital image.


A link for connecting a pair of spaced members having a set of aligned holes, together, generally including a bolt having threaded end portions and a pair of upset portions based inwardly relative to the threaded end portions thereof, a pair of inner grommets each formed of a resilient material, mountable on the bolt and having a portion functional to snap-fit on one of the upset portions of the bolt when such grommet is mounted on the bolt, a pair of outer grommets each formed of a resilient material, mountable on the bolt and cooperable with one of the inner grommets to engage one of the members therebetween and a pair of nuts threadable on the threaded portions of the bolt, engageable with an exterior grommet mounted on the bolt.

In automotive vehicles having independent wheel suspension systems, there typically is provided a sway bar link that interconnects the lower control arm of the suspension system and an end of the sway bar. Typically, such links have consisted of an elongated bolt with end portions adapted to extend through a pair of aligned openings in the lower control arm and an end of the sway bar, a spool provided on the center portion of such bolt, a pair of resilient, inner grommets each mounted on the bolt between the spool and one of the members being connected, a pair of resilient, outer grommets each mountable on such bolt exteriorly of one of the members being connected and means provided on the ends of the bolt, usually a head portion of the bolt and a nut threaded on an opposite end of the bolt, for retaining the assembly together.
Usually, the components of such an assembly are produced by one or more vendors, shipped to an automotive manufacturer as loose components or a combination of loose components and partially assembled components and then installed by assemblers of vehicles being manufactured. In the past, it has been found that the supply of such assemblies by vendors to the automotive companies resulted not only in inefficiencies in the assembly of the various components but also in inefficiencies in the shipment of them. In the prior art, various improvements have been made in the design of such assemblies and the components thereof not only to reduce the number of components required but to assemble such components in a manner that facilitated both the handling in shipping and final installation of the assemblies. It further has been found, however, that such assemblies developed in the prior art are still too complicated in design, requiring an inordinate number of components, being cumbersome to assemble, package and ship and being unwieldy to install. Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a link assembly of the type described which is simple in design, comprises the least number of components, may be compactly assembled for shipment and may easily be handled to facilitate installation in the suspension system of a vehicle being manufactured. It further is an object of the present invention to provide a novel grommet adapted for use in such assemblies which is comparatively simple in design, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and lends itself to efficient handling in shipping such assemblies from a vendor or vendors to an automotive manufacturer and installing such components in the suspension systems of vehicles.