A speech dialog system includes a data center apparatus and a terminal apparatus. The data center apparatus acquires answer information for request information obtained in a speech recognition process for speech data from a terminal apparatus, creates a scenario including the answer information, creates first synthesized speech data concerning the answer information, transmits the first synthesized speech data to the terminal apparatus, and transmits the scenario to the terminal apparatus while the first synthesized speech data is being created in the creating the first synthesized speech data. The terminal apparatus creates second synthesized speech data concerning the answer information in the received scenario, receives the first synthesized speech data, selects one of the first synthesized speech data and the second synthesized speech data based on a determination result regarding whether the reception of the first synthesized speech data is completed, and reproduces speech.

The development of computer processing techniques allows realizing a speech dialogue system, in which a speech synthesis technique for converting input text to read-out speech and a speech recognition technique for recognizing pronunciation of a person are used to repeat dialogue by speech between a user and a response system to thereby solve a problem. Due to the development of communication networks, such a speech dialogue system can be used through a communication network.
FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of an example of such a speech dialogue system. The speech dialogue system is a center-type speech dialogue system including the response system arranged on a data center 2 (hereinafter, called "center 2") on a communication network 1.
When a user 4 speaks to an input apparatus, such as a microphone, included in a terminal 3, the terminal 3 converts the speech to speech data and transmits the speech data to the center 2 through the communication network 1. The center 2 uses the speech recognition technique to recognize the content of the speech from the received speech data and performs dialogue control to create an answer according to the content of the speech. The center 2 uses the speech synthesis technique to convert the answer to the speech data. Subsequently, the terminal 3 downloads speech data and display data from the center 2 through the communication network 1 to sequentially reproduce the speech data and the display data. In this way, the user 4 can use the speech dialogue system as if the user 4 is talking with another person. A speech control menu 6 for displaying the answer, inputting speech, rewinding the speech, terminating the speech, or fast-forwarding the speech as illustrated in a screen display 5 can be displayed on the terminal 3 to provide a function of a Web browser or the like based on speech.
The center-type speech dialogue system can be used from portable terminals, such as smartphones, used by many people, and the center-type speech dialogue system has an advantage that highly accurate speech recognition and high-quality speech synthesis using a large number of hardware resources of the center 2 are possible. The center-type speech dialogue system also has an advantage that information on the communication network, such as an external service and Web information, can be used to utilize real-time information for creating an answer in the center 2.
If the center 2 creates an answer in a format of a so-called scenario describing a procedure of screen display and speech reproduction, the terminal 3 can not only reproduce the speech data, but can also display text and images.
The speech dialogue system can be used to provide various services, such as information of nearby restaurants and tourist information, as well as for listening to latest news or weather forecast.
In relation to the speech synthesis technique, there is a known technique in which synthesized speech can be output without a pause in the speech before the end of a speech synthesis process of an entire sentence, even in the middle of the reproduction of the synthesized speech. In the technique, the output of the synthesized speech is scheduled based on responsiveness of a generation process of sound waveform data of each divided sentence obtained by dividing an input sentence by one or a plurality of synthesis units and based on responsiveness of a formation process of synthesized speech for combining the sound waveform data.
There is also a known technique in which prepared redundant word speech data is output when speech synthesis data generated by input of a conversational sentence is not input for a certain time, and a silent state of conversation is apparently shortened to reduce the stress of the other party of the conversation.
In a speech dialogue process, there is a known technique of preventing conflict between a plurality of speech input and output processes. In the technique, if an estimated time required for a second speech process including speech output executed according to a low-priority service scenario is shorter than an estimated free time until timing of a first speech process executed according to a high-priority service scenario, the second speech process is executed.
In the speech dialogue system, there is a known technique of quickly and accurately managing order of dialogue between a user and an agent. In the technique, dialogue information analyzed from speech generated by the user is used to generate first dialogue order information, and expression information analyzed from face images of the user is used to generate second dialogue order information. The order information, state information of the system, presence/absence of speech input by the user, and no-response time of the user are used to determine ultimate order of dialogue.
In a speech content distribution system for distributing content for outputting speech to a terminal apparatus, there is a known technique of reducing the time before the output of the speech by the terminal that has received the content. In the technique, a content distribution apparatus replaces a readout character string, which is in content data describing the readout character string that is a character string to be read out as speech, by a phonetic symbol string that is data for identifying output speech. The terminal apparatus outputs the speech based on the phonetic symbol string extracted from the content data that is received from the content distribution apparatus and that describes the phonetic symbol string.

Speech dialogue system, terminal apparatus, and data center apparatus


In a method and an apparatus for producing a woven web (1) having a permanent fabric list (2) and a temporary catch selvage (3) along edges of the woven web (1), the weft thread is inserted into a main loom shed, fabric list shed, and catch selvage shed, and is then beat-up and bound-in in each shed. Both the fabric list (2) and the catch selvage (3) are formed as full rotation leno bindings, respectively by means of a first rotational leno device (12) having a first leno rotor (12A) guiding and manipulating fabric list threads (7) and a second rotational leno device (13) having a second leno rotor (13A) guiding and manipulating catch selvage threads (9). Each leno device (12, 13) may operate with or without reversal of the rotation direction. The two leno devices may be independently driven by separate rotary drives, or may be mutually driven by a common drive. The leno devices may be operated to bind-in the weft threads with the same or different binding patterns, relative to each other and relative to the main shed of warp threads. In this manner, a compact arrangement is achieved, the amount of thread needed for the catch selvage strip and for weft threads is reduced, the full advantages of the rotational leno devices can be obtained, and the loom can operate at its full speed.

It is generally known to form or provide a primary selvage or fabric list along the edge of a woven web, as well as a temporary catch selvage outwardly alongside the fabric list, for different purposes. The fabric list or primary selvage remains a part of the finished woven fabric, while the secondary or catch selvage is used only temporarily during the weaving process and is then cut away from the woven web.
More specifically, in order to produce a high quality fabric having a durable fabric edge that resists unravelling and the like, it is known to bind or tie in the free ends of the weft threads along the edges of the woven web using so-called leno threads to achieve a full leno binding for forming a fabric list. Specialized rotational leno selvage forming devices have been developed for carrying out such full leno binding. German Patent 4,405,776 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,039 (Haeussler et al.), as well as German patent 4,405,777 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,678 (Haeussler et al.) disclose two different leno selvage forming devices that are capable of producing fabric list edges of the required quality and that are especially suitable for use with high speed looms, i.e. looms that carry out a very high weft insertion rate. The entire disclosure of each of the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,518,039 and 5,524,678 is incorporated herein by reference.
The fabric list or permanent primary selvage is produced using so-called leno threads that bind in the weft threads on both edges of the woven web using known leno selvage forming devices. In high speed looms, it is especially suitable to use so-called reversible rotating leno selvage devices, which have reversibly rotatable leno disks or rotors that guide and manipulate the leno threads, such as the rotating leno selvage devices described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,518,039 and 5,524,678.
On the other hand, it has also been known to provide a secondary selvage or catch selvage strip for the following reason. While weaving a web on a loom, it is necessary to prevent a so-called spring-back of the free ends of a weft thread in a direction opposite the weft insertion direction, after the thread has been inserted and beat-up. Such spring-back of the inserted weft thread tends to occur due to the inherent elasticity of each inserted weft thread in the thread lengthwise direction. To prevent such thread spring-back, a so-called catch selvage strip is produced during the weaving process, in addition to and adjacent the above discussed fabric list or primary selvage, on both the weft insertion side and the weft arrival side of the loom shed. The purpose of the catch selvage strip is to securely bind in the free ends of the inserted weft threads to prevent the above mentioned spring-back during the weaving operation. After serving this temporary purpose, the catch selvage strip may be cut away from the woven web to produce the finished fabric.
In both air jet looms and mechanical gripper looms, the temporary catch selvage strip is conventionally formed using at least eight and up to twenty catch selvage threads, for firmly and securely binding in the respective ends of the weft threads. These catch selvage threads are stored and supplied wound up on catch selvage spools or bobbins, which therefore must be adapted to store at least eight and up to twenty catch selvage threads. By using this number of catch selvage threads, a relatively wide and thus material intensive catch selvage strip is produced.
It is also known to form the required catch selvage strip using a conventional multi-thread cross leno device, such as a so-called called four thread cross leno device. In this context, it is a disadvantage that the leno threads must be made of a material that is suitable for or adapted to withstand the mechanical loads placed on the threads in the cross leno device, for example due to significant thread deflections and the like. Thus, such leno threads must be made of a substantially break resistant material, for example a synthetic thread material. As a resultant disadvantage, the waste material arising from the trimmed catch selvage will not be composed of a single pure type of material, but rather will be a mixture of different materials. For example, the weft threads in the catch selvage strip typically comprise a natural material such as cotton or wool or the like, while the leno binding threads in the catch selvage strip are made of a synthetic material. It thus becomes difficult or impossible to reprocess or recycle the waste materials.
It is a further disadvantage, that the conventional multi-thread leno devices cannot keep up with a high loom operating speed, especially the high operating speeds that can be achieved by air jet looms. The operating speed of the loom and thus the production capacity is limited by the operating speed of the multi-thread leno device. If the multi-thread leno device is forced to operate at the higher loom operating speed, this results in premature wear of the machine components and therewith increased costs for maintenance, replacement and assembly. Furthermore, weaving faults are more likely.
As another disadvantage, the use of multi-thread cross leno devices often prevents the operation of an automatic removal and correction of weft faults such as weft breaks. If an automatic weft break removal is to be carried out, this requires the previously closed loom shed to be reopened and the weaving cycle of the loom to be operated in reverse. However, in such an operation, the catch selvage shed that has bound in the faulty weft thread is not always completely reopened, so that the faulty weft thread is not completely released from the catch selvage. For this reason, the weft fault removal or correction cannot be carried out with the desired efficiency.
Moreover, it is disadvantageous in the known arrangement, that the conventional cross leno devices produce the catch selvage strip in advance of the beat-up and binding point of the main loom shed, i.e. the beat-up edge of the woven web, in the direction of the catch selvage thread spool. It can be said that the cross leno devices pre-weave or pre-work the catch selvage strip ahead of the weaving of the fabric web. This is especially true on the weft thread arrival side of the loom shed, where the weft thread is subjected to a lower tension than at the weft thread insertion side.
Various further problems arise by using the two different kinds of devices or mechanisms for forming the fabric list or primary selvage on the one hand and the catch selvage on the other hand. As described above, rotating leno selvage devices, either with or without a reversible rotation of the leno rotor, are preferably used for high speed looms for forming very high quality woven web edges. On the other hand, for cost reasons and the like, the temporary catch selvage strips are formed using conventional leno arrangements and particularly multi-thread cross-leno devices, which are not suitable for use at high operating speeds due to the mechanical limitations thereof. As a result, the use of rotational leno devices for forming the fabric list, in combination with conventional catch selvage leno devices for forming the catch selvage, prevents the advantages of the rotational leno device from being fully achieved. Namely, while the high quality web edge is realized, the operating speed and therewith the output capacity of the loom are limited by the maximum operating speed of the mechanically operating catch selvage leno devices.

Method and apparatus for forming a fabric list and a catch selvage while weaving a web on a loom


Aspects of the invention provide an immortalized fibroblast cell line capable of the growth and maintenance of human embryonic stem cells. An immortalized fibroblast cell line derived from an early stage mouse embryo is provided. Methods of preparing an immortalized fibroblast cell line from an early stage mouse embryo are also provided.

Fibroblast cell lines have been used as supporting cells for the growth of other cells for decades. The fibroblast cell lines generally used for this purpose are 3T3 cells and MEF cells. The 3T3 cell line was first described in 1963 (Todaro, G. J. and Green, H., 1963, J. Cell Biol., 17:299-313). The 3T3 cell line is an immortalized fibroblast cell line derived from mouse embryos 17 to 19 days old. The 3T3 cell line, however, is not suitable for growing and maintaining pluripotency of embryonic stem cells.
More recently, a source of supporting cells was described, freshly derived mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) (Robertson, E. J., 1987, Embryo-derived stem cell lines, Teratocarcinomas and Embryonic Stem Cells: A Practical Approach, E. J. Robertson, Oxford, UK, IRL Press). The MEF cell line is derived from mouse embryos 13-14 days old and is not an immortalized cell line. The MEF cell line, unlike 3T3 cells, can be used for growing and maintaining the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells. MEF supporting cells have become the standard for growing and maintaining embryonic stem cells in serum free media. These fibroblasts, however, have drawbacks including a short lifetime in culture and the need for repeated isolation.
A need exists for an immortalized fibroblast cell line that has at least the embryonic supporting properties of MEF cells.

President and Fellows of Harvard College


A window molding for an automobile, adapted to be mounted in an endless manner in a space defined between the outer periphery of a rear window glass and the inner periphery of a rear window opening of a body of the automobile, so as to trim and seal said space, the body of the window molding being formed with a planar cover portion projecting from the portion of the molding body that is to be mounted on a lower portion of the rear window glass so as to elastically abut against a lower panel forming the rear opening, whereby the entirety of the rear window glass can be trimmed and sealed by the window molding as a single part.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a window molding for an automobile adapted to be mounted in an endless manner in the space defined between the outer periphery of the rear window glass and the inner periphery of the rear window opening in the body of the automobile so as to garnish and seal the space.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional window molding adapted to be mounted on the outer periphery of the rear window glass of an automobile is comprised of two kinds of molded parts, that is, a first molded part which is mounted on the upper portion and the opposite side portions of the rear window glass and a second molded part which is mounted on the lower portion of the rear window glass. This construction is used so that the trunk panel is capable of being upwardly opened in the vicinity of the lower portion of the rear window glass.
The first molded part has a structure such that it can be fitted on the outer periphery of the rear window glass, and the outer edge of the garnish or trim portion of the first molding part is adapted to elastically abut against and sealingly contact the roof panel of the automobile. However, as shown in FIG. 6, the second molded part M', which is mounted on the lower portion of the rear window glass G, is bonded over a wide area to both the rear window glass G and the lower panel 1 of the automobile, so that the lower portion of the rear window glass G and the peripheral area therebelow are concealed by the second molding part M'.
The construction of the conventional automobile rear window molding has the following shortcomings.
(1) The molding consists of two parts having different cross-sectional shapes, and the two parts are connected together at two joint portions. The joint portions usually are provided on opposite sides of the lower portion of the rear window glass. Accordingly, these joint portions detract from the appearance of the automobile;
(2)Because the cross-sectional shapes of the two molded parts are widely different from each other, large steps and gaps are present at each joint portion. Accordingly, such large steps and gaps result in accumulation of dirt and/or generation of noise due to rapid changes in air flow therepast during running of the automobile;
(3) Because it is necessary to form two kinds of molded parts having widely different cross-sectional shapes, different molding dies and associated equipment are required for molding the two kinds of molded parts, resulting in an increase in the manufacturing cost; and
(4) Because the two kinds of molded parts are connected together at the two joint portions, and the cross-sectional shapes of the molding parts are widely different, the number of mounting steps required for mounting the molded parts to the roof panel and the lower panel of the automobile is increased.
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to overcome the above problems in the conventional rear window moldings and simultaneously ensure a smooth opening and closing operation of the trunk of the automobile by employing a single molding for trimming the entirety of the outer periphery of the rear window glass.
According to the present invention, for achieving the above object, there is provided a window molding for an automobile adapted to be mounted, in an endless fashion, in the space defined between the outer periphery of the rear window glass and the inner periphery of the rear window opening in the body of said automobile so as to trim and seal said space, in which the body of the window molding, which molding is to be mounted on the entirety of the outer periphery of said rear window glass, is formed with a planar cover portion projecting from only the portion of said molded body that is to be mounted on the lower portion of the rear window glass so as to elastically abut against the lower panel forming the rear opening.
The planar cover portion is formed to project from the molded body of the window molding only at the lower portion of the molded body in which the lower portion of the rear window glass is mounted. Accordingly, the entirety of the outer periphery of the rear window glass can be trimmed and bordered by the molding which is formed as a single part having a single joint portion. Further, because the cover portion of the molded body projects to the lower panel of the automobile body and elastically abuts against the lower panel, the lower portion of the rear window glass and the peripheral area thereof can be concealed by the cover portion.


A passive cooling system for a fuel cell stack is provided. The passive cooling system includes a plurality of cooling plates, each installed between every few unit cells, each having flow channels for flowing a primary coolant on at least one surface, and each comprising an inlet hole through which the primary coolant enters and an outlet hole through which the primary coolant that has passed the flow channels leaves; and a heat exchanger installed on a primary coolant flow line connected from the outlet holes to the inlet holes of the cooling plates to change a vapor state primary coolant to a liquid state primary coolant by cooling the primary coolant, wherein a path through which the primary coolant passes is a closed circuit, and the flow of the primary coolant is achieved by natural convection caused by vaporization of the primary coolant.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to a passive cooling system for a fuel cell stack, and more particularly, to a passive cooling system for a fuel cell stack in which a primary coolant that circulates in cooling plates is circulated without pumping.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fuel cell is an electrical generation system that transforms chemical energy directly into electrical energy through a chemical reaction between oxygen introduced to the system and hydrogen contained in a hydrocarbon group material such as methanol, ethanol, or natural gas.
A polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has advantages of superior output, low operating temperature, rapid starting, and a short response time compared to other fuel cells, and currently is the preferred fuel cell for automotive, portable, residential and small commercial applications.
Conventional PEMFCs are mainly operated at low temperatures, that is, below 100° C., e.g., about 80° C., because of a drying problem in a polymer electrolyte membrane. Because of their low operating temperatures, conventional PEMFCs also have the following problems. That is, a hydrogen-rich gas, which is a representative fuel for the PEMFCs, is obtained by reforming an organic fuel such as natural gas or methanol. However, the hydrogen-rich gas includes not only carbon dioxide, but also carbon monoxide as byproducts from the reforming process. The carbon monoxide may poison catalysts contained in a cathode and an anode. When the catalysts are poisoned, the electrochemical activity of the catalysts is greatly reduced, and accordingly the operating efficiency and lifetime of the PEMFCs are seriously reduced. The lower the operating temperature of the PEMFCs, the more severe is catalyst poisoning by carbon.
When the operating temperature of the PEMFCs increases to over 130° C., the fuel reformer can be miniaturized and a cooling apparatus can be simplified since catalyst poisoning by carbon monoxide can be avoided and the operating temperature of the PEMFCs can be readily controlled, thereby miniaturizing the overall PEMFC system.
A fuel cell system in which the fuel cell is cooled using cooling water having a temperature of approximately 70 to 80° C. has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,052,790. This fuel cell system includes a cooling water pump that supplies cooling water from a cooling water tank to a fuel cell stack.
However, a fuel cell system cannot be reduced in size because of the volume of the cooling system when the fuel cell stack has a cooling water pump.

Passive cooling system for fuel cell stack


For a WDM device including a multiplexer receiving fixed wavelengths, wavelength-converting parts for converting input wavelengths from optical transmission devices into the fixed wavelengths, and interface parts provided between the multiplexer and the wavelength-converting parts and having a specific wavelength that matches the fixed wavelength of the multiplexing part, a method and a device is provided for automatically determining the specific wavelength of the interface part that is to be selected as a converted wavelength output from the wavelength-converting part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wavelength-division multiplex system that enables an efficient use of optical fibers and particularly to an improved method of setting wavelengths to be allocated to each transmission channel in such a wavelength-division multiplex system.
Recently, optical transmission systems provided with lines with larger capacity are being developed. Wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) technology is becoming of an interest as a technology that is necessary for making efficient use of optical fibers.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a WDM system. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the WDM system includes two WDM devices connected to each other. Each of the WDM devices includes a wavelength-converting unit (λ-converter) 110, a wavelength interface unit (I/F) 120 and a wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer (MUX/DEMUX) 130. The wavelength-converting unit 110 receives signals of wavelength λs from downstream optical transmission devices 200-1 through 200-n and converts the wavelength λs into wavelengths λ1 through λn that are to be used on the upstream side of the wavelength-converting unit 110, or, used by the wavelength interface unit 120. In order to perform such a converting operation, the wavelength-converting unit 110 is configured using wavelengths λ1 through λn that correspond to channels of the wavelength interface unit 120. The wavelength interface unit 120 is provided with channels with predetermined wavelengths λ, i.e., λ1 through λn, that are fixed to and individually usable for the corresponding input terminals of the MUX/DEMUX 130 connected thereto. It is to be noted that in the following text, "upstream" is to be understood as a position along the transmission path nearer to the MUX/DEMUX 130 side and "downstream" is to be understood as a position along the transmission path nearer to the optical transmission devices 200-1, . . . , 200-n.
Signals of wavelengths λ1 through λn that are output from upstream output terminals of the wavelength interface unit 120 are received and multiplexed by the MUX/DEMUX 130. The multiplexed signals are simultaneously transmitted through an optical fiber. Then, the multiplexed signals are transmitted to an opposing receiving-side WDM device in which the MUX/DEMUX 130 demultiplexes the multiplexed signals back to original signals. In this manner, the optical fiber can be used with improved efficiency.
Currently, the WDM device is not capable of multiplexing a plurality of signals of the same wavelength λ. Therefore, wavelengths λ of the signals should be set at the wavelength-converting unit 110 such that the wavelengths λ of the signals received at the MUX/DEMUX 130 do not overlap with each other.
In order to set wavelengths λ at the wavelength-converting unit 110, the operator needs to know available wavelengths λ and set different wavelengths λ for each of the channels to be multiplexed. Therefore, a wavelength-setting operation is burdensome for the operator. Also, it is expected that the numbers of channels to be multiplexed will increase in the future. For at least the reasons described above, there is a need for a method of facilitating the wavelength-setting operation for a wavelength-multiplexing process.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a WDM device of the related art. Herein, "upstream" is to be understood as a position nearer to the MUX/DEMUX 130 side and "downstream" is to be understood as a position nearer to the optical transmission devices 200-1, . . . , 200-n. In this example, upstream input terminals of the wavelength-converting unit 110 are capable of receiving a plurality of different wavelengths λ. Therefore, it is not necessary to set wavelengths λ for transmissions from downstream output terminals of the wavelength interface unit 120 to the upstream input terminal of the wavelength-converting unit 110. On the other hand, each of the downstream input terminals of the wavelength interface unit 120 is configured to receive a fixed wavelength λ for each channel. Therefore, the operator no longer needs to set wavelengths λ for transmission from the upstream output terminals of the wavelength-converting unit 110 and the downstream input terminals of the wavelength interface unit 120.
For each of channels of the wavelength-converting unit 110, a range of wavelength λ that can be configured (configurable λ-range) is predetermined. Therefore, the operator needs to configure a wavelength λ of each channel on the basis of a wavelength λ that can be used at wavelength interface subunits of the wavelength interface unit and on a predetermined range of wavelength λ that can be set in the wavelength-converting unit 110 connected to the wavelength interface unit 120 via an optical fiber. The wavelength λ is, for example, configured in a manner described below (see FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B).
The operator operates a control part 121 of the wavelength interface unit 120 to input a request for causing the wavelength interface unit 120 to change into an operating state (step S1).
The operator looks up for wavelength λ that can be received by the wavelength interface subunits of the wavelength interface unit 120 that is to be set up (step S2).
The operator looks up for a range of the wavelength λ that can be configured (configurable range) to the wavelength-converting subunits of the wavelength-converting unit 110 connected to the corresponding wavelength interface subunits of the wavelength interface unit 120 (step S3).
The operator specifies wavelength λ and sends a request to the control part 111 of the wavelength-converting unit 110 for setting the specified wavelength λ (step S4).
The control part 111 searches for the specified wavelength λ in the configurable λ-range (step S5).
It is determined whether the specified wavelength λ is in the configurable λ-range and can be output as a wavelength λ of the relevant wavelength-converting subunit of the wavelength-converting unit 110 (step S6).
If it is determined that the specified wavelength λ cannot be output (step S6, NO), an NG signal is sent to inform the operator that the specified λ cannot be set. Then, steps S2 to S5 are repeated.
If it is determined that the specified wavelength λ can be output (step S6, YES), an OK signal is sent to the operator to inform that the specified λ can be set. Then, the operator sets the specified λ as a wavelength λ for the relevant wavelength-converting subunit of the wavelength-converting unit 110 and sends main signals to the wavelength interface unit 120 using the specified λ (step S7).
The operator confirms whether optical transmission, or the main signal, using the specified wavelength λ is received at the wavelength interface unit 120 (step S8).
If reception of the optical transmission is confirmed, the wavelength setting operation is terminated. If reception of the optical transmission is not confirmed, steps S2 to S8 are repeated.
Steps S1 to S8 are repeated for each channel.
There are several drawbacks with such a wavelength-setting operation of the related art.
First, since each of the downstream input terminals of the wavelength interface unit 120 can receive a fixed wavelength, the operator needs to search for a usable wavelength λ. If the operator mistakenly sets the wavelength λ, the data cannot be transmitted and a setting operation of the wavelength λ must be performed again.
Second, the wavelength-setting operation of the related art requires many steps of complicated manual operations by the operator. This may result in man-caused erroneous operations.
Third, according to the wavelength setting operation of the related art, wavelength setting should be repeated for a number of channels to be multiplexed. Therefore, it requires considerable efforts by the operator.
Fourth, according to the wavelength setting operation of the related art, the operator is not informed of alteration of connected channels. Therefore, the user may try to transmit signals using an erroneously specified wavelength. In such a case, data cannot be transmitted until the operator becomes aware of the error and reconfigures the wavelength.

Wavelength-division multiplex system and a method of automatically setting conversion wavelengths of such a system


Embodiments of the present invention are directed to the design and implementation of backward-compatible magnetic tape drives (102) that are read/write compatible with a current magnetic-tape format (1820) as well as one or more previous magnetic-tape formats (1802 and 1804). Embodiments of the present invention include read/write tape-head configurations (1902, 1904, 1906, 1908-1923, 1930, 1932, 1934, 2102) and corresponding magnetic-tape-drive-component features (518) that allow a magnetic-tape drive to read and write magnetic tapes formatted according to different formats.

While the present invention is generally applicable to a variety of different types of magnetic-tape storage devices, embodiments are discussed, below, in the context of the linear tape-open ("LTO") magnetic-tape storage technology developed in the late 1990's as an open-standards alternative to proprietary magnetic-tape technologies. The LTO magnetic-tape storage technology is based on ½″ magnetic tape stored in a single-reel cartridge that is inserted into, and removed from, an LTO magnetic-tape drive. LTO magnetic-tape drives feature high rates of data transfer and LTO tape cartridges provide very large storage capacities. The LTO magnetic-tape storage devices find widespread use in a variety of data-archiving and data-backup applications.
The LTO magnetic-tape storage technology has evolved through four generations of magnetic-tape formats and magnetic-tape-drive implementations, referred to as "LTO-1," "LTO-2," "LTO-3," and "LTO-4." Additional LTO-5, LTO-6, and LTO-7 generations are currently in various stages of development. LTO-1 tape cartridges hold up to 100 gigabytes ("GB") of data, with a maximum data-transfer rate of 15 megabytes ("MB") per second. LTO-1 magnetic-tape format provides 384 data tracks, eight pairs of read/write element pairs per tape head, and a linear data density of 4880 bits/mm. Current LTO-4 magnetic-tape storage technology provides for storage of up to 800 GB per magnetic-tape cartridge and a maximum data-transfer rate of 120 MB per second. The LTO-4 magnetic-tape format provides 896 data tracks and 16 read/write element pairs per head, and provides a linear data density of 13,520 bits/mm. Each successive LTO generation provides a significantly higher track density by using additional numbers of increasingly narrower data tracks, correspondingly narrower read/write tape-head elements. Occasionally, as was the case with LTO 3, a greater number of read/write tape-head elements per tape head are included in the tape head, to allow for simultaneous access to a greater number of data tracks and higher data transfer rate for a given tape speed.
Backward compatibility of newer-generation tape drives with older-generation magnetic tapes is an expected and commercially necessary feature of tape drives. In general, a tape drive of generation n needs to be write-compatible with at least the generation n-1 magnetic-tape format and needs to be read-compatible with the generation n-1 magnetic-tape format and generation n-2 magnetic-tape format. Over the first four LTO generations, the backward-compatibility issues have been handled primarily by developing increasing narrower read/write elements within tape heads, by increasing the number of read/write elements within tape heads, and by appropriate modifications to internal magnetic-tape-drive components, including the servo controller, micro-controller routines, and internal signal paths. However, changes in the magnetic-tape format expected for generation LTO-6 are significant, and the changes present a significant technology challenge to producing an LTO-6 magnetic-tape drive head that is compatible with both LTO-6 and with LTO-5/4 magnetic tapes. The researchers and developers currently designing and implementing the LTO-6 generation of tape drives are therefore seeking designs and technologies to allow an LTO-6 magnetic-tape drive to read and write magnetic tapes formatted according to both the LTO-6 format and the LTO-5/4 format. Similar challenges are being addressed with regard to LTO-7 magnetic-tape drives. While these backward-compatibility issues have arisen in the context of the LTO magnetic-tape storage technology, compatibility issues similarly arise in other magnetic-tape storage technologies.

Magnetic-tape drive and magnetic-tape head compatible with multiple tape formats

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method and apparatus for controlling the tension and position of a web roll being wound from a continuous traveling web, including a pair of winding drums supporting the winding roll in a pocket, positioning a pair of rider rolls with a looped belt span therebetween above the pocket on a beam and first pressing downwardly on the winding roll with a first rider roll, thereafter with the tensioned belt spanning the rider roll and the web roll, and thereafter with the belt and both rider rolls, while controlling the tension in the belt.

The present invention relates to improvements in papermaking machinery and, more particularly, to a paper web winder wherein a continuous traveling web material, such as paper, is wound onto a core and into a wound web roll.
In high speed winding of a web, such as paper web being wound into a roll, the web is conventionally started on a core and the roll wound on the core is supported and driven in rotation. The support is frequently provided by two horizontal winding drums. One or both of the drums are driven in rotation and the approaching web winds over one of the drums onto the winding roll at relatively high speeds, frequently substantially in excess of 4,000 feet per minute. It is imperative that winding the web onto the winding roll progress uniformly so as to maintain a constant tension of the web on the roll and to insure that the wound web roll is uniform. Uncontrolled progression of the winding can result in non-uniform tension of the web on to the roll and distortions in surface quality and non-uniformity of the cylindrical shape and density of the roll. It is also necessary to control the high speed of rotation of the winding so as to mitigate or eliminate vibration and the winding roll must be maintained controlled in the pocket between the winding drums.
One factor in maintaining control and quality of the roll being wound is to apply a downward force on the winding roll which affects the nip pressure between the roll and the supporting drums. The force also must be applied in a manner so that the vibration and hopping or bouncing of the roll, or other forms of vibration, do not occur. It is necessary to take into consideration several factors, such as any lack of control of the nip pressure between the supporting drums and the roll; holding the roll positioned in the pocket so that the speed of the roll surface will not change; the size of the roll and its weight will change very substantially during the winding process. The high speed rotation of a roll of substantial size and weight as the roll being wound is very difficult to control, and vibration or bouncing are two modes of disturbances which should be avoided.
These modes are characterized by repetitive radial motion, sometimes called buzzing, against a winding drum, which affects wound roll speed and quality. Another adverse effect is rocking, which takes the form of repetitive angular motion alternating in direction along an arcuate path, sometimes known as thumping, which occurs with respect to the winding drum. This is a less frequent problem than the radial motion. The bouncing or vibration of the paper roll in a double drum winder wherein the roll is supported on two parallel drums is a cause for reduced production during the winding operation.
The paper maker observes the problem as audible buzzing or a rocking thumping back and forth on the winding drums. He will attempt to adjust tension on the web or pressure of the rider roll on top of the wound roll to control the bouncing, generally with little success. It then becomes necessary to reduce speed until the buzzing or thumping is controlled. This vibration or bouncing not only causes production difficulties requiring slowing of the winding process, but it also creates maintenance problems. As to the mechanism itself, looseness of parts will occur, foundation cracks and excessive wear and fatigue of the metal of parts can occur.
This operation with accompanying bouncing can also be extremely dangerous to personnel in the vicinity of the winder because of the high kinetic energy of a roll rotating at over 4,000 feet per minute when the roll weighs several thousand pounds. This disturbance in the roll continues to be generated around the circumference of the roll until it closes to form a repeating cycle. Thus, the bouncing becomes a harmonic of the wound roll rotation. The initial disturbance may be caused by many factors, including uneven paper surface, machine direction basis weight variations, caliper variations, eccentric starts, variations in paper or paper-to-steel frictional characteristics, glue, unwinder drums and winder chevrons. Once this disturbance occurs, the next disturbances which follow are related to the energy available or the deformable nature, diameter and roll characteristics (friction) of the wound roll.
Adjusting web tension or rider roll pressure is in effect an attempt at changing the deformable nature of the paper roll. It is difficult to have much control over the problem by making these adjustments. A poorly wound roll is generally the only result.
The amount of web tension wound into a paper roll is affected largely by rolling nips on the outside of the paper roll during the winding process. In a conventional two drum winder there are three of these rolling nips, one at each drum, and one at the rider roll. The amount of tension induced is a function of the nip force and an inverse function of the radius of curvature of the nipping roll or drum. A hard nip, such as provided by a steel roll, induces more tension than a softer nip, such as provided by an elastomeric tire or an unsupported belt.
To produce a roll of paper with good internal structure, it is necessary to induce high tension in the paper roll when winding is first started on the core, and then reduce that wound-in tension as the roll builds up to its final diameter.
Reducing the rewinding roll speed generally reduces the tendency for the initial disturbance to deform the roll, and it reduces energy available to sustain the vibration. It is also a means of reducing or stopping winder bounce, but does not, of course, result in being able to maintain production speeds.
The two drum winder actually presents a mass elastic system which can be envisioned as consisting of a rotatable mass having deformable springs on fixed drums. That is, the reaction force between the supporting drums and the roll is resilient in nature, having a spring constant. With this, the natural frequencies can be calculated. These natural frequencies change with change in roll size. The rider roll engaging the top of the wound roll provides another force relationship which interacts with the spring constant. Thus, the resiliency of the roll engaged at three points of support, i.e., the two supporting drums, and the rider roll, can provide an unstable unit when operating at high speeds.
Efforts to control bouncing have included adding a vibration absorber to the rider roll, but this has not proven to fully solve the problem.


A process for improving the charge state of a motor vehicle battery arrangement having at least one battery and a generator driven by an internal combustion engine. Output power of the generator being at least partially utilized in order to charge the battery arrangement in the vehicle. The generator has an output voltage, which varies due to fluctuations in the speed of rotation of the internal combustion engine, and which is controlled so that it does not exceed a specific threshold value. Immediately after a starting process, at least under specific operating conditions, a raising of the specific threshold value U.sub.limit occurs during a specific period.

The present invention relates to a process for improving the charge state of a battery arrangement in a motor vehicle.
A process of the generic type is disclosed in German Patent Document DE-OS 23 50 494, in which the charge value of a battery charge system of a motor vehicle is raised for a specific time after a net discharge, the net discharge being measured, preferably by measuring if the generator is operating at full power. A disadvantage of this arrangement lies in the degree of expenditure required to implement it.
Furthermore, a German Publication Autoelektrik, Autoelektornik am Ottomotor/Bosch [Car electrics, car electronics in the spark ignition engine/Bosch]; First edition; Dussedlorf: published by VDI, 1987, pp. 36-45, ISBN 3-18-419106-0) discloses a process according to which the output voltage of a generator driven by the internal combustion engine, which varies due to fluctuations in the speed of rotation of an internal combustion engine, is controlled so that the output voltage does not exceed a specific threshold value. This specific threshold value is temperature-dependent such that according to an example described there an output voltage of approximately 14.9 V is obtained at an ambient temperature of 250.degree. K., and an output voltage of approximately 13.5 V at an ambient temperature of 370.degree. K. Between these two points, the specific threshold value changes with the ambient temperature in an essentially linear fashion. Compensation of the ambient temperature can be carried out by balancing resistors.
In a different exemplary embodiment of a controller it is shown that electronic compensation of the ambient temperature can be achieved, thereby obtaining a higher charging current for charging a vehicle battery at low ambient temperatures. At higher ambient temperatures, only a lower charging current is required so that the specific threshold value also assumes a lower value. A disadvantage of the known process resides in the fact that the degree of discharging of the vehicle battery is inadequately accounted for.
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved process for charging the vehicle battery in which the degree of the previous discharging of the vehicle battery is taken into account as far as possible.
This object is achieved according to the invention, in which the discharging of a vehicle battery after starting an internal combustion engine (which is severe in comparison with the rate of discharge associated with other operating states) is allowed for by a rapid and efficient recharging. That is, immediately after a starting process, at least under specific operating conditions, the threshold value of the generator output voltage is raised for a specific period so that, as a function of the specific operating conditions, a higher charge voltage may be present at the terminals of the vehicle battery than actually corresponds to the momentary operating conditions (particularly the ambient temperature) in accordance with the state of the art.
One advantage of the invention over the known state of the art is that the discharging of the vehicle battery during a starting process is taken into account.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Process for improving the charge state of a battery arrangement in a motor vehicle


When a rechargeable battery of a life safety device reaches its end of life, the life safety device provides an audible signal indicating that replacement is required. When the device is disconnected from line power, the rechargeable battery still contains a significant amount of energy. The device automatically begins controlled discharge the battery until the stored energy has been reduced to a safe level for disposal of the life safety device and its battery.

The present invention relates to life safety devices, and in particular to hazard detectors such as carbon monoxide and smoke detectors that are typically mounted on walls and ceilings of buildings.
Life safety devices are used in residential and commercial buildings to provide warning to occupants of hazards such as fire or buildup of unsafe gases, such as carbon monoxide. Life safety devices may be powered by a battery assembly that includes a rechargeable battery. The life safety device is connected to a source of AC power, which provides electrical power for charging the rechargeable battery.
When the life safety device reaches the end of its useful life, it may generate a warning signal, such as a chirping sound indicating that it has entered a "trouble" (or "end of life") mode. This signals the user that it is time to disconnect the life safety device from AC power and throw it away. Rechargeable batteries, such as rechargeable lithium ion batteries, can contain a substantial amount of energy. If not discharged before disposal, they can pose a risk of being damaged and causing a fire and other serious injury. In the case of a life safety device, a rechargeable battery cannot be discharged quickly by shorting the output, because the battery assembly includes a battery protection circuit that will prevent rapid discharge in order to protect the battery. In addition, quickly discharging the battery can cause excessive amounts of heat.
In the past, life safety devices have made use of a mechanical element, such as a switch, to apply a resistance across the battery terminals in order to discharge the battery prior to disposal. A disadvantage of using a switch to discharge the battery is that it relies on the user to actuate the switch. If the user does not actuate the switch, the life safety device and its battery may be disposed of in an unsafe condition.

Life safety device with automatic battery discharge at the end of life


A battery having the electrodes of multiple cell types interleaved to prevent thermal runaway by cooling a shorted region between electrodes. The battery includes multiple cell types where each cell type has multiple electrodes a first polarity. The electrodes of each of the cell types share a pair of the common electrodes having a second polarity. The electrodes of the multiple cell types and the multiple common electrodes are interleaved such that if the electrodes of the multiple cell types and the adjacent common electrodes of one or more cell types short together, the current within the shorted cells is sufficiently small to prevent thermal runaway and the electrodes of the adjacent cells of the other cell types of the first polarity and the common electrodes of the second polarity not having short circuits provide heat sinking for the heat generated by the short circuit to prevent thermal runaway.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to charge accumulators such as batteries and capacitors, in particular to high capacity multiple cell batteries. More particular this disclosure relates to multiple cell batteries with improved stability to increase capacity of individual cells.
2. Background
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010/0175245 Do; et al. illustrates an exemplary stacking structure a lithium ion battery. FIGS. 1a-1d illustrates the structure of an anode of a lithium ion battery cell of Do; et al. FIGS. 2a-2d illustrates the structure of a cathode of a lithium ion battery cell of Do; et al. FIG. 3 illustrates the organization of multiple current collectors that are commonly referred to as anodes and cathodes to form a lithium ion battery of Do; et al. In FIGS. 1a-1d, an anode 100 is formed of a metal film 120 such as copper and is coated with an active anode material 110 on both sides of the metal film 120 cut to predetermined dimensions. The active anode material 110 material is typically graphite or carbon that is coated in the form of slurry, and dried. The active anode material 110 does not coat the entire surface area of the metal film 120. An adhesive 130 is placed on an edge portion that is not coated with the active anode material 110 on one side of the anode 100. The adhesive 130 is a material such as glue, starch, an adhesive tape, or other adhesive means. The side of the anode 100 having adhesive material 130 is adhered to a separator 300. The separator 300 is generally a macroporous film of polyethylene or polypropylene.
In FIGS. 2a-2d, a cathode 200 is formed of a metal film 220 such as aluminum and is coated with an active cathode material 210 on both sides of the metal film 220 cut to predetermined dimensions. The active cathode material 210 is typically Lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2). Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4), or other similar reactive material. The active cathode material 210 does not coat the entire surface area of the metal film 220. An adhesive 230 is placed on an edge portion that is not coated with the active cathode material 210 on one side of the anode 200. The adhesive 230 is a material such as glue or starch, an adhesive tape, or other adhesive means. The side of the cathode 200 having adhesive material 230 is adhered to a separator 300.
In FIG. 3, the anodes 100 attached to a separator 300, the cathodes 200 attached to a separator 300, an unattached anode 100 have their an adhesive placed at the remaining edge portion not coated with the active anode material 110 or active cathode material 210. The unattached anode 100 is placed at a bottom of the stack and the cathodes 200 attached to the separators 300 are stacked alternately with the anodes 100 attached to the separators 300 in an interleaved fashion. The stack is then compressed to adhere the adhesives to an opposite side of the separator 300 placed above the electrode (anode 100 or cathode 200). The compressed stack 400 is then placed in a shell (not shown) and an electrolyte solution is placed in the shell to immerse the anodes 100 and the cathodes 200. The electrolyte solution is a mixture of a solute (as ion source) dissolved in organic solvent. In lithium ion batteries, propylene carbonate or ethylene carbonate may be used as the organic solvent and lithium phosphate as the solute.
In some implementations, each electrode (anode 100 and cathodes 200) is a sheet of electrically conductive current collector, such as copper film in the anodes 100, and aluminum film in the cathodes 200. Except for the top and bottom sheets in the stack, each electrode 100, 200 is coated on both sides with electrochemically active material, such as graphite in the anodes 100 and lithium metal oxide in the cathodes 200. The top and bottom surfaces of the stack do not require coating, because these two surfaces are not facing electrodes 100, 200 of opposite polarity and do not participate in the electrochemical reaction.
Internal shorts between the electrodes 100 and 200 of a cell of a battery may be caused by burrs on the current collector (the aluminum or copper foil on which the electrochemically active material is coated). In particular, aluminum burrs may penetrate the separator and contact the graphite to cause thermal runaway. The contact resistance closely matches the internal resistance (output resistance) of a lithium-ion cell for portable electronics.
Another cause of the internal shorts is mossy lithium dendritic growth on the anode surface may penetrate the separator. Since the dendrite will contact lithium metal oxide cathode coating, which is not very conductive, the hazard of thermal runaway is lower than aluminum burrs. It takes a very large mossy lithium dendrite to initiate thermal runaway.
Foreign particles such as conductive metal chips present in incoming material (for example steel wear debris in the cathode powders, or falling burrs from the steel cans), or entering the cell during assembly process (for example wear debris in the conveyer) may migrate into the cathode/anode interface. Also, metal particles formed during charging/discharging cycles by galvanic process and can thus breach the separator to cause shorts.
External forces such as bending and impact on the cell may cause electrodes to break. Exposed current collectors (Cu or Al foils) may penetrate the separator to cause shorts.
Manufacturing defect such as a defective separator or folding separator during the stacking/winding (assembly) process may leave the positive and negative electrodes in contact over the defect zone.
Usually, internal short involves only one interface. In a conventional cell, all positive/negative electrode interfaces are hard wired together. Thus the short draws current from all interfaces. In the present disclosure, the interfaces are partitioned into two groups which may be separated completely or through a buffer resistor. Thus only half of the interfaces are contributing to the short current. Considering that the heat generated at the short spot is proportional to the square of current, this disclosure effectively cuts down the hot spot heat generation by a factor of four.
When an inadvertent electrical short circuit occurs within a cell, the resistance of the short circuit connection causes overheating in the electrode and the separator. The temperature at the short circuit region may be sufficiently high to trigger thermal runaway which will lead to fire and explosion. For any given cell, the short circuit connection generates maximum amount of heat when its resistance equals the cell's output resistance. However at any given short circuit, heat generation increases monotonically with decreasing output resistance of the cell. Since the output resistance is approximately inversely proportional to the cell capacity, heat generation at any given short increases monotonically with the cell capacity.
The electrical short circuiting of the electrodes is often referred to as a "dead short", i.e., bare metal contacts with negligible resistance. In this case, the short circuit current is proportional to the cell capacity. By Joule's law, heat generation at the short is proportional to the short circuit current squared, hence the square of cell, capacity. A dead short circuit in a high capacity cell or battery can generate enough heat to induce thermal runaway around the short circuit location within the electrodes, even if the short circuit is very brief (e.g., the contact may burn out or melt down). Thus the threshold of cell capacity must be observed very strictly.
Thermal runaway occurs when heat released in a short circuit region through exothermal chemical reaction exceeds heat dissipation capability from the short circuit region. Thus cooling is an effective way for the prevention of the exothermic reaction to cause the thermal runaway. Experience has shown that thermal runaway occurs much more readily at elevated temperature than at room temperature. Furthermore, cooling by conduction is known to reduce the occurrence of thermal runaway. For example, a short at the corner of an electrode is more likely to cause thermal runaway than a short at the center of the electrode. This is because a short circuit at a corner is connected to electrodes in only one quadrant, where as a short at the center is surrounded by electrodes in all four quadrants. A short at the center has four times as much heat sink as a short at a corner.
A larger cell does not necessarily serve as a better heat sink to a short, because the thermal runaway may begin rapidly in a small region, especially during a dead short. There is no significant heat dissipation outward. Thus it does not matter how large the cell is, as far as heat sink is concerned. Cell output resistance remains as the dominant factor in the initiation of thermal runaway. Unfortunately, the battery output resistance is getting lower and lower to meet the power requirement of modern portable electronics.
In order to prevent thermal runaway, a common practice is to partition the battery into a plurality of low capacity cell types. Presently two or three cells are connected in parallel in popular tablet computers such as Apple iPad™ Merging two cell types into one may result in 12% to 19% increase in capacity, and 15% cost reduction. However such cost reduction and capacity gain cannot be realized, lest the capacity of such merged cell may exceed the safety threshold. There is an acute need to raise the safety threshold.
Modest cost reduction can also be achieved by encasing multiple cells into a single shell. Amperex Technology Limited (ATL), Tsuen Wan, N. T., Hong Kong (Assignee of the present disclosure) has been shipping such shell-sharing cells since 2008. For example, each 20 Ah battery cell consists of a single stainless steel case, with two shell-less cells (commonly known as "jellyrolls") stacked together, and connected internally in parallel. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/694,144 (Ramesh et al.) provides a battery pouch holding multiple jellyrolls side-by-side. The multiple jellyrolls are connected outside of the pouch. Heat transfer between multiple jellyrolls is ineffective in ATL's stacking arrangement, and negligible in Ramesh's side-by-side layout.

Merged battery cell with interleaved electrodes


An electrical connector for use in an area subject to fluids such as gasoline or water. Typically, the connector would be used in a fuel injector to an electronic control module found in automotive and recreational motors. Once the wires have been stripped, they are then fused to a centering section to provide a common joint. The centering section is provided with a encapsulating mold centering section featuring two opposing alignment bosses and two sections of four circumferential centering tips. Finally, a second molding process is applied. The tips and the bosses re-melt or re-flow during the second encapsulation process to provide for a centered assembly that prevents fuel or water leaking from one wire to the next through the connection.

The present electrical terminal connections use a mechanical connection between the two wires and the terminal. This style of terminal is made by crimping stranded or solid wires to make an electrical connection wherein the electrical connection must be located in an area having fluid such as water or gasoline surrounding it. For example, a fuel injector to an electronic control module.
As shown in Prior Art FIG. 1A, when connecting two different sized stranded wires, 12, 16, each sized wire 12, 16 is placed in a hollow brass crimp ferrule 25 having two ends, with the inside diameter of each end corresponding to the diameter of the stranded wire to be held together. Section 22 corresponds to wire 12 and its wire strands 16 while section 26 corresponds to wire 14 and its wire strands 18. Section 26 extends into section 20. Section 22, 20 are only mechanically crimped 29 as shown in FIG. 1B to hold the two wires tightly together. Collar 24 which is integral with crimp ferrule 25 serves to provide a single fuel barrier as well as an anchor and a centering section (not shown). Solid wires or wires of the same diameter could also be used.
Since the connection between the outside of insulation 13 and the inside of 15 of the crimp ferrule depends solely on the tightness of fit, it is possible that the connection will fail due to the blind fit between the wire and connector, especially when subjected to repeated stress movement. The entire connection is molded with a covering (which will be discussed below) to maintain water tightness.
While this system works, the inventors have found that this process can be substantially improved upon by eliminating the costly crimp ferrule thus, eliminating the difficulty of making certain that the respective wires are properly inserted there for a proper crimping. To improve the water/gasoline tightness of the connector, multiple diameters serve as fuel barriers as well as maintaining the same amount of material for the pre-mold and the same dimensions for the overmold portion.

Molded connector for water or fuel sealing


An information handling system display frame disposed at the periphery of a display blends display and ambient light to provide a transitional zone for viewing of the display in ambient lighting conditions. A semi-scattering material absorbs light from the display and the ambient environment and scatters the light through the frame. A semi-reflective material directs at least some of the scattered light out of the frame so provide an appearance of the frame that transitions between displayed visual images of the display and the ambient light environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling display devices, and more particularly to an information handling system ambience reflective display frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling systems process information for presentation at a display. In some instances, the display is in a housing separate from the information handling system, such as with fixed desktop type of information handling systems; in other instances, the display is integrated with the information handling system housing, such as with laptop and tablet information handling systems. Fixed displays typically present visual images in a fixed location having fixed ambient light conditions, such as an enterprise or home office. Portable information handling system displays often present visual images in a variety of ambient light conditions since end users often use portable information handling systems in a variety of locations. Generally, both portable and fixed displays have automated ambient light corrections that adjust display images based upon detected ambient light conditions. For instance, in dark interior rooms ambient light correction might dim displayed visual images while in bright outdoor conditions ambient light correction might brighten visual images. Typically, displays are framed with a dark bezel that defines the edge of the display screen.
End users tend to better interpret and retain displayed visual images where displayed objects and backgrounds are semantically consistent when compared with the same displayed objects presented with a semantically inconsistent background. Content creators control the presentation of displayed objects and associated backgrounds, however, content presentation can vary depending upon the type of information handling system, the type of display and the ambient lighting conditions. Content creators have to make assumptions regarding the environment in which content will be presented. In some instances, variance of ambient lighting conditions from anticipated ambient lighting conditions will have a negative impact on an end user's experience.


A computer system in a fault-tolerant configuration employs multiple identical CPUs executing the same instruction stream, with multiple, identical memory modules in the address space of the CPUs storing duplicates of the same data. The system detects faults in the CPUs and memory modules, and places a faulty unit offline while continuing to operate using the good units. The faulty unit can be replaced and reintegrated into the system without shutdown. The multiple CPUs are loosely synchronized, as by detecting events such as memory references and stalling any CPU ahead of others until all execute the function simultaneously; interrupts can be synchronized by ensuring that all CPUs implement the interrupt at the same point in their instruction stream. Memory references via the separate CPU-to-memory busses are voted at the three separate ports of each of the memory modules. I/O functions are implemented using two identical I/O busses, each of which is separately coupled to only one of the memory modules. A number of I/O processors are coupled to both I/O busses. I/O devices are accessed through a pair of identical (redundant) I/O processors, but only one is designated to actively control a given device; in case of failure of one I/O processor, however, an I/O device can be accessed by the other one without system shutdown.

This invention relates to computer systems, and more particularly to detection and reintegration of faulty components in a fault-tolerant multiprocessor system.
Highly reliable digital processing is achieved in various computer architectures employing redundancy. For example, TMR (triple modular redundancy) systems may employ three CPUs executing the same instruction stream, along with three separate main memory units and separate I/O devices which duplicate functions, so if one of each type of element fails, the system continues to operate. Another fault-tolerant type of system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,496, issued to Katzman et al, for "Multiprocessor System", assigned to Tandem Computers Incorporated. Various methods have been used for synchronizing the units in redundant systems; for example, in said prior application Ser. No. 118,503, filed Nov. 9, 1987, by R. W. Horst, for "Method and Apparatus for Synchronizing a Plurality of Processors", also assigned to Tandem Computers Incorporated, a method of "loose" synchronizing is disclosed, in contrast to other systems which have employed a lock-step synchronization using a single clock, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,215 for "Central Processing Apparatus for Fault-Tolerant Computing", assigned to Stratus Computer, Inc. A technique called "synchronization voting" is disclosed by Davies & Wakerly in "Synchronization and Matching in Redundant Systems", IEEE Transactions on Computers June 1978, pp. 531-539. A method for interrupt synchronization in redundant fault-tolerant systems is disclosed by Yondea et al in Proceeding of 15th Annual Symposium on Fault-Tolerant Computing, June 1985, pp. 246-251, "Implementation of Interrupt Handler for Loosely Synchronized TMR Systems". U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,498 for "Fault-Tolerant Real Time Clock" discloses a triple modular redundant clock configuration for use in a TMR computer system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,353 for "Frame Synchronization of Multiply Redundant Computers" discloses a synchronization method using separately-clocked CPUs which are periodically synchronized by executing a synch frame.
As high-performance microprocessor devices have become available, using higher clock speeds and providing greater capabilities, and as other elements of computer systems such as memory, disk drives, and the like have correspondingly become less expensive and of greater capability, the performance and cost of high-reliability processors have been required to follow the same trends. In addition, standardization on a few operating systems in the computer industry in general has vastly increased the availability of applications software, so a similar demand is made on the field of high-reliability systems; i.e., a standard operating system must be available.
It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide an improved high-reliability computer system, particularly of the fault-tolerant type. Another object is to provide an improved redundant, fault-tolerant type of computing system, and one in which high performance and reduced cost are both possible; particularly, it is preferable that the improved system avoid the performance burdens usually associated with highly redundant systems. A further object is to provide a high-reliability computer system in which the performance, measured in reliability as well as speed and software compatibility, is improved but yet at a cost comparable to other alternatives of lower performance. An additional object is to provide a high-reliability computer system which is capable of executing an operating system which uses virtual memory management with demand paging, and having protected (supervisory or "kernel") mode; particularly an operating system also permitting execution of multiple processes; all at a high level of performance. Still another object is to provide a high-reliability redundant computer system which is capable of detecting faulty system components and placing them off-line, then reintegrating repaired system components without shutting down the system.

Fault-tolerant computer system with online recovery and reintegration of redundant components


An apparatus includes a robot body, at least one sensor coupled to the robot body and positioned to receive stimuli from a passenger cabin of a vehicle, an actuatable component coupled to the robot body, and a computer coupled to the robot body and communicatively coupled to the sensor and the actuatable component. The computer is programmed to predict an imminent anomalous event in the vehicle based on data from the at least one sensor, and in response to the determination, actuate the actuatable component to remediate the anomalous event.

Vehicles are typically equipped with impact sensors, which are adapted to detect an impact to the vehicle. Types of impact sensors include post-contact sensors such as linear or angular accelerometers, gyroscopes, pressure sensors, and contact switches; and pre-impact sensors such as radar, lidar, and vision-sensing systems. The vision systems can include one or more cameras, CCD image sensors, CMOS image sensors, etc. Impact sensors are attached to a vehicle at numerous points in or on the vehicle. Other components of a vehicle can be triggered by a signal from an impact sensor, including airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, etc.

Robotic apparatus for vehicle occupant protection


A power supply system comprises a parallel arrangement of a linear amplifier (LA) and a DC-DC converter (CO). An output of the linear amplifier (LA) is directly coupled to a load (LO) for supplying a first current (II) to the load (LO). The DC-DC converter (CO) has a converter output coupled to the load (LO) for supplying a second current (12) to the load (LO). The linear amplifier (LA) comprises a first amplifier stage (OS1) to supply the first current (II), and the second amplifier stage (OS2) to generate a third current (13) being proportional to the first current (II). The first amplifier stage (OS1) and the second amplifier stage (OS2) have matched components. The DC-DC converter (CO) further comprises a controller (CON) having a control input for receiving a voltage generated by the third current (13) to control the second current (12) for minimizing a DC-component of the first current (II).

U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,407 discloses a high efficiency power amplifier using combined linear and switching techniques with a feedback system. A linear amplifier supplies an output current to a load via a sense resistor. A switching amplifier which comprises a controllable switch and two LC-sections is used as a DC-DC converter and supplies a further output current to the load. The resistor is arranged between the output of the linear amplifier and the output node of the power supply system at which the output voltage is present across the load. The output current of the linear amplifier flows through this resistor. The voltage across the resistor is used to control the DC-DC converter to obtain a minimal DC-component of the output current of the linear amplifier. Preferably, this minimal DC component is zero.
This parallel arrangement of a linear amplifier and a DC-DC converter is applied in a radio transmitter. The parallel arrangement is further also referred to as a power supply system. The radio transmitter comprises a power supply reference generator which supplies a reference signal to the linear amplifier to generate the system output voltage which tracks the reference signal. The radio transmitter further comprises a radio frequency (further referred to as RF) power amplifier for amplifying an RF signal. The RF amplifier is coupled to the output node to receive the system output voltage as a supply voltage. The reference signal is modulated to follow an amplitude modulation of the input signal of the RF amplifier. Thus, the supply voltage of the RF amplifier is controlled to meet the needs of the RF power amplifier to improve the efficiency of the RF amplifier.
The relatively slow DC-DC converter supplies the DC and low frequent currents to the load at a relatively high power efficiency, and the relatively low power efficiency linear amplifier supplies only the high frequent currents to the load.
The prior art resistor arranged between the linear amplifier and the output node has the drawback that it decreases the efficiency of the power supply system.

Amplifier system with DC-component control


Provided are a porous nanostructure and a method of manufacturing the same. The porous nanostructure includes a plurality of pores disposed on an exterior surface of a nanostructure, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of pores extend inside the nanostructure.

1. Field
The present disclosure generally relates to a porous nanostructure and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Unlike bulk materials, a nanowire has a relatively large surface area with respect to its volume, and this property of nanowires may be applied to various fields. Therefore, nanowires are the subject of much research in the field of nanotechnology. For example, nanowires are being researched in fields regarding optical nano devices, such as lasers, electric nano-devices, such as transistors, memories, nanosensors, and various other similar devices.
A nanowire has substantially uniform characteristics, may be fabricated to have any of a variety diameters, and its physical and electrical characteristics may be changed based on its surface characteristics. Electrons may be scattered or trapped on a surface of a nanowires when electrons or phonons are transmitted through the nanowires. A nanowire may be formed of any of a variety of materials, such as silicon, tin oxides, gallium nitride (a light-emitting semiconductor), or other similar materials. Currently, it is possible to adjust the length and the thickness of a nanowire.
A general method for fabricating a nanowire includes a vapor-liquid-solid ("VLS") growth method. According to the VLS growth method, a nanowire may be grown by forming and melting an alloy of a nanowire material and a metal catalyst and extracting the nanowire material from between the melted liquid alloy and a solid substrate.

Porous nanostructure and method of manufacturing the same


An apparatus includes a processor and a plurality of on-board diagnostic (OBD) interfaces, in communication with the processor. The exemplary apparatus also includes a configurable housing, adapted to flexibly present an orientation of an OBD interface. The apparatus further includes persistent and non-persistent memory, in communication with the processor and a non-OBD I/O interface, in communication with the processor. The processor is configured to detect external device communication through a first OBD interface and function as a pass-through to a second OBD interface.

Onboard Diagnostics (OBD, OBD II, OBD 2) provide an interface whereby entities, such as dealers, mechanics and third parties (such as insurance companies) can plug into a vehicle to access information on a vehicle BUS or from vehicle modules. Because of the use of the port by consumers, installing third party devices, for example, delicate pins included in the port can often be damaged. This creates warranty alerts then for the vehicle, and can be costly to repair, since a broken port will not allow the dealer to access the diagnostics.
Additionally, as the port provides a physical interface that can access the vehicle's CAN BUS(es), there may be other hardware and software that would like to pull information from this BUS. If all these resources were to try to access the current implementations of the OBD II port, additional opportunity for damaging the integrated port would occur.
U.S. Patent Application 2012/0158211 generally relates to continuously collecting information from vehicle devices via a vehicle data bus, storing information in a database, and retrieving information from the database in response to requests from remote devices. One embodiment includes a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller apart from at least one operable vehicle device, connected to the vehicle data bus so that the vehicle data bus extends from said controller to at least one operable vehicle device. Additionally, the controller is configured to query at least one vehicle device via the vehicle data bus and store information provided by at least one vehicle device in a database, receive requests for information from a remote device via the wireless communications device, query the database for the requested information, and send the requested information to the remote device via the wireless communications device.

Method and apparatus for an OnBoard diagnostic interface tool


A light emitting display including a pixel area having a plurality of pixels, a scan driver for outputting a scan signal for selecting a predetermined pixel among the plurality of pixels of the pixel area, and an emission control signal for allowing a current to flow in the selected pixels. The scan driver includes: a signal generator adapted to generate the scan signal and the emission control signal; a first buffer adapted to transmit the scan signal to the pixel area; and a second buffer adapted to transmit the emission control signal to the pixel area. In the scan driver, the second buffer is smaller than the first buffer. The size of the second buffer is decreased to decrease the size of the scan driver, and/or to decrease the size of the predetermined pixel to get a high definition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light emitting display and a scan driver, and more particularly, to a light emitting display and a scan driver for outputting a scan signal and an emission control signal, in which the scan driver provided in the light emitting display includes a first buffer for outputting the emission control signal, the first buffer being smaller than a second buffer for outputting the scan signal, thereby decreasing the size of the scan driver.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A thin and lightweight flat panel display has been widely used for monitors of various information terminals such as personal computers, mobile phones, personal digital assistants, etc. A flat panel display can be classified into a passive matrix type flat panel display and an active matrix type flat panel display according to methods of driving a pixel of the display. In the flat panel display, a displaying area includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix format on a substrate. Each of the pixels is connected with, and selectively receives data signal from, a scan line and a data line to display an image. When resolution, contrast, operation time, and so on are taken into consideration, the active matrix type flat panel display capable of selectively switching the pixels by a unit pixel has been mostly used.
A flat panel display can also be a liquid crystal display (LCD) using a liquid crystal panel, an organic light emitting display using an organic light emitting device (OLED), a plasma display panel (PDP) using a plasma panel, etc.
Particularly, the OLED can emit light by itself on the basis of recombination of an electron and a hole and has a fast response time that is more similar to a cathode ray tube (CRT) than to a light emitting display requiring a separate light source, such as the LCD. Thus, the OLED has become very important.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a configuration of a conventional light emitting display.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional light emitting display includes a pixel area 10 having N×M pixels 11 and for displaying an image corresponding to light emissions of the pixels 11; a scan driver 20 for supplying scan signals and emission control signals to the pixel area 10; and a data driver 30 for supplying data signals to the pixel area 10.
The pixel area 10 includes a plurality of scan lines S1, S2, S3, . . . , SN−1, SN (where 'N' is a natural number); a plurality of data lines D1, D2, D3, . . . , DM−1, DM (where 'M' is a natural number) arranged perpendicularly to the plurality of scan lines S1, S2, S3, . . . , SN−1, SN; and the N×M pixels 11 formed adjacent to regions where the plurality of scan lines S1, S2, S3, . . . , SN−1, SN and the plurality of data lines D1, D2, D3, . . . , DM−1, DM are crossed with each other.
Further, the pixel area 10 receives the scan signals through the plurality of scan lines S1, S2, S3, . . . , SN−1, SN, and allows the pixels 11 disposed on a predetermined row corresponding to a received scan signal to receive the data signals.
The scan driver 20 supplies the scan signals and the emission control signals to the pixel area 10 in sequence through the plurality of scan lines S1, S2, S3, . . . , SN−1, SN and a plurality of emission control lines (not shown), so that all rows of the pixel area 10 are sequentially selected corresponding to one frame and sequentially controlled by the emission control signals.
The data driver 30 is connected to the plurality of data lines D1, D2, D3, . . . , DM−1, DM, and supplies the data signals to the pixel area 10 through the plurality of data lines D1, D2, D3, . . . , DM−1, DM, so that a data signal is supplied to each pixel 11 selected by a scan signal, thereby displaying an image corresponding to the data signal on the pixel area 10.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a scan driver provided in a conventional light emitting display. Referring to FIG. 2, the scan driver 20 includes a shift register 21 for outputting a plurality of signals in response to an input signal; an operator 22 for creating scan signals and emission control signals based on the signals outputted by the shift register 21; and a buffer unit 23 for receiving the signals outputted by the operator 22 and for outputting them as buffered signals.
The operator 22 receives the plurality of signals from the shift register 21 and performs an operation to output the plurality of scan signals s1, s2, s3, . . . , sn−1, sn (where 'n' is a natural number), and the plurality of emission control signals (not shown). Each of the scan signals s1, s2, s3, . . . , sn−1, sn is transmitted to a switching transistor (not shown) of a pixel, thereby allowing a data signal to be transmitted to the pixel. Each of the emission control signals is transmitted to a gate electrode of an emission control transistor (not shown), thereby allowing a driving transistor (not shown) to switch a driving current that corresponds to the data signal. The driving current is supplied to an OLED.
The buffer unit 23 increases the intensity of the scan signals s1, s2, s3, . . . , sn−1, sn and the emission control signals created by the operator 22, and outputs them to the pixel area 10. When the scan signals are directly transmitted from the operator 22 to the pixel area 10 without passing through the buffer unit 23, the scan signals, which are relatively distant from the operator 22, are not smoothly transmitted to the pixels 11. Therefore, the intensity of each of the scan signals and the emission control signals is increased by the buffer unit 23 connected to the operator 22, and then transmitted to the pixel area 10.
In the above described light emitting display, the size of the scan driver 20 and the interval of the scan lines are determined according to the sizes of the buffer unit 23. That is, in a case where the size of the buffer unit 23 becomes large, the size of the scan driver 20 is enlarged, and the intervals of the scan lines are widened. Because of this, as the size of the scan driver 20 is increased, power consumption is increased. Accordingly, as the intervals of the scan lines are widened, each of the pixels 11 is enlarged.
Particularly, when the light emitting display is a large-sized screen, the size of the buffer unit 23 is increased, so that the intervals of the scan lines are widened, thereby enlarging the size of each of the pixels 11. In this case, it is difficult to get a high definition. Further, the power consumed in the buffer unit 23 is increased, so that the light emitting display consumes relatively more power in displaying an image.