An electro-optic device includes a frame, an optical member including a light guide plate accommodated within the flame, an illuminator, and a display panel disposed over the optical member. The display panel includes a substrate that has a light-shielding black mask extending in the shape of a picture frame along edges of the substrate. The black mask partially has at least one light-shielding extended segment extended toward at least one of the edges of the substrate.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to electro-optic devices and electronic apparatuses. In particular, the present invention relates to an electro-optic device in which light-shielding properties against light leaking from a light source are high and a cutting step of a substrate having a black mask (which may also be referred to as a black matrix) can be performed readily, and also to an electronic apparatus equipped with such an electro-optic device.
2. Related Art
As an electro-optic device of related art, a liquid crystal device is widely used. Specifically, a liquid crystal device has a plurality of pixel areas defined by opposite areas of electrodes. Voltage applied to each pixel area is selectively turned on and off so as to modulate light passing through a liquid crystal material of the pixel area, whereby a picture image or character image can be displayed on the entire display region.
Although liquid crystal display devices of a double-sided display type have been proposed for multifunctional purposes, such double-sided-display-type liquid crystal display devices are problematic in that it is difficult to obtain sufficient brightness in comparison to single-sided-display-type liquid crystal display devices. This is because liquid crystal panels defining the opposite surfaces of a double-sided display type are illuminated with a single light source and light guide plate.
JP-A-2004-46050 (Claims and FIG. 1) discloses a liquid crystal display device of a double-sided display type as shown in FIG. 14. This liquid crystal display device has a single light guide plate 302 with a light source 301 disposed adjacent to one edge thereof. Moreover, liquid crystal display panels 307 and 308 are respectively disposed adjacent to the opposite surfaces of the light guide plate 302. The liquid crystal display panel 307 and the light guide plate 302 have a reflective polarizing plate 305 interposed therebetween, and likewise, the liquid crystal display panel 308 and the light guide plate 302 have a reflective polarizing plate 306 interposed therebetween. These reflective polarizing plates 305 and 306 have adjusted penetrating axes.
More specifically, the penetrating axis of the reflective polarizing plate 305 is aligned with the penetrating axis of a liquid-crystal-panel polarizing plate 309, which faces the reflective polarizing plate 305 and is disposed at the same side as the reflective polarizing plate 305 with respect to the light guide plate 302. Likewise, the penetrating axis of the reflective polarizing plate 306 is aligned with the penetrating axis of a liquid-crystal-panel polarizing plate 310, which faces the reflective polarizing plate 306 and is disposed at the same side as the reflective polarizing plate 306 with respect to the light guide plate 302. Moreover, the penetrating axes of the reflective polarizing plate 305 and the liquid-crystal-panel polarizing plate 309 are orthogonal to the penetrating axes of the reflective polarizing plate 306 and the liquid-crystal-panel polarizing plate 310 that are disposed opposite to the plates 305 and 309 across the light guide plate 302.
JP-A-2000-338504 (Claims and FIG. 1) discloses a color liquid-crystal display device that is equipped with a color filter and prevents light leakage from a peripheral frame region.
In detail, FIG. 15 shows a color liquid-crystal display device of a horizontal electric field type that has a color filter substrate 406a having a color layer 405a divided into segments in the display region by a black matrix 404a and also having a black matrix 404bextending in the shape of a picture frame along the periphery of the display region.
More specifically, this liquid-crystal display device includes the color filter substrate 406a having a first protective film 407a disposed over the color layer 405a and the black matrix 404b, and an electrode substrate 406b having a second protective film 407b disposed over electrodes 410a and 410b that drive switching elements TFT for pixel selection. Moreover, the color filter substrate 406a and the electrode substrate 406b have a liquid crystal layer 411 sealed therebetween with a sealant 412.
The black matrix 404a in the display region of the color filter substrate 406a has disposed thereon first-color-layer pillars 405b each of which is constituted by at least one color layer. On the other hand, the black matrix 404b in the peripheral frame region of the color filter substrate 406a has disposed thereon a second-color-layer pillar 405cconstituted by stacked films of the three primary colors and extending in the shape of a picture frame.
However, even with the double-sided-display-type liquid crystal device disclosed in JP-A-2004-46050, there are still problems in that the effective use of light from the light source is insufficient and that it is difficult to guide the light evenly.
More specifically, there are cases where the inner edges of a frame are provided with recesses and the outer edges of the light guide plate are provided with projections. These recesses and projections are used for the positioning of the light guide plate when optical members such as the light guide plate and the reflective plates are to be accommodated within the frame. The recesses and projections are engaged with each other so as to serve as positioning members for the light guide plate. Where these projections are provided in the light guide plate, the light guide plate extends close to the outer edges of the frame. Although a light-shielding tape is disposed around the display region, the light-shielding tape has dimensional tolerance or adhesive tolerance and cannot properly shield the aforementioned projections of the light guide plate. This leads to a light leakage from the periphery of the light-shielding tape.
In addition, double-sided-display-type liquid crystal display devices of recent years have been significantly reduced in thickness, and the thickness of the frame has been reduced accordingly. For this reason, the light from the light source unfavorably passes the frame and leaks to the outside.
On the other hand, the color filter substrate equipped with the black matrix disclosed in JP-A-2000-338504 is fabricated by cutting a substrate of a large surface area having a black matrix into pieces. This is problematic in that the production yield is low and that cutting chips are formed easily due to the black matrix.

Electro-optic device and electronic apparatus


A portable tomosynthesis imaging system is disclosed that includes a portable X-ray source assembly and a portable detector assembly. The source assembly may be coupled to a portable power supply and controller such that multiple projection X-ray images may be obtained at a site that is not accessible by conventional tomosynthesis imaging systems. Image data may be transmitted from the detector by wired or wireless communication. Tomosynthesis image reconstruction may be performed locally at the portable system or remotely by the transmission of raw or filtered image data from the portable system. The portable system is particularly well-suited to field deployment, such as at accident scenes, scenes of natural or other disasters, or in confined clinical settings.

The present invention relates generally to digital tomosynthesis imaging systems, and more particularly to a portable tomosynthesis system suitable for use in on-sight locations, confined clinical environments, and so forth.
Digital X-ray tomosynthesis is an imaging technique that enables three-dimensional imaging of a patient using a large-area digital detector typically used for conventional (single projection) radiography. In clinical tomosynthesis techniques, a source of X-ray radiation is moved between imaging positions and multiple images are made by casting an X-ray beam on a digital detector. In certain applications, multiple, distributed and static X-ray sources may be used, or movable sources may be displaced in various patterns or trajectories. In certain systems, the detector is also moved during this process. Three-dimensional data is reconstructed in the form of a number of slices through the patient anatomy, each parallel to the detector plane. Tomosynthesis acquisition consists of a number of projections (X-ray exposures) covering an angular range of less than 180°, and typically between 20° and 40°.
Benefits of tomosynthesis imaging are well-known in practice and many applications have been clearly identified in which the technique is preferred over other medical imaging technologies and protocols. However, conventional clinical tomosynthesis systems require that the relative position of the X-ray source and the X-ray detector be known for each of the multiple exposures, so as to permit the appropriate reconstruction of the tomosynthesis slices. Although this may be a relatively straightforward requirement to satisfy in "fixed" digital radiography systems with dedicated mechanical positioners for both the source and the detector, such fixed systems cannot be readily moved or transported.
In certain situations, a "portable" tomosynthesis system would be an invaluable imaging technology. Such situations might include emergency medical applications, such as for rendering medical attention at the scenes of automobile accidents, trauma locations, building and natural disaster scenes, and so forth. In such situations, the person needing medical care normally should not be moved because of the risk of doing further damage to the spine or other tissues, particularly if a vertebral fracture or other internal injury may be present. Whereas a standard X-ray projection image may not be able to ascertain the presence of such fractures, reconstructed slice imaging from a portable tomosynthesis system should have much better capability for detecting the presence of absence of such fractures without moving the patient. Another use for a portable tomosynthesis system may be in small clinical settings where a larger footprint fixed digital radiography system would be impossible to accommodate given the space constraints.
At present, however, such portable tomosynthesis systems are not available. Difficulties in determining positions of the X-ray source and relative positions of the source and detector, among other technical hurdles, have made development and deployment of such systems problematic. There remains a need, however, for improved X-ray tomosynthesis systems that can be made portable and still provide reliable clinical images and data.

Portable digital tomosynthesis imaging system and method


Techniques are disclosed for restoration of virtually-concatenated data traffic in a data transmission network. A virtually-concatenated group is formed comprising: (i) a plurality of primary members each associated with a corresponding data stream, and (ii) at least one backup member. Each of the plurality of primary members and the backup member of the virtually-concatenated group may be assigned a corresponding one of a plurality of data transmission routes between first and second nodes of the network. Responsive to a failure of a given one of the plurality of primary members, the backup member is utilized for restoring at least a portion of the data traffic of the given member. The invention also provides a modified link capacity adjustment scheme (LCAS) protocol which substantially reduces the time required to report changes in member status information from a sink node to a source node, thereby substantially reducing the amount of time required to perform a restoration operation.

As is well known, virtual concatenation (VC) and link capacity adjustment scheme (LCAS) protocols have been developed which allow more efficient use of the existing fixed-bandwidth connections associated with synchronous optical network (SONET) or synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) network infrastructure. For example, these protocols are utilized in transmission of Ethernet over SONET (EoS) data traffic over metropolitan networks, and in numerous other data transmission applications. The VC and LCAS protocols are described in greater detail in, for example, ITU-T standards documents G.707 and G.7042, respectively, both of which are incorporated by reference herein.
Virtual concatenation generally allows a given source node of a network to form a virtually-concatenated group (VCG) which includes multiple members each associated with a corresponding data stream. The different data streams may then be transmitted over diverse routes through the network from the source node to a given destination node, also referred to herein as a sink node. The sink node recombines the streams to reconstruct the original VCG.
The LCAS protocol enhances the basic virtual concatenation functionality described above by allowing so-called "hitless" addition and deletion of members from a VCG, that is, addition and deletion of members without the introduction of errors into the transmitted data. The LCAS protocol also enables a VCG to operate at a reduced capacity after the failure of routes associated with one or more members, by allowing the temporary removal of members associated with failed routes from the VCG.
Conventional restoration techniques in the SONET/SDH context are designed to provide fast restoration in the event of route failure, where "fast" restoration generally denotes restoration of the associated data traffic in less than about 50 milliseconds. However, this fast restoration comes at the cost of excessive bandwidth overhead. More specifically, these conventional techniques generally utilize 1+1 primary-backup protection, wherein each primary route has a corresponding backup route, resulting in 100% bandwidth overhead.
It should also be noted that the above-described LCAS protocol takes on the order of 64 or 128 milliseconds, for respective higher order (HO) or lower order (LO) implementations, in order to complete the above-noted temporary removal of members associated with failed routes. This delay is attributable to the refresh timing mechanism of the LCAS protocol. Therefore, the LCAS protocol in its current form is unable to deliver the approximately 50 millisecond fast restoration generally associated with SONET/SDH networks. This not only precludes its use for restoration but also makes SONET 1+1 protection in conjunction with LCAS ineffective.
A possible alternative approach is to transmit the data traffic without providing any protection at the SONET/SDH layer of the network, in the expectation that higher layers, such as an Ethernet layer, will be able to provide a certain measure of protection. For example, in the case of the above-noted EoS data traffic, rapid Ethernet spanning tree protection in the Ethernet layer may be used for restoration in the event of route failure. However, this type of restoration by higher network layers can lead to a number of significant problems, such as disruption of data traffic for up to several seconds, loss and duplication of data, etc.
As is apparent from the foregoing, conventional techniques are unable to provide fast restoration, on the order of 50 milliseconds or less, while utilizing less than 100% bandwidth overhead. A need therefore exists for improved restoration techniques which overcome one or more of the above-noted problems.

Fast restoration for virtually-concatenated data traffic


A breather for a motorcycle engine separates and traps oil droplets entrained with crankcase gases. The breather has a container with a removable lid, an inlet for crankcase gases and entrained oil droplets extending through the lid into the container, filter media within the container to trap entrained oil droplets in the crankcase gases in the container, and outlet ports in the lid allowing gases to escape from within the container.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of motorcycle engines. More specifically, the present invention discloses an improved breather for crankcase gases from a motorcycle engine.
2. Statement of the Problem
The reciprocating motion of the pistons in the cylinders of a motorcycle engine causes pressure swings in the crankcase that must be vented for efficient operation of the engine. One response to this problem was to simply vent the gases and entrained oil droplets from the crankcase. For example, this can be done through a length of flexible tubing that extends downward toward the pavement. This creates a mess, particularly if the motorcycle is parked in a garage or on a driveway. Nonetheless, this was the solution used in many Harley-Davidson motorcycle engines until the mid-1980s.
Current environmental regulations require that motorcycle manufacturers must route gases vented from the crankcase through the engine intake to reduce pollution. Many modern Harley-Davidson engines, such as the "Evolution" and "Twin Cam" engines, route gases from the crankcase upward through the push rod covers 14 into the rocker boxes 12 above the cylinder heads as shown in FIGS. 2(a)-2(c). An umbrella valve 15 allows gas flow in only one direction through each rocker box. Some oil droplets are trapped at this point in the rocker box 12 and drain back through the engine via a drain hole 17 adjacent to the umbrella valve 15. The remaining crankcase gases and entrained oil droplets exit through a threaded fitting 16 and tube leading to the air intake for the carburetor (not shown). Unfortunately, this tends to "gunk up" the carburetor and intake manifold, and reduces engine performance.
As a result, a number of after-market companies have developed retrofit breathers to directly vent crankcase gases, instead of routing these gases through the engine. These breathers typically vent the crankcase gases through a small metal chamber or canister with slots or openings in its side or bottom. This also creates a mess by spraying oil droplets against the exterior of the engine or the rider's leg. Therefore, a need exists for a breather that can be readily retrofit to a motorcycle engine and that effectively traps oil droplets entrained with the crankcase gases.
The prior art in this general field includes the following:
InventorU.S. Pat. No.Issue DateUssery3,834,365Sep. 10, 1974DeBruler4,453,525Jun. 12, 1984Sakano et al.4,459,966Jul. 17, 1984Blanc et al.5,205,848Apr. 27, 1993Sanders5,551,409Sep. 3, 1996Daidone6,105,560Aug. 22, 2000Wilson6,167,849Jan. 2, 2001Knowles6,729,316May 4, 2004Michel6,925,994Aug. 9, 2005
Wilson discloses a crankcase breather for motorcycles that has a canister with a removable lid and a downwardly-extending inlet tube. The filter element is attached to the outlet port above the lid, rather than being placed inside the canister. Any oil collecting in the canister can be drained through a petcock in the bottom of the canister.
DeBruler discloses a canister and a flow path similar to the Wilson patent. A thin filter element extending across the midsection of the canister traps sludge and liquids in the bottom of the canister. The outlet port routes vapors to the intake manifold of the engine, rather than directly into the atmosphere.
Ussery shows another example of a crankcase breather that uses a canister with an outlet in the lid, Ussery uses a small quantity of fuel in the canister as the filter media.
Michel, Daidone, Sanders and Blanc et al. show other examples of breather tubes and vents with filters or baffles. Knowles and Sakano et al. show other examples of systems that filter crankcase gases and recycle them through the engine.
3. Solution to the Problem
None of the prior art references discussed above show a breather having the structure of the present invention. In particular, the present invention creates a flow path within the breather that traps the entrained oil droplets in the bottom of the container and filter media. The container can be periodically unthreaded from the stem to remove the accumulated oil.


A method of calibrating a display panel includes making measurements of color components produced by the display panel, receiving an input image signal consisting of one or more pixel represented by input color component values, applying a first non-linear transform to the input color component values of the pixel to produce transformed color component values, wherein the first non-linear transform is either based upon the measurements and the panel design or a ratio of values of color components based upon the measurements, applying a crosstalk correction transform to the transformed color component values to produce crosstalk corrected color component values, applying a second non-linear transform to the crosstalk corrected color component values to produce final color component values, and sending the final color component values to the display panel. A method of calibrating a display panel, includes making measurements of color components displayed on the display panel, using the measurements to generate at least one non-linear crosstalk correction transform, receiving an input image signal consisting of one or more pixel represented by input color component values, changing parameters used in the at least one crosstalk correction transform based upon a current of the panel, and applying one of the at least one crosstalk correction transform having parameters that are a closest fit to the measurements.

Display calibration has historically required either complex circuitry to perform or resulted in large errors. As people rely more on the color accuracy of the display to make decisions, display manufacturers have implemented per unit display calibration on the factory floor. The current state-of-the-art for display calibration hardware is to use a three-dimensional look up table (3D LUT) to store the corrections. The display manufacturer measures several different colors, generates the entries for the 3D LUT and then programs it. The number of measurements can be as few as a couple of dozen and as high as thousands depending on the sophistication of the algorithm used to generate the entries in the 3D LUT. Other methods such as polynomial color space converters can be difficult to program and do not provide as accurate results.
Modern displays, whether they are LCD based or OLED require a conversion of the input values that represents the desired color to the voltages or currents required to generate the desired optical output at the pixel. The Display Driver IC (DDIC) typically handles this process, referred to as Electro-Optical Transfer Function (EOTF), as part of the digital to analog conversion process. This non-linear process is designed to provide the correct response at the individual sub pixel level and to create a gamma response to the input similar to a cathode-ray tube (CRT) which has historically been assumed in color standards. A sub pixel represents how the display reproduces just one of the color components that make up the color for a pixel. For example, a pixel usually has a red, green and blue color sub pixel for each pixel to produce the corresponding color components. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes a pixel has only two color components with adjacent pixels having different combinations. For example, OLED displays can have a red-green pixel and a blue-green pixel. Other displays might also provide a white sub pixel in addition to the red, green and blue sub pixels. Regardless of the pixel configuration, the DDIC provides the appropriate driving voltage.
In an ideal world, the output of a sub-pixel would be independent of the content of the other sub pixels in the pixel, and other pixels in the display. That is, the amount of red measured for a pixel would only depend on the value of the red component of the color being transmitted to the red sub pixel. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and this is why displays require complex circuitry to calibrate. For example, in an LCD display you might get leakage from the liquid crystal shutter behind the green subpixel on the color filter through the red portion of the color filter for that pixel. That would result in the amount of red being measured being larger when displaying yellow than just red. For OLED's, the circuitry that determines the brightness of the sub pixel can be influenced by the overall brightness of the screen. This results in a pure red display having a brighter red component than when white is being shown. These errors are referred to as cross-talk and requires a process referred to as cross-talk correction.
A method to calibrate displays with simpler circuitry and more accurate color space conversion and cross-talk correction without added circuitry to keep costs down.

Accurate display panel calibration with common color space circuitry


In an electronic evaluation system for a vehicle braking system equipped with an electromechanical brake booster, a method for estimating a brake master cylinder pressure includes: estimating a first initial value of the pressure based on a first current intensity of a current of a motor of the booster at the first time and on a first rotation angle of a rotor of the motor at the first time; specifying a correction value as a difference between the first initial value and a measured value of the pressure; estimating a second initial value of the pressure based on a second current intensity of the current at the second time and on a second rotation angle of the rotor at the second time; and specifying, based on the second initial value and the correction value, an estimated value of the pressure at the second time.

Electromechanical brake boosters, such as an electromechanical brake booster disclosed in DE 20 2010 017 605 U1, which are respectively locatable or located upstream from a brake master cylinder of a braking system of a vehicle, are known from the existing art. The intention is for at least one displaceable piston of the brake master cylinder to be displaceable into the brake master cylinder, by operation of a motor of the respective electromechanical brake booster, in such a way that a brake master cylinder pressure in the brake master cylinder becomes increased.

Evaluation electronics and method for estimating a master brake cylinder pressure in a vehicle brake system equipped with an electromechanical brake booster


A processor core and method for managing branch misprediction in an out-of-order processor pipeline. In one embodiment, the pipeline of the processor core includes a front-end instruction fetch portion, a back-end instruction execution portion, and pipeline control logic. Operation of the instruction fetch portion is decoupled from operation of the instruction execution portion. Following detection of a control transfer misprediction, operation of the instruction fetch portion is halted and instructions residing in the instruction fetch portion are invalidated. When the instruction associated with the misprediction reaches a selected pipeline stage, instructions residing in the instruction execution portion of the pipeline are invalidated and the flow of instructions from the instruction fetch portion to the instruction execution portion of the processor pipeline is restarted. A mispredict instruction identification checker and instruction identification tags are used to determine if a control transfer instruction is permitted to redirect instruction fetching.

Processor pipelining is a known technique used to make microprocessors operate more quickly. This technique enables a microprocessor to work on different steps of an instruction at the same time and thereby take advantage of parallelism that exists among the steps needed to execute an instruction. As a result, a microprocessor can execute more instructions in a shorter period of time.
Many microprocessors, especially those used in the embedded market, are relatively simple in-order machines. As a result, they are subject to data hazard stalls. More complex microprocessors have out-of-order pipelines, which allow execution of instructions to be scheduled around hazards that would stall an in-order processor pipeline.
Speculation is used to resolve branch instructions and predict whether a conditional branch is taken or not taken in an out-of-order machine. When a branch resolution results in a misprediction, all younger instructions in a program stream must be cleared from the pipeline. Conventionally, this is accomplished using an age-based comparison technique across the entire processor pipeline. While this conventional technique works for its intended purpose, it requires maintaining and updating a number of register renaming maps, especially in microprocessors that employ a pipeline having a large number of processing stages.
What is needed is a new technique for clearing an out-of-order pipeline of a microprocessor following a branch misprediction, which overcomes the deficiencies noted above.

Processor core and method for managing branch misprediction in an out-of-order processor pipeline


An integrated circuit (IC) structure includes a semiconductor fin having a first longitudinal extent and a second longitudinal extent. The semiconductor fin has an upper fin portion having a uniform lateral dimension in the first longitudinal extent and the second longitudinal extent, a first subfin portion under the upper fin portion in the first longitudinal extent having a first lateral dimension, and a second subfin portion under the upper fin portion in the second longitudinal extent having a second lateral dimension different than the first lateral dimension. The second subfin may be used in a drain extension region of a laterally-diffused metal-oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device. The second subfin reduces subfin current and improves HCI reliability, regardless of the type of LDMOS device.

The present disclosure relates to power amplifier devices, and more specifically, to an integrated circuit (IC) structure having a semiconductor fin with different longitudinal extents of subfins with different lateral dimensions.
Radio frequency (RF) devices employ laterally diffused metal-oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) devices. LDMOS devices include, within a semiconductor fin, a p-well with a source region therein and an n-well with a drain region therein. A gate extends over the p-well and n-well with the channel in the p-well and a drain extension region in the n-well. LDMOS devices come in a number of different forms. For example, LDMOS shallow trench isolation (LDMOS-STI) devices include a shallow trench isolation (STI) within the drain extension region in the n-well of the device, and LDMOS dummy gate (LDMOS-DP) devices have the n-well without the STI, but include a second, floating (dummy) gate over the drain extension region in the n-well of the device.
LDMOS FinFETs are being employed, for example, as wireless network power amplifiers with 3.3-5 Volt power. One challenge with these devices is controlling hot carrier injection (HCI). HCI is a situation in electronic devices where an electron (hole) gains enough energy to overcome a barrier required to break an interface state. In LDMOS FinFET devices, charge carriers can become trapped in a subfin portion region of the fin below the gate of the transistor and adjacent trench isolations between adjacent fins. The trapped charged carriers can create too much current in the drain extension region and can permanently alter operational characteristics (e.g., switching) of the device. Consequently, HCI presents a challenge to the performance and reliability of the devices. Current approaches attempt to improve HCI reliability by providing various implants or local trench isolations to reduce the subfin current. These approaches are complicated to implement, and may not fully address the issue for all types of LDMOS FinFET devices.

IC structure with fin having subfin extents with different lateral dimensions


A propeller straightening apparatus utilizes a pair of adjustable hydraulic cylinders to apply pressure to a selected propeller blade of the propeller. Adjustments can include lateral, longitudinal and tilt angle. A propeller mount holds the propeller in a fixed position during straightening. The mount can be quickly loosened so that the propeller can be rotated to present a different propeller blade to the hydraulic cylinders. The cylinders have polyurethane tips portions that help grip the surface of the propeller. The apparatus can bend a selected propeller blade to change rake and/or pitch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for straightening a bladed propeller that employs a pair of independently adjustable blade bending units, each preferably a hydraulically operated cylinder and pushrod device that enable pressure to be applied to a pair of spaced apart positions on a propeller, enabling either pitch and/or rake adjustments to be made to the propeller by simultaneously extending the spaced apart pushrods as they engage a selected one of the propeller blades.
2. General Background of the Invention
For many years, propellers have been manually straightened using a very large hammer with a plastic, polymeric or rubber head. Such hammers are commercially available from McDurmon Distributing of Fenton, Mich. Another example of such a hammer is sold by Garland Hammers (Garland Manufacturing Company) of Saco, Me.
Such a manual bending of a propeller in order to straighten it is both time consuming and imprecise. The present provides an improved method and apparatus for straightening propellers that enables precise bending of the propeller blades to achieve a desired change in rake and/or pitch.
Some propeller straightening devices have been patented. The following table lists examples of propeller repair patents.
TABLEPat. No.TitleIssue Date2,013,705Process for Shaping HelicalSep. 10, 1935Bodies and Means for Carryingout Said Process2,393,317Straightening Press forJan. 22, 1946Aircraft Propellers andthe Like3,032,092Propeller StraighteningMay 1, 1962Apparatus4,058,880Propeller Making ApparatusNov. 22, 1977and Method4,222,259Propeller ReconditionerSep. 17, 19805,315,856Apparatus for PropellerMay 31, 1994Straightening5,377,521Method for PropellerJan. 3, 1995Straightening5,713,233Vane Adjustment MachineFeb. 3, 1998

Method and apparatus for repairing a damaged propeller blade


Analysis of a read back signal in a magnetic recording device is disclosed. The read back signal is converted to a digital read back signal, and a low frequency component of the digital read back signal is restored. A sample clock is recovered from the restored digital read back signal, and the restored digital read back signal is averaged using the recovered sample clock. A timing error is calculated based at least in part on the averaged restored digital read back signal.

Magnetic storage system read back signals suffer from several types of distortion including frequency instability (caused by rotation or media speed instability), non-additive media noise, additive system noise, low frequency distortion from a read back amplifier, and amplitude modulation (caused by inhomogeneous media, disk media runout, read head fly height dynamics, and tracking dynamics). Simple analysis of read back signals where they are displayed on oscilloscopes or composed into histograms using a time interval analyzer do not allow the distortion sources to be removed or separately analyzed. It would be beneficial to be able to analyze read back signals and determine the magnitude of each distortion and somehow separate the different sources for distortions.

Timing analysis of read back signals in magnetic recording devices


A circuit and method of providing three dc voltage buses and transforming power between a low voltage dc converter and a high voltage dc converter, by coupling a primary dc power circuit and a secondary dc power circuit through an isolation transformer; providing the gating signals to power semiconductor switches in the primary and secondary circuits to control power flow between the primary and secondary circuits and by controlling a phase shift between the primary voltage and the secondary voltage. The primary dc power circuit and the secondary dc power circuit each further comprising at least two tank capacitances arranged in series as a tank leg, at least two resonant switching devices arranged in series with each other and arranged in parallel with the tank leg, and at least one voltage source arranged in parallel with the tank leg and the resonant switching devices, said resonant switching devices including power semiconductor switches that are operated by gating signals. Additional embodiments having a center-tapped battery on the low voltage side and a plurality of modules on both the low voltage side and the high voltage side are also disclosed for the purpose of reducing ripple current and for reducing the size of the components.

Because the 14-volt electrical system in present automobiles has reached its limits of capability, a 42-volt power network has been proposed to cope with the increasing electrical loads. This is particularly true for electrical and hybrid vehicles in which more engine-driven mechanical and hydraulic systems are being replaced with electrical systems to increase efficiency. These vehicles also utilize at least one high voltage bus exceeding 100 dc volts. During the transition to the 42-volt system, most automobiles are expected to employ a dual-level voltage system, in which a bi-directional dc-to-dc converter will interface the two voltage networks. Additionally, battery-internal combustion (I.C.) engine hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) or fuel-cell-powered electric vehicles (FCEVs) employ a third dc bus at a much higher voltage (typically above 200V) (H.V.) for the traction motor drive. In these HEVs and FCEVs, the dc-to-dc converter controls power on the 14-volt, 42-volt and high voltage buses.
In a prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,050, assigned to the present assignee, a dc-to-dc converter for interfacing these buses was disclosed. Although not shown in this patent, a large filter capacitor (several hundreds to thousands of microfarad) was needed to connect a 14-volt bus in parallel with the loads to maintain a reasonably smooth dc voltage at the bus. And yet, the dc voltage still fluctuated on the low voltage side, as the switches S1 and S2 turned on and off, because the voltage at the midpoint between the two switches rapidly changes between the ground potential and the 42-volt bus. A fluctuating band is determined by the switching frequency of the two power semiconductor switches, S1 and S2, by the capacitance of the large filter capacitor (not shown) and by the inductance Ldc of a large inductor in the 14-volt bus. A high switching frequency and/or a large inductor or filter capacitor is needed to keep the voltage fluctuations small, which increases power losses in the switches and inductor and/or the size and volume of the inductor and filter capacitor. In addition, the lower switch S2 needs to carry a much larger current than that passes through the upper switch S1 because in addition to the current from the transformer, Tr, the current of the inductor flows through the switch when it is turned on.
A dc-to-dc of similar architecture was disclosed in Su, Gui-Jia and Peng, Fang Z., "A Low Cost, Triple-Voltage Bus DC/DC Converter for Automotive Applications," IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC), vol. 2, pp. 1015-1021, Mar. 6-10, 2005, Austin, Tex. In addition to the power semiconductor switches, S1 and S2, on the low voltage side of the converter, there are also typically two additional power semiconductor switches, S3 and S4, on the high voltage side. The above publication discloses an advantageous method of operating the switches using power flow control. The gating signals for the switches can be based on controlling the duty cycle and the phase angle of switching between on and off states.
It is now desired to improve a dc-to-dc converter circuit by providing a circuit with reduced cost, reduced size and reduced power losses. It is also desired to reduce ripple currents (ac currents charging and discharging a capacitor with a dc biased voltage) that are produced by switching of the switches and follow through the dc bus capacitors (C1-C4) in the circuit. Because a capacitor can only handle a fixed amount of ripple current, a higher ripple current requires additional capacitance to bear it; increasing volume and cost.

Triple voltage dc-to-dc converter and method


A method and apparatus are disclosed for combining server-supplied user interface elements with client-supplied user interface elements. The server-supplied user interface elements can be received by a client device and inserted into a client-supplied object model, such as a Document Object Model (DOM). The object model can then be used to render a page, such as a webpage. By injecting server-supplied user interface elements into a client object model, the client can intelligently combine UI elements from a server with UI elements from a client. In the situation where there are conflicting or overlapping UI elements, the client device can modify the object model to eliminate such conflicts or overlaps.

The Document Object Model (DOM) is an application programming interface (API) for HTML and XML documents. It defines the logical structure of documents and ways for documents to be accessed and manipulated. One objective for DOM is to provide a standard programming interface that can be used in a wide variety of environments and applications. Generally, DOM provides a hierarchical tree structure having a plurality of nodes in parent/child relationships. Using this structure, script programs can examine and dynamically change a web page.
Other languages can be associated with object models different than DOM. However, whatever model is used, it is desirable to allow programmers to build documents, navigate their structure, and add, modify, or delete elements and content.
Even with well-defined object models, authoring pages that can be used across different platforms can be challenging. For example, different pages often need to be created based on whether the page is to be displayed on a server or a client, despite an overlap in content between the pages. In one simple example, a server-side page can display headers and footers that are not displayed on a client page. In such a situation, two different pages need to be created even if the content is the same.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Combining server-side and client-side user interface elements


A Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocol evolved Node-B (eNB) and method for dynamic modulation change while generating a Media Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) in a LTE wireless network are provided. The eNB in one example embodiment includes a transceiver system configured to receive a packet and a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) from a User Equipment (UE) and a processing system coupled to the transceiver system and configured to determine whether padding is needed in the MAC PDU, if padding is needed, select a slower modulation scheme and coding rate than is specified by the CQI, wherein the selected slower modulation scheme and coding rate are selected so as to substantially eliminate padding in the MAC PDU, and transmit the MAC PDU using the selected slower modulation scheme and coding rate.

Wireless communication systems, such as cellular voice and data networks, typically include multiple wireless access nodes spread over a geographic area through which wireless communication devices can register and receive wireless access to communication services. In many examples, the wireless communication devices are mobile, and can move between wireless coverage areas, such as sectors, of the wireless access nodes.
The Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocol (also known as Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network, or E-UTRAN) is a wireless communication protocol developed from GSM and 3GPP cellular communication standards. LTE is the first GSM/3GPP standard that is fully IP and packet-based. LTE can be fully integrated into 2G and 3G cellular infrastructure.
LTE was developed to provide improved performance and better spectral efficiency to cellular networks. LTE supports high data rates for services such as voice over IP (VOIP), streaming multimedia, videoconference, and high-speed cellular modem services. LTE supports flexible carrier bandwidths, as well as Time Division Duplex (TDD) and Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) communication modes. LTE was designed with a scalable carrier bandwidth from 1.4 MHz to up to 20 MHz. The bandwidth that is used depends of the frequency band and the amount of spectrum available to a network operator.
LTE uses the concept of a resource block, which is a block of 12 subcarriers in one slot. A transport block is a group of resource blocks with a common modulation/decoding. The physical interface is a transport block, which corresponds to the data carried in an allocated period of time for a particular wireless device in communication with a wireless communication network. Each radio subframe is one millisecond long. Allocations may be valid for one or more Transmission Time Intervals (TTIs), where each TTI is one subframe (i.e., one millisecond).
The MAC layer adds a header and performs padding to fit the MAC SDU into the TTI. The MAC layer submits the MAC PDU to the physical layer for transmitting the MAC PDU onto a physical channel. The physical channel transmits the data into slots of the sub frame.
Overview
Systems, methods, and software for dynamic modulation change while generating a MAC PDU in a LTE wireless network are provided herein. In one example, a method for dynamic modulation change while generating a Media Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocol wireless network includes receiving in an evolved Node-B (eNB) a packet and a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) from a User Equipment (UE), determining whether padding is needed in the MAC PDU, and if padding is needed, the eNB selecting a slower modulation scheme and coding rate than is specified by the CQI, wherein the selected slower modulation scheme and coding rate are selected so as to substantially eliminate padding in the MAC PDU, and transmitting the MAC PDU using the selected slower modulation scheme and coding rate.
In another example of a method for dynamic modulation change while generating a MAC PDU in a LTE protocol wireless network includes receiving a packet and a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) in an evolved Node-B (eNB) from a User Equipment (UE), generating a padded MAC1 comprising the MAC plus padding and a MAC2 comprising the MAC, calculating a MAC1 modulation scheme and coding rate and a MAC2 modulation scheme and coding rate, if the number of MAC1 Resource Blocks (MAC1 RBs) are not equal to the number of MAC2 RBs, then transmitting the MAC PDU using the CQI, and if the number of MAC1 RBs are equal to the number of MAC2 RBs, then: setting the CQI to a next slower CQI, recalculating the MAC2 modulation scheme and coding rate according to the next slower CQI, if the number of MAC1 RBs are equal to the number of MAC2 RBs, then branching back to select a new next slower CQI, and if the number of MAC1 RBs are not equal to the number of MAC2 RBs, then selecting a slower modulation scheme and coding rate as specified by the next slower CQI and transmitting the MAC PDU using the next slower CQI, wherein the selected slower modulation scheme and coding rate are selected so as to substantially eliminate padding in the MAC PDU.
In another example, a LTE protocol evolved Node-B (eNB) for dynamic modulation change while generating a MAC PDU in a LTE wireless network is presented. The eNB includes a transceiver system configured to receive a packet and a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) from a User Equipment (UE) and a processing system coupled to the transceiver system and configured to determine whether padding is needed in the MAC PDU, if padding is needed, select a slower modulation scheme and coding rate than is specified by the CQI, wherein the selected slower modulation scheme and coding rate are selected so as to substantially eliminate padding in the MAC PDU, and transmit the MAC PDU using the selected slower modulation scheme and coding rate.

Dynamic modulation change while generating a MAC PDU in a LTE protocol wireless network


A nifedipine formulation for oral administration is described that provides controlled, constant release of the pharmaceutical for about twenty four hours after a short delay following oral administration. There is also provided a method for preparing a controlled release formulation of nifedipine, which method includes coating pellets with multiple nifedipine-containing layers, along with an outer controlled release coating comprised of a water permeable polymer and lubricant/glidant. The pellets are then cured at an elevated temperature over several days. A method of using the formulations of the present invention for the treatment of patients is also described.

It has long been known that almost all pharmacologically active compounds are most effective when present in the blood plasma within a certain concentration range. Above this range, there sometimes may be a danger of deleterious side effects. Also, excess drug in the blood plasma may be wasted if the concentration is significantly above the blood level that results in the maximum pharmacological effect, thus making both the manufacture and use of the drug formulation unnecessarily costly. Alternatively, when the concentration of drug in the plasma is below the most effective range, there is the danger that the active ingredient may not be maximally effective, or may not be effective at all.
When physiologically possible, an oral dosage form is the preferred route of administration of most pharmaceutical compounds because it provides easy, low cost administration. However, patient compliance is an important factor to consider in conjunction with oral administration of a pharmaceutical compound, especially if the compound must be taken three or four times a day. To maximize patient compliance, it is desirable to reduce the number of daily dosage units a patient must take to attain effective therapy. The use of fewer, longer acting dosages also improves the constancy of drug concentrations in the blood over time, and since the drug can be closer to its ideal therapeutic dosage throughout the day, this may result in improved therapy.
Nifedipine (3,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-4-(2-nitrophenyl)-, dimethyl ester) is a calcium channel antagonist which has been successfully used in the treatment of coronary artery spasms and hypertension. The administration of nifedipine in traditional capsule or tablet form requires the patient to remember to ingest tablets or capsules several times per day in order to maintain effective blood levels of the drug. In addition, many patients being treated on this drug regimen must take several other capsules or tablets for the treatment of other conditions or disease states, requiring a large total number of pills to be taken daily. Moreover, the administration of the drug several times per day results in non-constant blood levels throughout the day. Accordingly, it is important for the convenience of the patient, and to ensure dosage compliance, that the frequency of administration of nifedipine be kept to a minimum. It is also important that the level of nifedipine maintained in the blood plasma of a patient be relatively constant within the effective dosage range for the entire dosage period.
One method of accomplishing these goals is the use of controlled release formulations, some of which are well known in the prior art. Some controlled release formulations are comprised of a solid polymeric matrix throughout which a pharmaceutical compound has been dispersed. After the formulation is ingested, the active pharmaceutical compound slowly releases from the polymer matrix, resulting in prolonged release of the active ingredient.
Another method for achieving controlled release of a pharmaceutical agent relies on an osmotic pressure mechanism. European patent No. 0 386 440 A1, issued to Bayer AG, discloses nifedipine tablets having various specified surface areas in a controlled release, once daily formulation of nifedipine. The formulation releases nifedipine via an osmotic release mechanism; the diffusion of water into the tablet through a semipermeable membrane causes pressure to build inside the tablet, which forces the drug out through a pinhole in the tablet coating. A controlled release tablet that releases nifedipine in this way is commercially available from Pfizer, Inc. under the trade name Procardia XL.RTM., and this tablet has been found to give generally acceptable drug release profiles in vivo.
European Patent No. 0 5145683, issued to Ethical Pharmaceuticals, Inc., discloses a controlled release pharmaceutical composition comprising particles of a water-soluble material coated with microcrystalline particles of nifedipine and polyvinylpyrrolidone, the latter of which is present in an amount of from 10 to 90% by weight based on the weight of the nifedipine. The incorporation of polyvinylpyrrolidone in an amount less than that of the nifedipine is said to significantly slow the dissolution of nifedipine from the final dosage form.
Another approach to formulating controlled release compositions includes the dry blending of one or more polymer with the desired drug, forming a composition which, when exposed to fluid, forms a gel; the drug is then slowly released by diffusion from the gel.
Yet another approach to controlled release is the coating of small pellets (e.g., sugar beads or nonpareils) with the drug, followed by a coating with a barrier layer of some polymer which impedes the release of the drug into the liquid of the digestive system. Such small beads are often then packaged together to provide an oral dosage form, e.g., by placing the beads into a gelatin capsule.
The methods and formulations of the present invention use this latter approach, which heretofore has not successfully been applied to the controlled release delivery of nifedipine. The formulations of the present invention provide controlled release formulations in the form of pellets having multiple layers coated thereon, which provide for controlled release of the pharmaceutical agent from the individual pellets. The pellets may be then formulated into controlled release tablets or capsules. The controlled release of nifedipine from pellets prepared by the process of this invention maintains a constant blood level of nifedipine over a prolonged period of time. By using the methods of the present invention, it has been possible to prepare controlled release nifedipine formulations that have essentially the same in vitro drug release profiles (drug release as a function of time) as does Procardia XL.RTM.).

Method of preparation of controlled release nifedipine formulations


An eyeglass assembly has a pair of temples, each of which passes through an aperture in a lens. The temples are bent, and the holes oriented, such that the temples can pivot about the portion passing through the hole, allowing the temple to rotate between a wearing position and a storage position.

1. Field of the Invention
This relates to eyeglasses, and more particularly to a method of constructing eyeglasses that fold for storage without the use of hinges.
2. Description of the Related Art
The fundamental problem of eyeglass design is the attachment of the optically important parts, the lenses, to the mechanical support structure, the frame, in such a way that the lenses are positioned correctly near the eyes, and in such a way that the frames are comfortable to wear. A vast number of cosmetically different frame types exist, but they embody only a few methods of joining frame to lens:
Full-frame: The frame surrounds the lens cosmetically and structurally with a rigid structure. The lens is either geometrically trapped in the frame, or is adhesively bonded inside.
Semi-rimless: The frame, incorporating the temples and nose bridge, wraps approximately halfway around the circumference of the lens, and is typically held into this structure by a length of flexible line running through a circumferential groove in the lens.
Rimless: The temples and nose bridge are separate, and each attached to the lens by brackets that touch the edge of the lens, held in place by small screws through the lens.
The rimless design is cosmetically pleasing, but all forces on the frame members are transmitted directly to the lens, so eyeglasses of this design are comparatively fragile. A pair of eyeglasses incorporating the presently disclosed invention could have rimless construction and appearance, great durability, and ease of fabrication.

Eyeglass assembly having pivotable receiving means


An unloader ring 20 has a plurality of unloader fingers 21 passing through intake channels 16 of the intake valve 5 arranged in the ring-shaped intake chamber 11 such that the unloader ring 20 is guided on the wall 24, 31 of the intake chamber 11, where it is arranged displaceably by means of the circumferential surface 23 of the unloader ring 20 on the outside radially or by the circumferential surface 30 of the unloader ring 20 on the inside radially. A radial step 25 is provided on the circumferential surface 23 of the unloader ring on the outside radially or on the circumferential surface 30 of the unloader ring 20 on the inside radially, and a control chamber 26 is formed between the wall 24, 31 of the intake chamber 11 and the radial step 25, this control chamber being connected to a control line 27 for supplying a control medium into the control chamber 26. A lower stop (32) for the unloader ring (20) is provided in the intake chamber (11), this stop being designed so that the unloader finger overhang (f) of the unloader ring finger (21) is smaller than the intake stroke (h) of the intake valve (5).

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cylinder head for a piston compressor having an intake valve, a pressure valve and an unloader, wherein a ring-shaped intake chamber arranged on the inside or outside radially and a pressure chamber situated on the inside radially or on the outside radially are provided in the cylinder head, a unloader ring having a number of lifting fingers passing through the intake channels of the intake valve is arranged in the ring-shaped intake chamber, so that the unloader ring is guided displaceably on the wall of the intake chamber by the circumferential surface of the unloader ring on the outside radially or by the circumferential surface of the unloader ring on the inside radially, a radial step being provided on the circumferential surface of the unloader ring on the outside radially or on the circumferential surface of the unloader ring on the inside radially, and a control chamber which communicates with a control line for supplying a control medium into the control chamber is formed on the circumferential surface of the unloader ring on the outside radially or on the circumferential surface of the unloader ring on the inside radially, with a control chamber formed between the wall of the intake channel and the radial step connected to a control line for supplying a control medium into the control chamber.
The Prior Art
In many applications, high demands are made of the design height of a compressor in air brake compressors, e.g., for trucks. Likewise, idling control must often be provided with compressors, in particular compressors, which are driven even if no compression medium such as air is required at that time. An unloader is frequently used with many compressors, forcing the intake valve to remain open for a certain period of time. However, there are no known air brake compressors that use unloaders, and instead other devices are also used, e.g., pistons or movable slats, which open a borehole, or intake vanes, which are shifted. The unloader or the actuating device for same is therefore often situated on the cylinder head and has unloader fingers which are pressed against the valve element of the intake valve to lift it away from the valve seat and thus to keep it open. However, such unloaders according to the related art require a very large installation space, which therefore prevents their use in many applications. One such unloader is known from EP 475 931 A1 or EP 118 416 A1, for example.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,956,729 A in turn describes an unloader situated concentrically around the cylinder of the compressor. To do so, a ring-shaped step piston, which is in contact with a number of pins that are distributed over the circumference and extend through the intake channels in the valve seal and actuate the pins, is provided. A hollow space, which can be put under pressure via a hydraulic medium line may be placed between the movable step piston and the stationary inside part, so that the unloader is deactivated. To actuate the unloader, the intermediate space must be vented, so that the unloader keeps the intake valve open by spring force. One such unloader has a plurality of individual parts which makes it susceptible to error. The pins must also be guided in the valve seat, which reduces the available intake cross section by the intake valve on the one hand while limiting the possible number of pins on the other hand. In the case of a few pins, however, the surface pressure of the pins on the valve plate is increased, resulting in unwanted deformation, in particular warping of same, and thus resulting in a malfunction of the compressor.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,345,884 A shows an unloader having lifting pins situated in the cylinder head. The lifting pins are pressure-actuated directly, so that corresponding channels for the pressure medium must be provided in the cylinder head. This makes the cylinder head complicated and reduces the available flow cross sections for the pressure medium or the intake medium. Here again, the pins must be guided in the valve seat of the intake valve, which in turn reduces the available intake cross section due to the intake valve and limits the possible number of pins, with the same disadvantages as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,956,729 A.
FR 2 257 029 A1 describes a cylinder head of a piston compressor in which a unloader ring according to the preamble of the independent claim is derived. In normal operation, the unloader ring is lifted away from the valve element by a control medium against a spring. In the absence of a control pressure, the unloader ring is pressed by the spring against the valve element, lifting it away from the valve seat.
In idling operation, oil is transported from the crankcase into the cylinder chamber (the so-called oil carry-over). This has negative effects en the operation of the compressor because on the one hand the oil is transported outward and delivered to the environment and on the ether hand there may also be some chemical decomposition of the oil due to the high temperatures of the compression medium and/or of the cylinder head, such that the resulting substances may be problematical for units downstream from the compressor, for example, control valves for a brake system and may cause damages there.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a very compact cylinder head with unloaders which will eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages and will reduce the oil carry-over in idling operation.

Hoerbiger Kompressortechnik Holding GmbH


A system and method for an e-problem solving board is disclosed. Said e-problem solving board allows automated classification and management of one or more problems. In some embodiments, the method uses one or more machine learning algorithms for classifying problems according to their complexity. In other embodiments, the method uses collaborative filtering algorithms for classifying the complexity of the problem. In these embodiments, the method uses collaborative filtering algorithms for assigning employees to problems and providing a set of suggestions to address the one or more problems. In some embodiments, the system provides status reports regarding the one or more problems. In other embodiments, the system allows multiple teams, operating in different geographic locations, to work on a single problem. Further to these embodiments, the system allows users to track and continually update problems.

Organizations can have diverse business groups that may measure their performance by keeping track of a set of key performance indicators (KPIs). Sometimes, problems arise in the organization's processes that cause business groups to fail when trying to meet one or more key performance indicators. Examples of key performance indicators include maintaining products or services below a desired cost threshold, meeting date/time commitments associated with deliverables, and the like.
Identifying problems and resolving problems are useful processes in assessing the operational efficiency of an organization. It is desirable to measure how well this process is performing and attempt to decrease the time to a resolution. There are different approaches for identifying a problem and resolving that problem. In one example using a JDI (just do it)/A3 approach, a problem is defined, a goal is identified, a root cause is identified, and countermeasures are implemented. In another example using a Kaizen approach, a process map is generated, a value stream map is generated, an improvement plan is generated, risk analysis is performed, and a solution is implemented. In yet another example using a Lean Six Sigma approach, a requirements map is generated, a baseline measurement is obtained, a solution is mapped, and a pilot is implemented. Regardless of the approach, these problem identification and resolution approaches are inefficient and cause wasted resources in solving problems.
Therefore, problem management skills are useful for maintaining productivity of an organization. However, inefficiencies can arise when there are no or limited mechanisms for avoiding outdated information, duplicated efforts, poor prioritization of problems, and delays in problem resolution.
Members of a team need constant communication among each other when working on a problem. However, the physical exchange of information is difficult when some team members are working from different geographic locations. Thus, there is a need for providing systems and methods to address these and other concerns.
Conventional computer-based systems do not efficiently identify problems, track problems, and propose solutions, and the conventional computer-based solutions may require manual input for updating. Further, there is no capability to identify recurring problems, identify problems that have been solved by others, or automatically update a status of a solution attempt to a problem. Furthermore, conventional computer-based systems do not provide a streamlined interface and alert system for a user to receive timely notifications and react to the notifications.

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company


A radio communication device in which the output transmission signal of a high-frequency power amplifying part is sent out to an antenna via a circulator, a high-frequency signal reflected from the antenna is transferred via the circulator to a rectifying part to obtain a direct current power, and the direct current power is supplied to a power amplifying part or another constituent part in the radio communication device as an aid to the power supply from a power supply unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio communication device that converts reflected high-frequency signal power from an antenna into a direct current power and uses the converted electric power, and also to an electric power supplying method for the radio communication devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a transmitter of a portable radio communication terminal, matching circuits are designed to make impedance matching between a high-frequency power amplifier and an antenna in order to radiate power, which is outputted from the high-frequency power amplifier, efficiently from the antenna. However, because the impedance of the antenna changes depending on the way of holding by a user or a usage environment, power reflection from the antenna occurs.
As countermeasures to this problem, there exists a method of providing a controllable matching circuit between the high-frequency power amplifier and the antenna to make a reflected wave smaller (Patent literature 1), a method of canceling the reflected wave by a part of transmitting electric power (Patent literature 2), a method of canceling the reflected wave by using the reflected wave (Patent literature 3) and so on.    Patent literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-295055    Patent literature 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H02-151130    Patent literature 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H09-116459
Since a matching circuit with an impedance tuning function is added to the output side of the power amplifier in the method of Patent literature 1, a loss is given to a transmission signal. So, it is necessary to use a power amplifier capable of greater power amplification in order to transmit signals at a desired electric power, and it has a drawback of reducing efficiency. In the method of Patent literature 2, a part of the transmission power is used to cancel the reflected wave, so that efficiency deteriorates by that amount. In the method of Patent literature 3, an electric power for amplifying a part of the reflected wave is necessary, and the electric power efficiency of the entire portable radio communication device worsens.

Radio communication device and power supplying method for radio communication device


A criminal act detection system may include a device processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions executable by the device processor to perform the following steps: receiving data from a plurality of geographically distributed personal electronic devices; determining, based on the data received from the personal electronic devices, that conduct consistent with a criminal act has occurred; and sending information pertaining to the conduct consistent with a criminal act to one or more of the personal electronic devices.

There are programs for detecting natural disasters, such as earthquakes. These programs include stationary seismic monitoring systems. They are not interactive with individuals in terms of providing information and assistance tailored to individuals or groups of individuals affected by such natural disasters. The information of where and when earthquakes occur is available, but it is not readily provided to the public with any particular context or guidance as to what those in the public who are affected by the disasters should do to best endure the event.
There are also systems that have been developed to detect criminal activity, such as an active shooter in a civilian locality. Such systems may include sensors deployed on official vehicles, such as police helicopters. However, the information collected and determined by such systems is not readily provided to the public.
There is a need in the art for a system and method that addresses the shortcomings discussed above. In particular, there is a need in the art for disaster and crime detection systems that are more readily accessible to and interactive with the public.

United Services Automobile Association (USAA)


Embodiments of the present invention provide a power control method and a device. The power control method provided includes: estimating, by a BS, receiving quality of an uplink channel transmitted by UE, and generating an uplink TPC command, where the UE is configured in a compressed mode, and configuration information in the compressed mode includes a transmission interval and a non-transmission interval; and increasing a current transmit power of the uplink TPC command according to the configuration information of the UE in the compressed mode, and repeatedly transmitting the uplink TPC command to the UE. In the embodiments of the present invention, power control accuracy is increased.

In a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS for short) network specified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP for short), a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA for short) technology and a High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA for short) technology are generally used to reduce user data transmission delay and increase signal quality at a receive end of the UMTS network.
Currently, during uplink power control, a base station (BS for short) transmits an uplink transmit power control (TPC for short) command to user equipment (UE for short) to increase or decrease an uplink transmit power. Alternatively, during downlink power control, a UE transmits a downlink TPC command to a BS to increase or decrease a downlink transmit power. Generally, a same uplink/downlink TPC command may be transmitted in N timeslots, and a receive end combines the TPC commands transmitted in the N timeslots and then makes a judgment to determine whether to adjust a transmit power at a transmit end.
However, when a TPC command is transmitted in a compressed mode, because a TPC command that falls in a transmission interval is not transmitted, Quality of the TPC command received by a receive end deteriorates, and a bit error rate (BER for short) of the TPC command further increases.


A dual port dispenser button system which has an elastic receptacle button that includes a first latch receiver and a second latch receiver. The system includes a dispenser with a first dispensing port and a second dispensing port. The system includes a first valve including a first valve seal member and a first button latch and a second valve including a second valve seal member and a second button latch. When the button is depressed, the first valve seal member moves from a first position in which it seals the first dispensing port to a second position in which it does not seal the first dispensing port and the second valve seal member moves from a second position in which it seals the second dispensing port to a second position in which it does not seal the second dispensing port.

Applicant has filed application entitled "Front Push Tap", filed as application Ser. No. 16/047,214, filed Jul. 27, 2018, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. This application is an improvement over that invention. There is a need for a twin receptacle button or a dual port dispenser.
Without limiting the scope of the invention a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention, below.
A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification is provided as well only for the purposes of complying with 37 C.F.R. 1.72. The abstract is not intended to be used for interpreting the scope of the claims.

Dual receptacle, multi-function button system


A cathode for use in an electrochemical cell having an anode and an electrolyte. The cathode includes a manganese dioxide active material and a titanate additive which includes at least one of SrTiO.sub.3 or CoTiO.sub.3. The cathode of the present invention is particularly adapted for use in an electrochemical cell having a zinc anode and an alkaline electrolyte.

The present invention generally relates to electrochemical cells including cathode additives and more particularly to primary alkaline electrochemical cells having cathodes formed of manganese dioxide, one or more titanate additives, and other cathode components.
Typical alkaline cells include a steel cylindrical can having a cathode comprising manganese dioxide as the active material and formed on the interior surface of the steel can, an anode comprising zinc and located in the center of the cell, a separator located between the anode and the cathode, and an alkaline electrolyte simultaneously contacting the anode, cathode, and separator. A conductive anode current collector is inserted into the anode active material and a seal assembly closes the open end of the steel can.
A primary goal in designing alkaline batteries is to increase the service performance of the cell. The service performance is the length of time for the cell to discharge under a given load to a specific voltage at which the cell is no longer useful for its intended purpose. One approach taken to increase service performance was to increase the interior volume of the cell in order to increase the amount of active materials within the cell. However, the commercial external size of the cell is fixed, thereby limiting the ability to increase the amounts of active materials within the cell. In order to accommodate more active materials within the cell while maintaining the external size of the cell, the steel label of the conventional alkaline cell has been replaced with one made of thinner metalized plastic film. Thus, the steel can may be enlarged to provide a greater internal volume. By switching to a thinner plastic film label, the service performance of a typical alkaline cell was significantly increased.
Another approach taken to increase the service performance of a cell is to utilize an anatase titanium dioxide as an additive to a cathode having manganese dioxide as the active material. Despite past increases in service performance, the need to find new ways to increase service performance remains the primary goal of cell designers.

Alkaline cell having a cathode including a titanate additive


A detachable wall mounted shower seat enables a user to seat a young child to shower with the user while allowing a seat to rotate in order to provide the young child with greater access to different direction of water. The detachable wall mounted shower seat includes the seat with a seat frame where the seat frame is attached to a seat fabric. The user can place the young child on the seat fabric. The seat frame is attached to an upper seat bracket and a lower seat bracket which are attached to bracket plate can be attached to the wall in a manner that enables the seat to slightly recline, which is naturally relaxing to the young child.

The embodiments herein relate generally to a detachable wall mounted shower seat. Prior to the disclosed invention, it was needlessly challenging to bathe a young child. The child would need to be bathed separately of an adult or in a bathtub. The prior art comprises U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,123 issued to Simmons, U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,242 issued to Golder, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,807,690 issued to Satterfield.
Simmons teaches a seat that is mounted to a wall where the seat can accommodate the child by using a sewn material for a base that rests between arms like a hammock. This serves to trap the child in place because the young child lacks the strength to lift one's legs from the hammock. However, this cannot be used to bathe a child because whatever runs from the child with water will pool in the hammock, making parts of the child cleaner than others.
Golder teaches a wall mounted child's seat that secures a child to a cushion with a plurality of straps. Golder, like Simmons is designed for the static application of keeping a young child in place in a public restroom. Embodiments of the present invention assist a user in bathing a child in a shower. Typically, shower heads are static, so a user must rotate proximate the shower head in order to wash. Golder and Simmons offer no theory of how to rotate the wall mounted child's seat in order to clean the child.
Satterfield notes that the ability for a wall mounted seat to pivot can be useful. However, it uses the pivot in a manner similar to Golder and Simmons, that is, to make the wall mounted seat compact. Embodiments of the present invention are concerned with rotation at tangent to the wall, not rotation orthogonal to the wall, as noted above this allows the user to bath the child as opposed to keeping the child in place.

Detachable wall mounted shower seat for seating a young child to shower with an adult


Disclosed is a high-frequency signal detector circuit including a diode detector circuit for detecting an input signal by diode detection; a differential-input/differential output amplifier with a common mode feedback circuit, the amplifier including a differential amplifying circuit for differentially receiving outputs of the diode detector circuit and outputting a differential output signal, and a common mode feedback circuit for controlling the differential amplifying circuit in such a manner that a voltage corresponding to a mid-point of the differential output signal from the differential amplifying circuit will take on a voltage identical with a prescribed voltage; and a differential-input/single-ended output amplifier for receiving the differential output signal of the differential amplifying circuit and outputting a single-ended output signal. The circuit further includes a binarization circuit for receiving the output signal of the differential-input/single-ended output amplifier and comparing the output signal with a threshold voltage to thereby binarize and output the signal. The threshold voltage is adjustably set.

There is increasing demand for use of a high frequency signal detector or RF signal detector as a trigger signal output circuit in radio communication devices of an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system and DSRC (Dedicated Short-Range Communication) system, etc.
When an RF signal detector circuit is used as a trigger signal output circuit, some qualities that are sought are low power consumption, low operating voltage and a high signal detection sensitivity, etc.
A configuration of the kind shown in FIG. 7 has been described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2006-174101A) in order to satisfy this requirement. It should be noted that FIG. 7 is a configuration created based upon the content of FIGS. 1 and 3 of Patent Document 1. The configuration and operation of FIG. 7 will be described based upon the content set forth in Patent Document 1.
As shown in FIG. 7, P-channel transistors Tr13 and Tr23 having their sources coupled together, a P-channel transistor Tr31 forming a current source and N-channel transistors Tr15 and Tr25 forming a passive load (current mirror circuit) constitute a differential amplifying circuit. A first series circuit composed of diode-connected NPN bipolar transistors Tr11 and Tr12 (detector diodes) and a capacitor C11 is disposed between a power supply Vcc and ground, and an NPN bipolar transistor (current source) Tr14 is connected between the cathode of the detector diode Tr12 and ground. Further, a second series circuit composed of diode-connected NPN bipolar transistors Tr21 and Tr22 (detector diodes) and a capacitor C21 is disposed between the power supply Vcc and ground, and an NPN bipolar transistor (current source) Tr24 is connected between a cathode of the detector diode Tr22 and ground. A matching circuit 10 including a series capacitor is connected to the anode of the detector diode Tr12.
Furthermore, a bipolar transistor Tr34 having an emitter grounded and a collector and base that are connected to a current source, and bipolar transistors Tr33, Tr14 and Tr24 having emitters grounded and bases coupled together and connected to the base of the transistor Tr34, constitute a current mirror. A transistor Tr32, which has a source connected to the power supply and a drain and collector that are connected to the collector of the bipolar transistor Tr33, and a current-source transistor Tr31 constitute a current mirror.
A high-frequency signal (RF signal) received from an antenna 11 is applied to the anode of the detector diode Tr12 via the matching circuit 10 and charges the capacitor C11 upon being rectified by the detector diode Tr12. The voltage across the terminals of the capacitor C11 takes on a value that conforms to the amplitude (envelope) of the high-frequency signal. Since the high-frequency signal does not flow into the second series circuit (transistors Tr21, Tr22 and capacitor C21), the voltage across the terminals of the capacitor C21 does not rise. The difference voltage between the terminal voltages of the capacitors C11 and C21 is amplified by the differential amplifying circuit, which delivers a differential output signal Vout1 to an amplifier 200, which is the next stage. The capacitor C10 in the matching circuit 10, the diode Tr11, the detector diode Tr12 and the capacitor C11 constitute a voltage doubling circuit and, hence, the terminal voltage of the capacitor C11 takes on a voltage that is double the amplitude of the high-frequency signal. As a result, the difference between the two inputs to the differential amplifying circuit is doubled and sensitivity is improved.
It should be noted that Patent Document 2 discloses an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) capable of operating at high speed for improving the noise characteristic, the amplifier comprising an input differential pair, a constant current source (cascode-connected transistors), a bias circuit, a common-mode feedback (CMFB) circuit and a conductance control circuit. In Patent Document 2, the CMFB circuit generates a reference current in order that the mid-point voltage of differential voltages corresponding to the differential output currents of the input differential pair will be the same voltage as a reference voltage, and a constant current circuit connected to the output pair of the differential pair and constructed by the cascode-connected transistors supplies the differential pair with a differential current mirror current that is in accordance with the reference current generated by the CMFB circuit.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2006-174101A
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-P2003-243947A
The entire disclosures of Patent Documents 1 and 2 are incorporated herein by reference thereto. The following analyses are given by the present inventor.
The inventor has studied the circuit configuration illustrated in FIG. 7, and the results of these studies will now be described.
As mentioned above, the signal received by the antenna 11 is applied to the detector circuit 100, in which amplitude information is detected by the diode detector circuit (transistors Tr11, Tr12, capacitor C11, transistors Tr21, Tr22 and capacitor C21) and the signal is amplified by the differential amplifying circuit (differential-input/single-ended output amplifying circuit). The resultant signal is supplied to the amplifier 200 constituting the next stage.
The output section of the detector circuit 100 outputs the differential signal Vout1 irrespective of the fact that it is a differential-input/single-ended output amplifying circuit. That is, the output section includes a diode detector circuit of half-wave voltage doubling type (NPN diodes in two stages) and constant current sources (transistors Tr14, Tr24), and the detector output section has the capacitors (C11, C21) for smoothing voltage. The diode detector circuit performs envelope detection, i.e., demodulates the amplitude-modulated signal and detects an AM-type burst (intermittent) signal component with regard to a certain frequency carrier. The next stage has a differential-input/single-ended output amplifier of the PNP input so as to make low-voltage drive possible. This amplifier amplifies the detection signal.
The amplifier in the output section of the detector circuit 100 is the amplifier of a single-ended output and produces the quasi differential output Vout1 artificially. This differential output Vout1 is supplied to the amplifier 200, which further amplifies the detection signal to thereby finally obtain a detection signal output Vout2.
However, the output signal Vout1 is not a pure differential signal; in view of the circuit configuration and principle of operation, the signal is substantially a single-ended signal. Although it may appear at a glance that the circuit outputs a differential signal, this is not the case.
With such a circuit configuration and principle of operation, the common mode rejection ratio (CMRR) and power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) are decided by the capability of the amplifier in the initial stage. Consequently, the CMRR and PSRR of the entire detector circuit 100 deteriorate. If it is attempted to raise the gain of the entire detector circuit 100 in order to improve signal detection sensitivity, the fact that the CMRR and PSRR are poor results in unstable operation of the detector circuit, such as abnormal oscillation and a decline in the SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) of the output signal, and a high detection sensitivity cannot be achieved.
On the other hand, in a case where the detection signal that has been output from the amplifier is binarized, a problem which arises is that depending upon the status of the SNR of the amplifier output, this can lead to malfunction unless the threshold value of the binarization circuit is adjusted skillfully.
Thus, although it appears at a glance that the output section Vout1 of the detector circuit 100 outputs a differential signal, the amplifier section of the detector circuit 100 is a single-ended signal output circuit and does not operate as one that outputs a differential signal.
Since the output of the amplifier section of the detector circuit 100 is not a fully differential output signal, the CMRR and PSRR are poor and it is difficult to achieve stable operation when a high gain is set. This point will be described later in comparison with the present invention.


A scanner for reading an object having a width larger than that of the distal end portion of a scanner main body, has an exit opening for outputting a light beam formed at the distal end portion of the scanner main body. An LED for generating a light beam, and a solid-state image pickup element for receiving the light beam which is reflected by the code, are arranged in the scanner main body. A gap portion for increasing the irradiation width of the light beam to be larger than the width of the distal end portion of the scanner main body is formed at the distal end portion of the scanner main body. Therefore, when a code is read by bringing the scanner main body close to or into contact with the code, the gap portion increases the width of the light beam to be larger than that of the distal end portion of the scanner main body, and therefore, a code having a width larger than the width of the distal end portion of the scanner main body can be read.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable scanner for reading an image of an object to be read such as barcode symbols, and the like using a light source such as a laser beam, LED, or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
As handy type scanners for optically reading an image of an object to be read such as a barcode, a touch scanner which utilizes a light-emitting diode (to be abbreviated as an LED hereinafter) as a light source, a laser scanner which utilizes a laser beam with a strong directivity, and the like are available.
The touch scanner comprises an LED and a light-receiving unit in its scanner main body. Light emitted from the LED is output from the exit opening of the scanner main body, and is irradiated onto a barcode. The light reflected by the barcode is received by the light-receiving unit to optically read the barcode. Since this touch scanner must read a barcode in a state wherein the distal end portion of the scanner main body covers the barcode, the readable distance is as small as 0 to 50 mm from the distal end of the scanner main body. Note that this touch scanner has an exit opening on the lower surface, on the distal end side, of the scanner main body, and a light-shielding portion for preventing the light-receiving unit from being influenced by external light extends almost vertically around the exit opening.
The laser scanner comprises a laser light source (to be referred to as a laser oscillator hereinafter), a scanning mirror, a light-receiving unit, and the like in its scanner main body. A laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator is output from the exit port of the scanner main body while being periodically oscillated by the scanning mirror, and is scanned on a barcode separated therefrom. The laser beam reflected by the barcode is received by the light-receiving unit, thereby reading the barcode separated from the scanner by a given distance. Since this laser scanner uses the laser beam with a strong directivity, the distance from the exit opening of the scanner main body to the shortest reading position is as large as several cm to several tens cm, and gun type (pistol type) scanners are popular to allow easy aiming with respect to a barcode separated therefrom.
However, since the above-mentioned touch scanner cannot accurately read a barcode unless the distal end portion of the scanner main body is brought close to or into contact with the barcode to cover it, it cannot read a barcode separated therefrom. In addition, although the touch scanner can read a barcode which is slightly larger than the exit opening of the distal end portion of the scanner main body, it cannot read a barcode larger than such a barcode. Furthermore, since a barcode in reading cannot be visually observed, the reading position cannot be confirmed.
The above-mentioned laser scanner can satisfactorily read a barcode separated therefrom by a given distance since it uses a laser beam with a strong directivity. However, the laser scanner cannot read a barcode in a state wherein the distal end portion of the scanner main body is brought close to or into contact with the barcode. In addition, when a barcode is set vertically, it can be easily read since the scanner main body can be held almost horizontally. However, when a barcode is set horizontally, the scanner main body must be held almost vertically, and is not easy to hold, resulting in difficult alignment of the scanner main body to the barcode, poor operability, and difficult reading operation.

Portable reading apparatus for scan-reading a code using a laser light beam