A tuned mass vibration damper for damping a vibration component of a rotational movement, has at least one guide component part configured to movably guide the damper masses such that the damper masses are offset along a circumferential direction, and a dimensionally stable spacer component part that is rotatable relative to the guide component part and which has a positive engagement connection with clearance with the damper masses that are configured such that, starting from a center position of the damper masses with respect to the spacer component part, when one of the damper masses executes an oscillation which overcomes a clearance in the connections of two of the damper masses with respect to the spacer component part, the spacer component part is rotated along the circumferential direction such that it drives the other damper mass of the two damper masses along the circumferential direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a tuned mass vibration damper for a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, for damping a vibration component of a rotational movement. Tuned mass vibration dampers can be used within the framework of starting elements in a hydrodynamic torque converter in a motor vehicle.
2. Detailed Description of Prior Art
In many starting elements, also referred to as starting clutches, tuned mass vibration dampers are used to damp rotational irregularities originating in an internal combustion engine. Torque shocks transmitted via the crankshaft to an input of a starting element of this type occur operationally in internal combustion engines due to energy being released in bursts. To keep these torque shocks away from an output of the starting element which is itself often coupled to an input of a transmission, or at least to damp them, vibration dampers can be used to damp these and other vibration components of the rotational movement of the crankshaft.
To this end, vibration dampers often have an oscillatory system or a system having the capability of temporarily storing energy by energy accumulators. Depending on the specific implementation of a corresponding vibration damper, spring elements or other energy accumulators can be used for this purpose.
In tuned mass vibration dampers, oscillating pendulum masses, also referred to as damper masses, are used to store energy spikes in a corresponding rotational movement. In contrast to many other vibration dampers in which the rotational movement to be transmitted and, therefore, the torque to be coupled into an input side of the vibration damper and coupled out again at the output side, tuned mass vibration dampers typically have only one connection by which they are coupled to the rotational movement to be transmitted. In other words, in tuned mass vibration dampers the spring elements, i.e., damper masses, are not typically arranged in the torque path. Rather, the connection of the tuned mass vibration damper serves to absorb the above-mentioned energy spikes and to deliver the buffered energy.
Currently, there are many additional requirements for tuned mass vibration dampers apart from the basic function of the tuned mass vibration damper, namely, to damp a vibration component of a rotational movement. For example, it should be possible to produce them as simply as possible. They should also utilize the total available installation space as efficiently as possible. Often, there is only a predetermined total installation space available for a starting element that must be shared by the individual components of the starting element. In mechanical systems for vibration damping, the size of a component often has an important influence on its function. However, in view of the limited available installation space, constraints may arise with respect to the most efficient possible utilization of the installation space available for the tuned mass vibration damper.
There are also efforts being made to construct a corresponding tuned mass vibration damper by the simplest possible technical means, and using as few resources as possible, and to integrate it in a corresponding starting element. Accordingly, in this respect also, there is a demand for the most efficient and simplest possible production of a tuned mass vibration damper, for which purpose a compromise could be made between use of material and the actual production resources expended on installation.
Due to the fact that corresponding damper masses used in tuned mass vibration dampers themselves execute oscillations in order to damp a vibration component of the rotational movement, it can possibly come about under certain operating conditions that the damper masses produce noises found annoying by the driver and the passengers of a vehicle in which the starting element is integrated, as well by other persons and passers-by. Depending on the specific implementation of a tuned mass vibration damper of this type, metallic noises, for example, can be produced which may occur, for example, during the starting of the engine or when switching it off.
During operation of a tuned mass vibration damper, centrifugal forces in particular also occur in addition to the weight force, which centrifugal forces act on the damper masses. Due to the centrifugal force brought about by the engine rotating speed, the damper masses, also referred to as weights, of a tuned mass vibration damper of this type are pressed radially outward. The centrifugal force depends on the speed, the center of gravity radius and the mass of the damper masses. In this connection, speed is the variable that is easily influenced during operation. When switching off the engine, for example, the engine speed decreases until the engine finally stops (0 rpm).
When switching off the engine, an engine speed is reached at which the magnitude of the weight force acting on the damper masses exceeds in that of the centrifugal forces acting on the damper masses. At this point, it may happen that the individual damper masses collide with one another and produce the annoying noises mentioned above.
Such noises can also be generated by the rollers on which the damper masses can be supported. When these rollers strike the stops in their path curves, this can also be accompanied by an annoying noise. Thus as a result of the momentum of the damper masses, a noise can be produced that is unaccustomed and therefore bothersome to the driver, the passengers of the vehicle, or other persons. Therefore, efforts are also made to reduce, minimize or possibly even completely eliminate occurrence of noises during operation of a tuned mass vibration damper.
Apart from starting elements such as can be used in a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, tuned mass vibration dampers can also be used in other rotating systems in which damping of a vibration component of the rotational movement is necessary or advisable. Examples can be found in the field of machine tool engineering as well as in other fields of machine building and automotive engineering in which corresponding rotational irregularities occur, or can occur, in a rotational movement.
DE 10 2011 004 443 A1 relates to a vibration damping device in a vehicle having a deflection mass support rotatable around a rotational axis and at least one deflection mass supported at the deflection mass support so as to be displaceable with respect to it. A deflection of the at least one deflection mass out of a basic relative position with respect to the deflection mass support changes a radial position of the at least one deflection mass with respect to the rotational axis. A restoring or return arrangement is associated with at least one deflection mass and exerts a force oriented in direction of its basic relative position on the deflection mass at least in a partial range of the deflecting movement of the relevant deflection masses.
DE 10 2011 100 895 A1 is directed to a centrifugal pendulum absorber, particularly in a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, with a pendulum flange that is rotatable around an axis of rotation and with a plurality of pendulum masses distributed along the circumference on both sides of the pendulum flange. Two axially opposed pendulum masses are connected to one another in each instance by connection elements extending through the pendulum flange to form pairs of pendulum masses. The pairs of pendulum masses are spaced apart from one another in circumferential direction. In order to achieve an elastic limiting of the pendulum masses without resorting to stop bumpers and cutouts made for the latter in the pendulum flange, an elastic limiting of a swiveling movement of the pendulum masses is implemented by an annular spring provided radially within the pendulum masses.


It is presented a method for determining whether to initiate transmission of data on a candidate radio channel during a candidate period. The method is performed in a transceiver device and comprises the steps of: obtaining a first signal metric indicating a signal level of the candidate radio channel; determining that the first signal metric indicates a signal level being greater than a first threshold; obtaining a second signal metric indicating a signal level of at least one adjacent radio channel, being adjacent in frequency to the candidate radio channel; refraining from initiating transmission on the candidate radio channel in the candidate period when the second signal metric indicates a lower signal level than the first signal metric; and initiating transmission of data on the candidate radio channel in the candidate period when the second signal metric indicates a higher signal level than the first signal metric.

In telecommunication, a new technology called LTE-U (Long Term Evolution in Unlicensed) is being developed, where an LTE system can be applied to other frequencies than previously standardised in 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) standards.
3GPP is working to finalize release 13 LTE LAA (Licence Assisted Access) standard based on LTE-U. The LTE LAA system will require listen before talk functionality prior a transmission. The 3GPP standard version release 14 will include duplex operation, where both transmission and reception will occur at the unlicensed frequency band. For instance, LTE-U can be deployed to use the 5 GHz band, which is currently used mostly for WiFi. LTE-U can be used to deploy LTE as Supplemental Downlink (SDL), with the PCell (Primary Cell) always operating on a carrier in a licensed band.
In such an environment, listen before talk (LBT) is utilised to reduce the risk of transmitters from different (or the same) radio access technologies transmitting on the same radio channel at the same time. However, the LBT procedure is sometimes inefficient in terms of throughput.

Determining whether to transmit data on a candidate radio channel


An improved crutch tip construction. The crutch tip is formed of a resilient material and has an upper tubular stem portion formed with an axial recess and a lower enlarged head. A concave metallic socket with a reversed upper lip portion is disposed at the bottom of the recess and the lower end of the crutch bow is engaged with the socket. The lower surface of the head of the tip is generally convex and is formed with a plurality of concentric grooves. The combination of the metal socket with the convex lower surface of the head provides a greater surface area of contact between the tip and the supporting surface during use, thereby achieving greater safety for use of the crutch.

Crutches have traditionally included a rubber or resilient tip having an upwardly extending axial recess to receive the lower end of the crutch bow. In use, the tip engages a supporting surface, and being resilient, acts to prevent slippage of the crutch on the surface.
In the past, the lower surface of the crutch tip has been generally concave. In theory, when a load is applied to the crutch, the concave lower surface will deflect to bring the entire lower surface into contact with the supporting surface to obtain a maximum area of surface contact. However, in practice, very rarely is the lower end of the tip positioned flat against the supporting surface when the load is applied, for the tip is usually at an angle to the vertical, with the result that only a small portion of the periphery of the tip actually engages the supporting surface.
In an attempt to more positively direct the load to the entire lower surface of the tip, a metal concave socket has been positioned at the bottom of the recess in the tip and is engaged by the lower end of the crutch bow, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,226. When a load is applied at a slight angle to the vertical, the socket aids in transmitting the load downwardly into the supporting surface.


A method and apparatus for low-rate traffic signal transmission on Optical Transport Networks (OTN). The method includes: defining a frame format of the low-rate traffic optical channel data unit (ODU) signal for bearing the low-rate traffic signal; mapping the low-rate traffic signal to the low-rate traffic optical channel payload unit (OPU) of the low-rate traffic ODU signal, generating overhead bytes and filling the bytes in an overhead section of the low-rate traffic ODU to obtain the low-rate traffic ODU signal; multiplexing low-rate traffic ODU signals to an ODUk signal of which the rate matches the transmission rate rank of the OTN where the signal is transmitted, and transmitting the signal via the OTN. Based on this method, the invention provides an apparatus for the low-rate traffic signal transmission in the OTN as well. With this invention, the low-rate traffic signal transmission in the OTN can be implemented conveniently.

Along with the fast development of OTN technology in recent years, International Telecommunications Union-Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) has made a series of OTN recommendations, ITU-T G.709, G.798, G.87X, and commercial applications of OTN products are entering the industry, among which the recommendation of G.709 put forward in February 2001 is significant and has laid the technical foundation of optical networking. The key element of the G.709 is the technique of digital wrapper, which defines a special frame format so as to encapsulate a customer signal into a payload unit of a frame while providing overhead (OH) bytes at the head of the frame used for Operation Administration Maintenance and Provision (OAM&P) and providing forward error correction (FEC) bytes at the tail of the frame.
The standard frame format adopted by the digital wrapper is shown in FIG. 1. It is a frame format of 4 rows and 4080 columns, the 16 columns at the head of the frame are the overhead bytes, the 255 columns at the tail of the frame are FEC bytes, and the 3808 columns in the middle are payload.
Among the overhead bytes at the head of the frame, columns 1-8 of the 1st row is a Frame Alignment Signal (FAS), columns 9-14 are the overhead bytes of the kth type of Optical Channel Transport Unit-k (OTUk), wherein different values of k correspond to transmission modes with different rates, columns 1-14 of the 2nd to 4th row are the overhead bytes of Optical Channel Data Unit-k (ODUk), and columns 15 and 16 are the overhead bytes of Optical Channel Payload Unit-k (OPUk).
OTUk overhead bytes provide a monitoring function for the status of transmitted signal between the 3R (reamplification, reshaping, and retiming) regenerated nodes in the OTN, including 3 portions: the overhead bytes for Section Monitoring (SM), the overhead bytes for inter-terminal General Communication Channel (GCC) 0, and reservation (RES) bytes.
ODUk overhead bytes provide concatenation monitoring, point-to-point channel monitoring and provide customer signal adaptation via the OPUk. The ODUk provides plenty of overhead bytes (columns 1-14 of rows 2-4) to perform the above functions, including bytes of Path Monitoring (PM) overhead, Tandem Connection Monitoring (TCM) overhead, GCC 1 and GCC 2 overhead, Auto-Protection Switching/Protection Control Channel (APS/PCC) overhead, Fault Type Fault Location (FTFL) information, and Experiment (EXP) overhead.
The OPUK consists of payloads of mapped customer signals and related overhead, the overhead bytes include Payload Structure Identifier (PSI), Payload Type (PT), Reserved (RES) byte, and Mapping Specific Overhead etc.
At present, there are three methods for mapping the customer signal to the OTN, which are as follows:
(1) mapping signals with Constant Bit Rate (CBR) 2G5, CBR10G, and CBR40G to the OPUk: constant bit rate signals with CBR2G5—2488320 kbit/s±20 ppm, e.g. Synchronous Transfer Module (STM)—16; constant bit rate signals with CBR10G—9953280 kbit/s±20 ppm, e.g. STM—64; constant bit rate signals withCBR40G—39813120 kbit/s±20 ppm, e.g. STM—256. Two modes, an asynchronous mode and a bit synchronous mode, may be adopted in mapping. In the asynchronous mode, a local clock not associated with the customer signal is used with the positive/negative/zero code adjustification mechanism. In the bit synchronous mode, the clock extracted from the customer signal is used.
(2) mapping signals of Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) to the OPUk: mapping the signals to the OPUk by multiplexing ATM Information Elements (IE) to constant bit streams matching the payload volume of the OPUk, the rate is adjusted by inserting idle IE or discarding IE during multiplexing operations. Information of ATM IE should be scrambled before mapping.
(3) mapping General Framing Procedure (GFP ) frame signals to the OPUk: mapping GFP frames to continuous bit streams matching the OPUK by inserting idle frames during packaging, and scrambling is also conducted in this process. Other signals may be mapped to the OPUk as well, such as the customer signal, test signal, and common customer bit stream signal.

Method and apparatus for transmitting low-rate traffic signal in optical transport network


Spatial-temporal waveform diversity methods vary or modulate the far-field radiated waveform of a radar and/or communication antenna as a function of look direction (sidelobe structure). Radar detection performance and angle of arrival estimation are enhanced to deny a coherent reference to non-cooperative bistatic radars and coherent repeater jammer systems. In the most general case, the spatial-temporal modulated waveform varies as a function of angle, based upon the principles of multi-dimensional Fourier synthesis. Spatial-temporal denial is achieved with as few as two auxiliary antennas bracketing a main antenna. The same methods for spatial-temporal waveform diversity can also embed communications signals into the transmitted radar waveform for one-way simulcast of both waveform types. These same directionally dependent simulcast waveforms can incorporate navigation signals for enhanced precision engagement.

The present invention relates to radar applications, and, in particular, to waveform diversity methods that enhance radar performance and/or prevent unauthorized utilization of emissions that result from the application of bistatic technology to radar and communication systems.
Applying bistatic technology to radar can lend itself to impermissible use of sidelobe emissions through unfriendly or unauthorized detection and tracking of targets. Prior efforts at controlling radar signatures have focused on developing ultra-low sidelobe antennas. Prior-art methods attempt to defeat signal acquisition by affecting the temporal aspect of sidelobe energy. Although sidelobe masking has shown some success in defeating non-cooperative bistatic operation, sophisticated systems can still use sidelobe energy to decode and eventually detect radar transmission signals.
What is needed is to increase traffic in multiple access schemes (e.g., a greater opportunity to reuse frequencies in space-division multiple access) while maintaining the security aspects of a transmitted radar waveform. In communications systems the benefits of waveform diversity are similar to those in simple radar systems. Preventing the acquisition and manipulation of signals is key to maintaining communication security.

Waveform diversity for spatial-temporal denial of radar and communication system

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


A dosing device for liquid is provided which includes an upper element having a predosing chamber and an integral cap; an intermediate element which cooperates with the upper element and which connects to the neck of the container; and a sliding dosing element which receives a preselected dose from the dosing chamber and which discharges the dose through an outlet duct in the upper element. The intermediate element has wing-like portions which project downwardly and guide the slidable dosing element along a path axially of the dosing device.

The invention concerns a dosing device for liquids suited to be applied to the output hole of containers and to be used for the dosing of liquids, mostly for domestic usage like detergents, oils and chemical products to be used in predeterminate amounts.
The need for the chemical industry to produce containers equipped with dosing devices is due to the necessity to optimize the performances of the product contained therein and also to avoid a misuse of the product which, on the one hand, controlled lead to worse results than those obtainable with a controlled dose, and On the other hand could lead to ecological problems due to environmental pollution. For these reasons dosing devices for liquids are a more and more frequent industrial choice.
Dosing devices are known consisting of outlets provided with channels inside which a sphere slides, immersed in the liquid to be dosed and running along a predeterminate distance. When the container is turned upside down from the upright position to the liquid output position, the liquid keeps outflowing as long as the sphere moves toward the output hole until the sphere closes it. This kind of device is described in DE-C-93250. The main disadvantage arising from such devices is that the stroke of the spheres depends on the density of the liquid in which the spheres are immersed, thus the weight of said spheres must be changed according to the density of the liquid to be poured out. Therefore, it is necessary either to change the material the spheres are made of, or to change the size of the spheres, with the obvious disadvantages arising from the realization of dosing devices of different sizes. Further, it must be noted that these types of dosing devices are not very precise, because the speed of the sphere in the closing phase depends also on the liquid head which overhangs it, and therefore, as the container is discharged, the amount of liquid which is delivered by the dosing device varies itself.
DE3715617-A discloses a sealing cap with a dispenser system axially movable with a thread, but there is not a slidable dosage member between said dispenser system and the external part of the cap.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,687,705 discloses a dispensing device in which the dosing chamber does not itself slide, but a sliding ring valve moves along the outer surface of a fixed dosing chamber.
The international patent application PCT/EP90/02106 filed by the same inventor concerns a dosing device comprising an essentially tubular external body, a sliding dosing element inserted in the external body, a co-axial output duct placed inside the external body and a predosing chamber for the liquid placed between the internal surface of the external body and the external surface of the output duct. After the preselected dose has reached the sliding dosing element, the reversal of the container from the upright position to the overturned position makes the dosing element to slide toward the outside, so as to close the communication between the inside of the container and the output duct, while the liquid contained in the dosing element is ejected outside and the liquid contained in the container enters the predosing chamber.
This device overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages, but it presents some difficulty in the construction, because to the three above mentioned elements, i.e. the internal body, the external body, and the sliding dosing element, a connection element is necessarily required between the external body and the neck of the container, which comprises the cap too. Basically, the dosing device of the above mentioned invention consists of four parts separately moulded and then assembled.


A sealing arrangement for sealing a gap (11) between two concentric machine elements which can relatively move with respect to each other, the first machine element (3) having a smooth contact surface (5) and the second machine element (4) having a profiled section (6) which faces the contact surface (5) of the first machine element (3), accommodates a sealing ring (2). The profiled section (6) is bounded by a first flank (8) and a second flank (9). The sealing ring has a curved peripheral surface (7) and a radial surface (13), either of which may be completely exposed to the high pressure side. A sealing edge (10) of the sealing ring (2) is formed by the line of intersection of a conical surface (14) and the curved peripheral surface (7). The conical surface (14) merges into the radial surface (13). The sealing ring of the invention has a defined pressing distribution and, if the curved peripheral surface (7) faces the high-pressure side, the whole surface of the sealing ring is pressed positively against the second flank (9) by a pressurized medium.

The present invention relates to a sealing arrangement for sealing the gap between two concentric machine. elements which can move relative with respect to each other, the first machine element having a smooth contact surface and the second machine element having a profiled section which faces the contact surface of the first machine element and comprises a first flank, a second flank and a groove bottom which links the flanks, with a sealing ring which is axially fixed with respect to the second machine element by means of the profiled section and abuts sealingly at the contact surface of the first machine element, wherein the sealing ring is provided with a sealing edge and the sealing ring has a semi-circular cross-section.
Such a sealing element has become known from a publication in "India Rubber World", volume 125, No. 5, February 1952, pages 575 to 578, 581, New York, U.S.; T. J. McCuistion: "A new Rotary Seal for High-Speed and High-Pressure Applications".
O-rings of elastic materials are used as sealing elements per se or as spring elements for combination sealing arrangements. They can be exposed to axially and/or radially directed deformation forces. Although the O-ring is the smallest sealing element with respect to cross-section, the installing space is sometimes toleranced so closely that only O-rings of a small circumference can be implemented for sealing oscillating machine parts. The degree of deformation or pressing of the O-ring results in the sealing force. The reaction force due to the deformation and the pressure of the medium to be sealed sum up to the pressing force necessary for the seal. Yet if the circumference of the seal is small and the installing groove is manufactured inaccurately, the thus possibly resulting difficulties cannot be offset by a higher pressuring of the circumference's cross-section, because to do so a greater circumference would be needed. However, the installing conditions exclude the use of O-rings with a greater circumference.
The known sealing element is used as a rotary seal according to the teaching of the publication. The pressurized medium acts on the plane surface of the sealing element as shown. A pressure relief of the sealing element by the medium itself is not possible with this arrangement. There also exists the danger that the known sealing element moves with the rotating machine part. The known sealing element cannot be used to seal reciprocating machine parts.
Therefore it is the object of the present invention to develop a sealing element of the kind described above in such a way that it abuts on a surface to be sealed with a pressuring maximum and a small contact surface.
According to the present invention this object is solved in that the sealing edge has a conical surface open to the second flank or a first axially directed surface section and a second radially directed surface section relative to the sealing ring's axis, said second surface section facing the second flank.
Thus the sealing element according to the present invention has the considerable advantage that the sealing edge abuts at the surface to be sealed in a particularly friction-low manner. Thus an efficient sealing can be achieved to the detached machine part as well as to the groove bottom. The sealing element according to the present invention faces the high-pressure side either with a symmetrically designed peripheral surface or with a radially directed plane surface. Thus a deformation of the sealing ring under pressure can be effectively compensated. The sealing edge according to the present invention has the advantage that it can flow due to its plastic deformation when inserted without losing its originally intended shape. Thus an efficient sealing edge is kept still after the installation. If the sealing edge according to the present invention is pressurized and if reciprocating parts are sealed against each other, medium can be transferred from the low-pressure region to the high-pressure region due to the peripheral surface curved to the sealing edge. If the plane surface across from to the curved peripheral surface faces the high-pressure side, preferably reciprocating machine parts are sealed against each other. If this is the case, the plane surface of the sealing ring is separted from the flank and the sealing ring abuts with its curved peripheral surface at the opposing flank which faces the low-pressure side.
Moreover, the sealing arrangement according to the present invention has the advantage that it can be retrofit and can be fitted in the smallest profiles. Forms which are already available for the manufacture of O-rings can also be used for the production of the sealing element according to the present invention when equipped with minor changes. If the sealing ring according to the present invention has a semi-circular cross-section, half, viewed axially, of the originally needed fitting space can be saved. The large groove depth can be maintained. Thus a permanent pressure deformation can be compensated better. In pre-determined rectangular grooves, sealing rings according to the present invention can be inserted, which have a considerably larger diameter relative to the diameter of the rings with a round circumference when compared to the sealing rings with a round circumference as used previously. As a result, considerably greater sealing forces can be achieved thanks to the sealing ring according to the present invention compared to the known one. The sealing ring which is semi-circular in its cross-section can also be produced with the already existing forms for O-rings by using only one half of a production form and applying a plane smooth plate as counterpart to cover the correspondingly profiled half.
If the sealing ring according to the present invention is made of rubber elastic material, it can be used everywhere where the known O-rings are used for sealing machine parts. It is advantageous with the sealing ring according to the present invention that it needs less space compared to the known O-rings and that a sealing edge is also fashioned in the sealing ring according to the present invention compared to the common O-rings. If the sealing ring according to the present invention is made of tough elastic material it obtains its sealing force from the elastic deformation of a pre-stressing element with which the sealing ring made of tough elastic material cooperates. The pre-stressing element may be a rubber elastic stressing ring or stressing rings or a coil spring, hose spring or leaf spring. If the sealing ring is made of the tough elastic material polyurethane, the pre-stressing element may be left out.
For stabilizing the sealing ring according to the present invention a support ring of metal, ceramics or another material which is harder than the sealing ring may be used. By means of the support ring, the sealing ring is stabilized. Moreover, one or several support rings prevent a flowing or deformation of the sealing ring material under pressure. The support ring is stiff and hard when compared to the sealing ring made of elastic material and contributes to the form stability of the sealing ring. Therefore several support rings which respectively support sub-sections of the sealing ring can be preferable.
At its sealing edge, seen cross-sectionally, opposite to the curved peripheral surface, the sealing rings may also have a first and second surface section designed radially and axially to the sealing ring's axis and which discharge pressure from the sealing ring depending on the size of the design of these surface sections, when the pressurized medium abuts at these surface sections.
The sealing arrangement according to the invention thus lives up to all extended requirements which occur in the field of sealing technology. The sealing ring may be accommodated in axially tight and deep rectangular grooves, but it can also be fitted in other grooves, such as a trapezoidal or triangular groove. If the sealing ring according to the present invention is used instead of a O-ring, the material savings are considerable and the sealing ring according to the invention is also cheaper to be manufactured. Moreover, the surface of the sealing ring according to the present invention may be finished or a lubricant may be added to the material. The sealing ring may also be used as rotary seal in hydraulics or as hydraulic seal with axial movements.


A braking method for DC motor of the present invention is applied to a pulse-driven DC motor. A counter electromotive force of reverse polarity to driving pulses which is generated by induction at the winding of the DC motor is charged in a capacitor. The charged counter electromotive force is fed to the winding of the DC motor during the time that the driving pulses are not fed to the motor, so that plugging is applied to the DC motor. Thus, an external power source for plugging is not necessary, and power consumption is reduced and the construction of the braking circuit becomes very simple. Also, the driving period and the plugging period have a complementary relationship therebetween, thereby enabling the accurate controlling of the rotational speed of the DC motor with a very simple circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a braking method, a braking circuit and a speed control apparatus for a DC motor which is pulse-driven, and more particularly to a braking method, a circuit therefor and control apparatus for a DC motor which is capable of plugging without requiring an external braking current.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A pulse driving method has been well known as one drive control method for a DC motor, which is advantageous in that its drive circuit has less electrical losses and is controllable by use of a digital signal from a computer or the like. This method generally employs a servo system for detecting rotation of the motor by a rotary encoder or the like so as to control the rotational speed of the motor so as to be a set value on the basis of an output of the encoder. In other words, when the rotational speed of the motor is smaller than the set value, a duty ratio of the driving pulse is enlarged so as to increase a mean value of voltage fed to the DC motor, thereby raising the rotational speed thereof. On the other hand, when the rotational speed of the DC motor exceeds the set value, some method is used to apply braking to the DC motor.
Now, the braking method for the motor and a rotary system driven thereby, is roughly sorted into the mechanical method and electrical method.
The electrical method is different from the mechanical one in that it has the advantage of avoiding wear, heating and damage of the braking.
There are three typical methods for electrically braking the motor.
With dynamic braking, the motor is operated as a generator by cutting off the power supply to the running motor, and the kinetic energy of the motor, which is rotating by inertia, is converted into electrical energy, and the electrical energy is fed to a resistance, thereby being converted into thermal energy and dispersed.
With regenerative braking, the kinetic energy of a rotor, in the same fashion as the aforesaid dynamic braking, is converted into electrical energy which is then returned to a power source, thereby being fed to other loads.
With plugging a current flows in the winding of motor in the reverse direction to that when the motor is driven, thereby generating a torque in a direction which is opposite to the rotation direction of the motor. In other words, the motor is driven so as to rotate reversely, thereby being braked.
The above methods are properly selectively used in dependance upon the purpose of using the motor. The present invention applies the plugging method, but in a case of controlling the rotational speed of the motor by plugging, a braking current should be externally supplied and also of the supplied current should be strictly controlled, whereby the plugging method is defective in that a special apparatus for strict current control is required.

Braking method, braking circuit and speed control apparatus for a DC motor


The present invention can achieve a variable valve mechanism having a simple and compact configuration. A variable valve mechanism changes an opening/closing timing of an intake valve or an exhaust valve in response to an engine rotation speed. The variable valve mechanism includes: a cam sprocket which rotates in response to a rotation of a crank shaft; an intake cam shaft which is integrated with an intake cam; an exhaust cam shaft which is integrated with an exhaust cam; and a governor flange that transmits a rotation of the cam sprocket to the intake cam shaft and the exhaust cam shaft. The intake cam shaft and the exhaust cam shaft are formed so that the other cam shaft is inserted through one cam shaft to be relatively rotatable. The governor flange is provided to rotate along with the intake cam shaft and rotates relative to the cam sprocket under a predetermined condition.

Hitherto, as an engine of an automatic two-wheeled vehicle, there is known an engine including a variable valve mechanism changing operation characteristics (a valve opening/closing timing or a valve lift amount) of an intake valve and an exhaust valve in response to an engine rotation speed (for example, see JP 2012-225277 A). The variable valve mechanism described in JP 2012-225277 A is applied to a SOHC type valve train. Specifically, in JP 2012-225277 A, one cam shaft is provided with two kinds of cams (a low-speed cam and a high-speed cam) having different operation characteristics. Further, a rocker arm which drives an intake/exhaust valve is slidable in the axial direction of the cam shaft. When the rocker arm slides in response to an engine rotation speed, the low-speed cam and the high-speed cam can be switched. Thus, it is possible to obtain desired operation characteristics of the valve mechanism.

Variable valve mechanism, engine, and automatic two-wheeled vehicle


Techniques for reducing interference in a network from management and control traffic to functional applications are provided. In one aspect, a method for regulating information flow between monitoring agents and a management server in a network includes the steps of: inserting an interface in the network to access stream based communications in the network; exporting control and data ports to each of the monitoring agents; receiving requests from one or more of the monitoring agents to establish sessions; and limiting a number of the sessions to open. A system for limiting interference in a network is also provided.

Almost all information technology (IT) environments require the presence of management and support applications. Such applications include network and system management functions. Almost all management and support applications require keeping track of the state of the system which is collected at one (or a few) operation centers (e.g., a Network Operation Centers, NoC or Security Operation Center). As the size of IT environments grows, the amount of traffic flowing to and from the operation centers increases. Frequently, this traffic interferes with the operation of the actual IT applications. For instance, a security data collection or a network monitoring system can degrade the performance of a web-site or transaction processing system which may be running at the same operation center or in a different operation center. With virtualized operations, contention can also arise with other resources in the IT infrastructure, such as shared storage, shared computing capacity, or a shared appliance or device that may be accessed in a virtualized manner.
Current solutions to this problem include creating a new network architecture, e.g., use prioritization and differentiated services in the network, or create a separate network infrastructure for management. However, these solutions require changing the operational nature of the network, and frequently are not usable because of the operational challenges they pose.
Therefore improved techniques for reducing interference from management and support applications to functional applications would be desirable.

Reducing interference from management and support applications to functional applications

International Business Machines Corporation


Automotive equipment such as a car stereo includes a lock member having an engagement portion. The engagement portion of the lock member is engaged with an engaged portion provided in an accommodation portion in which the automotive equipment body is accommodated to thereby lock the automotive equipment body. The automotive equipment body is released from being locked by a lock releasing operation executed when a lock releasing key is inserted into a lock releasing aperture formed on a front surface panel frame provided in the automotive equipment body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detachable apparatus for automotive equipment in which automotive equipment, e.g., automotive audio equipment such as a car stereo having a detachable front panel including electronic parts such as a liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as an LCD) on a front surface of a body can be detachably attached to a dashboard of a car.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a conventional detachable apparatus for attaching this kind of automotive equipment to a dashboard of a vehicle.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a car stereo body 101 which is accommodated in and secured to an attachment frame 102 whose front wall is opened. This attachment frame 102 is supported by a concave portion of a dashboard (not shown). Base end portions of resilient lock plates 103, 103 are secured to left and right side walls of the car stereo body 101 by means of two pairs of screws 104, 104. Two nail portions 105, 105 which are outwardly bent are formed on the free ends of these lock plates 103, 103, respectively. Reference numeral 106 depicts a detachable front panel that is attached to the front wall of the car stereo body 101.
When the conventional car stereo body 101 thus arranged is attached to the attachment frame 102, wires (not shown) drawn out from the attachment frame 102 mounted on the concave portion of the dashboard (not shown) are connected to the car stereo body 101. Then, the user fixes the lock plates 103, 103, prepared as accessories of the car stereo body 101, to the side walls of the car stereo body 101 by screws 104, 104 and the car stereo body 101 is inserted into the attachment frame 102. At that time, the lock plates 103, 103 that are attached to the left and right side walls of the car stereo body 101 are flexed and the nail portions 105, 105 are slid while being urged against the inner wall surface of the attachment frame 102. Then, when the nail portions 105, 105 of the lock plates 103 reach engagement apertures 102a, 102a formed on the side walls of the attachment frame 102, the lock plates 103 are resiliently restored so that the nail portions 105, 105 are engaged with the engagement apertures 102a, 102a, thus the attachment of the car stereo body 101 to the attachment frame 102 being completed.
When the car stereo body 101 supported by the attachment frame 102 is detached, the front panel 106 is detached from the front wall of the car stereo body 101 and the lock plate 103 is inwardly flexed by some suitable means such as a tool or the like inserted from a left or right spacing between the car stereo body 101 and the attachment frame 102 to thereby release the nail portion 105 from the engagement aperture 102a. Under this condition, the car stereo body 101 can be taken out and detached from the attachment frame 102.
Further, an earth or ground connection for grounding a static electricity from a human body and preventing the accumulation of an electrical charge on an LCD (liquid crystal display) of the car stereo having a detachable front panel and the peripheral portions is carried out as follows. That is, an LCD support member that supports the LCD is introduced into a control base plate on which electronic parts such as a switch or the like are mounted. Such LCD support member is extended to a connector of the front panel through a pattern circuit of the control base plate so that the LCD support member is grounded through the car stereo body at its connector to which the connector of the front panel is connected to the chassis of the car stereo body.
However, in the conventional detachable apparatus for automotive equipment thus arranged, there are required two lock plates 103, 103 that are attached to the left and right side walls of the car stereo body 101. Also, there are required the two pairs of screws 104, 104 that are used to secure the lock plates 103, 103 to the left and right side walls of the car stereo body 101. Therefore, the number of accessory assembly parts is unavoidably increased and the number of processes required when the user attaches the car stereo body 101 to the attachment frame 102 is also increased. Accordingly, it takes plenty of time for the user to attach the car stereo body 101 to the attachment frame 102.

Detachable apparatus for automotive audio equipment


In a semiconductor memory device having redundant memory cells and sense amplifiers, when a redundant memory cell is accessed in place of a defective memory cell, the sense amplifier to which the defective memory cell is coupled and the redundant sense amplifier to which redundant memory cell is coupled are both activated simultaneously. Access to the defective memory cell is redirected to the redundant memory cell by switching data paths on a data bus to which both sense amplifiers are coupled. High-speed access is possible, because activation of the sense amplifiers and switching of the data paths take place concurrently.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory circuit having redundant memory cells for use in place of defective memory cells.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the manufacture of a memory device disposed on a semiconductor chip, small defects present in the chip frequently disable one or a few memory cells, while the other memory cells and circuits operate normally. Manufacturing yields can be improved if the chip is provided with redundant memory cells, which can be accessed in place of the defective memory cells.
Various redundancy schemes are known and used. Some schemes have redundant columns of memory cells; others have redundant rows of memory cells. Typical schemes employ a reconfiguration circuit that is programmed by means of laser-blown fuses, to determine whether redundant or non-redundant memory cells are accessed.
One conventional redundancy scheme provides redundant columns of memory cells, which are coupled to redundant sense amplifiers. The reconfiguration circuit is programmed to send enable signals to the line drivers that activate the sense amplifiers. When a column with a defective memory cell is addressed, the reconfiguration circuit disables the corresponding line driver and enables the line driver of a redundant column instead.
One problem with this replacement scheme is that it limits the access speed of the memory device, because the reconfiguration circuit must operate before activation of the sense amplifiers can begin. In memory devices that provide high-speed access to a plurality of memory cells, there are also timing problems caused by different signal propagation delays when the redundant column and the column it replaces are disposed in widely separated locations.
In a variation of this conventional scheme, the reconfiguration circuit operates by shifting columns so that when a column with a defective memory cell is accessed, it is replaced by the lower adjacent column, which is replaced by the next-lower column, and so on, the lowest column being a redundant column. This variation substantially eliminates the problem of timing differences, because each column is replaced by an adjacent column, but the problem of delayed sense amplification remains.
A further problem in these conventional replacement and shifting schemes occurs in memory devices permitting masked access such as write-per-bit access. In this case, besides controlling the column drivers, the reconfiguration circuit must perform a similar type of replacement or shifting control of the masking circuits.
Further information about these conventional schemes and their problems will be given following the detailed description of the invention.

Semiconductor memory circuit and redundancy control method


A fiber optic coupler includes at least two optical fibers having a coupled region and at least one lead portion extending therefrom. The optical fibers have a protective jacket thereon. The protective jacket is removed from the coupled region and from a region of the at least one lead portion adjacent the coupled region resulting in a jacketless coupled region, at least one jacketless lead portion and at least one jacketed lead portion. The fiber optic coupler further includes a protective body having a receiving space therein for receiving the coupled region. The protective body has at least one entrance from which said jacketed lead portion emerges. A rejacket material at least partially surrounds a length of the jacketless lead portion adjacent the jacketed lead portion resulting in a rejacketed lead portion. An adhesive material at least partially about a length of the jacketed lead portion at the entrance and at least partially about the rejacketed lead portion secures the length of the jacketed lead portion and rejacketed lead portion to the protective body.

A fiber optic coupler is used in optical fiber interconnection arrangements to couple electromagnetic waves from one of two or more optical fibers to another optical fiber in the group. Alternatively, the coupler may couple one optical fiber to itself to form a loop. Such couplers have been used in optical communications, optical sensors, and fiber optic gyroscopes. A fiber optic coupler is formed by fusing and tapering two or more optical fibers together. The fabrication usually involves aligning principle axes of two or more optical fibers after removing a portion of a protective jacket on the optical fibers. They are then brought together and heated to fuse and taper the optical fibers resulting in a fused and tapered coupled region for coupling of optical power.
Fiber optic couplers are very sensitive to environmental influences because the optical material of which the optical fibers are made is very fragile. In addition, the coupling region is not provided with the jacket so adverse environments influence the quality of the optical material of the fiber optic coupler and/or the signals transmitted through the fiber optic coupler. Therefore, the optical signal processing performance of a fiber optic coupler in various environments typically depends upon the type of housing or package in which it is positioned for protection and on the method used to assemble the packaged fiber optic coupler.
In a fused fiber optic coupler, the fused and tapered portions of the coupler where the transfer of optical power takes place is structurally weak and sensitive to environmental conditions. The extinction ratio and the transmissibility of the coupler can be degraded if the materials used in the package for the fiber optic coupler subject the fiber optic coupler to a non-uniform distribution of stresses, either during the fabrication process, or thereafter during use due to changes in environmental conditions.
Packaging techniques which have been used to protect the fiber optic coupler from deleterious environmental influences include the use of quartz glass tubes as protective covering and as a support for the coupled region of a fiber optic coupler. In such an arrangement, the coupled region is typically placed within a central open portion of a slotted quartz glass tube and epoxy is applied at the ends of the tube to secure the optical fibers extending therefrom and the coupled region to the tube. However, difficulties arise in environments in which substantial shock or vibration occur because of the resulting material movements of the coupled region of the fiber optic coupler suspended in the central open portion of the tube.
In part, the above difficulties have been overcome by placing the fibers within the slotted glass tube and then heating the mid-region of the tube until it collapses about the fiber by stretching the tube to reduce the diameter thereof. This method places the tube in direct contact with the optical fibers and the coupled region of the fiber optic coupler, thereby providing rigid support to the coupled region. However, this places additional stress on the coupled region causing losses and other difficulties.
With a fiber optic coupler secured in a slotted glass tube with epoxy applied at both ends of the tubes to hold the coupler in tension, degradation in processing performance of the fiber optic coupler occurs in deleterious environmental conditions. This degradation occurs because the epoxy holding the fiber optic coupler in tension is partly placed on a jacketed lead portion extending from ends of the slotted tube and, in addition, partly positioned to secure the bare optical fibers between the jacketed portion and the coupled region to the glass tube. Application of the adhesive to the bare optical fibers is necessary because if the adhesive is only placed to secure the jacketed lead portions to the glass tube, the unstripped or jacketed fiber allows slippage underneath the jacket. Such adhesive on the base filters causes degradation in processing performance.
Techniques such as those discussed above for packaging fiber optic couplers leave much to be desired for protecting the coupler. This protection is especially lacking where the fiber optic coupler and the packaging thereof are often subjected to extremely high or extremely low temperatures, to very high temperature variations in relatively short periods of time, and/or to vibrations or impacts of controlled magnitudes. Thus, it has been observed that the failure or breakage rate of fiber optic couplers encased in such manners, presents a severe limitation to the use of such packaged fiber optic couplers in communication applications. Therefore, an improved package and packaging method for fiber optic couplers is desired.

Fiber optic coupler package and packaging method


In the transistor power output stages disclosed herein, short-circuit protection is provided with respect to output terminals through which a reversible motor or other load is to be energized. An output stage connected between the load and one of the supply leads provides current gain for energizing the load at a current level which is a function of the level of drive current provided to the output stage. Drive current is provided only at a first level independently of the voltage at the output terminal and a sensing means provides drive current at an increased level when the voltage at the output terminal is in a normal range, e.g. close to the voltage at the respective supply lead.

The present invention relates to the protecting of power output stages and more particularly to the protection of transistor output circuits which are normally employed for driving reversible motors or other loads needing high initial current.
In transistor power output stages for driving reversible motors, there are typically provided four output transistors which are connected in an H pattern so that, by turning on diagonal pairs, current may be applied through the motor in either direction. To prevent destruction of the output transistors if there is a short in the load or if either output terminal is accidentally shorted to the opposite power rail, the output transistors are typically operated in either a constant current mode or the driver circuits employ current sensing so that the total power dissipation in the output device is limited to a safe level taking into consideration of the packaging used to house the circuitry and the thermal resistance of the package.
A conflicting need is the requirement of supplying substantially higher current during starting of the motor than is required during running. It is advantageous to be able to provide a current up to an order of magnitude greater than the normal running current to obtain fast startup. Such current levels are far in excess of those which could be tolerated during a short circuit. Accordingly, it has heretofore been necessary to sacrifice either complete short circuit protection or the availability of high startup current.
Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted the provision of novel transistor power output stages; the provision of such power output stages which are suitable for driving reversible electric motors the provision of such output stages which will provide high levels of startup current to an electric motor; the provision of such output stages which afford short circuit protection with respect to the output terminals connected to the motor; the provision of such output stages which may be implemented in an integrated circuit; the provision of such output stages which are highly reliable and which are of relatively simple and inexpensive construction. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.


A computer-implemented method for detecting and ranking individuals includes capturing live image data of a scene using an imaging device and identifying overlap between reference image data of the selected individuals and the live image data, wherein the overlap includes image data of the selected individuals in the scene. The method also includes capturing sets of image data of the selected individuals while the imaging device is in motion and recording the movement to provide a tracking record having instructions for positioning the imaging device where the imaging device captured the sets of image data of the selected individuals in the scene. The method further includes determining a score for each of the selected individuals in the scene based on a value related to an ability to view each friend and/or a social relationship value in order to enable a user to select who to aim the imaging device at.

The present invention relates in general to image data processing, and more specifically to systems, methods and computer program products for analyzing image data to identify and rank friends who are present within an imaging device's field of view. Even more specifically, the invention enables the imaging device to prioritize its focus on "better" friends by a joint function of a strength of their social relationships and an amount of visibility the imaging device has on the friend, which in turn depends on the device's imaging ability, ambient lighting conditions, crowd levels and physical distance between the friend and the person having the imaging device.
A face recognition system is a computer application capable of identifying or verifying a person from a digital image or a video frame from a video source. Social media/networking sites such as Facebook®, Twitter®, Flickr®, Google Plus®, and the like, include features that allow a person who uploads a photo to label or "tag" people depicted in the photo. For example, Facebook® includes functionality that allows users to locate a person who is present in a photo by clicking on the person's image in the photo and then typing a name of the person. Facebook® further offers functionality to auto-complete the name based on other existing Facebook® users. The user can repeat this process to locate and label each person within the photo. In this way, the user provides the standard input required for both face detection algorithms and face recognition algorithms. In general, face detection algorithms require an input of the number and location of faces present within an image, and face recognition algorithms require an input of the person label associated with each face object.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Image processing to identify selected individuals in a field of view

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A method including, at a computer: causing a man machine interface to be provided to each one of a plurality of remote users, wherein the man machine interface is configured to enable a remote user to be specified to have a particular user state selected from a group comprising an output state and a potential-input state but not comprising a live-input state; causing a command interface to be provided to a remote administrator, wherein the command interface is configured to enable the remote administrator to change a user state from a potential-input state to a live-input state and configured to enable the remote administrator to input comment; causing a first variant of the first man machine interface to be provide to a remote user while the remote user has a live-input state, wherein the first variant of the man machine interface is configured to enable the remote user, while the remote user has the live-input state, to input comment to be read by other remote users and to read comments input by the remote administrator and read comments input by remote users, if any, simultaneously having the live-input state; causing a second variant of the man machine interface to be provided to a remote user while the remote user has a potential-input state, wherein the second variant of the man machine interface is configured to enable the remote user having the potential-input state to read comments input by the remote administrator and read comments input by remote users having the live-input state but is not configured to enable the remote user, while the remote user has the potential-input state, to input comment to be read by other remote users; and causing a third variant of the man machine interface to be provided to a remote user while the remote user has an output state, wherein the third variant of the man machine interface is configured to enable the remote user having the output state to read comments input by the remote administrator and read comments input by other remote users having, the live-input state but is not configured to enable the remote user, while the remote user has the potential-input state, to input comment to be read by other remote users.

Slimming World™ provides a successful weight-loss service that supports multiple users in losing weight via face-to-face, in person meetings and via a healthy eating plan called Food Optimising™.
While such face-to-face, in person meetings are effective they are not always attractive to users because of accessibility issues, including travel time to meetings and/or because some users are uncomfortable having face-to-face, in person meetings/discussions concerning personal matters.
The face to face, in person meetings are hosted by a Slimming World highly trained Consultant who facilitates the discussion. The physical proximity of the users and Consultant creates verbal and non-verbal cues that help the Consultant manage the meeting and facilitate tailored support, motivation and commitment for the week ahead for each person present. Such cues may be absent, without careful design, in telecommunications.
There are significant technical difficulties in creating a man machine interface and process flow that capture aspects of a face-to-face, in person Consultant-led meeting over a remote communications network within the bandwidth and hardware constraints of typical user equipment.

Weight-loss service that supports multiple remote users in losing weight

MILES-BRAMWELL EXECUTIVE SERVICES LIMITED


In order to ensure security even when packet communication is performed using a plurality of communication paths of a public network, a transmitter stores a first communication pattern. First and second communication units perform packet communication with third and fourth communication units. The packet communication is performed in accordance with the first communication pattern, with dummy packets being inserted into at least one of the groups of packets to be transmitted. A processor restores original data from valid packets, which are remaining packets after the dummy packets are removed, in accordance with a second communication pattern.

In recent years, a technique related to a Multipath TCP (MPTCP) which performs transmission of a packet using a plurality of communication paths in a communication network is being developed (refer to NPL 1). According to the MPTCP, there are advantages such as improvement of transmission rate or improvement in stability of communication for using a plurality of TCP connections (communication paths) with respect to one session.
In the related art, as a communication method for improving security in a packet communication between a transmitter side and a receiver side which are connected with each other through a communication network, for example, a technique in which after original data is divided into to be stored a data unit in a packet, and the packet is assembled by giving a pseudo packet identifier for indicating a scrambled packet sequence to the packet, and then the packet is transmitted through a network in the scrambled packet sequence based on the pseudo packet identifier is known (refer to PTL 1).

Communication system, transmitter, receiver, communication method, transmission method, and reception method

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A method for fluidly sealing two conduits having mating surfaces is described. The method includes positioning a gasket between the surfaces, securing the two conduits together with the gasket interposed between the mating surfaces wherein the gasket includes an outer seal with a first thickness and an inner seal with a thickness greater than that of the outer seal. The step of positioning and/or the step of securing includes compressing the thickness of the inner seal. Methods of making the gaskets are also disclosed.

The use of gaskets in sealing applications is commonplace in many industries. A well-known application for gaskets is to provide fluid sealing between two mating surfaces such as between two ends of adjoining pipes or conduits where they are commonly in the form of a flange joint for ease of assembly and disassembly and for better sealing. A flange joint sealing gasket usually comprises a compressible ring defining an aperture of a size that matches the conduit being sealed and a body that matches the dimensions of the flange mating surfaces. In many applications however the flange joint mating surfaces which are typically metal eventually become damaged either by internal chemical corrosion, erosion or external weathering. This attrition of the surface can cause pitting, crevices and other imperfections to form on the surface. In such cases, replacement of an ordinary sealing gasket will not be sufficient to effect adequate sealing under operational pressures because the surface imperfections may provide fluid escape pathways and weak points in the surface sealing. As a consequence, it may become necessary to replace or repair the flanges or even the whole flanged pipe to reestablish or improve sealing performance.
In high pressure sealing applications, one preferred gasket has what is known as a Kammprofile core. This is effectively a gasket with a series of concentric serrations or a concertina-like profile on one or both facing surfaces. The profile is superimposed onto a solid core, usually metal, by the series of concentric serrations. During the sealing process the overlying softer sealing material is forced into the gaps between serrations to improve sealing by inducing stress concentrations on the sealing surfaces. The serrations also minimize lateral movement of the facing material, while the metal core provides rigidity and blowout resistance. Such a profile gives the gasket added strength for high pressure applications. As mentioned, such a gasket also includes a suitable compressible sealing material that is coated over the Kammprofile core. However, in cases of mating surfaces which have become pitted or corroded even such high pressure gaskets cannot always provide adequate sealing. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved gasket suitable for such applications but also having wider applications for corroded or otherwise damaged mating surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,811 relates to a corrugated gasket core that uses inner and outer laminate materials. The inner material is designed to be chemically resistant to protect the outer material from chemical attack. The use of these gaskets to seal parallel mating surfaces including scratched or pitted surfaces is discussed but no mention of including a chemical treatment agent into the material or the possibility of simultaneously chemically protecting the damaged surfaces of the gaskets is mentioned.
Methods of coating the inner edge of a gasket with another sealing material usually a polymer or inorganic sealant are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,467; US 2004/0007828; and US 2003/0230856. The possibility of the polymeric coating being of a greater depth to enhance sealing is disclosed as is the possibility of use with a damaged surface. However, no mention of chemically protecting the mating surfaces is mentioned.


A control system and method for inspection of parts is particularly adapted for inspecting resistance welded parts in a production line environment. A displacement sensor is coupled to a welding electrode for generating a displacement sensor signal responsive to the displacement of the welding electrode during welding. A test computer evaluates the displacement sensor signal to identify defective parts and to provide a fault signal. A part containment box receives the improperly welded parts and has an input sensor for generating a signal when an improperly welded part is deposited therein. The test computer is operative to disable the production line and prevent the indexing of parts until the defective part has been removed from the production line and deposited into the part containment box which generates the input sensor signal, thereby enabling the production line.

During a production line manufacturing process such as a part welding line or a part assembly line, on occasion, defective parts are manufactured. It is important to identify and remove these defective parts and ensure that they remain segregated from good parts so that they are not subsequently incorporated into a finished article sold to a consumer or used. It is advantageous to identify defective parts as soon as possible so that those parts can be removed from the production line before additional expenses associated with further machining or assembly are incurred and prior to incorporation of the defective part into a larger assembly.
There have been a number of systems generated, particularly for resistance welding, which inspect a part automatically as the part is being processed. In applications such as resistance welding, non-destructive physical testing is difficult, if not impossible, to conduct. For this reason, a number of inspection systems have been developed to identify effectively welded or formed parts automatically during and after the part forming process.
Examples of such systems are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,064 to Werderitch et al., U.S. Pat No. 4,562,330 to Hamilton, U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,186 to Strong et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,507 to Drake, U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,828 to Stiebel and a series of U.S. patents obtained by the present applicant: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,542,777, 4,684,778, 5,220,145, and 5,288,968. The previously identified systems identify the defective parts but frequently require the operator to remove the defective part from the production line and place it in a defective part bin. U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,064 automatically places the defective parts in a defective part bin. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,887, which discloses a system for inspecting nuclear fuel pellets, automatically deposits defective pellets in an appropriate box.
One of the problems that the present invention solves is that machine operators frequently incorrectly assume that the automatic parts inspection operation committed an error when a part which looks perfectly good is rejected. On occasion, operators will pass the rejected part, as opposed to removing the part from the production line, which ultimately causes defective parts to be incorporated into finished goods. Inclusion of defectively welded parts into a production vehicle, for example, can result in expensive warranty repairs or product recall. On some occasions, the defectively welded part will fail during a subsequent manufacturing operation and will not even make it out of the plant. For example, weld nuts which are improperly attached to an assembly may subsequently break off during the nut tapping process or when a fastener is subsequently attached. If the product incorporating the weld nut is in an advance stage of assembly, the cost and expense for repairing a defectively welded part can be significant.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for ensuring that defective parts which are identified at an inspection station in a production line are promptly removed and placed in a defective part containment box.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for marking defective parts prior to placement in the part containment box so that a manufacturer can ensure that all parts identified as being defective are properly discarded.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus which forecloses the possibility of a situation occurring where a part identified as being defective is passed on as a good part by the production operator who, with good intentions after a visual inspection, incorrectly believes that the part is not defective.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for identifying parts exhibiting a predetermined characteristic at a production line inspection station which requires the identified part to be removed and securely stored prior to resuming operation of the production line.

Welding line with quality control storage devices


The invention relates to a method for performing inter-system handovers in a communication system comprising at least a mobile station, a call state control function, a first and a second call control node, a first and a second media gateway and a radio network node. The handover is achieved by way of connecting a call control node to a call state control function. The call control node allocates a media gateway for the session established. The session media bearers are routed via the media gateway. The call control node acts as an anchor node for the handover. As the mobile station moves to a new cell a media bearer is established to the media gateway from the mobile station via the new cell.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to handovers in mobile communication systems. Particularly, the invention relates to a method for performing handover between a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and a licensed band cellular communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) have become important in mobile communications. The advantage of WLANs over licensed band cellular communication systems such as the Universal Mobile Telecommunication system (UMTS) and Global System of Mobile communications (GSM) lies in the facts that they use an unlicensed band and the cell sizes are much smaller. Hereinafter, the term cellular communication system refers to a communication system operating in the licensed band. These facts make possible to build private WLANs operated by small corporate entities and individual users. The cost of wireless communication in these WLANs is significantly cheaper than in cellular systems. WLANs have mostly been used for Internet access, but the idea of providing voice communications over WLANs has recently gained momentum. In order to obtain a wide market share for voice over WLAN technologies and to provide a reliable service experience for end-users, it is necessary to be able to provide dual system terminals, which support both WLAN and licensed band based radio access. In other words, it must be possible for users to roam in both WLANs and cellular communication systems.
Usually WLAN radio access is used in urban areas where there exists a WLAN infrastructure, whereas cellular communication systems are used in areas outside the WLAN coverage.
3G Partnership Project has standardized the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) in order to cater for VoIP and other IP based multimedia services. Typically, a UMTS Radio Access Network is used to access a core network, which supports the IMS. However, existing circuit switched core network infrastructures, which comprise Mobile Switching Centers (MSC), Home Location Registers (HLR), Visitor Location Centers (VLR), Camel Service Entities (CSE) and Service Control Points (SCP), provide a wide range of services. Operators wish to accommodate dual system terminals with both WLAN and licensed band radio access capabilities. In order to provide seamless service for the users of dual system terminals, it is beneficial if there were a mechanism to provide handover between the two radio access technologies. Especially, it is important to support handovers from WLAN to a cellular communication system. This is due to the fact that WLANs offer a much more limited and patched radio coverage, which is usually even overlapping with the radio access provided by the cellular communication system. Because of this, for the users there always exists the option of falling back to the use of the cellular communication system. The users may start their sessions in the WLAN side and fall back to the use of the cellular radio access, if the WLAN signal strength shows signs of weakening.
One possible solution for implementing a handover from a WLAN to a cellular communication system is proposed by the company Cingular Wireless, Atlanta, USA. In the solution proposed by Cingular, the voice bearers for a dual-system mobile terminal are routed by the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) to a Media Gateway (MGW) and from the MGW further to a Gateway Mobile Services switching Center (GMSC), which routes the call to the destination. At the time of handover a telephone number is allocated by the IMS and provided to the mobile terminal. The telephone number refers to a conference bridge in association with the MGW. Thereupon, the mobile terminal de-registers from the IMS and performs a GSM location updating to the GMSC. In order to keep the voice bearer, mobile terminal establishes a circuit switched call to the conference bridge. The call set-up requested is routed to the conference bridge by the GMSC using the telephone number. The problem associated with the mentioned solution for handovers is that it requires the use of a conference bridge. The calls from a dual-system mobile terminal must always be routed via a MGW and a GMSC to a called party in order to enable the mobile terminal to reach the MGW using a normal outgoing circuit switched call at the time of handover. This represents a solution, which introduces complication to the call routing procedures. A further disadvantage is the implementation of handover procedures in mobile terminal side, which deviate from the normal intra-cellular communication system handover procedures. The mobile terminal is not able to reuse the software for the implementing of intra-cellular communication system handovers in the implementing of inter-system handovers. Instead, in the Cingular system unusual handover processing logic must be implemented to the mobile terminal software.
Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which illustrates a communication system supporting dual system terminals in prior art. In FIG. 1 there is shown a dual-system mobile station 100. Mobile station 100 is capable of communicating both using an unlicensed band radio access and using licensed band radio access. There is an unlicensed band Base Transceiver Station (BTS) 102. BTS 102 is connected to a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) 104, which is, for example, an access router. To CPE 104 is connected a Session Border Controller (SBC) 106. There may be a number of unlicensed band base transceiver stations, which are connected via CPE 106 to SBC 106. SBC 106 acts as a SIP proxy and hides the address space within the operator's network, which comprises at least IP access network 108 and the IMS network elements, from MS 100. User plane traffic to/from MS 100 goes via SBC 106. Session border controller 106 is connected to IP access network 108, which performs the packet transport for all user plane related data traffic. In FIG. 1 there is also shown a licensed band radio access network 120 to which is connected a base transceiver station 121. Licensed band radio access network 120 is, for example, a 2G GSM radio access network or a 3G UMTS radio access network. A licensed band IP Connectivity Access Network (IP-CAN) functionality connected to access network 120 comprises at least a serving GPRS support node SGSN 122 and a gateway GPRS support node 124. SGSN 122 performs all mobility management related tasks and communicates with a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) 150. GGSN 124 provides GPRS access points to a media gateway 126 and to a Proxy Call State Control Function (P-CSCF). GGSN 124 establishes Packet Data Protocol (PDP) contexts, which are control records associated with a mobile subscriber such as mobile station 100. A PDP context provides an IP address for packets received from mobile station 100 or any other mobile station that is connected to the licensed band IP connectivity access network 120. The GPRS is disclosed in the 3G Partnership Project specification 23.060.
The communication system illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) functionality. The network elements supporting IMS comprise at least one Proxy Call State Control Function (P-CSCF), at least one Inquiring Call State Control Function (I-CSCF), at least one Serving Call State Control Function S-CSCF, at least one Brakeout Gateway Control Function (BGCF) and at least one Media Gateway Control Function (MGCF). As part of the IMS there is also at least one Home Subscriber Server (HSS) Optionally, there is also at least one Application Server, which provides a variety of value-added services for mobile subscribers served by the IP multimedia subsystem (IMS). The IMS is disclosed in the 3G Partnership Project (3GPP) specification 23.228. P-CSCF 130 receives signaling plane packets from GGSN 124. P-CSCF approves Quality of Service (QoS) allocation for the signaling plane PDP context opened in GGSN 124. In the signaling plane packet is carried a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling message. The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is disclosed in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) document RFC 3261. The signaling message is processed by P-CSCF 130, which determines the correct serving network for the mobile station that has sent the signaling packet. The determination of the correct serving network is based on a home domain name provided from mobile station 100. Based on the home domain name is determined the correct I-CSCF, which in FIG. 1 is I-CSCF 132. I-CSCF 132 hides the topology of the serving network from the networks, in which mobile station 100 happens to be roaming. I-CSCF 132 takes contact to home subscriber server 150, which returns the S-CSCF name, which is used to determine the address of the S-CSCF to which the mobile station 100 is to be registered.
In FIG. 1 the S-CSCF determined for mobile station 100 is S-CSCF 134. S-CSCF 134 obtains information pertaining to mobile station 100 from HSS 150. The information returned from HSS 150 may comprise trigger information that is used as criterion for notifying an application server 152. Application server 152 may be notified on events relating to incoming registrations or incoming session initiations. Application server 152 communicates with S-CSCF 134 using the ISC-interface. The acronym ISC stands for IP multimedia subsystem Service Control interface. The ISC interface is disclosed in the 3GPP specification 23.228. The protocol used on ISC interface is SIP. AS 152 may alter SIP invite message contents that it receives from S-CSCF 134. The modified SIP invite message is returned back to S-CSCF 134. If the session to be initiated is targeted to a PSTN subscriber, the SIP invite message is forwarded to a BGCF 140. BGCF 140 determines the network in which PSTN interworking should be performed. In case PSTN interworking is to be performed in the current network, the SIP invite message is forwarded to MGCF 142 from BGCF 140. MGCF 142 communicates with MGW 126. The user plane packets carrying a media bearer or a number of interrelated media bearers for the session are routed from GGSN 124 to MGW 126 as illustrated in FIG. 1 using line 162.
In case mobile station 100 communicates via the unlicensed band radio access the packets are sent via BTS 102, CPE 104 and SBC 106 to IP access network 108. Signaling packets are received in P-CSCF 138. Based on a home domain name provided in the signaling packet P-CSCF 138 determines the correct I-CSCF, to which the signaling packet is to be sent. In FIG. 1 the I-CSCF is I-CSCF 136. I-CSCF 136 inquires the HSS 150 in order to determine the correct S-CSCF for mobile station 100. In this case S-CSCF 134 is determined. Depending on the called party SIP URI S-CSCF 134 determines whether the session is to be routed to a second S-CSCF or to a BGCF such as BGCF 140.

Method for performing inter-system handovers in a mobile communication system


Provided are a capacitorless DRAM and methods of manufacturing the same. The capacitorless DRAM may include a substrate including a source, a drain and a channel, a gate on the channel of the substrate, and a hole reserving unit below the channel.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to a semiconductor device and methods of manufacturing the same. Other example embodiments relate to a capacitorless DRAM and methods of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A memory cell of a conventional dynamic random access memory (DRAM) has a 1T/1C structure in which one transistor and one capacitor are included. Because the conventional DRAM includes a transistor and a capacitor, reducing the cell area of the conventional DRAM to a size of about 4F2 (F: feature size) or less may be difficult. In respect to reducing the size of DRAM devices, a DRAM that may store data using only the transistor without the capacitor, e.g., a capacitorless 1T DRAM, has been proposed. The capacitorless 1T DRAM may have an electrically floated channel body.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views of a conventional capacitorless DRAM and a method of operating the conventional capacitorless DRAM. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a gate 110 may be formed on a silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate 100. The SOI substrate 100 may have a structure in which a first silicon layer 10, an oxide layer 20, and a second silicon layer 30 are sequentially stacked, and the gate 110 may have a structure in which a gate insulating layer 40 and a gate conductive layer 50 are sequentially stacked. A source 30a and a drain 30b may be formed in the second silicon layer 30 on either side of the gate 110. A floating channel body 30c, that is electrically separated from the first silicon layer 10, may be formed between the source 30a and the drain 30b. The floating channel body 30c may be a partially depleted region having a thickness of about 150 nm.
As illustrated in FIG. 1A, when voltages of 0.6V, 0V, and 2.3V are respectively applied to the gate conductive layer 50, the source 30a, and the drain 30b, electrons migrate from the source 30a to the drain 30b through the floating channel body 30c. In this process, electron-hole pairs are generated by electron impact in the floating channel body 30c. The holes may not leave the floating channel body 30c but accumulate in the floating channel body 30c. The holes may be called excess holes 5. A state when the excess holes 5 accumulate in the floating channel body 30c is a first state.
As illustrated in FIG. 1B, when voltages of 0.6V, 0V, and −2.3V are respectively applied to the gate conductive layer 50, the source 30a, and the drain 30b, a forward bias may be applied between the floating channel body 30c and the drain 30b. The excess holes 5 of FIG. 1A may be removed from the floating channel body 30c, and electrons 7 may accumulate in the floating channel body 30c. A state when the electrons 7 accumulate in the floating channel body 30c is a second state. Because the floating channel body 30c has different resistances in the first and second states, the first and second states may be used to represent different data states, e.g., '1' and '0'.
However, in the conventional capacitorless DRAM, the floating channel body 30c may have undesirable data retention properties. In the conventional capacitorless DRAM, a relatively wide area of the floating channel body 30c may contact the source 30a and the drain 30b. Thus, a relatively large amount of charges may be lost at the corresponding junctions. Accordingly, data retention time in the floating channel body 30c may be reduced.

Capacitorless DRAM having a hole reserving unit


The present invention is a method (10) for manufacturing a three-dimensional object. The method (10) includes receiving (14) digital information of the three-dimensional object over a communication line and building (30) the three-dimensional object based at least in part on the received digital information, where at least part of the three-dimensional object is built by rapid manufacturing, and where the three-dimensional object comprises an exterior surface. The method also includes vapor smoothing (32) at least a portion of the exterior surface of the three-dimensional object.

The present invention generally relates to the rapid manufacturing of three-dimensional (3D) objects such as prototypes, tooling, and production-quality parts. In particular, the present invention relates to a transactional method for the rapid manufacturing and smoothing of 3D objects.
The production and testing of 3D objects is commonly used for developing new products, machines, and processes in a wide range of industries. There are a variety of rapid manufacturing techniques for building 3D objects, each of which develop the objects from geometric computer models under computer control. These techniques generally slice or divide a digital representation of a desired object (e.g., a computer aided design (CAD)) into horizontal layers, then build the object layer-by-layer by repetitive application of materials. The term "rapid manufacturing" herein refers to the building of 3D objects by one or more layer-based additive techniques. Exemplary rapid manufacturing techniques include fused deposition modeling, ink jetting, selective laser sintering, and stereolithographic processes.
In many situations, designers may only require a limited number of 3D objects to be manufactured, or alternatively, the designers may not have direct access to a rapid manufacturing system. In these cases, it may be more efficient and cost effective for the designers to have professional manufacturers that are experts in rapid manufacturing perform the work. As such, there is a need for a transactional method of interacting with customers for building 3D objects that is easy to use, amenable to individual customer needs, and which produces quality 3D objects.

Transactional method for building three-dimensional objects


A compactible polybenzimidazole composition contains from about 95 to about 5 weight percent of solid lubricant particles which are uniformly dispersed and encapsulated in from about 55 to about 95 weight percent of polybenzimidazole. The solid lubricant comprises graphite and boron nitride in a weight ratio of about 10:1 to about 1:10. The composition is useful for preparing self lubricating, shaped articles such as bearings, bearing sleeves, rings, seals, etc. which exhibit low friction properties.

Polybenzimidazoles exhibiting very high melting points, high glass transition temperatures, and/or very high viscosities at their melting points often times have very desirable properties such as chemical resistance, temperature resistance, and high strength needed for high performance characteristics. When prepared into powder by the method of precipitation or spray/quenching of polybenzimidazole resin solutions, the polymers exhibit good density and compression characteristics. Compression of the powder into shaped articles results in parts exhibiting excellent strength, modulus, and high tenacity. These properties make polybenzimidazole an economical choice for the replacement of more expensive metal and ceramic powders in the formation of shaped articles. However, polybenzimidazole shaped articles are not highly durable and wear resistant when subjected to friction environments. The articles tend to overheat and degrade under low friction conditions after short periods of time. It is desirable to produce polybenzimidazole compositions that exhibit good mechanical and physical properties, as well as wear resistance in friction environments.

Self lubricating polybenzimidazole shaped articles


The present invention relates to the compounds of formula (I), ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is C.sub.1-8 alkyl; C.sub.5-8 cycloalkyl;--(CH.sub.2).sub.n --Si(CH.sub.3).sub.3, wherein n is 1 to 5; C.sub.2-5 alkylenyl; arylmethylene; aryl; heteroaryl; or wherein such aryl or heteoaryl bears 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from halogen, amino, C.sub.1-8 alkyl mono- or disubstituted amino, C.sub.1-8 alkyl and C.sub.1-8 alkoxy and R.sup.2 is C.sub.1-8 alkoxy, pharmaceutical formulations containing these compounds and their use as vasodilators and in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders.

Since the discovery of the vasoactive effects of glyceryl trinitrate (also referred to as nitroglycerin), compounds containing nitrate or nitrite esters groups have been used in the treatment of various cardiovascular disorders such as, angina pectoris, congestive heart failure and myocardial infarction. See Parratt, J. R., J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 31, 801 (1979). The utility of these compounds arises from their ability to release nitric oxide (NO). See Ignarro, L. J., Pharmaceutical Research 6, 651 (1989). NO is believed to activate a soluble form of guanylate cyclase, a cellular enzyme, which catalyses the formation of 3',5' cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). See Kamm, et al., Annu. Rev. Physiol., 51, 299 (1989). It is the action of cGMP on other cellular targets that is thought to mediate relaxation of vascular smooth muscle and provide the therapeutic effect of nitrovasodilators.
A problem with the use of nitrovasodilators is their tendency to produce "tolerance." See Katz, R. J., Cardiovascular Drugs and therapy, 4, 247 (1990). Ignarro, L. J., et al., (J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 218, 739 (1981)) have suggested this tolerance effect results from depletion of intracellular sulfhydrals, such as glutathione, which are essential in the metabolism of nitrovasodilators to NO.
Tolerance of N-acetyl-3-(nitrosothio)-D-valine, also known as S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), is much less of a problem than tolerance of gyceryl trinitrate, and SNAP is one of the most stable nitrosothiols known (see Field, L., et al., J.C.S. Chem. Commun., 249(1978)). SNAP would be an especially useful drug if it could be delivered in such manner as vasodilating organic nitrates and nitrites currently in clinical use, i.e., orally (including sublingually), rectally, vaginally, nasally or transdermally. However, it is poorly absorbed by these routes.
It has now been found that certain novel ester derivatives of SNAP i.e., the compounds of the present invention, are active as low tolerance producing vasodilators, and are much better absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes than SNAP itself. Therefore, these derivatives are suited for oral, rectal, vaginal, nasal and transdermal applications. Some of the compounds of this invention are more potent vasodilators than SNAP and are comparable in this activity to gyceryl trinitrate.