The present invention is directed to a wearable sanitary napkin having a front panel having an absorbent sanitary napkin and one or more straps for attachment to the body. In one embodiment, the front panel is substantially triangular in shape and the straps are connected to the corners of the triangle to form a thong style underwear. In still another embodiment, the wearable sanitary napkins are made of inexpensive material so that they are disposable. The absorbent sanitary napkins panties can be made with different levels of absorptive capacity and can be in different configurations and designs.

Sanitary napkins are absorbent devices designed to receive and contain vaginal discharges, such as menses, spotting, and leaking bladders. They are omnipresent items of modern society. In recent periods disposable sanitary napkins designed to be held adjacent to the human body through the agency of a garment, such as an undergarment or panty, have effectively supplanted the more traditional type of sanitary napkin, which required a specially designed belt for use.
The choices for women today are essentially limited to tampons, which larger sanitary napkins worn in the underwear, or adhesive pads which can be applied to the inside surface of the undergarment. These pads can leave the user with soiled undergarments, bunching, gathering and other discomforts and inconvenience.
In recent years, in part as a result of these problems, sanitary napkins have evolved to be thinner and more flexible. For example, some sanitary napkins have wings to aid attachment to the underwear and help prevent soiling, and others are provided with different colors to match clothing. Sanitary napkins are also available in various shapes and sizes, e.g., even in a shape to fit thong style underwear. These sanitary napkins are generally triangular in shape, essentially matched to the triangular shape of the front/bottom area of the thong style underwear, wherein the sides of the triangle typically extend out to the thighs. However, such sanitary napkins move around or require some mechanism to attach the sanitary napkin to the underwear, e.g., an adhesive backing or extending wings structures for wrapping around the underwear.
There is, therefore, a need for a sanitary napkin that can be easily used. There is also a need for a sanitary napkin that can be maintained in the proper placement.


A trigonometry calculator is programmed with four selectable calculations of unknown parameters of any plane triangle having three known parameters. The calculations accept known parameters of SIDE SIDE ANGLE, SIDE ANGLE SIDE, SIDE SIDE SIDE, and ANGLE ANGLE SIDE and from such inputs calculate unknown angles and sides. The calculator can also be programmed to make a series of calculations determining three unknown parameters for any plane triangle having three known parameters.

Trigonometry calculations are well established for plane triangles, and many calculators are programmed to assist with such calculations. Depending on which triangle parameters are known and which unknown parameter is to be solved, the calculations can be arduous and time consuming. This is especially true for plane triangles having no right angle. The mathematical knowledge required for triangular calculations, together with the necessity of keyboarding to make the required calculations work, is a problem addressed by this invention.


An electrical connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1) and at least one contact (2) received and retained in the housing. The housing defines a mating face (10), a receiving cavity (101) running through the mating face for receiving a mating connector (200) and at least one groove (131) disposed at a sidewall of the receiving cavity and communicating with the receiving cavity. The at least one contact defines a retaining portion (21) retained in the at least one groove, a contacting portion (23) bending into the cavity and at least one guiding portion (24) extending from the contacting portion along a mating direction for guiding the mating connector to enter into the receiving cavity, and a free edge (241) of the at least one guiding portion extends into the corresponding at least one groove.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector having improved contacts for guiding a mating connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Taiwan Patent Issued Number M298826 discloses an electrical connector including an insulative housing and a plurality of contacts retained in the housing. The housing defines a receiving cavity running through a front face thereof for receiving a mating connector therein and a plurality of receiving grooves disposed at two sidewalls thereof. The receiving grooves are disposed at two sides of the receiving cavity and communicate with the receiving cavity. The contacts include a plurality of first contacts and a pair of switching contacts. Each of the first contacts defines a retaining portion and a resilient arm extending therefrom, and a contacting portion is defined at a free end of the resilient arm by projecting into the receiving cavity for contacting with the mating connector.
However, the mating connector may scrape a front edge of the contacting portions when the mating connector is inserted into the receiving cavity. Moreover, the contacts will be crushed if the inserting force of the mating connector is big, which will make the electrical connector be destroyed. Therefore, a new design to solve the problem is required.

Electrical connector with improved contacts


The present invention reduces eddy current loss in magnetic layers making up a magnetic path of an induction-type magnetic transducer without preventing the passage of a magnetic flux so as to improve high frequency characteristics. A thin-film magnetic head of the invention comprises a reproducing head and a recording head. The recording head has a bottom pole layer and a top pole layer that include pole portions opposed to each other, a recording gap layer being placed between the pole portions. The recording head further has a thin-film coil located between the top and bottom pole layers, the coil being insulated from the pole layers. The top pole layer is made up of a plurality of stacked magnetic material layers, and resistance layers each placed between neighboring two of the magnetic material layers. The resistance layers are located in a region of a yoke portion except a neighborhood of a portion connecting the yoke portion to one of the pole portion and except a neighborhood of a portion connecting the yoke portion to the bottom pole layer. Each of the resistance layers are divided and located in a plurality of separate regions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin-film magnetic head comprising at least an induction-type magnetic transducer and a method of manufacturing such a thin-film magnetic head.
2. Description of the Related Art
Performance improvements in thin-film magnetic heads have been sought as surface recording density of hard disk drives has increased. Composite thin-film magnetic heads have been widely used. A composite head is made of a layered structure including a recording head having an induction-type magnetic transducer for writing and a reproducing head having a magnetoresistive (MR) element for reading. MR elements include an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) element that utilizes the AMR effect and a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) element that utilizes the GMR effect. A reproducing head using an AMR element is called an AMR head or simply an MR head. A reproducing head using a GMR element is called a GMR head. An AMR head is used as a reproducing head whose surface recording density is more than 1 gigabit per square inch. A GMR head is used as a reproducing head whose surface recording density is more than 3 gigabits per square inch.
The performance of the reproducing head is improved by replacing the AMR film with a GMR film and the like with an excellent magnetoresistive sensitivity. Alternatively, a pattern width such as an MR height, in particular, may be optimized. The MR height is the length (height) between an end of the MR element closer to the air bearing surface and the other end. The MR height is controlled by an amount of lapping when the air bearing surface is processed. The air bearing surface is a surface of the thin-film magnetic head facing toward a magnetic recording medium and may be called a track surface, too.
Performance improvements in a recording head are also required as the performance of a reproducing head is improved. One of the factors that determine the recording head performance is a pattern width such as a throat height (TH), in particular. The throat height is the length (height) of portions of magnetic pole layers facing each other with a recording gap layer in between, between the air-bearing-surface-side end and the other end. A reduction in throat height is desired in order to improve the recording head performance. The throat height is controlled as well by an amount of lapping when the air bearing surface is processed.
It is required to increase the track density on a magnetic recording medium in order to increase recording density among the performance characteristics of a recording head. To achieve this, it is required to implement a recording head of a narrow track structure wherein the width of top and bottom poles sandwiching the recording gap layer on a side of the air bearing surface is reduced down to a submicron order. Semiconductor process techniques are utilized to implement such a structure.
As thus described, it is important to fabricate well-balanced recording and reproducing heads to improve the performance of a thin-film magnetic head.
Reference is now made to FIG. 16A to FIG. 21A, FIG. 16B to FIG. 21B, and FIG. 22 to describe an example of a method of manufacturing a composite thin-film magnetic head as an example of a related-art method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head. FIG. 16A to FIG. 21A are cross sections each orthogonal to the air bearing surface of the thin-film magnetic head. FIG. 16B to FIG. 21B are cross sections of a pole portion of the head each parallel to the air bearing surface.
In the manufacturing method, as shown in FIG. 16A and FIG. 16B, an insulating layer 102 made of alumina (Al2O3), for example, having a thickness of about 5 to 10 xcexcm is deposited on a substrate 101 made of aluminum oxide and titanium carbide (Al2O3xe2x80x94TiC), for example. On the insulating layer 102 a bottom shield layer 103 made of a magnetic material is formed for making a reproducing head.
Next, as shown in FIG. 17A and FIG. 17B, on the bottom shield layer 103, alumina, for example, is deposited to a thickness of 100 to 200 nm through sputtering to form a bottom shield gap film 104 as an insulating layer. On the bottom shield gap film 104 an MR film having a thickness of tens of nanometers is formed for making an MR element 105 for reproduction. Next, on the MR film a photoresist pattern is selectively formed where the MR element 105 is to be formed. The photoresist pattern is formed into a shape that facilitates lift-off, such as a shape having a T-shaped cross section. Next, with the photoresist pattern as a mask, the MR film is etched through ion milling, for example, to form the MR element 105. The MR element 105 may be either a GMR element or an AMR element. Next, on the bottom shield gap film 104, a pair of electrode layers 106 are formed, using the photoresist pattern as a mask. The electrode layers 106 are electrically connected to the MR element 105.
Next, a top shield gap film 107 is formed as an insulating layer on the bottom shield gap film 104 and the MR element 105. The MR element 105 is embedded in the shield gap films 104 and 107.
Next, on the top shield gap film 107, a top-shield-layer-cum-bottom-pole-layer (called a bottom pole layer in the following description) 108 having a thickness of about 3 xcexcm is formed. The bottom pole layer 108 is made of a magnetic material and used for both a reproducing head and a recording head. Next, on the bottom pole layer 108, a recording gap layer 109 made of an insulating film such as an alumina film whose thickness is 0.2 xcexcm is formed.
Next, as shown in FIG. 18A and FIG. 18B, a portion of the recording gap layer 109 is etched to form a contact hole 119a to make a magnetic path. On the recording gap layer 109 in the pole portion, a top pole tip 110 made of a magnetic material such as Permalloy (NiFe) or FeN as a high saturation flux density material and having a thickness of 0.5 to 1.0 xcexcm is formed for the recording head. At the same time, a magnetic layer 119 made of a magnetic material is formed for making the magnetic path in the contact hole 109a for making the magnetic path.
Next, as shown in FIG. 19A and FIG. 19B, the recording gap layer 109 and the bottom pole layer 108 are etched through ion milling, using the top pole tip 110 as a mask. As shown in FIG. 19B, the structure is called a trim structure wherein the sidewalls of the top pole (the top pole tip 110), the recording gap layer 109, and part of the bottom pole layer 108 are formed vertically in a self-aligned manner. The trim structure suppresses an increase in the effective track width due to expansion of a magnetic flux generated during writing in a narrow track.
Next, an insulating layer 111 made of an alumina film, for example, and having a thickness of about 3 xcexcm is formed on the entire surface. The insulating layer 111 is then polished to the surfaces of the top pole tip 110 and the magnetic layer 119 and flattened. The polishing method may be mechanical polishing or chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). Through this polishing, the surfaces of the top pole tip 110 and the magnetic layer 119 are exposed.
Next, as shown in FIG. 20A and FIG. 20B, on the flattened insulating layer 111, a thin-film coil 112 of a first layer is made of copper (Cu), for example, for the induction-type recording head. Next, a photoresist layer 113 is formed into a specific pattern on the insulating layer 111 and the coil 112. Heat treatment is then performed to flatten the surface of the photoresist layer 113. On the photoresist layer 113, a thin-film coil 114 of a second layer is then formed. Next, a photoresist layer 115 is formed into a specific pattern on the photoresist layer 113 and the coil 114. Heat treatment is then performed to flatten the surface of the photoresist layer 115.
Next, as shown in FIG. 21A and FIG. 21B, a top pole layer 116 is formed for the recording head on the top pole tip 110, the photoresist layers 113 and 115, and the magnetic layer 119. The top pole layer 116 is made of a magnetic material such as Permalloy. Next, an overcoat layer 117 of alumina, for example, is formed to cover the top pole layer 116. Finally, machine processing of the slider is performed to form the air bearing surface 118 of the recording head and the reproducing head. The thin-film magnetic head is thus completed. FIG. 22 is a top view of the thin-film magnetic head. The overcoat layer 117 is omitted in FIG. 22.
In FIG. 21A and FIG. 21B, xe2x80x98THxe2x80x99 indicates the throat height and xe2x80x98MR-Hxe2x80x99 indicates the MR height. xe2x80x98P2Wxe2x80x99 indicates the pole width, that is, the recording track width. In addition to the throat height, the MR height and so on, the apex angle as indicated with xcex8 in FIG. 21A is one of the factors that determine the performance of a thin-film magnetic head. The apex is a hill-like raised portion of the coils covered with the photoresist layers 113 and 115. The apex angle is the angle formed between the top surface of the insulating layer 111 and the straight line drawn through the edges of the pole-side lateral walls of the apex.
With an increase in recording density of a hard disk drive used for computers and so on, the maximum frequency of data recorded or reproduced through the use of a thin-film magnetic head has increased. If the frequency of data to write increases, eddy current loss increases in the magnetic layers of an induction-type magnetic transducer. Accordingly, the following problems have arisen: a reduction in intensity of a write magnetic field generated from the pole portions opposed to each other with the gap layer in between; an increase in delay between a write current (a current responsive to data to write) supplied to the coil and generation of a write magnetic field; and a decrease in gradient of rise of a write magnetic field with respect to time. Those problems specifically manifest themselves in an increase in nonlinear transition shift (NLTS), for example.
In Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Hei 6-139521 (1994) and in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Sho 60-35315 (1994), for example, related-art techniques to reduce eddy current loss in the magnetic layers and improve high frequency characteristics of the thin-film magnetic head are disclosed. In those techniques the magnetic layers making up the magnetic path of the induction-type magnetic transducer are made of alternating layers of soft-magnetic layers and insulating layers.
However, since the entire magnetic layers have such a layered structure in those techniques, the region through which a magnetic flux passes is narrow and the flux is prevented from passing. The amount of flux passing through the magnetic layers is thereby reduced.
Another technique disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Hei 6-139521 provides a structure in which the magnetic layers making up the magnetic path of the induction-type magnetic transducer are made of alternating layers of soft-magnetic layers and insulating layers aligned along the direction orthogonal to the recording gap layer.
However, such a structure of the magnetic layers makes it difficult to maintain the direction of magnetization (magnetostriction) of the magnetic layers. It is therefore difficult to allow a magnetic flux to pass efficiently.
It is an object of the invention to provide a thin-film magnetic head and a method of manufacturing the same for reducing eddy current loss in magnetic layers making up a magnetic path of an induction-type magnetic transducer without preventing passage of a magnetic flux so as to improve high frequency characteristics.
A first thin-film magnetic head of the invention comprises: a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer magnetically coupled to each other and including magnetic pole portions opposed to each other and placed in regions of the magnetic layers on a side of a medium facing surface of the head that faces toward a recording medium, each of the magnetic layers including at least one layer; a gap layer provided between the pole portions of the first and second magnetic layers; and a thin-film coil at least part of which is placed between the first and second magnetic layers, the at least part of the coil being insulated from the first and second magnetic layers. Each of the first and second magnetic layers includes: a yoke portion connected to one of the pole portions and located in a region including a region that faces the coil. The yoke portion of at least one of the magnetic layers includes: a plurality of magnetic material layers; and a resistance layer located between adjacent two of the magnetic material layers and having an electric resistance greater than an electric resistance of the magnetic material layers. The resistance layer is located in a region of the yoke portion except a neighborhood of a portion connecting the yoke portion to one of the pole portion and except a neighborhood of a portion connecting the yoke portion to the other magnetic layer.
A first method of the invention is provided for manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head comprising: a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer magnetically coupled to each other and including magnetic pole portions opposed to each other and placed in regions of the magnetic layers on a side of a medium facing surface of the head that faces toward a recording medium, each of the magnetic layers including at least one layer; a gap layer provided between the pole portions of the first and second magnetic layers; and a thin-film coil at least part of which is placed between the first and second magnetic layers, the at least part of the coil being insulated from the first and second magnetic layers. Each of the first and second magnetic layers includes: a yoke portion connected to one of the pole portions and located in a region including a region that faces the coil. The method includes the steps of: forming the first magnetic layer; forming the gap layer on the first magnetic layer; forming the second magnetic layer on the gap layer; and forming the coil such that the at least part of the coil is placed between the first and second magnetic layers. In at least one of the steps of forming the first magnetic layer and forming the second magnetic layer, the yoke portion is formed to include: a plurality of magnetic material layers; and a resistance layer located between adjacent two of the magnetic material layers and having an electric resistance greater than an electric resistance of the magnetic material layers. The resistance layer is located in a region of the yoke portion except a neighborhood of a portion connecting the yoke portion to one of the pole portion and except a neighborhood of a portion connecting the yoke portion to the other magnetic layer.
According to the first thin-film magnetic head or the method of manufacturing the same of the invention, the yoke portion of at least one of the magnetic layers includes the plurality of magnetic material layers and the resistance layer. The resistance layer is located in a region of the yoke portion except a neighborhood of the portion connecting the yoke portion to the pole portion and except a neighborhood of the portion connecting the yoke portion to the other magnetic layer. As a result, it is possible to reduce eddy current loss in the magnetic layers without preventing the passage of a magnetic flux.
According to the first thin-film magnetic head or the method of manufacturing the same of the invention, the resistance layer may be divided and located in a plurality of separate regions.
According to the first head or method, the resistance layer may be made of an insulating material. In this case, the insulating material may be an inorganic material. According to the first method, the resistance layer may be formed into a specific pattern by selectively etching a layer of the inorganic material through reactive ion etching.
According to the first head or method, the first magnetic layer may include: a first portion located in a region including a region that faces the coil; and a second portion forming one of the pole portions and connected to a surface of the first portion that faces the coil. The at least part of the coil is located on a side of the second portion of the first magnetic layer. The yoke portion of the second magnetic layer includes the magnetic material layers and the resistance layer.
According to the first head or method, the head may further comprise: a magnetoresistive element; and a first shield layer and a second shield layer for shielding the magnetoresistive element, portions of the first and second shield layers located in regions on a side of the medium facing surface being opposed to each other, the magnetoresistive element being placed between the portions of the shield layers. In this case, the second shield layer may function as the first magnetic layer, too.
A second thin-film magnetic head of the invention comprises: a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer magnetically coupled to each other and including magnetic pole portions opposed to each other and placed in regions of the magnetic layers on a side of a medium facing surface of the head that faces toward a recording medium, each of the magnetic layers including at least one layer; a gap layer provided between the pole portions of the first and second magnetic layers; and a thin-film coil at least part of which is placed between the first and second magnetic layers, the at least part of the coil being insulated from the first and second magnetic layers. Each of the first and second magnetic layers includes: a yoke portion connected to one of the pole portions and located in a region including a region that faces the coil. The yoke portion of at least one of the magnetic layers includes: a plurality of magnetic material layers; and a resistance layer located between adjacent two of the magnetic material layers and having an electric resistance greater than an electric resistance of the magnetic material layers. The resistance layer is divided and located in a plurality of separate regions.
A second method of the invention is provided for manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head comprising: a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer magnetically coupled to each other and including magnetic pole portions opposed to each other and placed in regions of the magnetic layers on a side of a medium facing surface of the head that faces toward a recording medium, each of the magnetic layers including at least one layer; a gap layer provided between the pole portions of the first and second magnetic layers; and a thin-film coil at least part of which is placed between the first and second magnetic layers, the at least part of the coil being insulated from the first and second magnetic layers. Each of the first and second magnetic layers includes: a yoke portion connected to one of the pole portions and located in a region including a region that faces the coil. The method includes the steps of: forming the first magnetic layer; forming the gap layer on the first magnetic layer; forming the second magnetic layer on the gap layer; and forming the coil such that the at least part of the coil is placed between the first and second magnetic layers. In at least one of the steps of forming the first magnetic layer and forming the second magnetic layer, the yoke portion is formed to include: a plurality of magnetic material layers; and a resistance layer located between adjacent two of the magnetic material layers and having an electric resistance greater than an electric resistance of the magnetic material layers; and the resistance layer is divided and located in a plurality of separate regions.
According to the second thin-film magnetic head or the method of manufacturing the same of the invention, the yoke portion of at least one of the magnetic layers includes the plurality of magnetic material layers and the resistance layer. The resistance layer is divided and located in a plurality of separate regions. As a result, it is possible to reduce eddy current loss in the magnetic layers without preventing the passage of a magnetic flux.
According to the second head or method, the resistance layer may be made of an insulating material. In this case, the insulating material may be an inorganic material. According to the second method, the resistance layer may be formed into a specific pattern by selectively etching a layer of the inorganic material through reactive ion etching.
According to the second head or method, the first magnetic layer may include: a first portion located in a region including a region that faces the coil; and a second portion forming one of the pole portions and connected to a surface of the first portion that faces the coil. The at least part of the coil is located on a side of the second portion of the first magnetic layer. The yoke portion of the second magnetic layer includes the magnetic material layers and the resistance layer.
According to the second head or method, the head may further comprise: a magnetoresistive element; and a first shield layer and a second shield layer for shielding the magnetoresistive element, portions of the first and second shield layers located in regions on a side of the medium facing surface being opposed to each other, the magnetoresistive element being placed between the portions of the shield layers. In this case, the second shield layer may function as the first magnetic layer, too.
Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description.

Thin-film magnetic head having a magnetic layer including stacked magnetic material layers and a resistance layer and method of manufacturing same


A docking system for a watercraft having a cross member carrying a tow hook cart to engage a bow eye on the watercraft and thereafter permit docking of the watercraft. The cross member is supported by at least one upright structure and may include a latch mechanism to release the cross member to swing away after the hook engages the eye. Alternatively, a cross member may be supported on both ends and may be pulled out of the way by the tow rope or rotated over the eye by a latch tripped after the hook engages the eye.

This invention relates to retrieval of watercraft, more particularly, to a system to detect the presence of a watercraft and automatically attach a hook to an eye, such as a towing eye, on the prow or stem of the watercraft for retrieval of the watercraft, e.g., on a partially or fully submerged trailer or shore station, after which the watercraft can be drawn forward by a winch attached to the hook.


A rolling bearing (6), in particular for the mounting of the shaft of a turbocharger, which rolling bearing includes a bearing ring (1) and a number of rolling bodies (9). The bearing ring (1) is formed from a steel which comprises, as alloy constituents, 0.05 to 0.65 wt % carbon, 0.5 to 5.0 wt % chromium, up to 1.0 wt % molybdenum, up to 1.0 wt % vanadium, and up to 1.0 wt % aluminum. The surface of the bearing ring (1) has a hardened surface layer (2) which comprises nitrites and which comprises a diffusion layer (3) and a connecting layer (4) situated above said diffusion layer. The surface layer (2) has a thickness of up to 1 mm. The invention also relates to a method for producing a corresponding bearing ring (6).

A rolling bearing is used in various technical applications in order to support and guide parts that can move relative to each other, in particular, rotate relative to each other, in machines and to absorb the effective external forces and transfer them to a housing or the like. For example, the shaft of a turbocharger is supported in a motor vehicle with a rolling bearing constructed as a two-row angular contact ball bearing.
A rolling bearing can be exposed to very high stresses during operation as is the case, for example, if used in a modern turbocharger that can reach very high rotational speeds of approximately 300,000 revolutions per minute. Such a rolling bearing must exhibit a reliable operating behavior that is as wear free as possible even under high operating temperatures and at high rolling loading between the rolling bodies and the raceway of a bearing ring.
A bearing ring for such applications is therefore typically produced from an alloyed steel and hardened by an additional heat treatment. DE 10 2008 023 158 A1 discloses, for example, a rolling bearing part, in particular, a bearing ring that is made from a low-alloy steel. The rolling bearing part is operated, in particular, in corrosive environments. Through multiple treatment steps, improved corrosion resistance with sufficient mechanical strength should be achieved for the rolling bearing part. In one treatment step, the surface zone of the bearing ring is hardened by a thermochemical treatment method. Through nitriding or nitrocarburizing that is not described in more detail, a hard surface zone with a thickness of 15 to 25 μm is generated. The thickness of this surface zone, however, is not sufficient especially for the bearing ring of a rolling bearing that is exposed to very high loads like those that occur, for example, in the support of the shaft of a turbocharger.

Rolling bearing having a bearing ring with a hardened surface zone


A paper folding machine is provided including a housing having upper and lower fold plates constructed for quick and easy removal of the upper plates from the machine so that repairs can be made. The plates include a paper stop and an adjuster connected to the paper stop for adjusting the position of the paper stop. The upper plate partially encloses a work area and the upper plate has a slot for receiving the adjuster therethrough for easy adjustment and/or removal of the upper plate.

Paper folding machines are known that provide for C-folds, Z-folds and half-folds. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,094, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses the processing of paper sheets to provide different types of folds. In the Z-fold format, a paper sheet is folded twice to form three sections with the ends of the sheet along opposite sides of the center section. In a C-fold format, the sheet is folded twice with its ends inward and overlapping each other to form three sections. In a half-fold format with a paper sheet is folded once to form two sections. The sheets can also be folded with or without inserts inserted therein.
Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B a prior-art folding apparatus 12 is shown set up to form a paper sheet with a Z-fold. The folding apparatus 12 has a supply device 42, a folding device 44 and an output device 46. The supply device 42 accepts a paper sheet 28 from a conveyor system with the document 18 in flat condition with an insert 26 thereon. The trailing edges of the document 18 and insert 26 are aligned to form a trailing edge 48 of the paper sheet 28 spaced from a leading edge 50 thereof. The supply device 42 includes a supply guide 52 with a supply conveyor 54 thereabove. The supply conveyor 54 has two pusher devices 56 thereon moving in the clockwise direction in FIG. 1A. One of the pusher devices 56 engages the trailing edge 48 of the paper sheet 28 to move the paper sheet 28 into a nip 58 formed by cooperating upper and lower rollers 60, 62 of the folding device 44 with the trailing edge of the document 18 and insert aligned as indicated by position 5a in FIG. 1B. The upper roller 60 continually rotates clockwise while the lower roller 62 continually rotates counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 1A, to accept the paper sheet 28 from the supply device 42.
Along the path of the paper sheet 28 through the folding apparatus 12, the folding device 44 has first, second and third stations 64, 66, 68, respectively. Various operations can be performed at these stations, depending upon how the folding device 44 is arranged, to fold the paper sheet 28 in one of the Z-fold, C-fold or half-fold formats.
In FIG. 1A, the folding device 44 has been set up to perform a Z-fold on the paper sheet 28. To perform a Z-fold on the paper sheet 28, the first station 64 is set up with a diverting device 70 and a buckle plate 72. The diverting device 70 is for diverting the leading edge 50 of the paper sheet 28 as the paper sheet 28 moves in a first path (see position 5a) and changing a direction of movement of the leading edge 50 to a second path (see position 5b) into the buckle plate 72. The diverting device 70 is moveable between an operative position (shown in solid line in FIG. 1A) in the first path of the paper sheet 28 as the leading edge 50 thereof exits from the conveyor system and an inoperative position (shown in phantom line in FIG. 1A) spaced from the first path of the paper sheet 28.
The buckle plate 72 has an adjustable stop 74 positionable by the user depending upon the size of the paper sheet 28. After the paper sheet 28 enters the buckle plate 72, the diverting device 70 moves to its inoperative position shown in phantom line in FIG. 1A. This movement is accomplished pneumatically and is controlled by a computer processing unit which is signalled by an appropriately located sensor (not shown) to detect the passage of the leading edge 50 of the paper sheet 28. With the diverting device 70 in its inoperative position, the leading edge 50 will engage the adjustable stop 74 to stop further movement of the paper sheet 28 in the second path. However, the cooperating rollers 60, 62 continue to drive the paper sheet 28 causing an intermediate portion of the paper sheet 28 between the leading and trailing edges 50, 48 thereof to engage a nip 76 formed by cooperating upper and lower rollers 78,80. The upper roller 78 continually rotates clockwise while the lower roller 80 continually rotates counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 1A, to accept the paper sheet 28 and create a first folded edge 82 therein as shown at position 5c as the paper sheet 28 is drawn through the nip 76 in a third path.
At the second station 66, a buckle plate 84 has been set up to accept the paper sheet 28 coming from the cooperating rollers 78, 80 in the third path. The buckle plate 84 has an adjustable stop 86 in the third path for stopping movement of the folded edge 82 of the paper sheet 28 along the third path as shown in position 5d. After the folded edge 82 of the paper sheet 28 is stopped, the cooperating rollers 78,80 drive the intermediate portion of the paper sheet 28 between a nip 88 formed between the lower roller 80 and a roller 90 (position 5e). The roller 90 is continually driven in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1A. The rollers 80, 90 draw the paper sheet 28 through the nip 88 in a fourth path to create a folded edge 92 at the intermediate portion of the paper sheet 28 between the folded edge 82 and the trailing edge 48 thereof (position 5e).
As the paper sheet 28 enters the third station 68, a first bypass device 91 located in the fourth path after the nip 88 deflects the paper sheet 28 into a nip 94 formed between the roller 90 and a roller 96. The roller 96 is continually driven in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1A. The rollers 90, 96 draw the paper sheet 28 through the nip 94 sending the paper sheet 28 into the output device 46. The output device 46 includes an output guide 98 and an output conveyor 100 designed to deliver the paper sheet 28 to the enveloper as shown by position 5f. Thus, a Z-folded paper sheet is formed.
In FIGS. 2A and 2B the folding apparatus 12 is arranged to provide C-folding. It should be noted that a second bypass device 102 has been mounted at the second station 66 while a buckle plate 104 has been mounted in the third station 68. The buckle plate 104 has an adjustable stop 106 positionable by the user depending upon the size of the paper sheet 28. After the paper sheet 28 enters the folding apparatus 12, the diverting device 70 diverts the leading edge 50 of the paper sheet 28 as the paper sheet 28 moves in a first path (see position 6a) and changes a direction of movement of the leading edge 50 to a second path (see position 6b) into the buckle plate 72. The diverting device 70 moves from its operative position (shown in solid line in FIG. 2A) in the first path of the paper sheet 28 as the leading edge 50 thereof exits from the conveyor system, to its inoperative position (shown in phantom line in FIG. 2A) spaced from the first path of the paper sheet 28. With the diverting device 70 in its inoperative position, the leading edge 50 will engage the adjustable stop 74 to stop further movement of the leading edge 50 of the paper sheet 28 in the second path. The cooperating rollers 60,62 continue to drive the paper sheet 28 causing an intermediate portion of the paper sheet 28 between the leading and trailing edges 50, 48 thereof to engage the nip 76 formed by cooperating upper and lower rollers 78,80 to create a first folded edge 82 therein as the paper sheet 28 is drawn through the nip 76 in a third path.
At the second station 66, the second bypass device 102 has been set up to accept the paper sheet 28 coming from the cooperating rollers 78, 80 in the third path. The second bypass device 102 located in the third path after the nip 76 deflects the paper sheet 28 into the nip 88 formed between the rollers 80, 90 (position 6c).
At the third station 68, the paper sheet 28 enters the buckle plate 104 travelling in a fourth path (position 6d). When the folded edge 82 of the paper sheet 28 engages the adjustable stop 106, further movement thereof in the fourth path is stopped. However, the cooperating rollers 90,96 drive the intermediate portion of the paper sheet 28 between the nip 94, the rollers 90,96 drawing the paper sheet 28 through the nip 94 in a fifth path to create a folded edge 108 at the intermediate portion of the paper sheet 28 between the folded edge 82 and the trailing edge 48 thereof. The paper sheet 28 is delivered into the output device 46. Thus, a C-folded paper sheet is formed.
In FIGS. 3A and 3B the folding apparatus 12 is arranged to provide half-folding with a thru feed. It should be noted that the second bypass device 102 has been mounted at the second station 66 while the first bypass device 91 has been mounted in the third station 68. After the paper sheet 28 enters the folding apparatus 12, the diverting device 70 diverts the leading edge 50 of the paper sheet 28 as the paper sheet 28 moves in a first path (see position 7a) and changes a direction of movement of the leading edge 50 to a second path (see position 7b) into the buckle plate 72. The diverting device 70 moves from its operative position (shown in solid line in FIG. 3A) in the first path of the paper sheet 28 as the leading edge 50 thereof exits from the conveying station to its inoperative position (shown in phantom line in FIG. 3A) spaced from the first path of the paper sheet 28. With the diverting device 70 in its inoperative position, the leading edge 50 will engage the adjustable stop 74 to stop further movement of the leading edge 50 of the paper sheet 28 in the second path. The cooperating rollers 60, 62 continue to drive the paper sheet 28 causing the intermediate portion of the paper sheet 28 between the leading and trailing edges 50, 48 thereof to engage the nip 76 formed by cooperating upper and lower rollers 78, 80 to create a folded edge 110 therein as the paper sheet 28 is drawn through the nip 76 in a third path.
At the second station 66, the output conveyor 100 has been set up to accept the paper sheet 28 coming from the cooperating rollers 78, 80 in the third path. The second bypass device 102 located in the third path after the nip 76 deflects the paper sheet 28 into a fourth path between the nip 88 formed by the rollers 80, 90 (position 7c).
As the paper sheet 28 enters the third station 68, the first bypass device 91 located in the fourth path after the nip 88 deflects the paper sheet 28 into the nip 94 formed between the roller 90 and a roller 96 (position 7e). The rollers 90, 96 draw the paper sheet 28 through the nip 94 sending the paper sheet 28 into the output device 46. Thus, a half-folded paper sheet is formed.
In FIGS. 4A and 4B the folding apparatus 12 is arranged to provide half-folding with a downward feed direction. This format of folding cannot be accomplished with an insert forming part of the paper sheet 28, i.e., the paper sheet 28 is insertless. It should be noted that the buckle plate 84 has been mounted at the second station 66 while the bypass device 91 has been mounted in the third station 68. Also, the diverting device 70 and buckle plate 72 have been removed. Alternatively, the diverting device 70 can merely be placed in its inoperative position. After the paper sheet 28 enters the folding apparatus 12, the cooperating rollers 60, 62 move the paper sheet 28 in a first path (see position 8a) to engage the nip 76 formed by cooperating upper and lower rollers 78, 80.
As the paper sheet 28 is drawn through the nip 76, the buckle plate 84 at the second station 66 accepts the paper sheet 28 coming from the cooperating rollers 78, 80. The adjustable stop 86 stops the movement of the leading edge 50 of the paper sheet 28 as shown in position 8c. After the paper sheet 28 is stopped, the cooperating rollers 78, 80 drive the intermediate portion of the paper sheet 28 between the nip 88 formed between the rollers 80, 90. The rollers 80, 90 draw the paper sheet 28 through the nip 88 to create a folded edge 112 at the intermediate portion of the paper sheet 28.
As the paper sheet 28 enters the third station 68, the first bypass device 91 located after the nip 88 deflects the paper sheet 28 into the nip 94 formed between the rollers 90, 96 (position 8d). The rollers 90, 96 drawing the paper sheet 28 through the nip 94 sending the paper sheet 28 into the output device 46. Thus, a half-folded paper sheet is formed.
In FIGS. 5A and 5B the folding apparatus 12 is arranged to provide half-folding with an upward feed direction. This format of folding cannot be accomplished with an insert forming part of the paper sheet 28, i.e., the paper sheet 28 is insertless. It should be noted that the second bypass device 102 has been mounted at the second station 66 while the buckle plate 104 has been mounted in the third station 68. Also, the diverting device 70 and buckle plate 72 have been removed. Alternatively, the diverting device 70 can merely be placed in its inoperative position. After the paper sheet 28 enters the folding apparatus 12, the cooperating rollers 60, 62 move the paper sheet 28 in a first path (see position 9a) to engage the nip 76 formed by cooperating upper and lower rollers 78, 80.
As the paper sheet 28 is drawn through the nip 76, the bypass device 102 at the second station 66 located after the nip 76 deflects the paper sheet 28 into the nip 88 formed between the rollers 80, 90 (position 9b). At the third station 68, the paper sheet 28 enters the buckle plate 104 (position 9c). When the paper sheet 28 engages the adjustable stop 106, further movement of the leading edge 50 is stopped. However, the cooperating rollers 90, 96 drive the intermediate portion of the paper sheet 28 between the nip 94. The rollers 90, 96 drawing the paper sheet 28 through the nip 94 to create a folded edge 114 at the intermediate portion of the paper sheet 28. The paper sheet 28 is delivered into the output device 46. Thus, a half-folded paper sheet is formed.
Such known folding machines as discussed above require complicated and expensive electronic controls and sensors in order to provide for the proper processing of the paper sheets. As well, such known folding machines have many plates and other components that must be disassembled when repair or cleaning of the internal parts of the machine is required or to alleviate paper jams. As such plates may be very heavy, operators of the machine may find it difficult to remove the plates, even after disassembly is accomplished.
Therefore, there is desired a paper folding machine that provides for all of the above described folding functions, but provides for inexpensive, uncomplicated processing mechanisms while allowing for easy access to the internal parts of the folding machine when cleaning or repairs are necessary. There is also desired automatic mechanical means for processing different sizes and types of paper sheets.


8 PSK (Phase Shift Keying) rotationally invariant turbo trellis coded modulation without parallel transitions. A novel approach of coding 8 PSK symbols such that they are rotationally invariant employs precoding and encoding according to Turbo Trellis Coded Modulation (TTCM). Together, the preceding and TTCM encoding operate cooperatively to provide rotational invariance of the 8 PSK symbols. These 8 PSK symbols are mapped to constellation points within an 8 PSK constellation. A permutated mapping of the 8 PSK constellation is also employed that describes an approximate 90 degree rotation of the 8 PSK constellation mapping. In addition, the precoding employs an induced precoder mapping that corresponds to the approximate 90 degree rotation of the mapping of the 8 PSK constellation. Moreover, the branches of the trellis employed within the TTCM encoding may undergo an appropriately modified mapping to accommodate the 90 degree rotation of the 8 PSK constellation mapping as well.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to communication systems; and, more particularly, it relates to constellation rotational errors that may be experienced in such communication systems dues to effects such as carrier frequency offset.
2. Description of Related Art
Data communication systems have been under continual development for many years. One very effective type of coding employed within many communication systems is that of Trellis Coded Modulation (TCM). When coding symbols using TCM, there are a variety of types of constellation to which the symbols may be mapped. For example, one type of symbol includes 8 PSK (Phase Shift Keying) mapped symbols. Each of the symbols in this constellation type typically have a common magnitude and are separated in phase around the I,Q (In-phase, Quadrature) plane's origin. One difficulty that can arise when employing an 8 PSK modulation (that includes the 8 PSK shaped constellation and a particular mapping of the constellation points in that constellation) is when the axes of the I,Q plane are rotated by some offset. A number of sources may cause this offset between the 8 PSK constellation by which 8 PSK symbols are encoded and an 8 PSK constellation at which the 8 PSK symbols are decoded. One potential source of such rotational offset may be a Carrier Frequency Offset (CFO) between the local oscillators employed at the transmitter end of a communication channel and at the receiver end of the communication channel.
If this rotational offset does occur, then the mapping of the symbols may be performed incorrectly. For example, the mapping of the 8 PSK symbols to the appropriate constellation points within the 8 PSK constellation may be performed erroneously.
There have been some attempts in the art to try to generate a code that is resilient and operable to code 8 PSK symbols such that they are rotationally invariant; in other words, some attempts have been made to try to ensure that the information encoded using TCM coding and an 8 PSK shaped constellation may be able to accommodate a rotational offset and still be able to communicate data effectively from one place (e.g., a transmitter) to another (e.g., a receiver). However, attempts to do this have, so far, been met with serious problems that have yet to be overcome.
More specifically, up to now, any constructed code that is operable to encode 8 PSK symbols using TCM without parallel transitions is either not rationally invariant at all or else has a catastrophic operation as described in the following references: [1] A. Fung and P. McLane, "Phase jitter sensitivity of rotationally invariant and 16 point trellis codes," IEEE Proceedings-I, Vol. 138, No. 4, August 1991, pp. 247–255, [2] E. Biglieri, D. Divsalar, P. J. McLane and M. K. Simon, Introduction to trellis-coded modulation with application, Macmillan Publishing Co., New York, 1991, and [3] W. Liu and S. G. Wilson, "Rotationally-invariant concatenated (turbo) TCM codes," Signals, Systems and Computers, 1999. Conference Record of the Thirty-Third Asilomar Conference on, Vol. 1, 1999, pp. 32–36.
While there has clearly been a significant amount of effort in the field of communications to try to address this rotational problem within 8 PSK constellations, no solution has yet to present an effective solution to overcome this problem. Moreover, in the context of TCM coding that is performed using no parallel transitions, there has yet to be an effective solution presented in the art to overcome this problem.

8 PSK rotationally invariant turbo trellis coded modulation without parallel transitions


The present invention provides for a novel lipokine, C16:1n7-palmitoleate, which also serves as a biomarker for metabolic status. More specifically, a low concentration of C16:1n7-palmitoleate in the free fatty acid component of the serum indicates a risk of metabolic disease, and that de novo lipogenesis should be stimulated. Additionally, administering C16:1n7-palmitoleate to a subject (via nutraceutical or other means), positively impacts lipid metabolism.

In recent years, the world has seen an alarming increase in metabolic diseases including obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, fatty liver disease, and atherosclerosis. For example, over twenty million children and adults in the U.S., or 8% of the population, suffer from diabetes. Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of coronary heart disease and stroke, killing more than 600,000 Americans annually: more than 25% of all deaths in the U.S.
Dysregulation of tissue lipid composition or metabolism can lead to disruption of systemic insulin action and glucose metabolism in adipose, muscle, and liver tissues. Recent studies have clearly identified adipose tissue as a critical site for whole body metabolic regulation. A growing body of evidence supports the concept that peptides and hormones produced within the adipose tissue constitute an important component of the endocrine effects of this site on systemic carbohydrate and lipid homeostasis. There have been important advances in the identification of these molecules and characterization of their biological functions. As the major storage site for body lipids, adipose tissue has also been studied intensively in regards to its role in metabolic regulation through lipids. Although equally critical as peptide hormones, this area has been more challenging to reduce into molecular entities and pathways.
There are two prevailing views about the role of adipose tissue lipid metabolism in metabolic syndrome. First, storage of lipids in adipose tissue has been suggested to protect other organs, especially those that are not well equipped for such burden, from exposure to excessive lipids and thereby reducing the risk of lipotoxicity. Second, fatty acids derived from adipose tissue, particular under pathological conditions like obesity, could disrupt the function of peripheral tissues, resulting in muscle insulin resistance or increased triglyceride accumulation in liver. In these models, the principle consideration has often been the total amount of fatty acid exposure at different target tissues.
Serum fatty acids represent a very complex entity, however, and are composed of structures with varying chain lengths and degrees of saturation. The concentration and composition of fatty acids vary significantly under different physiological and pathological conditions, and these changes are not uniform between cell types and tissues. Although it is unlikely that the total fatty acid levels, alone, could be sufficiently informative, there has been some progress in addressing how different compositions of fatty acids in tissues or circulation may affect the metabolic output locally or systemically, but this has been experimentally challenging. Another intractable question has been how to address lipid storing and/or disposing in tissues responding to the dietary fatty acid intake, and how to adjust the composition to modulate metabolic outcomes. Hence, there remains a need for better understanding of the regulation of systemic fatty acid metabolism, and development of further diagnosis and treatment of fatty acid metabolism-related illnesses.

Fatty acid C16: 1N7-palmitoleate a lipokine and biomarker for metabolic status

PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE


A conformable, self-aligning, high extraction efficiency coffee filter pack capable of flavor extraction efficiencies comparable to those obtained using an identical quantity of bulk coffee and a paper filter under identical brewing conditions, but which exhibits substantially consistent pot-to-pot brew strength for any given automatic drip coffee maker. The preferred filter pack is formed from two layers of flexible material which are secured to one another about their outermost periphery with a predetermined quantity of roast and ground coffee housed within a brew chamber formed between the two layers. The brew chamber exhibits a maximum volume between about 25 percent and about 300 percent greater than the volume of the dry roast and ground coffee contained therein. The discharge flow rate from the brew chamber is slower than the inlet flow rate into the brew chamber to permit a buildup of water and flooding of the brew chamber. The flexible conformable sidewall surrounding the brew chamber extends upwardly a vertical distance which is at least sufficient to capture enough hot water to totally immerse the brew chamber when the brew chamber is in its fully expanded condition. This causes the roast and ground coffee within the chamber to expand and float throughout the remaining portions of the brew cycle, thereby establishing a steady state brewing condition which is highly effective in maximizing coffee/water contact as the hot water passes through the brew chamber on its way to the pot.

A typical coffee brew machine comprises a base member with a heater element used to support a glass coffee pot and a coffee filter holder attached to the base in the position above the coffee pot. The coffee filter holder is typically frusto-conical in shape with one or more central apertures through the bottom wall and is designed to receive a disposable coffee filter. The coffee filter is normally fabricated from porous paper and is also frusto-conical in shape so as to be received within the coffee filter holder. In use, the coffee filter will be placed in the coffee filter holder and a measured amount of roast and ground coffee is placed in the bottom portion of the coffee filter. A measured quantity of hot water is then directed into the interior of the coffee filter onto the ground coffee. As the water passes through, the coffee expands and floats up in the filter increasing the coffee/water contact area. The water will then percolate through the ground coffee and flow through the bottom and lower side portions of the porous coffee filter and through the coffee filter holder apertures down into the coffee pot.
One disadvantage with the aforementioned system is that the ground coffee must be individually measured into the coffee filter each time a pot of coffee is to be brewed. This is time consuming and may result in too much or too little coffee being placed in the filter. If the amount of coffee placed in the filter varies to any significant extent, then the brew strength of the resultant coffee will also vary. Another disadvantage is that separate receptacles must be provided for the individual coffee filters and the ground coffee. Lastly, when measuring the coffee into the coffee filter or disposing of a used filter, the coffee is often spilled onto the counter area or the floor resulting in waste of coffee and a waste of time in cleaning up.
Coffee manufacturers have substantially eliminated the pot-to-pot brew strength inconsistencies arising from poor measurement of coffee by the operator by providing unitized pouches, each containing a predetermined volume of roast and ground coffee suitable for brewing a single pot of coffee of reasonably consistent strength from one pot to the next. However, these unitized pouches add to cost and disposal problems due to the need for additional packaging equipment and material. In addition, they do not eliminate the messiness problems normally associated with bulk coffee/paper filter systems, since loose grounds and filters must still be disposed of.
Recently, coffee filter packs have been designed in an attempt to overcome some disadvantages from this method. Most of these coffee filter packs are made with heat sealable filter paper or from non-woven polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene or a combination thereof. These materials are typically more expensive than conventional filter paper, which is typically comprised almost entirely of wood fiber. Moreover, these filter packs are usually circular or square in shape and simply cover the bottom wall of the coffee filter holder. One example of such a filter pack is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,629 issued to Rehman on May 7, 1991. These filter packs are often improperly positioned in the coffee filter holder resulting in inconsistent brew strength from pot-to-pot, since their shape and materials of construction allow water to escape around the sides and through the coffee filter pack without sufficient exposure to all of the coffee contacted in the brew chamber of the filter pack. This results in poor coffee extraction. Furthermore, the coffee will often migrate to one side of the filter pack so that much of the water which does pass through the brew chamber of the filter pack does not contact any coffee. As a result, these filter packs produce brewed coffee with a relatively low level of extracted flavor solids as well as an inconsistent brew strength from pot-to-pot.
U.K. Patent Application GB 2,183,459 discloses yet another coffee filter pack having a pre-measured amount of ground coffee within a receptacle region or brew chamber. The receptacle region is defined by a pair of frusto-conical layers of porous filter paper mutually adhered to one another to form a substantially vertically extending sidewall. However, since the sidewall is constructed of initially porous paper material and there is no teaching of any need to render the sidewall substantially impervious to water to force all of the incoming water through the receptacle containing the ground coffee, it is believed that the filter pack disclosed in U.K. Patent Application GB 2,183,459 would not deliver any improvement in pot-to-pot brew strength consistency over the structure disclosed by Rehman.
Still other workers in the prior art have made a multi-component coffee filter pack having a frusto conical shaped side wall comprised of a rigid plastic material while the bottom portion of the pack comprises a coffee containing pouch which is made of porous material. The impermeable plastic side walls of the latter filter packs prevent water from escaping through the side walls and around the coffee containing porous pouch, thereby increasing at least the potential for coffee/water contact. Examples of devices using this concept are shown in U.K. Patent Application 2,156,662 and U.K. Patent 1,427,375. However, coffee filter packs of the latter type require careful and consistent placement on the coffee maker due to their rigid side walls and are generally quite expensive relative to the bulk coffee/filter paper systems they are intended to replace. Furthermore, some of these filter packs require that a new and expensive filter holder be attached to the coffee maker to permit their use.
Experience to date has been that filter packs of the prior art do much to overcome the messiness of the bulk coffee/filter paper systems they have replaced. Unfortunately, they have typically exhibited lower extraction efficiencies than the bulk coffee/filter paper systems. In addition they have typically introduced much worse pot-to-pot brew strength variation than bulk coffee systems using premeasured unitized pouches of roast and ground coffee in conjunction with paper filters. It is believed that these shortcomings of prior art coffee filter packs are due to a failure of prior art filter pack workers to recognize the importance of meeting certain previously undefined brewing parameters, which have for the first time been identified by applicants. For example, none of the foregoing references teach the importance of controlling the flow rates of liquids into and out of the brew chamber. By way of contrast, Applicant has learned that in order to minimize brew time, maximize flavor solids extraction and make a good pot of coffee, a substantial portion of the hot water directed into the filter pack must contact the coffee in the brew chamber after a substantially steady state brewing condition has been established within the brew chamber, i.e., after the brew chamber has been completely flooded with the incoming hot water so that the chamber expands to its maximum volume and allows substantially all of the coffee contained therein to loosely float within the chamber. Applicant has further learned that this is preferably done by providing a substantially water impermeable side wall having a height which is sufficient to retain at least enough water to permit complete immersion of the brew chamber when the brew chamber is in its fully expanded condition in combination with inlet and discharge flow rates into and out of the brew chamber that will cause the water to build up and puddle the coffee inside the brew chamber. If the water is not allowed to build up inside the brew chamber, as is typically the case with prior art filter packs, or if the coffee contained in the brew chamber of a prior art filter pack has shifted to one side of the brew chamber when the prior art filter pack is placed in the filter holder, the failure to properly control the inlet and outlet flow rates and the failure to provide a substantially water impermeable side wall having a height which is sufficient to retain at least enough water to completely immerse the brew chamber when the brew chamber is in its fully expanded condition will allow much of the water to flow directly through the brew chamber of the prior art filter pack without ever contacting any of the coffee.
In addition, applicants have learned that the brew chamber must be large enough to allow the roast and ground coffee room to expand and float while water is building up in the brew chamber in order to achieve sufficient coffee/water contact, i.e., to achieve a steady state brewing condition. This helps to prevent channeling of the water through the filter pack without sufficient coffee/water contact. Minimizing channeling is important, since channeling of the hot water directly through the brew chamber without sufficient coffee contact results in poor and inconsistent coffee flavor solids extraction.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coffee filter pack which overcomes many of the problems associated with the prior art brewing systems which employ bulk coffee and discrete paper filters, which approximates the extraction efficiency of systems employing bulk coffee and discrete paper filters, which provides reasonably consistent pot-to-pot brew strength without the need for premeasured unitized pouches of roast and ground coffee and which avoids the pot-to-pot brew strength inconsistency typically associated with prior art filter packs.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a coffee filter pack which is relatively insensitive to operator placement within the filter holder of the coffee machine, which includes a substantially impermeable vertically oriented, conformable side wall, which is made almost entirely of relatively inexpensive flexible material, such as ordinary filter paper, and which can be used with a wide range of existing coffee filter holders without any need to modify them.


A target signal analyzer having at least one receiving antenna configured to receive the target signal, and a parallel array of oscillator rings. Each oscillator ring is operatively coupled to receive the target signal from the receiving antenna. Each oscillator ring has an odd number of at least three bistable, nonlinear oscillators circularly coupled to each other such that only one-way signal flow is allowed between the oscillators in each oscillator ring. Each of the oscillator rings is configured to oscillate and thereby produce a response signal only when the target signal frequency is within a designated frequency band. For every designated frequency band in a spectrum of interest, at least one of the oscillator rings is configured to produce a response signal.

Traditionally, detection and/or quantification of a target signal has been performed by linear, frequency-sensitive signal analyzers. These linear signal analyzers typically utilize high-speed analog-to digital converters (ADCs) to directly digitize an incoming signal. The signal is then processed using dedicated digital signal processing hardware. However, due to speed and accuracy limitations, many ADCs are required to digitize 'chunks' of the spectrum in parallel. As a result, existing target signal analyzers tend to be large and power-hungry. There is a need for a more compact, lightweight, and power efficient target signal analyzer.

Wideband nonlinear “channelizer” for rapid processing of static and time-varying signals

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A pneumatic transport system including a user terminal at a service provider station having a movable member operably connected with a flexible drive member. The drive member moves within at least one side rail to vertically displace the movable member to permit access to a carrier at the user terminal. The user terminal includes control mechanisms on opposite sides of a base to enable two users to operate and access the carrier at the user terminal.

Pneumatic tube transfer systems may be used to carry out transactions. Such systems may be used to conduct transactions between a service provider and customers at remote locations. Such systems may be used in drive-through banking applications as well as in other transaction environments.
Pneumatic tube systems provide a fast and convenient way of handling customer transactions. In a typical pneumatic tube system, a customer station is positioned at a distant location from the service provider station in a bank or other institution. A teller or other service provider is positioned at a service provider station located within the bank. A pneumatic carrier is employed and moved through a tube by differential air pressure to send cash, checks, or other items that may be housed in the carrier between the service provider and the customer. The carrier is accessed by the customer at a remote terminal. The carrier is accessed by the service provider at a service provider terminal.
Service provider terminals are often arranged so that only a single teller or other service provider at a time may readily access a carrier at a service provider terminal. This can present drawbacks in use of the same terminal by multiple service providers. This can also limit options for configurations of service provider areas and limit efficiency. Service provider terminals may also benefit from improvements in construction and methods of operation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Pneumatic tube system terminal and method


Methods and apparatuses for archiving data processed by digital sender and other like devices are provided. By way of example, a removable data storage media device can be added to a digital sender device. Then the digital sender device will be able to optically scan an object to form corresponding scanned object data, provide recipient address data, generate an outgoing message data using the recipient address data, output the message data, and also store the message data using the removable data storage device.

Electronic messaging, such as, sending and receiving electronic mail (e-mail) continues to grow in popularity. There is growing list of devices that can be used to send and/or receive e-mail. It is not uncommon, for example, to find e-mail being exchanged between users of personal computers (PCs) and users of mobile telephones/pagers.
A more recent development has been the introduction of devices sometimes referred to as digital senders and/or multiple function peripherals. Digital sender devices basically allow users to send e-mail to one or more other users by entering the other user(s) e-mail addresses and/or selecting a defined list of recipients. The user then scans one or more documents using the digital sender device. The digital sender then forwards a digital representation of the scanned documents to the listed recipients over an interconnecting network.
Digital sender devices such as this are useful, for example, in offices, conference rooms, business centers, home offices, schools, and the other like settings where it would be beneficial to enable users to quickly send e-mails without requiring a more extensive computing arrangement. Digital senders can be especially useful to visitors that may not have the ability to access local computing networks, etc.
Multiple function peripheral devices often include the capabilities of digital sender devices along with other features, such as, for example, printing.
Users of conventional digital sender devices, multiple function devices, and other like devices/appliances would likely find it beneficial to be able to archive at least a portion of the data that is processed and/or sent by the device. Consequently, there is a need for improved methods and apparatuses that can provide such a capability.

Methods and apparatuses for archiving data processed by a digital sender device


Implementations relate to systems and methods for location assistance using devices (104) in a personal area network (PAN). In one scenario, a user may use two separate location-enabled devices, such as a wearable personal device (102) and a cellular telephone device (104). In cases, one of those devices may have reached a higher or farther-developed state in terms of generating or storing location information (108) for the user's current position, as compared to the opposite device. This can take place, for instance, when the first (e.g. wearable) device (102) is first turned on. The two devices use platforms and techniques to exchange location information and carry out GPS or other operations to furnish the device that is lagging in position processing progress with assistance which will speed up or otherwise enhance the position fix for that device.

In the field of personal electronic devices, certain recreational devices and services capture and present a user's geographic position using a GNSS receiver. As one example, a sports watch or other wearable device may contain, for instance, a Global Positioning System (GPS) chip or module to allow that device to receive signals from GPS satellites, go through the necessary computation of ephemeris and other data, and produce a GPS position "fix," or precise location reading, often including geocoordinates (latitude, longitude, and optionally altitude) and direction of travel.
When a sports watch or other personal device with a GNSS receiver has first been turned on, or has recently started receiving usable GPS signals (e.g., after being obscured by trees or buildings), the GPS receiver needs a certain amount of time to re-start and begin taking position fixes. That start-up delay can be on the order of several minutes. During that start-up period, the device will typically consume a significant amount of battery power, because a significant amount of radio frequency reception and position computation activity must take place.
In those scenarios and others, a GPS or other GNSS-equipped personal device could benefit by tapping the already-generated location information of a nearby device, if that nearby device is GNSS-equipped and is located in range of a wireless connection to the personal device.

Systems and methods for location assistance with personal area network devices


A stacked memory device may include a substrate, a plurality of memory layers stacked on and above the substrate and divided into a plurality of groups, a plurality of inter-decoders electrically connected to and disposed between the plurality of memory layers in a corresponding one of the plurality of groups, and at least one pre-decoder electrically connected to the plurality of inter-decoders and disposed between the plurality of inter-decoders. A stacked memory device may include a substrate, a plurality of memory layers stacked on and above the substrate and divided into a plurality of groups, a plurality of inter-drivers electrically connected to and disposed between the plurality of memory layers in a corresponding one of the plurality of groups, and at least one pre-driver electrically connected to the plurality of inter-drivers, and disposed between the plurality of inter-drivers.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to semiconductor devices. Also, example embodiments relate to stacked memory devices having multi-layer structures.
2. Description of the Related Art
There may be a demand for semiconductor products that are small and, simultaneously, process large amounts of data. Thus, it may be necessary to increase integration of non-volatile memory devices used in semiconductor products. In this regard, there may be consideration for a memory device having a multi-layer structure formed by stacking memory layers in a three-dimensional (3D) manner.
However, there may be limits in increasing the integration since it is not easy to dispose circuits in such a way as to support operation of memory devices having a multi-layer structure.

Stacked memory device including a pre-decoder/pre-driver sandwiched between a plurality of inter-decoders/inter-drivers


The invention refers to a comfort nipple for delivering medicine to a baby and for pacifying a baby in times of distress. The comfort nipple includes a hollow nipple having a barrel-shaped receptacle for holding a dosage of medicine. A shank is used to advance a plunger through the receptacle to deliver a dosage of medicine into the baby's mouth. The plunger may be removed and a stopper may be put in its place to prevent medicine from escaping the receptacle.

Based on clinical studies, it has been reported that babies would develop furor and fear soon after birth or in the first few years after birth because of leaving the cozy womb to a strange and muddling environment. Once in a while, they become agitated and too sensitive. Therefore, their parents have to be extremely patient and indulgent to calm them down. Many parents provide their annoying babies with 10 comfort nipples to make them appeased. There is no doubt that the comfort nipple plays a significant role in comforting babies. In addition, to feed babies medicines always is a nightmare for most parents.
To solve these troubles the bi-functional comfort nipple is invented. With its simple configuration, the invention performs two functions as a comfort nipple and medicine feeder.
The bi-functional comfort nipple is composed of a nipple and a shank. A precise scale is set on the surface of the nipple. In the front of the shank is a plunger well fit to the cross section of the hollow barrel in the inside of the nipple. Moving the shank along the scale can push precise dosage of medicine from the barrel into the baby's mouth. The shank can always be kept in its position as a part of the comfort nipple and would not disturb the baby.


A bulk charge modulated MOSFET for sensing light comprising a semiconductor substrate with a gate region of a first conductivity type formed in the substrate. The gate region forms a potential well for carriers of the first conductivity type. The well is formed at a substantial depth from the surface of the gate region. The carriers are formed responsive to incident light. The gate region collects the carriers generated at depths less than the well. A source region of a second conductivity type is formed in the semiconductor substrate laterally adjacent the gate region. The source region is operable to sense a change in threshold voltage of the MOSFET responsive to the collection of carriers by the gate region. A drain region of the second conductivity type is formed in the layer adjacent the gate region and spaced from the source. The drain region is connected to a voltage source. The voltage source is pulsed to create a large potential well that extends under the gate region from the source to the drain during charge integration period and a smaller potential well during readout period.

A bulk charge modulated device (BCMD) photocell is a device used in high performance image sensors for conversion of photon generated charge to an output signal. The photocell is a MOS phototransistor that has a potential well formed under the transistor channel. When the MOS phototransistor is illuminated, photogenerated charges are stored in the potential well. As charge accumulates in this potential well, the transistor threshold is modulated. This modulation is detected by a suitable signal processing circuit. The circuit is sensitive only to the threshold changes caused by light. This is important for elimination of random cell-to-cell fixed pattern noise otherwise induced by the fixed transistor threshold variations.


A method of distributing an electrically insulating liquefied gas mixture to high-voltage electrical equipment from a storage means containing an insulating gas mixture, including: heating the insulating gas mixture to a temperature such that the contents of the storage means are a homogeneous fluid; and withdrawing the insulating mixture resulting from step a) to fill high-voltage electrical equipment by raising the temperature of the mixture resulting from step a), wherein, during step b), a set value for regulation is applied at variable pressure, calculated in real time based on weighing the storage means, when the change in the set value of pressure is less than 0.2 bar per 1 kg/m3 of change in density, and then a set value for regulation is applied at constant temperature until the storage means is emptied of its content.

The present invention relates to a method of distributing a dielectric insulating liquefied gas mixture to high-voltage electrical equipment.
In the present description, the term "high-voltage electrical equipment" denotes both equipment for high-voltage distribution stations and high-voltage power transmission lines.
Gas-insulated high-voltage switchgear is known as metal-encapsulated switchgear or gas-insulated switchgear (GIS).
Gas-insulated high-voltage lines are known as gas-insulated lines (GIL). In the present description, the term "high-voltage" denotes a voltage greater than or equal to 12000 volts, of alternating or direct current.
In the present description, the term "storage means" denotes a closed container for storage of gases or gas mixtures. It applies both to a gas cylinder and a container.
One of the main technologies for insulation of electrical equipment is insulation by a dielectric gas or gas mixture confined under pressure around components and elements under voltage. This insulating gas or gas mixture provides the function of extinction of the arc resulting from circuit-breaking.
At present, the gas most often used in this type of equipment is sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). This gas in fact has a relatively high dielectric strength, good thermal conductivity and low dielectric loss. It is chemically inert and nontoxic to humans and animals and, after being dissociated by an electric arc, it recombines quickly and almost completely. Moreover, it is nonflammable and its price is still moderate. However, SF6 has the major drawback of having a global warming potential (GWP) of 22 200 (relative to CO2 over 100 years) and it remains in the atmosphere for 3200 years, which places it among the gases with a high greenhouse effect.
Therefore the Kyoto Protocol (1997) put SF6 on the list of gases whose emissions must be limited.
The best way of limiting emissions of SF6 is to limit the use of this gas, which has led manufacturers to look for alternatives to SF6. The so-called "simple" gases, such as air or nitrogen, which do not have a negative impact on the environment, have a much lower dielectric strength than SF6. Thus, for example, the dielectric strengths under AC voltage (50 Hz) of air and nitrogen are approximately three times lower than that of SF6.
Accordingly, the use of these simple gases for electrical insulation and/or electric arc extinction in electrical equipment involves dramatically increasing the volume and/or the filling pressure of said equipment, which runs counter to efforts made in recent decades for developing compact electrical equipment that is safe for personnel, and with smaller and smaller overall dimensions.
A technological breakthrough is beginning in the field of high-voltage equipment insulated with SF6 gas. Faced with environmental and regulatory constraints (Kyoto Protocol and COP21), the SF6 technology is being reworked to find replacement gas mixtures that have a reduced environmental impact.
A liquefied gas stored in a storage means is made up of two phases, liquid and gaseous, in equilibrium with one another. This equilibrium means that at a given temperature, a liquefied gas has a well-defined pressure and that this pressure varies as a function of the temperature, according to a relation, called the Clapeyron relation, the parameters of which are specific to each gas.
When the gas phase is withdrawn from a liquefied gas cylinder, part of the liquid must be vaporized so as to regenerate the gas phase as it is used, in order to maintain the equilibrium. The liquid therefore cools down owing to the energy used for passing from one phase to another.
To avoid these problems, it is necessary to supply the energy required for compensating this loss, if not enough energy is supplied, or not quickly enough, to gasify the liquid and thus regenerate the vapor phase, there will be a drop in temperature, flow rate and pressure.

Distribution of a dielectric gaseous mixture to a high-voltage apparatus

L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude


An apparatus and method for controlling an ultrasonic transducer preferably including a signal generator circuit, a signal sensing circuit, a modulator circuit, and a bias circuit. The signal generator circuit provides a pulsed drive signal to the ultrasonic transducer. The signal sensing circuit senses the voltage and current of the drive signal. The modulator circuit provides a frequency control signal and an energy control signal to the signal generator circuit corresponding to a detected phase difference between the sensed voltage and the sensed current of the drive signal. The frequency control signal and energy control signal operate to adjust the frequency and energy level, respectively, of the drive signal.. Within the transducer, a movable element in contact with a liquid is preferably positioned corresponding to the level of a dc bias signal provided by the bias circuit. By adjusting the level of the dc bias signal, the flow rate of the liquid is adjusted. By applying the drive signal to the transducer, the viscosity of the liquid is adjusted which establishes a second flow rate of the liquid. When the frequency and energy level of the drive signal are changed, a third flow rate of the liquid is established.

Ultrasonic energy has become a useful tool in solving a variety of problems in industrial and commercial applications. Examples of such applications include medical uses such as the imaging of body tissue or of the flow of blood, and signal processing uses such as narrowband filtering of electrical signals. Many of the new and inventive uses of ultrasonic energy require a greater degree of electronic feedback and control.
Feedback is needed to determine if the ultrasonic energy being generated and delivered to a transducer is at the correct frequency and energy level. Getting quick feedback on the ultrasonic energy being delivered is a problem when the electrical characteristics of the transducer, such as the resonant frequency, dynamically change. In order to maintain optimum energy transfer through the transducer, the ultrasonic energy driving the transducer needs to match these electrical characteristics. Quick control of the characteristics of the ultrasonic energy, such as frequency and energy level, is needed to react to feedback about less than optimum energy transfer. Furthermore, delivering energy to the transducer at the incorrect frequency can undesirably heat the transducer and be destructive to the transducer. Therefore, electronic systems providing such ultrasonic energy to excite an ultrasonic transducer need to be highly efficient, quick reacting, and provide near real-time feedback when less than optimum energy transfer conditions occur.
A particular use of ultrasonic energy is modifying the viscosity of a liquid, thereby modifying the flow rate of the liquid as it passes through an orifice by effecting the rheology of the liquid. This ultrasonic viscosity modification (UVM) is the subject of another U.S. patent application submitted on behalf of the present inventors and is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/477,689 filed on Jun. 7, 1995, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The UVM patent application describes a system whereby ultrasonic energy is applied to excite a liquid which results in an increase in the flow rate of the liquid. The increase in flow rate of the liquid after excitation with ultrasonic energy advantageously varies from 25 percent to 200 percent when compared to flow rates before excitation.
More specifically, the UVM patent application discloses a system and method for modifying the flow rate of a pressurized liquid, such as a molten thermoplastic polymer. As the pressurized liquid passes through an orifice and is shaped into threadlines or fibers, ultrasonic energy is applied to excite the pressurized liquid. By applying ultrasonic energy to the pressurized liquid, the viscosity of the pressurized liquid is changed in the vicinity of the orifice, thereby increasing the flow rate of the liquid.
The system disclosed in the UVM patent application includes a die housing with a chamber. The chamber is adapted to receive the pressurized liquid from an inlet of the die housing and to expel the pressurized liquid from an exit orifice. A mechanism for applying ultrasonic energy to the pressurized liquid (such as an ultrasonic horn) is located within the chamber. The ultrasonic horn is adapted to apply ultrasonic energy directly to the pressurized liquid within the chamber but not to the die housing. The die housing remains stationary. The application of ultrasonic energy to the liquid is accomplished via a vibrating mechanism in contact with the liquid and a waveguide coupled to the end of the vibrating mechanism (ultrasonic horn).
The system disclosed in the UVM patent application functions by supplying the pressurized liquid to the die housing, exciting the pressurized liquid in the vicinity of the exit orifice with ultrasonic energy without applying ultrasonic energy to the die housing itself, and passing the pressurized liquid out of the chamber through the exit orifice. Thus, the system changes the viscosity of the pressurized liquid by applying ultrasonic energy to the liquid which increases the flow rate of the liquid.
Referring again to the UVM patent application, an ultrasonic power converter and an analog power meter are used to provide a drive signal to a vibrating mechanism or transducer. The described ultrasonic power converter and the analog power meter (drive electronics) can (1) generate the correct alternating current (ac) frequency of the drive signal in order to match the transducer impedance, (2) deliver a specific energy level of the drive signal to the transducer, and (3) sense changes in the transducer's resonant frequency so that the frequency and energy level of the drive signal may be adjusted. It would be advantageous if such drive electronics for controlling the transducer provided highly efficient, quick reacting, near real-time control of the drive signal and near real-time feedback when less than optimum energy transfer conditions occur.
First, it would be advantageous to quickly track and correct for changes in a transducer's resonant frequency. It would be advantageous to do so because optimum energy transfer through the transducer can be maintained by supplying the drive signal at the transducer's resonant frequency. In general, ultrasonic transducers are used to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most transducers are reciprocal in that they will also convert the mechanical energy back into electrical energy. Typically, an ultrasonic transducer is manufactured for a specific resonant frequency due to physical dimensions. However, the resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer may shift in response to the changes in temperature and loading of the transducer. The shift in resonant frequency leads to electrical impedance matching problems and less than ideal energy transduction.
To solve these problems, certain systems drive ultrasonic transducers and correct for misalignment of the drive signal with respect to the changing resonant frequency of the transducer. For example, a Model 48A100 ultrasonic welding system designed and marketed by the Dukane Corporation, St. Charles, Ill. uses an oscillator to generate the drive signal applied to the transducer. The Model 48A100 system detects the power output delivered to the transducer, conditions the detected power signal, and correspondingly readjusts the frequency of the oscillator. In this manner, the system senses the shift in resonant frequency of the transducer and corrects for misalignment of the drive signal. However, the system is not capable of sensing the changing resonant frequency of the transducer within a period of the drive signal. Furthermore the system does not provide any operator feedback or telemetry signals corresponding to the rheological properties of the medium excited by the transducer.
It would also be advantageous to provide a smaller, more efficient electronic system for driving and controlling an ultrasonic transducer. Prior art electronic systems, such as in ultrasonic welding applications, use low efficiency designs implemented with large discrete linear power amplifiers. Typical energy transfer efficiencies for such prior electronic systems are approximately thirty percent. When the energy level needed to drive an ultrasonic transducer is large, efficiency in driving the ultrasonic transducer may become a concern for heat dissipation and energy conservation reasons. Thus, it is advantageous to drive and control an ultrasonic transducer using smaller, more energy efficient electronics that are less costly than prior art electronic systems.
Finally, it would be advantageous to precisely adjust the flow of liquid as the liquid flows through an orifice. The previously mentioned UVM patent application describes a fuel injector apparatus having a nozzle orifice and utilizing an ultrasonic transducer for injecting liquid fuel into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine. Ultrasonic energy is applied to the pressurized liquid fuel as it passes through the nozzle orifice to enhance the atomization of the liquid fuel and to facilitate deeper penetration into the engine cylinder before combustion occurs. As described, the application of ultrasonic energy acts as a flow adjustment on the flow of liquid fuel through the nozzle orifice. It would be advantageous to precisely control liquid flow in an injection orifice with an ultrasonic transducer to enhance internal combustion engine performance during cold starts and warm-up conditions. Furthermore, more control of fuel flow is desired in order to reduce pollution from unexpended fuel expelled from the engine cylinder. Thus, there is a need for an apparatus and method of using an ultrasonic transducer to provide more control of the flow rate of a liquid.
In summary, there is a need for an improved method and apparatus to drive an ultrasonic transducer so as to (1) quickly control the drive signal applied to the ultrasonic transducer, (2) provide useful and timely feedback about the resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer, (3) provide telemetry signals corresponding to the rheological properties of the medium in contact with the transducer, (4) drive and control the ultrasonic transducer with electronics that are smaller, weigh less, and cost less than prior electronic systems, and (5) provide more control of the flow rate of liquid using the ultrasonic transducer.

Apparatus and method for controlling an ultrasonic transducer