A ball retriever for use on golf balls by being selectively positioned on the head of a golf club iron. The ball retriever defines an open cup having contoured side walls with a cutaway area where for visibility during use. A powerful magnet is secured within the base of the cup providing magnetic attraction and selective positioning and removal attachment on to any ferrous metal club head face.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to ball retrievers for golf balls where the ball is in a difficult-to-reach location, requiring the player to retrieve it therefrom.
2. Description of Prior Art
A number of golf ball engagement and retrieval devices have been developed to assist the player in retrieving their golf ball when positioned in areas of the course where direct hand engagement would be difficult. Such ball retrievers heretofore require a ball engagement portion and some sort of exterior handle. Other ball retrievers have been developed to attach directly to the golf club providing contact easily transportable and usable devices, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,058,767, 3,749,407, 5,112,093, 6,077,170, 388,850, and U.S. Patent 2004/0166955.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,767 a golf ball retrieving device is disclosed having an initial cylindrical configuration with multiple slots and apertures therein that allow for deflection thereof so as to be positioned on the club head and retrieve a ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,407 claims a ball retriever attachment wherein a ball cup is suspended from a golf club head engagement clip.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,093 illustrates a golf ball retriever having a coil of high strength metal wire that will allow insertion on the club head with multiple coils extending therefrom into which the golf ball can be selectively secured during use.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,170 is directed to a golf ball retriever attachment having a depending ball cup from a club head receiving opening cited in closure configuration to the shape of the club head.
Patent D 388,850 defines an open bottom ball cup with an intricate extending clip that clips over the top edge of a golf club positioning the ball cup below the cup head for ball retrieval.


A semiconductor device includes a substrate common to a first field effect transistor and a second field effect transistor, a channel layer of a first conductivity type formed on the substrate and common to the first and second field effect transistors, a an upper compound semiconductor layer formed on the channel layer and common to the first and second field effect transistors, a compound semiconductor region of a second conductivity type formed in the same layer as the upper compound semiconductor layer, a gate electrode of the first field effect transistor in ohmic contact with the compound semiconductor region, and a gate electrode of the second field effect transistor in Schottky contact with the upper compound semiconductor layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a semiconductor device in which different types of field effect transistors are monolithically integrated.
2. Description of Related Art
Recent years technologies relating to semiconductor integrated circuits for mobile communication terminals have been progressing further. As performances of semiconductor integrated circuits for mobile communication terminals become higher, it is strongly demanded to monolithically integrate functional elements thereof.
By monolithically integrating functional elements, it is achieved to miniaturize the chip itself and to simplify bonding operation and so on.
Enhancement-mode FETs (field effect transistors) are used as power amplifier circuits for mobile communication terminals. This is because that it is required for power amplifier circuits to operate sharing a common power supply with other functional circuits. Meanwhile, depletion-mode FETs are used as switching circuits in mobile communication terminals. This is because that it is required for switching circuits to lower on-resistance thereof in order to realize low insertion loss.
Monolithic integration of enhancement-mode FETs and depletion-mode FETs is well known in the related art (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. H07-142685, H06-216326, H06-326131, S61-59781 and Japanese Patent No. 2773700).
Depletion-mode FETs have a negative threshold voltage. Enhancement-mode FETs, on the other hand, have a positive threshold voltage. Therefore, it is required to set the threshold voltage different between the depletion-mode FET and the enhancement-mode FET.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining the technology described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H07-142685. In FIG. 11, the distance between a gate electrode 1002 of an enhancement-mode FET to a channel layer 200 is shorter, by the thickness of an n-type GaAs layer 400, than the distance between a gate electrode 1004 of a depletion-mode FET to the channel layer 200. The difference between threshold voltages of the enhancement-mode FET and the depletion-mode FET is determined based on the difference in distance between the gate electrodes and channel layer. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. H06-216326, H06-326131, S61-59781 and Japanese Patent No. 2773700 disclose the same technology as Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H07-142685 above.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. S61-59781 discloses a semiconductor device in which a Schottky barrier-type FET, and a pn-junction-type FET which have the same junction depth and impurity concentration in channel regions are monolithically integrated.
It has now been discovered that using an enhancement-mode FET as a FET for a power amplifier circuit sufficiently reduces power consumption during non-operation of the power amplifier circuit, and hence that the threshold voltage may be set to a positive voltage greater than +0.3 V (more preferably, to a positive voltage greater than +0.4 V). Also, using a depletion-mode FET as a FET for a switching circuit allows sufficiently reducing insertion loss, and hence the threshold voltage may be set to a negative voltage greater than −0.5 V (more preferably, to a negative voltage greater than −0.6 V). The above settings result in a greater difference (differential voltage) between the threshold voltage of the enhancement-mode FET and the threshold voltage of the depletion-mode FET (more preferably, a differential voltage of 1V(=+0.4−(−0.6 V)).
In order to set such a large differential voltage, the gate-channel layer distance in the depletion-mode FET must be set to be sufficiently greater than the gate-channel layer distance in the enhancement-mode FET.
According to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H07-142685, the layer thickness of the above-described n-type GaAs layer 400 must be set to 50 nm. As the thickness of the GaAs layer becomes thicker, the gate of the enhancement-mode FET is to be arranged inside the semiconductor device. In this way, Electric fields converge in the gate, thereby decreasing the breakdown voltage of the gate. This precludes using such a FET as a FET for a power amplifier circuit in which a large voltage is applied to the gate. Even though providing a space on the side faces of the gate for increasing the breakdown voltage characteristics of the gate, it may result in decreased drain current and/or increased on-resistance.
In semiconductor devices having different types of FET monolithically integrated therein it is thus difficult to set optimal characteristics for each FET in accordance with the intended application.


A slide type mobile terminal according to an aspect of the invention comprises: a main body having buttons and a slide part having a display, wherein the buttons comprise at least one open button that is open to the exterior and at least one hidden button that is not open to the exterior when the slide part is opened with respect to the main body, the slide part comprises at least one push protrusion corresponding with at least the hidden button, and the main body and the slide part are joined by a connection means which allows sliding of the slide part with respect to the main body. With such a composition, the invention allows for a larger display on the slide part and provides a slide type mobile terminal which can have various functional buttons.

As wireless communication technology has been developed day by day, it is applied to various products and gives convenience to manifold aspects. Such wireless communication technology is applied to the phone, so that users can carry and use it anywhere. Generally, a mobile phone involves a comprehensive concept of a transmitter-receiver of household wireless phones, as well as a cellular phone, currently under wide use.
The mobile terminal can be classified into a flip type, a folder type, or a slide type according to the shape or operation method. The slide type mobile terminal has two sliding parts which are overlapped and of which one has a display and the other has buttons directed in the same direction. Generally, the slide type mobile terminal can slide the front sliding part relatively to expose a display part or buttons covered by it. In one example, there is a mobile terminal which can expose buttons formed on the front surface of the back sliding part when the front sliding part slides upward. In another example, there is a mobile terminal which can expose a display part formed on the front surface of the back sliding part when the front sliding part having buttons slides downward. Such slide type terminals are widely used due to the convenience in opening the display part.
The demand for terminals having wider screens is increasing as mobile terminals such as cellular phones, PDAs, portable computers, etc. are being equipped with cameras or camcorders. In particular, since mobile terminals which utilize digital multimedia broadcasting would be used for long periods, such demands are still more increased.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Slide type mobile terminal including a plurality of push protrusion


An object in a storage area or moving vehicle is monitored by attaching an electronic tag to the object. An electronic device detects the presence of the object by communicating with the tag while the object is in storage or is being moved by the vehicle. The tags may also determine the location of an attached object and may reroute the object if it deviates from a given shipping schedule. A group of objects is monitored by two electronic tags, each attached to an object in the group. Each tag has circuitry for communicating information relating to an object in the group to a second tag. Each tag also includes a memory connected to the circuitry that is capable of storing the information, and a controller connected to the memory and the circuitry. A sensor is used to detect the condition of an object and communicate the condition to a tag.

This invention relates to managing assets equipped with active electronic tags.
Asset management systems attempt to monitor the existence, location and status of items being transported or stored. The systems include two main types: barrier systems and continuous systems.
Barrier systems determine whether an asset is located within a cell delimited by a set of stationary interrogators. The interrogators detect the asset as it crosses a boundary of the cell, but are incapable of determining a position of the asset within the cell.
Typical barrier systems fix a bar code to each asset, and use bar code readers as interrogators. Examples include systems used by car factories and mail carriers, such as Federal Express and United Parcel Service.
Another type of barrier system attaches a transponder to each asset and uses radio transceivers as interrogators. The transponders are passive, that is, they respond when activated by an interrogator but are incapable of initiating communications or other functions. An example includes a railroad system developed by AMTECH, in which each railroad car on a train is equipped with a transponder. Interrogators include transceivers that are placed along a railway.
Continuous systems determine the position of an asset anywhere within a monitoring area. An example, implemented by LOJACK, equips cars with an active transponder. The transponder is active because it initiates its own functions, for example, it monitors a particular hailing frequency. If the car is stolen, LOJACK uses special transmitters to establish communication with the transponder at the hailing frequency. Receivers provided to police cars analyze the communications to locate the car.


A two-part surgical ligation clip includes a track having two substantially symmetrical arms and a clip for slidably receiving the track. The symmetrical arms are connected together at a proximal end to form an apex and have spaced-apart tips at a distal end with first complementary surface. The track also includes a connector connected to the apex and having a second complementary surface. The clip has an extended slot for slidably engaging the track and distal end tips for receiving the connector. A distal end of the clip has a first contour surface for engaging the first complementary surface on the track and locking it in a closed position and a second contour surface for engaging the second complementary surface on the track and locking it in an open position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surgical ligation clip typically used during a surgical procedure. More particularly, the ligation clip of the present invention provides a two-part assembly comprised of a track for gripping, for example, a blood vessel and a clip for closing the track to ligate the blood vessel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ligation clips used in surgical procedures are well known in the art. For example, clips are used in surgical procedures to ligate blood vessels. Typically, a surgical ligation clip uses a clamp to compress a severed blood vessel to stop the flow of blood.
One example of a surgical ligation clip is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,937, which is assigned to the assignee of the subject application. That surgical clip is formed of two substantially symmetrically-shaped arms connected together at an apex and a U-shaped member for manipulating the arms. Each arm comprises a more flexible portion and a bend at the more flexible portion. The surgical clip is positioned around the blood vessel to be ligated and the arms are manipulated to form a diamond-shaped enclosure around the blood vessel. The apex of the arms is slid within the U-shaped member to collapse the arms at the more flexible portions and tightly compress the blood vessel therebetween. The surgical ligation clip is made from a non-metallic material such as a synthetic bioabsorbable polymer with, for example, a glycolic and ester linkage.
While the clip disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,937 incorporates many advantageous features, still further improvements in surgical ligation clips are desirable. For example, the subject invention provides a track with a surface for improved gripping of the blood vessel. In addition, a clip and the track are designed to cooperate with each other to temporarily lock the track in an open position for easy positioning of the clip around the blood vessel and to temporarily lock the track in a closed position for securely compressing the blood vessel. Still further, the clip of the subject invention is provided with tapered ribs to strengthen it and provide a tighter hold on the ligated blood vessel.


A cannula assembly for use in laproscopic surgery includes a cannula having a proximal end for use in orientating the assembly into an abdominal cavity, a distal end for insertion into a patient, and a passage through which surgical instruments can be inserted. An expandable feature in the form of an anchor is located toward the distal end of the cannula and is selectively expandable and collapsible. The feature in its expanded state prevents withdrawal of the cannula. A collar is pushed distally until it releasably cinches to the outside of the abdominal cavity thereby creating an airtight seal and stabilizing the assembly. The collar has a friction fit with the cannula designed to prevent excessive force against the cavity walls.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a stabilized cannula adapted to seal against the loss of gas pressure from a body cavity of a patient during a surgical procedure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The insertion of a cannula into an abdominal cavity during laparoscopic surgery is generally accomplished using one of two methods. In the first method, a hollow needle is inserted into the body cavity prior to the insertion of the cannula so that the cavity can be expanded with a gas, such as carbon dioxide. Thereafter, the cannula is inserted along with a removable sharp obtruator. The obtruator blade cuts through the abdominal wall allowing the surrounding cannula to penetrate into the interior of the cavity. The obtruator is then removed leaving an entry port for various laparoscopic tools to be inserted into the cavity. The cannula is equipped with a seal at its proximal end to ensure that the cavity remains pressurized with the insertion and removal of various instruments. Pressure loss between the cannula and the cavity wall is reduced by the tightness of the fit between the cannula and the cavity wall because the outside diameter of the cannula is larger than the obtruator entry wound. Generally, the obtruator used in this method is equipped with a spring-activated shield that is designed to cover the blade as soon as the interior wall is penetrated to avoid inadvertent puncturing of the organs present inside the cavity. These shields sometimes fail to close quickly enough to avoid injuries, particularly if an organ such as the bowel is attached to the cavity wall.
A known method that avoids injuries associated with the obtruator shield involves direct incision of the wall by the surgeon. Using a small scalpel, the surgeon makes an incision through the cavity wall into the abdominal cavity and inserts a finger into the cavity to feel for organs that might be attached to, or near the abdominal wall. Upon a determination that no organs are attached to the abdominal wall, a cannula with an obtruator having a blunt tip is inserted through the cut. After placement of the cannula, the obtruator is removed. The purpose of the blunt tip of the obtruator is to guide the cannula through the cut down to wound.
Both of the above described methods of insertion are prone to gas leakage and the lack of a proximal-to-distal stability of the cannula. Various techniques have been attempted to minimize these problems. Known anchors for use with laparoscopic cannula have employed threaded sleeves adapted to be secured to the cannula and screwed into a laparoscopic puncture opening to secure the instrument in place. An anchor of this type is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,441. U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,557 to Hasson discloses an inflatable balloon that seals the cannula against the inside wall of the cavity and stabilizes the cannula by employing a tapered collar that cinches against the outside wall of the cavity, in effect sandwiching the cavity wall between the collar and the inflated balloon. The Hasson device provides a sufficient seal and adequate cannula stability, but is difficult to operate. The balloon must be inflated with an external hypodermic syringe or other means through a stop cock. Additionally, sealing the cannula with the cavity wall involves three steps: inflating the balloon, pushing a tapered collar snugly against the external surface of the cavity wall, and securing the collar in place with a set screw. U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,946 to Hopper et al. discloses a balloon-anchoring device that does not require the use of a proximal collar, but instead relies on a portion of the inflating surface to come in contact with the entry wound, thereby wedging the cannula into position. The Hopper device also involves an external inflation device such as a hypodermic syringe connected to the cannula by a stop cock or check valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,497 to Freitas et al. describes an anchored cannula that uses an expandable mushroom-shaped anchor that in one embodiment opens when the user turns a detented actuator. The anchor cinches-up against the peritoneum when a seal is forced distally. The Freitas device offers an improvement over threads, but still suffers from several drawbacks. In particular, the Freitas device is unduly complex at least in that it requires multiple steps in order to expand the anchor and seal the external cavity wall. A multiplicity of steps during a surgical procedure can lead to a serious inefficiency. Devices that are simple to operate make the procedure more efficient and lead to less errors. Therefore what is needed is a simple, easy-to-use cannula anchoring and sealing device and method for use in laparoscopic surgery.


A fluid distribution assembly for use in a fuel cell includes a separator plate having a major face. A boundary element is disposed over the major face. A flow field communicates reactant in a flow direction across the separator plate. The flow field is defined by a plurality of knobs formed on the separator plate extending from the major face toward the boundary element.

Fuel cells have been proposed as a power source for electric vehicles and other applications. One such fuel cell is a PEM (i.e. Proton Exchange Membrane) fuel cell that includes a so-called "membrane-electrode-assembly" (MEA) having a thin, solid polymer membrane-electrolyte. The MEA is sandwiched between a pair of electrically conductive fluid distribution elements (i.e., bipolar plates) which serve as current collectors for the electrodes, and contain a so-called "flow field" which is an array of lands and grooves formed in the surface of the plate opposing the MEA.
The lands conduct current from the electrodes, while the grooves between the lands serve to distribute the fuel cell's gaseous reactants evenly over the faces of the electrodes. Gas diffusion media are positioned between each of the electrically conductive fluid distribution elements and the electrode faces of the MEA, to support the MEA where it confronts grooves in the flow field, and to conduct current therefrom to the adjacent lands.
A drawback of fuel cells, however, is the phenomenon of water being impeded from flowing outward from the MEA, often referred to as "flooding". Flooding can hinder a fuel cell's operation at low current density when the air flow through the cathode flow field is not sufficient to drive the water removal process. Excess liquid water also tends to plug the pores in gas diffusion media, and thereby isolate the catalytic sites from the reactant oxygen flow.
Typically, conventional flow fields employ discrete channels that induce strong non-uniform flow under the lands. The non-uniform flow under the lands tends to lead to a non-equilibrated water management. In some regions high flows may lead to a dry out of the MEA. Moreover, in some regions negligible flows tend to promote a conglomeration of liquid water which may lead to flooding and ultimately a reduction of the efficiency of the fuel cell stack as a whole. Therefore, there is a need for an improved fuel cell design to minimize the aforesaid drawbacks.

Bipolar plate channel structure with knobs for the improvement of water management in particular on the cathode side of a fuel cell


A patterned dielectric elastomer actuator is disclosed which includes a series of thin parallel elastomer filaments, separated by certain distances sandwiched between a pair of rigid electrodes. The elastomer filaments and air acts as a patterned dielectric layer. The elastomer filaments can compress laterally from a circular cross-section to an elliptical shape when a voltage is applied between the rigid electrodes. The elastomer filaments can touch laterally, which implies no further squeezing in order to provide a minimal secure distance between the rigid electrodes. The dielectric elastomer actuator can be fabricated utilizing a reel-to-reel fabrication process with the thin elastomer filaments fabricated ahead of time, by extrusion techniques and cured completely before storing on reels.

Dielectric elastomer actuators generally include a layer of electro active polymer (EAP) sandwiched between a pair of compliant electrodes. The compliant electrodes can be designed to be able to comply with the deformations of the elastomer. A voltage difference can be applied between the compliant electrodes, which induces compression in thickness, and stretching in area of the polymer film. The electrodes in the dielectric elastomer actuators expand in area in addition to coming closer together as the polymer film thickness decreases. As the elastomer layer deforms at almost constant volume, the layer stretches in the perpendicular directions, requiring compliant electrodes. Such designs may be utilized for sensing or for converting mechanical energy into electrical energy.
A majority of prior dielectric elastomer actuator designs utilize a uniform dielectric elastomer with compliant electrodes. The voltage difference applied on the compliant electrodes squeeze the elastomer layer and produces an actuation mechanism. The uniform dielectric elastomer deforms due to an applied electrostatic force and stretches in perpendicular directions. Such uniform dielectric elastomer exhibits a very low elastic stiffness and high dielectric constants. Hence, in order to increase the actuation force, very thin layers of elastomer are required. Similarly, the fabrication of such thin layers by molding or by deposition on a substrate and their subsequent stripping from the substrate is difficult. Also, the fabrication of actual design is incompatible with reel-to-reel high volume fabrication methods due to long curing times. Often several hours are required for the elastomer layer.
Based on the foregoing it is believed that a need exists for an improved patterned dielectric elastomer based actuator, sensor and generator with rigid electrodes as described in greater detail herein.

Patterned dielectric elastomer actuator and method of fabricating the same


Methods, apparatus and systems to generate from a set of training documents a set of training data and a set of features for a taxonomy of categories. In this generated taxonomy the degree of feature overlap among categories is minimized in order to optimize use with a machine-based categorizer. However, the categories still make sense to a human because a human makes the decisions regarding category definitions. In an example embodiment, for each category, a plurality of training documents selected using Web search engines is generated, the documents winnowed to produce a more refined set of training documents, and a set of features highly differentiating for that category within a set of categories (a supercategory) extracted. This set of training documents or differentiating features is used as input to a categorizer, which determines for a plurality of test documents the plurality of categories to which they best belong.

In a previous invention, U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,227, we described a generalized method for automated construction of taxonomies and for automated categorization, or content-based recommendations. A system based on that invention might be used, for example, to construct a taxonomy, or organized set of categories, into which all of the documents on the Web might be categorized without human intervention, or to filter out objectionable categories of data on children's computers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,227, issued Mar. 19, 2002, is incorporated herein by reference in entirety for all purposes.
It would be advantageous to have general, semi-automated methods for creating training data for such systems and further refinements in the creation of taxonomies. These new methods make it possible to create taxonomies of very large size that can be used to categorize even highly heterogeneous document collections (such as the World Wide Web) with near-human accuracy.

Creating taxonomies and training data for document categorization

International Business Machines Corporation


Drug-delivery devices and methods of their use are disclosed, which devices consist of at least a semi-interpenetrating network (semi-IPN) hydrogel comprising a first, cationic polymer such as chitosan and a second high molecular weight neutral polymer such as polyethylene oxide, the semi-IPN having been freeze-dried after formation of the semi-IPN, and a drug composition. A therapeutic method of treating gastric disease is also disclosed comprising the step(s) of introducing to a gastric area to be treated a drug-delivery device according to the disclosure, whereupon the device releases the drug or therapeutic agent contained in the device. The hydrogels of the disclosure are advantageously used for site-specific drug delivery in the gastro-intestinal tract where there is a range of pH from 1.0 to 1.5 in the stomach to about 7.5 in the small intestine.

Hydrogels are three dimensional polymeric networks that can swell and retain a significant fraction, e.g., more than 20% of water within its structure, but do not dissolve. Hydrogels are well-suited for use as a base material for biologically active molecules, and have distinct advantages in these type of systems. Small molecules such as drugs can diffuse through hydrogels. Their rate of permeation can be controlled by designing the hydrogel to be specific for the intended end use. Compared to more hydrophobic materials, hydrogels have weaker interactions with molecules immobilized onto or within them. This leaves a large portion of these molecules to be active. Enzymes, for instance, when immobilized in hydrogels retain a significant fraction of their bioactivity. Hydrogels show good biocompatibility with blood and tissue, giving them an extended residence period within the tissue, making the hydrogel devices useful for long-term treatment of various conditions. Biomolecules such as enzymes can also be immobilized for later release on the large number of polar reactive sites in the hydrogel.
Biologically active molecules which may be entrapped or immobilized in hydrogels include antibiotics, drug antagonists, antibodies, estrous inducers, anticoagulants, anticancer drugs, anti-bacterial agents, enzymes, and pesticides/herbicides.
Peptic-ulcer disease (PUD) is a heterogeneous group of chronic and recurrent disorders of the alimentary mucosa, usually involving the stomach and the proximal portion of the duodenum. Gastric ulcer (GU) and duodenal ulcer (DU) are the two most common forms of PUD. The role of Helicobacter pylori in the pathogenesis of PUD has been extensively investigated. H. pylon has been strongly associated with about 80% of patients with GU and up to 100% of patients with DU. It is also associated with 85% of the patients with gastritis. H. pylon is localized in the gastric mucosa; as such, localized release of drug is desired. Certain factors govern the efficiency of the local action. For example, certain antibacterial agents, e.g., penicillin and erythromycin, are degraded by acidic pH, possibly necessitating the case of acid-stable antibiotics to avoid the chances of local drug inactivation in the stomach. Gastric residence time of locally acting agents also plays an important role. Bismuth complexes, for example, have shown better action as compared to other drugs used against H. pylon. These compounds deposit on the external surface and beneath the cell wall of the organism, not only increasing the gastric residence time but also the concentration at the site of action.

Drug delivery using pH-sensitive semi-interpenetrating network hydrogels


Crop yield may be assessed and predicted using a piecewise linear regression method with break point and various weather and agricultural parameters, such as NDVI, surface parameters (soil moisture and surface temperature) and rainfall data. These parameters may help aid in estimating and predicting crop conditions. The overall crop production environment can include inherent sources of heterogeneity and their nonlinear behavior. A non-linear multivariate optimization method may be used to derive an empirical crop yield prediction equation. Quasi-Newton method may be used in optimization for minimizing inconsistencies and errors in yield prediction. Minimization of least square loss function through iterative convergence of pre-defined empirical equation can be based on piecewise linear regression method with break point. This non-linear method can achieve acceptable lower residual values with predicted values very close to the observed values. The present invention can be modified and tailored for different crops worldwide.

Monitoring crop conditions is important for the economic development of any nation, particularly developing ones. The use of remote sensing has proved to be very important in monitoring the growth of agricultural crops and irrigation scheduling. Efforts have been made to develop various indices for different crops for different regions worldwide. Generally, crop production has a direct impact on year-to-year variations on national and international economies and food supply.
Weather and climatic conditions are important parameters in controlling the yield of agricultural crops. Crop-weather relations have been used for predicting crop yield. Least-square regression is a principle method usually applied into crop-weather relationships, which may be complex and non-linear. However, conventional approaches of forecasting crop yield using ground based data collection is tedious, time consuming and often difficult.
Using remote sensing data, efforts have been made to develop various indices such as vegetation condition index (VCI), thermal condition index (TCI) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). VCI and TCI are well known for drought detection, monitoring excessive soil wetness, assessment of weather impacts on vegetation and evaluation of vegetation health and productivity. NDVI reflects vegetation greenness; it indicates levels of healthiness in the vegetation development. Though vegetation development of crop fields may differ from those of natural vegetation because of human influences involved such as irrigation, fertilization and pesticidal activity, NDVI can be a valuable source of information for the crop conditions. NDVI data may be used extensively in vegetation monitoring, crop yield assessment and forecasting.
In recent years, remote sensing data is being extensively used for monitoring the state of the agricultural fields, vegetation cover and also to estimate crop yield in different regions around the globe. Yet, most existing crop yield models require various types of field data, which are not always or accurately available. Overall, field data can affect the quality of yield estimates. Different methods have been developed to estimate crop yields by means of satellite data. These include a neural network, autoregressive (AR) state-space models, least-square regression, exponential-linear (EL) crop growth algorithm and numerical crop yield model. Each has been used to predict crop yield with moderate success. Among numerous crop studies, many utilized vegetation indices derived from remotely sensed visible and near-infrared reflection data sets provided by Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM), Systeme Probatoire d'Observation de la Terra (SPOT) or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). Earlier studies, in general, utilized NDVI value alone, but included transformations such as simple integrations of NDVI to more complicated creations of a new vegetation index based on NDVI. For example, NDVI integration during the wheat grain filling period was used on a simple linear regression model to derive wheat yield prediction for Emilia Romagna, Italy from 1986 to 1989, which resulted 2.3% to 18.9% of relative difference with the official yield estimates. A similar approach of a simple model using a cumulative NDVI was studied for cotton, maize, rice and wheat in northwest Thessaloniki, northern Greece from 1987 to 1989, showing 0% to 43% of difference in the yield prediction from the official data. In addition, a standardized NDVI created by multiannual NDVI statistics was used in a linear regression model for millet and sorghum yield prediction for Niger in Sahelian region from 1986 to 1989, of which the prediction showed R=0.85 with the estimate of Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). Furthermore, VCI was used in a quadratic model to predict maize crop yield for 42 Crop Reporting Districts (CRDs) of the United States Corn Belt from 1985 to 1992, which showed 0.1% to 10.4% of departure from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) final estimates.
In addition to using NDVI in crop yield models, efforts have also been made to use other variables such as Leaf Area Index (LAI), albedo and meteorological data (precipitation and temperature as well as land use classifications). For example, more than 40 of biogeochemical and meteorological parameters were used in a general large area model (GLAM) to predict groundnut yields of India, which has shown the correlation coefficient 0.76 between observed and simulated yields. Moreover, NDVI field classification was found to be a major advantage for CROPGRO-Soybean model, and CERES-Maize model was used to find the model explained 76% of the yield variability of a relatively small area (20-ha field) in central Iowa for 3 years (Batchelor, 2002). Multivariables, such as reflectance data from satellite observation, land use maps, sowing dates and leaf area index of a specific crop (e.g., winter wheat), have also been used for a crop growth model. Because the inter-annual variability of crop production rate has been a general concern of the crop yield prediction models, in a spatial variability, NDVI has been strongly suggested to be a major parameter of the models, showing higher correlation with the yields than potential extractable soil water for a soybean model.
Currently, the most common approach is to develop empirical relationships between NDVI and crop yield. However, the general drawback of most methods using statistical relationships between NDVI and crop yield is that they have a strong empirical character and that the correlation coefficients are moderate to low. To overcome this problem, a reasonable approach is needed to incorporate heterogeneity in inputs over the production environment to minimize sources of variability and errors in yield prediction. In spite of the availability of numerous crop-growth models, one main difficulty still arises due to crop model input requirements: climate can be a major factor affecting crop yield. Therefore, what is needed is a method that better predicts crop yield by incorporating multiple vegetation and environmental factors, such as NDVI, soil moisture (SM), surface temperature (ST) and rainfall (Rainfall).

Crop yield prediction using piecewise linear regression with a break point and weather and agricultural parameters

George Mason Intellectual Properties, Inc.


A light bulb stand includes a stand body for connecting a light bulb to electrical wires and a clipping structure attached to the stand body. The clipping structure includes a first portion and a second portion mounted to the stand body to be opposite to each other and the first portion and the second portion are complementary in configuration to each other so that the first portion of a first light bulb stand is engageable with the second portion of a second light bulb stand to secure the bulb stands together. Further, the clipping structure may be separate from the bulb stand to connect two bulb stands together. The separate clipping structure may includes two C-shaped members that may be connected to each other in any suitable ways to define clipping structures of different configurations.

Decorative light strings have been widely used in all kinds of celebration and festival. The decorative light strings comprise electrical wires of a substantial length to which a plurality of the lamp bulbs are connected by means of bulb stands fixed on the wires, preferably in spaced manner. FIG. 1 of the attached drawings shows an example of the decorative light string which comprises electrical wires 10 on which bulb stands 12 are fixed to each receive and hold therein a bulb 14 that is in electrical connection with the wires 10. A plug 16 and a socket 18 may be provided to the wires 10 for connection with an external power source (not shown) and to provide an electrical connection to another light string. The light string may be attached to any desired article or object, such as a tree, a window or a curtain. The arrangement of the light string on an article may be in any arbitrary pattern by fixing the wires and the bulb stands to the article and to themselves.
An example of the arrangement of the light string is shown in FIG. 2. The decorative light string in this example includes a number of series light strings forming a light curtain. The light curtain includes an electric plug 22, an electric receptacle 24, a first electric power wire L1, a second electric power wire L2, and a number of connecting wires 20. The light bulb stand 100 with clipping structure of the present invention may allow the two bulb stands 100 to be held together. In addition, the clipping structure of the bulb stand 100 may serves as a passage to allow the wires 20 extending therethrough and held therein. So, various arrangements may be formed.
The present invention is directed to a decorative light bulb stand with clipping structure to provide ready fixing of the bulb stands and the wires together so that generally consumers may arrange the light string in any desired manner and pattern and may re-arrange the light string readily.

Decorative light bulb stand with clipping structure


A method of manufacturing a water treatment system for providing a flow of treated water having a pre-established quality, for example, a maximum TDS and permitted pH range, from a flow of reclaimed water having a quality poorer than the pre-established quality of the treated water and a flow of treatment water. The system includes a mixing reservoir; first and second fluid conduits connected to the mixing reservoir for flowing the reclaimed water and the treatment water into the reservoir; and a third fluid conduit connected to the mixing reservoir for discharging a flow of treated water from the mixing reservoir, and sensors connected for sensing the flow rates and qualities of the reclaimed water and treatment water flowed into the mixing reservoir and of the treated water discharged from the mixing reservoir. Signals, e.g. electrical signals, associated with the sensors indicate the sensed water flow rates and qualities, and controls responsive to the signals regulate the flows of reclaimed water and treatment water into the mixing reservoir through the controlled flow valves in the first and second conduits so as to cause the quality of the treated water discharged from the mixing reservoir through said third fluid conduit to be at least about as good as the pre-established treated water quality.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of water treatment systems, and more particularly systems for converting reclaimed water into non-potable, treated water useful for watering parkways, highway borders, crop irrigation, and the like, which do not need nor require the use of potable water.
2. Description of Related Art
Water conservation, as well as anti-pollution laws and regulations are in effect in many parts of the United States and in many countries outside the United States. Often these requirements are addressed together with the use of treated, but non-potable, reclaimed, typically referred to as "treated water", for the watering of large areas where such use is practical. Typical of such uses are the watering of golf courses, parks and highway borders and median strips, and the irrigation of some types of crops.
As above mentioned, the reclaimed water, which may comprise sanitized water from sewage plants and industrial processes, or certain types of run-offs, requires a certain amount of treatment or additional treatment in order to bring the reclaimed water up to acceptable treated water standards. This requirement typically involves two problems: the pre-treated effluent may vary from time-to-time, and/or in location-to-location, in such parameters as pH, the amount of total dissolved solids (TDS), and the flow rate, and the treated water requirements as to the foregoing may be different in different locations and may even vary in a given locality according to the intended use.
Because of the variables involved with both the innate quality of the reclaimed water and the requirements for the treated water, the treatment of a flow of reclaimed water with just the minimal amount of clean treatment water to provide a treated water meeting the pre-established quality levels has been difficult if not impossible to provide in an economical manner.
The present inventor has described a system for treating reclaimed water to provide treated water and a method of using said system to provide treated water from reclaimed water. (See U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,410 to Peltzer which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.)
It has been found to be possible to convert many existing waste water treating systems into systems which can be utilized to practice the method of U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,410 and other similar methods of converting reclaimed water into potable water.
It is also desirable to construct new waste water treating systems to practice the method of U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,410 and other similar methods of converting reclaimed water into potable water.
It is therefore, a principal objective of the present invention to provide a method of constructing an effective and efficient system for converting reclaimed water into treated water having a preestablished quality greater than that of the reclaimed water by mixing a minimum amount of a clean treatment water with the reclaimed water.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a method of converting an existing waste water treating system into an effective and efficient system for converting reclaimed water into treated water having preestablished quality greater than that of the reclaimed water by mixing a minimum amount of a clean treatment water with the reclaimed water.
Other objects and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent from a careful reading of the specification below.

Method for manufacturing a system for treating reclaimed water to provide treated water


It is possible to surely protect the user's ear from a sudden large volume and enable the user to surely and clearly hear a sound as information to be alarmed. In case an incoming call signal is received when the user holds a mobile telephone (1) at the speaking position and listens to a message output from an audio output unit (8), a control unit (17) makes a vibrator (27) generate a vibration as an alarm to call user's attention. At the timing when the user has sufficiently separated the mobile telephone (1) from his/her ear, the control unit (17) makes the audio output unit (8) output a ringtone of large volume. Thus, it is possible to surely protect the user's ear from a sudden large volume. Even when a music composition to notify the receipt of incoming call signal is used as a ringtone, the user can surely and clearly hear the sound as information to be alarmed.

In recent years, due to the high convenience of usability even when the user is in transit or out the door, portable devices provided with a function of outputting a sound such as a mobile telephone are becoming widespread. Furthermore, mobile telephones provided with not only the original telephone call function but also the data communication function capable of transmitting and receiving an electronic mail or browsing a home page when connected to the Internet are becoming widespread.
Such a mobile telephone includes, in a housing thereof, an earpiece unit that outputs an earpiece sound, a display unit that is configured by a liquid crystal display, an operation unit that is configured by various operation keys, a mouthpiece unit that inputs a mouthpiece sound, an audio output unit that is configured by a small speaker which outputs a ringtone when receiving an incoming call signal and outputs a music composition when reproducing music compositions, and a storage unit that stores messages etc.
In thus configured mobile telephone, when receiving an incoming call signal, a ringtone is output from the audio output unit, and when the user pushes the speaking start key of the operation unit, speaking over the telephone becomes possible, and the user can hear an earpiece sound output from the earpiece unit by setting the earpiece unit to the user's ear.
Furthermore, a message etc. stored in the storage unit is output from the earpiece unit. For example, in case of enjoying a game etc. by executing a program which is downloaded from a site, the user watches the screen of the display unit and concurrently listens to a music composition or a sound output from the audio output unit.
On the other hand, there has been suggested an electro-acoustic transducer provided with a function of outputting an earpiece sound (receiver function) as well as a function of outputting a ringtone (speaker function), and an attempt is made to mount the electro-acoustic transducer to a mobile telephone so as to reduce the size and weight, and lower the cost of the mobile telephone by making the mounting space thereof smaller.
As the electro-acoustic transducer, employing a configuration in which a speaker unit for outputting a ringtone and a receiver unit for outputting an earpiece sound are unitedly formed (for example, refer to Patent Document 1), and applying a flat panel speaker that comes into practical use in displays of personal computers to a mobile telephone have been considered.
In the flat panel speaker, a screen member to protect the display panel is used as a diaphragm to radiate a sound, and a sound is output from the display screen. On the back side of the diaphragm, an actuator module having a piezoelectric element is mounted, which actuator module is in contact with the diaphragm so as to convey a vibration, and the actuator module vibrates the diaphragm to radiate a sound wave.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a mobile telephone 101 of this configuration includes a control unit 102 that controls respective units of the main body of the mobile telephone, a storage unit 103 that stores control programs to be executed by the control unit 102 and various data, a radio communication unit 105 that transmits and receives a radio wave through an antenna 104 so as to perform the telephone call processing and data communication in accordance with a predetermined protocol, an audio output unit 106 that outputs an earpiece sound when the user speaks over the telephone and outputs a ringtone when receiving an incoming call signal, a speaker drive unit 107 that drives the audio output unit 106, a display unit 108 that is configured by a liquid crystal display, a vibrator 109 that notifies the receipt of incoming call signal by generating a vibration, a vibrator drive unit 110 that drives the vibrator 109, an operation unit 111 that is configured by various operation keys etc., and a mouthpiece unit 112 that inputs a mouthpiece sound.
The control unit 102 receives an incoming call signal b1 from the radio communication unit 105 (refer to FIG. 2), and judges whether calling performance setup information is set to outputting a ringtone or generating a vibration in case an incoming call signal is detected. That is, the control unit 102 sends a setup information read-in signal b2 to request the calling performance setup information to the storage unit 103, and receives calling performance setup information b3 from the storage unit 103.
In case thus read out calling performance setup information is set to outputting a ringtone, the control unit 102 sends a speaker drive start signal b4 to the speaker drive unit 107 so as to make the audio output unit 106 output a ringtone of large volume, while in case the calling performance setup information is set to generating a vibration, the control unit 102 sends a vibrator drive start signal b5 to the vibrator drive unit 110 so as to start up the vibrator 109.
However, in case of using an electro-acoustic transducer provided with the receiver function as well as the speaker function, it can be assumed that an incoming call signal is received when the user hears a message with the electro-acoustic transducer set to the user's ear, and a ringtone of large volume is suddenly output. Accordingly, in order to prevent a harm to the auditory sense of the user, there has been disclosed a technique in which, for example, in using a folding type mobile telephone, it is determined that the mobile telephone is being used when it is detected that the mobile telephone is in the opened state (extended state), and the volume of a ringtone is gradually made large (for example, refer to Patent Document 2).
It has also been considered that, by employing a technique of measuring the distance between the user and the mobile telephone and prompting a correction in case it is determined that the positional relationship therebetween is inappropriate (for example, refer to Patent Document 3), it is determined that the mobile telephone is being used in case the distance therebetween is equal to or less than a predetermined distance.
Patent Document 1: JP 2004-179701-A
Patent Document 2: JP 2004-146934-A
Patent Document 3: JP 2003-188957-A

Audio output device, its alarm output control method, and its control program


A temporary bridge for supporting heavy loads includes elongate hollow cylinders. A first rigid flat plate is horizontally disposed in overlying relation to each hollow cylinder and a second rigid flat plate is horizontally disposed in underlying relation to each hollow cylinder. Stress-distributing strengthening members formed by a pair of legs that are angularly disposed with respect to one another are circumferentially positioned about each hollow cylinder and the respective free ends of the legs are secured to their associated rigid flat plates. A key extends from a first end of each hollow cylinder and a mating socket is formed in a second end of each hollow cylinder to facilitate end-to-end interconnection of a plurality of hollow cylinders. Further embodiments include longitudinally-disposed timber mats, pedestrian walkways and curvature-creating members so that the bridge may follow a non-linear path of travel.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to temporary structures for supporting heavy loads over bodies of water or wetlands. More particularly, it relates to a modular heavy load-supporting structure having cylindrical sections that are laid end to end quickly to save time and materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It was a common practice before wetlands conservation was a concern to dredge out large sections of wetlands as needed when building roadways or bridges over such wetlands. Such dredging enabled barges to carry heavy equipment to the jobsite as the job site progressed across the landscape.
Over time, it became apparent that dredged wetlands were not recovering as expected, and laws now ban such dredging.
Stone causeways built in wetlands areas avoid such dredging, but they too are environmentally unacceptable.
The industry has adopted the practice of building a temporary bridge into the wetlands for the purpose of enabling heavy equipment to reach the job site. Although such bridges require pile driving, the small footprint of a pile causes no permanent damage to the wetlands, i.e., the wetlands recover quickly when the temporary piles are removed.
The primary drawback to the temporary bridge solution to the wetlands conservation problem is that such temporary bridges, since they must carry very heavy loads, can be quite expensive and time-consuming to build even though they are temporary structures that are removed when the main roadway or bridge is completed.
Thus there is a need for a temporary bridge structure that is assembled quickly from low cost materials but which can support extremely heavy loads.
There is also a need for a temporary bridge structure that is quickly disassembled as well when no longer needed.
However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time of making the present invention, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art how the needed structure could be provided.

Elongate pipe-based temporary bridge for supporting heavy loads


This invention generates encoded data within a required buffer size with minimum deterioration of image quality by finely adjusting a code data size to be generated so that an encoding condition can be changed to one of multiple levels on the basis of a cumulative encoded data size which is being generated during an encoding process of one frame which forms a moving picture. To this end, a VBV buffer zone controller compares a cumulative encoded data size during encoding of one frame with a plurality of thresholds, and outputs the comparison result to a vector processing controller, coefficient processing controller, and quantization controller. The vector processing controller controls a motion detection/compensation unit to fix/not to fix vectors for motion compensation. The coefficient processing controller determines an area size of a plurality of DCT coefficients to be masked, which are obtained by a DCT unit. The quantization controller determines the quantization step size of a quantizer. These vector processing controller, coefficient processing controller, and quantization controller adjust an encoded data size to be generated in multiple levels.

In recent years, many products that perform encoding using formats standardized by MPEG (ISO/IEC SC29/WG11: Moving Picture Expert Group) have been delivered.
FIG. 6 shows the arrangement of a conventional MPEG encoding apparatus. This example shows the arrangement of an MPEG-2 (ISO/IEC 1178-2) encoding apparatus.
Referring to FIG. 6, reference numeral 601 denotes a motion detection/compensation unit, which detects motion between frames, computes an optimal motion vector, and removes spatial redundancy. Reference numeral 602 denotes an inter-frame differentiator which calculates a difference between frames using the motion vector. Reference numeral 604 denotes a reference frame memory which temporarily stores a reference frame image serving as a reference for motion compensation.
Reference numeral 603 denotes a DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform) unit which performs mutual transformations between the time and frequency domains. Reference numeral 605 denotes a quantizer which quantizes DCT coefficients using a predetermined quantization parameter. Reference numeral 609 denotes a coefficient re-arranging unit which re-arranges the quantized DCT coefficients in a predetermined order to provide an effect of prolonging zero runlength. Reference numeral 610 denotes a DC prediction unit which calculates a difference between DC coefficients of neighboring blocks for respective brightness and color difference components in case of only intra-frame encoding.
On the other hand, reference numeral 608 denotes a dequantizer; 607, an IDCT (inverse DCT) unit; and 606, a frame adder. These units form a local decoder.
Reference numeral 611 denotes a variable-length encoder which performs variable-length encoding of DCT coefficients and the like using Huffman codes.
In the above arrangement, respective processing circuits perform processing in units called macroblocks (to be referred to as MBs hereinafter), as indicated by reference numeral 805 in FIG. 8. Upon 4:2:0 sampling, 16×16 pixels of a brightness component and 8×8 pixels of color difference components are handled as MBs. A block is an element which forms an MB, and includes 8×8 pixels. DCT/IDCT transformation is processed using this unit.
As shown in FIG. 8, in MPEG-2, a bitstream has a structure including a picture 803, group of pictures (GOP) 802, and sequence 801 as upper layers of MBs.
A GOP is formed of a plurality of pictures, as shown in FIG. 7, and I-picture (intra-frame encoding), P-picture (forward predictive coded frame), and B-picture (bidirectionally-predictive coded frame) are used as picture types.
In MPEG-2, a VBV (Video Buffer Verifier) buffer model is defined as the behavior of a decoder, as shown in FIG. 9. This guarantees decodability of respective frames in a decoder, and sets a bylaw that a buffer pointer must always be located between the VBV buffer size (upper limit) and 0 byte (lower limit).
By keeping to this bylaw, the decodability of respective frames in the decoder is guaranteed. If the VBV buffer is lower than the lower limit value, a situation in which a bitstream to be decoded by the decoder within a predetermined time is less than one picture occurs. Hence, the decoder becomes undecodable and frame skip occurs. Such frame skip is inhibited in terms of the standard. FIG. 9 shows such situation.
Therefore, in the prior art, a process for controlling the generated code size in I-picture in correspondence with the remaining VBV buffer size while monitoring an output bit count of respective MBs is done. Also, a method of limiting the resolution of an image to be encoded in accordance with the remaining buffer size to suppress the generated code size has been proposed (e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-210475).
However, in the prior art, as a measure against VBV buffer underflow, a method of controlling a quantization step is adopted, and cannot reliably prevent underflow for every input.
In a method of preventing underflow by modifying the resolution or the like of a source image, image quality abruptly is impaired at the boundary with a normal operation.

Moving picture encoding apparatus and method, computer program and computer-readable storage medium


A hydraulic pressure transformer for the conversion of an input hydraulic power to an output hydraulic power has a cam block. The cam block has a cam opening defining a pump section and a motor section. The pump section includes at least one pump inlet port and at least one pump outlet port. The motor section includes at least one motor inlet port and at least one motor outlet port. A rotor is disposed within the cam opening and is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The rotor includes a peripheral surface, a plurality of radially extending slots opening at the peripheral surface and a plurality of vanes respectively disposed in the slots. The rotor and/or cam block are movable relative to each other in at least one direction generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

The present invention relates to hydraulic pressure transformers, and, more particularly, to hydraulic pressure transformers having a rotor within an opening.
Hydraulic pressure transformers are used to transform an input flow of hydraulic fluid at a first flow rate and pressure to an output flow of hydraulic fluid at a second flow rate and pressure. The output flow rate and pressure are variable to provide a variable output flow and/or a variable output pressure for use with a specific application, such as a hydrostatic transmission.
Conventional hydraulic pressure transformers may have a housing with a rotatable barrel and a movable port plate disposed therein. The port plate has three arcuate slots which selectively interconnect a plurality of ports in the housing with a plurality of cylinders in the barrel upon rotation of the barrel during use. The relative position between the slots in the port plate and the ports in the housing define the output pressure from the hydraulic pressure transformer.
Examples of hydraulic pressure transformers as described above are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,649 (Raab), issued Mar. 9, 1999 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention; and PCT Document No. PCT/NL97/00084 (Achten), published Aug. 28, 1997.
It is also known to provide a hydraulic pressure transformer with a port block instead of a port plate between the housing and barrel. The port block has a spherical surface on each end thereof which abuts a complimentary spherical surface on the housing and barrel, respectively. The spherical surfaces at each end of the port block allow slight tipping or tilting between the housing, port block and barrel, while at the same time maintaining a substantially sealed relationship therebetween.
Although effective during use, hydraulic pressure transformers having a rotatable barrel and a plurality of axially extending cylinders as described above tend to be relatively complex and expensive to manufacture.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.
In one aspect of the invention, a hydraulic pressure transformer for the conversion of an input hydraulic power to an output hydraulic power comprises a cam block including a cam opening defining a pump section and a motor section. The pump section includes at least one pump inlet port and at least one pump outlet port. The motor section includes at least one motor inlet port and at least one motor outlet port. A rotor is disposed within the cam opening and is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The rotor includes a peripheral surface, a plurality of radially extending slots opening at the peripheral surface and a plurality of vanes respectively disposed in the slots. The rotor and/or cam block are movable relative to each other in at least one direction generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation.
In another aspect of the invention, a work machine comprises a frame; a hydraulic work unit; and a hydraulic pressure transformer for the conversion of an input hydraulic power to an output hydraulic power. The hydraulic pressure transformer includes a housing carried by the frame, and a cam block slidably disposed within the housing. The cam block includes a cam opening defining a pump section and a motor section. The pump section includes at least one pump inlet port and at least one pump outlet port. The motor section includes at least one motor inlet port and at least one motor outlet port. A rotor is disposed within the cam opening and is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The rotor includes a peripheral surface, a plurality of radially extending slots opening at the peripheral surface and a plurality of vanes respectively disposed in the slots. The rotor and/or cam block are movable relative to each other in at least one direction generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method of operating a hydraulic pressure transformer to convert an input hydraulic power to an output hydraulic power comprises the steps of: providing a cam block including a cam opening defining a pump section and a motor section, the pump section including at least one pump inlet port and at least one pump outlet port, the motor section including at least one motor inlet port and at least one motor outlet port; positioning a rotor within the cam opening, the rotor being rotatable about an axis of rotation, the rotor including a peripheral surface, a plurality of radially extending slots opening at the peripheral surface and a plurality of vanes respectively disposed in the slots; providing a hydraulic fluid supply tank fluidly connected with the pump inlet port, pump outlet port, motor inlet port and motor outlet port; rotating the rotor within the cam opening such that hydraulic fluid flows through each of the pump section and motor section; and moving the rotor and/or cam block relative to each other in at least one direction generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation.


A rack assembly includes a base frame having a base member, a lateral brace along a first edge of the base member, and a vertical stub extending upward from a corner of the base member, the vertical stub including first and second stub walls oriented substantially perpendicularly to each other; a side frame including a generally U-shaped vertical bracket; and a generally U-shaped gusset having an upper portion and a lower portion in which the one gusset wall is substantially parallel to and offset with respect to the upper portion. The upper portion of the gusset is attached to the vertical bracket so as to form a first gap between the one gusset wall and a corresponding vertical bracket wall, and a second gap is formed between another bracket wall and the lower portion of the corresponding gusset wall, the gaps being adapted to receive the vertical stub walls.

Rack assemblies are commonly used for mounting electronic components such as computer, audio, and video equipment. Often, such rack assemblies are used in commercial settings in which they must be repeatedly assembled and disassembled to rearrange store displays or to move the rack assembly to another location such as for a trade show. However, many currently commercially available rack assemblies are heavy and awkward to move, and require the use of tools for assembly and disassembly. Additionally, to achieve the desired strength, such rack assemblies are often made from thick gage material, such as steel, and are sometimes welded and/or bolted together to ensure stability. Forming rack components, such as angle supports and beams, typically requires bending, casting, or extruding. The thicker the gage of material used in the operation, the more energy needed to form the component. Heavy gage materials also result in a heavy rack, which means higher fuel costs to ship.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a rack assembly that is lighter than conventional rack assemblies without sacrificing strength and stability, and that is easily assembled and disassembled without requiring the use of tools.


A method and apparatus for providing information about a plurality of wireless charging pads to an electronic device such that the electronic device performs wireless charging efficiently is provided. The method includes receiving information about the plurality of wireless charging pads and displaying the information about the plurality of wireless charging pads on a screen of the electronic device.

Each mobile terminal such as a mobile phone and smart phone provides various functions, such as a wireless Internet function, an electronic scheduler function, a multimedia photographing and reproduction function, a game function, and a digital broadcasting function, in addition to a basic communication function. Because each of these mobile terminals has a battery generally to allow for portability from a fixed power source, it is necessary to charge the battery periodically. In general, a wire charging method using a cable to charge the battery is most common. However, recently, as a Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) technology has been developed. A wireless charging device, which may wirelessly charge a battery, has been commercialized and come into wide use.
The WPT technology is classified into an electromagnetic induction type and an electronic resonance type. There is no direct contact of electrodes in the electromagnetic induction type. However, if a transmitting side and a receiving side must be very close, they may transmit and receive power. Accordingly, if the transmitting side (e.g., generally, referred to as a wireless charging pad) for transmitting energy and the receiving side (e.g., an electronic device such as a smart phone) for receiving energy must come in contact with each other, the receiving side may be charged. On the other hand, the electromagnetic resonance type is a method of supplying power to an electronic device which is spaced apart from a power source at a certain distance. Accordingly, although a transmitting side and a receiving side do not come in contact with each other, the receiving side may be charged.
On the other hand, if a user of an electronic device moves to a specific place (home or office), he or she recognizes only that the electronic device is wirelessly charged in the specific place where he or she knows of the location of a wireless charging pads and does not receive information about a wireless charging pads in other non-specific locations.
Because a distance between the wireless charging pad and an electronic device using a wireless charging type will increase in the future through the use of electromagnetic resonance wireless charging, there is a strong possibility that the user will use wireless charging in public places. In this environment, if information about the wireless charging pad is not provided to the user through the electronic device, it will be difficult for him or her to recognize a position of the wireless charging pad. Also, because information about the wireless charging efficiency of wireless charging pads in relation to the electronic device is not provided to the user, although the wireless charging efficiency may be low, the user may not properly adjust the correspondence between wireless charging pads and the electronic device to increase the wireless efficiency. For example, because wire charging efficiency is lower than wireless charging efficiency, when a battery consumption amount is less than a wireless charging amount, a power source of the electronic device may be turned off while the electronic device is wirelessly charged. Also, it may be difficult for the user to recognize whether the electronic device is being wirelessly charged.
As described above, because information about the wireless charging pad is not provided to the electronic device, the user of the electronic device may not recognize a position of the wireless charging pad. Accordingly, although the user finds the position of the wireless charging pad, it is difficult for him or her to ascertain efficiency of wireless charging.
Therefore, a method and apparatus for visually providing information about the wireless charging pad to the user and efficiently and wirelessly charging the electronic device is provided.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

Method and apparatus for displaying information about wireless charging pad in electronic device


A method for preamble detection in mobile unit to base unit wireless telephony sets a preamble detection threshold based upon a Beaulieu series computation dependent upon preamble correlation data. This preamble detection threshold adjusts for noise by assuming the noise is additive White Gaussian noise (AWGN) with a known variance. The method determines the threshold for achieving a probability of false detection of the preamble from noise input of less than 0.001.

One major challenge in RACH preamble detection is the determination of the detection threshold. A power estimator (PE) can be used to estimate the input noise variance. This PE based technique assumes that the signal-to-noise ratio is low enough so that what is measured by PE is just the interference plus the noise level. This approach works well and converges in a few slots in low-to-moderate signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) environments. Dynamic range adjusters (sliders) in PE may accidentally not be set the same as those in preamble detector (PD). The software complexity increases if we need to pass PE values for use in PD and path monitor (PM) algorithms. Finally, in high SNR scenarios, the PE noise estimate will be strongly influenced by the preamble itself.
Another existing approach to this problem configures a preamble correlation hardware block with a scrambling code that is not used by the mobiles in the particular cell or sector of concern. This requires additional hardware that is used wastefully. Furthermore, the estimation of the detection threshold is still not resolved.

Beaulieu series approach to optimal UMTS RACH preamble detection estimation