Methods and devices for selecting a handover parameter in a cellular network, wherein a delay of a handover procedure is typically measured and the handover parameter is generally set based on the result of the measuring step. Thereby, the system capacity may be maximized dynamically, depending on the system load and the physical configuration. An optimization of parameter and capacity thus becomes possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates generally to methods and devices for selecting handover parameters in cellular networks, such as, but not limited to, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System Radio Access Network (UTRAN).
2. Description of the Related Art
In cellular networks, handover is often a functionality that switches the user equipment (UE) from one cell to another for any of various reasons. One of the main reasons for handover is usually when another cell can provide a service with less power, in other words, less link budget. There are several parameters that generally control the handover decision making in a noisy multi-path channel. These parameters may be optimized, depending on various conditions, typically to maximize the network capacity and/or to enable auto configuration in the UTRAN. Usually, in the time division duplex (TDD) mode of the UTRAN, a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) handover procedure is performed as described, for example, in the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specification TR 25.922, v.0.5.0, "Radio Resource Management Strategies".
In many situations, the handover procedure includes of a set of parameters to be set. These parameters usually include, among others, a hysteresis value, typically in the active set update, and the length of an averaging window, usually for power measurements. These parameters often play an important role in adjusting the sensibility of handover, especially in the presence of fast channel variations and/or measurement errors. The added hysteresis normally prevents unnecessary and/or frequent handovers, also known as ping-ponging, that often disturbs quality of the connection, reduces the overall system capacity, and/or introduces unnecessary signaling load. Furthermore, measured received signal code power (RSCP) values generally are averaged over some time periods, usually in order to prevent handover that is typically due to short-term variations in the signal.
In many real networks, some delay is generally also involved in the handover execution. When, for example, a terminal device and/or user equipment (UE) according to the UTRAN terminology, triggers a handover report, which commonly means that the RSCP value of a candidate cell exceeds the RSCP value of the active cell by the hysteresis value, it typically takes some time before the handover report is delivered to the network device responsible for the handover operation, for example, a radio network controller (RNC). Furthermore, some delay is normally involved in the processing of a handover message, setting-up of a connection between the RNC and a serving base station, and/or Node B according to the UTRAN terminology, and/or allocation of radio resources for the UE in the new Node B. Further details concerning these measurements and related accuracy requirements can be gathered, for example, from the 3GPP specifications TS25.123, "Requirements for Support of Radio Resource Management (TDD)", and TS25.225, "Physical Layer Measurements".
Usually, the handover decision making is based on a comparison between an observed value and a predetermined threshold value, wherein the threshold value is typically chosen in a manner so as to maximize the system capacity under various conditions. However, the above handover delay commonly causes interference and switching back and forth generally causes additional interference, usually due to a prolonged connection to the old cell. Moreover, if the channel conditions are not favorable to sustain the connection in the new cell, correction of the improper handover decision is usually delayed and/or additional interference is often generated.

Parameter selection optimization for handover


An acousto-optic modulator having an ultrasonic medium for controlling light from a light source by diffracting the light and a transducer portion having electrodes for generating an acoustic wave in the ultrasonic medium, wherein the transducer portion includes two transducers each having an electrode. The AOM is provided with two electrodes by using two transducers, thereby facilitating impedance matching with a driver. The two transducers may be installed so that their polarization directions are opposite to each other, thereby obtaining maximum power transfer to the ultrasonic medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an acousto-optic modulator, and more particularly, to an acousto-optic modulator having two transducers for facilitating impedance matching.
2. Description of Background Art
Various display technologies have been developed to meet the increasing demand for multimedia applications. However, well known conventional devices such as cathode ray tubes (CRTs) or liquid crystal displays (CDs) have not provided satisfactory performance in large screen applications due to manufacturing difficulties and because of their poor resolution. Conventional large screen video projection devices suffer similar disadvantages because they also utilize CRTs or LCDs.
An alternative video system utilizes a laser projector for projecting video information directly onto a screen. The advantages of the laser projector in large screen applications include a large display area, high contrast, high light efficiency, minimal distortion and color errors, the ability to provide luminance and contrast irrespective of projection distance, and compatibility with large-screen HDTV (High Definition Television) format. Laser projectors generally employ either a xenon (Xe) lamp, a helium-neon (He-Ne) laser, an argon (Ar) laser or a krypton-argon (Kr-Ar) laser as a light source. Amongst these light sources, focus has been placed on the Kr-Ar laser for its ability to simplify the projection system.
In general, a laser projection system has a light generator, a light modulator, a video signal generator, a scanner and a screen. A beam generated by the laser generator is directed through the light modulator, which modulates the incident beam in accordance with a video signal supplied by the video signal generator. The modulator operates to load pixel information onto the beam. The modulated beam is scanned onto the screen by the scanner, thereby displaying a picture on the screen.
Generally, three types of light modulators are known for laser projection systems: an acousto-optic modulator (AOM), an electro-optic modulator (EOM), and an acoustooptic tunable filter (AOTF). Among them, the AOM is the most widely used, and the driving circuit thereof is simple. For large screen displays, the conventional light modulating system uses three AOMs in conjunction with a high power laser beam. The AOMs used in such systems generally have a structure that can provide sustained operation at high power.
A conventional AOM is shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional AOM has a transducer 12 for generating acoustic waves by an electrode 14 in one side of an ultrasonic medium 10. The transducer 12 is coupled to the ultrasonic medium 10 by an adhesion layer 13 having a silver (Ag) layer, and an electrode 14 made of gold (Au) is installed on the transducer 12. The transducer 12 is thus constructed in such a way that it is interposed between the electrode 14 and the adhesion layer 13 and serves as a capacitor.
An acoustic wave absorbing medium (not shown) is provided at the opposite side of the transducer 12 to prevent reflection of ultrasonic waves back through the medium 10. Laser light enters the ultrasonic medium 10 at surface 10A and is emitted from the medium at surface 10B. Surfaces 10A and 10B are optically abraded. Since the ultrasonic medium 10 has a large refractive index, much of the reflected laser light that enters through the light receiving surface 10A and is emitted through light emitting surface 10B is lost. Thus, a film that prevents laser light reflection is generally deposited on the light receiving and emitting surfaces 10A and 10B.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the electrode 14 of a transducer 12 of a conventional AOM. Referring to FIG. 2, the electrode 14 comprises a single element. Assuming that the length (1) of the electrode 14 is 10 mm and the average height thereof (h.sub.1 +h.sub.2)/2 is 0.55 mm, the sectional surface area (A) of the electrode 14 is 5.5 mm.sup.2.
To use the AOM together with a driver, an impedance matching operation must be performed. The goals of the impedance matching operation are to compensate for frequency mismatch resulting from a thickness error of a transducer so that the transducer will resonate at the driver frequency, and to optimize the transfer of RF power by matching the impedance of the driver and transducer.
As explained below, in the case where a conventional driver having a conventional driver impedance (R.sub.s) of 50 .OMEGA. is used to drive an AOM at 150 MHZ, conventional AOMs are not able to match the 50 .OMEGA. driver impedance. As a result, conventional AOMs are not able to provide efficient transfer of RF power. Accordingly, there is a need for an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) for laser projection display systems that provides superior impedance matching.

Acoustic-optic modulator having two transducers


A system and method for authenticating users based on personal information. The personal information may include age-related data where the users are interested in receiving age-restricted content. The personal information may include an address and a permission request is sent to the address. Biometric information may also be associated with the personal information.

Many people are concerned about a child's ability to receive inappropriate content over the Internet. For example, many web sites display or sell pictures and videos that may not be distributed to minors. Other web sites carry content that, although it may be legally displayed to minors, would still be considered objectionable to many parents.
To prevent unauthorized access, many web site providers have instituted individual mechanisms to ensure that its web site visitors are of a proper age. For example, many web sites request credit card and birth date information to verify the age of the end user. However, the lack of consistency among such web sites has disadvantaged both content providers and consumers alike. To the extent the web sites request the same information, users find themselves keying in the same information over and over again. To the extent the web sites request different information, the user is plagued with remembering which site requires a particular item of information or deciding whether to disclose such information.
Moreover, most of these sites are only interested in the visitor's age and are not concerned with whether a parent would or would not give their children permission to visit the site.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system which controls access to web sites by minors, promotes consistency without requiring entry of repetitive information, and which allows parents to participate in the process.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for user information verification


A device for sharpening band saw blades while the blade is in place. A grinding disc is propelled toward and away from the saw blade to grind the teeth. While the disc is being retracted, the band is moved one tooth spacing and held there by an indexing device so that the next tooth is in position to be ground. Adjustments are provided to accommodate different spacing of the teeth in different bands. The power unit for the grinder may be a common drill motor.

This invention pertains to devices for sharpening the teeth on a band saw blade and more particularly to such a device which will sharpen those teeth without removing the band from the pulleys and without requiring manual movement of the blade.
Band saws are commonly used both by woodworkers and by meat cutters. The straight line movement of the blade through the material being cut combined with a relatively narrow blade makes possible a quick, relatively clean cut at the same time allowing for changes in direction of the cut so that curing cuts may be made if desired.
However, the narrow blade and its installation over two pulleys makes removal of the blade for sharpening inconvenient. It is possible to remove the band, clamp that band in a vise and file or grind the teeth. However, that procedure would require multiple resetting of the band in the vise until the entire saw had been sharpened, and it seems customary merely to replace the saw band rather than attempting to re-sharpen it.
By the present invention it becomes easy to resharpen the band saw blade. By simply mounting the new device on the saw table, the blade will be moved tooth by tooth past a grinder which will sharpen each tooth in turn until the entire blade has been ground. Simple removal of the sharpening device then leaves the saw ready for use.


A method and a system for audio communication between a plurality of users at a plurality of sites utilizes a set of audio input sensors at each site. Each set of audio input sensors binaurally senses an auditory space in proximity thereto. A metaphorical representation of each of the sites is provided. Each metaphorical representation has a position which is variable within a metaphorical space. The metaphorical representations can be based upon, for example, a physical metaphor, a visual metaphor, an auditory metaphor, or a textual metaphor. The auditory space sensed at each site is combined to form at least one synthetic auditory space. The at least one synthetic auditory space is formed in dependence upon the position of each metaphorical representation within the metaphorical space. A binaurally perceivable auditory environment is produced at one or more sites based upon the at least one synthetic auditory space.

Teleconferencing systems allow people at different locations to meet and converse as if they were in the same room. For business applications, this is particularly beneficial in that it produces improved productivity and reduced travel time and cost. Teleconferencing systems are currently employed in such applications as business meetings, sales meetings, and technical information exchanges.
A generic teleconferencing apparatus provides a user with a corresponding bidirectional audio communication link with each of a plurality of external transceivers. The teleconferencing apparatus contains an audio output device, such as a speaker, capable of producing sound waves based upon audio signals received from the external transceivers. The teleconferencing apparatus further contains an audio input device, such as a microphone, capable of producing an audio signal from sound waves received thereby for transmission to the plurality of external transceivers.
Several teleconferencing systems are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,156 to Fabris et al. discloses an audio/video conferencing system which uses a touch sensitive screen for controlling video images generated from remotely-located cameras. U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,159 to Hayden et al. discloses an audio graphics conferencing arrangement which includes a computer interface for setting up and controlling interconnections. U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,872 to Pressman et al. discloses a teleconferencing system wherein a user at a station has control of selectively interconnecting with each other station.

Methods and systems for creating a spatial auditory environment in an audio conference system


In regenerative braking mode, an inverter converts, according to PWMC signal from a control unit, an AC voltage generated by a motor into a DC voltage to supply the converted DC voltage to an up-converter which down-converts the DC voltage to charge a DC power supply. The control unit receives voltage V2 from a voltage sensor to stop the up-converter if voltage V2 is higher than a predetermined value. The control unit further receives voltage Vf from a voltage sensor that is applied to a DC/DC converter and stops the up-converter if voltage Vf is higher than a predetermined value. Moreover, the control unit receives voltage V1 of the DC power supply from a voltage sensor to stop the up-converter if voltage V1 does not match voltage V2.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a load driver for driving a DC load connected to a DC power supply. The present invention further relates to a control method for driving the DC load connected to the DC power supply. Moreover, the present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which a program is recorded that allows a computer to execute the control for driving the DC load.
2. Description of the Background Art
Hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles are now attracting considerable attention as they help the environment. Some hybrid vehicles are now commercially available.
The hybrid vehicle includes, as its power source, a DC power supply, an inverter and a motor driven by the inverter in addition to a conventional engine. Specifically, the engine is driven to generate power while a DC voltage from the DC power supply is converted into AC voltage by the inverter to rotate the motor by the AC voltage and accordingly generate power. The power source of the electric vehicle is a DC power supply, an inverter and a motor driven by the inverter.
Such a hybrid vehicle or electric vehicle is designed for example to include a motor driver as shown in FIG. 16. Referring to FIG. 16, motor driver 600 includes a DC power supply B, system relays SR1 and SR2, a capacitor C, a bidirectional voltage converter 410, and an inverter 420. Bidirectional voltage converter 410 includes a reactor L, NPN transistors Q10 and Q11, and diodes D10 and D11. Reactor L has one end connected to a power supply line of DC power supply B and the other end connected to an intermediate point between NPN transistors Q10 and Q11, i.e., between the emitter of NPN transistor Q10 and the collector of NPN transistor Q11. NPN transistors Q10 and Q11 are connected in series between a power supply line and a ground line. NPN transistor Q10 has its collector connected to the power supply line of inverter 420 while NPN transistor Q11 has its emitter connected to the ground line. Between the emitter and collector of NPN transistors Q10 and Q11 each, corresponding one of diodes D10 and D11 is provided to flow current from the emitter to the collector.
DC power supply B supplies a DC voltage to capacitor C when system relays SR1 and SR2 are made on. Capacitor C smoothes the DC voltage from DC power supply B to supply the smoothed DC voltage to bidirectional voltage converter 410. Bidirectional voltage converter 410 is controlled by a control unit (not shown) to boost the DC voltage from capacitor C in response to a period during which NPN transistor Q11 is kept on. Converter 410 then supplies the boosted DC voltage to inverter 420. Bidirectional voltage converter 410 is also controlled by the control unit to down-convert a DC voltage converted by inverter 420 to charge DC power supply B in regenerative power generation by a motor M.
Inverter 420 receives the DC voltage from bidirectional voltage converter 410 via a smoothing capacitor (not shown) and converts the DC voltage into an AC voltage under control by a control unit (not shown) to drive motor M. Further, in regenerative power generation mode by motor M, inverter 420 receives an AC voltage from motor M and converts the AC voltage into a DC voltage under control by the control unit to supply the DC voltage to bidirectional voltage converter 410. Motor M is driven by inverter 420 to generate predetermined torque. In addition, motor M serves as a regenerative generator to supply the generated AC voltage to inverter 420.
DC/DC converter 430 is located between bidirectional voltage converter 410 and DC power supply B to be connected to DC power supply B and receives the DC voltage from DC power supply B. DC/DC converter 430 is used for auxiliary equipment of the vehicle and down-converts the DC voltage from DC power supply B and supplies the down-converted DC voltage to an inverter (not shown) driving an air conditioner (not shown) provided in the hybrid or electric vehicle.
In motor driver 600, DC power supply B supplies the DC voltage to capacitor C when system relays SR1 and SR2 are made on, and then capacitor C smoothes the DC voltage to supply the smoothed voltage to bidirectional voltage converter 410 and DC/DC converter 430. Bidirectional voltage converter 410 boosts the DC voltage in response to a period during which NPN transistor Q11 is kept on and supplies the boosted DC voltage to inverter 420 via the smoothing capacitor (not shown). Inverter 420 converts the DC voltage into the AC voltage to drive motor M. Motor M generates predetermined torque. On the other hand, DC/DC converter 430 down-converts the DC voltage from capacitor C to supply the down-converted voltage to the inverter which drives the air conditioner.
In regenerative braking of the hybrid or electric vehicle, motor M generates the AC voltage to be supplied to inverter 420. Inverter 420 converts the AC voltage from motor M into the DC voltage to be supplied to bidirectional voltage converter 410. Bidirectional voltage converter 410 down-converts the DC voltage from inverter 420 to charge DC power supply B. In this way, motor driver 600 boosts the DC voltage from DC power supply B to drive motor M, and motor driver 600 also charges DC power supply B with the voltage generated by motor M in regenerative braking.
Alternatively, a hybrid or electric vehicle is designed to include a motor driver as shown in FIG. 17. Referring to FIG. 17, motor driver 700 has the same configuration as that of motor driver 600 except that a DC/DC converter 440 of motor driver 700 is connected to the output of bidirectional voltage converter 410.
DC/DC converter 440 receives a voltage which is boosted by bidirectional voltage converter 410 and down-converts the boosted voltage to charge an auxiliary buttery 450 (with output voltage of 12 V for example) which supplies electric power to such a control circuit as an ECU (Electrical Control Unit). Regarding the configuration as shown in FIG. 17, even if any abnormal event of DC power supply B, fuse blowing or any abnormal event of system relays SR1 and SR2 for example occurs, DC/DC converter 440 is supplied with a DC voltage generated by motor M1 and converted by inverter 420. In other words, even if any abnormal event occurs in the circuitry between bidirectional voltage converter 410 and DC power supply B, auxiliary battery 450 for driving such a control circuit as ECU never becomes empty and thus the vehicle is prevented from being unable to move.
As for the conventional motor driver 600 in regenerative power generation, if DC power supply B is separated due to malfunction of system relays SR1 and SR2 or break, a voltage Vb appearing on the DC power supply B side of bidirectional voltage converter 410 increases resulting in a problem that an overvoltage is applied to DC/DC converter 430 which is a DC load.
In order to protect DC load system from the overvoltage, the withstand voltage of the DC load system should be enhanced which requires components with a high withstand voltage. Then, the overall cost cannot be reduced. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the overvoltage from being applied to the DC load system in regenerative power generation if the DC power supply B is separated due to any reason.
As for the conventional motor driver 700, DC/DC converter 440 is connected to the output of bidirectional voltage converter 410. Then, a high withstand voltage is required and accordingly, the requirements of the specification of components are considerably severe. A resultant problem is that the configuration of the circuitry becomes complicated which leads to difficulty in reduction of the cost and size.

Load driver and control method for safely driving DC load and computer-readable recording medium with program recorded thereon for allowing computer to execute the control


A biofunctionalized nanoelectromechanical device (BioNEMS) for sensing single-molecules in solution by measuring the variation in the mechanical displacement of the BioNEMS device during a binding event is provided. The biofunctionalized nanoelectromechanical device according to the invention generally comprises a nanomechanical mechanical resonator, a detector integral with the mechanical resonator for measuring the mechanical displacement of the resonator, and electronics connected to the detector for communicating the results to a user. A system of biofunctionalized nanoelectromechanical devices and a method for utilizing the biofunctionalized nanoelectromechanical device of the present invention are also provided.

The revolution in molecular biology provided by DNA cloning and sequencing techniques, X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy has offered unprecedented insights into the molecules that underlie the life process. However, in contrast to the dramatic rate of progress in sequencing and structural approaches, there remain major stumbling blocks in applying modern molecular knowledge fully, as many of the analytical techniques presently available remain remarkably similar to those used in the relatively early days of molecular biology and biochemistry.
For example, conventional gel electrophoresis and "blotting" techniques for determining the presence and amount of a given messenger RNA (mRNA) in a cell requires vast quantities of cells (˜109), and 2 days to complete. Even the most advanced DNA array chip techniques require ˜2×107 cells. Accordingly, advances in fields ranging from molecular medicine and basic cell biology to environmental toxicology are being hampered by the bottleneck generated by the sensitivity and speed of these conventional analytical techniques.
A growing literature of chemical force microscopy (CFM) has shown that a modified Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) can be tailored to measure the binding force of interactions ranging from single hydrogen bonds and single receptor-ligand interactions to single covalent bonds. For example, an early study showed the force required to break a single hydrogen bond to be on the order of 10 pN and subsequent work enabled the direct measurement of receptor/ligand interactions (˜50-250 pN) and DNA hybridization (˜65 pN-1.5 nN). CFM has also been utilized to study conformational changes such as the deformation of the polysaccharide dextran by an applied force and have elucidated the unfolding of the protein titan (˜100-300 pN). In addition to the above experiments performed with CFM, important advances have been made with optical tweezers. In particular, they have been used to study step-wise forces in biological motor motion and sub-pN polymer dynamics.
While the range of forces associated with many biochemical systems are well within the capability of AFM instrumentation to detect, there are severe limitations to the systems in which these devices can be used. For example, an AFM cantilever in solution does not have the temporal response characteristics needed to permit the binding and unbinding of biological ligands and their receptors to be followed reliably. Especially important are variation on the few μs timescale, characteristic of important classes of conformational changes in large biomolecules. High frequency response is also critical to following the stochastic nature of receptor ligand interaction. Most receptor-ligand pairs interact dynamically: binding, remaining engaged for times ranging from microseconds to seconds (depending on the exact receptor-ligand pair), and then releasing. The analysis of biomolecules is thus limited by both the vast quantities of materials required and the smearing in time inherent in even the most sensitive assays to date.
Perhaps even more significant is the substantial size of the equipment required for performing AFM/CFM, and the density limits imposed by optical detection of the probe motion. In addition, although the sensing mechanism is generally compact, even the so-called "lab on a chip" devices optical detectors are typically employed which require large, complicated support machinery, such as readers and sample preparation apparatus. These are not portable or easily reduced in size.
Third, optical tweezers employ diffraction-limited spots, hence the optical gradient forces generated are far too spatially-extended to permit direct manipulation of individual biomolecules under study. Instead, biofunctionalized dielectric beads typically having diameters in the range 0.1 to 1 μm, are used to adhere to the analytes. Accordingly, this technology is not readily scalable to nanometer dimensions or to large-scale integration.
Finally, all of the aforementioned techniques involve force sensors with active surface areas that are quite large compared to the molecular scale; hence it can be very difficult to achieve single-molecule sensing.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method for single molecule sensing in solution having higher sensitivity and temporal response with reduced overall size and active surface area.

Active NEMS arrays for biochemical analyses


A simulator for providing a user with a simulated burning log display having a generated flickering flame image. The flame image is generated by rotating a shaft with a helically wound light array such that the lights reflect off of a flame shaped mirror onto a partially transparent screen so as to give the impression to a viewer of flickering flames appearing on a front side of the screen and behind a non burning pile of logs.

The present invention is directed to a burning log simulator having a simulated flickering flame effect to be utilized as an insert into a conventional fireplace or as a stand alone unit.
Fire simulating devices are popular throughout the world. They can be used to simulate the flickering and glowing effects of a fire so as to give ambiance to a room. Alternatively, they can be used to generate heat in a room by a source other than the actual burning of wood, for example, an electrical heater. Yet further, both effects can be used simultaneously.
If a user has an existing wood burning fireplace, such a device as the invention can be used as an insert into the fireplace and thereby avoid the trouble, mess and danger associated with a wood fire. If there is no existing wood burning fireplace, the device may be constructed to wall mount to give the appearance of a fireplace or may be constructed as a stand alone structure with the appearance of a stove or the like.
The key aspect of such a fire simulating device is to provide a visual appearance of a burning wood fire with flame flickering. The prior art has developed many different types of complex mechanical structures for creating the flickering effect, such as metallic strips that reflect light and that are rotated on a belt with or without a fan to further cause motion in the strips and change the angle of reflectance.
The present invention was developed to provide a simple and effective structure for providing the flame flickering effect.


Supraparticle nanoassemblies are provided that comprise nanoparticle species and protein species, as well as methods for making such assemblies. A supraparticle may comprise a nanoparticle species with a first charge and an average particle size diameter of ≧about 1 nm to ≦about 100 nm. The supraparticle also comprises a protein species. The nanoparticle species and the protein species have the same charge and are assembled together without any intramolecular chemical bonding to form the supraparticle. The supraparticle may be a substantially round particle. In certain other aspects, a photoreactive supraparticle is provided, where the nanoparticle is reactive to energy or electromagnetic radiation, which in the presence of such energy or radiation enhances reactivity of the protein species in the supraparticle.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Various biological substances can be used in industrial and engineered applications. For example, certain proteins, such as enzymes, are biological catalysts that are frequently used to increase rates of chemical reactions by lowering the energy barrier for them to occur. Enzymes are powerful catalysts because they are highly specific to certain target compounds, operate at ambient temperatures and pressures, and are environmentally friendly. Use of enzymes decreases consumption of energy, while enzymes demonstrate a high degree of utility due to their speed of reaction, specificity for certain analytes, ability to be engineered and chemically modified, and environmentally and bio-friendly processes. Thus, enzymes are used in many industries including food processing, detergents and cleaning products, pulp and paper, textiles and leather, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, biotechnology, clinical diagnostics, wastewater treatment, fuel production, including bioethanol and biofuel production, and decontamination of chemical agents, by way of non-limiting example.
However, stabilization of proteins and, in particular enzymes, is important to guard against spontaneous loss of biological activity. A major impediment to widespread use of enzymes and other proteins or biological substances is an inability to sufficiently stabilize their tertiary structure in harsh environmental conditions. Many biological substances, including enzymes and proteins, are sensitive to extreme environmental conditions, such as heat or high temperatures, extreme pressure, extreme high or low pH, ionic strength, salinity, exposure to certain chemical agents or solvents, and the like. When proteins or enzymes are exposed to such harsh environmental conditions, the proteins can be easily denatured or rendered inactive by undergoing different denaturizing reactions, which entails loss of activity due to unfolding of the protein structure. As a result, use of proteins, like enzymes, for large-scale commercial use, especially for continuous use, is extremely limited. This sensitivity of biological substances, like proteins, represents a tremendous problem in chemical and biochemical industries. Thus, it would be desirable to develop methods for stabilizing proteins or enzymes to retain catalytic or other activity in various environments, including during manufacturing and production, storage, and use in various commercial or industrial applications.

Spontaneously formed terminal supraparticles having nanoparticles for protein stabilization

The Regents Of The University Of Michigan


A motor controller for an electric motor having a stator and a rotor. The motor controller includes a power input for receiving AC power from a power source; a control input for receiving a control signal from a control; and circuitry for switching power from the power source to the electric motor in response to the control signal. The circuitry is operable to: apply a braking waveform to the stator while the rotor is rotating; monitor a reactive power of the stator; detect an increase in the reactive power of the stator to determine the rotor has substantially stopped rotating; and remove the braking waveform from the stator in response to detecting the increase in the reactive power.

Electric motors commonly include a stationary component called a stator and a rotating component called a rotor. The rotor rotates within (or around) the stator when the motor is energized with a driving waveform. When the driving waveform is removed from the motor, the rotor may coast to a standstill over time due to the inertia of the rotor and anything coupled to the rotor.
In many motor applications, it is desirable to stop rotation of the rotor as soon as the driving waveform is removed from the motor. For example, in washing machine applications, it is desirable to stop rotation of the washing machine motor after a high speed spin cycle so that the washing machine may be unloaded or switched to a slower speed wash or rinse cycle.
Accordingly, various techniques have been developed for braking electric motors. One such technique uses brake pads, pulleys, and/or other friction braking systems. Unfortunately, friction brakes add cost to a motor and are therefore not desirable for low cost applications such as washing machines. Friction brakes also eventually wear out with use and require repair or replacement.
Thus, many motor applications employ electric braking systems rather than friction brakes. One type of electric braking system employs regenerative braking technology. Although such technology is effective and energy efficient, it is far too complicated and expensive for lower cost applications such as washing machine motors. Another type of electric braking system is DC injection braking in which a direct current (DC) voltage is applied to a motor's stator windings to brake the rotor. The DC voltage creates a stationary magnetic field which applies a static torque to the rotor. This slows and eventually halts rotation of the rotor. As long as the DC voltage remains on the stator windings, the rotor is held in position and resists rotation. DC injection braking is relatively simple, cost-effective, and maintenance free and is therefore a popular choice of braking for many motor applications; however, it has not been used effectively in some applications as described below.
It is also often desirable to determine when a motor's rotor has stopped rotating so the rotor can be driven in the opposite direction, at a different speed, etc. This can be accomplished with a motor shaft sensor such as a Hall effect sensor, but such sensors increase the cost and complexity of motors and are therefore not desirable for many lower cost applications such as washing machine motors.
Thus, sensorless techniques for determining motor speed have been developed. One type of sensorless speed detection employs various algorithms for estimating when a rotor stops based on measured electrical parameters. However, the measured electrical parameters, and thus the results of the algorithms, are less accurate when the motor is being braked with the above-described DC injection braking techniques. Thus, DC injection braking techniques generally require a motor shaft sensor.
Another sensorless technique to ensure a motor has stopped rotating is to simply have a time delay that must lapse after power is removed from the motor. A similar technique uses DC injection braking to slow the motor as described above and continues the DC injection until a time delay has lapsed. The first of these methods unfortunately wastes time between motor cycles because the time delay must account for the maximum possible coast time of a motor, and the second of these methods wastes energy and time because the DC injection braking must be maintained longer to account for the maximum possible breaking time even though the motor may in fact stop sooner.
The above section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.

Systems and methods for braking an electric motor


A display device such as a folder, binder or book includes transparent envelope pages and a support that deploys automatically when the covers of the display device are opened so that the display device can be supported on a horizontal surface by the lower edges of the covers and the deployed support. The deployment is caused by a tensioned elastic cord which also can be used to retain the covers in a closed position.

Many different kinds of portfolios, display binders, books, and folders exist, which hereinafter will be referred to generally as folders. Some well known types include three ring binders, spiral-bound notebooks and clasped folders. These are used to retain individual sheets, usually of paper, so that they can viewed as if they were bound in a book. Sometimes clear envelopes are included to retain and protect flat items for later display or study. These retained items typically include warranties, magazine clippings, reports and graphs, certificates, legal documents, photographs and negatives, collectible stamps and any other flat items including pressed flowers or other organic samples, where clear, usually plastic, envelopes can provide safe storage and display. When relatively bulky items are to be stored and displayed, it is desirable to provide some sort of positive closure so that the display pages are protected by the relatively stiff outer binding.
When viewing what is stored within such a folder, it is troublesome to find which of the pages include what material. Therefore, some folders, especially of the three ring type include index pages, usually of a relatively stiff material that have a tab that sticks out which when inserted between pages can indicate what is in the next section of the folder.
It is desirable that means be provided with the folder or attachable to the folder so that the folder can be propped up near vertical on a horizontal surface allowing display of the materials there within to a group or causal passers by.
The present invention includes a display folder with plurality of transparent display envelopes. It is preferable that the envelopes include an edge portion connected to the cover of the folder, a bottom side usually completely closed or sealed, an open top which may have a protective flap and an outer side with a plurality of slits formed therein. The slits may be an odd or even number, but when the slits are greater than four in number, even numbers of slits are preferred as such minimize the number of different index card that need be furnished. These index cards are formed to fit snugly within the envelopes, but have at least one cutaway inner corner on the opposite side from their tab to make insertion of the index card into an envelope easy. The index cards include index tabs positioned on a side edge to slip through a slit to provide an index tab for the envelope. When three silts are used in the various envelopes, pluralities of two or three separately formed index cards are provided, usually in the back of the folder when it is sold where multiple index cards can be stored in the back envelope. When four slits are provided in each envelope, pluralities of two different index cards can be formed for insertion through the slits while when six slits are provided in each envelope, pluralities of three different index cards can be formed for insertion through the slits.
As part of the outer cover of the folder, a relatively stiff outer spine reinforcement is include having an elastic cord connected near its top and bottom so that the cord can be looped around the folder spaced from the spine to retain the folder in a closed position. The upper portion of reinforcement may be permanently attached at the spine and slidably retained to the opposite covers by double buttons and slots whereas the lower portion, beneath a fold is retained by flexible ribbons. When the covers are moved apart, the elastic cord forces the lower portion outwardly until further motion is restrained by the ribbons to form a support for the folder. Thus the support automatically deploys when the folder is opened.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a light and economical indexed folder with an automatically deploying support for display of materials, which increases the utility of the folder, especially those equipped with transparent envelopes for the display of information on sheets that need to be indexed directly and held flat.
Another object is to provide a versatile display system for a folder or binder where the elastic cord for deploying the support also acts to retain the folder is a secure closed position.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the following detailed specification and drawings wherein:

Presentation device with automatic extending support


An electrical assembly includes an electrical device such as a lighting device, and a support member and a control device such as a motion detector for actuating the electrical device and coupled to the support member. In one embodiment, the control device is connect to a mounting arm that is mounted to the support member in a manner that the mounting arm is rotationally and axially adjustable with respect to the support member so that the control device is rotationally and axially adjustable with respect to the electrical device. In one embodiment, the electrical device is connected to and supported by the support member. The position of the control member can be adjusted to any selected position in a path orbiting a central axis of the electrical device and can be adjusted in an axial direction with respect the axis of the electrical device. The control device is also pivotally connected to the support arm to enable positioning of the control device with respect to the support arm.

Electrical assemblies and in particularly lighting assemblies are commonly used in conjunction with motion detectors or light sensing devices to actuate the lighting assembly. These lighting assemblies are commonly used in areas to turn on a light for a predetermined period of time and then turn off the light automatically to reduce energy consumption.
Infrared motion detectors are known and commonly used to turn on a light when a person or motor vehicle enters a selected area. The devices are commonly used for outdoor lighting in residential or commercial areas to illuminate an area as a person or object approaches the designated area. Such devices are commonly used in conjunction with security systems to actuate the light when an unauthorized person enters a designated area. The infrared motion detector functions by sensing heat from the person in the form of infrared radiation as the person enters and moves about in the field of view of the detector. The motion detector detects a selected heat impulse characteristic of the moving person and produces an electrical signal to activate the lighting assembly. Motion detectors typically have a timer to keep the lighting assembly on for a predetermined period of time after the motion has been detected. The lighting assembly is then automatically turned off at the end of the predetermined period of time until motion is again detected by the motion detector.
Lighting devices that include a motion detector commonly include a base that can be mounted to a wall or ceiling. The assembly includes one or more lighting members that are mounted to the base. The lighting assembly often includes a pivoting or swivel coupling to orient the light beam in the desired location. The motion detector is also mounted to the base by a pivoting coupling so that the motion detector can be positioned to orient the field of view in the desired location. Examples of this type of lighting device are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,761 to Sandell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,899 to Chen and U.S. Pat. No. 6,791,200 to Lenz.
A disadvantage of many of the lighting assemblies that use infrared motion detectors is that the heat generated from the light source can produce a false indicator. This commonly occurs when the lamp or the base supporting the lamp fall within the field of view of the motion detector. Heat generated from the lamp after the lamp has been turned off can give a false indication and reactivate the motion detector. To avoid this problem, some manufacturers have provided a timer that prevents the motion detector from actuating the lamp within a predetermined period of time after the lamp has been turned off. This allows the lamp a period of time to cool down to prevent heat from the lamp activating the motion detector. Depending on the size of the lamp and heat generated, the length of time that the motion detector is deactivated can provide an unacceptable deactivation time period.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need in the industry for improved electrical assemblies having a control device such as motion detectors.

Adjustable support for an electrical assembly


A travel reporter system is used to report abnormal travel events. In use, a sensor mounted on a vehicle obtains real-time data about an object near the vehicle. The object has an object type which is identified by processing the real-time data with an object recognition subsystem of the travel reporter system. An event evaluation subsystem of the travel reporter system processes the real-time data and the object type in order to determine that the object is associated with an abnormal travel event. The abnormal travel event has an event type which is processed by an event notification subsystem of the travel reporter system in order to select a first information consumer type. The event notification subsystem reports the abnormal travel event to information consumers having the first information consumer type.

The present disclosure relates to data processing, and more specifically, to detecting and reporting abnormal travel events with a travel reporter system.
Stationary pole-mounted video cameras are commonly used to monitor roadways in certain cities. When an accident or other adverse event occurs, it may be possible to obtain video footage of the event in order to analyze the causes of the event. Furthermore, these video cameras may be useful for monitoring traffic conditions and, when necessary, determining where traffic should be rerouted. On the other hand, in some situations, there may not be enough cameras or other sensors to provide adequate roadway monitoring and updates.

Vehicle-based abnormal travel event detecting and reporting

International Business Machines Corporation


A handheld archery release includes a handle having hinged first and second members and a longitudinal axis. The second member, which is connected with the first member via a pivot pin having an axis normal to the handle longitudinal axis, is rotated relative to the first member to operate the release. An adjustable sear assembly is connected with the first member and is operable between hold and fire positions by rotation of the second member to hold and release a bowstring, respectively.

The present invention relates to an archery release, and more particularly to a handheld archery release for a bowstring suitable for use with multiple shooting styles.
Release devices are used in archery to assist the archer in pulling a bowstring to a fully drawn position and then releasing the bowstring to fire an arrow. Some release devices use grippers for engaging the bowstring or a hock mounted on the bowstring. Other release devices use a rope looped about the bowstring. Still other devices use back tension which eliminates the torque in looped rope releases. The present invention relates to a new handheld release which can be used in hinge style back tension, relax through the shot, constant motion, and increase pressure shooting methods.


A shovel assembly having a shovel head and a handle shaft. The handle shaft has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the handle shaft propagates along a longitudinal axis. A pivot joint is interposed between the shovel head and the handle shaft. The pivot joint selectively enables the shovel head to rotate about the longitudinal axis. The pivot joint is configurable into three distinct conditions. In a first condition, the pivot joint rigidly couples the shovel head to the handle shaft. In a second condition, the pivot joint enables the shovel head to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the handle shaft in a first direction. Lastly, in a third condition, the pivot joint enables the shovel head to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the handel shaft in a second direction. A manual control is provided on the shovel for selectively configuring the pivot joint between the first condition, the second condition and the third condition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shovels and the structure of shovel heads. More specifically, the present invention relates to shovels where the heads of the shovels can be selectively moved relative the handle of the shovel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shovels come in many different shapes and styles. However, most every shovel has both a head and handle shaft that extends from the head. The shape of the shovel head and the handle shaft varies widely depending upon the intended use of the shovel. For example, snow shovels typically have large heads and short handles, which is ideal for shoveling snow. Digging shovels typically have spade shaped heads and long handles which is ideal for digging earth from the ground.
Regardless of the shape of the shovel, the manual act of shoveling remains basically the same. The head of the shovel is plunged into a material to be moved, such as snow, dirt, gravel, etc. An amount of material is then lifted up on the head of the shovel by manipulating the handle shaft. The person then turns and moves the head of the shovel to a discharging point wherein the shovel head is tilted and the material unloaded. The manual act of shoveling uses many different muscle groups in the arms, shoulders, backs and legs. The act of turning the shovel to the discharging point and twisting the shovel to unload the shovel head is particularly stressful to the back and arms of the person shoveling. As a result, people commonly strain muscles in their backs and arms when they do shovel.
Shovels typically have a straight handle shaft that is rigidly affixed to the head of the shovel. However, in the prior art, shovels have been developed where the head of the shovel can be selectively moved in relation to the position of the handle. Such prior art shovels are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 813,983 to Luney, entitled Snow Shovel; U.S. Pat. No. 2,221,219 to Nelson, entitled Adjustable Shovel; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,828 to Simpson, entitled Manual Snow Removal Tool. The primary use of such shovels is to angle the head of the shovel so that the shovel pushes material off to one side when the shovel is advanced along the ground like a plow. Although such prior art shovels have angled heads, the manual act of shovelling remains the same. Consequently, such prior art shovels do not alleviate the stresses to the muscles of the arms and back that are caused during the act of shoveling.
Although most shovels have straight handle shafts, some prior art shovels have contoured shafts that are configured to be more ergonomically efficient. By improving the ergonomics of the shovel handle shaft, the stresses experienced by the muscles in the arms and legs are decreased. Such prior art ergonomic shovel handle shafts are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,094 to Bohler, entitled Slidably Adjustable Auxiliary Lift Handle.
Although prior art shovels have been designed with shafts that better help a person grasp and manipulate the shovel, the prior art still has not addressed the problem of alleviating muscle stress caused by a persons' body twisting when shoveling. A need therefore exists in the art for a shovel that reduces the amount of twisting required in the act of shoveling, thereby reducing the number of injuries caused by twisting when shoveling. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.


Described is a bandpass filter comprising a multi-layered body, a first resonator conductor formed on a first layer of the body and a second resonator conductor formed on a second, tower layer of the body. The first resonator conductor and the second resonator conductor comprise a first coupling area formed by only a partial overlap of the first resonator conductor and the second resonator conductor. A length of each said resonator conductor is in the range of λg/3 to λg/5, where λg. is a center wavelength of the bandpass filter passband.

5G communication applications use millimeter-wave frequencies to enable large quantities of spectrum to fulfil a data rate as much as 1000 times higher than 4G communication applications. Massive Multi-input Multi-output (MIMO) techniques are used to extend the coverage and increase frequency spectrum efficiency. In millimeter-wave massive NEMO devices and apparatuses, one antenna typically corresponds to one or two filters. As the number of antennas in the system increases, the number of the filters required increases proportionally. Therefore, the size of a bandpass filter is critical for any practical 5G products having a large number of antennas.
A radio frequency (RF) electronic component such as a filter is designed to pass frequency in a certain range and reject frequencies outside said range. Nowadays, RF front-end technology is developing towards integration which requires compact arrangement of components so there is a considerable desire for increased miniaturization of components and devices. To mitigate the effects of electromagnetic radiation leaking to the surroundings, some bandpass filters are configured so that the plurality of the filter resonators are surrounded by a shield. Filters should at least be designed with a good shielding effect, among other things.
U.S. Ser. No. 10/432,161B2 describes a chip-type multistage filter with each resonator conductor on the same layer.
U.S. Ser. No. 10/749,234B2, U.S. Ser. No. 10/784,551B, US2020/0106148A1 and US2020/0303798A1 each describes a bandpass filter using half-wavelength resonators.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,674,791B describes a signal transmission device having resonators provided on spaced-apart substrates.
CN112242597A describes a band-pass filter based on a multi-layer PCB structure with fully over-lapping resonator conductors.
What is desired is an improved passband filter which preferably provides high performance including low insertion loss, compact size, and good shielding.

Hong Kong Applied Science And Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd


A friction pad includes a flat back plate, a friction member fixed to one surface of the back plate, a shim in the form of a thin plate attached to the other surface of the back plate, and a viscous fluid applied between the back plate and the shim. The shim is formed with semi-circular notches in the outer edge and inner edge thereof with respect to the radial direction of the disc, and the notch in the outer edge and the notch in the inner edge have the same curvature.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a friction pad for a disc brake to be used in a braking system of vehicles, such as automobiles, for example.
2. Prior Art
A disc brake usually includes a shim disposed between a pawl portion in a caliper and a pad and between a piston in the caliper and a pad, for the purpose of restricting noise in such a disc brake. The shim comprises a sheet attached to a back plate for the pads.
The shim is formed by blanking a continuous length of a web member. In order to facilitate feeding or advancement of the web member during manufacture of the shim, the web member is formed with pilot holes to accommodate feed pawls therein. Conventionally, such pilot holes are formed in the area of the web member from which the shim is formed. As will be explained in detail below, a viscous fluid substance, such as grease, may be interposed between the shim and a friction pad on which the shim is mounted, for the purpose of restricting noise in the disc brake. In such a case, a problem has been experienced in that the fluid leaks or flows through such pilot holes, when the pilot holes in the shim are disposed at or adjacent to the viscous fluid.
In order to avoid the above problem, the pilot holes are conventionally formed in a portion outside the area of the web corresponding to the shim, so that such portion including the pilot holes may be subsequently removed from the shim. It is noted, however, that such work disadvantageously requires an increased number of fabrication stages, as well as increased unnecessary or waste material.

Friction pad with shim for use in disc brake


In an apparatus at a spinning preparation machine, especially a carding machine, opener, cleaner or the like, an axle, a bearing or the like is fixed in a stationary mounting element by a fastening element. In order to allow, in simple manner, precise adjustment of the axle, the bearing or the like in an axial direction and especially to allow displacement by a small amount, the fastening element is arranged between the curved surface of a body, for example, an axle, bearing or the like, and an internal surface of the mounting element, and is capable of fixing the body by a clamping force and, without the clamping force, is capable of allowing the axle, the bearing or the like to move.

The invention relates to an apparatus at a spinning preparation machine, especially a carding machine, opener, cleaner or the like, wherein an axle, a bearing or the like is fixed in a stationary mounting element by a fastening element.
In a known apparatus, a bearing for the shaft of a take-off roller at a carding machine is arranged within the mounting element. In the wall of the mounting element there is a through-hole having an internal thread, which is in engagement with the external thread of a threaded pin. In its curved surface, the housing of the bearing has a recess, into which the head region of the threaded pin extends, thereby securing the bearing against displacement and rotation. In the event of repeated axial displacement of the bearing and re-tightening of the threaded pin, the head region leaves undesirable indentations in the surface of the bearing which, especially when located close by to one another, impair precise adjustment of the bearing in an axial direction.
It is an aim of the invention to provide an apparatus of the kind described at the beginning which avoids or mitigates the mentioned disadvantages and which especially allows, in simple manner, precise adjustment of the axle, the bearing or the like in an axial direction and especially allows displacement by a small amount.

Apparatus at a spinning preparation machine, especially a carding machine, opener, cleaner or the like


The present invention provides a curable adhesive composition comprising at least one curable silylated polymer and at least one curing catalyst obtained by reaction of a metal alkoxide and an oxime. The present invention also provides the use of a metal compound obtained by reaction of a metal alkoxide and an oxime as curing catalyst for silylated polymers.

Silylated polymers can be used in various types of applications, for example in adhesive compositions useful for all types of bonding such as the bonding of surface coatings, or useful for forming a waterproofing membrane or for producing self-adhesive items.
Silylated polymers can be cured even at room temperature by reaction of the reactive silylated group with moisture in the air. To accelerate curing, a curing catalyst can be added to the silylated polymer.
Generally, the curing catalyst used in silylated polymer adhesive compositions is a tin catalyst, such as dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL), dibutyltin diacetate or dibutyltin bis(acetylacetonate).
However, the toxicity of these tin catalysts is increasingly highlighted, leading manufacturers to avoid their use.
Tin-free catalysts, such as bismuth neodecanoate and zinc octoate, have been developed for curing silylated polymers. These tin-free catalysts are 2 to 3 times less efficient than tin catalysts. To obtain curing times equivalent to those obtained with tin catalysts, therefore, it will be necessary to use 2 to 3 times more bismuth neodecanoate or zinc octoate catalysts.
When used, the curing catalyst must control the curing kinetics of the silylated polymer, but it must also remain stable before use, while the adhesive composition is being stored. Furthermore, for optimal use of the adhesive composition, said composition must not cure during storage and the catalyst must remain active to ensure its catalyst function when the adhesive composition is being applied, at the time the polymer cures, in the presence of atmospheric moisture.
US Patent Application 2013/0096252 discloses a composition comprising a silylated polymer and a tin-free amine or organometallic curing catalyst. That document describes, among other things, titanium butoxide catalysts. An adhesive composition comprising a silylated polymer and a titanium butoxide catalyst is not stable. Indeed, the polymer cures, for example during storage, even before the adhesive composition is used.
US Patent Application 2009/275702 discloses a composition comprising a silylated polymer and a titanium curing catalyst. That document notably discloses a catalyst based on titanium and acetylacetonate. That type of catalyst leads to long curing times, in particular longer than the curing times achieved with the catalysts according to the invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,435 discloses a composition comprising a trialkoxysilylethylene-terminated polyorganosiloxane, a titanium catalyst and an alkoxysilane co-catalyst and optionally an oxime. Due to the presence of the alkoxysilane co-catalyst, said document U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,435 does not disclose the preparation of a catalyst, isolated beforehand, obtained by reaction of a metal alkoxide with an oxime as defined in the present invention.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a curable adhesive composition, free of tin, in particular alkyl tin, which has both a good stability, in particular during storage, and a satisfactory curing time.

Cross-linkable silylated polymer-based adhesive compositions

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)


A legged mobile robot gives up a normal walking motion and starts a tumbling motion when an excessively high external force or external moment is applied thereto and a behavior plan of a foot part thereof is disabled. At this time, the variation amount ΔS/Δt of the area S of a support polygon of the body per time t is minimized and the support polygon when the body drops onto a floor is maximized to distribute an impact which acts upon the body from the floor when the body drops onto the floor to the whole body to suppress the damage to the body to the minimum. Further, the legged mobile robot autonomously restores a standing up posture from an on-floor posture thereof such as a supine posture or a prone posture.

A mechanical apparatus which performs movements similar to motions of a human being using mechanical or magnetic actions is called "robot". It is said that the word "robot" originates from a word 'ROBOTA' (slave machine) of a Slavic language. Here in Japan, robots began to be popularized at the end of the nineteen sixties. Most of them, however, were industrial robots such as manipulators or transport robots intended for automation and unmanning of manufacturing works in a factory.
Recently, research and development regarding legged mobile robots such as pet type robots which copy body mechanisms and motions of animals that perform four-leg walking like a dog or a cat, or robots (humanoid robot) called "human-type" or "humanoid" robots which are designed by modeling body mechanisms and motions of animals which perform bipedal upright walking such as a human being have proceeded, and also expectation that they be placed into practical use is increasing.
The significance in research and development of legged mobile robots of bipedal locomotion type called human-like or humanoid robots can be grasped, for example, from the following two points of view.
One of them is a human scientific point of view. In particular, a mechanism of a natural motion of a human being beginning with walking can be clarified in an engineering sense through a process that a robot having a structure similar to the lower limbs and/or the upper limbs of a human being is produced and a controlling method for the robot is devised to simulate a walking motion of a human being. It is expected that results of such research can be fed back significantly to the progress in various other research fields which handle a movement mechanism of a human being such as the human engineering, rehabilitation engineering or sports engineering.
Another point is development of a robot for practical use which supports the life of a human being as a partner of the human being, that is, which supports human activities in dwelling environments and other various scenes in everyday life. It is necessary for a robot of the type just described to learn a method of adaptation to human beings having individually different identities and to environments while being taught by human beings in various phases of life environments of human beings. It is considered that, in this instance, if the robot is a "human type" robot, that is, if the robot has a same configuration or a same structure as that of the human being, then the robot functions effectively in smooth communication between a human being and the robot.
For example, in such a case that it is tried to actually teach to a robot a method of passing through a room while bypassing an obstacle which must be kept off, where the robot which is an object of teaching is a bipedal locomotion robot having a similar configuration to that of a user (operator), it is much easier for the user to teach the robot and also it is easier for the robot to learn than where the robot has a structure quite different from the user such as a crawler type robot or a four-legged robot (refer to, for example, TAKANISHI, "Control of a Bipedal locomotion Robot", the Kanto Branch of the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan <Koso>, No. 25, 1996 APRIL).
A great number of proposals have been made for a technique for posture control or stable walking relating to a robot of the type which performs legged movement by bipedal locomotion. The stable "walking" here can be defined as "traveling without tumbling through use of the legs".
Posture stabilization control of a robot is very important in order to prevent tumbling of a robot. This is because tumbling of a robot signifies interruption of a work being performed and considerable labor and time are required until the robot stands up uprightly from the tumbling state and resumes the work. Above all, there is the possibility that the tumbling may critically damage the robot body itself or also damage a substance with which the tumbling robot collides. Accordingly, in research and development of legged mobile robots, posture stabilization control upon walking or upon any other legged operation is considered one of the most significant technical subjects.
Upon walking of a robot, the gravity and the force of inertia and moments of them originating from the gravity and an acceleration generated by the walking movement act from the walking system of the robot upon the road surface. According to the "d'Alembert's principle", they are balanced with a floor reactive force and a floor reactive force moment as a reaction from the road surface to the walking system. As a consequence of mechanical inference, a point at which the pitch axis moment and the roll axis moment are zero, that is, a "ZMP (Zero Moment Point)", is present on or on the inner side of a side of a support polygon formed by landed points (contact points) of the soles and the road surface.
Most of proposals regarding posture stabilization control of legged mobile robots and prevention of tumbling upon walking uses the ZMP as a criterion for determination of the stability of walking. Production of a bipedal locomotion pattern based on the ZMP criterion is advantageous in that a sole landing point can be set in advance and it is easy to take a kinetic restriction condition of the sole according to a shape of the road surface into consideration. Further, to adopt the ZMP as a stability determination criterion does not signify to handle not a force but a trajectory as a target value on motion control, and therefore, it technically raises the feasibility. It is to be noted that a concept of the ZMP and application of the ZMP to a stability determination criterion for a walking robot are disclosed in Miomir Vukobratovi'c, "LEGGED LOCOMOTION ROBOTS" (Ichiro KATO et al., "Walking Robot and Artificial Feet", the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Ltd.).
Normally, a bipedal locomotion robot such as a humanoid robot is higher in the position of the center of gravity and narrower in the ZMP stable region upon walking than a four-legged walking robot. Accordingly, the problem of a posture variation caused by a variation of the road surface condition is significant particularly with a bipedal locomotion robot.
Several proposals are already available which use the ZMP as a posture stability determination criterion for a bipedal locomotion robot.
For example, a legged mobile robot disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-305579 performs stable walking by making a point on a floor at which a ZMP is zero coincide with a target value.
Meanwhile, another legged mobile robot disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-305581 is configured such that a ZMP is positioned in the inside of a supporting polyhedron (polygon) or, upon landing or upon taking off, the ZMP is positioned at a position having at least a predetermined margin from an end portion of the support polygon. In this instance, even if the legged mobile robot is subject to some disturbance, it has a margin for the ZMP by the predetermined distance, and the stability of the body upon walking is improved.
Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-305583 discloses that the walking speed of a legged mobile robot is controlled depending upon a ZMP target position. In particular, walking pattern data set in advance is used, and a leg part joint is driven so that a ZMP may coincide with a target position whereas a slope of the upper part of the body is detected and the discharging rate of the set walking pattern data is changed in response to the detection value. If the robot steps on an unknown concave or convex place and tilts forwardly, then the posture thereof can be restored by raising the discharging rate. Further, since the ZMP is controlled to the target position, there is no trouble even if the discharging rate is changed within a double support phase.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-305585 discloses that the landing position of a legged mobile robot is controlled in accordance with a ZMP target position. In particular, the legged mobile robot disclosed in the patent document mentioned detects a displacement between a ZMP target position and an actually measured position and drives one or both of the leg parts so that the displacement may be canceled. Or, the legged mobile robot detects a moment around a ZMP target position and drives the leg parts so that the moment may be reduced zero. The legged mobile robot thereby achieves stabilized walking.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-305586 discloses that a tilting posture of a legged mobile robot is controlled in accordance with a ZMP target position. In particular, a moment around a ZMP target position is detected, and if a moment appears, then the leg parts are driven so that the moment may be reduced to zero thereby to achieve stabilized walking.
Posture stabilization control of a robot which adopts a ZMP as a stability determination criterion basically resides in search for a point at which a moment is zero on or on the inner side of a side of a support polygon formed from landed points of the soles and the road surface.
As described hereinabove, for a legged mobile robot, possible much effort has been made to prevent the robot from tumbling during walking or during execution of some other motion pattern by taking such a countermeasure as to introduce a ZMP as a posture stabilization criterion.
Naturally, the state of tumbling of a robot signifies interruption of a work being performed by the robot and considerable labor and time are required until the robot stands up uprightly from the tumbling state and resumes the work. Further, there is the possibility that, above all, the tumbling may critically damage the robot body itself or also damage a substance with which the tumbling robot collides.
Although the possible best posture stabilization control is performed in order to prevent tumbling of a robot, the robot may still lose its stability in posture because of some defect in control, some unpredictable external factor (such as, for example, accidental collision with another substance, a road surface situation such as a projection or a depression on the floor, appearance of an obstacle or the like) to such a degree that it cannot be supported only with the movable legs thereof, resulting in tumbling.
Particularly in the case of a robot which performs bipedal legged traveling such as a human-type robot, since the position of the center of gravity is high and an uprightly standing stationary state itself of the robot is originally instable, the robot is likely to tumble. If the robot tumbles, then there is the possibility that critical damage may be applied to the robot itself or to the other party side with which the robot collides by the tumbling.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 11-48170 discloses a control apparatus for a legged mobile robot by which, when the legged mobile robot is in a situation wherein it seems to tumble, the damage which may be given to the robot by the tumbling or the damage to the other party side with which the robot may collide upon the tumbling can be reduced as far as possible.
However, the patent document merely proposes control by which the center of gravity of the robot when landing upon tumbling is merely lowered, but does not make such an argument that, in order to minimize the possible damage when the robot actually tumbles, in what manner the entire body including not only the leg parts but also the body and the arm parts should operate.
In the case of a legged mobile robot of the uprightly standing walking type, a posture which makes a reference when a movement of a body such as walking is taken into consideration is a standing posture in which the robot stands uprightly with the two feet. For example, a state in which the robot is most stable among various standing postures (that is, a point at which the instability is in the minimum) can be positioned as a basic standing posture.
Such a basic standing posture as just described requires generation of torque by joint axis motors for the leg parts and so forth by execution of posture stabilization control and control instruction. In other words, in a no-power supply condition, no standing posture is stable. Therefore, it is considered preferable that the robot starts activation thereof from an on-floor posture in which the robot is physically most stable such as a supine posture or a prone posture.
However, even if power supply to the robot in such an on-floor posture as just described is made available, if the robot cannot stand up autonomously, then an operator must give a hand to lift the body, which is cumbersome to the operator.
Further, when the robot once assumes a standing posture and performs walking or some other autonomous legged operation, it basically makes an effect to travel using the legs without tumbling. However, the robot may sometimes tumble unfortunately. "Tumbling" is inevitable when a robot operates under dwelling environments of human beings which involve various obstacles and unforeseeable situations. In the first place, a human being also tumbles. Also in this instance, it still is cumbersome if an operator must give a hand to lift the body.
If the robot cannot stand up by itself every time it assumes an on-floor posture, then it cannot be operated in unmanned environments after all, and the operation lacks in self-conclusion. Thus, the robot cannot be placed into fully self-contained environments.

Operation control device for leg-type mobile robot and operation control method, and robot device


Provided is a method of etching an etch layer using a polycarbonate layer as a mask. The method includes placing an etch structure in a reaction chamber, the etch structure including an etch layer underlying a polycarbonate layer, the polycarbonate layer having apertures. The etch layer is then etched using a low pressure-high density plasma generate at a pressure in the range of approximately 1 to 30 millitorr where the ionized particle concentration is at least 10.sup.11 ions/cm.sup.3 and where the ionized particle concentration is substantially equal throughout the volume of the reaction chamber. To increase the etch rate, the etch structure can be heated or biased. To decrease the etch rate, an inert gas can be added to the process gas mixture used to form the plasma.

Thin film etching processes fall into two broad categories. One category is conventional liquid phase chemical etching or "wet etching". The other is gas phase plasma-assisted etching or "dry etching".
There are two primary types of dry etch mechanisms: (a) a physical mechanism and (b) a chemical reaction mechanism. In the physical etch mechanism, ions are extracted from a glow discharge and accelerated towards an etch structure whose surface is eroded by momentum transfer upon being hit by the ions. The etch structure typically includes a layer to be etched ("etch layer"), an overlying patterned layer that serves as an etch mask, and an underlying supporting substructure. In the chemical reaction etch mechanism, a glow discharge is employed to generate chemically active ions which diffuse to the etch structure where they react with the surface of the etch structure to produce volatile products.
An important factor related to the type of mechanism used in the etch process is selectivity. Selectivity is a measure of etch rates of different materials. Dry etch processes in which different materials are etched at approximately the same rate are referred to as nonselective. These processes typically use physical etch mechanisms. Dry etch processes in which different materials are etched at substantially different rates are referred to as selective. Some selective etch processes use chemical reaction mechanisms in which chemically reactive ions preferentially react with one material over another. In other selective etch processes, etched material is preferentially redeposited on one material over another.
In some dry etch processes, both types of etch mechanisms are present. In these processes, chemically active ions are extracted from a glow discharge and accelerated toward the etch structure. As a result, the surface of the etch structure is etched by momentum transfer and by chemical reaction.
Reactive ion etching (RIE) is an example of a dry etch process in which both types of etch mechanisms are present. Chemically active ions (reactive ions) are accelerated towards an etch structure which is etched by momentum transfer upon being hit by the reactive ions and by chemical reaction with the reactive ions.
A conventional RIE reactor is schematically shown in FIG. 1. The RIE reactor in FIG. 1 includes a reaction chamber 10 and an electrode 12 capacitively coupled to a high frequency power generator. An etch structure 14 is placed on electrode 12. In operation, a suitable feed gas is introduced into reaction chamber 10, and a glow discharge, shown as region 16, is formed. Since electrons are more mobile than ions, electrode 12 acquires a negative self-bias voltage. Positively charged ions are attracted to electrode 12 and etch structure 14, and reactive ion etching occurs.
A cross-sectional view of a typical etch structure in which a mask 20 overlies an etch layer 22 is shown in FIG. 2a for an RIE process. Mask 20 defines apertures 24 through which etch layer 22 is etched. FIG. 2b is an expanded cross-sectional view illustrating the reactive ion etch of a single aperture 24 in FIG. 2a. R.sup.+ represents reactive ions in FIG. 2b. As reactive ions R.sup.+ travel through mask aperture 24, they collide with the aperture side walls and with other gas molecules. The collisions result in physical and reactive etching as well as recombination with free electrons. As shown, item 26 identifies a region of physical etching, item 28 identifies a region of reactive etching, and item 30 identifies a region of ion-electron recombination.
A deficiency in the reactive ion concentration occurs near the surface of etch layer 22 in apertures with high aspect (depth/width) ratios. Since etch rates are dependent upon reactive ion concentration, the deficiency results in a relatively low etch rate of etch layer 22. This low etch rate, in combination with the relatively high etch rate for mask 20 due to the substantial reactive ion concentration near the aperture opening, results in a loss of selectivity in the etch between etch layer 22 and mask 20 in apertures with high aspect ratios.
Recently there is a trend towards use of low pressure-high density plasmas in dry etch processes. As the name suggests, low pressure-high density plasmas are characterized by high densities of charged and excited species at low pressures. This trend is fueled as minimum feature sizes are reduced to submicrometer dimensions, and aspect ratios increase. Horiike, "Issues and future trends for advanced dry etching," ESC Conference, May 1993 (19 pages), discusses present issues and future trends of dry etching processes employing inductively coupled plasma (ICP), electron cyclotron resonance (ECR), and helicon wave technologies.
In ECR technology, microwave energy is coupled to the natural resonant frequency of electron gas in the presence of a static magnetic field. A conventional ECR waveguide apparatus is schematically shown in FIG. 3. The apparatus includes a waveguide 40 which directs microwave energy 42 into a reaction chamber 50. Process gases are fed into reaction chamber 50. Reaction chamber 50 is surrounded by one or more coils 46 which produce an axial magnetic field. An etch structure 48 is located within reaction chamber 50. Intense electron acceleration is experienced in an ECR layer 52 which sustains the plasma.
In helicon wave technology, a plasma is magnetized longitudinally, and coupling is achieved by a radio frequency (RF) transverse electromagnetic helicon wave. A conventional helicon wave plasma apparatus is schematically shown in FIG. 4. An antenna 60 is used to couple power into a reaction chamber 62. Reaction chamber 62 is surrounded by one or more coils 64 which produce an axial magnetic field. Electrons which resonate with the phase velocity of the helicon wave are accelerated and sustain the plasma. An etch structure 66 is located within reaction chamber 62.
In ICP technology, an inductive element is used to couple energy from an RF power source to ionize gas. A conventional ICP apparatus using a spiral coupler is schematically shown in FIG. 5. The apparatus includes an inductive element 70 to which an RF power source is connected. Inductive element 70 is separated from a reaction chamber 72 by a quartz vacuum window 74. An etch structure 76 is located within reaction chamber 72. As RF current flows through inductive element 70, a time varying RF magnetic flux induces a solenoidal RF electric field within reaction chamber 72. This inductive electric field accelerates free electrons and sustains the plasma. The ICP apparatus shown in FIG. 5 is also referred to as a transformer coupled plasma (TCP) apparatus.
Bassiere et al, PCT Patent Publication WO 94/28569, discloses a method of manufacturing microtips display devices using heavy ion lithography. The method uses a mask that typically consists of polycarbonate for etching a metal gate layer. Bassiere et al cites RIE as an example of an etch process which can be used to etch the gate layer metal. However, use of RIE to etch high aspect ratio apertures inevitably results in substantial degradation of the mask layer due to the dominant nonselective physical etch mechanism. It is desirable to have a process for selectively etching an etch layer, and in particular a metal gate layer, using a polycarbonate mask without significantly eroding the polycarbonate mask.

Plasma etching using polycarbonate mask and low pressure-high density plasma


The present invention provides a method and apparatus for setting up a gateway for an AUTOSAR-based vehicle network. The apparatus for setting up the gateway includes a candidate selection unit for selecting an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) connected to at least two communication clusters, from among a plurality of ECUs, as a gateway candidate, and a gateway generation unit for generating a gateway instance with reference to the ECU selected by the candidate selection unit, and generating a gateway meta-model including the gateway instance based on instance generation input values entered by a user.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for setting up a gateway for an AUTomotive Open System ARchitecture (AUTOSAR)-based vehicle network. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for setting up a gateway for an AUTOSAR-based vehicle network, which can more easily set up the gateway for the vehicle network based on AUTOSAR.
2. Description of the Related Art
An automotive electronics software platform standard (AUTomotive Open System Architecture, hereinafter referred to as "AUTOSAR") is a standard pertaining to an automotive electronics software architecture which was established by a partnership between vehicle manufacturers and manufacturers for related parts and electronics application development tools.
AUTOSAR provides an architecture and development methodology for automotive electronics software and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for electronics applications.
The automotive electronics software architecture provided by AUTOSAR includes coverage of the structures of applications, network structures/communication data between Electronic Control Units (ECUs) on which applications are to be mounted, the structure of lower-layer platform modules that support application software to be loaded onto respective ECUs, and methods of setting up the platform modules.
In order to implement such standards with actual software, AUTOSAR defines and provides meta-models required to describe products obtained by respective development methodologies.
However, the provided meta-models may be important information to persons who design AUTOSAR-related platforms or tools, but the actual information to which the meta-models are to be applied is important to persons who develop electronics applications by using actual tools and platforms of AUTOSAR. Therefore, how intuitive or easily understandable a provided interface is when setting up meta-models may be a performance index of AUTOSAR development tools that is important.
In this way, the current AUTOSAR properly defines and provides meta-models, but a guide for indicating how to properly configure such meta-models in practice has not yet been proposed.

Method and apparatus for setting up gateway for AUTOSAR-based vehicle network

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A motorcycle engine starter adapted to start an engine of a motorcycle that is not equipped with an engine starter. The motorcycle engine starter includes a first and second wheel rollers, a drive motor, and an motor activator. The first and second wheel rollers are spaced apart a distance to enable a wheel of the motorcycle to be partially positioned between the wheel rollers and to be at least partially supported by the wheel rollers. The drive motor causes rotation of the first wheel roller. The motor activator designed to activate the drive motor.

Motorcycles are typically started by a kick starter or an electric starter. Motorcycles that are designed for racing typically do not include starters, since the starter adds unwanted weight to the motorcycle. These types of motorcycles are typically started by placing the motorcycle in gear, pushing the motorcycle back on compression, turning the ignition and gas on and then running forward with the motorcycle. Once the rider determines that the running speed is enough to start the motorcycle, the rider quickly gets onto the seat of the motorcycle and then releases the clutch. The release of the clutches causes the gears to engage with the engine to cause the engine to start.
This common technique to start racing motorcycles has several disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the starting technique is complicated and difficult. Not all riders are capable of pushing the motorcycle at a desired velocity and then mounting the moving motorcycle prior to releasing the clutch. Another disadvantage is that the starting technique can become tiring if the motorcycle is having trouble starting. The need to run with the motorcycle several times prior to starting the motorcycle can tire the rider and result in a disadvantage to the rider during a race. Still another disadvantage is that the starting method can cause damage to the motorcycle or injury to the rider. When the clutch is released, the motorcycle may jerk, quickly stop or suddenly accelerate. This action by the motorcycle can result in the rider falling from the motorcycle or injuring the rider. Such a situation can be a great disadvantage to the rider prior to the race. Furthermore, the motorcycles may fall down or get away from the rider and result in damage to the motorcycle. The improper release of the clutch during starting can also result in damage or undue wear of the clutch, which can again be a disadvantage to the rider during a race.
In an effort to address the problems associated with the starting of racing motorcycles, racing motorcycle starters have been developed. One starter is named a "Starting Block" which is provided by TGA Ltd. Another starter is offered by Cycle Cat under the name "RMS-1". Both the TGA and Cycle Cat starters include a single motor to drive a rear roller that is used to rotate the rear wheel of a motorcycle. The TGA starter includes a chain to connect the front roller to the rear roller. The Cycle Cat starter has no drive connected to the front roller. Both starters include a motor that is powered by a battery. Both starters are equipped with a foot pedal that is used to power the electric motor.
Although both of these starters can be used to start some types of racing motorcycles, these starters cannot start all types of motors on various types of racing motorcycles. As a result, these starters have not been widely adapted by racing crews. In addition, the motorcycle can slip out of the rollers during the starting of the motorcycle and result in damage to the motorcycle and/or injury to the rider. Both of these starters have electric motors that are directly connected to a roller. During operation of the starters, the electric motor can be damaged when the motorcycle engine engages and causes the rollers to turn more rapidly than the electric motor is designed to rotate the rollers. The chain drive on the TGA starter has a tendency to fall off the gears, thus resulting in having to terminate the starting process.
In view of the state of the art with respect to motorcycle starters, there is a need for a motorcycle starter that can overcome the existing problems associated with prior motorcycle starters.