An automatic-feed trimmer head for a vegetation trimming machine. A spool is positioned within the interior of a housing. A cam guide formation is disposed atop the top flange of the spool. The cam guide formation defines a pathway. A cam arm is provided that is mounted to the housing with a pivot connection. The cam arm has a cam projection that extends into the pathway. A spring is provided that biases the cam arm into a first orientation. In the first orientation, the shape of the pathway enables the cam projection to move only in a first direction. The cam arm moves about the pivot connection from its first orientation to a second orientation when the trimmer head assembly is rotated above a predetermined rotational speed. When the cam arm is in its second orientation trimmer line is unwound from the spool.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rotating string trimmers of the type used by homeowners and landscapers to cut growing vegetation. More particularly, the present invention relates to trimmer heads that automatically dispense additional trimmer line as the exposed trimmer line wears away.
2. Prior Art Description
String trimmer machines have been commercially sold for many decades. In this period of time, there have been many variations to the design of the string trimmer machine and especially to the trimmer head.
The trimmer head is the part of the string trimmer machine that rotates. The trimmer head holds lengths of trimmer line that rotate with the trimmer head. The rotating trimmer line contacts and cuts vegetation as it spins.
Depending upon the make, model, and manufacturer of the string trimmer machine, the trimmer head rotates either clockwise or counterclockwise during operation. The mix in the current retail market is evenly split between clockwise and counterclockwise rotating string trimmer machines.
There are many types of trimmer heads on the market. The most common types of trimmer heads are the bump-feed trimmer head and the automatic-feed trimmer head. Both types of trimmer heads contain an internal spool that holds a reserve of wound trimmer line. As the trimmer line wears away, it can be replaced from the internal spool. In a bump-feed trimmer head, a short length of line is released from the spool when the bottom of the trimmer head is impacted or "bumped" against a hard surface. In an automatic-feed trimmer head, a short length of line is released from the spool when a predetermined change in centrifugal forces occurs that indicates that the existing trimmer line has become too short. Many mechanisms exist in the prior art for controlling the release of wound trimmer line from the internal spool of a trimmer head. Bump-activated trimmer heads are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,464 to Collins, entitled Line Head For Flexible Line Trimmer. Automatic-feed trimmer heads are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,384 to Everts, entitled Automatic Head For A Line Trimmer; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,607 to Everts, entitled Automatic Line Trimmer Head.
Many problems exist with traditional trimmer head designs. Primary among those problems are problems concerning the twisting of string on the spool. Most trimmer heads contain two separate lengths of trimmer line. A trimmer head relies upon centrifugal force to pull the trimmer lines from the spool. If the trimmer lines tangle, twist, or become buried under subsequent windings, the trimmer lines will not dispense in the proper manner. The trimmer head must then be disassembled, the trimmer string unwound and again rewound in the proper manner before the trimmer head will again work as designed. Furthermore, whenever the trimmer string supply is exhausted, the trimmer head must be manually disassembled. The spool is removed and rewound with a new supply of trimmer line. The spool is then reassembled back into the trimmer head. This process is difficult, labor intensive and highly time consuming. Furthermore, the entire process is often too difficult for many homeowners to complete successfully or even attempt. This is especially true with automatic feed trimmer heads that contain complex internal string release mechanisms that are contained within the trimmer head.
Another problem associated with traditional feed trimmer heads is the complexity and reliability of the release mechanism that draws trimmer line from the spool when needed. As many homeowners will attest, the mechanism for releasing the trimmer line is usually the first part of a string trimmer machine that fails to work. Once the release mechanism fails, the trimmer line must be periodically pulled out of the trimmer head using the operator's hands. This is both a time consuming and dangerous operation.
Yet another disadvantage of traditional trimmer heads is that most bump-activated trimmer heads and all known automatic-feed trimmer heads are designed to rotate in only a single direction. Accordingly, a trimmer head designed for a clockwise trimmer will not work on a counterclockwise trimmer. Furthermore, the parts from a clockwise trimmer head cannot be interchanged with any of the parts from a counterclockwise trimmer head. This requires a trimmer head manufacturer to create two sets of manufacturing tools, one for clockwise trimmer heads and one for counterclockwise trimmer heads. This significantly increases the cost associated with manufacturing trimmer heads. Furthermore, it results in each trimmer head design having two different models, one for clockwise rotation, and one for counterclockwise rotation. This significantly increases the chances that a consumer will purchase the wrong type of trimmer head for his/her string trimmer machine when looking for a replacement.
A need therefore exists for an automatic-feed string trimmer head that has an inexpensive yet reliable mechanism for dispensing trimmer line when needed. A need also exists for an automatic-feed string trimmer head that dispenses trimmer line without the trimmer line tangling, twisting, or binding. Furthermore, a need exists for an automatic-feed trimmer head that does not have to be disassembled to have new string added. Lastly, a need exists for an automatic-feed trimmer head that can be manufactured inexpensively and in a manner where many of the parts from a clockwise trimmer head are identical to parts in a counterclockwise trimmer head. These needs are met by the present invention as described and claimed below.

Trimmer head with automatic trimmer line feed mechanism


A metal layer is formed on a dielectric layer, which is formed on a substrate. After forming a masking layer on the metal layer, the exposed sides of the dielectric layer are covered with a polymer diffusion barrier.

The present invention relates to methods for making semiconductor devices, in particular, semiconductor devices that include high K gate dielectrics.
Metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) field-effect transistors with very thin gate dielectrics made from silicon dioxide may experience unacceptable gate leakage currents. Forming the gate dielectric from certain high dielectric constant dielectric (k) materials, instead of silicon dioxide, can reduce gate leakage. Because such a dielectric may not be compatible with polysilicon, it may be desirable to use metal gate electrodes in devices that include high-k gate dielectrics.
A metal gate electrode may be formed on a high-k dielectric layer by depositing a metal layer on the dielectric layer, masking the metal layer, and then removing the exposed part of that layer. A patterned polysilicon layer may be used to mask the metal layer, and a dry etch process may be used to remove the exposed part of that layer.
During subsequent high temperature steps in the presence of oxygen, the high-k dielectric layer transports oxygen laterally, oxidizing the underlying silicon. This lateral oxidation may result in oxide encroachment under the high-k dielectric. This encroachment increases the effective electrical gate thickness, reducing transistor performance.
Thus, there is a need for better ways to make metal gate/high K transistors.
Features shown in these figures are not intended to be drawn to scale.

Reducing oxidation under a high K gate dielectric


A medication dispenser provides automation to the steps of locating and acquiring unit-based doses of certain medications to be administered to a patient. The dispenser includes a frame and one or more cartridges that may be mounted onto the frame. A set of slots sized for holding unit-based doses of medication extend through a body portion of the cartridge. A movement device is also positioned relative to the frame and is configured to induce movement of selected unit-based medication doses out of associated slots in the cartridge, so that the dispensed doses may be retrieved.

As reported by the Institute of Medicine, an estimated 106,000 deaths occurred in 1994 due to adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and more than 2,000,000 hospitalized patients experienced serious, if not fatal, ADRs. Lazarou J. et al., Incidence of adverse drug reactions in hospitalized patients: a meta-analysis of prospective studies, J. Am. Med. Assn. 1998: 279: 1200-1205. Many of these errors are attributable to the systems and methods used to store and deliver medications to those clinicians providing care to patients. Various solutions have been proposed to address the issue of medication delivery errors. For instance, computerized systems ensure that the medication ordered or prescribed by the clinician is clinically appropriate. These systems may verify that the dosage is proper based on patient information such as weight and evidence based guidelines or protocols. Also, these systems may perform interaction checking against other medications. However, even if the clinician orders an acceptable medication and dosage amount for a specific patient, the actual drug and/or dosage administered to the patient may vary from what was requested. A pharmacist or other clinician may accidentally provide an improper drug or drug dosage if the order is not properly communicated and followed at each step in the clinical process. For example, errors are encountered when a clinician has to perform the steps of (a) reading a request for a particular drug and drug dosage for a given patient, (b) retrieving the drug at the proper dosage while remaining cognizant of which patient is to receive the drug, and (c) placing the retrieved drug in an approved container or package so that it may be identified by the administering clinician. In addition to medication errors, existing systems and methods are wasteful and oftentimes difficult to use.


The present disclosure provides a display apparatus, a pixel circuit and a method of driving a pixel circuit. In one or more embodiments, the pixel circuit includes a driving transistor, a data signal module and a bias signal module. A first electrode of the driving transistor is connected with a first power signal terminal, a second electrode of the driving transistor is connected with a first terminal of a light emitting element, and the driving transistor includes a first control electrode and a second control electrode. The data signal module is connected with the driving transistor, a data writing signal terminal and a data signal terminal. The bias signal module is connected with the driving transistor, a bias writing signal terminal and a bias signal terminal, and is configured to adjust a threshold voltage of the driving transistor under control of the bias writing signal terminal and the bias signal terminal.

An electroluminescent display is a new generation of display products following a liquid crystal display. Due to its better color saturation, fast response speed, foldability, lightness and thinness and other properties, the electroluminescent display is gradually becoming a mainstream and leading product in the field of display technology.
The electroluminescent display includes light emitting elements and pixel circuits connected with the light emitting elements. Each of the pixel circuits includes a driving transistor for outputting a driving current to the light emitting element. Since a value of the driving current is related to a threshold voltage of the driving transistor, when the threshold voltage of the driving transistor is biased positively or negatively, the driving current output to the light emitting element will be abnormal, which reduces the display effect.

Display apparatuses, pixel circuits and methods of driving pixel circuit


Methods and apparatus for making optical discs (e.g., for use in digital versatile discs ("DVDs") are provided. An optical disc made in accordance with this invention includes at least one roughened surface portion to mask any manufacturing irregularities and thereby improve the appearance of the disc and, if the disc is used in a DVD, then also the DVD. The method includes roughening a section of a mold in contact with molten plastic, molding an optical disc with that mold so that at least one side of the optical disc has a roughened surface portion, and if the disc is used in a DVD, securing the disc to another disc with adhesive to form a DVD.

This invention relates to plastic information discs such as digital versatile discs ("DVDs"), compact discs ("CDs"), compact disc read-only memories ("CD ROMs"), and the like, and more particularly to providing an improved aesthetic appearance to surfaces of such light-readable discs.
The information storage capacity of DVDs is large, in part because a DVD comprises two optical discs (each like a CD but with even greater information storage capacity) secured back-to-back (see, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/579,302, filed Dec. 27, 1995, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein). The large capacity may be used to record movies and other similar real-time audio/visual programming on discs.
The making of a DVD involves many manufacturing steps during which a surface of the DVD or one of the constituent optical discs can be damaged. For example, a DVD or the constituent optical discs are normally handled with one or more suction devices between manufacturing steps. When a particle, such as a dust particle, is squeezed between an DVD or optical disc surface and the suction device, that surface may be scratched if the suction device moves relative to the disc surface. Also, a suction device may grip the surface of the optical disc before the disc is completely hardened. In that case, the suction device may leave a mark on the surface of the disc where the suction device was in contact with the disc surface. Such defects are especially noticeable when the surface is coated with a reflective material, such as a metal coating, which provides a striking mirror-like finish.
The mirror-like finish may also cause another problem. During manufacture, suction devices repeatedly pick-up and release a disc. However, when the disc surface is smooth, and especially when metallized, the mirror-like surface may make release of the disc more difficult because the suction device cannot vent quickly. Furthermore, the metallized coating may also tend to increase the attractive force that results from a build-up of static electricity.
Still another problem that may adversely affect the appearance of a DVD is unevenness or voids in the adhesive that is used to secure the two optical discs back to back in the DVD. This type of defect tends to be most noticeable near the center of the DVD where no information is recorded and where the constituent optical discs may not be metallized. Thus, such a defect becomes clearly visible through the smooth clear plastic of the constituent optical discs.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved method of molding an optical disc, especially an optical disc that will be used in a DVD.
It is a more particular object of this invention to provide a method of molding an optical disc so that subsequent handling of that disc is facilitated.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide DVDs that have an improved aesthetic appearance.

Etched mold surface for use in making light-readable discs


An input rod for connecting a vacuum brake booster to a pedal linkage member, wherein the input rod includes a connecting portion adapted to be connected to the pedal linkage member. The input rod further including a hollow body portion formed from a stamped flat blank.

This invention relates in general to vehicle vacuum brake boosters, and in particular to the manufacturing of input rods and output rods for vacuum boosters.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,946, which is incorporated by reference herein, discloses a known vehicle vacuum brake booster. The FIGS. 1-3 are representative of drawings from U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,946 and will be used herein to describe an example of a brake booster to which an input rod, as manufactured by various methods described herein, may be used in place of a conventionally known solid input rod shown in FIGS. 1-3.
The brake booster illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 is substantially rotationally symmetrical with reference to an axis A which normally agrees with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle when installed in a motor vehicle. As shown in FIG. 1 the brake booster is of tandem design having a booster housing 10, a first chamber 12 and a second chamber 14, which are separated from each other by a movable wall 16, as well as a first additional chamber 12′ and a second additional chamber 14′, which are separated from each other by a movable wall 16′. The booster housing 10 is held together by a parallel-axis arrangement of tension rods 18, of which only one is illustrated. There is no need to detail special features resulting from the tandem design, since these are known; it being sufficient to comment that the first chamber 12 is permanently connected to the first additional chamber 12′, and the second chamber 14 is permanently connected to the second additional chamber 14′.
Associated with the brake booster is a control valve 20 which is incorporated in the main in the booster housing 10 and has with reference thereto an axially movable valve body 22. In the interior of the valve body 22 an annular first valve seat 24 is formed which separates a passage 26 merging into the rear chamber 12 from a passage 28 merging into the front chamber 14. The valve body 22 has further an axial bore in which a central sleeve 29 is disposed secured to the valve body 22. In the axial bore and on the sleeve 29 a sleeve-shaped valve barrel 30 is slidingly guided along the axis A. The valve barrel 30 is composed of front and rear components which are bolted together as shown in FIG. 1. At the rear end of the rear component (shown on the right in the drawing) of the valve barrel 30 a second valve seat 32 is formed concentric to the first valve seat 24.
Spaced upstream from the second valve seat 32 (shown on the left in the drawing) the valve barrel 30 has a radial recess 34 which joins another radial recess 36 configured wider, however, in the axial direction in the valve body 22. The valve barrel 30 is permanently urged to the rear (to the right in FIGS. 1 to 3) by an axially preloaded valve spring 38. In the control valve 20 a solenoid 40 is incorporated which is assigned to the left-hand component of the valve barrel 30 as the solenoid armature such that the valve barrel 30 is drawn forwards against the resistance of the valve spring 38 when the solenoid 40 is energized.
In the central sleeve 29 a piston rod 41 of a piston 42 is guided which at its rear end is connected to the rod-shaped actuating element 44 (or input rod) and having at its front end a piston head 46. The latter forms together with a rubber element 48 embedded in the valve body 22 and a booster output member 50 arranged in front thereof, a mechanical force translation means of the usual kind in brake boosters.
The other end of the input rod or actuating element 44 is pivotally connected to a brake pedal linkage 11, schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. The linkage includes a member 11a which is pivotally connected to portion of the vehicle 11b (such as the frame or the instrument panel of the vehicle). The actuating element 44 is also pivotally connected to the member 11a at a pivot 11c. A brake pedal 11d is attached to an end of the member 11a and is depressed by the foot of the driver of the vehicle. Of course, the linkage 11 may include any number of members 11a in any suitable connecting arrangement. A force acting on the brake pedal 11d by the driver's foot is transmitting through the member 11a causing leftward movement of the actuating element 44 to actuate the brake booster and associated master cylinder (not shown). The end 44a of the actuating element (or input rods a described below) may have a spherical shape and be received in a socket 42a of the piston 42 for a pivoting connection to accommodate slight vertical and/or lateral movement of the actuating element 44 as the actuating element 44 is moved longitudinally (leftward) during actuation.
The actuating element 44 (input rod) generally includes a forward end (left-hand end as viewing FIG. 1) which is generally cylindrical or annular in shape. The actuating member 44 includes a shoulder 44b formed therein for providing a stop for a spring 58. The other end (right-hand end as viewing FIG. 1) of the actuating element 44 includes a yoke structure for pivotally connecting to the brake pedal linkage member 11a. The yoke structure includes a pair of laterally spaced flanges 44c. This arrangement is referred to as a clevis-type design. The yoke structure of the actuating element 44 includes openings 44d formed therein to receive a pivot pin (not shown) pivotally connected the member 11a to the actuating member 44.
In an annual groove of the piston 42 a stopper element 52 is latched in such a way that it is connected to the piston for common axial movement. The stopper element 52 extends radially outwards through the recesses 34 and 36 in the valve barrel 30 and valve body 22 respectively and in the illustrated rest position of the piston 42 is in contact with a stopper 53 which is formed on a shoulder of the booster housing 10 and is thus independent of the position of the valve body 22.
Spaced away from the rear of the stopper element 52 a flange-like coupling element 54 is formed which in the illustrated rest position of the piston 42 and of the valve barrel 30 is in contact with an annular abutment 55 formed on the valve barrel. The valve spring 38, resulting in this contact, is totally disposed within the valve barrel 30 and tensioned between the second valve seat 32 and the piston 42.
Radially outwards from the abutment 55 an annular seal 56 is disposed, located in an annular recess 57 formed open to the rear end in the piston 42 and which in the illustrated rest position seals off the coupling element 54 of the piston 42. The effective diameter of the seal 56 is, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, slightly smaller than the effective diameter of the second valve seat 32. The region downstream of the seal 56 (on the right in the drawing) is continuously exposed to atmospheric pressure. In the illustrated rest position of the valve barrel 30 the seal 56 prevents the atmosphere from gaining access to the rear chamber 12 via the valve barrel 30 and the recesses 34 and 36.
By means of a rear return spring 58 the actuator element 44 (input rod) is normally maintained in its illustrated rest position in which an annular sealing element 60 disposed within the valve body 22 in the usual way and pretensioned forwardly by a spring 62 has sealing contact with the first valve seat 24, while not providing a total seal of the second valve seat 32, a slight difference in pressure existing between the two chambers 12 and 14. In operation the front chamber 14 is permanently connected to a vacuum source, as a result of which a vacuum exists in both chambers 12 and 14 in the rest position of the valve barrel 30. The moving wall 16 and the valve body 22 connected thereto in common axial movement thereof are urged into their rear final position, as shown, by a front return spring 64.
In idle condition the stopper element 52 is in contact with the stop 53, thereby defining the rest position of the piston 42. The valve barrel 30 is supported by the coupling member 54 with practically all of the force exerted by the valve spring 38 clamped between the valve barrel and the piston 42, thereby also defining the rest position of the valve barrel 30, the second valve seat 32 being maintained in contact with the sealing element 60 by a slight residual force of the valve spring 38.
On forward displacement of the actuator element 44 via the pedal linkage 11, which for instance is connected to the brake pedal of a vehicle, thus producing forward displacement of the piston 42, the coupling member 54 thereof includes displacement of the abutment 55 and thus of the valve barrel 30 as a whole so that its valve seat 32 is released from the sealing element 60, allowing the downstream flow of atmosphere into the valve body 22 to access the rear chamber 12 through the passage 26 and further through the radial recess 36 in the valve body 22. The front chamber 14 is separated from the rear chamber 12, since the sealing element 60 is maintained firmly in contact with the first valve seat 24, thereby resulting in a difference in pressure between the two chambers 12 and 14 which causes the movable wall 16 together with the valve body 22 and the booster output member 50 to be displaced forwardly. The booster output member 50 transfers the force acting on it to a brake master cylinder 66, the rear end area of which is illustrated in FIG. 1.
If the forward movement of the valve barrel 30, affected mechanically via the piston 42, and the attendant booster output to the brake master cylinder 66 need to be accelerated and amplified, the solenoid 40 is energized so that it draws the valve barrel 30 away from the coupling element 54 forwards, thereby increasing the clear flow cross-section between the second valve seat 32 and the sealing element 60. Such a boosted output of the brake booster may for instance be desirable when the vehicle being decelerated is heavily loaded or when particularly fast forward movement of the actuator element 44 indicates that braking action is wanted on an emergency.
In these instances the solenoid 40 receives current via a controller with which an acceleration sensor monitoring the actuator element 44 is associated. Instead of this or additionally the power supply of the solenoid 40 may be controlled by a distance sensor which triggers braking action without the driver of the motor vehicle being involved, when the distance away of a vehicle driving ahead violates a specific minimum. In the latter case the control causes, via the solenoid 40, to be moved forward, thus allowing an inflow of atmosphere into the first chamber, even in the absence of a mechanical actuation, i.e. the piston 42 remaining in its rest position.
In any case, on de-energization of the solenoid 40 the valve barrel 30 is again urged rearwards by the valve spring 38 so that the abutment 55 is returned in contact with the coupling element 54 and the seal 56 is again effective. On completion of a mechanical force input via the actuator element 44 the piston 42 together with the valve barrel 30 returns to the rest position. The movable wall 16 and the valve body 22 fail to be involved in this return movement as long as a difference in pressure exists between the chambers 12 and 14. This difference in pressure is depleted by the valve barrel 30 urging the sealing element 60 a short distance to the rear so that it unseats from the first valve seat 24.
Previously known input rods, such as the actuator element 44 shown in FIGS. 1-3, generally include a body portion 44′ and a connecting portion 44″. The body portion 44′ is generally elongate and is disposed in the vacuum booster. The body portion 44′ has an annular shape and is formed from a solid stock of material, and more particularly, a solid round bar. The bar is formed and machined, such on a lathe or other cutting tool, to form the annular shape. The machining operation forms the spherical end 44a and a tapered portion 44e extending rearwardly from the spherical end 44a. The body portion 44′ also includes a shoulder 44d formed therein which may function as spring stops. The connecting portion 44″ includes features for pivotally connecting the actuator element 44 to the pedal linkage 11. The connecting portion may be in the form of a clevis-type design, such as shown in FIG. 1, having a pair of spaced apart flanges 44c. Other known connecting portions include a paddle style in which a single flattened plate shaped end (instead of two flanges 44c) is used to provide a connection to the pedal linkage 11.

Input and output rods for vacuum brake booster


A method of determining whether a measured fuel delivery rate determined by a fuel meter of a fuel dispenser corresponds to an actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being dispensed to a vehicle through a fuel flow path. The method includes measuring a fuel delivery rate at a given time during a fueling operation, measuring a fuel pressure of the fuel within the fuel flow path at the given time, comparing the measured fuel pressure to a plurality of fuel pressure values from a data set including a plurality of actual fuel delivery rate values that correspond to the plurality of fuel pressure values, retrieving one of the plurality of actual fuel delivery rate values from the data set that corresponds to the measured fuel pressure value; and comparing the measured fuel delivery rate from the fuel meter to the one actual fuel delivery rate value to determine if the measured fuel delivery rate corresponds to the actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being dispensed to the vehicle.

The present invention generally relates to measuring volume of fuel dispensed through a fuel dispenser. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fuel dispenser using a pressure sensor to measure a flow parameter and thereby determine if the amount of fuel being delivered to a vehicle corresponds to the amount being measured by the fuel dispenser.
In a typical fuel dispensing transaction, a customer arranges for payment, either by paying at the fuel dispenser with a credit card or debit card, or by paying a cashier. Next, a fuel nozzle is inserted into the fill neck of the vehicle, or other selected container, and fuel is dispensed. Displays on the fuel dispenser indicate how much fuel has been dispensed as well as a dollar value of the purchase. Dependent upon the timing and manner of payment for the fuel, either the customer terminates the flow of fuel into the vehicle by manually releasing the fuel nozzle, or the fuel dispenser automatically terminates the flow of fuel either at a pre-selected dollar amount or when the tank of the vehicle is full.
FIG. 1 is a schematic showing components of a typical prior art fuel dispenser 100. As shown, fuel is pumped from an underground storage tank 102 through a fuel pipe 104 to a flexible fuel hose 105 which terminates with a fuel nozzle 106 including a fuel valve 108. To initiate fuel flow, the customer manually activates a trigger on fuel nozzle 106 which opens fuel valve 108 so that fuel is dispensed into the vehicle. Fuel flow through fuel valve 108 is detected by a flow switch 116 which, as shown, is a one-way check valve that prevents rearward flow through fuel dispenser 100. Once fuel flow is detected, flow switch 116 sends a signal on communication line 124 to a control system 120. Control system 120 is typically a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or other electronics with associated memory and software programs. Upon receiving the flow initiation signal from flow switch 116, control system 120 starts counting pulses generated by a pulser 118. The pulses are generated by the rotation of a fuel meter 114 and are directly proportional to the fuel rate being measured.
As is known, fuel dispensers keep track of the amount of fuel dispensed so that it may be displayed to the customer along with a running total of how much the customer will have to pay to purchase the dispensed fuel. This is typically achieved with fuel meter 114 and pulser 118. When fuel passes through fuel meter 114, it rotates and pulser 118 generates a pulse signal, with a known number of pulses being generated per quantity of fuel dispensed. The number of pulse signals generated and sent to control system 120 on communication line 126 are processed to arrive at an amount of fuel dispensed and an associated cost to the customer. These numbers are displayed to the customer to aid in making fuel dispensing decisions. As well, control system 120 uses the information provided by fuel meter 114 to regulate the operation of valve 112 during fueling operations.
As shown, fuel dispenser 100 includes a turbine fuel meter 114, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,028,561, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. With some turbine fuel meters 114, the possibility exists that the rotors (not shown) of fuel meter 114 can bind during use, yet still allow fuel to pass through the meter. As such, pulser 118 either does not create pulses or creates a reduced number of pulses than it should, meaning the flow of fuel can either go undetected or is detected at a reduced flow rate, respectively. Other designs of non-positive displacement type fuel meters can be prone to this same issue.
In addition to inaccuracies based on mechanical failures, it is not uncommon for thieves to attempt to steal fuel by disabling various components of typical fuel dispensers. For example, a thief may initiate fuel flow into a vehicle through fuel nozzle 106. After fuel flow is initiated, the thief disables pulser 118 such that either no pulses, or a reduced number of pulses for a given fuel flow rate, are reported to control system 120 along communication line 126. In this manner, the amount of fuel delivered to the vehicle either goes undetected or under-reported to control system 120, respectively.

Fuel dispenser utilizing pressure sensor for theft detection


A child seat device, for use in a vehicle having a seatbelt for securing the child seat device to the vehicle seat, has an inflatable child seat which includes an inflatable bottom panel, an inflatable back panel upstanding from the rear of the bottom panel, and a pair of opposed, laterally spaced inflatable sidewall panels. Each of the sidewall panels has a back portion projecting forwardly from a respective side of the back panel and a bottom portion projecting upwardly from a respective side of the bottom panel. An inflatable brace, disposed in each of the sidewall panels intermediate the back and bottom sidewall portions, limits pivotal movement of the back and bottom sidewall portions towards each other. Each of the braces defines a single interior air chamber having at most limited gaseous communication with the bottom, back and sidewall panels. Alternatively, a substantially rigid frame is secured to the back panel for movement therewith as a unit, thereby to limit pivotal movement of the back and bottom panels towards each other. The frame defines a pair of apertures configured and dimensioned to receive therethrough a seatbelt, thereby to secure the device to the vehicle seat. A releasable harness maintains the torso of a child intermediate the sidewall panels.

The present invention relates to a vehicle seat for children, and more particularly, to such a seat which is inflatable and deflatable.
Child vehicle seats are well known in the art and are designed to accommodate and protect a child sitting in a vehicle. The seat is disposed parallel to the motion of the vehicle--that is, it is mounted on the car seat extending along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. Preferably, a child seat (as opposed to an infant seat) is configured so that the child faces forwardly toward the front end of the vehicle.
Conventional child vehicle seats are formed of cushioning or padded material, either with or without a rigid frame for supporting the same. Such a seat represents a compromise between the high level of protection desirably afforded to the child in the event of an accident, and the high level of comfort desirably provided for the child during normal use of the seat (that is, when no accident is imminent). Such a seat fails to provide the child with the highest level of protection possible in the event of an accident because the structure necessary to provide the highest level of protection would be uncomfortable for the child during normal use of the seat.
Another problem with the conventional child vehicle seats is that they are bulky and heavy and thus difficult to store where storage space is at a premium. Thus, while parents may provide their vehicle with a child vehicle seat, when the child is taken for rides in the vehicles of those who do not have a child vehicle seat, the child is deprived of the extra protection afforded by a child vehicle seat. For example, grandparents who only see the child occasionally will probably not have such a seat in their vehicle as a routine matter and may not have room for storage of such a device within their home.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide in one embodiment a child vehicle seat device which, under normal driving conditions, provides a maximum level of comfort to the child within, yet, in the event of an accident, affords a maximum level of protection for the child within, regardless of its comfort, during the instant of the accident.
Another object is to provide such a device which in one embodiment is easily and compactly stored when not in use.
A further object is to provide such a device which is economical to manufacture and easy to maintain.
A still further object is to provide such a device which in one embodiment is light in weight.


A semiconductor device includes a memory and a power voltage interrupter configured to interrupt an external power voltage applied to circuitry of the semiconductor device responsive to a Deep Power Down (DPD) command signal generated in a DPD mode of the memory. A power voltage shifter is configured to shift a power voltage in the circuitry to a specific level responsive to the DPD command signal.

Due to demand for high integration and high capacity semiconductor devices, the design rules have been consistently reduced so as to integrate more semiconductor devices in a semiconductor chip. The power consumption of the semiconductor devices has also increased with the recent tendency for high integration and high capacity of semiconductor devices, so there have been attempts made at reducing power consumption. For example, a DRAM not in the active mode turns off the internal power voltage used in the circuitry and enters the deep power down (DPD) mode to reduce power consumption. In entering/exiting the DPD mode, however, the circuitry is not biased, but may be erroneously triggered because circuit elements may float to unspecified voltage levels.
A conventional technique for preventing the erroneous trigger of circuitry in entering/exiting the DPD mode is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,560,158. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for controlling an interval voltage in the DPD mode as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,560,158. Referring to FIG. 1, the DPD voltage control apparatus includes input buffers 110a, 110b and 110c for signaling a DPD entering/exiting signal and providing the signal to a DPD detector and controller 130; the DPD detector and controller 130 for detecting a DPD condition and generating a DPD signal to turn off internal power voltage generators 150a, 150b and 150c in entering the DPD mode and turn on the internal power voltage generators 150a, 150b and 150c in exiting the DPD mode; bias circuitry 160 for biasing a plurality of nodes; an auxiliary input buffer 120 for separately buffering the DPD entering/exiting signal and providing the signal to an automatic pulse generator 170; and the automatic pulse generator 170 for detecting the DPD exiting signal to generate a voltage pulse. This conventional technique reduces the likelihood that the internal circuitry is erroneously triggered by unspecified voltage levels when the internal power voltage generators are turned on/off.
However, the circuitry to which an external power voltage is applied, such as a level shifter for shifting an internal power voltage level to the external power voltage level, is not biased but is floated to a partial voltage level. Particularly, the output of an output circuit is required to be sustained at a high-impedance state in the DPD mode. But the power voltage level of the level shifter is floated to form a current path at the output of the output circuit or to generate output data, which causes power consumption. In circuitry, such as the level shifter to which the external power voltage is applied, the floated power voltage and the external power voltage may cause leakage current and, hence, power consumption. Moreover, unspecified voltage levels may erroneously trigger latches or equipment sensitive to other voltage levels when the internal power voltage generators are turned on/off.

Semiconductor devices including an external power voltage control function and methods of operating the same


Systems and method handling software vulnerabilities in service meshes can include receiving information on software vulnerabilities from external feeds. From a services catalog which maintains data associated with service instances supported by a service mesh, one or more vulnerable service instances supported by the service mesh are identified. Notifications are provided to sidecar proxies associated with vulnerable service instances. The notifications include criteria such as criticality levels and categories associated with the software vulnerabilities. Based on destination policies for the vulnerable service instances, instructions are provided to the sidecar proxies to trip circuit breakers associated with the vulnerable service instances and thus prevent further access and cascading impact of the software vulnerabilities. The software vulnerabilities are reported to an orchestration system for the service mesh and a fix or different version of the vulnerable service instance is installed where possible.

With the increasing popularity of cloud-native applications, the use of a service mesh for supporting application services (or "microservices") such as traffic management, security, load balancing, etc., on the cloud-native applications are on the rise. A service mesh may utilize software components controlled by application programming interfaces (APIs), without reliance on discrete hardware appliances. The service mesh architecture may use open source technologies and may expose the cloud-native applications to software vulnerabilities. Cloud-native environments may include a large number of software services (e.g., hundreds or thousands of microservices executing at any given time, with instances of the microservices based on different software versions). In some cases, different software services may be chained together to execute applications. In such environments, identifying the software services which may be impacted when a software vulnerability is detected is very challenging. This problem is exacerbated with an increasing number of software services, some of which may have different versions supported by the cloud-native environment. Furthermore, isolating critical software services and preventing them from interacting with the potentially vulnerable or compromised software services is yet another challenge.

Systems and methods for protecting a service mesh from external attacks on exposed software vulnerabilities


A valve assembly has a valve housing and a valve core body movable therewithin for providing a smooth and continuous outflow of liquid from a container, which may be unvented and rigid, through a liquid-out passageway, and provides an air-back passageway for drawing external air into the container. In a preferred embodiment, the core is rotatable within the housing by one-handed actuation. The air-back passageway is preferably a channel provided on the surface of the core body, and the liquid-out passageway is preferably provided between openings in the core body.

This invention relates to a self-venting valve for providing, and controlling the rate of, a smooth and continuous fluid flow.
It is known to provide molded plastic valves for dispensing liquid from containers, in particular disposable containers of the type popular for holding a liquid such as water, juice or detergent. One well known type of valve for this purpose is a so-called "rotary" valve. In this type of valve, a handle is rotatably actuated by a user to rotate a valve core within a valve housing that is attached to a container. Rotation of the core aligns an aperture in the core with an aperture in the housing to provide a passageway that allows liquid to flow from the container.
An alternative to the rotary valve is a so-called "push button" valve. This type has a resilient plastic valve diaphragm which, when pressed by a user, opens an aperture provided in the valve housing to allow liquid to flow from the container. The resilient plastic diaphragm, commonly referred to as a "push button", can be arranged so that it positively seals the aperture when manual pressure is removed, thus providing for a self-closing valve. Tap valves of this type require the user to provide manual pressure to the push button throughout the liquid dispensing process, which can be inconvenient when dispensing large quantities of a liquid, particularly when one of the user's hands is needed to hold a receptacle, such as a drinking glass, leaving only one hand to actuate the push button.
Effective metering of the flow rate is generally more difficult to achieve with push button valves than it is with rotary valves. In practice, push button valves provide substantially only "ON/OFF" operation.
Also, there are known slide valves that require a user to push or pull a part of the valve in a certain direction to actuate the valve, but actuation of such a valve may cause the container to unintentionally slide in that direction. If, as is commonly the case, that direction is toward the user, the container could be pulled off the surface it is resting on, unless one hand is used to restrain the container. However, the user's second hand normally would be occupied holding the drinking glass or other receptacle.
Regardless of the valve type used, when a liquid is dispensed through an aperture in a container and valve, ambient pressure above the liquid level in the container drops and creates a partial vacuum. This vacuum must be filled by a volume of fluid—generally air—equal to the volume of liquid that has been removed to equalize the pressure within the container. In early containers, the pressure was equalized by external air drawn into the container through the same valve aperture through which the liquid exited the container. However, in such an arrangement, the external air attempting to enter the container would disrupt the outflow of liquid attempting to exit the container, thereby causing discontinuous liquid flow (i.e., "glugging") and reducing the outflow rate.
It is known that continuous and smooth liquid flow can be achieved using containers that are capable of collapsing as liquid flows therefrom or using containers that are vented, because these types of containers are able to decrease the magnitude of the partial vacuum created above the liquid level inside the container without requiring air to flow into the container through the valve. However, a collapsible container, such as a balloon or bag, for example, may be easily damaged and may not be easily attached to a valve. A vented container may allow the contents to be spoiled by substantially continuous exposure to air and to be spilled from the vent. These problems can be addressed by providing a vent that is sealed until opened by the user (e.g., by puncturing), but once the vent is unsealed, spillage and spoilage become possible. A reclosable vent can be provided, but users are unlikely to bother reclosing the vent.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to be able to provide a container with a valve that provides a smooth and continuous outflow of liquid therefrom by maintaining neutral atmospheric pressure within the container while dispensing the liquid, even when the container is unvented or substantially rigid, and that allows the liquid outflow rate to be varied.


A multiple radar interference suppressor for use in a missile scoring system. The multiple radar interference suppressor phase locks the pulse repetition frequency of each drone (unmanned) aircraft to one other drone of the plurality of aircrafts. The phase of the pulse repetition frequency of each of the transmitting radars of the drones is slightly offset from one another. As a result, mutual interference among the drones transmitting radar signals and receiving radar signals of other drones is overcome. Lastly, the transmitted signals and received signals are encoded so that unwanted reflections and scattering from a target may be substantially eliminated or suppressed.

The present invention pertains to multiple radars operated in relatively close proximity and more particularly suppressing interference among the operating radars and scattering of the radar's transmitted signals.
Missile scoring systems typically employ a number of drone aircraft (unmanned aircraft). A missile is fired at one or more of the drones and the scoring system determines the flight path of the missile with respect to the drones to determine the potential lethal affect of the missile upon the drones. The drones collect data related to the range between the missile and the drone and report this data to an earth station so that the data may be analyzed to determine the lethal affects of the missile. Such drones are equipped with radars which operate in nearly the same pulse repetition frequency (PRF). In this situation, the interfering signals can appear to move in range with actual target-like characteristics. This is due to the slight difference in PRF among radars which cause the interference signals to appear at small, ever-increasing or decreasing radar range times.
What is needed is a multiple radar interference suppressor which suppresses the radar signals of other transmitting radars and substantially suppresses or eliminates scattered or reflected radar signals or other radars from the missile or other drones.


A compressing apparatus separates a data string inputted from source data of a Unicode in which different languages mixedly exist into a language string of each language and, after that, compresses the data string every language string. When decompressing, each language string is decompressed from the compressed data of every different language and the original data string in which a plurality of kinds of language codes mixedly exist is decompressed by using language change information obtained upon compression. In case of special language source data, for example, Japanese source data, the compression and decompression are separately executed for every different byte construction. The compression and decompression are also separately executed for every character kind in the code. Further, the compression and decompression can be also performed by unifying the byte construction.

The present invention relates to a data compressing apparatus and a data decompressing apparatus for compressing and decompressing source data of a plurality of kinds of character codes which mixedly exist in a character code space and, more particularly, to a data compressing apparatus and a decompressing apparatus for efficiently performing a compression and a decompression in accordance with the kind of character code with respect to a Unicode in which a plurality of language codes mixedly exist, a JIS code or a shift JIS code of a Japanese code space, or the like.
In recent years, various kinds of data such as character code, vector information, image, and the like is treated in a computer and an amount of data to be treated is rapidly increasing. When a large amount of data is treated, a redundancy portion in the data is eliminated and a data amount is compressed, so that a memory capacity can be reduced and the data can be transmitted at a high speed. As a method which can compress various data, a universal encoding has been proposed. In this instance, although the invention is not limited to a compression of character codes but can be also applied to data in various fields, denominations which are used in an information theory are also used hereinbelow. It is assumed that one word unit of data is called a character and an arbitrary word to which data is connected is called a character string.
As a representative method of the universal encoding, there is a Ziv-Lempel code (in more detail, for example, refer to Munakata, "Data compressing method of Ziv-Lempel", The Information Processing, Vol.26, No.1, 1985). In the Ziv-Lempel code, two algorithms such as slide dictionary method and dynamic dictionary method have been proposed. Further, as an improvement of the slide dictionary method, there is an LZSS code (refer to T. C. Bell, "Better OPM/L Text Compression", IEEE Trans. on Commun., Vol. COM-34, No. 12, Dec. 1986). As an improvement of the dynamic dictionary method, there is an LZW (Lempel-Ziv-Welch) code (refer to T. A. Welch, "A Technique for High-Performance Data Compression", Computer, June, 1984). Among those codes, the LZW code is used in a file compression or the like of a memory device because a high-speed process can be performed and the algorithm is simple.
FIG. 1 shows a tree structure of a dictionary in the LZW code. FIG. 2 shows an encoding of character strings in the LZW code. The LZW encoding has a rewritable dictionary, classifies data of input character codes into different character strings, adds numbers in accordance with the appearance order of the character strings, registers the character strings into the dictionary, and also expresses the character string which is being inputted at present by a number of the longest coincidence character string registered in the dictionary, thereby encoding. One character which doesn't coincide is added to the present character string and is registered.
The encoding will now be specifically described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. In this instance, in order to simplify the explanation, an encoding of data comprising a combination of three characters of "a", "b", and "c" will be explained as an example. First, input data in FIG. 3 is read in the direction from the left to the right. When the first character "a" is inputted, since there is no coincident character string other than "a" in a dictionary in FIG. 4, an output code (reference numeral .omega.) is outputted as a code word. A reference numeral 4 is added to a character string "ab" which was expanded by adding the next character "b" and the resultant character string is registered into the dictionary. In the actual registration, the character string is registered in a form of (1b). Subsequently, the second character "b" is positioned at the head of the character string. Since there is no coincident character string other than "b" in the dictionary, the reference numeral 2 is outputted as a code word and the expanded character string "ba" is actually registered into the dictionary in a form of "2a" by adding a reference numeral 5. The third character "a" is positioned at the head of the next character string. In a manner similar to the above, the above processes are continued.
A flowchart of FIG. 5 is an algorithm of the LZW encoding. First in step S1, a character string consisting of one character is previously registered as an initial value with respect to all characters and, after that, the encoding is started. In step S2, the first character K inputted is set to a reference numeral .omega. to retrieve the dictionary and is used as a prefix string. In step S3, the next character K of the input data is read. In step S4, whether a character string (.omega.K) obtained by adding the character K read in step S3 to the prefix string .omega. obtained in step S2 exists in the present dictionary or not is retrieved. If YES in step S4, the character string (.omega.K) is exchanged to the reference numeral .omega. in step S5. A check is made in step S5 to see if the input data has been finished. After that, the processing routine is returned to step S3 again and the retrieval of the maximum coincidence length is continued until the character string (.omega.K) is not found in the dictionary. When the character string (.omega.K) doesn't exist in the dictionary in step S4, step S7 follows and the reference numeral .omega. of the character K obtained in step S2 is outputted as a code word (.omega.). A new reference numeral is added to the character string (.omega.K) and the resultant character string is registered into the dictionary. Further, the input character K in step S2 is exchanged to the reference numeral .omega., a dictionary address N is increased and the judging process in step S5 is executed. After that, the processing routine is returned to step S2 and the next character K is read.
A decoding process of the LZW code will now be specifically described with reference to FIG. 6. As a decoding process, the operation opposite to the encoding is executed. To simplify the explanation, in a manner similar to the encoding process in FIG. 3, the decompression of data comprising a combination of three characters of "abc" will be explained as an example. The first input character is 1. Since the characters "a", "b", and "c" have already been registered as reference numerals 1, 2, and 3 in the dictionary as shown in FIG. 4, the first character is exchanged to the character string "a" of the reference numeral which coincides with the code 1 with reference to the dictionary and is outputted. The next code 2 is also likewise exchanged to the character "b" and is outputted. In this instance, a new reference numeral is added to "1b" obtained by combining the code processed at the preceding time and the first character "b" decoded at this time and the resultant character string is registered into the dictionary. The third code 4 is exchanged from "1b" to "ab" by the retrieval of the dictionary, so that a character string "ab" is outputted. At the same time, a new reference numeral 5 is added to the character string "2a" (=ba) obtained by combining the code 2 processed at the preceding time and the first character "a" of the character string decoded at this time and the resultant character string is registered into the dictionary. The processes are repeated in a manner similar to the above. In the decoding of FIG. 6, there are the following exceptional processes. The exceptional processes occur in the decoding of the sixth input code 8. The code 8 is not defined in the dictionary upon decoding and cannot be decoded. In this case, a character string "5b" obtained by adding the first one character "b" of the character string "ba" decoded at the preceding time to the code 5 processed at the preceding time is obtained and is further exchanged to "2ab" and "bab" and is outputted. After the character string was outputted, a reference numeral 8 is added to the character string "5b" obtained by adding the character "b" of the character string decoded at this time to the code 5 at the preceding time and the resultant character string is registered into the dictionary. The exceptional processes are performed through processes in steps S4 and S9 of a decoding process in FIG. 7, which will be explained hereinbelow. In step S7, finally, the output of the character string and the registration into the dictionary of the character string obtained by adding the reference numeral to a new character string are executed.
A flowchart of FIG. 7 shows a decoding algorithm of the LZW code. First in step S1, in a manner similar to the encoding, the character strings each comprising one character are previously registered as initial values into the dictionary with respect to all characters and, after that, the decoding is started. In step S2, the first code (reference numeral) is read and the present input code "CODE" is set to "OLDcode". Since the first code corresponds to any one of the reference numerals each comprising one character which have already been registered in the dictionary, a character "code (K)" which coincides with the input code "CODE" is found out and the character K is outputted. The outputted character K is set to "char" for the subsequent exceptional processes. Step S3 follows and the next code "CODE" is read and is set as "NEWcode". Step S4 follows and a check is made to see whether the code "CODE" inputted in step S3 has been defined (registered) in the dictionary or not. Since the inputted code word has been generally registered in the dictionary by the processes up to the preceding time, step S5 follows and a character string "code (.omega.K)" corresponding to the code "CODE" is read out from the dictionary. In step S6, the character string K is temporarily stacked and reference numeral "code (.omega.)" is set to a new "CODE" and the processing routine is returned to step S5. The procedures in steps S5 and S6 are recursively repeated until the reference numeral .omega. reaches one character. Finally, step S7 follows and the character stacked in step S6 is popped up in an LIFO (Last-In First-Out) format and is outputted. Simultaneously, in step S7, a new reference numeral is added to a character string expressed by (.omega., K) by combining the code .omega. used at the preceding time and the first character K of the character string decoded at this time and the resultant character string is registered into the dictionary. In this instance, in case of a code (such a case occurring in the case where a reference numeral just before is referred to in the encoding) which is not registered in step S4, in step S9, "OLDcode" is returned to the code "CODE" and "code(OLDcode, char)" is returned to "NEWcode". After that, the processing routine advances to step S5.
However, in such conventional data compressing and decompressing processes, in spite of a fact that the one-byte construction and the two-byte construction mixedly exist in the actual character code, they are regarded as characters of the same byte construction and processed, so that there is a problem such that an effective compression cannot be expected. FIG. 8A shows a conventional data compressing process in which data is compressed on a byte unit basis by a single-byte compressing unit 400. FIG. 8B shows a conventional decompressing process of compression data, in which the data is likewise decompressed on a byte unit basis by a single-byte decompressing unit 402. In this instance, when considering Japanese as a representative language as an example, in various kinds of codes expressing Japanese, namely, character codes such as JIS code, shift JIS code, and the like, a character and a character string are expressed in a form of a plurality of bytes or a form in which a single byte and a plurality of bytes mixedly exist. On the other hand, in the compressing process, as shown in FIG. 8A, since the data is all processed as characters and character strings of a single byte by the single-byte compressing unit 400, the character expressed by the single byte and the lower byte of the character expressed by a plurality of bytes are regarded as the same character. Therefore, there is a problem such that by the byte-unit compression of the characters consisting of a plurality of bytes, a meaningless data string is eventually registered into the dictionary and is encoded and an effective compression cannot be expected.
FIG. 9 shows the LZW encoding in the JIS Kanji code. Since data is fetched into the dictionary irrespective of the upper byte and lower byte, it will be understood that a meaningless character string is also registered and a compressing effect cannot be expected. Namely, a meaningless character string such as a combination of lower byte and upper byte of two adjacent characters or the like is registered. FIG. 10 shows the LZW encoding in the shift JIS Kanji code. In a manner similar to the above, since data is fetched into the dictionary irrespective of the upper byte and lower byte, it will be understood that a meaningless character string is also registered and a compressing effect cannot be expected.
There is a similar problem even in character codes other than Japanese. For example, even in a Unicode proposed as a character code in which various languages are integratedly treated by the international standardization, since one character is constructed by two bytes (or 4 bytes), in the conventional compressing process in which data is compressed on a byte unit basis, a similar problem occurs. Particularly, even if the same character kind is used, when the language differs, a connecting method of characters differs. However, hitherto, since a character string has been registered without considering a difference due to the languages, a compressing effect cannot be expected.

Character compression and decompression device capable of handling a plurality of different languages in a single text


A firearm training system is disclosed, which allows the measurement and display as a function of time of the hand grip force pattern applied to the grip of a firearm by a weapon hand of a shooter. This permits the detection of variations in the individual hand grip forces in the pattern during firing of the weapon. This firearm training system preferably also provides for the detection and display as a function of time of the position of the firearm trigger. The system includes separate force transducers for the side and front-to-back grip forces applied to the side surfaces and one of the front and back surfaces of the grip respectively as well as a trigger position sensor. A relative value of the hand grip forces detected by the transducers and a relative trigger position detected by the sensor are graphically displayed by the system as a function of time. Further disclosed is a method of training a shooter by determining the grip pattern of the shooter's weapon hand on a firearm by detecting a front-to-back grip force and a side grip force applied by the weapon hand and graphically displaying as a function of time a relative value of the front-to-back and side grip forces respectively. Thus, the system provides for a more effective training of a shooter, which substantially translates into cost savings in terms of training time and ammunition, especially since the firearm training system and method may effectively be used under both dry and live fire conditions.

The invention relates to training systems used to train and analyze the performance of shooters and in particular to a firearm training system which measures and displays appropriately as a function of time, a pattern of grip pressure applied to the firearm by the weapon hand of the shooter.
The equipment used in the training of shooting methods and skills has been traditionally limited to silhouette targets positioned on a supervised shooting range. With such equipment, the assessment of a shooter's competence in basic shooting technique is limited to an examination of the shot groupings on the target relative to the intended point of aim. Improper stance or posture, incorrect aim or "slight picture", improper grip of the firearm, blinking, waver, jerking or flinching due to anticipation of the recoil and loud report of the shot are among the many common problems which lead to shooting inaccuracy or inconsistency.
Proper technique in the basic fundamentals of shooting technique such as visual aim, stance and breathing have proven to be relatively easy for instructors to convey to the shooter, due to their simple nature. The common experience of firearms instructors, however, is that of these various possible problems in individual shooting technique, the most difficult to clearly identify, convey to the shooter and then correct are those problems relating to the gripping of the gun and the manipulation of the trigger, as specifically discussed in two publications respectively entitled "Reasonable and Necessary", (David W. Young, 1991, REASONABLE AND NECESSARY, Defensive Firearms Ownership and use in Canada, RN, Roxboro, Quebec, Canada) and "The Modern Technique of The Pistol", (G. B. Morrison, 1991, Gunsite Press, Paulden, Ariz.). Proper exertion of grip and correct trigger movement are relatively complex and unfamiliar physical motor skill actions for shooters to learn, and are accordingly difficult to master. Young states that the trigger must be moved smoothly and consciously to the rear in one motion, without any sympathetic movement of the other fingers. However, learning shooters have the tendency to either unconsciously increase their grip force simultaneously with advancing trigger position, due to the inability to separate the index or trigger finger's action from that of the other fingers, or increase either the trigger pull rate, or the front-to-back grip force in isolation, as Morrison also points out. However, these errors are, due to the subtle nature of the movements involved, difficult or even impossible to visually detect. As a result, instructors are typically forced to resort to costly trial-and-error methods involving repetitive live fire coupled with close one-on-one observation and further "target-reading" by the instructor in order to deduce with more certainty or precision the error in technique being committed; costly additional instructor time and ammunition is inevitably consumed in the course of this approach. Thus, an apparatus is desired which would provide direct, objective and unambiguous feedback as to the shooter's actual performance in the key shooting fundamentals of grip and trigger manipulation.
When grip force is discussed in Morrison as a potential cause of a shooting problem, it is always a specific direction or component of grip pressure which is being referred to rather than just front-to-back or an average overall grip force. For example, if shots in target practice land to the right side of the target area ("3 O'Clock" shooting) excessive support-hand grip pressure, which would appear solely as a left-grip side force in the case of a right-handed shooter, or as a right-side force in the case of a left-handed shooter, is a possible cause. Thus, it is submitted that shooting problem could only be effectively diagnosed if one is equipped with feedback on both front-to-back as well as side-to-side grip forces, throughout the cycle of the shot. On the other hand, trigger pull problems, for example "mashing" or failure to pull the trigger at the proper rate in a controlled manner are also mentioned as possible causes for shooting inaccuracy either in isolation or in combination with improper grip. Furthermore, "flinch" manifests itself as a jerking action in the hands either in just the grip fingers, or in both the grip and the trigger fingers. Thus, feedback on both grip force and trigger motion is preferable for a more effective diagnosis of shooting problems.
Consequently, a means was therefore desired which would provide shooters and instructors with proper feedback on the grip pattern, i.e. the front-to-back grip forces of the shooter's weapon hand and preferably also trigger pull. Thus, a means was sought which would detect the grip force pattern and preferably the trigger position and display them for visual feedback. This feedback would also be stored to permit later analysis and comparison of individual shooter performance against already stored feedback of previous personal performance, or against known well executed performance by others, so as to provide a clear and highly visually relevant objective for the shooter. These goals should preferably be accomplished under live fire conditions as well as dry-fire conditions, given that some of the common problems mentioned above arise only when the shooter is in anticipation of the loud report and violent recoil of the firearm. In other words, a firearm training system was desired which would permit assessment of a shooter's grip and preferably trigger pull versus time.
Witzig, in his German patent application published Dec. 9, 1976 (DT 2,523,362) teaches an electronic shooting simulator for target and shooting practice with weapons adapted to fire live ammunition. The simulator provides for the detection of especially arm waver and jerk during firing of the weapon. To this end, the simulator includes a receiver shell, which has electronics for detecting a beam of radiation emitted by the target and is placed into the barrel of a regular hand gun or rifle. Thus, the shooting simulator may only be used under "dry-fire" conditions. The beam emitted by the target may only be detected by the receiver shell when the weapon is correctly aimed at the target so that the beam may travel along the barrel of the weapon and impinge onto the forward end of the receiver shell. Although this simulator provides for the detection of problems such as arm waver and jerk, no further resolution or pinpointing of specific errors in basic technique is achieved which would allow the shooter to independently and reliably identify specific wrong movements or errors in basic technique without significant instructor involvement or intervention. No means is taught for the displaying or recording of trigger position or grip force components versus time.
British patent GB 2,013,844 to Knight teaches a training equipment facilitating the training of a marksman. The equipment includes a weapon such as a gun or rifle with pressure transducers mounted on the weapon to detect the pressure applied by the marksman to the butt, the cheek and the hand grips of the gun. A representation of the weapon is shown on a visual display unit and those parts of the representation which correspond to the parts of the weapon that are provided with pressure transducers may be illuminated with different colors representing different levels of applied pressure. The display may constantly indicate the actual pressure applied to the weapon by different colors or may only display the pressure applied at the time of firing, after firing or while firing a burst of shots. However, the training system only provides a visual display of an actual momentary pressure or the difference between the actual momentary pressure and an optimum pressure stored by a computer driving the system. Thus, this system, while providing a momentary display of hand grip forces, does not provide for a display of grip forces throughout the cycle of the shot. Further, the system of Knight renders the detection of variations in hand grip forces during firing, which occupy very short time intervals and which may significantly affect shot accuracy, virtually impossible even for an instructor or observer to detect, let alone the shooter who is presumably visually busy aiming at the time of firing. Furthermore, the system provides no measurement or display of the trigger position versus time along with a display of grip forces, nor any other means of time-wise correlation between these so as to allow more precise isolation of problems in basic shooting technique. Rather, only a means of determining whether or not the trigger is advanced beyond a specific point in its overall travel range is mentioned.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,819 to Mayhak describes a firearm safety system, which prevents the firing of a firearm unless the hand grip of the firearm is held with a certain predetermined grip pattern. Mayhak describes in particular a safety system for a revolver, which is equipped in its hand grip with pressure transducers, a grip pattern recognition neural network memory, a microprocessor, a solenoid activated trigger lock and a battery power supply. Thus, Mayhak teaches the use of pressure transducers in the hand grip of a revolver for the sensing of the hand grip pattern of a user. However, no display of the hand grip force levels or of trigger position against time, nor any means of storing for analysis or correlating these two sets of information to deduce and convey to the user errors in shooting technique, are provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,494,407 to Beach describes the design of a model of a handgun which is specially equipped so as to offer variance, for practice purposes, of the physical resistance on the frontal area of the grip handle and of the trigger. This design, while of some value in familiarizing the shooter with differing trigger pull loads and in developing, as claimed, increased finger and grip strength, does not teach any visual display or recording whatsoever of grip force components or trigger position versus time so as to permit any assessment or analysis of technique in grip or trigger manipulation. Further, the design described is not seen as intended for, or in any acceptable way applicable to, an operational firearm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,655 to Pinkley et al describes a device for measuring and improving trigger pull technique. This device involves installation inside the handle area of the handgun of a variable slide resistor to convert trigger position to an electrical signal which can then be visually represented on a chart recorder. While this system provides a means of measuring and recording the smoothness and rate of trigger pull, the design requires an internal mechanical installation of the handgun which would, due to the use of the internal space of the handle for the cartridge magazine on all modern pistols, and the inaccessible nature of the trigger mechanism on many guns, not be applicable to an operational handgun for live fire for many of the handgun designs now predominantly used in North America. This design also does not teach or suggest any measurement, recording or display of grip forces, limiting its value for the specific diagnosis of many errors in fundamental technique by the user. Lack of suitability of this design for live fire would suggest that the various errors in technique typically arising only when live fire scenarios are involved could not be exposed by the disclosed design.
Thus, none of these prior art systems provides a satisfactory solution for the detection and display of unwanted variations in the hand grip forces of the weapon hand and for the detection of uneven trigger pull, which may both lead to shooting inaccuracy.


An improved dispenser box for suture packages. The dispenser is stable and will dispense single or plural packages.

Suture materials are generally packaged in a sterile manner in a foil or a combination of foil and film, foil and paper, paper and film and the like. The sutures may be packaged as single sutures or as a plurality of sutures and they may packaged with or without needles attached. Dispensers for such suture materials or similar packages are well known. One dispenser which has gained wide acceptance for dispensing suture packages is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,044. While this dispenser has wide acceptance, its design has not lent itself to automatic carton making and, hence, has been somewhat costly.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a suture package dispenser that allows for verification of the quantity of suture packages in the box. It is a further object to provide a dispenser that is constructed in a stable manner and minimizes the amount of the dust or other contaminants that may accumulate on the packages in the dispenser. It is an object of the present invention to provide a dispenser that may be produced by automatic equipment. It is a further object of the present invention to reduce the cost of providing suture package dispensers.

Dispenser box for packages of sterile sutures


According to one embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed for diagnosing a condition of a component of an exhaust aftertreatment system in exhaust receiving communication with an internal combustion engine where the exhaust aftertreatment system includes a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst. The diagnostic module is configured to determine a normalized tailpipe nitrogen-oxide NOx value based on a tailpipe NOx sensor signal and a ratio of an SCR inlet ammonia (NH3) flow rate to an SCR inlet NOx flow rate. The apparatus also includes a component condition module configured to determine a condition of the component based on the normalized tailpipe NOx value.

Emissions regulations for internal combustion engines have become more stringent over recent years. Environmental concerns have motivated the implementation of stricter emission requirements for internal combustion engines throughout much of the world. Governmental agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States, carefully monitor the emission quality of engines and set acceptable emission standards, to which all engines must comply. Consequently, the use of exhaust aftertreatment systems on engines to reduce emissions is increasing.
Generally, emission requirements vary according to engine type. Emission tests for compression-ignition (diesel) engines typically monitor the release of carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (UHC), diesel particulate matter (PM) such as ash and soot, and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Oxidation catalysts have been implemented in exhaust gas aftertreatment systems to oxidize at least some particulate matter in the exhaust stream and to reduce the unburned hydrocarbons and CO in the exhaust to less environmentally harmful compounds. To remove the particulate matter, a particulate matter (PM) filter is typically installed downstream from the oxidation catalyst or in conjunction with the oxidation catalyst. With regard to reducing NOx emissions, NOx reduction catalysts, including selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems, are utilized to convert NOx (NO and NO2 in some fraction) to N2 and other compounds.
SCR systems generate ammonia to reduce the NOx. When just the proper amount of ammonia is available at the SCR catalyst under the proper conditions, the ammonia is utilized to reduce NOx. However, if the reduction reaction rate is too slow, or if there is excess ammonia in the exhaust, ammonia can slip out the exhaust pipe. Ammonia is an extreme irritant and an undesirable emission. Accordingly, slips of even a few tens of ppm are problematic. Additionally, due to the undesirability of handling pure ammonia, many systems utilize an alternate compound such as urea, which vaporizes and decomposes to ammonia in the exhaust stream. Presently available SCR systems treat injected urea as injected ammonia, and do not account for the vaporization and hydrolysis of urea to component compounds such as ammonia and isocyanic acid. As a result, the urea can decompose to ammonia downstream of the SCR causing ammonia slip, and less ammonia may be available for NOx reduction than the control mechanism estimates causing higher NOx emissions at the tailpipe.
Also affecting the NOx reduction performance of SCR systems are the non-ammonia components of the exhaust gas entering the SCR catalyst (i.e., SCR feedgas). SCR systems are configured to reduce NOx to N2 and H2O in the presence of ammonia (NH3). The most efficient chemical reaction for reducing NOx requires an optimal level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) relative to nitrogen monoxide (NO). Accordingly, the NOx reduction performance of an SCR system is based on the relative ratio of NO2 and NO. Generally, if the relative amount of NO2 in the SCR feedgas is low, the overall NOx reduction performance of the SCR system is correspondingly low, and the tailpipe outlet NOx is unacceptably high. Therefore, the amount of NO2 in the SCR feedgas is a focus of most conventional engine systems with SCR components.
The level of NO2 in the SCR feedgas is at least partially controlled by the oxidation catalyst (e.g., a diesel oxidation catalyst) downstream of the internal combustion engine and upstream of the SCR system. The oxidation catalyst is made from catalytic materials that promote the catalytic oxidation of NO into NO2. Accordingly, the oxidation catalyst converts NO in the exhaust gas generated by the engine into NO2. In this manner, the performance of the oxidation catalyst is tied to the NOx reduction performance of the SCR system.
The performance of a PM filter (e.g., a diesel particulate matter filter) upstream of the SCR system may also affect the NOx reduction performance of the SCR system. For example, some PM filters also oxidize NO to form NO2 independent of the oxidation catalyst. Should the PM filter fail to properly convert NO to NO2, the level of NO2 in the SCR feedgas entering the SCR system will be adversely affected. Accordingly, the performance of the PM filter also is tied to the NOx reduction performance of the SCR system.
Current emissions regulations require the diagnostic monitoring of exhaust aftertreatment components and on-board reporting of the performance of the components in substantially real time. More specifically, current on-board diagnostic (OBD) systems must alert a vehicle operator when one or more components of an exhaust aftertreatment system are malfunctioning or performing inadequately.

Method, system, and apparatus for diagnosing an exhaust aftertreatment component


Methods and systems for providing gesture-based security are disclosed. For example, a method for establishing secure communications can include receiving one or more human gestures using a sensor on a first device, quantizing the one or more human gestures so as to create a metric of the one or more human gestures, performing an error correction operation on the metric using error correction information derived from a template of the metric to create a corrected metric, performing a hashing operation on the corrected metric to create a metric hash, and comparing the metric hash to a hash of the template to verify that the one or more human gestures sufficiently conform to the template.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
A password is a commonly used starting point for an encryption key. Since a password is typically familiar to a user and will not change in the immediate future, it can be hashed and stored on a medium to essentially hide it in plain sight. The amount of entropy in a password can be very low if the password is not of significant complexity and length. While one can simply increase the length and complexity of a password to increase its entropy, the tradeoff is that longer and more complex passwords are harder to remember. Hence, people typically choose simpler passwords which are easily cracked.

Gesture-initiated encryption using error correction coding


Generating a focus stack, including receiving initial focus data that identifies a plurality of target depths, positioning a lens at a first position to capture a first image at a first target depth of the plurality of target depths, determining, in response to capturing the first image and prior to capturing additional images, a sharpness metric for the first image, capturing, in response to determining that the sharpness metric for the first image is an unacceptable value, a second image at a second position based on the sharpness metric, wherein the second position is not included in the plurality of target depths, determining that a sharpness metric for the second image is an acceptable value, and generating a focus stack using the second image.

This disclosure relates generally to the field of digital image capture and processing, and more particularly to the field of optimizing capture of focus stacks. A camera can adjust a lens stack to obtain focus on an object. A camera's autofocus (AF) system, for example, can automatically adjust the lens stack to obtain focus on a subject. A particular image may have several objects that should be in focus.
Focus stacking combines multiple images having different points of focus to create a final image with better overall focus than the individual images. Sweeping the lens stack from macro to infinity is required in order to ensure that all points in the scene are captured in focus. For example, a camera may capture images with a lens stack at a series of predetermined depths. At each depth, a different portion of the image may be in focus. By combining the various images into a focus stack, the final image will have multiple points of focus.
By its very nature the use of focus stacks requires capturing multiple images, resulting in a tradeoff between frame capture and performance. With a low number of frames, there may be parts of the scene that are not captured in focus, however processing power will be optimal. Conversely, a better result requires the capture of more frames to ensure that all parts of the scene can be captured in focus. However, the more images that are captured, the more processing power is required and memory to store the various images for processing.


A tuned vibration absorber includes a mounting plate having at least two, and alternatively four, mounting holes in spaced relationship from a longitudinal center axis of the plate. An elastomeric spring is bonded to the mounting plate. A main tuning mass is bonded to the elastomeric spring opposite the mounting plate, and fine tuning masses are riveted directly onto the main tuning mass. The elastomeric spring and main mass both have a rectangular profile to maintain a low profile height from the mounting plate. A cover is formed of a single sheet of metal bent to form a rectangular box with one open side. The cover includes mounting flanges with holes that align with the mounting holes on the mounting plate. For mounting the vibration absorber on a stiffening ring of an aircraft frame, a spacing plate is positionable between a portion of the mounting plate and the stiffening rib of an aircraft frame, and adjacent to an overlapping secondary stiffening ring to provide a flat mounting surface.

Tuned vibration absorbers (TVA) are secondary mass-spring systems that can be tuned to vibrate at a select frequency to absorb vibration occurring at that frequency. TVAs are used, for example, in aircraft fuselages to absorb the vibration caused by propeller aerodynamic wash impinging on the fuselage.
Examples of prior art tuned vibration absorbers are illustrated in FIGS. 1a, 1b and 2. The absorber illustrated in FIGS. 1a and 1b includes an annular elastomeric spring 20 bonded on a base plate 22. A tuned mass includes a large body 24 and a plurality of washers 26 fastened to the large body to fine tune the total mass. A shaft 28 extends through the center of the spring 20 and through holes in the large body 24 and the washers 26 to fasten these components together. The base plate 22 is mounted to a target structure 30 by two nut and bolt combinations 32. As shown, the absorber is paired with an identical absorber mounted on an opposite side of the target structure, which is a typical arrangement for mounting the absorbers in an aircraft frame. A mass vibrating at a distance from a rib (as in the absorber of FIG. 1) will produce a bending moment on the rib. The absorbers of the prior art are paired so that bending moments imparted to the rib by each absorber are cancelled by the paired absorber.
A cup-shaped cover 34, best illustrated in FIG. 1b, is mounted over the spring 20 and masses 24, 26 to isolate the spring and masses from external interference. The cover has mounting flanges 36 providing two linearly aligned mounting holes 38. A plurality of air holes 40 is provided in the cover top to allow condensate to escape.
FIG. 2 illustrates another prior absorber having a base 22 and a three-sided cover 22'. A mass 24 is bonded between two elastomeric springs 20. The spring 20 and mass 24 assembly is contained between metal end plates 23. A bolt 27 extends through the assembly and is fastened on opposite walls of the cover 22'. The system is tuned to a vibration frequency by adjusting the tension in the bolt and thus the compression in the spring. Four mounting holes 25 are used with nut and bolt combinations to fasten the device to a structure.
The prior art devices have deficiencies in manufacturing and performance. For example, the device of FIG. 1a mounts to a target structure with a mounting plate having two, linearly aligned mounting holes. Two holes are conventionally provided because of space constraints in aircraft frame structure, that is, the difficulty in finding a flat surface to mount vibration absorbers. In an aircraft frame, the stiffening rings are often additionally supported by secondary stiffening rings that leave little room for mounting a vibration absorber. The device is typically mounted so that the spring vibrates in shear, that is, perpendicular to the shaft 28 shown in FIG. 1a.
The inventor of the present invention has discovered that the prior vibration absorber is subject to a rocking moment about an axis A--A formed by the mounting bolts when the absorber vibrates at the disturbance frequency. The rocking moment can interfere with the device vibrating at the tuned frequency, and over time, can cause the bolts to loosen.
In the device of FIG. 2, the bolt 27 supplying tension to the spring and mass system is subject to vibration itself if not tightened correctly.
The present invention provides a tuned vibration absorber that is simpler to mount to an aircraft frame.
The tuned vibration absorber is designed with a low profile that minimizes the bending moment imparted to an aircraft frame stiffening rib, and as a result, can be mounted as a single, unpaired unit. This reduces the number of vibration absorbers needed in an aircraft, which accordingly reduces the cost.
The tuned vibration absorber with a four hole mounting plate also advantageously eliminates the problem of a rocking moment created by the prior mounting structure.
According to the invention, a tuned vibration absorber includes a mounting base having at least two holes arranged off the center axis of the spring mass system. The mounting holes may be alternatively provided as four holes in rectangular spaced relationship. The four mounting holes advantageously eliminate the rocking moment problem of the prior art.
According to another aspect of the invention, an elastomer spring is bonded to the mounting base and supports a main mass, which forms a spring and mass vibrating system. The elastomeric material is selected to have a resiliency to provide a spring constant appropriate for the tuned vibration frequency. The mass is fine tuned by attaching fine tuning masses, having a washer-like shape to the main mass. The fine tuning masses are attached to the main mass directly by rivets. Rivet fasteners provide sufficient fastening tightness and strength so that the main mass and fine tuning masses act as a single mass in cooperation with the spring.
According to another aspect of the invention, a cover to isolate the spring and mass system from external interference is formed from a single sheet of stamped metal bent into a box shape. The cover is easily formed to have gaps between the adjacent bent walls to prevent edge contact of the walls which may cause noise. Further, bending easily provides flanges, on which mounting holes to mate with the mounting base are provided.
The main mass and elastomer spring are shaped with rectangular outlines, which provides a center of gravity distance from the mounting plate that is smaller for the same mass than the cylindrically shaped mass of the prior art. By positioning the center of gravity of the mass closer to the mounting plate, and thus, the stiffening rib, any bending moment produced by the mass is minimized.
For mounting the vibration absorber to a stiffening ring of an aircraft, which is an advantageous location, the invention provides spacing plates to accommodate the thickness of a secondary stiffening ring that overlaps a main stiffening ring. The spacing plate is positioned on a main stiffening ring adjacent to the overlapping secondary stiffening ring to provide a flat surface for mounting the vibration absorber.