A cutting-off device and at least one tear detector are provided for cutting a web of paper in a press end of a paper machine, in response to a tear in the web of paper in a single-tier dryer end, the tear of the web of paper being recognized via a tear signal and transmitted to the cutting-off device. The tear detector has a transmission/reception base unit, which, on the one hand, at the start of a production cycle, or whenever a tear in the paper web is detected, records and stores the spectrum of the existing shade of color of the corresponding dryer felt, and possibly updates the stored shade of color at the time of subsequent tears. On the other hand, upon a later tear in the paper web, the base unit compares the shade of color of the dryer felt at the existing tear and the previously stored shade of color. If they match, the base unit activates the cutting-off device when (and only when) the stored shade of color of the dryer felt is recognized.

The present invention relates to a device including a cutting device and at least one tear detector for cutting a web of paper in a press end of a paper machine, in response to a tear in the paper web in the dryer end.
In the manufacture of paper, the desire for maximum productivity is leading to plants with constantly higher production capacities and accordingly also to machines with constantly increasing speeds. The speed limits in this connection frequently arise from the drying section or the drying capacity available there, and from the danger of the paper web tearing. It is readily clear that forces which are not problematical at low speeds result, in the case of high-speed paper machines, in phenomena such as fluttering of the web and the like, as the result of which the web of paper may then tear.
Such tears of course cause a reduction in production. One particular problem in connection with such tears is that if the tear remains unnoted, the web of paper travels in a completely uncontrolled manner through the drying end. The drying end may become completely clogged to a greater or lesser extent, which may possibly require long periods of delay for the removal of the shreds of paper. Or, wrapping can occur, as a result of which the journals of the corresponding shaft may break. The dryer felts (dryer wires) of the drying end may also be destroyed.

Device for cutting a paper web in a press end of a paper machine


An illumination device especially adapted for internally illuminating a decorative object wherein the decorative object is associated with a particular seasonal holiday, festive, or celebratory event. The device includes a dome shaped housing that is sized and configured to mount inside the decorative object. The housing has concavities with reflective surfaces and electric lights that are disposed in the concavities. Electric current is supplied to the light for illumination of the interior of the decorative object. The illuminative object has the optional capability to flash the electric lights to mimic the flickering of a burning candle and employ the use of fiber optics for special lighting effects.

The present invention generally relates to illumination devices that produce special lighting effects. More particularly, the present invention is directed to illumination devices adapted for use to internally illuminate decorative objects related to specific holiday, seasonal, festive, or celebratory events, for example, a device to illuminate the interior of a carved pumpkin or jack o""lantern at Halloween.
It is a common desire among many people to be able to decorate their house for a particular seasonal, holiday, festive or other celebratory event in attempting to achieve a maximum visual impact with a minimum burden of cost and effort. In particular, the holiday of Halloween has become very popular world wide in recent years and Halloween has a focus on upon having ghoulish, shocking, or scary visual effects as one of this holiday""s major attributes. In accomplishing these shocking visual effects, many things are done, such as placing carved pumpkins, or jack o""lanterns, hanging Halloween figurines, ghosts, goblins, witches, monsters, posters, shades, etc. in windows. Other visual effects include spraying a spider web material on the inside of the window, or creating a three dimensional scene in the room that is inside of the window.
Usually included, in such decorations is some sort of special lighting or illumination effect as the impact of the visual image is especially predominant at nighttime. Many ways are used to provide unique lighting such as a candle or light inside the carved pumpkin, spot or colored lights in windows, special candle enclosures along sidewalks, window ledges, etc. Candles give an especially desirable effect with their warm orange glow, and flickering light that adds to the mysterious allure of the illuminated carved pumpkin at night. However, candles have a number of drawbacks concerning mounting stability, wind extinguishments, short burn time, fumes, and fire safety.
Typically short slender candles or votive candles are used and are usually just placed in the bottom of the pumpkin without being secured in any manner to the pumpkin shell. Sometimes aluminum foil or aluminum pie pans or pins are used to set the candle in or placing the candle in a puddle of softened wax can be used also. None of the methods hold the candle securely, allowing the candle to tip over and be extinguished, or fall out of the pumpkin. Also, none of these methods contain the wax of the votive candle; therefore the burning time of the votive candle is reduced. As the candle burns in the pumpkin it is necessary to provide a chimney or flue so that smoke and heat can escape from the pumpkin interior. This flue or chimney must be carved in the top of the pumpkin shell and besides being unsightly, the presence of the pumpkin stem and correspondingly thick shell rind near the stem area makes adding the flue or chimney difficult. In addition, if the flue or chimney is too small or non existent an offensive odor can result from burnt pumpkin rind.
The industry has responded in addressing some of these problems associated with candles by providing better candle mounts in the pumpkin in the form of a wire holder. This holder has a first segment that wraps around the candle outside diameter with remainder of the wire inserted into the pumpkin shell rind. This helps overcome the problem of candle stability, but does not address the other drawbacks of candles, namely, wind extinguishments, short burn time, fumes, and fire safety.
The industry has also developed a number of battery-powered lights that attempt to mimic the effect of a candle burning inside of a carved pumpkin. The most basic battery powered light is nothing more than a small flashlight that is placed vertically in the bottom of the pumpkin with the clear lens light bulb exposed, wherein the light bulb illuminates steadily. Other devices are somewhat more advanced with the light bulb having a flat reflector to broaden the light diffusion. Also, circuitry has been added to make the light bulb flashing, which can more closely simulate a candle flickering. One particular scenario is to use one light bulb and have a sequence of different time periods for the light to be illuminated, such as two short light illumination periods followed by a longer duration light illumination period to more closely simulate the effect of a candle flickering. Another method of accomplishing the candle flickering effect is to use a plurality of lights, wherein each light flashes independently at different times giving the image of different light illumination periods. Other devices combine continuous or flashing battery powered lights light with audible sounds that reflect the holiday or festive event, such as laughing monsters for Halloween. Finally, a plurality of lights can be of different colors to produce a softer light than using a clear lens light bulb, with the clear lens producing a bright light compared to the soft glow of a burning candle.
Despite these past developments, there remains a need in the industry for an effective device to illuminate carved pumpkins or jack o""lanterns that is inexpensive, easy to use, enhances safety, and gives an image closely resembling a burning candle. The device should also be self-contained and not require any additional items or parts to use other than normal household items. The present invention satisfies these desires while providing the desired visual image.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful illumination device for placement inside of a decorative object that has an opening sized and configured to display a selected decorative feature when the interior is illuminated.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an illumination device that is relatively inexpensive to produce and is lightweight, compact, safe, and self-contained to be easily portable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide illuminative effects that enhance the visual experience of an individual observing a decorative object for a festive or holiday event.
A further object of the present invention is to mimic the desirable illuminative effects of a candle burning with a flickering light.
Still a further object of the present invention is to overcome the traditional drawbacks of using a candle for decorative object illumination such as fire risk, heat, smoke fumes, short burn life, and wind extinguishments, by the use of an electric light.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a much greater level of mounting stability of the illuminative device in the decorative object as compared to traditional items such as candles.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide for various light diffusing and light coloring effects to enhance the visual impression of the of the illuminated decorative object on the observer.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide special lighting effects for the illumination of the decorative object such as the use of translucent decorative inserts and fiber optics.
As yet another object of the present invention is to be able to mount the device in a number of different decorative objects.
Another object of the present invention is to provide unique auditory sound effects to further enhance the decorative objects effect for a festive event.
To accomplish these objects, the present invention, then, is directed to an illumination device for providing visual effects from the openings of a decorative object to enhance the observation of an individual of the decorative object for a particular festive or holiday event. The illumination device is adapted to rest on a generally flat support surface and to have a source of electrical power provided either internally or externally. The illumination device preferably consists of a housing that includes a bottom portion that is adapted to contact the support surface and has an upper portion that is a dome shaped exterior surface. The dome shaped exterior surface has a concavity formed in it that has an optically reflective concave surface. The housing may have attachment protrusions extending downward from the bottom portion to secure the housing to a support surface that can enhance the mounting stability of the illumination device.
An electrical lighting element is disposed in the optically reflective concavity and is connectable to the source of electrical power to emit light. The electrical lighting element is positioned such that the light emitting therefrom is projected from the optically reflective concavity when the lighting element is connected to the source of electrical power. The illumination device preferably can alternate its lights in an on and off state to mimic the flickering effect of a candle and have the capability for special lenses to diffuse and color the light emitted to further provide the effect of the orange glow of a candle. Other attachments disposed on the light-emitting element such as fiber optics and translucent decorative covers in the openings of decorative objects can provide alternative lighting effects. In, addition an auditory sound generating element disposed within the housing can be combined with the lighting effects to further enhance the sensory effect on an individual for the particular festive event or holiday. The electrical power is preferably supplied by batteries disposed within the housing. Alternative electrical power can be supplied by an external source outside of the housing providing the same power as the internal batteries.
The illuminative device is used with a decorative object to form a decorative system with the decorative object having at least one opening, with the opening sized and configured to display a selected decorative feature when the interior is illuminated. The decorative object is preferably a pumpkin, however any decorative object would be acceptable that has an interior with at least one opening and can benefit from the special illuminative effects for commemorating a festive event or holiday.

Portable special effects illumination device


A fixed core includes: a fixed core tapered portion having a diameter increased in an attraction direction; and a fixed core circular portion having a fixed outer diameter and extending in the attraction direction from an end of the fixed core tapered portion. A movable core includes a movable core tubular portion in which a movable core hole is defined. The movable core hole is a space into which the fixed core tapered portion and the fixed core circular portion can enter. The movable core tubular portion includes: a movable core cylindrical portion having a constant inner diameter; and a movable core tapered tubular portion having an inner diameter decreased from an end of the movable core cylindrical portion in a non-attraction direction.

Up to now, one of the electromagnetic relays of this type is disclosed in, for example, Patent Literature 1. The electromagnetic relay disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is configured so that an electromagnetic attraction force is generated between opposed surfaces of a movable core formed of a plate and a fixed core formed of a plate due to the energization of an exciting coil. The movable core is attracted toward the fixed core due to the electromagnetic attraction force.
The opposed surfaces of the movable core and the fixed core are inclined with respect to a moving direction of the movable core, thereby reducing an air gap between the opposed surfaces of the movable core and the fixed core. Thus, the electromagnetic attraction force is increased immediately after the exciting coil has started to be energized.

Electromagnetic relay having a tapered and circular movable core portion


A technique facilitates a fracturing operation by maintaining the heterogeneity of proppant fluid as it is injected into reservoir fractures. The technique comprises using a blender to deliver proppant material in a pulsating manner to create pulses of proppant. The pulses of proppant are mixed with a fluid to create a proppant slurry having the pulses of proppant material separated by a second fluid. The proppant slurry is then split between a plurality of pumps which are operated to pump the slurry to a well. To maintain heterogeneity, the pump rates of the pumps are individually adjusted to control dispersion of the pulses of proppant downstream of the pumps and to substantially maintain the separated pulses of proppant material in the slurry. A wide variety of other system adjustments also may be made for enhancing the ability of the overall fracturing system to maintain separated pulses of concentrated proppant material.

Hydraulic fracturing improves well productivity by creating high-permeability flow passages extending through a reservoir to a wellbore. Hydraulic fracturing includes hydraulically injecting a fracturing fluid, e.g. fracturing slurry, into a wellbore that penetrates a subterranean formation. The fracturing fluid is directed against the formation strata under pressure until the strata is forced to crack and fracture. Proppant is then placed in the fracture to prevent collapse of the fracture and to improve the flow of fluid, e.g. oil, gas or water, through the reservoir to the wellbore.
In many fracturing operations, proppant is delivered and mixed with a clean carrier fluid to create the proppant fluid or slurry. The slurry is then pumped by a series of pumps to a common manifold or missile and delivered to a wellhead for injection downhole under pressure. The heterogeneity of the proppant in the proppant fluid can be helpful in improving the conductivity of the fractures once the proppant is injected into the fractures. However, the use of multiple pumps and the design of the overall fracturing system can effectively mix the proppant through the clean fluid and create a substantially homogeneous slurry.

Synchronizing pulses in heterogeneous fracturing placement


This invention provides a method to hold tire reinforcements such as plies, belts and beads in place within a tire molding cavity while liquid elastomer surrounds the reinforcements, fills the tire mold and solidifies.

A tire utilizes reinforcement components such as plies, belts, and beads to control tire size and shape and to hold it on a wheel. Traditional rubber tires are assembled on a building drum by laminating strips of rubber and rubber coated reinforcement. The rubber coating on the reinforcements is solid and sticky and un-vulcanized which allows it to control distance between reinforcements and to hold reinforcements in place until the vulcanization reaction can be completed.
Conventional rubber tires have manufacturing and performance problems associated with laminating one green and un-vulcanized component on top of another. The biggest problem is air entrapped between laminates and at ends of laminates. This entrapped air can cause a manufacturing defect in the cured, vulcanized, tire called a "blow", which is an air bubble entrapped within the cured tire. A small blow which is not caught during tire inspection can become larger during service allowing structural components to separate and generate heat from friction between the separated components. This separation and heat can cause tire failure which is sometimes catastrophic.
The liquid elastomer tires of this invention are not assembled by laminating one elastomeric strip upon another. Instead, the tires of this invention have their reinforcements—plies, belts and beads—assembled and liquid elastomer poured or injected around them. There is no entrapped air within the finished tire structure and, therefore, no blows or separations in service.


A method and apparatus is provided that improves the quality of voice calls in a mobile communication network. The method of performing transmission/reception of signals in an evolved Node B (eNB) of a mobile communication system includes: receiving a first message including service request information from user equipment (UE); transmitting a second message including the service request information to an Mobility Management Entity (MME); receiving a third message including context information for the UE from the MME; and determining an inactivity timer value for the UE based on the context information. The method and apparatus can maintain, when a voice call is created, connection with calling UE from when the called UE answers the call until the call is set up, thereby preventing part of a caller's voice data from being lost.

Mobile communication systems have been developed to provide voice call services, supporting users' mobility. With the development of communication technology, they have recently provided data communication services, or high speed data services. As mobile communication systems evolve to provide more various services, they face lack of resources and users' demands for high speed data services. Therefore, development of more advance mobile communication systems is required.
In order to conform to the requests, standardization of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project Long Term Evolution (3GPP LTE) as the next generation mobile communication system is ongoing. LTE is a technology to implement high speed packet-based communication, up to maximum 100 Mbps. To this end, various proposals have been discussed. As an example, a scheme has been proposed to reduce the number of nodes on communication paths by simplifying network architecture. Another scheme has been proposed to apply wireless protocols to wireless channels.
FIG. 1 is a view of a general LTE mobile communication system.
Referring to FIG. 1, the wireless access network of the LTE mobile communication system includes an evolved Node B or an evolved UTRAN Node B (EUTRAN), hereafter called eNB 110, a Mobility Management Entity (MME) 120, a Serving Gateway (S-GW) 130, etc. User Equipment (UE) 100 is connected to an external network through then eNB 110, the S-GW 130, and a Packet Data Network Gateway or Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway, hereafter called P-GW 160.
eNB 110 is a Radio Access Network (RAN) node and corresponds to a Radio Network Controller (RNC) of a Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) system and a Base Station Controller (BSC) of a GSM EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN) system. eNB 110 is connected to UE 100 through a wireless channel and performs functions similar to those of a conventional RNC/BSC. eNB 110 may simultaneously cover a number of cells.
In LTE, since the user's traffic and real-time services, such as Voice over IP (VoIP) service, are routed through shared channels, systems are required for collecting status information about UE devices 100 and for scheduling the UE devices. These systems are covered by the eNB 110.
MME 120 performs control functions. One MME 120 may be connected to a number of eNBs.
S-GW 130 provides data bearers. S-GW 130 creates or removes a bearer under the control of the MME 120.
Application Function (AF) 140 exchanges application-related information with a user in a level of application.
Policy Charging and Rules Function (PCRF) 150 controls policy related to a user's Quality of Service (QoS). Policy and Charging Control (PCC) rule corresponding to policy is transmitted to the P-GW 160. Policy Charging and Rules Function (PCRF) 150 is an entity of controlling a QoS for traffic and a charging service. In general, user plane (UP) refers to a path connecting UE 100 and an RAN node, i.e., eNB 110, S-GW 130, and P-GW 160, through which user's data is transmitted/received. The path between UE 100 and eNB 110 uses a wireless channel and is subjected to the limitation of resources.
In a wireless communication system such as LTE, the unit of channel to which QoS can be applied is an Evolved Packet System (EPS) bearer. One EPS bearer is used to transmit IP flows with the same QoS request. An EPS bear may be designated with a parameter related to QoS, including QoS Class Identifier (QCI) and Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP). The QCI is a parameter defining the QoS priority as an integer. The ARP is a parameter to determine whether to accept or refuse the creation of a new EPS bearer.
An EPS bearer corresponds to a Packet Data Protocol (PDP) context of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) system. One EPS bearer belongs to PDN. The PDN has an Access Point Name (APN) as an attribute. If PDN connection for an IMS service such as Voice over LTE (VoLTE) is formed, it must be created by using a well-known IMS APN.
In order to support voice calls, LTE networks employ an IMS-based VoLTE technology using a Packet Switched (PS) delivery or a circuit switched fall back (CSFB) technology using a circuit switched (CS) delivery for a 2G/3G system. In LTE networks, the term 'VoLTE' has the same concept as 'Voice over IMS (VoIMS).'

Method and apparatus of improving quality of calls in mobile communication system


A system and method for sensing phase errors in a multiple receiver array use three non-collinear transmitters transmitting first, second, and third signals to a target and receiving corresponding signals reflected from the target using the multiple receiver array. In one embodiment, each transmitter transmits a characteristic signal which can be distinguished from each other by the receivers. In one embodiment, each transmitter transmits a slightly different monotone frequency that is preferably outside any imaging bandwidth. The sheared products computed from heterodyne measurements at the receivers in the array based on the reflected signals from the three transmitters are used to determine and correct for the combined transmitter/receiver phase errors at each of the receivers in the array.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for detecting and correcting phase errors associated with a coherent array.
2. Background Art
Various applications use a coherent array of receivers to detect radiation emitted from a target or scene. The radiation detected by the coherent array can be processed to provide information about the target, such as range information, or to form a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image, for example. Receiver arrays may be used for sensing passive radiation reflected from a target object and for active sensing where a scene or target is illuminated using a known source of radiation, such as a microwave or ultrasound beam. Receiver arrays may be used in diverse applications which employ interferometric, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), or phased-array radar sensors to detect emitted radiation, which applications may include surveillance and reconnaissance, target identification and tracking, or medical applications, for example.
The ultimate accuracy or resolution provided by a particular system employing a coherent array of receivers may be affected by many factors. Phase errors, which may be caused by physical changes of individual receivers in the array, motion of the transmitter(s) and/or receiver array, path propagation delays, electronic propagation delays, etc., may result in undesirable effects, such as blurring. A number of strategies have been developed to detect and/or correct phase errors, many of which depend upon some a priori knowledge or assumptions relative to the target or scene. For example, in correcting phase errors in synthetic-aperture radar (SAR), prominent points in the image may be used to determine the phase errors, as described in W. G. Carrara, R. S. Goodman, and R. M. Majewski, Spotlight Synthetic Aperture Radar Signal Processing Algorithms (Artech House, Boston, 1995), Chapter 6. Another approach for correcting phase errors due to receiver array motion in a interferometric imaging system used in surveillance and reconnaissance uses strain gauges, inertial measurement units, and various focusing algorithms to measure and to compensate for wing flexure and altitude variations of an aerial vehicle as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,174.
A different function is performed by an approach described by R. A. Hutchin in xe2x80x9cSheared Coherent Interferometric Photography: A Technique for Lensless Imagingxe2x80x9d in Digital Image Recovery and Systhesis II, Proc. SPIE 2029, 161-1685 (1993). That approach eliminates the effect of phase errors on a two-dimensional image based on intensity measurements by a receiver array without measuring the phase errors. This is accomplished by using a set of three laser transmitters and detecting at the receiver the interference between signals from pairs of the transmitters.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for measuring phase errors in multiple-antenna coherent imaging systems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for measuring deformation of a surface having an array of receivers.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for detecting and correcting coherent array aberration which can be applied to interferometric sensors, synthetic aperture radar sensors, and other phased-array coherent imaging systems.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a non-mechanical means of measuring and correcting phase errors of a coherent receiver array.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for sensing aberrations of an array of receivers due to unknown motion of the array or propagation delays.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a method for correcting physical distortions of a receiver array.
In carrying out the above objects and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, a system and method for sensing phase errors in a multiple receiver array include transmitting first, second, and third signals from non-collinear transmitters to a target, measuring amplitude and phase of signals reflected from the target corresponding to the first, second, and third signals using the multiple receiver array, computing a first sheared product of the received signals corresponding to the first and second transmitted signals representing information about phase error variations along a first dimension, computing a second sheared product of the received signals corresponding to the first and third transmitted signals representing information about phase error variations along a second dimension, and determining the phase error associated with each receiver in the multiple receiver array based on the sheared products. In one embodiment, phase errors associated with the non-collinear transmitters are measured and subtracted prior to determining the phase error associated with each receiver in the array. In another embodiment, the non-collinear transmitters are mounted such that they all experience the same phase error. The three non-collinear transmitters may be distinguished from the imaging signals received from the receiver array by using three different frequencies or signal modulations outside the imaging bandwidth.
The present invention provides a number of advantages. For example, the present invention provides a light-weight, inexpensive system for measuring and correcting phase errors in multiple antenna coherent imaging systems. The present invention compensates for aberrations caused by a variety of sources including unknown motion of the array, propagation path errors, and/or electronic phase errors. Once sensed using the present invention, aberrations can be subtracted and thereby corrected. Alternatively, aberration information can be used for real-time physical/mechanical correction of a distorted receiver array. For surveillance and reconnaissance applications, the present invention eliminates the need for phase error measurement and associated inertial measurement units at each receiver. Furthermore, the present invention can also be used with interferometric, SAR, and other phased-array coherent imaging sensors with applications in phased-array radars and medical ultrasound, for example.
The above advantages and other advantages, objects, and features of the present invention, will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

System and method for coherent array aberration sensing


A variable venturi type carburetor is provided having a vacuum generated in the venturi portion in accordance with the throttle valve opening. The vacuum is transmitted into a suction chamber through a vacuum passage so as to balance the force which is the sum of the force exerted by a suction spring and the force exerted by the atmospheric pressure introduced from an atmospheric pressure chamber. The suction piston is set to provide a cross-sectional area of the venturi portion corresponding to the intake air flow rate. The suction piston is provided with a guide groove receiving a guide roller which is rotatably mounted on a guide pin provided on the carburetor casing to oppose to the guide groove. The guide roller is adapted to roll along the guide groove to smooth the movement of the suction piston and prevents the suction piston from being rotated. The combination of the guide roller and the guide groove is free from the problem of wear, even after a long use, so as to ensure an extremely small hysteresis of behaviour of the suction piston and hence a highly accurate adjustment of the air fuel ratio. A suction spring is fixed at its both ends to the suction piston and the suction chamber in a twisted condition so as to bias the suction piston in a circumferential or rotational direction.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a variable venturi type carburetor for an automobile or the like vehicle, having a suction chamber formed in the venturi portion, a suction piston movably received by the suction chamber and a suction spring disposed between the suction piston and the suction chamber. More specifically, the present invention concerns such a carburetor having a metering jet formed in the venturi portion to oppose to the suction piston and a metering needle provided on the suction piston and wherein a limiting mechanism is provided for preventing change of area of gap around the metering needle in relation to the metering jet.
More particularly, the invention is concerned with a variable venturi type carburetor provided with an axial guide groove formed on the suction piston and a guide roller rotatably carried by a guide pin provided on the casing of the carburetor, the guide roller being adapted to roll along the guide groove, wherein the suction spring is retained at its both ends by the suction chamber and the suction piston in a twisted condition so as to rotatively bias the suction piston.
2. The Prior Art
As is well known, internal combustion engines installed on automobiles or the like vehicles are provided with carburetors. The carburetors are broadly classified into two types: variable venturi type carburetors and fixed venturi type carburetors. These two types are selectively used depending on their characteristics.
The variable venturi type carburetor is becoming popular due to its advantages such as good response characteristic, reduced height and so forth. The use of this type of carburetor has been wide spread in automobile production, not only for sport cars but also for automobiles for ordinary uses, and various changes and improvements of this type of carburetor have been made up to now.
However, the variable venturi type carburetor still involves various drawbacks to be eliminated and problems to be overcome. One of these problems to be overcome arises from vibration of the suction piston in the circumferential direction attributable to the wear down of the suction piston after long use.
To facilitate the understanding of this problem, a typical conventional variable venturi type carburetor is described in detail hereinafter with specific reference to FIGS. 1-6.
As the suction piston is moved into and out of the suction chamber in a conventional variable venturi carburetor, a metering needle provided on the head of the suction piston is moved out of and into a metering jet so as to change the area of annular gap between itself and the metering jet. As a result, a metered amount of fuel is sucked from a float chamber through a suction pipe and delivered to the mixing chamber through a main nozzle.
The fuel is metered automatically by changing the area of the annular gap formed between the metering jet and the metering needle which is moved in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the venturi portion.
However, the designed centering of the metering needle in relation to the metering jet has often failed due to vibration of engine attributable to a racing or the like reason. In such a case, the metering needle is oscillated and vibrated to change the area of the annular gap to cause changes not only in the flow rate of air but also of the stream line and flow resistance, incurring a change in the flow rate of fuel which may result in an engine stall.
Various countermeasures have been taken to avoid this problem. For instance, the metering needle may be biased in one direction by a spring to keep the metering needle in pressure contact with the metering jet to maintain a similar shape of the gap. In addition, in order to prevent the shape of the gap from being changed, the suction piston is prevented from rotating by the engagement of a guide pin with a guide groove.
The prevention of rotation of the metering needle, in combination of preservation of the similar shape of gap between the metering needle and the metering jet is initially effective to make the air flow steady and can theoretically ensure a stable sucking and delivery of the fuel. In fact, this theoretical stable fuel supply is performed at the initial period of use of the engine. However, as the engine is used repeatedly and the time in operation accumulates, the suction piston is likely to stick due to metal powders which are formed due to the wear of parts. In addition, the wear of the guide groove and the guide pin results in play therebetween to deteriorate the rotation-prevention function. In such a case, it is extremely difficult to maintain the similar shape of the gap. Moreover, the metering function becomes deteriorated by the wearing of the metering needle and the metering jet.
As a result, the hystresis of the suction piston is gradually increased; the suction piston being in extreme cases prevented from being reset smoothly, resulting in an engine stall.
In order to improve the starting characteristic at the starting cranking of the engine, an arrangement is employed for a gradual increase of opening of the venturi portion.
In some cases, the suction piston is inconveniently vibrated resulting in serious deterioration of the smooth idling of the engine. This problem can be to a significant degree overcome by proper design.
However, this solution is still unacceptable because the above-stated problem encountered due to the play between the guide pin and the guide groove generated by wears of these parts, results in an engine stall.


A memory disambiguation apparatus includes a store queue, a store forwarding buffer, and a version count buffer. The store queue includes an entry for each store instruction in the instruction window of a processor. Some store queue entries include resolved store addresses, and some do not. The store forwarding buffer is a set-associative buffer that has entries allocated for store instructions as store addresses are resolved. Each entry in the store forwarding buffer is allocated into a set determined in part by a subset of the store address. When the set in the store forwarding buffer is full, an older entry in the set is discarded in favor of the newly allocated entry. A version count buffer including an array of overflow indicators is maintained to track overflow occurrences. As load addresses are resolved for load instructions in the instruction window, the set-associative store forwarding buffer can be searched to provide memory disambiguation.

The present invention relates generally to processors having large instruction windows, and more specifically to memory disambiguation in processors having large instruction windows.
With every new generation of microprocessors, instruction window sizes are increasing. The term xe2x80x9cinstruction windowxe2x80x9d describes the set of processor instructions in various stages of execution at any given time. As newer generations of processors continue to increase the number of parallel execution units and the depth of pipelines, the number of processor instructions in the instruction window at any given time continues to increase.
Some processors with parallel execution units can execute many processor instructions in parallel. This improves program execution speed. Instructions enter the instruction window when they are read from the software program in xe2x80x9cprogram order.xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cProgram orderxe2x80x9d is the sequential order of the processor instructions in the program. When in the instruction window, different instructions can be scheduled to be executed by different execution units. This can lead to instructions being executed out of program order, or xe2x80x9cout-of-order.xe2x80x9d
The execution order of some processor instructions can be important. Examples include xe2x80x9cloadxe2x80x9d instructions that read the contents of memory locations, and xe2x80x9cstorexe2x80x9d instructions that update the contents of memory locations. For example, if a load instruction and a store instruction that specify the same memory location exist in a program with the store instruction preceding the load instruction in program order, the load instruction is said to be xe2x80x9cdependentxe2x80x9d on the store instruction. If the dependent load instruction accesses the memory location before the store instruction, the load instruction will read the memory location contents prior to the update by the store instruction, and an error will result. When a load instruction is dependent on a store instruction, the program order of these two instructions should be respected by the processor executing them.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art store queue. Store queue 100 is a fully associative queue that includes information from every store instruction that is in the instruction window. When a store instruction is read from the program, information from the store instruction is deposited in store queue 100, where it stays for as long as the store instruction is in the instruction window. Store queue 100 includes entries 130, each of which including a store address (STA) field 110 and store data (STD) field 120. When a store instruction is encountered in a program, an entry in store queue 100 is allocated, and to the extent that information is available to fill in STA field 110 and STD field 120, they are filled in. When a store instruction is completed, or xe2x80x9cretired,xe2x80x9d the corresponding entry is removed from store queue 100.
When a load instruction is encountered in a program, store queue 100 is searched to see if store queue 100 includes a store instruction upon which the load instruction depends. If one of entries 130 has an STA field 110 that matches the address corresponding to the load instruction, then the load instruction is dependent. If no such store instruction is found in store queue 100, the load instruction can be executed immediately without causing an erroneous out-of-order condition. This is called xe2x80x9cmemory disambiguation.xe2x80x9d If a store instruction upon which the load instruction depends is found, then execution of the load instruction can be delayed, or the load instruction can be satisfied by reading the data value from store queue 100 rather than from the memory location. This is called xe2x80x9cstore data forwarding.xe2x80x9d Store queue 100 is a fully associative queue that is completely searched each time a load instruction is encountered in a program. The search of store queue 100 takes time. For each load instruction encountered in a program, time is spent in a sequential search of store queue 100 to find any store instructions upon which the load instruction depends, and to find data to satisfy the load instruction with a store data forwarding operation. As instruction windows increase in size, store queue 100 and the associated search time also increase in size. When store queue 100 is very large, the search time can become so large as to cause performance problems.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for an alternate method and apparatus for providing memory disambiguation.
In one embodiment, a method of executing instructions in an out-of-order processor includes receiving a decoded instruction such as a store instruction that is configured to store a data value to a memory address. The instruction is inserted in a queue, and the instruction is also assigned to an entry in a set-associative buffer.
In another embodiment, a method of executing instructions includes issuing and removing a store instruction from a queue to a memory such that a data value associated with the store instruction is stored at a memory location specified by a memory address associated with the store instruction. The method also includes searching a set-associative buffer for an entry corresponding to the store instruction, and when the entry corresponding to the store instruction is found, removing the entry from the set-associative buffer.
In another embodiment, a method of executing instructions in an out-of-order processor includes receiving a first decoded instruction that is configured to load a data value from a memory address, and allocating an entry in a queue for the instruction. The method also includes searching a set of a set-associative buffer for a second instruction upon which the first instruction depends.
In another embodiment, a memory disambiguation apparatus includes a queue configured to hold all of the store instructions that are in an instruction window, and a set-associative buffer configured to hold a subset of the store instructions that are in the instruction window. In this embodiment, the set-associative buffer is organized in multiple sets, and each of the store instructions in the set-associative buffer has resolved memory addresses. Each of the multiple sets is configured to be searched for store instructions upon which a load instruction depends.
In another embodiment, a memory disambiguation apparatus includes a set-associative buffer arranged in sets, where each set includes buffer entries, and each of the buffer entries includes a tag field and a data field. In this embodiment, each of the buffer entries corresponds to a separate store instruction in an instruction window. Also included in this embodiment are overflow indicators, where each overflow indicator has a one-to-many relationship with the buffer entries in the set-associative buffer.

Memory disambiguation for large instruction windows


A backpack assembly for holding audio components comprising a backpack having lower, upper, front, rear and two side faces. One of the side faces includes a plurality of pockets formed interiorly of the bag. One of the plurality of the pockets is sized to hold a speaker therein and a second of the plurality of pockets is sized to hold a radio therein wherein the radio and the speaker are operatively connected by a speaker wire extending from the speaker to the radio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backpack assembly with audio components and more particularly pertains to generating sound through components in a backpack.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of backpacks and radios is known in the prior art. More specifically, backpacks and radios heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of generating sound from radios in various devices are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, the prior art discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,139 to Jakobe a shoulder supported stereophonic radio receiver.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,276 to Sata discloses a personal audio device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,134 to Waldron discloses a personal sound system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,962 to Eckman discloses a stereo speaker system for walkman-type radio and/or cassette player.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,984 to Seitz-Gangemi discloses an athletic radio holder.
In this respect, the backpack assembly with audio components according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of generating sound through components in a backpack.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved backpack assemblies with audio components which can be used for generating sound through components in a backpack. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and circuit for detecting and correcting errors in a communication channel are disclosed. The circuit includes error monitoring logic for monitoring the communication channel in real time for a performance metric, a fixed-operating point encoder/decoder coupled to the error monitoring logic for generating a bit stream containing redundant data used for the detecting and correcting, a reconfigurable controller coupled to the fixed-operating point encoder/decoder, wherein a configuration of the reconfigurable controller determines an amount of the redundant data contained in the bit stream, and a data structure implemented in a logic fabric of the circuit and coupled to the error monitoring logic, for generating the configuration of the reconfigurable controller responsive to a value of the performance metric controller.

Digital communications require error detection and correction capabilities in order to communicate over imperfect and/or noisy channels. For instance, channel noise may introduce errors during transmission of a message from a source to a receiver. Error detection techniques detect such errors, while error correction techniques enable the original message to be reconstructed free of the errors. These capabilities become increasingly important as communication speed and bandwidth requirements increase.
Many error detection and correction techniques rely on the transmission of redundant data, such as error correcting codes (ECCs) and cyclic redundancy checks (CRCs), with a message. The receiver uses the redundant data to check consistency of the delivered message, and to recover data determined to be corrupted. The amount of redundant data that is needed to detect and correct errors often depends on the channel noise that is present, which may vary over time due to environmental changes (e.g., rain, temperature, cloud cover, presence of other devices, and the like).

Method and apparatus for detecting and correcting errors in a communication channel


A hygienic cleaning apparatus that provides the washing of the genital area of a person seated on a toilet by upwardly and inwardly directed nozzles, whose water emanations converge at at least one point underneath the area to be cleaned. Temperatures and volume controls and pre-temperature water testing at a test tube outlet are also provided. A warm-air system provides drying air through ducts in the vicinity of the nozzles. The hygienic cleaning apparatus can also be used in conjunction with a modified toilet seat lid, whereby a hole is made at the point where the spray splashes when the lid is in a closed position, the lid containing channels leading away from such opening and terminating in openings over the seat itself, thereby permitting the seat to be washed clean. The warm air system also provides drying air to dry the seat after such washing.

l. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hygienic apparatus and more specifically to such apparatus readily installable in combination with a conventional toilet for washing the toilet seat before (or after) use and for cleansing the genital area of a person seated on the toilet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional method of cleaning oneself after toilet use is with paper, which is not always available, sometimes so rough as to aggravate the skin, and which not infrequently causes plumbing problems by stopping up the toilet at the time of flushing.
Additional hygienic apparatus for washing the genital area has been developed in the form of a bidet which provides a single spout of water and usually is included in a bowl apart from the normal toilet bowl. Such a conventional bidet is expensive, inconvenient for normal washing purposes and often uncomfortable because of improper water temperature or because the spout of water is too strong. On occasion, the spout is not strong enough and there is usually no means of increasing the strength.
Therefore, a feature of the present invention is to provide an improved hygienic apparatus installable in a toilet for washing the genital area of the person with temperature-controlled water flow.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide an improved hygienic apparatus for washing and drying the genital area of a person while seated on a toilet having the invention installed therewith.
Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide an improved hygienic apparatus for washing the genital area of a person seated on a toilet with the invention installed therein, the water being made available for temperature testing by hand prior the water its being used for genital area washing.
Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a toilet with an improved hygienic apparatus for washing the genital area of a person seated on a toilet, which apparatus may also be use for cascading water over the toilet seat before or after use.
Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a toilet with an improved hygienic apparatus for washing the genital area of a handicapped person incapable of cleansing himself in the conventional manner.


A paper plate for office offset printing has at least one side of a base paper composed of a water resistant middle layer made primarily of synthetic latex and a hydrophilic surface layer, which is applied to the top of the water resistant middle layer, made primarily of colloidal silica particles 20 nm or less in diameter, a slip agent and an adhesive.

It is a known manufacturing method for offset printing plates (Japanese Patent JP S51-8045) in which the base paper is coated with a water resistant middle layer and then on the top of the water resistant middle layer coated with a hydrophilic surface processing solution with a mixture of alginate and colloidal silica to form a water resistant layer by reacting with a polyvalent metallic salt at the surface and/or inside of the water resistant middle layer.

Paper plate for office offset printing and its manufacturing method


A portable, temporary removable system for locking and unlocking a door knob, door lever or locking deadbolt without the requirement of using keyed entry. Several manners of automated locking and unlocking are introduced and the instant system is designed for quick installation and removal. Once attached, the system may be remotely controlled from the outside of the door via a pattern of knocks, via electronic communications or a combination of a knock pattern and electronic communication.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keyless and remote access controlled locking and unlocking system.
Description of the Related Art
Keyed entry door knobs and door levers are commonly used to restrict access to homes, businesses and other structures. These door knobs and door levers contain an internal lock mechanism which includes a keyed lock, accessible on the exterior of the door and a finger-operated rotational lock/unlock mechanism, accessible on the interior of the door. The interior finger-operated rotational lock/unlock mechanism is designed to be actuated by human fingers and is designed such that users do not need a key to lock or unlock the door knob or door lever from the interior of the door.
When operating a door knob or door lever from the exterior, a key is required to be inserted into the exterior lock mechanism and rotated in order to gain access to the locked area. Keys are costly to reproduce and the method of duplicating keys is often inaccurate and imprecise, resulting in keys that do not properly open the lock. Keys can be easily lost reducing the security of the device. In addition, locking door knobs and door levers allow for only one key pattern per door knob or door lever so it is not possible to offer different types of access control to different users.
Electronic and mechanical doorknobs containing a numerical or alphanumeric keypad currently exist which allow users to enter a password or numerical code in order to unlock the door knob locking mechanism. Additionally, systems exist which allow a door knob or door level to be controlled remotely via wireless communications and via the internet. These current designs are required to be permanently installed in the door and are clearly visible from the outside of the door.
Key lockboxes are currently in use which allows users to lock a key in a protective box in close proximity to the keyed entry doorknob. Most key lockboxes are accessed by entering a numeric or alphanumeric combination on the outside of the box structure. Some electronic lockboxes open via communication with smartphones or other electronic devices. These key lockboxes allow multiple users possessing the lockbox combination or electronic access privileges to gain access to the key inside the box. The user then takes possession of the key in order to insert it into the exterior of the door knob or door lever locking mechanism in order to unlock the lock mechanism. This approach allows several users to share a single key within the lockbox but it is a cumbersome and time consuming process. In addition, security is reduced because every user with lockbox access takes possession of the physical key for a period of time.
Thus, it is possible for users to duplicate the key during the time they possess it. Once a user takes possession of a key, it is impossible to be certain that access has been revoked unless the key pattern of the lock is physically changed or the entire door knob or door lever is replaced. In addition, users may forget to return the key to the lockbox.
What is needed is a device which can be temporarily attached to the door knob or door lever on the inside of the door in order to actuate the rotational lock/unlock mechanism and which can be remotely operated from the outside of the door without the use of a key.

Remote control unlocking and locking system


A rotary flow control valve is provided, that, despite compact design, offers excellent vibration resistance, a high response speed, and superb proportionality of a controlled flow rate to an applied current value. In a channel selector 4 in a rotary flow control valve 1, a guide valve 2 mounted in a hollow of an inner housing 6 is borne by bearings 19 and 20 so that the guide valve 2 can rotate forward or in reverse. Intra-outer housing tubes 10, 11, and 12 are formed in an outer housing 5. In the inner housing 6, communicating channels 13 to 16 are formed in fours at symmetric positions with respect to the rotation center of the guide valve 2. In a torque motor 3, permanent magnets 33 are attached to a lower armature 32 coupled with the guide valve 2 using an adhesive. The magnetic poles at both ends of the permanent magnets 33 are opposed to cylinders 43 about which coils 34 are wound. With attraction and repulsion produced between the cylinders 43 and permanent magnets 33, the guide valve 2 rotates together with the lower armature 32.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flow control valve in which channels are switched by varying an applied current, and thus a flow rate is controlled.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, a linear motion-type electromagnetic proportional flow control valve, in which a spool slides axially in proportion to an applied current value, has been proposed as one type of electromagnetic flow control valve for controlling a flow rate of fluid according to an applied current value. Another flow control value is of the rotary motion type, wherein a valve is installed in a housing and a flow rate is controlled by rotating the valve with a motor.
The foregoing linear motion-type electromagnetic flow control value has an advantage that a flow rate can be controlled in proportion to an applied current. When mounted in an automobile, however, the flow control valve is likely to operate incorrectly because of the axial oscillation of the spool, and cannot control a flow rate with precision.
In contrast, the conventional rotary motion-type flow control value is unaffected by the above oscillation. However, since a large drive motor is needed, the control valve itself is large in size. The adoption of a structure, in which a reduction gear is employed to increase a rotary torque, enables the use of a small motor. However, the deceleration decreases response speed, disabling high-speed flow control.
When the above motor is used, a torque variation in a direction defined by a rotation angle, which is attributable to the non-uniform distribution of magnetic fields in the direction defined by a rotation angle of the motor, leads to poor linearity of the rotation angle relative to an applied current and eventually to the poor proportionality of a flow rate of controlled liquid relative to the applied current.


A front-end big bale loader is shown and described. A tined pick-up mechanism is pivotally connected to near the front end of a transporting vehicle frame. The tines of the pick-up mechanism are first inserted into the front side of a large bale, and then, the hydraulic system for the pick-up mechanism is actuated to rotate and lift the mechanism up and over the front of the transporting vehicle, to a bed that receives the bale. After the first big bale is rotated and lifted all the way back to the bed, the bale is removed from the tines by a backward shift mechanism that shifts the bale backwards on the bed, away from the temporarily stationary tines. Then, the pick-up mechanism is rotated forward and down in front of the vehicle to be ready to pick up a second big bale. At about the same time, a forward shift mechanism moves the first big hay bale forward again so that the second bale, when it is lifted up and back by the pick-up mechanism, comes to rest on top of the first bale. Then, the two-bale stack on the vehicle bed may be moved back by the backward shift mechanism to leave room on the bed for receiving the next two-bale stack which is created in the same manner.

1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates generally to hay harvesting and storage. More particularly, this invention relates to machinery for picking up large hay bales from the field, for transporting the bales to a storage area, and for unloading the bales there in a compact, secure stack.
2. Related Art.
To obtain the maximum production from a field of hay, each crop of hay must be promptly cut, baled and removed from the field. The more quickly hay can be cut and removed, the more quickly a successive crop of hay can be cultivated.
The harvesting of hay involves three main tasks: cutting the hay; baling the hay; and removing and storing the baled hay in stacks. Although originally manual tasks, nowadays these tasks to a great extent have been mechanized. Of these three tasks, the removing and stacking of the hay bales has heretofore been the most cumbersome.
The difficulties involved in removing and stacking hay bales are to a great extent dependant on the size and quantity of the individual bales produced by the specific hay baler that is used. Until recently, hay balers have come in three common sizes, producing the following sizes of bales: (1) 14" by 16" by 3 or 4 feet long; (2) 16" by 18" by 3 or 4 feet long; and (3) 16" by 24" by 4 feet long. These three sizes, collectively, fall into the category of "small bales". More recently, balers capable of producing bales 8 feet in length and having cross sections of 2 by 3 feet, 3 by 4 feet, or 4 by 4 feet, known as "big bales", have been produced. The larger bales mean less time is spent gathering, stacking and moving the bales. The primary factor limiting the use of "big bale" balers is the lack of effective machines designed to pick up, transport, stack and retrieve the big bales.
The most common prior art method for moving big bales from the field to a storage area is to use a tractor with a front end loader for loading the bales on a flatbed truck or trailer. Such a method is time consuming and requires at least two operators, i.e., one for each piece of equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,336 (Pearce) discloses a front-end bale loader with a platform carrying a pair of pivoted tines, which tines extend along the ground to engage beneath a bale. The tines may be rotated up to lift the bale off the ground, and the platform lifted and rotated to lift, and then discharge the bale.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,504 (Klompien) also discloses a front-end bale loader, but with a folding loading cradle pivotally connected to the front of the loader frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,208 (Siebenga) discloses a front-end bale loader which clamps bales between pick-up arms on the sides of a loading platform. Then, the loading platform pivots to lift the bales onto a downwardly and rearwardly inclined accumulating platform for storing the bales. One or two bales may be lifted at a time.
International Publication No. WO/86/07234 (Nygard et al.) also discloses a front-end bale loader which lifts the bales with a lift fork. This device may also load one or two bales at a time.


A blade assembly for a lawn edging machine. The blade assembly includes a hub, at least two spaced-apart blade members having two or more blade arms extending radially therefrom, and a horizontal blade member connecting the two blade members at their radially extended arm ends.

As is known to the art, lawn edgers are generally used to cut a narrow swath of grass from the area immediately adjacent to walkways, driveways, landscape features, buildings and the like. This edging gives the lawn a clean, well manicured look that is pleasing to the eye and easier to mow and maintain than unedged lawns.
A variety of lawn edgers are known to the art for use in residential and commercial settings. The vast majority of these machines use a single blade that rotates in a substantially vertical plane rather than in the horizontal plane normally used by standard lawn mowers. The blades are typically 1/8" to 1/4" thick, and cut a swath of approximately equal thickness.
In certain situations it is desirable to have a somewhat wider cut than is available with standard lawn edgers. Thus, a variety of specialty blades have been developed with varying degrees of success. For example, U.S Pat. No. 2,913,058 to Smith et al. discloses a lawn edger which may include horizontal blades adapted to cut a somewhat wider path. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 3,141,507 to Henry et al. discloses a trimming machine with wide blades for trimming grass areas along curbing or the like. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,573 to Williamson discloses a lawn edger apparatus having a wide (up to 1/2") blade for providing a wider edge cut to lawn.
In other attempts to provide wide lawn edging cuts multiple blades have been used. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,042 to Barton et al. discloses an apparatus for cutting lines on athletic fields comprising a multiplicity of spaced-apart blades. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,590 to Shank uses multiple blades for cutting a furrow between a sidewalk edge and the adjacent soil.
None of the lawn edging machines of the prior art were particularly useful for the homeowner seeking a quick, easy and inexpensive method for providing wide edging cuts of a variety of widths. With prior art machines only one width of cut was generally available, the machines being particularly adapted for a single, unique purpose.
A need therefore continues to exist for a lawn edgers with blades that cut a wider path than is available from standard lawn edgers. A need also exists for a lawn edger with interchangeable blades so that a particular, desired cut width can be achieved. The present invention addresses both of these needs.


Disclosed herein are computer-implemented methods; computer-implemented systems; and non-transitory, computer-readable media for storing an asset update record. One of the computer-implemented methods includes receiving an asset update record associated with the user. In response to determining one or more conditions of forming a data block are met, an Nth data block of a data block chaining ledger is generated, where the Nth data block comprises a first hash value and the asset update record. A second hash value of the asset update record is calculated. The first hash value and the second hash value are sent to the client device to be stored by the client device.

It is common for individual users or family members to configure personal assets through clients. Asset change records are usually stored on a server, and users can query the corresponding personal asset change records from the server.
For users, asset configuration is a transaction with a server owner, and these asset change records are usually stored on the server. Users hope that personal data stored on the server cannot be tampered with, and users can verify at any time whether the data is modified.
Based on this, a solution for storing a personal asset change record that cannot be tampered with in a centralized scenario is needed.


The present invention relates to a thin film capacitor that may be used as a stacked capacitor in a memory cell. In a thin film capacitor including a high dielectric constant layer sandwiched by two electrode layers, the high dielectric constant layer includes at least one perovskite-type oxide layer having a columnar structure and at least one perovskite-type oxide layer having a granular structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film capacitor used as a stacked capacitor in a memory cell of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in a DRAM cell, a stacked capacitor is formed by a lower electrode layer, an upper electrode layer and an insulating layer. Particularly, in a 1 Gbit DRAM device, a perovskite-type oxide layer is adopted as the insulating layer therebetween to improve the dielectric constant, the leakage current characteristics (the insulating characteristics) and the chemical stability characteristics. The perovskite-type oxide layer is made of oxide represented by ABO.sub.3 where A includes at least one of metals belonging to II-group or Pb and B includes at least one of metals belonging to IV-group. For example, ABO.sub.3 is (Ba,Sr)TiO.sub.3 (BST) and (Pb,Zr)TiO.sub.3.
The perovskite-type oxide layer is formed by using a sputtering process, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process or a sol-gel process. In view of the step coverage characteristics, the CVD process is preferably used.
A first prior art thin film capacitor includes a perovskite-type oxide layer having a columnar structure (see: Eiji Fujii et al., "Preparation of PbTiO.sub.3 thin films by plasma-enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition", Appl. Phys. Lett. 6513, pp. 365-367, Jul. 18, 1994). This will be explained later in detail.
In the first prior art thin film capacitor, however, the leakage current is increased. As a result, the insulating characteristics of the thin film capacitor are deteriorated, and also the breakdown voltage characteristics of the thin film capacitor are deteriorated.
A second prior art thin film capacitor includes a perovskite-type oxide layer having a granular structure (see: Takaaki Kawahara et al., "Influence of Buffer Layers and Barrier Metals on Properties of (Ba, Sr) Ti O.sub.3 Films Prepared by Liquid Source Chemical Vapor Deposition", Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 36 (1997), pp. 5874-5878, September 1997, and Takaaki Kawahara et al., "Surface Morphologies and Electrical Properties of (Ba, Sr)Ti O.sub.3 Films Prepared by Two-Step Deposition of Liquid Source Chemical Vapor Deposition", Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 34 (1995), pp. 5077-5082, September (1995). This also will be explained later in detail.
In the second prior art thin film capacitor, however, the dielectric constant is reduced.

Thin film capacitor including perovskite-type oxide layers having columnar structure and granular structure


Activated carbon regeneration is carried out in a downwardly moving bed with superheated steam moving upwardly through the bed. The superheated steam is maintained in a closed loop which comprises the steam treatment vessel, a steam pump and a steam superheater. The superheated steam is supplied at low pressure (e.g. less than about 10 psig) and provides the heat for volatilizing water and desorbed organic volatiles. The resulting dry, partially regenerated activated carbon may be re-used directly, but preferably is treated in a vacuum chamber to remove residual water and additional adsorbate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for regenerating wet activated carbon containing adsorbed volatile organic adsorbate and more particularly to a method and apparatus involving sequential treatment with low pressure steam and vacuum to achieve effective regeneration.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Activated carbon is employed as an adsorbent for removing selected ingredients from a fluid (gas or liquid) in which the ingredients are carried as a minor component. The effectiveness of activated carbon in removing selected ingredients decreases as the adsorbed quantity of the ingredient increases. The phrase "spent activated carbon" herein refers to activated carbon with a lowered effectiveness resulting from its adsorbed adsorbate. The "spent activated carbon" may be restored to greater effectiveness through regeneration. The activated carbon containing adsorbate may be regenerated to desorb the adsorbed ingredient whereby the adsorption effectiveness of the regenerated activated carbon approaches that of fresh activated carbon. Regeneration typically occurs by heating in air or in steam or inert gases and by vacuum treatment. Heating in air or any sort of oxidizing atmosphere causes some combustion of the activated carbon and a corresponding increase in the size of the pores of the activated carbon where adsorption occurs. As a result the heat-regenerated activated carbon has a lowered attainable effectiveness. Steam regeneration is effective in removing only a portion of the adsorbed volatile organic adsorbate and leaves behind within the pores of the activated carbon a substantial amount of the adsorbed volatile organic adsorbate which precludes restoration of the initial adsorption effectiveness of the activated carbon. Vacuum treatment of wet activated carbon containing adsorbed organic volatile adsorbate is ineffective because of the need to volatilize the water of the wet activated carbon as well as the adsorbed volatile organic adsorbate.

Method and apparatus for regenerating activated carbon containing an adsorbed volatile organic absorbate


A hydraulic jack attachment for quickly and safely jacking up high clearance objects in an efficient manner. The hydraulic jack attachment generally includes a base support adapted to be positioned underneath an object to be lifted. The base support includes a footing which includes one or more wheels to aid in repositioning the base support. A linkage tube is interlocked with a lifting member and positioned within the base support. A hydraulic jack may be placed into a lower end of the base support via an access opening. When the hydraulic jack is lifted, it will force the linkage tube and lifting tube upwards. A lifting head positioned on the upper end of the lifting tube will press against and force the object upwardly to jack the object up.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a jacking attachment and more specifically it relates to a hydraulic jack attachment for quickly and safely jacking up high clearance objects in an efficient manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Hydraulic jacks are commonly used to raise up various objects, such as vehicles when changing a tire. Conventional hydraulic jacks are widely available and are often well-suited for raising up lower clearance objects such as the aforementioned vehicles or the like. However, the limited height of the conventional hydraulic jack is often prohibitive when attempting to jack up a higher clearance object, such as a farm field sprayer or other large farm equipment.
While such farm areas generally already have hydraulic jacks, they often require expensive lift apparatuses for raising up such high clearance objects. Alternatively, highly specialized high clearance jacks may be purchased which are expensive to own and maintain and difficult to operate.
Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved hydraulic jack attachment for quickly and safely jacking up high clearance objects in an efficient manner.


A label-equipped web method wherein the label is die-cut from base stock constituting the sheet and held in place by a pressure-sensitive adhesive-equipped release liner, the web patch constituting the release liner having a pattern of coatings thereon including a first pattern of release material so as to leave one or two uncoated edge bands and thereafter overcoated with pressure-sensitive adhesive so as to permanently attach the liner to the sheet in the band area to resist shearing forces tending to dislodge the liner.

This invention relates to a label-equipped web method and, more particularly, to a sheet or form wherein the label is die-cut from base stock constituting the sheet, held in place by a pressure sensitive adhesive-equipped release liner, and printed thereafter.
It has become increasingly desirable to provide sheets generally and business forms particularly of minimal thickness for ease in processing through computer printers, especially table top personal computers with associated printers. One approach to achieve this has been to die cut the form itself to provide a removable label. This art is well known for die cut labels generally in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,914,483 and 4,246,058 and for business forms in U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,573.
However, with the processing of sheets such as business forms through printers and the subsequent converting of the connected forms into a roll or a zig-zag pack, there arises the possibility of the release liner becoming detached through the imposition of shear forces. This exposes the pressure sensitive adhesive on the now-exposed face of the sheet with many undesirable consequences. Further, the current trend of omitting adhesive along the edge of an attached member increases the possibility of undesirable detachment. Illustrative of this trend in the art is exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,926,113; 4,526,405, 4,664,416 and 5,011,559. The drawbacks of the prior art are avoided by the invention.
According to the invention, the release liner is strongly adhered to the rear face of the larger label stock web along one or two edges of the release liner. This is accomplished by providing the above-mentioned edge or edges free of release material--which is normally a silicone. The absence of a silicone on the surface of the liner confronting the adhesive provides a band on the release liner where the adhesive between the liner and web can integrate the liner and web substantially permanently. When the web over the liner is perimetrically diecut to provide a label spaced slightly from the band, the label can be removed while the web and liner remain together. Thus, there is no exposed adhesive on the rear face to cause the label stock to undesirably adhere to some other surface or sheet.
It is known to provide a wider label stock web and diecutting it over a narrower release liner--as set forth as prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,994. However, the release liner did not have an edge band or bands lacking the release coating--so it could not achieve the strong bond to the label stock web. From there, the art workers went away from the idea of a silicone free band. Instead, they went to separately attached webs as in the invention of the '994 patent and subsequent U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,696,843 and co-owned 4,865,669 and 5,006,191.
The one teaching of adhering a release liner to label stock by omitting a release material is Japanese application No. 63-274975 but did this by having a full perimeter free of release material so that the color former-equipped liner was immobilized for duplication thereon of the information printed on the label.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the advantages of retaining the release liner on the label sheet along an edge are provided by applying a pattern of coatings on the web patch or ply constituting the release liner. More particularly, a web ply is first coated with a pattern of release material (such as a silicone) in a pattern so as to leave an uncoated edge. Alternatively, a web ply fully coated with release material may be overcoated along an edge or edges to blank-out the silicone.
Thereafter, the entire ply is overcoated substantially over its already coated face with pressure sensitive adhesive--especially on most of the uncoated or overcoated edge or edges. When performed continuously, it is possible omit the release coating from either a longitudinal band or a transverse band and thereafter coat with adhesive this area as well as the previously release coated area. When either a continuous ply, viz., elongated web, or patches severed from a continuous ply are applied to a form or other label carrier constructed of label stock, the adhesive band of the release liner web patch adheres strongly to the form, effectively preventing detachment or dislodgment during printing and/or subsequent handling.
More particularly, the liner patch remains "frozen" in place during the imposition of shear forces to it and/or the sheet. It will be appreciated that the sheet or web usually is subjected to a number of movements parallel to its plane. Any contact with the surface bearing the liner patch will result in a force parallel to the sheet plane. Irrespective of the direction of this force, i.e., longitudinal or transverse or a combination thereof, it is effectively resisted by the permanency of the band of adhesive union between the sheet and the liner patch.
Examples other than printing where the patch-equipped sheet can be subjected to shearing forces are bursting, zig-zag folding, convolute winding and just plain insertion into an envelope. Even further, it will be appreciated that there are a myriad of forces possible in further handling which, even though they are not strictly parallel to the plane of the sheet, have a component parallel to the sheet which again can be effectively resisted by the instant invention.
The details of the invention can be seen in the ensuing specification.


The present disclosure relates to the electronic communication field and discloses a dual-Mode device and a method for achieving the simultaneous communication therein. The dual-mode device has a dual-mode protocol stack scheduling mechanism and uniformly schedules the transmission event of the Bluetooth protocol stack and the ZigBee protocol stack. The method comprising the following steps: after matching the dual-mode device with a Bluetooth host as a slave and the ZigBee target device as a control device, the dual-mode device conducting the Bluetooth connection maintenance according to preset interval and processing the information exchange with the ZigBee target device at each Bluetooth connection interval. Compared to the prior art, the present disclosure allows the smart devices to support two types of communication protocols, achieves the interaction between the smart devices using the two different wireless standards, and greatly improves the communication efficiency of network with the Bluetooth and ZigBee devices.

Smart Home, using the residence as its platform, utilizes the generic cabling technology, network communications technology, security technology, automatic control technology and audio-video technology to integrate the home life-related facilities so as to construct the high-efficiency residential facilities and a management system for the family matters, improve home safety, convenience, comfortableness and artistry, and achieve an environment protection and energy-saving living environment.
The current names for Smart Home are many and varied, for example, Electronic Home (e-Home), Digital family, Home Automation, Home net/Networks for Home, Network Home, Intelligent home, etc. Although the names are different, their meanings and desired functions are basically the same.
Smart Home is defined as a system utilizing computer, network and generic cabling technologies to integrate various home life-related subsystems through the family information management platform. First of all, building a communication network at the home, providing the necessary channels for the family information, under the control of the family network operating system, the control and monitoring of all home appliances and facilities on the family network can be realized through the corresponding hardware and executive mechanisms. Secondly, they all form communication channels with the outside through a media in order to communicate information with the outside world (except for the home) and satisfy the need for the remote control/monitoring and information exchange. Lastly, their final goal is to satisfy people's need for safety, comfortableness, convenience and green environmental protection.
With the development of communication technology, when the wired Smart Home is forced out of the market due to intricate cabling, difficulty to promote and excessive cost, the wireless transmission technology becomes the best choice for the new generation Smart Home due to no need for cabling and easy installation. However Smart Home products on the current market have formed a coordinate situation for the multiple communication technologies (e.g. Bluetooth, WiFi, and ZigBee) due to the merits of different transmission technology. Consequently, the different wireless standards result in the low interoperability between Smart Home products from different manufacturers so as to severely limit the promotion and application of Smart Home.

Dual-mode device and method for achieving the simultaneous communication therein

TELINK SEMICONDUCTOR (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.


A linear actuator and method whereby linear movement of a drive rod is achieved in a step-wise fashion using a pair of clamping members in conjunction with extension members. The body of the linear actuator is configured as a pair of housings, each with a clamping member and slidably receiving the extension member. Each clamping member is each actuated by a magnetostrictive rod. A third magnetostrictive rod slidably passes through both housings and ends in abutment with each clamping member. The clamping members selectively affix the respective housing to the drive rod while the extension member pushes one clamping member relative to the other clamping member. A spring resiliently urges the two housings together and thereby cooperates with the two clamping members and the extension member in moving the linear actuator along the length of the drive rod.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to linear actuators and more particularly, to a novel linear actuator apparatus and method wherein a plurality of rods fabricated from a magnetostrictive material are used both as the motive force and the clamping forces for providing incremental movement between a steel drive rod and the linear actuator apparatus.
2. The Prior Art
A linear actuator, as the name implies, refers to a member of that family of actuators that move in a longitudinal or linear manner as distinguished from rotary actuators such as electric motors, reciprocatory engines, and the like, that operate on the principle of rotary motion. A hydraulic piston, for example, is one type of linear actuator and involves the flow of hydraulic fluid under pressure to move the piston in the appropriate direction as controlled by the valving sequence of the hydraulic fluid. Another type of linear actuator is the solenoid wherein the axial movement of a centrally disposed, spring-biased shaft is controlled by electromagnetic forces created with an electromagnetic coil surrounding the shaft. The solenoid is generally a simple on/off type device and is not well suited for fine adjustments of the shaft throughout its travel distance. Other linear actuators involve an axial rod having a worm gear system for translating the rotary motion of an electric motor, for example, into linear movement of the rod.
Another type of motive force in addition to the foregoing hydraulic and electromagnetic forces is that of a relatively new material known as a magnetostrictive material. As the name implies a magnetostrictive material changes length under the influence of an electromagnetic field. Actuator-type devices which take advantage of this change of length characteristic of magnetostrictive materials have been disclosed and include a hydraulic pump proposed by Cusack (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,726,741; 4,795,317; 4,795,318; 4,804,314; and 4,815,946). In this device the piston for the hydraulic pump is constructed of a magnetostrictive material that is caused to extend under the magnetic influence of an electromagnetic field. In one preferred embodiment, the cylinder is constructed of a negative magnetostrictive material which decreases in length in the presence of the magnetic field.
Glomb, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,357) discloses a linear magnetostrictive actuator. This device includes demagnetization compensation having improved displacement accuracy.
Engdahl et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,334) disclose a liquid pump driven by rods of magnetostrictive material. The rods are arranged in pairs and surrounded by coils supplied with electrical current. The first rod and second rod cooperate in moving a piston in a cylinder to create the pumping action.
Teter et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,894) disclose a linear motor wherein the actuator rod of the linear motor is made of a magnetostrictive material.
Dixon (U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,183) discloses a clamp made of magnetostrictive materials. The clamp is designed to prevent electrical power conductors from being forced apart by the magnetic fields produced when high currents flow in the conductors. One proposed application is that involving the conductors in a railgun.
In each of these references, the driving element is made of a magnetostrictive material. However, magnetostrictive materials are not only expensive but also highly susceptible to wear if used as the driving element. It would, therefore, be an advancement in the art to provide a linear actuator wherein the force transmitting rod is fabricated from steel or some other suitable metal and where the motive elements of magnetostrictive material are confined as relatively small elements. It would also be an advancement in the art to provide a linear actuator wherein the magnetostrictive elements are configured such as to be protected against wear. Such a novel apparatus and method is disclosed and claimed herein.


A guide device for replacing a rope of a rope carrier on a dryer roll of a paper making machine comprises a fastener for attaching the device to the roll and a guide for guiding the rope back onto the roll. In carrying forth the method herein, the guide device is attached to the roll, the rope is placed over the guide device, and the roll is rotated to replace the rope thereon.

Fourdrinier machines are commonly used for making paper and paperboard up to speeds of three-thousand (3,000) fpm. In such machines, a pulp slurry flows out of a headbox and through a narrow slot controlled by long, sharp-edged plate, commonly known as a slice. The pulp then falls onto a moving copper-wire screen as it is moved around a breast roll and is then carried along over a series of table rolls where some of the water content of the pulp is enabled to run out. The partially demoisturized pulp is then run over suction boxes where still more water is removed so that when the pulp reaches a couch roll the pulp contains approximately twenty percent (20%) fiber and eighty percent (80%) water.
The screen is shaken from side-to-side approximately two hundred (200) times per second as it moves along to thus cause the fibers to be laid in random fashion. When the pulp leaves the screen, it progresses into press rolls wherein it is carried by a woolen felt blanket to squeeze more water therefrom. The press rolls deliver the pulp, which is now formed into a raw paper, into the dryer section of the machine wherein it passes in and out between steam-heated rolls operating at surface temperatures in the range of from 150.degree.-275.degree. F., to reduce the moisture content of the raw paper to approximately 4-8% by weight.
The dryer rolls normally consist of a set of cast-iron cylinders which are driven simultaneously by a train of gears and heated internally by steam. A continuous web of dryer felt presses the paper against the rolls to absorb moisture therefrom. The leading end or tail of the raw paper is fed into the dryer section by a nip comprised of a draw roll which receives a rope carrier thereon, consisting of a pair of endless ropes carried within grooves defined on one end of the dryer rolls.
The rope carrier carries the narrow tail throughout the dryer section whereafter the width of the paper is increased to substantially cover the dryer rolls. The ropes of the rope carrier continuously function to carry the paper through the dryer section and any dislodgement of one or both of the ropes from any one or more of the dryer rolls, such as when there is a break in the paper, will require that the rope or ropes be replaced thereon.
In order to replace the dislodged rope on a respective one of the dryer rolls, the dryer section must be shut-down and three or four men are required to rewrap the rope on the drum. In addition to being time-consuming, conventional procedures for replacing the rope on the dryer roll subjects the workmen to injury, including burns occasioned by a workman's physical contact with the drum which remains heated.

Device and method for replacing rope carriers on dryer rolls of paper making machines


A three-dimensional heat transfer device includes a vapor chamber comprising a chamber body and a first capillary structure, and the first capillary structure being disposed in the chamber body; and a heat pipe comprising a pipe body and a second capillary structure, and the second capillary structure being disposed in the pipe body. The first capillary structure is connected to the second capillary structure by metallic bonding.

In regard to heat transfer, in order to dissipate heat generated from heating elements, conventional heat transfer devices utilize a heat conduction plate and a heat pipe to transfer heat, and cooling devices (e.g. fins and fans) are also utilized to dissipate heat, as described below.
The heat conduction plate is in contact with the heating element, the heat pipe is connected between the heat conduction plate and the cooling device, so that the heat generated from the heating element is transferred to the heat conduction plate first, and then the heat is transferred from the heat conduction plate to the cooling device via the heat pipe for heat dissipation.
However, the heat conduction plate and the heat pipe in the conventional heat transfer device work individually, and a capillary structure of the heat conduction plate is not connected to the capillary structure of the heat pipe. As a result, the heat conduction plate or the heat pipe transfers heat individually in a plane manner instead of an overall three-dimensional manner. In other words, heat dissipation is not achieved well.
Accordingly, the inventor made various studies to overcome the above problems, on the basis of which the present disclosure is accomplished.