A method for simulating compositional and/or multiphase transfers between the porous matrix and the fractures of a fractured multilayer porous medium, which are respectively saturated by a distinct liquid phase and gas phase. The method comprises constructing a geologic model representative of the networks of natural fractures of the medium and converting this geologic model into an equivalent double porosity model. Diffusion of the gas phase between the fractures and the matrix is modelled considering that a gas-liquid front exhibiting a quasi-static equilibrium at the interfaces is established from an initial time and progresses at a velocity controlled by the diffusion transfers within each phase. The transfers involve the difference between the concentration within the phase and the concentration of equilibrium between the two phases, as well as a variable exchange distance expressed as a function of the matrix saturation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for simulating compositional and/or multiphase transfers between the porous matrix and the fractures of a fractured multilayer porous medium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art to which reference is made hereafter is defined and explained in the following publications:                Chen, W. H., M. L. Wasserman and R. E. Fitzmorris 1987. A Thermal Simulator for Naturally Fractured Reservoirs. Paper SPE 16008 presented at the 9th SPE Symposium on Reservoir Simulation held in San Antonio, Tex., Feb. 1-4, 1987;        Gilman, J. R. 1986. An Efficient Finite-Difference Method for Simulating Phase Segregation in the Matrix Blocks in Double-Porosity Reservoirs. SPE Reservoir Engineering, July 1986. Pages 403-413;        Kazemi, H., Merrill, L. S., Porterfield, K. L. and Zeman, P. R. 1976. Numerical Simulation of Water-Oil Flow in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs. SPE Journal, December 1976, 317;        Pruess, K. and T. N. Narasimhan 1985. A Practical Method for Modelling Fluid and Heat Flow in Fractured Porous Media. Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal, February 1985. Pages 14-26;        Quintard, M. and Whitaker, S. 1996. Transport in Chemically and Mechanically Heterogeneous Porous Media. Advances in Water Resources, 19(1), 29-60;        Sabathier, J. C., B. J. Bourbiaux, M. C. Cacas and S. Sarda 1998. A New Approach of Fractured Reservoirs. Paper SPE 39825 presented at the SPE International Petroleum Conference and Exhibition of Mexico held in Villahermosa, Mexico, 3-5 Mar. 1998;        Saïdi, A. M. 1983. Simulation of Naturally Fractured Reservoirs. Paper SPE 12270 presented at the 7th SPE Symposium on Reservoir Simulation held in San Francisco, Calif., Nov. 15-18, 1983; and        Warren, J. E. and P. J. Root 1963. The Behavior of Naturally Fractured Reservoirs. Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal, September 1963. Pages 245-255.
Furthermore, various methods for simulating flows in fractured media are the subject of French patent 2,809,894 filed by the assignee and in French patent applications 02/03,436 and 03/01,090.
Reliable estimations concerning a fractured reservoir in terms of productivity and recovery require a multidisciplinary approach in order to minimize the uncertainties linked with modelling of the fracture network and simulation of the multiphase flow. In particular, the following three stages play a determinant part:
1. Construction of a model representative of natural fracture networks from available field data;
2. Conversion of this geologic model to an equivalent double porosity model; and
3. Obtaining a good estimation of the involved physical production mechanisms and reproduction thereof by means of the multiphase double porosity simulator.
The method described hereafter deals with the third stage, and more precisely with a type of formulation suited for simulation of the complex matrix-fracture transfers, that is multiphase and/or compositional and sometimes thermal transfers involved in most gas injection recovery processes. In fact, the predictions of a double porosity simulator are extremely sensitive to the formulation of the matrix-fracture transfers insofar as the major part of the oil in place is located in the matrix medium.
The double porosity conceptual model represents the fractured reservoir in a form of a set of parallelepipedic matrix blocks limited by a set of uniform orthogonal fractures (FIG. 1). Two superposed grids representing the two media, fracture and matrix, are used for flow calculation. The fracture flows are calculated between grid cells of the fracture grid, the matrix-fracture transfers are calculated for each pair of the superposed matrix and fracture cells, and the flows within the matrix are also taken into account in the double porosity option of these simulators. Warren and Root proposed the following expression for the matrix-fracture flow (per matrix volume unit) by referring to a single-phase transfer on quasi-stationary flow controlled by the pressure diffusivity:
                              f          p                =                  σ                                                              K                                1            μ                                          (                                          p                m                            -                              p                f                                      )                                              (        1        )            where pm and pf are the mean matrix and fracture pressures. This equation comprises a proportionality constant σ referred to as form factor (dimension: 1/L2), which reflects the geometry of the non-discretized matrix block of dimensions (Lx,Ly,Lz). Kazemi proposed the following expression for σ:
                    σ        =                              4                          L              x              2                                +                      4                          L              y              2                                +                      4                          L              z              2                                                          (        2        )
The mass transfer (mass flow per matrix volume unit) due to the molecular diffusion is expressed in a similar way:
                              f          d                =                  σ                                                              D                                ϕ            τ                                          ρ                                      (                                                C                  m                                -                                  C                  f                                            )                                                          (        3        )            where D is the diffusion coefficient, φ the porosity, τ the tortuosity factor, ρ the fluid density and C the concentration of the components in the fluid.
Extension of these expressions to multiphase flows leads to difficulties linked with the representation of a transient phenomenon that is difficult to reproduce without discretizing the matrix block.
This is the reason why discretization of the matrix blocks was proposed (See Saïdi, 1983) and introduced in certain simulators (See Pruess et al., (1985) or Gilman, (1986) or Chen et al., (1987)). This approach is satisfactory but it involves computation requirements that cannot be satisfied for complex or large-size reservoir models. Therefore, within the scope of the present invention, the practical situation is kept wherein the matrix blocks are not discretized and the matrix-fracture transfers are represented by a single source term expressed as a function of the matrix/fracture properties and of variables (pressures, saturations, compositions).
The difficulties increase further in the case of multiphase transfers of fluids under thermodynamic disequilibrium because the mass transfer of the components occurs at the interface between the phases and adds to the convective and diffusive transfers which take place within each phase.
To date, no double porosity simulator capable of reliably simulating multiphase compositional transfers between a matrix block filled with oil and a fracture filled with gas at disequilibrium is known, except if a convective process (gravity for example) initiates transfer of the gas to the matrix. In fact, in such situations, the gaseous components must first be dissolved in the oil phase of the matrix until the latter is entirely saturated with gas and a gas phase appears in the matrix block. It is only at this stage that the fracture-matrix single-phase molecular diffusion process can be initiated in the simulation.

Method for modelling compositional and/or multiphase transfers between the porous matrix and the fractures of a multilayer porous medium


A shared-buffer-memory-based asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch module (1) is duplicated (2) and operates in active-standby mode for fault-tolerance. Following failure and repair of a module, contents of the two modules are resynchronized as follows. When the synchronizing operation is begun contents of the memory of the repaired standby module are cleared, all writes to the active module's memory are also made to the standby module's memory, and the system monitors the overwriting of the contents of the active module's memory that existed at the time the synchronizing commences. This is done by a function (FIG. 4), which sets a flat (64) in a queue-length-counter monitor (60) for every active-module queue-length counter (200) that reaches a count of zero, to indicate that its corresponding buffer-memory queue (100) has been emptied. When all monitor flags have been set in response to each queue-length counter having reached a count of zero, this indicates that the original contents of the active module's memory have been overwritten and that the memories again have identical contents, and consequently that resynchronization of the two memories has been achieved and fault-tolerance has been re-established.

A common way of achieving fault-tolerance in computer and telecommunications systems is to duplicate the fault-prone unit and operate the system with one of the duplicate units active and performing system tasks, while the other duplicate unit is either inactive or operating in lock-step with the active unit and standing by to take over the performance of system tasks upon the failure the active unit. For example, in telephony switching systems, it is common to duplicate the switching fabric and/or the system control computer (including the computer memory and its contents) and to operate the duplicate units in active-standby mode.
In the Case of duplicate, active-standby, memories, proper system operation requires that the contents of the memories be identical. Initially, this is achieved by loading the same contents into both duplicate memories at initialization. During system operation, synchronization of the duplicate memory contents is maintained by performing all write operations on both memories, so that the duplicate contents of both memories change identically.
During system operation, following a failure of the active memory, substitution therefor of the standby memory, and repair of the formerly-active memory, it is necessary to bring the repaired, now standby, memory into synchronism with the now active memory in order to again achieve fault-tolerance. This requires the contents of the two memories to again become, and to remain, identical. This means that the repaired memory must be populated with the contents of the active memory. In the prior art, population of the standby memory with contents of the active memory is achieved by serially reading the contents out of the active memory and writing the read-out contents into the standby memory, and in the meantime also writing into the standby memory any changes being made to those contents of the active memory that have already been copied into the standby memory. An illustrative system of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,670.
This scheme for achieving synchronism between duplicate memories has disadvantages, however. On the one hand, if the system processor is used to copy the contents of the active memory into the standby memory, processing power for this job is taken away from system tasks, and system performance is adversely affected. On the other hand, if a separate controller is provided to perform the copying, or if the memories perform the copying operation autonomously, between system-processor accesses of the active memory, it may take a long time to achieve memory synchronization, particularly in systems that are performing memoryintensive tasks. But the system is not fault-tolerant without memory synchronization, making it imperative to achieve synchronization as soon as possible.

Queue-length monitoring arrangement for detecting consistency between duplicate memories

200
MS
File;900
MS
File
FSS 425
FSS 9.1
FSS 189.01


A planning monitor and control system is provided for use with an enterprise computing system. The system generates a user interface planning visual display that includes a list view area containing a list of planning projects predefined to be included in a list of planning projects of interest to a user. At least one of the listed planning projects includes an electronically linked electronic planning document that is created and maintained in an application software program module of the enterprise computing system that is separate from the planning monitor and control system. Planning information is generated in the linked planning document as part of the listed planning project to which the planning document is associated. The planning visual display also includes a planning project details view area in which non-final content from the linked planning document is displayed for the associated planning project included in the list view.

In many businesses, various planning processes occur throughout the business organization. For example, there may be a planning process that a sales group of the business is responsible to perform, a planning process that a financial or accounting group of the business is responsible to perform, and a planning process that a purchasing group of the business is responsible to perform. Various other planning processes may also be performed by these and other groups within and perhaps outside the business.
In many cases, there are dependencies between the various planning and forecasting processes. For example, the planning process of a sales group may depend on a planning process of an accounting group, because the sales group may need to know a budget it-will be given for an up-coming time period. In other words, the planning activities being performed by one organization may need to be coordinated with the planning activities of another organization. In such cases, an integration of planning functionality between various groups may be desirable. However, in a typical business, different groups may use different computer planning tools, and the integration among these tools may not be designed into the system.
A portal is a computer navigation tool, and is commonly used within enterprise computing systems as a way of enabling user access to various networked resources. For example, a portal may contain a user interface view that provides a user with access to selected information that the user may need to access during a normal day's work. In addition, portal systems for an organization may be role-based, which means that users with an identified role within the organization may be presented with portal views that are specifically designed to meet the particular needs of the role of that user, and different users with different roles may have different portal views. In addition, the portal may be designed to have various views that provide different types of information that the user may want to access, depending on the task that the user is performing. For example, a role-based portal designed for a sales user may have a sales lead view, and another view that provides access to financial information in a format that is tailored to the needs of the sales user. Portals in some cases also provide access to planning tools that a user may need to access.

Monitoring and integration of an organization's planning processes


The present invention provides a method for producing a Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device wherein in the formation of a light-emitting layer by forming a well layer, a capping layer and a barrier layer, the well layer having superior flatness and crystallinity is formed while suppressing the occurrence of damage to the well layer. In formation of the light-emitting layer, pits are provided in the light-emitting layer so that a pit diameter D falls within a range of 120 nm to 250 nm. The light-emitting layer formation step comprises the steps of forming the barrier layer, forming the well layer, and forming the capping layer. The growth temperature of the barrier layer is higher by any temperature in a range of 65° C. to 135° C. than that of the well layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing a Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device, particularly to a method for a Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device having a quantum well structure in which a well layer and a barrier layer are deposited.
2. Background Art
The Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device has a light-emitting layer which emits light through recombination of electrons and holes. The light-emitting layer has well layers and barrier layers. The bandgap of the barrier layer is larger than that of the well layer. Some semiconductor light-emitting devices have a multiple quantum well structure (MQW structure) formed by repeatedly depositing the well layer and the barrier layer.
The well layer and the barrier layer are the semiconductor layers having different compositions. Generally, the growth temperature is different between the well layer and the barrier layer. Therefore, in formation of the light-emitting layer having the multiple quantum well structure, the semiconductor layer that has already been formed at a low growth temperature may be damaged when forming a semiconductor layer at a high growth temperature. More specifically, the crystallinity of the semiconductor layer grown at a low temperature may be deteriorated by leaving for a specified time in a high temperature environment. For example, the Indium contained in the well layer is partially evaporated, resulting in uneven composition of the well layer.
Therefore, a protective layer may be provided on the semiconductor layer grown at a low temperature. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. H11-68159 discloses the technique of forming a capping layer on the well layer after forming the well layer at a low growth temperature (paragraph [0013] and FIG. 2). This capping layer disappears in the process of temperature rise to form a barrier layer at a high growth temperature (paragraph of [0012] and FIG. 2). Thus, the light-emitting layer can be formed without damaging the well layer.
However, after the capping layer disappeared, the well layer is left directly in a high temperature environment. Therefore, the well layer is not flat or the well layer is damaged in some cases. As a result, the crystallinity of the well layer may be deteriorated. In other words, the light emission efficiency of the semiconductor light-emitting device may be lowered.

Method for producing group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device


An intelligent lighting ceiling fan control method comprises following steps: receiving a first lighting ceiling fan control signal; transferring first lighting ceiling fan control signal to a lighting ceiling fan control module for adjusting the brightness of a lighting device or the rotation rate of a fan device; configuring a timing control profile data according to a user operation; generating and transferring a second lighting ceiling fan control signal to the lighting ceiling fan control module according to the timing control profile data for adjusting the brightness of the lighting device or the rotation rate of the fan device when a trigger time is past. This application can effectively make the lighting ceiling fan automatically operate according to the trigger time, and provide better user experiences to the user.

Field of the Invention
The technical field relates to control module, lighting ceiling fan, lighting ceiling fan remote controller and lighting ceiling fan control method and more particularly related to intelligent control module, intelligent lighting ceiling fan, intelligent lighting ceiling fan remote controller and intelligent lighting ceiling fan control method.
Description of Related Art
The lighting ceiling fan is always the most common functional decoration of the indoor decoration for a long time. Besides the decoration function, the lighting ceiling fan can further simultaneously provide the fan function and the lighting function, and can have the effect of the aesthetics and the practicality. Besides, because the installation height is far greater than that of the ordinary fan (for example, the lighting ceiling fan can be installed on the ceiling of the house), the efficiency of adjusting the temperature of the lighting ceiling fan is better than the efficiency of adjusting the temperature of the ordinary fan (because the top-down airflow generated by the lighting ceiling fan is not easily blocked by the other home appliances having a lower installation height, the efficiency of air-circulating and the efficiency of temperature-adjusting of the lighting ceiling fan are better than the ordinary fan.). Because of above advantages, the lighting ceiling fan is more and more popular.
However, because the user often manually turns on/off the related-art lighting ceiling fan to control the related-art lighting ceiling fan to be enabled/disabled, and the related-art lighting ceiling fan doesn't comprise the function of automatic control, the related-art lighting ceiling fan provides the poor user experience to the user.
Therefore, there is a need to find out a better and more effective solution to handle such problems.

Intelligent control module, intelligent lighting ceiling fan, intelligent lighting ceiling fan remote controller and intelligent lighting ceiling fan control method


Polysaccharide aldehydes are prepared using selective oxidation involving the use of nitroxyl radical mediated aqueous oxidation with a limited amount of oxidant and defined reaction conditions. These polysaccharide aldehyde derivatives having maximum effective aldehyde and minimal carboxylic acid levels making them especially useful as wet, temporary wet and dry strength additives for paper.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to the preparation of polysaccharide aldehydes using selective oxidation conditions. More particularly, this invention involves the preparation of polysaccharide aldehyde derivatives using nitroxyl radical mediated aqueous oxidation with a limited amount of oxidant and defined reaction conditions to provide derivatives with maximum effective aldehyde and minimal carboxylic acid content. This invention further involves the use of these selectively prepared polysaccharide aldehydes as strength additives in papermaking.
2. Background Information
The preparation of aldehyde containing polysaccharides and the use of such aldehyde derivatives as wet and dry strength additives in the paper industry is well known. Oxidative and non-oxidative methods have been used to introduce aldehyde groups into polysaccharides such as starches, gums and celluloses. Oxidative methods are well known for introducing aldehyde groups into polysaccharides such as starch. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,193 issued Jan. 5, 1971 to D. H. Leroy et al. teaches treatment of starch with alkali metal bromite or hypobromite under carefully controlled conditions; b) oxidizing a carbohydrate with an alkali metal ferrate is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,632,802 issued Jan. 4, 1972 to J. N. BeMiller; c) enzymatically oxidizing hydroxypropyl galactoglycoside starch ethers or ethyl galactoglycoside starch ethers with galactose oxidase is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,448 issued May 5, 1987 to C. W. Chiu; and d) treatment with periodic acid or periodates is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,096,969 issued Apr. 23, 1963 to J. E. Slager, which shows the preparation of dialdehyde polysaccharide using periodic acid, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,062,652 issued on Nov. 6, 1962 to R. A. Jeffreys et al. which shows the preparation of dialdehyde gums using periodate or periodic acid.
Oxidative methods often cause degradation of the polysaccharide and the formation of excess carboxyl groups. Excess carboxyl groups undesirably reduces the degree of aldehyde substitution and negatively affects the cationic/anionic balance of the functional groups when using a cationic polysaccharide base in papermaking applications.
The use of nitroxyl radicals and nitrosonium salts in organic chemistry as an oxidative route to access aldehydes and carboxylic acids from primary and secondary alcohols is disclosed in an article entitled Organic Nitrosonium Salts As Oxidants in Organic Chemistry by J. M. Bobbitt and C. L. Flores, in Heterocycles, Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 509-533 (1988). Recently, application of this chemistry was extended to the selective oxidation of primary alcohols in various carbohydrates to carboxylic acids in an article entitled Selective Oxidation of Primary Alcohols Mediated by Nitroxyl Radical in Aqueous Solution. Kinetics and Mechanism by A. E. J. de Nooy and A. C. Bessemer, in Tetrahedron, Vol. 51, No. 29, pp. 8023-8032 (1995). Patent publication WO 95/07303 dated Mar. 16, 1995 further discloses the use of this technology where carbohydrates having a primary hydroxyl group are oxidized under aqueous conditions to form products having a high content of greater than 90% carboxyl groups. This art involving the oxidation of primary alcohols generally describes the preparation of polyglucuronic acids with high carboxylic acid content. Similarly, the process of oxidation has been used to prepare various polysaccharides with high carboxyl content as described in Oxidation of Primary Alcohol Groups of Naturally Occurring Polysaccharides with 2,2,6,6-Tetramethyl-1-piperidine Oxoammonium Ion by P. S. Chang and J. F. Robyt in J. Carbohydrate Chemistry, 15(7), pp. 819-830 (1996). It should be noted that in some applications high carboxylic content is undesirable.
A recent patent publication, WO 99/23240 dated May 14, 1999 discloses a method for producing oxidized starch using an oxoammonium ion-producing reagent in the presence of an enzyme-oxidizing agent.
Polysaccharide aldehydes may also be prepared by non-oxidative methods, which typically involve the reaction of a polysaccharide with an aldehyde-containing reagent. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,394 issued to D. Solarek et al. on Jun. 23, 1987 discloses a non-oxidative method wherein polysaccharide is reacted with a derivatizing acetal reagent in the presence of alkali to provide the stable acetal polysaccharide. The general disadvantage of these non-oxidative approaches is that they often require an extra conversion step to the aldehyde. For example, the polysaccharide acetal needs to be cooked or pre-treated under acidic conditions to form the aldehyde just prior to its use.
What is desired is a direct and selective oxidation route to polysaccharide aldehyde derivatives wherein the aldehydes are formed at maximum effective levels and carboxylic acid levels are minimized making such aldehyde derivatives especially useful as wet, temporary wet and dry strength additives for paper.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Polysaccharide aldehydes prepared by oxidation method and used as strength additives in papermaking

National Starch and Chemical Investment Holding Corporation


The present disclosure is related to energy-harvesting articles of footwear, and associated components and methods. In some embodiments, an energy-harvesting article of footwear comprises a compressible bladder, a pneumatic motor fluidically connected to the compressible bladder, and an electric generator operatively coupled to the pneumatic motor. In some embodiments, energy is harvested by compressing a compressible bladder and flowing fluid from the compressible bladder through a pneumatic motor to generate power. Certain embodiments relate to pneumatic motor designs, and/or to methods of flowing fluid input through pneumatic motors.

Human locomotion typically dissipates large amounts of energy on the order of about 10 W to 15 W. However, prior attempts at harvesting this energy using materials such as piezoelectric materials incorporated into shoes and other articles of clothing has only resulted in the ability to harvest energy of the order of about 1 mW to 5 mW.

Energy harvesting footwear comprising three compressible volumes


A hand-held measuring device including a case and flexible steel spring-biased measuring tape wound about an annular reel fitted within a circular housing within the case, a single battery-powered motor having an output shaft, a driving wheel fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the motor for directly engaging the surface of the tape and thereby pushing the tape out of the case, a first switch mounted on the case for controlling the motor, a pull rod connected to the drive wheel, and a second switch mounted on the case and connected to the pull rod for disengaging the driving wheel from the tape surface.

Various forms of measuring devices have been in use for years with the two most common devices being the folding measure ruler commonly used by carpenters and the convenient hand-held tape measure.
One of the attributes of the hand-held tape measure is that it is lightweight and easily stored and used; the tape is compactly coiled within the housing and is spring-biased to retract into the housing when not in use. This device provides an additional feature in that the tape as it is extended has a slightly concave cross section which allows the tape to extend outwardly in a self-supporting configuration for a substantial distance.
The primary drawback with this type of device is that it requires that both hands of the operator be in use in order to extend the tape with one hand holding the housing and the other hand extending the tape from its coiled position within the housing.
The present invention is directed to a way of conveniently extending and retracting the tape from the housing by means of a power mechanism without manual effort.
A variety of power-operated measuring tapes have been disclosed with power mechanisms for extending or retracting the metal tape out of or into the housing without manual effort. One such disclosure involves two separate electric motors with one of the motors arranged to drive a sprocket wheel that has teeth drivingly engaged with evenly-spaced openings extending along the length of the tape. The second motor is connected directly to the spool on which the tape is wound and when energized, this spool is rotated to pull the tape back onto the spool.
There is also known an electronic measuring tape which uses a magnetic reader to read measurements along with a motor driven ratchet wheel mechanism to rewind the magnetic tape.


In a decentralized system of nodes configured to provide data protection functionality, wherein at least a subset of the nodes store and share data using content-addresses managed via a distributed hash table in each of the subset of nodes, a given one of the subset of nodes locally stores: a data protection policy to be implemented by the given node; data protected on the given node; and metadata comprising information indicating placement of a given data set on one or more other ones of the subset of nodes. The given node accesses the locally stored metadata to manage protection of the given data set on the one or more other ones of the subset of nodes.

Enterprises such as corporations typically utilize a distributed computing environment, such as a cloud computing environment, to manage their data. One or more cloud platforms that are part of this environment may be within the exclusive control and management of the enterprise, and therefore are considered "private clouds." On the other hand, the cloud computing environment can include one or more cloud platforms that can be used by multiple enterprises, and not necessarily controlled or managed by any of the multiple enterprises but rather are controlled and managed by one or more third-party cloud providers. Such cloud platforms are typically considered "public clouds." More typically, enterprises may choose to host their data (as well as applications, workloads, services, etc.) on a combination of private and public clouds that form a multi-cloud computing environment. One or more clouds may also be referred to as a "data center." Alternatively, a data center may be comprised of one or more clouds.
The emergence of multi-cloud computing environments increases the need for data protection and management across multiple clouds. However, effective data protection and management across multiple clouds can present significant challenges.

Decentralized data protection system using local metadata


A radio signal decoder comprises a receiver configured to receive a digitized radio signal having modulated subcarrier frequencies encoding digital information, a first set of the subcarrier frequencies having a first subcarrier spacing, a second set of the subcarrier frequencies having a second subcarrier spacing, a first transformer configured to transform the digitized radio signal from a time domain into a frequency domain, the transformer being configured with the first subcarrier spacing, a first decoder configured to reconstruct digital information from the output of the first transformer, and an inverse transformer configured to to transform the input from the frequency domain back to the time domain with the first subcarrier spacing, a second transformer configured to transform the output of inverse transformer from the time domain to a frequency domain with the second subcarrier spacing, and a second decoder reconstructing digital information from the output of the second transformer.

The Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard for wireless communication provides increasing capacity and speed compared to more conventional communication systems. The standard is specified, e.g., in the Release 10 document series of 3GPP.
LTE uses a frequency-division scheme for the uplink from user equipment (UE) to the base station. SC-FDMA is a frequency-division multiple access scheme. A multiple access scheme deals with the assignment of multiple users to a shared communication resource. SC-FDMA is related to OFDMA.
LTE defines three channels from the UE to the base-station: uplink control channel (physical uplink control channel), uplink traffic channel (Physical Uplink Shared Channel, PUSCH, based on SC-FDMA) and sounding reference signals (SRS). The frequencies used for the three uplink channels (PUSCH, PUCCH and SRS) have a common spacing (15 KHz). Moreover, the PUSCH, PUCCH and SRS channel also use the same time domain symbols grid. This means that the time domain to frequency domain conversion may be shared among them, i.e., the FFT and IFFT blocks.
LTE also defines a Random Access Channel (RACH). The RACH is used for initial access or when the UE losses its uplink synchronization. Information on RACH is encoded in a different manner. In LTE Zadoff-Chu sequences are used as a way to convey reference patterns. The RACH is used to get the attention of a base station in order to initially synchronize the device's transmission with the base station. With the RACH, in most cases, there is no certainty that only a single device makes a connection attempt at one time, so collisions can result.
The frequencies of the RACH are not orthogonal to those of the other three uplink channels, i.e., a different subcarrier spacing is used, 1.25 KHz, as opposed to 15 KHz for PUSCH, PUCCH and SRS. This means that the RACH requires its own FFT transform operation.


A target includes a rim, a ring engaged in the rim, a number of depressions formed in the rear portion of the ring, a frame having a number of spaces and a number of fins formed in the outer peripheral portion, a protrusion formed on each of the fins for engagement with the depressions of the ring. The protrusions of the fins are disengaged from the depressions and engaged with the other depressions when the frame is rotated relative to the ring.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a target, and more particularly to a target having an adjustable target plate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical targets include a disc-shaped body divided into a plurality of sectors which are further divided into a plurality of areas by two or more concentric circles, each of the sectors is marked with a basic numeral or a basic score, and the areas located within one of the sectors represents a score which equals to one, two or three times of the basic numeral, such that each area represents a different score. In shooting games or in shooting practices, in order to gain a predetermined score quickly, the participants will aim at the areas of higher score, such that the areas representing higher scores will be shot at more frequently and will be easily worn out in a short period of time such that the whole target has to be thrown away. However, it is to be noted that part of the target, particularly the areas representing lower scores, is still in good order and can still be used.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional targets.


In order to determine a spectral route for a given connection in an optical telecommunications network (T) between a starting node (ON1) and a destination node (ON6) of the network, the method consists in: using a conventional routing method to determine one or more candidate spatial routes (Route i, Route 2) connecting the starting node (ON1) to the destination node (ON6), each candidate spatial route comprising a sequence of route segments, each segment connecting two nodes of the network directly and being adapted to support a plurality of spectral routes.

To set up a connection in this kind of network, it is necessary to determine not only a spatial route, consisting of a sequence of route segments connecting the starting node to the destination node, but also a spectral route, since each segment is able to support a plurality of wavelengths each constituting a spectral route segment. Selecting a spectral route entails selecting the wavelength to be used, or the wavelengths to be used successively, on different segments along the spatial route. It is sometimes necessary to carry out operations on the signal and/or the information transported, necessitating the addition of dedicated equipment to the network and the use thereof. However, such processing operations are costly, and it is therefore desirable to avoid them as much as possible. They may relate to regeneration and/or wavelength conversion, which may be carried out by purely optical means or using optical-electrical and electrical-optical conversion means.
The expression "wavelength continuity" refers to the use of the same wavelength from the starting node to the destination node, even if operations on the signal and/or the information transported require optical-electronic-optical conversion or 1R, 2R, or 3R regeneration.
The term "transparency" is used, a distinction being drawn between different types of transparency, depending on whether optical-electronic-optical conversion, wavelength conversion, 1R, 2R or 3R regeneration, or a combination of these operations are avoided. The aim is to avoid the route for the signal passing through "non-transparency points" or, if this is not possible, to minimize the number of non-transparency points the signal passes through. For example, in the case of a form of transparency consisting in the absence of optical-electronic-optical conversion, the aim is to minimize the number of times the optical signal passes through opto-electronic and electronic-optical interfaces. If it is not possible to avoid conversion completely, then a route is looked for that minimizes the number of conversions needed.
There may additionally be connection capacity constraints or quality-of-service constraints that influence the selection of the spatial route and the spectral route.
At present, there is no satisfactory method of determining a transparent route of the above kind. One method was proposed to the IETF in Generalized MPLS—Signaling Functional Description, chapters 3.4 and 3.5, Expiration date: November 2001, Network Working Group, Internet Draft.
That prior art method consists in:                using a conventional routing method to determine a spatial route connecting a starting node to a destination node and comprising a sequence of route segments, each segment interconnecting two nodes of the network directly;        determining a first set of wavelengths, in the starting node, for communicating with the next node constituting the route, i.e. the second node on the route;        determining, from the set of wavelengths proposed by the preceding node, a second set of wavelengths, in the second node, for communicating with the next node constituting the route, i.e. the third node on the route;        in the nth node, determining, from the set of wavelengths proposed by the preceding node, an (n+1)th set of wavelengths, for communicating with the next node constituting the route, i.e. the (n+1)th node on the route; and so on, as far as the destination node.
The object of the above prior art method is only to assure wavelength continuity. The nodes do not propagate the sets of wavelengths because they do not need to do this to find a spectral route assuring wavelength continuity (should one exist end to end).
Each node of the route may retain or reduce the set of wavelengths that it inherits from the upstream node, according to the resources available for the connection to the downstream node. A transparent route is finally set up if the resulting set contains at least one wavelength. A drawback of that method is a high probability of blocking, since the selection made locally at each node may reduce options in downstream nodes. That method therefore constitutes a sub-optimum solution, or even no solution at all in some cases, when there is in fact an acceptable solution, although it is not transparent end to end. Also, the above prior art method takes account of only one parameter: the continuity of a given wavelength.

Method of determining a spectral route for a given connection in an optical telecommunications network


The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for autonomous driving. The systems may obtain driving information associated with a vehicle; determine a state of the vehicle; determine one or more candidate control signals and one or more evaluation values corresponding to the one or more candidate control signals based on the driving information and the state of the vehicle by using a trained control model; select a target control signal from the one or more candidate control signals based on the one or more evaluation values; and transmit the target control signal to a control component of the vehicle.

With the development of micro-electronic and robot technologies, the exploration of autonomous driving has developed rapidly nowadays. For an autonomous driving system, it is important to determine a suitable control signal (e.g., an accelerator control signal) based on driving information (e.g., a start location, a defined destination, road condition) associated with a vehicle of the autonomous driving system. Commonly, the autonomous driving system determines the control signal by performing a series of operations, for example, obtaining the driving information, determining a driving action based on the driving information, planning a driving path based on the driving action, determining a control signal based on the driving path, etc. However, if the control signal can be determined more directly, the efficiency of the autonomous driving system can be significantly improved. Therefore, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for determining a control signal based on driving information associated with the vehicle directly, thereby improving performance of the autonomous driving system.

Systems and methods for autonomous driving


A fuel injection system for a multiple cylinder engine having plural cylinders communicating with the same exhaust pipe so that exhaust pulses from one cylinder will be reflected back to the exhaust ports of other cylinders of the same bank. In accordance with the invention, the timing and duration of fuel injection to the cylinders is varied so as to compensate for the effects of the reflected exhaust gas pulses so as to provide substantially equal emission control and power from all cylinders.

This invention relates to a fuel injection control device and method for an engine and particularly for a two stroke crankcase compression type of engine.
As is well known, it is the practice to control the individual cylinders of a multi-cylinder engine so that they will operate in substantially the same fashion. As a result of this, both the spark timing and fuel injection timing and duration for each cylinder is set substantially the same and the events for each cylinder are timed in relation to their respective firing order. However, there are running conditions of the engine when the individual cylinders cannot be treated identically to each other.
For example, when the cylinders of a group of cylinders all discharge into a common exhaust system, the exhaust pulses from one cylinder can cause a pressure in the exhaust port of another cylinder that can affect the charging of that other cylinder. Thus, if all cylinders are treated the same, then one cylinder may have performance that is deteriorated from that of another cylinder. Unequal performance between the cylinders gives rise to a substantial loss of performance not only of the one cylinder but of the entire engine.
This problem is particularly acute with two cycle crankcase compression internal combustion engines that have a plurality of cylinders discharging into the same exhaust pipe. As is well known, the exhaust gas pulses from one cylinder can force charge back into another cylinder whose exhaust port is open at the same time so as to increase the residual exhaust gases in that other cylinder. This phenomenon is utilized sometimes to achieve an effect known as "exhaust supercharging". This condition is particularly acute in outboard motor application wherein the length of the exhaust system is substantially restricted due to the compact nature of such devices.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved fuel injection system and control therefor for an engine that will insure comparable performance of each cylinder.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a fuel injection system and control for a two cycle crankcase compression engine.
It is a further object on this invention to provide an improved fuel injection system and control method for an outboard motor.

Fuel injection control device for two stroke combustion engine


A cigarette lighter adapter for use in a cigarette lighter adapter assembly enables use of a cellular phone while driving in an automobile. By plugging the adapter into a car cigarette lighter, power is provided from the car battery to the cell phone. The adapter includes a plunger retention mechanism for insuring that a metal contact plunger of the adapter is not lost while replacing or checking a fuse in the adapter. In a preferred aspect of the invention, the adapter further includes a force-absorbing element to prevent force from being accidentally applied to the plunger retention mechanism by the metal contact plunger not only while the adapter is assembled and in use, but also should the adapter be accidentally dropped and unforeseen force applied to the plunger.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cigarette lighter adapter assembly used, for instance, in conjunction with a cellular phone and, more particularly, to a cigarette lighter adapter having a plunger retention mechanism for insuring that the contact plunger of the adapter is not lost while replacing or checking a fuse in the adapter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cigarette lighter adapter assemblies used, for example, in conjunction with cellular telephones (hereinafter "cell phone") to facilitate use of the cell phone while driving an automobile have proliferated in recent years due to the increasing popularity of cell phones in our car-oriented culture. Such cigarette lighter adapter assemblies provide a power source for cell phones by interconnecting the phone to a car battery through the cigarette lighter.
A conventional cigarette lighter adapter assembly is characterized by three main components, as shown in FIG. 1. Specifically, a cell phone plug 10 and a cigarette lighter adapter 20 are interconnected by means of a power cord 30, preferably a flexible, extendable, coiled power cord. The cell phone plug 10 is adapted to be removably-connected to an input terminal on a conventional cell phone (not shown). Similarly, the cigarette lighter adapter 20 is designed to be removably-connected to a conventional cigarette lighter (not shown).
In operation, power from the car battery is provided to a cell phone through, respectively, the cigarette lighter adapter, power cord and cell phone plug of the assembly. Diverse known preferred features are provided on different adapters. For instance, it is known to provide a cigarette lighter adapter assembly which can charge the cell phone battery, as well as override the phone's battery when the phone is connected to a car battery to amplify or preserve the charge on the cell phone battery.
A typical 12 or 24 V DC cigarette lighter adapter 20 is illustrated in cross-section in FIG. 2. As shown therein, a housing generally indicated at 21 includes main body 22 and apertured cap 23. Cap 23 has a threaded circumferential end 23a adapted to be threaded onto a threaded end 22a of main body 22. Those of ordinary skill will appreciate that variations on the illustrated assembly are known including, for example, that cap 23 may be externally threaded to mate with female threading on the main body 22. Spring-biased fuse 24, e.g., a 2 A fuse, is removably-situated in the interior of main body 22. Retractable metal plunger 25 having contact element 25a and integrally-formed base element 25b are removably-situated in cap 23 such that contact element 25a extends through aperture 26 in cap 23. When the adapter is inserted into a car cigarette lighter, contact element 25a provides a connection to the car battery power source, metal plunger 25 retracts in direction A, and base element 25b contacts and depresses fuse 24, thus interconnecting the car battery and a cell phone (not shown) connected to cell phone plug 30 and providing DC power to the cell phone (e.g., 8.2 V; 850 mA).
Between uses, fuse 24 can be checked or replaced by removing cap 23 and extracting fuse 24 by hand. However, this procedure often results in the loss or misplacement of plunger 25, which is loosely and removably-situated in cap 23, thus rendering the adapter unusable. The inconvenience resulting from such a design is manifest and can easily occur at inopportune times, for example, while driving the car.
Accordingly, the need currently exists for a cigarette lighter adapter assembly and adapter which not only achieves its intended function of allowing use of a cell phone from a car, but also minimizes the potential for loss of critical parts and the predictable attendant disadvantages.

Cigarette lighter adapter having plunger retention mechanism


According to an embodiment, a method and system for color calibration in a three-dimensional multi-color laser scanning system is disclosed. An object may be scanned with the scanning system, which scans the object with color laser heads. Laser intensities, corresponding to laser intensity values, may be received from the scanned object. Three different calibration targets are used to setup a field of view (FOV) calibration profile due to scanning position changes, a surface normal calibration profile due to surface normal direction changes, and a color reflectance calibration profile due to color reflectance changes. After compensating for laser power drift fluctuations, the laser intensity values may be further compensated for field of view scanning position changes and surface normal direction changes using the field of view calibration profile and surface normal calibration profile. Color values of each point scanned from the object may be calculated using compensated laser intensity values from the color reflectance profile.

1. Field
The present embodiments relate to methods and systems for calibrating laser intensities sampled by a three-dimensional multi-color laser scanning system. Specifically, the present embodiments relate to methods and systems for determining color values of scanned objects using information obtained from calibrating laser intensities in a three-dimensional multi-color laser scanning system.
2. Description of Related Art
Three-dimensional laser scanning systems are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,470 issued to Koch and U.S. Pat. No. 6,480,287 issued to Lee et al. disclose three-dimensional scanning systems. Furthermore, various color calibration methods are known for other imaging devices, such as printers, copiers and flatbed scanners (e.g., see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,809,366, 6,840,597 and 6,851,785). However, there currently does not exist an accurate method for calibrating colors in a three-dimensional multi-color laser scanning system.
Object intrinsic color value calculation has been a significant problem in scanning technology. Color values may be 25% off object intrinsic color values in conventional three-dimensional multi-color laser scanning systems. This error becomes even higher when an intrinsic color reflectance (expressed in a range of zero to one) is close to zero or one.
There are various explanations for the lack of accuracy in object intrinsic color calculation in conventional three-dimensional multi-color laser scanning systems. For example, conventional methods assume and implement a linear response between laser intensities and color reflectance, thereby causing a significant error in the calibrated color values, which may be as high as 24% off of true color values. Conventional methods also assume and implement a simple cosine response between laser intensities and reflection angles (angles between surface normal directions and lens detection direction), thereby causing significant over compensation when a reflection angle is near 0 degrees (e.g., 0-20 degrees), and under compensation when a reflection angle is near 90 degrees (e.g., 70-90 degrees). The resultant errors can be as high as 50% off of true color values. Additionally, calibration information in conventional methods is often obtained from scanning a single calibration target, such as a white flat bar, and no other calibration targets. This is often insufficient to establish a reliable correlation between color reflectance and laser intensities.
Accordingly, there is a need for a multi-colored three-dimensional laser scanner system for accurately capturing the intrinsic colors of scanned objects.

Method and system for laser intensity calibration in a three-dimensional multi-color laser scanning system


Systems and methods of the present disclosure facilitate synchronizing data between a device management system and ticketing systems. In some embodiments, the system includes an update module, a mapping module, and a service board selection module. The update module may be configured to update ticketing information about a ticketing ticket on the ticketing system to match device management information about a device management ticket on the device management system. The mapping module may be configured to select a ticket category for a device management ticket on the device management system responsive to the device management information about the device management ticket. The service board selection module may be configured to select a service board for a ticketing ticket on the ticketing system.

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) use device management systems to automate the management of their client devices. MSPs can also use ticketing systems to manage their own internal processes. There is some overlap between the information generated and used by device management systems and ticketing systems, Existing interfaces duplicate this common information manually, which introduces errors.

General, flexible, resilent ticketing interface between a device management system and ticketing systems


An optical writing head includes a light emitting device array having a plurality of light emitting device that emit parallel rays of light, and an optical unit arranged between the light emitting device array and an image plane to form an image by the rays of light emitted from the light emitting devices on the image plane. The optical unit includes a two-dimensional grating.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical writing head and an image forming apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to an optical writing head designed to cause a plurality of light emitting devices to project rays of light onto a target irradiation surface by means of a lens array to form image formation spots, and an image forming apparatus using the same. Such an optical writing head finds applications in the fields of electrophotographic copying machines, printers, and facsimile machines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known optical writing heads to be used in electrophotographic copying machines include an array of light emitting devices, such as LEDs, and a rod lens array formed by arranging a plurality of rod lenses having a refractive index distribution between the light emitting device array and a photosensitive drum that operates as an image carrier.
A flux of light that is modulated according to an image signal is emitted from each of the light emitting devices and converged to a spot on the surface of the photosensitive drum by the rod lens array to record an image.
Such optical writing heads are required to have a structure that can be more easily assembled.
When the rod lens array and the light emitting device array are displaced relative to each other so as to show a shift from a preset value, the shape of the entrance pupil and that of the exit pupil change to thereby change the quantity of light and the shape of a light spot formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum.
Then, as a result, an uneven density and color changes appear on the recorded image. To avoid such a problem, the rod lens array and the light emitting device array need to be accurately aligned relative to each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,486,306 ("the '306 patent") proposes a color image forming apparatus that can position the light spots of the component colors of the color of a light spot on the surface of a photosensitive drum so as to make the shapes of the light spots change to show the same shape in a main scanning direction as a technique for reducing the color change attributable to a change in the shape of the light spot.
The known technique in the '306 patent is provided to reduce the color change by making the shapes of the light spots of the component colors change to show the same shape and, hence, is accompanied by a problem as described below.
To make the light spots of the component colors show the same shape, the shapes of light spots of the component colors need to be adjusted so as to make them show the same and equal change.
For this purpose, the position of the light emitting device array and that of the rod lens array need to be accurately aligned relative to each other. Then, the optical writing head assembling process requires an adjustment unit or an adjustment step for accurate alignment. This makes the optical writing head costly.

Optical writing head and image forming apparatus


A miniature electrical switch is closed when a pusher (44) is pushed forwardly (F) to snap down a snap dome tripping member(36) and push a contact blade (50) against a contact part (28). Forward sliding of the actuator is converted into downward movement of the snap dome, by a rigid lever (48) of generally T shape, with a rear branch (51) having laterally spaced trunnions (60) for pivoting and a center section (52) with a cam follower upper surface (76). A ramp (94) at the front of the push member depresses the cam follower as the actuator slides forward. The trunnions are of largely rectangular cross section and pivot on an edge (130).

Applicant claims priority from French application 99/16725 filed December, 1999.
One type of miniature switch (e.g. 1 to 3 mm high) includes an actuator that can be pushed forward to depress a conductive member against a contact and thereby close the switch. One example of such miniature switch is shown in an earlier patent by one of the present inventors, U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,272, which shows a resilient sheet metal force-transmitting member that converts forward movement of the actuator into downward depression of a snap dome tripping member. Such sheet metal transfer member includes a plate that facilitates mounting of the transfer member on a miniature housing. However, such transfer member requires intricate bending of a tiny piece of sheet metal. A simpler and more rugged force transfer member which was also simple to mount in a miniature housing and which reduced the height of the switch, would be of value.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a miniature electrical switch is provided, which includes an actuator that can be pushed forwardly to operate the switch and a contacting device with a portion that can be depressed to push down an electrical conductor against a contact to close the switch. The switch includes a force transfer member in the form of a one-piece rigid molded lever that is pivotally mounted on the housing. The lever has a cam follower surface that is depressed by a ramp surface at the front end of the actuator, with the lever having a lower surface positioned to depress the contacting device.
The lever has a laterally-elongated rear branch forming trunnions at its laterally opposite sides. The trunnions fit into trunnion-receiving recesses in the housing, with the trunnions being pivotable on the housing to allow the lever to pivot. Each of the trunnions is of largely rectangular cross section, with corners joining the faces of the rectangle. A corner of the rectangle cross section, and therefore on edge of each trunnion, pivots on the housing for very simple mounting and low friction rocking pivoting.
The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will be best understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A wheel structure wherein a hub includes both a hub body and a rubber support member which closes an opening of the hub body. A right bearing disposed on the hub body side and a left bearing disposed on the rubber support member side are rotatably mounted on an axle. An inner collar fitted on the axle is provided for maintaining a constant distance between the right and left bearings. The right bearing is brought into abutment against the rubber support member through a cylindrical outer collar which surrounds the inner collar. When the right bearing is press-fitted into the hub body hole, a press-fit load imposed on the right bearing can be borne by the rubber support member through the outer collar. The rigidity of the hub can be enhanced while preventing deformation. A higher load can be borne to act on the hub during vehicular operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wheel structure and a wheel mounting method in a motorcycle.
2. Description of Background Art
A wheel structure for a rear wheel for a motorcycle is known wherein a driven sprocket and a hub are disposed in a relatively rotatable manner with a wheel damper disposed between the driven sprocket and the hub to prevent propagation of a shock from the driven sprocket side to the hub side as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 8-25363, pages 2 and 3, FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 8-25363 will now be described with reference to FIG. 26 attached to the present application, in which reference numerals have been newly assigned. FIG. 26 is a sectional view showing a conventional wheel structure.
According to this conventional wheel structure, a collar 402 is fitted on an axle 401. A hub 407 of a rear wheel 406 is secured to the collar 402 rotatably through bearings 403 and 404 with a cover 408 attached to one end portion of the hub 407 with a bolt 411. A driven sprocket 413 is connected to the cover 408 through a buffer mechanism 412. A base portion 415 of a large diameter is formed centrally of the collar 402. Extending portions 416 and 417 are provided that are of a small diameter and are formed on both sides of the base portion 415 of the collar 402. A rear fork 418 is provided for supporting both ends of the axle 401.
Now, with reference to FIG. 27, a description will be given below of a method for mounting the rear wheel constructed as above.
FIG. 27 is an operation diagram showing a conventional wheel mounting method for mounting the rear wheel. The first the hub 407 and the cover 408 are connected together with bolt 411. One bearing 404 is press-fitted into a bearing hole 421 formed in the cover 408. The extending portion 417 of the collar 402 is fitted through the bearing 404.
As indicated by the arrows, the other bearing 403 is press-fitted into a bearing hole 422 formed in an end portion of the hub 407 with an inner surface of the bearing 403 being fitted on the extending portion 416 of the collar 402.
In FIG. 27, a predetermined press-fit load is needed for press-fitting the bearing 403 into the bearing hole 422. This load is imposed on the other bearing 403 through the collar 402. If the press-fit load on the bearing 403 is equal to that on the bearing 404, it becomes difficult for the bearing 404 to bear the press-fit load when the bearing 403 is press-fitted into the bearing hole 422. Therefore it has been desired to take a special measure for bearing the press-fit load.
The hub 407 is required not only to have rigidity against the press-fit load on the bearing 403 but also to be rigid enough against a load imposed thereon during vehicular operation.
For enhancing the rigidity of the hub 407, it may be effective to adopt, for example, a method of increasing the wall thickness of the hub 407. According to this method, however, it is necessary to change the shape of a die used, which is not easy. In addition, a large increase in the cost results.

Wheel structure and wheel mounting method


This static eliminator is used for eliminating static electricity from an object by ionizing the air to be blown to a charged object, and has a case 12 body provided with an air blow duct 15 for blowing out an ionized air, and an electric discharge module 27 being mounted detachably on the case body 12. The electric discharge module 27 has an electric discharge needle substrate 31 having a plurality of electric discharge needles 38 arranged straightly, and a surface panel 32 detachably mounted on the case body, and the electric discharge module 27 is mounted on the case body 12 by mean of a mounting screw member 36 in the portion of the surface panel 12. By dismounting the electric discharge module 27 from the case body 12, the electric discharge needles can be replaced.

When manufacturing or assembling an electronic component, if a tool used for manufacturing or assembling an electronic component is charged with a static electricity, foreign matter such as dust may stick to the electronic component, and a defective product may be produced, or the electronic components in the transfer process may attract and contact with each other, and may not be transferred smoothly. Accordingly, by using a static eliminator known as ionizer or ion generator, the electrostatically charged portions or components are treated by blowing an ionized air. To ionize the air by an electric energy, a high voltage is applied to a needle-like discharge electrode, a non-uniform electric field is generated around the discharge electrode, and a corona discharge is generated in the area of the non-uniform electric field, and the surrounding air is ionized by the corona discharge. When a positive high voltage is applied to the discharge electrode, electrons in the air near the electrode are absorbed, and the air becomes ions having a positive electric charge, or when a negative high voltage is applied, electrons are released, and the air becomes ions having a negative electric charge.
When an alternating-current high voltage is applied to the discharge electrode, the positive and the negative air ions are generated basically by the same quantity, and when they are blown to a charged object, the object rejects ions of same polarity, and absorbs ions of opposite polarity. Accordingly, the ions of opposite polarity contact with the object, and the charged amount decreases gradually, and the positive and the negative ions of same amount contact with each other, and thereby the object is balanced and neutralized at a low potential.
Such static eliminator is described, for example, in Patent Document 1, which relates to a so-called fan type, the air blown to the object by a fan is ionized by a discharge electrode.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-253192

Static eliminator and electric discharge module


A merchandising display assembly capable of being secured to an elevated surface, the assembly including a foldable and durable planar shaped and three-dimensional display element. Overlapping edges of the display element are adhesively secured together and to establish four interconnected sides with an open interior. A plurality of apertures are formed in aligning fashion through first and second selected and spaced apart sides of said display element and in order to secure display hangers supporting in turn pluralities of merchandise items. An advertising indicia placed upon at least one of said first and second selected and spaced apart sides and typically includes a multi-color graphics display imprinted upon a planar sheet of material in turn secured to the foldable board material. At least one fixed or adjustable elongated support extends from a selected location of the display element for securing said assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to merchandising display assemblies for supporting pluralities of merchandise. More particularly, the present invention teaches a display incorporating a four-sided and three-dimensional display surface, such as which further exhibits a plurality of advertisements placed along at least first and second planar extending faces thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is well documented with numerous examples of merchandising display assemblies for use in supporting pluralities of products for sale. The objective of such display assemblies is to utilize the free space normally existing beyond a conventional shelf or gondola display.
Examples of the prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,747, issued on Jun. 6, 2000, for a merchandising display structure which is mounted to a vertical support surface. The support surface includes an elongate and single slotted backplate with a plurality of spaced apart and linearly extending slots. At least one horizontal member is mounted to and extends from the support surface. The horizontally extending member in a specific embodiment includes first and second elongated portions and axially adjusting means for establishing a length between the elongated portions. An elongated display member is secured to an outer end of the horizontal member and extends in parallel fashion relative to the vertical support surface at a spaced distance. The display member exhibits a substantially flattened and two-dimensional display area for securing thereon a plurality of hanger portions which are in turn capable of supporting large volumes of small sized merchandise without obscuring additional merchandise located on the vertical support surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,422 discloses a reinforced strip display for supporting high volumes of smaller impulse merchandising and exhibits an elongated body including an upper end, a lower end, a front planar face and a rear planar face. A bracket secures to the upper end of the display assembly and suspends the assembly in vertical fashion from the shelving construction. A plurality of corrugations extend an axial length of the elongate body and separate the front and rear planar faces according to a selected thickness to provide reinforcing and rigid support to the display assembly along the axially extending direction. Pairs of spaced apart apertures are formed through the front and rear planar faces of the body at spaced apart intervals along the axial length of the body. A plurality of merchandise support members are provided which are individually attachable to the strip display assembly. Each of the support members includes a pair of hook engaging portions for securing to a selected pair of apertures and an elongated merchandise support arm extending from a selected one of said front and rear planar faces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,613 discloses a merchandising display supported upon a vertically extending surface. The display includes a substantially horizontally extending and rigid support having a first end and a second end, the first end engaging with the vertically extending surface. A substantially vertically extending display is attached to the second end of the rigid support and exhibits a substantially thin and flattened construction which provides the display with flexibility both with respect to its own cross section and relative the rigid support. Pluralities of apertures are formed through the display and between first and second faces thereof. The pluralities of apertures further define individual pairs of apertures extending lengthwise along the flexible display. A plurality of merchandise support hangers are provided, each including a pair of tabs engaging through a selected pair of the apertures and so that respective pairs of the hangers extend in opposite and substantially proximate fashion from the first and second faces of the flexible display.

Merchandising display incorporating a four-sided and three-dimensional display surface exhibiting graphics advertisements


Method for preventing a high voltage circuit form generating excessive high voltage, wherein the method comprises the following steps:    a) reading a digital representation of a reference value associated with one of a plurality of operation modes stored in a memory;    b) verifying the integrity of the representation of the reference value;    c) providing a sensed signal representing the output voltage of the high voltage circuit;    d) comparing the sensed signal with the reference value;    e) inhibiting the generation of the high voltage output if the comparison in step (d) indicates excessive high voltage.

CRTs emit visible light by striking phosphors on the faceplate with electrons and transferring the electron's kinetic energy to light, heat, and other forms of energy, e.g., X-radiation. The frequency spectrum of photon emission is a property of the phosphor material. Besides the type of target material, the probability of emission of a photon of X-ray frequency depends on the accelerating potential (anode voltage) and the number of electrons striking the phosphor in a unit of time ("anode current" or "beam current").
In high performance television receivers and computer displays, the perceived light output is a function of the amount of beam current and high voltage power. In such receivers and monitors, it is desirable to set the operating point as high as possible, while strictly complying with X-ray protection regulations. Frequently, when component tolerances are considered, the high voltage operating point must be lower than desired to ensure the protection circuit will always trip at acceptable levels, but will not activate in normal operation, or during transients, such as channel change.
Each model of CRT has an individual maximum acceleration voltage and beam current that corresponds to a maximum allowable X-radiation emission. In many television receivers and computer displays, the anode current for "normal operation" is adjusted to always be below a maximum, worst case current, ensuring the legal regulation regarding the maximum allowable X-radiation emission is not violated. Since, at any possible operating point, and under any possible fault condition, no television or computer display instrument is allowed to emit X-radiation in excess of published limits, many television receivers and computer displays using CRTs contain "X-ray protection circuits", or XRPs. In FIG. 1, the curve (1) for maximum allowable acceleration voltage for a television receiver model is illustrated as a function of the beam current. The television receiver has a high voltage circuit tolerance of 2.5 kV and an X-ray protection circuit tolerance of 2.3 kV is illustrated. Curves 2, 3 and 4 show the nominal, upper and lower trip voltages of the XRP circuit, respectively, and curves 5, 6 and 7 show the nominal, upper and lower voltages of the high voltage transformer, respectively, resulting from the component tolerances. To establish compliance with legal requirements, the nominal operating high voltage is set approximately 9.5 kV below the maximum value. The tolerance in the high voltage circuit may be reduced by selection of precision components. High voltage tolerance may be nearly eliminated by measuring the high voltage and providing a feedback loop to regulate the high voltage. These methods, although expensive and not well suited for mass production, have been used in television receiver and video monitor design.
One type of XRP causes the television picture to become "not viewable" when a fault is detected. One method to achieve this is to force the horizontal scan frequency high, resulting in a picture that "rolls". The disadvantage of this method is that the television receiver continues to operate with the fault present.
Another, more recent type of XRP interrupts the horizontal deflection. In televisions and monitors where the High Voltage transformer is an integral part of the deflection yoke scan current, turning off the horizontal deflection may result in ceasing generation of the high voltage, which is the accelerating potential for the electron beam, as mentioned above. In recent television receivers, the video and color processing, audio, sync separator, and timing signals for the horizontal and vertical deflection, are commonly contained in an Integrated Circuit, or chipset. Such so-called "One-Chips" often have an "X-Ray Protection" pin, which, when activated, removes the drive to the horizontal deflection. While stopping the horizontal deflection has the advantage of removing the source of the electrical field that allows acceleration of the electron beam, it may be difficult to implement, in practice. Because of the interest in larger receivers and monitors, and more light output, the horizontal scan circuitry is required to operate under a wide range of load conditions. One way to drive the horizontal scan more efficiently is to provide feedback regarding the load to the horizontal drive section. This "proportional drive" concept increases the base drive to the horizontal output switch when the load current is increased. The horizontal scan circuit, however, is a resonant circuit, by nature, and may continue to try to oscillate, even at very low drive levels. If no distinct "X-Ray protection" that stops the horizontal deflection is incorporated, it may, in the event of a fault, be difficult to remove the horizontal drive completely.
In order to activate in the event of excess X-radiation, many XRP circuits monitor an "image" of the anode voltage. Typically, an additional winding on the high voltage transformer generates this image, which follows, by virtue of magnetic coupling, the high voltage at the anode of the CRT at a fixed ratio determined by the number of windings. The additional or "X-Ray Protection" winding voltage may be rectified and compared to a reference to determine whether or not a fault has occurred. If the "XRP voltage" is below a reference level, the television instrument is assumed to be in normal operation. If the "image-voltage" representing the anode voltage exceeds a set reference level, which indicates exceeding of the admissible high voltage, or the rate of X-rays emitted by the CRT, the X-ray protection circuit must cause the instrument to cease "normal operation".
One method to compensate for XRP circuit tolerances mentioned above is to add a variable resistor, or potentiometer, to adjust either the reference voltage to the XRP circuit, or the "image voltage" generated in the additional winding. During production alignment, the scan supply may be increased until the target high voltage for XRP circuit activation is reached. The potentiometer is then adjusted until the XRP output changes its state, indicating a fault has occurred. However, using potentiometers may cause many problems. As a mechanical device, it is subject to contamination, vibration, thermal expansion and contraction, and aging. Often, to reduce the chance the alignment will be changed adhesives or protective cases are used.
Another method to reduce the effects of circuit tolerances is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,075,687, issued Jun. 13, 2000, to Cheng et al. The method presented in Cheng uses sampling and converting to digital of a rectified "image voltage", generated in an additional winding. A microprocessor periodically polls the digital value of the voltage corresponding to the high voltage from the analog to digitized converter and compares the result with a high and a low limit, stored in memory, which have been calibrated during production alignment. On crossing any of the upper or lower limits, the microprocessor issues a signal, cutting off the power supply to the high voltage transformer.
An "open loop" method of reducing the high voltage tolerance during production alignment is to adjust the feedback of the power supply, which energizes the primary winding of the high voltage, until the desired target value of high voltage is obtained. This alignment method, however, may increase the tolerance in any other secondary supplies for other circuits.

Method for preventing the generation of excessive high voltage


Can ends are ejected from a tool station by a lifter ring and air currents in an ejector chute provided by a curved nozzle assembly adjacent an opening in the lower edge of the chute. It entrains can ends in air current across the die station and over a knife edge in the lower opening of the chute. The lower wall of the chute is positioned on top of the blanking die during the can end entrainment. The punch assembly moves down through the lower opening and through a larger opening in the chute. After can end clears the tooling and continues down the chute with air streams that are augmented by nozzles in the upper wall, the chute is lifted. Double-acting cylinder actuators lift the chute. Side walls of the chute taper inwardly to align the can ends for precise release from the discharge end. Sensor emitters sense passage of the can ends. Solenoid valves control application of fluid pressure to opposite ends of the actuator cylinders. A solenoid valve controls a booster current air blast for starting can covers along the chute. Lifting and lowering the chute a stall amount provides rapid and accurate indexing and stepping of the sheet material to the die stations. The chutes being in sections allows for their side by side aligning over the tooling stations and quick removal of the assembly. Lifting and lowering of the chutes/stripper combination by means other than press slide allows independent timing from the press. Lowering the chute/stripper combination allows can ends to eject from the top of the lower die surface unobstructed by the stripper.

This invention relates to stripper ejectors for high speed multiple can end forming tooling.
In forming tooling, a need exists for precise and rapid removal of can ends from the die station, and precise discharging of the can ends for accumulation in a stack to be transferred to a place of use for applying to can bodies.
Needs have long existed for stripper chutes which aid the function of the press, which do not slow operations, and which do not jam and stop operations. The present invention solves those long standing needs. The present device provides for removal of the end without the need for inclined bed presses to facilitate part removal. The press bed can be level and the finished end remains on the surface of the lower die ring for ejection.


A system and method for emulating a mouse input device with a touchpad input device having a drag switch and touch device in which the direction of movement of the touch device across the touchpad surface is determined, a display cursor is caused to move in the same relative direction as the direction determined by the touch device, and the cursor movement is continued in that same relative direction either in or out of a drag mode, even after the touch device stops moving so as to allow the cursor to be moved a greater distance than the touch device.

Touchpad input devices are small, touch-sensitive devices that can be used to replace the mouse cursor locator/input device in mouse-driven personal computers. The touchpad typically includes a small touch-sensitive screen anywhere from one by two inches up to three by five inches; the touchpad output is an analog signal representative of the location of the touching device on its surface. The computer system employs this information in placing the cursor on the CRT display. Touchpads may be used as absolute cursor location devices in which the cursor is placed in the same relative location as that of the touch device on the touchpad screen. When used as an absolute positioning device, however, the touchpads make precise cursor location difficult due to the small screen size.
Touchpads are more typically used as relative cursor positioning devices in which the cursor is moved across the display using one or more strokes of the touchpad surface; the cursor movement is related in some manner to the movement of the touchpad device across the surface. However, in order to move the cursor long distances, multiple strokes of the touchpad surface are required. In the smaller touchpads, the problems associated with multiple strokes are magnified due to the short maximum stroke distance.
Touchpad devices typically include a switch or "button" on the lower side of the pad which, when pressed, is used to emulate the selection function of the button on a mouse. When the operator desires to "drag" the cursor across the display, the button must be held down. When the cursor must be moved relatively long distances, necessitating multiple touchpad strokes, it is difficult or impossible to hold the drag button down to prevent release of the button and termination of the drag sequence while accomplishing the multiple strokes. If the finger is simply lifted from the screen, the drag sequence will terminate and must again be started. Even if the cursor can be dragged with a single touchpad stroke, it is extremely difficult to maintain sufficient pressure on the touchpad to hold the button down while sliding the finger across the touchpad surface. Consequently, in using touchpad devices for dragging, the drag sequences are frequently unintentionally terminated.

System and method for emulating a mouse input device with a touchpad input device


An apparatus and method for mounting a shock sensor to the printed circuit board (PCB) of a disc drive are provided. In particular, the present invention allows the shock sensor to be mounted at any location on the printed circuit board rather than being limited to placement adjacent a mounting screw. The present invention includes a clamping mechanism for rigidly clamping the PCB to the head disc assembly (HDA) so that any shock is properly transmitted from the HDA to the PCB and then to the shock sensor. In one exemplary embodiment, the PCB is clamped between a shield and the HDA. The shock sensor is then position near the point at which the PCB is clamped so that the point of clamping provides transmission of any shock in the Z-axis to the shock sensor. Shocks in the X-Y axis direction are transmitted via the normal mounting screws.

Data Storage devices such as disc drives are commonly used in workstations, personal computers, laptops and other computer systems to store large amounts of data in a form that can be made readily available to a user. In addition, disc drives are also making their way into a wide variety of consumer electronic devices such as MP3 players. In general, a disc drive comprises a magnetic disc that is rotated by a spindle motor. The surface of the disc is divided into a series of data tracks. The data tracks are spaced radially from one another across a band having an inner diameter and an outer diameter.
Each of the data tracks extends generally circumferentially around the disc and can store data in the form of magnetic transitions within the radial extent of the track on the disc surface. An interactive element, such as a magnetic transducer, is used to sense the magnetic transitions to read data, or to transmit an electric signal that causes a magnetic transition on the disc surface, to write data. The magnetic transducer is mounted by a head structure to a rotary actuator arm and is selectively positioned by the actuator arm over a preselected data track of the disc to either read data from or write data to the preselected data track of the disc, as the disc rotates below the transducer. The actuator arm is, in turn, mounted to a voice coil motor that can be controlled to move the actuator arm across the disc surface.
A servo control system is typically used to control the position of the actuator arm to insure that the head is properly centered over the magnetic transitions during either a read or write operation. In a known servo control system, servo position information is recorded on the disc surface between written data blocks, and periodically read by the head for use in a closed loop control of the voice coil motor to position the actuator arm. Such a servo arrangement is referred to as an embedded servo system and the recorded servo position information is referred to as a servo pattern. The servo pattern is typically written on the data tracks in discrete spokes radiating out from the center of the disc.
The data tracks of a disc in the disc drive cannot be allowed to interfere with one another. If interference occurs, i.e. the read/write heads move off-track, the data previously written to a track will be overwritten and the data will be corrupted. In order to avoid interference of the data tracks, the servo control system discussed above is utilized to maintain the position of the read/write heads over the center of the data track.
Under normal operating conditions, the servo control system performs well using the feedback provided by the servo pattern to predict the read/write head location at the next area of the servo pattern and to reject disturbances which the disc drive is subjected to. However, when the disc drive experiences a very large mechanical shock, the rate of change of position and/or velocity of the read/write head position exceeds the servo system's capability to predict the head location at the next area of the servo pattern. The disc drive uses the predicted position to terminate any write operations it is performing before any adjacent track data corruption occurs. When the large shock occurs, and the head movement exceeds the servo prediction capability, and write corruption can occur.
The present invention provides a solution to this and other problems, and offers other advantages over previous solutions.

Data storage device with shock sensor mounted on circuit board and provided adjacent shield and disc assembly protrusions


A visual parking guide, more particularly, a thin flat surface, divided into three zones, with a multitude of markings in each zone, to assist drivers of varying heights to park their car in a safe parking position. The visual parking guide is mountable on a supporting structure such that at least a portion of the parking guide is within the field of view of the driver. By parking the vehicle at a preferred distance from a stationary structure and aligning a fixed point relative to the vehicle with one of the multitude of markings on the visual parking guide, the driver can determine a reference point to use as a means to determine the safe parking position.

Vehicles are in widespread use and car manufacturers produce a multitude of vehicle models that vary in dimensions. Certain vehicle designs make it difficult for drivers to judge the distance between the front and/or rear end of the vehicle and an object immediately in front of the vehicle. For example, vehicles designed to reduce aerodynamic resistance usually have a steeply sloped hood, making the front end of the car imperceptible to the driver seated in the driver's seat. Furthermore, visibility of the front of the car also depends on the height of the driver, which affects his/her ability to see through the windshield and over the hood of the vehicle.
Parking a vehicle in a parking space bordered by a stationary object, such as a wall, a curb, or a concrete sleeper, requires considerable care in positioning and judging distance to avoid causing damage to the vehicle. For example, drivers can damage the fender of their cars if they misjudge distance and drive into a concrete sleeper. The need to be able to judge the proximity of the vehicle to such stationary object is even greater where space is extremely limited, as is often the case in a residential garage. For example, drivers can damage the garage and the front end of their cars by failing to stop in time before making contact with the wall, or damage can be done to the rear of the vehicle when the garage door closes and the vehicle is not entirely within the garage.
Various visual devices to assist in safely parking a vehicle exist in the prior art. For example, Sanders, U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,758 discloses a vehicle parking guide that uses reflectors and mirrors attached to a plate mounted on a supporting surface to ensure proper longitudinal and lateral positioning of the vehicle in a parking space. Drover, U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,343 discloses a parking assistance device that relies on the alignment of two vertical bars and the alignment of two horizontal bars to recognize the safe position of the vehicle in a sheltered parking space. Ryan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,488 discloses a guidepost device which includes an indicator mounted on a rod positioned to indicate a reference point for the driver of the vehicle to recognize the safe position.
The visual parking guides currently available do not provide a flexible reference point to allow drivers of different heights to recognize the safe parking position for the vehicle. The available parking guides are not cost effective. Furthermore, the available parking guides do not minimize space usage because they protrude from the surface they are mounted on or require additional space to be properly positioned.
It is an object of this invention to provide a parking guide with flexible reference points so that it can be used by drivers of varying heights. It is a further object of this invention to provide a parking guide that is cost effective to manufacture and purchase and requires minimal space to use.