A system and method for providing a virtual operator panel for a peripheral device where the system includes a peripheral device including a processor and a data store that stores public settings corresponding to private settings of the peripheral device, each public setting indicative of at least one private setting of the peripheral device. The peripheral device has a device process and a host process, or alternately, is in bidirectional communication with at least one host computer including a data store, a display and a processor. The host computer or host process selectively transmits a request to the peripheral device or device process requesting public settings of the peripheral device for the generation of a virtual operator panel for the peripheral device. The peripheral device or device process receives the request for peripheral device settings from the host computer or host process, and transmits a response including at least one public setting from the data store of the peripheral device, and the host computer or host process receives the response from the peripheral device and generates a virtual operator panel based upon the response. In one embodiment, the public setting is a metavariable that implicates one or more local variables of the peripheral device. There is also provided a method for generating a virtual operator panel for a peripheral device including the steps of transmitting a request for peripheral device public settings from a host computer or host process to a peripheral device or device process, receiving the request at the peripheral device or device process, generating a response in the peripheral device or device process that includes at least one public setting of the peripheral device, transmitting the response from the peripheral device or device process to the host computer or host process, receiving the response at the host computer or host process, and generating a functional virtual operator panel based upon the public setting included in the received response.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computer systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method to provide a virtual operator panel for a peripheral device in connection with one or more host computers where the specific settings for the peripheral device are unknown to the host computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computers and common peripheral devices such as modems, printers, and displays are connected in communication such that a computer, generally referred to as the host, can send data and receive data from the peripheral devices and other computers. The communication channel between the computer(s) and devices may be either unidirectional, such that one computer or peripheral device only sends or only receives data to another, or bidirectional, with each device both sending and receiving data. In either instance, one computer or peripheral device can serve either single or multiple hosts which is dependent upon the operational capabilities of the devices.
A typical device-host connection is a cable connected directly to the serial or parallel port of both the host and the peripheral device such that the peripheral device primarily serves the connected host. Alternatively, a computer and peripheral device are connected in a network and each device is accessible to and can interface with multiple hosts residing on that network. In order to properly interface, the computer(s) and peripheral device(s) must have a known data protocol between them whereby each device can understand the data from one another.
The interface protocol is particularly important in host-peripheral device applications in which the host is controlling the peripheral device to perform a function. The data passed from the host to the peripheral must be very specific in the desired function, and often, the peripheral device will communicate with the host to inform the host of the properties and functions of the peripheral device. An example of such interface is that between a computer as the host device and a printer as the peripheral device through a known protocol such as the Network Printer Alliance Protocol (NPAP).
A printer has numerous setting capabilities, a few examples being paper size, font, and paper type, which are often changed for every single print job requested by a host computer. Furthermore, prior art printers have the capability to send data back to the host computer indicative of various parameters of the printer, such as job in progress, paper jam, paper tray status, and printing errors. Thus, when the computer and printer are interfaced, they pass the above data regarding the print jobs and printer status through data variables that reflect the attributes of one parameter. And when the attributes of printing parameter are desired to be changed, the computer sends specific variables to the printer and each variable changes one parameter of the printer. Given the significant number of parameters for the printer and the specific control desired by the host computer, several problems are recurrent in the, host computer-peripheral device interface.
The host computer and peripheral device can be unaware of the all of the variables for different parameters the other devices, such as the variables for specific printer settings and capabilities, or the inter-relationship between different variables and their related parameters and functions. Accordingly, when a printer attempts to provide this xe2x80x9cself-descriptivexe2x80x9d data, such as configuration data, to a host computer, or when the host computer attempts to change several settings in the printer, the variables utilized may not effectively communicate all parameters of the devices. Because of this inadequate communication between interfaced devices in prior art systems, hosts and peripheral devices have been unable to easily provide conceptual settings to a user, such as xe2x80x9cprint qualityxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cpage layout.xe2x80x9d
Moreover, either the host or the peripheral device may need to update many variable settings on their underlying hardware for proper functioning, especially through upgrades and changes in software. To correctly update the variables, the host must have advance knowledge of the variables and their interdependence to even allow the user to change the variables. Further, other problems can occur because subsequent code releases in the device tend to change those interdependencies by changing the settings of the individual variables or adding new dependencies. Even though the device may be aware of the new interdependencies, if the dependencies are not easily stored and communicated to other systems in the device, confusion and extra development time may result as those variables are changed.
More recently, in an attempt to provide low-cost peripheral devices, such as printers, expensive components such as LCD displays or specific control buttons are often excluded. The control buttons or display provides the simplest manner for the user to configure the device. Thus, to overcome the lack of a specific button or display to directly actuate the settings for the peripheral device, several devices provide an electronic (virtual) replica of an operator panel for the peripheral device, typically upon the display screen of a host computer. However, there are several problems with existing virtual operator panels.
A typical virtual operator panel allows a host utility to display a replica of the device panel, but without providing improved functionality, and only duplicate the existing display of the peripheral device. Another problem arises in that when the peripheral device includes advanced or complicated settings and the representations of which would clutter the virtual operator panel and confuse a novice user. A further problem occurs when the peripheral device must be configured with settings that can not be easily entered at the peripheral device, and example being settings that require alphabetic characters that are not easily represented without an alphanumeric keyboard., Such problems leave the user or customer engineer unable to easily configure or check on the configuration of the peripheral device from a remote location or at the device itself.
Currently, host computers attempt to provide access to the peripheral device settings with several limitations. The host computer must know in advance the valid values for each setting in lo the peripheral device, and the meaning of each value if a textual representation is required. The host computer must also know translated strings if the peripheral device is to provide multi-language support. Furthermore, the host computer must know all settings in the device, and the default values for each setting which can be represented.
These requirements to provide a virtual operator panel challenge the host programmer. Although most printers support similar emulations, they do not all support a common language. Another challenge is that the specific value can change from device to device and potentially from code release to code release of the peripheral device. This means the host computer must keep track of the values on a device by device basis, and sometimes a code level by code level basis, which is commonly accomplished through software updates. This update is critical because setting an incorrect value on the peripheral device at least results in the user not getting the desired setting, and possibly can causes the peripheral device to crash.
Unfortunately, a crash resulting from an incorrect settings might not occur immediately and the user will not make a connection between setting the value for the peripheral device and the crash. Such a crash results in additional cost to the company in the form of support calls, on-site service or lost sales due to unsatisfied customers, and can cause economic impairment for the customer.
Accordingly, to provide an accurate and effective virtual operator panel for a peripheral device, the capability to understand the interdependencies between public settings and private settings of the peripheral device must exist at both the host computer and the device. Furthermore, the public/private settings relationships frequently change and if one device were not properly updated, the virtual operator panel would either fail or misrepresent the settings and variables of the peripheral device. The prior art systems thus provide an unsatisfactory interface between host computers and peripheral devices to provide a virtual operator panel, and particularly host computers and printers, as complex data and commands with variables is limited and prone to error through versions of the peripheral device. A system that allows improved communication to provide a virtual operator panel would therefore represent an improvement over the prior art computer-peripheral device interface systems. It is to the provision of such an improved system and method that the present invention is primarily directed.
The present invention, in one embodiment, is a system for providing a virtual operator panel for a peripheral device in an interface with a host computer, where the system includes a peripheral device having a processor and a data store that stores peripheral device settings including one or more public settings where each public setting is indicative of one or more private settings of the peripheral device, and at least one host computer in bidirectional communication with the peripheral device. The host computer has a data store, a display and a processor, and selectively transmits a request to the peripheral device requesting public settings of the peripheral device for generation of a virtual operator panel for the peripheral device on the display of the host computer. The peripheral device then receives the request for peripheral device settings from the host computer and transmits a response, preferably including one or more public settings from the data store of the peripheral device. And the host computer receives the response, including one or more public settings, from the peripheral device and generates a virtual operator panel based upon the response.
The peripheral device processor alternately transmits a response including a plurality of public settings, and the host computer processor may select a panel description based upon the panels indicated by the public settings included in the received response. The peripheral device processor then retrieves the public settings from the peripheral device data store and includes the retrieved public settings in the response.
The virtual operator panel on the display of the host computer preferably includes graphical representations of interactive controls for the peripheral device, and allows a user to actuate a graphical interactive control on the virtual operator panel to change public settings and the corresponding private settings on the peripheral device. In such embodiment, each public setting preferably represents a known setting on the virtual operator panel and thus, the operator panel can represent a specific control for the setting without knowledge of the specific private settings of the peripheral device. When the interactive control is actuated, the host computer then transmits a command to the peripheral device including one or more public settings implicated by the specific actuated interactive control to the peripheral device. The peripheral device processor then receives the command from the virtual operator panel of the host computer and actuates peripheral device functionality in accordance with the command. The peripheral device processor also preferably further transmits updated setting information including one or more public settings back to the host computer once the desired functions are altered on the peripheral device for updating of the virtual operator panel.
When the peripheral device is embodied as a printer, the host computer and printer preferably communicate using NPAP Protocol. Alternately, the host computer and peripheral device communicate using XML encoding. Other protocols and languages as known in the art are alternately used for communication between the host computer and peripheral device.
In a further embodiment, the peripheral device selectively transmits an alert signal including one or more public settings to one or more connected host computers in response to a triggering event in the peripheral device. The alert signal causes generation of the virtual operator panel on the display of the host computer to alert the user preferably with a warning including the public settings of the peripheral device.
The host computer is alternately a second peripheral device in communication with the peripheral device generating a virtual operator panel. Alternately, the peripheral device is a second host computer in communication with a host computer generation a virtual operator panel.
In another embodiment, the invention is a peripheral device generating a virtual operator panel where the peripheral device has a processor for running at least one host process and a device process, and has a data store that stores public settings in relation to the one or more private settings of the peripheral device that each public settings implicates. The host process selectively generates a request for peripheral device public settings for generation of a virtual operator panel for the peripheral device to the device process, and the device process retrieves one or more public setting indicative of the private settings of the peripheral device and transmits one or more public settings to the host process.
Each public setting preferably represents a predefined setting on the virtual operator panel. The host process preferably generates a virtual operator panel in response to receipt of one or more public settings from the device process, with each public setting represented as a predefined setting on the panel. Further, the host process can update an existing setting virtual operator panel in response to receipt of the public setting from the peripheral device.
Thus, when the virtual operator panel generated by the host process includes graphical representations of interactive controls for the peripheral device on the virtual operator panel, the actuation of a specific graphical interactive control causes the host process to transmit a command to the device process including one or more public settings implicated by the specific actuated interactive control. The device process then receives the command from the virtual operator panel of the host process and actuates peripheral device functionality in accordance with the command. Alternately, the device process can then transmit updated setting information including one or more public settings to the host process for updating of the virtual operator panel after actuating peripheral device functionality.
In like manner to the host computer-peripheral device communication, the host process and the device process preferably communicate through NPAP Protocol. Alternately, the host process and the device process communicate through XML encoding, or any other protocol or language as known in the art.
The present inventive system thus provides an inventive method for generating a virtual device operator panel for a peripheral device, including the steps of transmitting a request for peripheral device settings from a host computer to a peripheral device; receiving the request for peripheral device settings at the peripheral device. Then the method includes the steps of generating a response in the peripheral device where the response includes one or more public settings indicative of one or more private settings of the peripheral device, and then transmitting the response from the peripheral device to the host computer, receiving the response from the peripheral device at the host computer, and generating a functional virtual operator panel on a display at the host computer based upon one ore more public settings included in the received response.
The method alternately further includes the step of selecting a panel description from a plurality of panel descriptions in the data store of the peripheral device, where each panel description includes one or more public settings of the peripheral device, prior to the step of transmitting the response from the peripheral device. Then the step of generating the virtual operator panel is generating the virtual operator panel with the panel description from the peripheral device.
The method alternately further includes the steps of retrieving a panel description from the peripheral device data store, and including the retrieved panel description in the response transmitted to the host computer. Then the step of generating a response in the peripheral device, where the response includes one or more public settings indicative of one or more private setting of the peripheral device is generating a response in the peripheral device where the response includes one or more public settings representing a predefined setting on the virtual operator panel.
If the virtual operator panel is embodied on the display of the host computer as including graphical representations of interactive controls for the peripheral device, then the method further includes the steps of transmitting a command from the host computer to the peripheral device. The command preferably includes one or more public settings implicated by the specific actuated interactive control such that the step of transmitting the command occurs upon a user actuating a graphical interactive control on the virtual operator panel. Then the method further preferably includes the steps of receiving the command from the virtual operator panel of the host computer at the peripheral device processor, and actuating peripheral device functionality in accordance with the command received. And then the method further preferably includes the steps of transmitting from the peripheral device processor updated setting information including one or more public settings to the host computer, and updating the virtual operator panel with the public setting information.
If the peripheral device is a printer, then the steps of transmitting a request for peripheral device settings from a host computer to a peripheral device, and transmitting the response from the peripheral device to the host computer preferably occur through an NPAP Protocol. Alternately, the steps of transmitting a request for peripheral device settings from a host computer to a peripheral device, and transmitting the response from the peripheral device to the host computer occur through XML encoding.
When the present inventive system is embodied as a host process and device process in bidirectional communication on a peripheral device, the preferred method for generating a virtual device operator panel for a peripheral device includes the steps of transmitting a request for peripheral device settings from the host process to the device process, and receiving the request for peripheral device settings at the device process. The method then includes the step of generating a response from the device process, where the device process is in communication with a data store of the peripheral device and the data store including public settings in relation to the one or more private settings of the peripheral device that each public setting implicates, and the response including one or more public settings indicative of one or more parameters of the peripheral device. Then the method includes the steps of transmitting the response from the device process to the host process, receiving the response from the device process at the host process, and generating a functional virtual operator panel from the host process based upon the one ore more public settings included in the received response.
The method alternately further includes the step of selecting a panel description from a plurality of panel descriptions in the data store of the peripheral device, where each panel description including one or more public settings, such selection prior to the step of transmitting the response from the device process. Then the step of generating the virtual operator panel is generating the virtual operator panel with the panel description from the device process. Then the method preferably include the steps of retrieving a panel description from the peripheral device data store, such retrieval being accomplished by the device process, and including the retrieved panel description in the response transmitted to the host process.
The step of generating a response from the device process, where the response includes one or more public settings indicative of one or more private settings of the peripheral device is preferably generating a response from the device process where the response includes one or more public settings representing a predefined setting on the virtual operator panel.
If the generated virtual operator panel includes graphical representations of interactive controls for the peripheral device, the method further includes the steps of transmitting a command from the host process to the device process, where the command includes one or more public settings implicated by the specific actuated interactive control, receiving the command from the virtual operator panel of the host process at the device process, and actuating peripheral device functionality in accordance with the command received, such actuation occurring through the device process. The method then preferably further includes the steps of transmitting from the device process updated setting information including one or more public settings to the host process, and updating at the host process the virtual operator panel with the setting information for the updated settings of the peripheral device.
If the peripheral device upon which the host process and device process are occurring is a printer, then the steps of transmitting a request for peripheral device settings from a host process to a device process, and transmitting the response from the device process to the host process preferably occur through NPAP Protocol. Alternately, the steps of transmitting a request for peripheral device settings from a host process to a device process, and transmitting the response from the device process to the host process occurs through XML encoding, or any other language or protocol as known in the art.
The present invention thus provides a commercial advantage in that it allows a host computer in communication with a peripheral device to correctly display and modify the settings in that device on a virtual operator panel. The host computer does not need to have prior knowledge of the peripheral device or its settings. The use of the metavariable also provides a mechanism for the peripheral device to return translated values for those settings and groupings for the settings for updating the virtual operator panel.
The present invention further has industrial applicability as it can particularly enhance a known NPAP protocol, although other languages and protocols would also work, to provide metavariables that can return the valid values for each peripheral device setting, return the name of each setting, provide textual information (translated) for those settings as needed, and return all public settings of the peripheral device. The metavariable further can indicate which settings are read-only, indicate which settings should only be set by qualified personnel, and provide the host computer with the default values for a device setting. Additionally, the accuracy of the metavariable gives the virtual operator panel the ability to command specific changes in the peripheral device and prevents the transmission of invalid values which could crash the device.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after review of the hereinafter set forth Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention, and claims.

System and method for providing a virtual operator panel for a peripheral device


A roofing primer composition including a bromobutyl rubber, a polyurethane, wherein the polyurethane is the reaction product of a phenolic resin and an isocyanate having more than two functionalities, the polyurethane being formed in the presence of a catalyst, and a solvent, wherein the solvent is preferably selected from the group consisting of parachlorobenzotrifluoride, 1-dodecene, toluene, hexane, heptane methylene chloride, 1,1,1-trichlorethane, xylene, methanol, 1-tetradecene, chloroform, tetrachloro ethylene and ethanol. This primer composition exhibits improved adhesion during application, exhibits improved shelf life, is not water sensitive, and can contain a low volatile solvent.

In the art of covering roofs with elastomeric membranes, such as EPDM terpolymer membranes, it is common to apply a primer to the membrane or roofing structure before application of an adhesive. Adhesives typically include adhesive tapes or solvent based adhesives. Primers can include those that are pure solvent, i.e., those that do not contain any solids, and those that are blends of asphalt and solvent, or polymer and solvent. Those skilled in the art will recognize that solvent based adhesives and primers are similar in composition and serve similar purposes, except that primers typically contain a lower solids content.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,730 teaches a process for adhering roofing membranes using an adhesive composition containing a thermoplastic block copolymer, an aromatic hydrocarbon resin, and a solvent. Once the composition sets, heat must be applied to join the surfaces. It has been found, however, that equal and even application is difficult to achieve during field installations, thereby resulting in an improper and imperfect field seam or lap splice.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,311 teaches an elastomeric asphalt compound comprising an asphalt (bitumen) component, an isocyanate prepolymer component, and a volatile compatibilizer component. The isocyanate prepolymer component polymerizes within the asphalt subsequent to application, thereby providing a polymer network within the asphalt that provides strength and cohesion. The use of this adhesive as a seam adhesive is problematic, however, because it fails to develop sufficient or adequate strength and resistance to creep rupture. It is believed that the presence of asphalt causes swelling in the EPDM membrane. This adhesive is also undesirable because it requires moisture to initiate the curing process. Finally, the shelf life of this adhesive is unacceptable, especially after the composition has been exposed to the air.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,987 teaches a solvent-base adhesive composition for adhering together EPDM roofing membranes that includes a halogenated copolymer of isobutylene and p-methyl styrene, a thermoplastic rubber comprising a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer, an end-block resin for the thermoplastic rubber, a tackifier, an accelerator/cure package, and a solvent. This composition exhibits a peel strength of at least 3.0 pounds per lineal inch at room temperature, and at least 3.0 pounds per lineal inch at 212.degree. F. This composition has been found less than desirable for primer solutions, however, because the adhesive lacks surface tack that is essential to seam construction. Also, this adhesive lacks sufficient early green strength, which is especially problematic in high stress details common in roofing application, e.g., corner patch flashings. These details have been known to bridge or come loose after only a few hours.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,164 is directed toward a solvent based contact adhesive that includes a halogenated butyl rubber, a pre-crosslinked butyl rubber, a ethylene-propylene-noncongugated diene terpolymer, a thermoplastic petroleum based hydrocarbon feed stock derived from aliphatic monomer resin, and an aliphatic isocyanate. This composition can serve to join cured EPDM membranes and maintain satisfactory creep, cold flow and heat strength characteristics. The organic isocyanate ingredient of this invention functions to provide a cure of the halogenated butyl rubber when exposed to moisture.
Because of the early creep rupture at room temperature, early green strength, and limited shelf life associated with primer adhesive compositions known in the art, there is a need for an improved primer composition.

Elastomeric primer for use with EPDM roofing membranes


A reel assembly is provided with a hub and opposing flanges that may be disassembled into at least two primary components that may be at least partially nested with one another for compact storage and transport. A stepped or tapered axle is axially received by the hub from only one direction to promote ease of assembly. A mounting plate secures to one end of the axle for mounting the reel assembly to any generally planar surface. A braking system is provided that simply permits free rotational movement of the reel one direction and a drag brake in the opposite direction. A swivel cap of unitized design incorporates retention in the axial and linear directions simultaneously.

Reel assemblies are commonly used for storing and using many types of hoses. The common reel assembly design is comprised of a hub, a pair of opposing flanges disposed at the opposite ends of the hub, and an axle upon which the hub may turn. Most reel assemblies leave a manufacturer's location, mostly, if not fully, assembled. This can create a bulky shipment that consumes valued shipping resources. Prior art designs have failed to produce a reel assembly that may be shipped in a compact, disassembled form. Any attempts at such a design have merely created an assembly nightmare for the end consumer. Accordingly, a reel assembly design is needed that permits shipment, storage and sale of the reel assembly in a partially disassembled form. However, such a design should be relatively simple for assembly by end users.
Another common problem found in typical reel assemblies is the fact that the reel assemblies will freely rotate in either direction. Accordingly, when a user pulls hose from the reel assemblies and then stops, the forward momentum of the rotating reel assembly will continue to unreel hose. This can lead to tangling of the hose and simply creates additional reeling for the end user once they are finished using the hose. Braking systems have been previously utilized in various reel assemblies but are either complex in design, which tends to create higher manufacturing costs and propensity for breakdowns, or the braking systems simply provide too little or too much resistance to the unreeling of hose. Furthermore, most prior art braking systems are engaged at all times. Operators must manually disengage such braking systems or reel the hose with the brake engaged. Accordingly, a novel braking system is needed that is simple in design but provides an adjustable measure of braking to the reel assembly, according to a user's needs. Such a braking system should also function so that it is only engaged while the reel is being unreeled.


A plurality of electrical equipment units have a harness connecting connector, and an instrument panel has a plurality of mounting openings for the equipment units. An assembly housing is arranged in the instrument panel. A wiring harness for the instrument panel has a plurality of self-mating connectors for the equipment units, the self-mating connectors being respectively connected to a flexible flat circuit sheet. The assembly housing has a side wall with a harness receiving recess and has a plurality of connector holders. The harness receiving recess is fixedly mounted with the circuit sheet for the wiring harness, each of the connector holders supporting one of the self-mating connectors. Thus, the insertion of the electrical equipment unit into the mounting opening of the instrument panel causes the connection of the harness connecting connector and the self-mating connector.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wiring harness and instrument panel assembly provided in a motorcar, allowing an improved assembling and coupling process of various electrical equipment units and wiring harnesses in the instrument panel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 11 shows a known instrument panel provided in a motorcar as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 5-77659. This consists of separately formed upper and lower resin panels 51, 52. In the engagement faces of the panels 51, 52 there are formed cavities such as air ducts 53, 54 or a wiring harness space 55. The space 55 receives a wiring harness 56 or is provided with an electric circuit made by coating an electrically conductive paint. The engagement of the panels 51, 52 accomplishes the simultaneous connection of the wiring harness. Further, the arrangement gives advantages in fabrication process such as forming, transportation, storage, and assembling.
The above-mentioned instrument panel consisting of the two panels requires none of a wiring harness fixing clamp, an enclosing protector and the like. This allows a great reduction in part number and in production man-hour for the instrument panel. However, the correct connection of the wiring harness to switches, meters, and electrical equipment units depends on the right engagement of the abutment faces of the panels 51, 52. Non-correct engagement of the faces may cause a gap, resulting in an unstable connection of the harness.
For achieving the right connection, application of a lead wire extending from the wiring harness 56 of the lower panel 52 may be proposed. But, in engagement of the upper and lower panels, this may causes jamming of the lead wire, and a noise may be generated by the lead wire with a slack during the vehicle's running.
Further, vehicle body vibration generated during running or by in collision may bring about electrically wrong continuity due to the sliding movement of electrical wires in the space 55. Moreover, air temperature around the instrument panel causes the instrument panel to thermally expand. This may break fine wire circuits (smaller than 0.3 square millimeter) used for a wiring harness in the instrument panel, or may require a careful maintenance thereof.

Wire harness and instrument panel assembly


A polyurethane foam containing a particulate organic polymer having a glass transition temperature of less than 0.degree. C. and a process for preparing such foam is described. A preferred type of particulate organic polymer is a styrene/butadiene polymer. The presence of such particles within a flexible polyurethane foam significantly enhances both the comfort aspect and SAG factor performance of the foam.

This invention relates to polyurethane foam containing a certain particulate organic solid and a process for its preparation.
Polyurethane foam generally is prepared by reacting, in the presence of a blowing agent, a polyisocyanate with a polyahl such as polyester or polyether polyol. When preparing flexible polyurethane foam, typically the polyol has an equivalent weight of from about 500 to about 5000. In general such foam exhibits attractive physical properties, including tensile strength and tear resistance, but for some applications may be considered deficient with regard to load bearing properties and resilience.
It is known that the load bearing properties and resilience of a polyurethane foam may be enhanced by using fillers. Use of inorganic fillers such as aluminum silicate, calcium carbonate, kaolin, silica and carbon black to enhance the load bearing properties of flexible polyurethane foam is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,441,523; 3,598,772 and 4,278,770. The use of organic fillers including styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN), polyurea adduct(PHD), and polyisocyanatepolyamine (PIPA) products when preparing polyurethane foam is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,374,209; 3,325,421; 4,042,537; 4,093,567; 3,385,351; 3,304,273; 3,523,093 and 3,110,695. U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,211 discloses the preparation of polyurethane foam in the presence of an aqueous latex comprising a "hard" polymeric substance. By "hard" it is understood a polymeric substance having a glass transition temperature in excess of 50.degree. C. Use of a substance with a glass transition of less than 50.degree. C. is reported not to give the desired property improvements. BE Patent 836,259 discloses the use of, high glass transition temperature, reticulate styrene /acrylonitrile copolymer grafted on to polybutadiene as filler when preparing polyurethane foam. U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,340 discloses the preparation of polyurethane foam in the presence of a particulate polyethylene as filler and which is reported to have a glass transition temperature in excess of 50.degree. C.
Despite the seemingly extensive knowledge and use of fillers in the preparation of the polyurethane foam there still exists a need to improve the general comfort properties of polyurethane foam and enhance its commercial usefulness. Particularly it would be desirable to enhance the "SAG" factor, or load bearing capacity, of polyurethane foam while maintaining or providing a better comfort. By "comfort" it is understood that the foam has a soft feeling and can easily adapt to the shape or configuration of the object resting on its load bearing surface.
The SAG factor is generally understood to be the ratio of the compression load deflection (CLD) or indentation load deflection (ILD) observed at 65% to that observed at 25% deflection. A SAG factor of from about 1.5 to about 2.5 is typical for flexible polyurethane foam. A higher SAG factor is generally associated with a polyurethane foam that provides more support. Use of the mentioned fillers can enhance the SAG factor of the foam to a limited extent but at the same time disadvantageously increases its hardness to the detriment of the overall comfort of the foam. Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop a foaming process which provides for foam having an enhanced SAG factor and which also provides a foam with a maintained or improved "comfort aspect".

Polyurethane foam containing a particulate organic solid and a process for the preparation thereof


A resolver can have a stator and a housing fixed without requiring a special jig. The resolver includes a housing in an approximately cylindrical shape, a stator core in an approximately annular shape fixed to the inside of the housing, in which an exciting coil and a detecting coil are wound therearound, and a rotor arranged on the inside of the stator core, wherein the stator core is fixed to the housing by a C-shaped ring, a groove extending in a circumferential direction is provided on the inside of the housing, and the stator core is fixed to the housing by engaging the C-shaped ring with the groove.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resolver having specific structural characteristics for fixing a stator in a housing.
2. Description of Related Art
As a resolver structure in which a stator is fixed in a housing, techniques described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-190598, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-178603, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-172164, are known. A technique using ultrasonic welding is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No 2010-190598, a technique using an adhesive is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-178603, and a technique using a rivet is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-172164.


An uncycled preconditioned electrode for a non-aqueous lithium electrochemical cell including a lithium metal oxide having the formula xLi2−yHyO.xM′O2.(1−x)Li1−zHzMO2 in which 0<x<1, 0<y<1 and 0<z<1, M is anon-lithium metal ion with an average trivalent oxidation state selected from two or more of the first row transition metals or lighter metal elements in the periodic table, and M′ is one or more ions with an average tetravalent oxidation state selected from the first and second row transition metal elements and Sn. The xLi2−yHy.xM′O2.(1−x)Li1−zHzMO2 material is prepared by preconditioning a precursor lithium metal oxide (i.e., xLi2M′O3.(1−x)LiMO2) with a proton-containing medium with a pH<7.0 containing an inorganic acid. Methods of preparing the electrodes are disclosed, as are electrochemical cells and batteries containing the electrodes.

State-of-the-art lithium-ion cells have a lithiated carbon negative electrode, or anode, (LixC6) and a lithium-cobalt-oxide positive electrode, or cathode, Li1−xCoO2. During charge and discharge of the cells, lithium ions are transported between the two host structures of the anode and cathode with the simultaneous oxidation or reduction of the host electrodes, respectively. When graphite is used as the anode, the voltage of the cell is approximately 4 V. The LiCoO2 cathode, which has a layered structure, is expensive and becomes unstable at low lithium content, i.e., when cells reach an overcharged state at x≧0.5. Alternative, less expensive electrode materials that are isostructural with LiCoO2, such as LiNi0.8Co0.2O2, LiNi0.5Mn0.5O2 and LiMn0.33Ni0.33Co0.33O2 are being developed with the hope of replacing at least part of the cobalt component of the electrode. However, all these layered structures, when extensively delithiated become unstable, because of the high oxygen activity at the surface of the particles. Therefore, the delithiated electrode particles tend to react with the organic solvents of the electrolyte or lose oxygen. Such reactions at the surface of layered lithium metal oxide electrodes are detrimental to the performance of the lithium cells and batteries, and methods are required to combat these reactions to ensure that maximum capacity and cycle life can be obtained from the cells.
Considerable efforts have already been made in the past to overcome the stability and solubility problems associated with layered LiCoO2 and LiNiO2 electrodes. For example, considerable success has been achieved in the past by stabilizing these electrodes by pre-treating the electrode powders with oxide additives such as Al2O3 or ZrO2 obtained from metal alkoxide precursors such as solutions containing aluminum ethylhexanoate diisopropoxide (Al(OOC8H15)(OC3H7)2 or zirconium ethylhexanoisopropoxide (Zr[(OOC8H15)2(OCH3H7)2]) as described, for example, by J. Cho et al in Chemistry of Materials, Volume 12, page 3788 (2000) and J. Cho et al in Electrochemical and Solid State Letters, Volume 4 No. 10, page A159 (2001), respectively, or a zirconium oxide, polymeric precursor or zirconium oxynitrate (ZrO(NO3)2.xH2O) as described by Z. Chen et al in Electrochemical and Solid State Letters, Volume 5, No. 10, page A213 (2002), prior to the fabrication of the final electrode thereby making the surface of the LiCoO2 particles more resistant to electrolyte attack, cobalt dissolution or oxygen loss effects.
The loss of oxygen from lithium metal oxide electrodes, such as layered LiCoO2 and LiNi1−yCoyO2 electrodes can contribute to exothermic reactions with the electrolyte and with the lithiated carbon negative electrode, and subsequently to thermal runaway if the temperature of the cell reaches a critical value. Although some success has been achieved in the past to improve the performance of lithium-ion cells by coating electrode particles, the coatings can themselves impede lithium diffusion in and out of the layered electrode structure during electrochemical discharge and charge. Further improvements in the composition of layered lithium-metal oxide electrodes, particularly at the surface of the electrodes, and in methods to manufacture them are still required to improve the overall performance and safety of lithium cells.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Lithium metal oxide electrodes for lithium batteries


A method of generating dynamic password is disclosed. A method of generating a dynamic password comprising the steps of providing a plurality of variable parameters, each parameter from the plurality of variable parameters being variable upon predetermined criteria; providing a plurality of predetermined static parameters; and processing at least some of the plurality of variable parameters and of the predetermined static parameters according to a dynamic password generating equation manipulating at least some of the plurality of variable parameters and of the predetermined static parameters resulting in an ordered sequence of dynamic and static parameters.

Security is fast becoming an important issue. It has always been an issue for everybody to protect his belongings. It is also well known that with the proliferation of computers and computer networks into all aspects of business and daily life—financial, medical, education, government, and communications—the concern over secure file access is growing. Using passwords is a common method of providing security. Password protection and/or combination type locks are employed for computer network security, automatic teller machines, telephone banking, calling cards, telephone answering services, houses, and safes. These systems generally require the knowledge of an entry code that has been selected by a user or has been preset.
Preset codes are often forgotten, as users have no reliable method of remembering them. Writing down the codes and storing them in close proximity to an access control device (i.e., the combination lock) results in a secure access control system with a very insecure code. Alternatively, the nuisance of trying several code variations renders the access control system more of a problem than a solution.
It is well known that a user determines a meaningful password, in the form of, for example, the name of their dog, the birth date of their child or an election year of the favorite candidate. This type of password is easily compromised with investigation. Conversely, a computer can randomly associate a password with a user, but this type of password is meaningless to the user and as such difficult to memorize. Consequently, the former method, which is simple, is insecure and the latter method, which is more secure, is difficult to use and often leads to a user writing their password next to their computer, thereby making the system insecure.
The multiplicity of protected system encountered in the daily life of an individual renders the use of a password particularly inconvenient, because a user has to remember a password for each accessible system. For example, the user must remember passwords for accessing network, database, E-mail, bank machine, personal voice mails at home and at work, etc. The plurality of the systems wherein a password is needed favors a single simple password for all systems. In addition, a skilled person may find a predetermined password given sufficient time, rendering the system insecure. In more sophisticated theft situations, "Trojan horse" type viruses can be used to capture a user ID number and password that have been entered at a keyboard or across a network connection. That is, the user thinks he is logging on as usual, but the dialogue box in which the data is entered is really a look-alike window that is capturing his keystrokes.
To secure access to a network, a further system was developed that relies on a user's personal information. A user requesting access to the network is prompted to answer a series of questions regarding his private life displayed on a computer screen. Such questions might be related to a relative's date of birth, a bone that was broken during childhood, a year of his first car accident, insurance company, address in January 1994, name of his first girlfriend, etc. The computer checks the validity of the answers before allowing access to the user. A computer is programmed with pertinent questions to ask a user and answers associated therewith, and when the system is initialised, the user enters the answers a first time, they are stored in a memory of the system, and are associated with the user identity. The time taken to answer all the questions prior to gaining access to the system is burdensome. It is evident that a major inconvenience with such a system is that a skilled person can find enough information of a personal nature relating to a user for answering properly the questions, and as such render the security ineffectual.


Provided herein are compositions for removal of contaminants from an air stream. The composition contains a filtration agent having one or more components that can adsorb tar or other contaminants from smoke. Also provided is a method for removing a contaminant from an air stream. Also provided are a system and a kit employing the filtration agent.

Smoked produced from the combustion of plant material, such as tobacco or medical marijuana, contains thousands of chemicals, many with varying adverse health effects. For example, it is estimated that tobacco smoke contains over 4000 chemicals of which at least 250 are known to be toxic or carcinogenic contaminants. Chemicals in tobacco smoke identified as being carcinogenic include, but are not limited to, tar, hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide, butane, ammonia, toulene, arsenic, lead, chromium, cadmium, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), N-nitrosamines, aromatic amines, aldehydes, and benzenes.
Tar, in the context of tobacco smoke, generally refers to the collection of solid particles in the smoke. Tar includes the majority of the toxic and carcinogenic compounds in tobacco smoke that, when inhaled by the smoker, can lead to numerous health ailments. When tar is inhaled, it condenses and is deposited inside the lungs of the user where it can paralyze the cilia in the lungs. The mutagenic and carcinogenic chemicals in tar can contribute to various health conditions including blood vessel disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Not only does smoking increase the risk of lung cancer, but also cancers of the lip, mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, pancreas, kidney, and bladder.
Attempts to reduce the amount of toxic and carcinogenic chemicals that reach the smoker include tobacco smoke filters positioned between the burning tobacco and the smoker. For example, filters in cigarettes are typically made of cellulose acetate, with or without activated charcoal, which removes a portion of the tar in the tobacco smoke. Filter-tipped cigarettes are commonplace with the majority of smokers buying filter-tipped cigarettes.
In a water pipe, the water does not filter out much of the toxic and harmful chemicals from smoked tobacco, despite a common misconception otherwise. Similar to cigarettes, smoke filters have been positioned at the tip of the hose between the burning tobacco and the smoker. Smoking tobacco through a water pipe first originated in India and then eventually spread to the Middle East where it has been a part of cultural tradition for centuries. In the United States, use of water pipes has become increasingly popular. Though the water and hose filter may filter out some of the toxic chemicals, an additional filtration agent is needed.

Filtration agents and methods of use thereof


An archery release is provided including a multi-bar linkage that extends from a trigger button, through a handle, an arm, and a release head, to a sear having a bowstring notch, where the linkage can be used to both set the release to a set mode and a release mode. In the set mode, the sear is nonrotatable about a sear axis and configured so a bowstring is retained in the bowstring notch. In the release mode, the sear is rotatable about the sear axis, so the bowstring can be released from the bowstring notch. The housing can define a compartment, and the bar linkage can snake through the compartment. A bias element can urge the linkage to press a tip of the sear against the housing in the set mode. When the linkage is moved, it disengages the sear, converting it to the release mode.

The present invention relates to an archery release aid, and more particularly to a hand held archery release with a handle.
Conventional archery releases are designed to temporarily hold a bowstring of an archery bow so that an archer can pull on the release and subsequently draw the bowstring to shoot an arrow from the bow. Archery releases typically assist an archer in quickly and cleanly releasing the bowstring. In general, archery releases are intended to consistently release the bowstring when the archer shoots the arrow, and thus increase the accuracy of the shot.
A common type of release used by some archers, and in particular many competitive archers, is a hand held release, which is generally held in an archer's hand during a shot sequence. One hand held release is a thumb release, which includes a trigger assembly that is mechanically actuated by a thumb trigger configured to be engaged by a user's thumb. This thumb release can be held in a user's hand with one or more fingers on the handle, while the thumb is positioned over the thumb trigger. To activate the thumb release, the archer engages the thumb trigger, which in turn engages the trigger assembly, causing the string hook to pivot and release the bowstring.
Thumb releases also have a complicated system of pawls and sears associated with the trigger assembly, as well as a separate hook set assembly which is used to set the trigger and thus the string hook in a fixed position so that it will not release the bowstring before the trigger assembly is actuated. The hook set assembly of conventional thumb releases includes a set button that is separate from and protrudes from the thumb release distal from the trigger. To set the hook with this hook set assembly, a user must manually depress the set button when the bowstring is captured in the hook. This in turn rotates and actuates a set of pawls to lock the hook in the fixed position. To release the hook, as noted above, the user engages the separate trigger assembly having yet another set of sears and pawls.
While thumb releases with a trigger assembly and a separate set assembly are functional, they require that two separate sets of components be installed in the release. These parts are numerous, so they are time consuming to install and are difficult to time perfectly so they function well. The parts also in many cases must be manufactured with low tolerances and very hard steel, or polished or treated so they move smoothly and crisply relative to one another. Thus, many of the parts of the two assemblies are rather expensive to manufacture as well. Further, as noted above, with the extra set assembly, the user must perform an extra operation of pushing the set button to ready the hook to hold the bowstring.
Accordingly, there remains room for improvement with regard to the setting of a release hook and the associated components of a thumb release.


A glass article used for producing a coated, solar control glass for architectural windows. The coated article includes a glass substrate, a coating of a titanium oxide deposited on and adhering to the surface of the glass substrate, a coating of silicon dioxide deposited on and adhering to the surface of the coating of the titanium oxide, a second coating of titanium oxide deposited on and adhering to the surface of the coating of the silicon dioxide, and an outer coating of a conductive metal oxide deposited on and adhering to the surface of the second coating of the titanium oxide. A specific coating stack on the glass substrate provides a neutral colored article having a high visible light transmittance, a reduced solar energy transmittance, a low emittance, and a high total solar reflectance. The use of the article in architectural glazings results in a glazing that reflects solar energy in the summer and provides a low U value for the winter.

1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to a coated glass article having a solar control coating. More particularly, this invention relates to a coating stack of a titanium oxide, silicon dioxide, a titanium oxide, and a conductive metal oxide on a glass substrate that results in an article having a color neutral reflectance, a low emittance, a low solar energy transmittance, a high total solar reflectance, and a high visible light transmittance.
2. Summary of Related Art.
Coatings on architectural glass are commonly utilized to provide specific energy absorption and light transmittance properties. Additionally, coatings provide desired reflective or spectral properties that are aesthetically pleasing. The coated articles are often used singularly or in combination with other coated articles to form a glazing or window unit.
Coated glass articles are typically produced "on-line" by continuously coating a glass substrate while it is being manufactured in a process known in the art as the "float glass process". Additionally, coated glass articles are produced "off-line" through a sputtering process. The former process involves casting glass onto a molten tin bath which is suitably enclosed, thereafter transferring the glass, after it is sufficiently cooled, to lift out rolls which are aligned with the bath, and finally cooling the glass as it advances across the rolls, initially through a lehr and thereafter while exposed to the ambient atmosphere. A non-oxidizing atmosphere is maintained in the float portion of the process, while the glass is in contact with the molten tin bath, to prevent oxidation. An oxidizing atmosphere is maintained in the lehr. In general, the coatings are applied onto the glass substrate in the float bath of the float bath process. However, coatings may also be applied onto the substrate in the lehr.
The attributes of the resulting coated glass substrate are dependent upon the specific coatings applied during the float glass process or an off-line sputtering process. The coating compositions and thicknesses impart energy absorption and light transmittance properties within the coated article while also affecting the spectral properties. Desired attributes may be obtainable by adjusting the compositions or thicknesses of the coating layer or layers. However, adjustments to enhance a specific property can adversely impact other transmittance or spectral properties of the coated glass article. Obtaining desired spectral properties is often difficult when trying to combine specific energy absorption and light transmittance properties in a coated glass article.
It would be advantageous to provide a coated glass article having a neutral tint that rejects solar energy in the summer and provides a low U value for the winter. A solar reducing glazing with a low emittance, a low solar energy transmittance, and a high total solar reflection would significantly improve energy costs in buildings and homes while providing a desirable neutral tint.
It would also be advantageous to provide a solar reducing glazing that has a color neutral reflectance, a low emittance, a high visible light transmittance, a low total solar energy transmittance, and a high total solar reflection. The use of a neutral colored article in architectural glazings would permit the transmission of a high degree of visible light while reflecting a significant amount of near infrared energy. Furthermore, the low emittance characteristic of the glazing would minimize any indirect heat gain from absorption.

Coated glass article having a solar control coating


Disclosed is a method for producing a nitrile rubber comprising adding 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of at least one phosphate emulsifier selected from the group consisting of monoalkyl ether phosphate (MAP) represented by the following Formula 1 and dialkyl ether phosphate (DAP) represented by the following Formula 2, with respect to 100 parts by weight of monomers constituting the nitrile rubber. The method minimizes mold contamination during molding of produced nitrile rubber, eliminates the necessity of any process of removing mold contaminants, improves production efficiency and thus reduces defect rates of final molded articles.

In general, a nitrile rubber is a random copolymer of acrylonitrile and butadiene, which is produced at an acrylonitrile content ranging from 15 to 50%.
The most essential advantage of nitrile rubber is considerably excellent oil resistance thereof. This is due to polarity of nitrile present in acrylonitrile. For this reason, physical properties of nitrile rubbers greatly vary depending upon amounts of nitrile incorporated in nitrile rubbers. Regarding correlations between oil resistance, nitrile content and swelling, and between aniline point (defined as the minimum temperature at which equal volumes of hydrocarbon and aniline are completely miscible wherein the aniline point enables estimation of components of hard mineral oils such as gasoline) of oils and swelling, as content of nitrile increases, oil resistance becomes better, and as aniline point increases, swelling decreases. As used herein, the term "oils" refers to mineral oils, that is, petroleum hydrocarbons which are widely used as lubricants or hydraulic operating oils. In particular, it should be noted that these oils are preferably used after evaluation of oil resistance of rubbers at an aniline point and measurement of variation in physical properties or swelling in oils used as seals, because the oils contain a variety of additives which may have any effect on the rubbers. In addition, as a result of measurement of compression set distortion of O-rings in hot oils for a long time, it can be seen that the O-rings exhibit superior properties and that O-rings slightly increasing in volume are presumed to exhibit superior sealing properties as compared to O-rings decreasing volume, based on the fact that O-rings slightly increasing in volume exhibit good properties. Nitrile rubbers are the most suitable for use in O-rings for seals of lubricating oils, operating oils, fuel oils or the like, V packings and oil seals in all fields including industrial machines, construction equipment, automation systems, cars, airplanes and the like and are used in great amounts due to excellent oil resistance. Temperature at which nitrile rubbers are used greatly varies according to mixing conditions, but low contents of nitrile are used for apparatuses, airplanes and the like operating at −50 to −120° C., in particular, at low temperatures in polar regions or cold climes. In addition, high contents of nitrile exhibit excellent heat resistance or mechanical properties and superior gas barrier properties, thus being applicable to vacuum conditions of 10 torr or less. Nitrile rubber is polymerized by common low-temperature emulsion polymerization and coagulated using a coagulant which is then used in the form of a veil. However, there is a need to solve a problem of low production efficiency due to repeated removal of residual foreign substances present on molds after molding of nitrile rubbers.


An automobile compound taillight includes a main base, a main light base, a side light base, and a bottom light base. The main light base, the side light base and the bottom light base are respectively positioned in the main base at a front opening, a side opening and a bottom opening and then those openings sealed with a main light cover, a side light cover and a bottom light cover. The main light base, the side light base and the bottom light base respectively have an electric circuit board and plural LED lamps. The electric circuit board of the main light base is connected with an electric system of a automobile, and the electric circuit boards of the side light base and the bottom light base are connected with that of the main light base. Thus, the automobile compound taillight can be used as a brake light, a direction one and a tail one separately.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a automobile compound tail light, particularly to one having different lighting functions provided at a rear side of an automobile and composed of a main base, a main light base, a side light base and a bottom base. The tail light has a sealed electric circuit board and a plurality of LED lamps provided respectively in the main light base, the side light bass and the bottom base. This makes the signals completely separate and insulated from the exterior in a waterproof way so as to prolong its service life, and also to be more easily repaired.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional automobile taillight shown in FIG. 1 includes a main base (A), a main light base (B), a main cover (C), a side cover (D), and a bottom cover (E). The main base (A) is opaque, having a position tube (A1) with two threaded holes on an inner surface, and an opening respectively in a front side, a left side and a bottom side, a plurality of female-threaded tubes (A2) in an inner surface of the front opening, a female-threaded tube (A3) respectively at two sides of the left opening, and an engagement groove (A4) in an inner surface of the bottom opening.
The main light base (B) has a hole (B2) respectively at two sides, and a side light base (B1) extending from one side, and a light bulb is respectively fitted in the main light base (B) and the side light base (B2). The main cover (C) is colored and transparent, having a raised circular surface in the center portion. The side cover (D) is colored and transparent, having a hole respectively at two sides. The bottom cover (E) is not colored and transparent, having plural projections (E1) on two side edges. The bottom cover (E) is received in the interior of the main base (A), with the projections (E1) fitting in the engage grooves (A4) of the main base (A) by means of outer pressure of the bottom opening of the main base (A).
The main light base (B) is fixed with the bottom base (A) by screws (F) inserted through the holes (B2), engaging with the position tubes (A1), and protruding outward from the bottom base. Further, the side light base (B1) faces the left side opening of the main base (A) and the main light base (B) faces the front opening of the main base (A). The main cover (C) closes up the front opening of the bottom base (A), with screws (G) passing through the holes (C1) and then engaging with the female-threaded tubes (A2). Further, the side cover (D) closes up the side opening of the bottom base (A), with screws (H) passing through the holes (D1) and engaging with the female-threaded tubes (A3). In addition the whole taillight is secured above a license plate by the screws (F) also engaging the license plate frame and washers.
However, the conventional automobile compound tail light makes use of the light bulb in the main light base to shine through the main cover, so as to function as a brake light, a direction light, and at the same time shining through the bottom cover to cast light on the license plate. In addition, the light bulb in the side light base shines through the side cover to function as a side-indicating light. The main base is enclosed by the main cover, the bottom cover and the side cover; and has an open interior to permit the main cover, the bottom cover and the side cover shine at the same time when the light bulb of the main light base is lit up. Thus, the lamp light beam is shot out through the three sides of the main base, making it impossible to represent the exact function of any single indication. Moreover, the light beam that the conventional light bulb gives out is quite weak, not meeting the complete needs of the modern traffic safety regulations. And in addition, the conventional light bulb and the main light base are not processed with waterproof means, and are apt to cause breakage in case of high temperature or water leakage in case of raining.


A display device having a rectangular display window with a major and a minor dimension, and a deflection unit producing a scanning line raster on a display screen on the inner surface of the display window, the scan lines extending in the minor direction. The inside surface of the display window has a major radius of curvature (R.sub.cmajor), a minor radius of curvature (R.sub.cminor), a diagonal dimension (D) and an aspect ration (A), which parameters are related by the formulas 1.1<R.sub.cminor /D<2.5, also 2.5<R.sub.cmajor /D, also R.sub.cmajor >A*R.sub.cminor. The display window is thereby very flat and scanning line raster distortion is reduced so that it is easily correctible by the deflection fields produced by the deflection unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a display device comprising a display tube having a rectangular display window with a short axis and a long axis and an inside surface on which a display screen is provided, electron gun means for generating at least one electron beam and which is arranged opposite the display screen, and a deflection system located between the electron gun means and the display screen. Such display devices are used in, inter alia, television receivers and computer monitors.
2. Description of the Related Art
A problem with this type of display devices is so-called raster distortion. Due to raster distortion, a straight line is reproduced as a curved line on the display screen. In future HDTV systems this problem will become more serious. Such systems employ higher line and field scanning frequencies than the conventional systems and generally have a larger display screen. Raster distortion is more conspicuous in relatively large display screens, and is difficult to correct at comparatively high frequencies. In general, correcting raster distortion becomes more difficult according as the flatness of the display window increases.

Color picture tube with reduced raster distortion and flat appearing display window


Systems and methods for voicemail filtering and transcription are described herein. According to various embodiments, an integrated communication system performs filtering and transcription of voicemail messages (“voicemails”) and forwards the voicemails via email to a user's email-capable device. Filtering includes generating a priority flag based on a word search of the voicemail. The integrated communication system further performs a rough transcription of the voicemail, either automatically or on demand as specified by the user. According to embodiments, the rough transcription is entered as text in an email that is sent to the user. In an embodiment, a user may request a refined transcription of the voicemail by pressing a button on the user's device. In an embodiment, the rough transcription is replaced by the refined transcription in the original email and the original is marked “unread” in the user's email inbox on the user's device.

Almost everyone today communicates using more than one communication technology or medium multiple times per day. Communication media include electronic mail ("email") messaging, Short Messaging Service ("SMS") messaging, voice messaging, and more. Users receive and send messages over a variety of wired and wireless networks via a variety of devices, such as desktop computers, wired phones, wireless devices (e.g., phones and personal digital assistants ("PDAs")), and more.
Currently it is possible to receive emails on a mobile phone device, such as a BlackBerry®. It is also possible to receive notification of voicemails via email on any email capable device. In some systems, email notification includes a playable audio file (such as a WAV file, for example) of the message so the user may hear the message without calling in to a voicemail system. This voicemail/email integration is available to individual users through commercial providers who may redirect voice callers from the users "old" phone number to their system. Alternatively, some providers give the user a different number to be used for voicemail-to-email processing. In addition, complete integration of communication media within an enterprise is available from Adomo, Inc. For example, the Adomo "Unified Communications" solutions integrate tightly with existing enterprise communications and data management systems to provide employees with seamless access to messages of all types on all devices, no matter where the employee are physically located.
As capable devices and systems proliferate, users increasingly demand that their messages be readily, if not instantly, available on all of their devices, regardless of the type or source of the message. At the same time, the ubiquity of highly capable communication devices just seems to raise message recipients' expectations that their messages will be very promptly received, understood, and appropriately responded to. Even though users have more and faster access than ever to voicemail and email, there are still some areas in which the time for apprehending and/or responding to messages can be relatively slow. For example, a user may receive an email notification that a voicemail has been received, but may be unable to access and/or listen to the voicemail right away. If the user is in a meeting it may be acceptable to glance at his or her device to see what kind of message has been received, but it is not acceptable to listen to a voicemail. In some cases, the identity of the voicemail sender may be known from the notification, which might provide some level of information regarding the urgency of the message. In many cases, there is no information other than the notification itself.
To eliminate the inconvenience and delay caused by having to listen to voicemails, methods have been developed to provide voicemail transcriptions to a user's device (such as a BlackBerry®, for example) instead of an audio data file or a link to an audio data file. For example, Spinvox® Ltd. offers a voicemail transcription service that requires a mobile network provider to install particular voicemail software. Voicemail data is sent by the network provider to a transcriber who plays and transcribes the voice message, then sends the text of the transcription to the user's device. This method has the disadvantage of lacking complete integration with the user's email system. One part of the communication is the original voice call, which is disconnected from the later email in which the transcribed text is sent. Thus, the entire history of the communication is not readily available for archiving or audit purposes, for example. Another disadvantage is that each voicemail is treated in the same way, whether or not any user benefit is derived from having the transcription performed.
Another conventional example of voicemail transcription is provided by SimulScribe™, Inc. SimulScribe™ provides a service that includes redirecting the user's callers to an intermediary voicemail system that performs transcription of all voicemails and forwards the text result to the user's phone. This method has the same disadvantages previously mentioned. Other disadvantages of various prior methods include a requirement for the user to give callers a different number in order to receive transcription, and the lack of privacy or confidentiality guarantees to callers who may not wish their voicemails to be transcribed, or may wish to control the disposition of transcripts.


An audio signal processing device which processes audio signals and outputs the audio signals, is made capable of storing a plurality of setting data as scenes, selecting a portion to be copied as copy data from current data being setting data representing a current status of the device in accordance with the setting at a copy data selection section, selecting a scene to be a paste destination of the copy data in accordance with the setting at a paste destination selection section, and rewriting with the copy data a portion corresponding to the copy data among the scene selected as the paste destination.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an audio signal processing device composed of a mixer, an effecter, a recorder, a synthesizer, and combination thereof, which optionally processes inputted audio signals and outputs the audio signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, digital mixers for controlling audio systems at places, for example, for concerts, plays, and so on have been known as audio signal processing devices which optionally process inputted audio signals and output the audio signals. In such places, many microphones and many speakers are used to provide a variety of sound effects and so on, in which the digital mixer controls in a centralized manner how to mix many inputs, how to apply such effects, to which output system to output them, and so on. In other words, the digital mixer performs mixing, equalizing, and so on, in accordance with a setting, for audio signals of voice inputted through the microphones and outputs them to the speakers.
The setting, however, should be done over a wide range such as a mixing status, a patch status, names of switches, kinds of boards used for input and output, and so on, leading to difficult setting operation when and where required. Hence, several required settings are stored in advance as "scenes", so that a required scene is selected and loaded from among the stored ones to reproduce a required setting status at a required situation.
In such a mixer, however, since one scene includes the setting associated with the whole mixer, the load and save of the scene needs to be done in batch. Therefore, even when, for example, only the setting of one effector for an existing scene needs to be modified, it is necessary to load the whole scene, then perform the necessary modification, and save the modified whole scene again. This causes greatly reduced operability because updating a scene may often require only modification of not the whole scene but a part thereof.
Besides, in such a mixer, since contents of mixing processing, display on a screen, positions of controls, and so on are automatically modified to be suitable for the setting of the loaded scene when loading a scene, an operator needs to wait for completion of such modification every load of a scene, resulting in further reduced operability of editing.
In addition, the problem of the reduced operability is particularly serious in such a case that similar modifications are desired to be performed for a plurality of scenes because they are loaded one by one and edited in sequence.
Besides, a mixer that has a channel library function of separately storing a setting of a channel in current data which is setting data reflected in processing, also has the problem of the reduced operability because the mixer needs to load scenes one by one and work for them in sequence, although the mixer may edit the scenes in the following procedure:                (1) Set a parameter on one channel of current data by operating controls.        (2) Store in a channel library a setting of the channel.        (3) Load a scene desired to be modified.        (4) Load the setting stored in the channel library into a channel desired to be modified of the loaded scene, and rewrite the channel with the setting.        (5) Save the modified scene.


A high capacitance charge storage capacitor for a DRAM has a lower electrode in contact with one source/drain region of a transfer FET. The lower capacitor electrode includes a first layer of polysilicon deposited over part of the transfer FET and in contact with the source/drain region of the transfer FET. An oxide layer is deposited over the first polysilicon layer and then a sparse layer of hemispherical grained polysilicon is deposited on the surface of the oxide layer. The sparse layer of hemispherical grained polysilicon has grains on the order of approximately 100 nanometers across that are separated on the average by approximately 100 nanometers. The layer of oxide is etched using the sparse grains of hemispherical grained polysilicon as a mask, with the etch process stopping on the surface of the first layer of polysilicon. A second layer of polysilicon is deposited over the remaining grains of hemispherical grained polysilicon and over the column-shaped portions of the oxide layer left by the etching stop. A capacitor dielectric is formed over the second layer of polysilicon and then an upper capacitor electrode is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the formation of capacitors for integrated circuit memories and particularly to methods of forming high capacitance structures in a high production volume manufacturing environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
In dynamic random access memories (DRAMs), information is typically stored by selectively charging or discharging each capacitor of an array of capacitors formed on the surface of a semiconductor substrate. Most often, a single bit of binary information is stored at each capacitor by associating a discharged capacitor state with a logical zero and a charged capacitor state with a logical one, or vice versa. The surface area of the electrodes of the memory capacitors determines the amount of charge that can be stored on each of the capacitors for a given operating voltage, for the electrode separation that can reliably be manufactured, and for the dielectric constant of the capacitor dielectric used between the electrodes of the charge storage capacitor. Read and write operations are performed in the memory by selectively coupling the charge storage capacitor to a bit line to either transfer charge to or from the charge storage capacitor. The selective coupling of the charge storage capacitor to the bit line is typically accomplished using a transfer field effect transistor (FET). The bit line contact is typically made to one of the source/drain electrodes of the transfer FET and the charge storage capacitor is typically formed in contact with the other of the source/drain electrodes of the transfer FET. Word line signals are supplied to the gate of the FET to connect one electrode of the charge storage capacitor through the transfer FET to the bit line contact facilitating the transfer of charge between the charge storage capacitor and the bit line.
There is a continuing trend toward increasing the storage density of integrated circuit memories to provide increased quantities of data storage on a single chip. Higher density memories provide storage that is generally more compact and is often cheaper on a per bit basis than an equivalent amount of storage provided on plural chips. It has generally been possible to provide these higher levels of storage at equivalent or improved levels of performance as compared to the earlier, less dense memory chips. Historically, the density of integrated circuit devices has been increased in part by decreasing the size of structures such as wiring lines and transistor gates and in part by decreasing the separation between the structures that make up the integrated circuit device. Reducing the size of circuit structures is generally referred to as decreasing the "design rules" used for the manufacture of the integrated circuit device.
Applying reduced design rules to a DRAM reduces the substrate surface area that can be devoted to the charge storage capacitor of the DRAM. Thus, applying reduced design rules to conventional planar capacitor designs reduces the amount of charge (i.e., capacitance) that can be stored on the charge storage capacitor. Reducing the amount of charge on the capacitor leads to a variety of problems, including the potential loss of data due to greater susceptibility to decay mechanisms and to charge leakage. This greater susceptibility to charge loss may cause the DRAM to require more frequent refresh cycles, which are undesirable since the memory may be unavailable for data storage and readout transactions during refresh activities. In addition, reduced levels of charge storage might require more sophisticated data readout schemes or more sensitive charge sensing amplifiers. Thus, modem DRAMs require increased levels of capacitance in reduced substrate area DRAM cells. To this end, a variety of very complex capacitor structures having three dimensional charge storage surfaces have been proposed. In general, these complex capacitor structures are difficult to manufacture. This is particularly true when the requirements are taken into account for forming such capacitor structures in a high throughput manufacturing environment in a manner compatible with high yields.
One strategy that has been adopted in attempting to improve the DRAM cell capacitance has been to incorporate hemispherical grained polysilicon within the charge storage capacitor. Most current DRAM capacitor designs incorporate conventional polysilicon within both electrodes of the capacitor. While the conventional polysilicon can be shaped into very complex shapes, its surface is essentially smooth. Hemispherical grained polysilicon (HSG-Si) is a particular form of polysilicon that has a rough surface when deposited under carefully controlled conditions and which can be incorporated on the surface of the capacitor electrode to increase the surface area of the electrode. By providing a layer of hemispherical grained polysilicon on one capacitor electrode, the capacitance of a given DRAM charge storage capacitor can be increased by a factor of approximately 1.8 times.
There are, on the other hand, disadvantages to the use of HSG-Si in DRAM capacitors. HSG-Si can have unpredictable surface properties that can reduce capacitance or reduce the stability of the capacitor. In addition, it can be difficult to adequately dope HSG-Si during deposition. Thus, in addition to the precise control required in the deposition process, it is typically necessary to include a separate doping step to ensure that the HSG-Si layer has an appropriate level of conductivity for use on the surface of the capacitor electrode. The processing difficulty associated with using HSG-Si on the surface of a polysilicon capacitor electrode limits is applicability to high volume manufacturing processes. In many instances, the gain in capacitance achieved through use of HSG-Si in a capacitor does not justify the added expense and reduced yields associated with its use.
It is an object of the present invention to provide increased levels of charge storage capacitance for an integrated circuit capacitor of the type that might be used in a memory. It is a further object of the present invention to provide increased capacitance in a highly manufacturable manner.

c/o United Microelectronics Corporation, No. 13 Innovation First Road, Science Industrial Park


The invention discloses a folding flat mop having a mop-holding rod, two wing plates, a synchronous-folding-expanding connecting body, a synchronous-folding-expanding element, and a rotating sleeve connector. Each wing plate has a press-against body having an upper protrusion and a side protrusion, and a cleaning member is mounted on a bottom surface of each wing plate. The synchronous-folding-expanding connecting body has a shaft portion and two wing-plate-connecting portions respectively pivotally connected to the two wing plates. The synchronous-folding-expanding element is installed in a hole of the shaft portion, and each end of the synchronous-folding-expanding element is pivotally connected to or is gear engaged with each wing plate. The rotating sleeve connector has a sleeve portion covering an outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion and an attaching portion protruding upward from the sleeve portion to connect to the mop-holding rod.

A mop head of a conventional foldable flat mop is with structure as follows. A wing plate is connected to each side of two sides of a connector. A mop head is installed on a bottom side of each wing plate. A mop-holding rod connects to the connector. When two wing plates are expanded outward with respective to the connector, the foldable flat mop is in an expanded situation for cleaning operation. When the two wing plates are folded inward, the foldable flat mop occupies less space for mop head cleaning and storing.
However, the conventional foldable flat mops are without function for firmly locking the two wing plates when the two wing plates are expanded outward in a horizontal plane for cleaning operation. In detail, when the two wing plates are expanded outward, the unnecessary pivoting may happen in the jointing points between each wing plate and the connector in the conventional foldable flat mop to thus cause the bottom surfaces of the two wing plate to be not horizontal to each other. Thus it affects the cleaning performance. Even though a fixing spring is deliberately mounted between the wing plate and the connector, the unnecessary pivoting still exists in the joint points between the wing plate and connector because the fixing spring has its maximum loading. Moreover, when the two wing plates are folded, it also lacks a folded-locking mechanism such that it causes the two wing plates to easily sway or shake.

Synchronously foldable and expandable flat mop


The present invention is a method or system for acceptance testing and commissioning of a LINAC and treatment planning system (TPS). For a LINAC commissioning, the present invention collects reference data from a fully calibrated LINAC and compares the reference data with machine performance data collected from a testing LINAC. The compared results are analyzed to assess accuracy of the testing LINAC. For a TPS commissioning, the present invention collects standard reference data from standard treatment plans and standard input data and compares the standard reference data with results from standard tests that are performed by a testing treatment plan system. The compares results are analyzed to assess accuracy of the testing treatment plan system.

Many conventional methods for commissioning a linear accelerator (LINAC) equipped with an electronic portal image device (EPID) largely depend on individual testing environment and parameters. Because individual testing parameters are usually configured by an end user, certain levels of machine performance variability can be found, some leading to potentially questionable quality of patient treatments.
Likewise, for treatment planning systems (TPS) work, local institutions generally collect data and create their own plans and procedures for evaluation of a local TPS system. Because local data is unique to each local testing environment, any performance variability in the system is difficult to assess and evaluate due to the variability of input data and testing processes. Furthermore, in the perspective of an end user of TPS systems, it is not clear whether the performance variability in the system is caused by the variability of input data or an incorrect performance or configuration of TPS systems.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.

Acceptance, commissioning, and ongoing benchmarking of a linear accelerator (LINAC) using an electronic portal imaging device (EPID)

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA


A multi-layer piezoelectric element includes a stacked body in which piezoelectric layers and internal electrode layers are alternately laminated and a stress relaxing layer is disposed at part of portions between the piezoelectric layers, and an external electrode that is bonded to a side face of the stacked body so as to make electrical connection with the internal electrode layers, the internal electrode layers being not exposed on the side face of the stacked body, but the stress relaxing layer being exposed on the side face of the stacked body.

A conventional multi-layer piezoelectric element has, for example, a stacked body in which piezoelectric layers and internal electrode layers are alternately laminated; and a pair of external electrodes configured to bond to side faces of the stacked body so as to make electrical connection with the internal electrode layers that are set so as to have alternately opposite polarities and are linked to the side faces.
On side faces of the stacked body on which no external electrode is formed, internal electrode layers sandwiching a piezoelectric layer therebetween and set so as to have as large an area as possible may be exposed. In that case, in order to prevent electric discharge on the side faces, the side faces of the stacked body are coated with an insulating resin so as to cover the exposed end portions of the internal electrode layers.

Multi-layer piezoelectric element with stress relaxing, and injection device and fuel injection system using the same


Disclosed herein is wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) and demultiplexing with signal entry and exit in a common routing surface to increase channel density. In particular, disclosed is a WDM assembly including one or more common ports and one or more channel sets, with each channel set including one or more channel ports. The WDM assembly includes a first routing surface with a first WDM passband and a second routing surface offset from the first routing surface. The second routing surface is configured to reflect at least one signal passed through the first routing surface back through the first routing surface at a laterally different location. The offset controls a pitch between reflected signals, while maintaining a sufficiently large surface area to ensure proper signal performance and/or structural integrity. Controlling pitch by offset provides higher density routing with smaller channel pitches and/or more channels in a decreased volume.

The disclosure relates to wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) and demultiplexing, and more particularly, to WDM assemblies with signal entry and exit in a same routing surface for increased channel density.
Wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) is a technology that multiplexes (e.g., adds) a number of distinct wavelengths of light onto a single optical fiber and demultiplexes (e.g., divides) a number of distinct wavelengths of light from a single optical fiber, thereby increasing information capacity and enabling bi-directional flow of signals. Multiple optical signals are multiplexed with different wavelengths of light combined by a multiplexer at a transmitter, directed to a single fiber for transmission of the signal, and split by a demultiplexer to designated channels at a receiver. By combining multiple channels of light into a single channel, WDM assemblies and associated devices can be used as components in an optical network, such as a passive optical network (PON).
There is an increasing need for faster transceivers, and accordingly, transceivers with more channels (as electronic signal speed cannot increase unlimitedly). Digital signal processing (DSP) and other signal modulation techniques (e.g., 4-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4)) may be used to increase the data transfer rate but are extremely costly, especially compared to passive techniques. Such passive techniques include arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) planar lightwave circuit (PLC) and optical thin film filter (TFF) free space wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). Although AWG PLC may be more compact, TFF WDM is superior in loss, passband ripple, passband width, isolation, and thermal stability.
As an example, FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a WDM assembly 100 including a single WDM common port 102 in optical communication with a set 104 of four WDM channel ports 106(1)-106(4) by a plurality of WDM filters 108(1)-108(4) and reflective surfaces 110(1)-110(3). The WDM filters 108(1)-108(4) and the reflective surfaces 110(1)-110(3) are arranged to form an optical path 112 between the common port 102 and each of the channel ports 106(1)-106(4). In particular, each of the WDM filters 108(1)-108(4) has a TFF with a unique passband to allow a portion of the optical signal to pass through the WDM filters 108(1)-108(4) and to reflect the remaining portion of the optical signal towards the reflective surfaces 110(1)-110(3), which in turn reflect the remaining portion of the optical signal towards another one of the remaining WDM filters 108(2)-108(4).
The total data transfer rate can be increased by increasing the number of wavelength channels of an optical transceiver, but there is a growing demand to decrease dimensions of the optical transceiver, thereby resulting in significant decreases in the pitch P1-P3 between adjacent channels. However, there are restrictions on decreasing the size of the WDM filters 108(1)-108(4) and/or reflective surfaces 110(1)-110(3). For example, there is a minimum surface area required for proper signal performance (e.g., signals may be negatively affected if too close to an edge of the TFF of a WDM filter 108(1)-108(4) and/or reflective surface 110(1)-110(3)). Further, there is a minimum surface area to apply a TFF to a substrate of a WDM filter 108(1)-108(4) (e.g., 500 microns in a lateral dimension). In other words, there are performance and manufacturing limitations on decreasing the sizes of the WDM filters 108(1)-108(4) and/or reflective surfaces 110(1)-110(3), but there is a need to decrease the pitch P1-P3 between adjacent channels.

Wavelength division multiplexing with signal entry and exit in same routing surface to increase channel density