A rotary machine includes a housing with spaced apart end walls for defining a chamber. A two-lobe lenticular rotor assembly is disposed in the chamber for eccentric rotation therein. A hole passes through a central portion of the rotor assembly. Four slots are cut in one end of the rotor assembly in a symmetric arrangement about the center of the rotor assembly. Each slot has two edges defining an open end continuous with the hole so that each slot extends radially outward from the hole. A rotor guide assembly includes two generally cylindrical guide posts of radius R. Each guide post extends in parallel fashion toward the slots in the rotor assembly so that the guide posts can engage the slots during eccentric rotation of the rotor assembly. A shaft extends through the hole with its center longitudinal axis offset from the center of the rotor assembly by an offset distance OD. The shaft's eccentric bearing(s) reside within the rotor assembly while the shaft extends through the chamber and is rotatably mounted in each end wall. The shaft is centered between the guide posts such that the shaft's center longitudinal axis and the guide posts' center longitudinal axes are in coplanar alignment. The distance from the shaft's center longitudinal axis to each guide posts' center longitudinal axis is equal to the offset distance OD. The hole is sized so that a distance between the rotor assembly center to each edge of each open end of the slots is equal to ##EQU1##

Gearless rotary machines operating as positive displacement machines, e.g., either pumps or engines, date back to the early 1900's. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,340,625 teaches a rotary machine having a two-lobe lenticular rotor provided with slots which., when the rotor rotates, engage fixed guide members mounted on the machine housing. The slotted rotor construction requires that the machine's rotating shaft be supported completely from one side of the rotor. However, for high speed rotary machines, considerable stresses necessitate that the single shaft support bearing be substantial, i.e., heavy.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,874, a rotary machine includes a slotted rotor for engagement with a large single guide member and a rectangular portion of the shaft that passes therethrough. A first slot accommodates the guide member and a second slot perpendicular to the first slot accommodates the rectangular portion of the shaft. The rotor slidingly contacts the guide member and the rectangular portion of the shaft during eccentric rotation. However, centrifugal forces from the eccentric motion of the rotor are transmitted in alternate fashion between the guide member and the rectangular portion of the shaft thereby causing forces to be concentrated at the various points of contact. This is the source of friction and wear as rotational speed increases.


An optical head of the present invention applicable to an optical disk drive includes a light-transmitting phase shifting device. The phase shifting device reduces aberration ascribable to a difference in the thickness of the substrate of an optical disk. This not only insures the effective reproduction of data out of optical disks having different substrate thicknesses, but also guarantees a sufficient quantity of light representative of a reproduced signal and a sufficient lens numerical aperture. The optical head therefore achieves a desirable reproduced signal characteristic.

The present invention relates to an optical disk drive for driving a compact disk or similar optical disk and, more particularly, to an optical head capable of recording and reproducing data out of optical disks each having a substrate of particular thickness.
It is a common practice with an optical disk to form a transparent substrate having a preselected thickness in order to protect the recording surface of the disk of the order of microns. Rays issuing from an optical head form a fine spot on the recording surface of the disk by being transmitted through the transparent substrate. Because the resulting converged beam propagates through the transparent substrate which is parallel and flat, wavefront aberration occurs in the beam in accordance with the substrate thickness. The wavefront aberration refers to the deviation of the equiphase wave surface of the converged beam from a spherical surface. Should the wavefront aberration increase, the diameter of the converged spot would exceed a diffraction limit and would thereby degrade the recording and reproducing characteristic. In light of this, a lens included in the optics of an optical head is so designed as to correct the wavefront aberration, so that a fine spot close to the diffraction limit can be formed on the recording surface.
Generally, the substrate of an optical disk has a particular thickness matching with a desired application. Because the wavefront aberration stated above depends on the thickness of the substrate, the conventional optical head cannot record or reproduced data in or out of optical disks other than one having a particular substrate thickness. That is, the conventional optical head cannot meet the demand for the recording and reproduction with two or more different optical disks having different substrate thicknesses.
To solve the above problem, a mask area may be formed on an objective lens, as proposed in the past. This, however, brings about a problem that the mask area existing on the lens at all times reduces the optical efficiency. In addition, the mask area reduces the numerical aperture applicable to the head.
Technologies relating to the present invention are disclosed in, e.g., "A Compact-Disk-Compatible Digital Versatile Disk Pickup Using Annular Mask" by Chul Woo Lee et al, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 36 (1997), pp. 486-490 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 3-52132, 5-6569, 5-73945, 6-203405, 7-57271, 7-65409, 7-98431, 7-302437, and 8-77594.

Optical head for reproducing or recording a compact or similar disk


A filter has a vertically disposed housing, a support plate and vertical filter elements fixed at their upper ends to the support plate and supported thereby in the housing. A water outlet tube passes through the center of the support plate and exits at the base of the filter. The water outlet pipe is connected to the support plate in leak-tight manner and the portion of the filter located above the support plate is removable.

The present invention relates to filters having vertical filter elements, for example cartridge filters or candle-shaped filters as supports for a preliminary layer, which are used for the treatment of condensed water, particularly but not exclusively in the nuclear industry.
Known filters comprise a cylindrical housing having a vertical axis, which is closed at each end by a convex plate and in which a horizontal plate supporting a plurality of vertical cartridges or candles is disposed. These cartridges or candles are constituted by, for example, perforated hollow cylinders about which may be wound a sleeve of synthetic fiber which may receive a layer of material known as a preliminary layer for example ion exchange resin, diatomaceous earth, cellulose or active carbon, selected in terms of the water to be filtered. The water to be filtered is introduced at the base of the filter, penetrates inside the cartridges or candles and the treated water is collected by piping in the upper portion of the filter. Moreover, a vent is provided on the upper convex plate and provides an air drain.
These filters are used in the nuclear industry to treat radioactive water and are therefore disposed in a protective housing, generally of concrete, handling and dismounting of these filters being carried out at a distance through an orifice drilled in the protective housing. As the outlet piping for the air and the water in the upper part of the filter complicate such operations, access to the connection flanges is difficult.
In some filters the vertical filter elements are supported by a floor-plate disposed at the base of the filter above a water collection chamber for the treated water which is discharged at the lower portion of the filter. An air drain is, however, necessary in the upper portion of the filter. In addition, the dismounting of the filter elements requires the removal through the top, of the assembly in the housing above the floor-plate supporting the filter elements, which represents a considerable weight.
It is an object of this invention to provide a filter in an improved form.


The invention relates to a pineapple leaf fiber fine treatment method and belongs to the technical field of fiber fine treatment. According to the method, fibers are firstly subjected to pretreatment by ultrasonic waves, then subjected to swelling treatment by a swelling additive, then subjected to chemical degumming treatment after the swelling treatment to prepare pineapple leaf fiber degummed ramie, and finally teased and refined to obtain pineapple leaf fiber ramie stripes. A loosening fiber structure makes fibers slip easily under the effect of an external teasing and refining force, while the invention may increase the fiber looseness, improve the fiber fineness, improve the fiber quality, enable a chemical degumming additive to enter the inside of the fiber more easily, reduce sewage discharge during degumming, and decrease the degumming treatment cost.

Pineapple leaf fiber is a newly emerging textile raw material which is extracted from pineapple leaf and belongs to leaf fiber. It is a natural, environmental-friendly and degradable ecological fiber, which not only has the basic properties as good moisture absorption, moisture liberation and thermal conductivity or the like of common fibers, but also has excellent characteristics of disinfection and bacteriostasis, is potential to be developed into relevant natural and functional textiles, and will play an important role in military, medical treatment and daily life.
The pineapple leaf fiber may be blended with cotton to produce jeans with a drapability similar to that of cotton jeans. The pineapple leaf fiber may be blended with silk yarn to weave a high-grade dress fabric. Various furnishing fabric and upholstery fabric may be produced by using pure pineapple leaf fiber yarns produced by rotor spinning as weft yarns and using cotton or other blended yarns as warp yarns. Western-style clothes and coat fabric may be produced by blended yarns of wools and pineapple leaf fibers spun by wool spinning equipment. The blended yarns of pineapple leaf fiber and cotton produced on a jute device may be woven into window cloth, bed sheet, upholstery fabric, towel, carpet and the like. The blended yarns of terylene, acrylon and pineapple leaf fiber produced by a flax device may be used to produce knitted coats for women, socks and the like.
Moreover, the pineapple fiber has also been widely applied in industry. The pineapple leaf fiber may be used to produce needle fabric which may be served as geotechnical cloth for reinforcement and protection of reservoirs and river dikes. Because the pineapple leaf fiber yarns have higher strength and more feathers than that of the cotton yarns, the pineapple leaf fiber is also an ideal material for producing the cord fabric of a rubber conveyer belt and the core wire of a triangular belt. Canvas produced by the pineapple leaf fiber has higher strength than that of cotton canvas with the same specification. The pineapple leaf fiber may also be used for paper making, high-strength plastic, roof material, rope, fishing net and weaving handicraft and the like.
Guangxi Silk and Ramie Institute in China has found out a set of process formula technology like pineapple leaf selection, scraping, degumming, fiber refining and bleaching or the like. However, the cloth fabric is harder, and the degumming technology does not meet the production requirements on textile products yet. China Textile University has also developed studies on such systems like pineapple leaf fiber property, structure, degumming and spinning; however, the fibers subjected to degumming treatment is not thin and soft enough, and can only be blended with other fibers. Only 10N yarns can be spun out by pure pineapple leaf fibers, which has a gap to the present market demand of 20˜40N ramie products.
In recent years, environment pollution has received worldwide attention, while conventional pineapple leaf fiber degumming is to soak proto fibers with acid, then put the proto fibers in a mixed solution of liquid caustic soda, trisodium phosphate and water glass for pressurizing and refining, and then perform such steps like acid soaking, base soaking, oil feeding, dewatering and baking so as to obtain fiber products. During the process, plenty of water is used, and the treated sewage contains harmful chemical compositions (for example, sulfate ions), which are difficult to recycle, and are easy to cause environment pollution. Fiber treatment needs to be performed under the conditions of strong acid, strong base and high temperature, which consumes high energy and much water, severely pollutes the environment, has long treatment time, and causes larger damage on the fibers and also has higher corrodibility on devices. It is urgent to research a pineapple leaf fiber processing technology which can reduce the hardness of the pineapple leaf fiber, improve the fineness and compliance of the fiber, has small pollution on the environment, and is suitable for textile production.
Chinese invention "Pineapple Leaf Fiber Degum Process" (application No. 200910036673.1) discloses a pineapple leaf fiber chemical degumming process, which may produce fibers with a fineness of 550N, but the energy consumption during the process is high, and the pollution to the environment is severe. Chinese invention "Pineapple Leaf Fiber Extension Refining Method" (application No. 200610024817.8) discloses to spray an additive to the pineapple leaf fiber for curing, so as to refine the fiber, but the chemical compositions used during the treatment are easy to cause environment pollution.

Pineapple leaf fiber fine treatment method

TROPICAL AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, CHINESE ACADEMY OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES


A compact range for the determination of the radiation pattern of a first antenna (1), comprises a focusing system (3) and apparatus (2) supporting the first antenna in the quiet zone of the focusing system. For that purpose, the base comprises a modulated-retransmission probe array (6, 16) mounted in the focal plane (7) of the focusing system, a second antenna (10, 17) mounted near the probe array, apparatus (13) to determine, from the electromagnetic radiation retransmitted by the probe array and collected by one of the antennas during the transmission of electromagnetic radiation by the other, a signal SI representing the field at each point of the probe array, and a display (14) for displaying the signal.

A number of different methods are known for determining antenna radiation patterns, that is the repartition, at a great distance, of the power radiated by an antenna. A first method consists of measuring the antenna response to a plane wave, that is, to be situated far from it. In that case the measurement a large distance away can be carried out by rotating the antenna in the receiving mode when it is in the field of a constant and distant source and recording the signal picked up by the antenna as a function of its direction. However, this method incurs a serious drawback that it cannot be applied to any equipment of a manageable size.
Again, measurements may be carried out in the far field using a compact range, that is, placing a source at the focus of a focusing system and the antenna in the "quiet" zone of this system. In this manner, it is possible to simulate, within a short distance, the conditions for the far field. The radiation pattern is determined by changing the orientation of the antenna relative to the direction of the plane wave in the quiet zone. Consequently, the antenna must be put on a support allowing two-dimensional orientation, entailing fairly complex mechanical means. Moreover, the determination of the entire radiation pattern requires measuring the antenna response in each position and for each of its pattern configurations (electronic sweep antenna, adaptive antenna, radome-equipped antenna . . .) and hence may be exceedingly time-consuming and tedious.
Moreover, it has already been suggested to vary the source position in the focal zone of the focusing system in order to vary the direction of the plane wave relative to the antenna. However such a setup also requires mechanical equipment so that, in this case, the source position can be varied. Moreover, the setup allows a swing of only a few degrees about the antenna axis, when as a rule much more is needed especially at low frequencies where the radiation pattern is of little significance in so tight an angular range. Again, one measurement must be taken for each source position.
In order to alleviate the above drawbacks relating to far field measurements, it has also be proposed to take measurements in the near field using the antenna transmission and measuring the field radiated in the different directions near the antenna.
In that case, by converting by computation from the near to the far field, the antenna response to a plane wave can be found and, in equivalent manner, its transmission radiation pattern.
However, this method entails moving the receiver step by step all around the antenna and measuring the detected field at every step. Furthermore, the far-field antenna behavior can only be ascertained after taking all the near-field measurements, so that the pattern cannot be recorded in real time.
An object of the present invention is to alleviate the above drawbacks by creating a method and apparatus for the determination of an antenna radiation pattern whereby this pattern can be ascertained nearly instantaneously in the absence of calculations and with a minimum of mechanical motion.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a method for determining the radiation pattern of a first antenna, such that the antenna is placed in the quiet zone of a focusing system, comprises the steps of:
setting up an array of modulated scattering probes in the focal plane of the focusing system, PA1 setting up a second antenna near the probe array, PA1 transmitting electromagnetic radiation from one of the antennas, PA1 picking up, on the other antenna, the electromagnetic radiation retransmitted by the probe array, PA1 determining from the picked-up radiation a signal which represents the field at each point of the probe array, and PA1 displaying said signal. PA1 a modulated scattering probe array mounted in the focal plane of the focusing system, PA1 a second antenna mounted near the probe array, PA1 means for deducting a signal, representing the field at each point of the probe array, from the electromagnetic radiation transmitted by the probe array and detected by one of the antennas during electromagnetic transmission from the other antenna, and PA1 means for displaying the signal.
Modulated scattering probe arrays are already known, in particular they are used in measuring at a number of points the field radiated by a microwave source. As a rule, such devices comprise an antenna loaded by a diode at each point, low-frequency signal generators, multiplexing means arranged between the generators and each diode and drivers for the multiplexing means so that one of the diodes is biased by the low-frequency signal and further so that, in response to the low-frequency signal and to a picked-up microwave signal, a signal representing the microwave field at the point where the biased-diode loaded antenna is located shall be generated.
Illustratively, Bolomey U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,621 describes a linear probe array and French patent document A 2,509,064 as well as WO91/19990 describes planar probe arrays.
It shall be borne in mind it has already been proposed, for instance in French patent document 2,632,417, to make use of an array of modulated-scattering probes to plot the near-field of a transmission antenna in order to compute from it its far-field radiation pattern. However, the procedure described in this latter document is akin to the so-called above near field techniques, the mechanical displacement of the receiver merely being replaced by an electronic sweep of the probe array. The need to carry out all the near-field measurements remains before the computational determination of the far-field radiation pattern.
The method of the invention, on the contrary, makes use of an array of modulated scattering probes located in the focal plane of the focusing system, the antenna to be tested being located in the quiet zone of this system and thereby allowing immediate determination of the far-field radiation pattern.
Hence, the method of the invention allows acquiring, in real time, data relating to the properties of the antenna in the far-field.
This method requires no change at all in the antenna position, and this is especially significant when the antennas must operate in zero-gravity and accordingly, when on the ground, must be supported by complex equipment.
Moreover, the rapid implementation of the method of the invention allows testing the antenna in different modes of thermal or mechanical deformations.
A planar array may be used in order to directly obtain the pattern in space or a linear array may be used by means of which the focal plane is swept. In the latter case, preferably the sweep is achieved by pivoting the linear array around the focus of the focusing system, whereby the pattern can be instantaneously obtained in a particular sectional plane, for instance in the E or the H plane.
In a preferred embodiment mode of the invention, the tested antenna is transmitting. However, it may be usefully operated in the receiving mode, for instance when a non-reciprocal antenna is tested which involves one pattern for transmission and another for receiving, in which event the antenna shall be consecutively transmitting and receiving.
Another aspect of the present invention is a compact range to determine the radiation from a first antenna and comprising a focusing system and support means for the first antenna in the quiet zone of the focusing system, the range being characterized in that it comprises:
In particular, the second antenna may be a horn or, in the event of using a linear array of probes, a guide structure arrayed along said linear array.
A non-limiting, illustrative embodiment mode of the invention is described below in relation to the drawings.

Method and apparatus for determining antenna radiation patterns

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique


An end plate for a generator includes an end plate generally cylindrical and having a central bore to receive a rotor shaft. The end plate has a radially inner boss and a radially outer boss. The radially outer boss is positioned radially outwardly of windings in a generator. The radially inner boss is positioned radially inwardly of the windings in a generator. A main core assembly, a rotor, and a generator incorporating the end plates are all disclosed and claimed.

This application relates to end plates that provide support for the end turn windings in an electrical generator.
Electrical generators are known, and typically include a rotor shaft carrying a core and windings. The rotor shaft, core and windings are driven to rotate by a source of rotation. As an example, gas turbine engines are often utilized to drive the shaft of a generator. The core and windings rotate in proximity to stator coils and this relative rotation generates electrical current.
The generators operate at very high speeds of rotation, and there are various forces and challenges on the rotating components. As an example, the generator windings often require support. Further, the control and management of oil supply to the generator components has been challenging in the prior art.

End plates for high speed generator applications


A drive circuit includes a first level shift circuit, a second level shift circuit, a pre-driver, and a high-side transistor. The first level shift circuit outputs a first switch signal. The second level shift circuit outputs a second switch signal. The pre-driver includes a first switch portion configured to perform switching in accordance with the first switch signal and a second switch portion configured to output a gate signal in accordance with the second switch signal. The high-side transistor outputs a high-side output signal to an output terminal with a second power supply voltage which is fed in accordance with the gate signal.

An embodiment described herein relates generally to a drive circuit.
A conventional internal floating power supply provided in a drive circuit which drives a load device may be composed of a source follower circuit to curb influence of noise caused by switching. If a size of a transistor is increased to improve power feed performance of the source follower circuit, an amount of drain-to-source current may change due to parasitic capacitance caused between a gate and a drain to destabilize a driving voltage for a gate of a high-side transistor which is composed of a high-withstand-voltage transistor, such as an n-type DMOS. When the driving voltage for the gate is destabilized, the high-side transistor cannot stably output a high-side output signal for driving the load device.

Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation


An electronic device includes a first housing of a single piece of material that has first and second spaced apart major walls that extend in lateral directions and at least three side walls extending perpendicular to the lateral directions between the major walls. The major walls and the side walls define an internal cavity, and the first housing defines an opening to the internal cavity opposite one of the side walls. At least one support member is within the internal cavity of the first housing adjacent a major walls a side wall thereof. At least one electronic component is contained within the internal cavity, and a first cover is removably affixed over the opening. At least one of the support member and the first cover contributes to a retention force applied on the at least one electronic component within the internal cavity of the first housing.

Housings for portable notebook or clamshell-style computers can be made from a number of plastic panels or sections that are assembled onto a metal frame. The metal frame is structured to retain and attach together the computer's internal components. Such internal components can include a printed circuit board that carries the computer's central processor and any additional processors such as for graphics or the like as well as the computer's random-access memory (RAM). Additional components include batteries, input devices such as a keyboard and trackpad or the like, storage memory (such as a hard drive, solid-state drive, or the like, communications devices (such as for WiFi connection and networking), removable memory devices (such as CD- or DVD-R/W drives), and structures for external peripheral connections.
In such frame-based housing structures, all components can be affixed to the frame, which itself can be made up of several different parts. The components of the housing are in turn attached to the frame to provide a somewhat uniform external appearance and to provide protection for the internal components. In a notebook (or clamshell) configuration, the arrangement just described can make up a base unit that is configured to rest on a surface. Another assembly in the form of a lid, or display, housing can be attached to the base housing by a hinge. The lid housing can include a video display, which can be in the form of a LCD panel with various forms of backlighting associated therewith. Similar to the base housing, the display (and any other components also included within the lid housing) can be affixed to another frame to which other housing sections or panels are affixed to enclose the lid assembly. The hinge can be attached to both the frame of the lid and the frame of the base with portions thereof extending through openings between or within the housing sections or panels.
The hinged attachment between the base and lid housings can allow the computer to be moved between open and closed configurations. The closed configuration being such that the lid is positioned against the base with the display and input devices positioned internally of the housing units for protection thereof during transportation. In the open configuration, the display is viewable and the input devices are accessible to the user. The lid can be rotated through a range of positions to provide for comfortable viewing of the display.
Such housing configurations can be complicated to assemble and to disassemble for repair or maintenance reasons due to the complicated nature of attaching multiple housing components to the frame. Further, they can be bulky due to the number of components and the complex assembly patterns required. Further, the number of joints or connections between components can provide a number of potential failure areas that can reduce the overall strength and protection provided by such housings.
While many notebook computers still use such a housing structure, other structures have been developed that seek to combine the utility of the frame into a part of the housing units and to reduce the overall number of exterior pieces that make up the housing. Such structures can be made from metal and can, for example include in one unit the top wall of a base housing (that surrounds the keyboard) along with the front and side walls thereof. This unit can also have internal reinforcement and can include attachment structures (such as threaded holes) for attachment of the internal components). A separate unit can define the bottom wall of the base and can attach to the upper housing unit. Such structures can provide for easier assembly of components but can still include major failure locations along the large attachment areas between housing components.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Electronic device housing and assembly method


A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Balfireape’, characterized by its deep purple-violet colored flower, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, mounded-spreading growth habit, is disclosed.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant botanically known as Verbena hybrid and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'Balfireape'.
The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Arroyo Grande, Calif. during April 2013. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Verbena cultivars that are suited for use in hanging baskets, durable to environmental stresses, and have a mounded-spreading growth habit.
The new Verbena cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Verbena hybrid breeding selection coded 8614-1 not patented, characterized by its light purple-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, semi-upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Verbena hybrid breeding selection coded PV-1033 not patented, characterized by its light purple-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, semi-upright growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during May 2014 in a controlled environment in Arroyo Grande, Calif.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since May 2014 in Arroyo Grande, Calif., and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.


In an imaging apparatus for driving a lens system mounted a housing by way of a linear motor, a detection is made of a component of force along an optical axis direction, among external force applied to the lens system based upon a drive current outputted from the lens driving means under control of the control means during the stationary servo mode. As a result, the component force given to the lens system along the optical axis direction can be detected. Thus, a so-called "ground imaging operation" in which the camera is inadvertently left on and pointed at the ground can be prevented without providing any sensor of the optical axis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an imaging apparatus such as a video tape recorder. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an imaging apparatus suitable for a video tape recorder in which a lens is driven to a predetermined position with a linear motor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, there are two drive means for moving an imaging lens of a camera-integral type video tape recorder to a predetermined position, namely a mechanical drive mechanism and an electrical drive mechanism in which a linear motor is used as the drive means.
A camera-integral type video tape recorder utilizes a video camera which is electrically and mechanically combined with a vide tape recorder in an integral construction.
In the conventional electrical drive mechanism using a linear motor, a magnetic piece is attached to the imaging lens, and a large quantity of magnetic coil elements are arranged on a cylinder-shaped housing used to guide this imaging lens, so that the imaging lens is driven by using a magnetic flux produced from these magnetic coil elements.
However, at times it occurs that an operator forgets to depress a record stop key, even though the action to be recorded is interrupted.
In this case, there is the risk an undesired image of the ground will be continuously recorded on the video tape.
Accordingly, a sensor for preventing a recording of an image of the ground is mounted on the housing. This sensor is independent of the imaging lens system, and prevents such "a ground imaging operation" in the conventional camera-integral type video tape recorder. However, there are problems that since such a sensing member is newly required, the camera-integral type video tape recorder cannot be made compact and also power consumption thereof is increased.


A filter circuit comprises a surface acoustic wave device including input and output transducers. A tuning coil is interposed in series between an input terminal and the input transducer and/or between an output terminal and the output transducer. A piezoelectric resonator is connected in parallel with the tuning coil. The resonance frequency of the piezoelectric resonator is selected to be approximately equal to the frequency where an attenuation pole appears. The tuning coil and a capacitance component of the piezoelectric resonator and a clamp capacitance of the transducer constitute a tuning circuit, which is tuned to a given frequency in the passband.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a filter circuit. More specifically, the present invention relates to a filter circuit employing a surface acoustic wave device for use in a video intermediate frequency circuit of a television receiver, for example.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A video intermediate frequency filter using a surface acoustic wave device in a television receiver, for example, has been proposed and put into practical use. Application of a surface acoustic wave device as a video intermediate frequency filter, for example, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,582,838, issued June 1, 1971 to Adrian J. DeVries and entitled "SURFACE WAVE DEVICES." On the other hand, it is required that a video intermediate frequency filter have an ample amount of attenuation at a predetermined frequency such as the sound carrier frequency of the adjacent channel to eliminate interference. In utilizing a surface acoustic wave filter as a video intermediate frequency filter, for example, as in the case of the patent referred to above, a surface acoustic wave filter is designed to meet the above described requirement in full consideration of the pattern and the like of the interdigital electrode of the filter. However, in actuality a sufficient degree of attenuation amount can not often be attained due to reflection loss, variation in the characteristic of the products and so on. Furthermore, since a surface acoustic wave filter pertains to a category of a filter of a so-called concentrated constant type, a surface acoustic wave filter is very often used in combination with an integrated circuit as a matter of practice; however, it is extremely difficult to implement an integrated circuit so as to exhibit a filter characteristic and accordingly it is necesary to attain a desired frequency characteristic with a surface acoustic wave filter in employing such filter in combination with an integrated circuit. In other words, in employing a surface acoustic wave filter in combination with an integrated circuit, a portion for inserting an interstage tuning element is often unavailable. Therefore, one might think of implementing a filter circuit having a large degree of attenuation pole of a sufficiently large attenuation by employing a given auxiliary element in association with a surface acoustic wave device.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing one example of a filter circuit which may be considered in the light of the foregoing background. The FIG. 1 filter circuit comprises a surface acoustic wave device 1. The surface acoustic wave device 1 comprises an input transducer 2 and an output transducer 3, each including an interdigital electrode. The input transducer 2 is connected to an input signal source 6. A resistor 7 denotes a resistive component of the signal source 6. The output transducer 3 is connected through a load resistor 8 to the subsequent circuit 9. A piezoelectric resonator 10 is connected in parallel with the input transducer 2. The piezoelectric resonator 10 may be connected in parallel with the output transducer 3, as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 1. The piezoelectric resonator 10 is used as a trap device. Accordingly, a component of the frequency equal to the resonance frequency of the piezoelectric resonator 10 out of the input signal obtained from the input signal source 6 is trapped through the resonator 10 and will not be passed to the load resistor 8 and the subsequent circuit 9. Thus, although the FIG. 1 circuit is entirely different in principle from the present invention, a sufficient amount of attentuation can be attained with respect to a given frequency.
However, the FIG. 1 circuit involves the following problem to be solved. More specifically, assuming that the impedance of the surface acoustic wave filter 1 and the impedance of the piezoelectric resonator 10 in the passband of the filter are Zs and Zx, respectively, where the impedance Zx is solely dependent on the capacitance component of the resonator 10, and these impedances Zs and Zx have the relation Zs Zx, then the insertion loss of the filter circuit increases and the signal level at the passband decreases. The reason is that since the impedance Zx of the resonator 10 is small, the resonator 10 comes to short-circuit the transducer of the surface acoustic wave filter 1, and accordingly, although a sufficient amount of attentuation is attained at a given frequency corresponding to the resonance frequency of the resonator 10, say at adjacent sound carrier frequency, the above described insertion loss becomes large. Conversely, assuming that the relation of these impedances Zs and Zx is Zs Zx, very little influence is exerted upon the passband; however, the extent of an improvement of the amount of attenuation at the given frequency would become smaller. Accordingly, the mere connection of a piezoelectric resonator as a trap device in parallel with a transducer, as shown in FIG. 1, does not bring about a satisfactory result.

Filter circuit employing surface acoustic wave device


A vacuum cleaning tool comprising a housing having a base that is provided with at least one intake opening over which is provided a brush chamber in which is disposed a brush roller having bristles that project into the intake opening. A flow channel connects the brush chamber to a connector that can communicate with a vacuum line of a vacuum cleaning unit. A turbine chamber is disposed in the flow channel and accommodates an air turbine that can rotatably drive the brush roller. The housing also has a wet intake opening that is disposed approximately in the plane of the base of the housing. Parallel to the brush chamber and the flow channel, the housing has a wet intake channel that connects the wet intake opening to the connector. Respective controllable flow blocking devices are disposed in the wet intake channel and in the flow channel.

The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaning tool.
When cleaning floor coverings, especially textile floor coverings, wet cleaning is indispensible. Initially, the coarse dust is vacuumed up; this is preferably carried out with a brush roller that rotates in the intake air stream. Thereafter, cleaning foam is applied and the floor covering is cleaned mechanically, preferably with a brush that merely rotates. Excess liquid must then be vacuumed up so that after the floor covering is dry it can again be vacuumed, possibly with brushes.
For dry vacuuming a vacuum cleaning tool such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,751 is used. Such a vacuum cleaning tool has two oppositely rotating brush rollers that are disposed in a brush chamber, with respective intake air channels being tangentially disposed relative to the brush rollers. The two intake air channels open into a common connector that leads to a vacuum cleaning unit.
German Offenlegungsschrift DE 34 14 860 A1 discloses that the turbine air stream that drives the brush roller can be adjusted by a controllable flow guide.
For wet cleaning, especially for vacuuming up any excess cleaning fluid, a suitably adapted vacuum cleaning tool must be used. The vacuum cleaning tool must be changed for the respective procedure. This is laborious and time consuming, especially when only parts of a larger surface can be cleaned one after the other.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve a vacuum cleaning tool of the aforementioned general type in such a way that both dry and wet vacuuming procedures can be carried out without having to change the vacuum cleaning tool.

Vacuum cleaning tool for wet and dry vacuum cleaners


A satellite communications antenna includes a low-windload reflector so that the antenna may be used on high windload locations, such as on a ship. The reflector has a support structure which includes a grid-like structure having relatively large apertures therein to allow wind to pass therethrough. The reflector further includes reflective radiators, such as dipoles, mounted to the support structure for focusing at least one desired frequency of operation. The reflector is also formed in component parts for easy assembly/disassembly should it be necessary to deploy the system elsewhere.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a satellite data link and, more particularly to satellite antennas designed to be lightweight and have low-windload.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is desirable in many applications involving the transmission and reception of microwave signals to provide a reflector/antenna to alter the travel of the signal to a focal point for reception. Such reflectors/antennas are commonly used on merchant and naval ships for establishing communications links. For example, commercial C-band satellites are currently in place which provide a high data rate connection, anywhere on the world's oceans, from ship to shore and back.
The C-band satellite systems (4 GHz downlink, 6 GHZ uplink) currently are the only satellite systems that provide full worldwide deep ocean coverage. High data rate C-band satellite communications systems typically require large antenna apertures for low cost, long term efficient operation. To date, high data rate communication systems have been limited to the largest ships due to the sail factor or windload presented by the large antenna and the corresponding dedicated space requirements for the antenna (large volume radome and associated platform).
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a low-windload satellite reflector for receiving and transmitting C-band communications signals which may be used on any size vessel. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to make the satellite reflector with a small footprint for mounting to a deck. Still another desirable feature would be to make the antenna deployable so that it may be taken down and easily deployed elsewhere on the vessel should the current mounting space be needed for other reasons.


A fuel injection system for an in-line multi-cylinder internal combustion engine that comprises a injector rail, a fuel supplying unit for delivering fuel to the injector rail and which includes a high pressure fuel pump, a pressure regulator and a vapor separator installed as a unit on the same side of the engine as the exhaust ports for the cylinders. The fuel injection system further comprises an air compressor for delivering air to the injector rail and which is installed as a unit with a generator on the side of the engine opposite the fuel supplying unit. The compressor is positioned above the generator which has a larger diameter than the compressor, and these two components are provided with a common drive shaft that is drivingly connected to the crankshaft of the engine for rotation.

This invention relates to an auxiliary structure and arrangement for an in-line multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, and more particularly to a structural arrangement wherein the auxiliaries of the engine, such as the auxiliaries of a fuel injection system, are disposed in close proximity to the engine so as to provide a compact and effective arrangement.
The advantages of providing internal combustion engines with direct cylinder fuel injection are well recognized. Such direct injection has the advantage of insuring more accurate control of the fuel supply and a better control of the exhaust gas emissions from such engines. In-cylinder fuel injection has been used instead of carburetion to mix the fuel in four-cycle engines, whereas in two-cycle crankcase compression engines, direct fuel injectors have been employed along with a carburetor system. When employed together, the injectors supply fuel directly to the combustion chambers, while the carburetor system supplies a fuel/air mixture to the crankcase chambers which may also serve to cool the pistons under high speed running conditions.
The in-cylinder fuel injection system typically includes an injector device that atomizes the fuel and supplies it along with the compressed air to the combustion chambers of the cylinders. This type of fuel injection system has also been equipped with various auxiliary components such as a compressor for supplying compressed air to the fuel/air injector as well as a high pressure fuel pump and pressure regulator for supplying pressure regulated fuel to the fuel/air injector. A generator, driven by the engine crankshaft is also provided for producing the electrical energy to operate to the system. Although this type of fuel injection system is very effective in controlling and metering the fuel supply to the engine, it can present a problem as to space depending on its application. This is particularly true in outboard motors where it is desireable to limit the amount of space occupied by the engine and its associated components so that the outboard motor, and in particular the power head wherein the engine is contained, can be made compact.
It is therefore desireable in outboard motors to position the auxiliary components of a fuel injection system in close proximity to the engine to reduce the amount of parts needed and to provide a more compact power head. To this end, it has been proposed in connection with an outboard motor incorporating a V-type internal combustion engine to position the auxiliaries in the valley of the V and to position the air compressor and generator close to one another with a common driving shaft. See Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Hei2-141392. By positioning the auxiliary components in the valley between the cylinders, these components may be located relatively close to the engine without increasing the outer dimensions of the power head.
However, there still remains a problem of how to position the larger auxiliaries, such as the compressor and the generator, relative to an in-line engine which has no valley, so as to minimize the space required for the engine and its auxiliary components. There has also been a problem with respect to the positioning of the high pressure fuel system auxiliaries, such as the high pressure pump, with respect to an in-line engine so as to provide a compact and effective arrangement.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an auxiliary system for an in-line multi-cylinder internal combustion engine which includes a plurality of auxiliary units, one positioned in close proximity to the engine on the side opposite the engine exhaust ports and the other positioned in close proximity to a corner of the engine to minimize the space required for the engine and its associated components.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved structural arrangement for an in-line multi-cylinder internal combustion engine which employs direct cylinder injection, wherein the auxiliaries of the fuel injection system are disposed in close proximity to the engine to provide a compact and effective arrangement.

Auxiliary structure and arrangement for internal combustion engine


A local access number is automatically determined for facilitating communication between a portable communication device and one or more local service providers. A new location of the portable communication device is detected, and a determination is made whether a local access number is stored in the portable communication device for the new location. If the local access number is not stored, the new location of the portable communication device is reported to a location server in the local service provider serving the new location. The location server provides an appropriate local access number for the new location, and this local access number is stored in the portable communication device.

Portable communication devices have become increasingly popular, particular for traveling business persons. A portable communication device permits a user to perform multiple tasks on a computer, such as word processing, at any location. A portable communication device also permits a user to communicate, via a modem, with another device or with the Internet, from any location.
A portable communication device communicates with the Internet by connecting to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) serving a local area in which the portable communication device is located. A typical local area may comprise one or more cities. Many ISPs have several different local access numbers for different cities located within their local areas to facilitate cheaper access costs within those cities. By dialing the appropriate local access number for the local area in which the portable communication device is located, the user can avoid a long distance charge when connecting to the Internet. A problem with this procedure is that the user may not know the appropriate local access number for the local area from which he or she is attempting to communicate. Thus, the user has to somehow keep track of various local access numbers, for example by manually entering them into a database in the portable communication device. As can be seen from the attached Appendix of the IBM Global Network Phone List and the IBM Global Network Internet Registration Phone List, the list of local access numbers can be quite extensive. Thus, it would be difficult for the user to memorize all the necessary local access numbers or to manually enter them into a database. Also, entering the local access numbers into a database consumes valuable memory in the portable communication device. These problems become more complicated as the local access numbers change, more are created, or the user needs to communicate from more local areas, since this requires updating of the list of local access numbers.
Another problem with the user keeping track of the local access numbers is that the user has to know the local area he or she is in at a given time and/or the ISP that serves that local area, or if there are various ISP's serving the local area, the ISP that will be the cheapest to connect to. Then, the user must select an appropriate local access number, accordingly. The only alternative is for the user to use a more expensive 800 number or place a long distance call to single local number.
This problem is complicated by the fact that the selection of an appropriate local access number may depend on other factors besides cost, e.g., the quality of the transmission link provided by various ISP's. Worse yet, many tasks of the portable computer are automatically carried out without the user's active participation, and thus it may be impossible for the user to select an appropriate local access number before a connection is made. In this case, the portable communication device may use a local access number which is not the most desirable.
One approach to solving this problem has been developed by Microsoft Corp. As described in a Jul. 30, 1996 Microsoft Press Release entitled "Microsoft Announces Internet Referral Server to Facilitate Selection of Internet Service Provider for Users of Windows, Microsoft Internet Explorer", the proposed solution presents a choice of ISPs with local telephone access numbers, along with their subscription and pricing information, based on the user's country, area code, and telephone exchange, and the user selects an ISP. While this approach makes it easier for the user to determine local access numbers of an ISP serving the local area from which he or she desires to communicate, the user is still required to select an appropriate local access number.
Thus, there is a need for a method and system which enable a user to communicate from a portable communication device from any location in the most effective manner without requiring that the user keep track of and select an appropriate local access number.

Method and apparatus for automatically determining an ISP local access number based on device location


A security marking method comprises marking a portion of the substrate by applying a first marking fluid which is invisible to a unaided eye when illuminated by both visible light and ultraviolet light and activating the marked portion by applying a second marking fluid thereon. The second marking fluid is reactable with the first marking fluid to be invisible to an unaided human eye when illuminated by visible light and fluorescent when illuminated by ultraviolet light. The invention also includes the composition comprising the first and second marking fluids.

The present invention relates to a method and a composition for identifying diverse products that can be made of diverse materials, such as paper documents, appliances, clothing, boxes, glass products, plastic finish products and others in a covert manner.
It is, of course, well known that various means have been proposed in the past for covertly marking and identifying items. The previously used identifying methods utilized essentially the so-called ultraviolet inks or paints that fluoresce when subjected to an ultraviolet light source. Such simple fluorescent markings used in conjunction with ultraviolet lights provide of course a dramatic effect, since the marking, which is originally seemingly invisible in visible or normal light, becomes brightly florescent under ultraviolet radiation. However, the fundamental drawback of such systems is that they are by their nature readily visible upon illumination by ultraviolet radiation and, therefore, can be easily located by any counterfeiter or product diverter. Consequently, such marks can be removed or they can be altered, since fluorescent dyes known as optical brighteners and inks are readily available today on the market.


The disclosure provides a gate driving circuit, an array substrate and a method for recovering the same. The gate driving circuit comprises: a plurality of cascaded shift registers; a recovering signal line and a first reference signal line, extending along an arrangement direction of the shift registers; and a plurality of recovering units, corresponding to the shift registers respectively. After determining a failed shift register in the gate driving circuit, the recovering unit replaces a signal outputted from the failed shift register with a first reference signal from the first reference signal line and loads the first reference signal to the corresponding gate line for recovering. Thus, compared with a structure of outputting the signal provided by the recovering signal line to the gate line, the gate driving circuit of the disclosure has a less significant attenuation on the signal outputted to the gate line.

Flat panel displays generally use a gate driving circuit or a gate drive on array (GOA) consisting of a plurality of cascaded shift registers. Since characteristics of the GOA, when a shift register fails, a whole row of pixels which are connected with the failed shift register will turn into an abnormal display status, thereby causing a failed display panel. At this time, recovering of the failed shift register on an array substrate is required.
In a conventional GOA, a recovering signal line (Recover) which is connectable with each gate line (Gate) is added, as shown in FIG. 1a and FIG. 2a. When the shift register in a (n+1)th stage fails, recovering of the failed shift register is required. FIG. 1b and FIG. 2b show arrangements of a gate driving circuit after recovering the shift register in the (n+1)th stage respectively, in which "x" indicates for disconnecting, and "●" indicates for connecting. In particular, a recovering method shown in FIG. 1b is to disconnect a signal outputting terminal (Output) of the shift register in the (n+1)th stage from a corresponding gate line (Gate n+1), from a resetting signal terminal (Reset) of the shift register in a previous stage, and from a signal inputting terminal (Input) of the shift register in a next stage, and to connect a recovering signal line (Recover) to the gate line (Gate n+1). The recovering method shown in FIG. 2b is to disconnect the signal outputting terminal (Output) of the shift register in the (n+1)th stage from the Gate n+1, from the resetting signal terminal (Reset) of the shift register in a nth stage, and from the signal inputting terminal (Input) of the shift register in the (n+2)th stage, and to connect the recovering signal line (Recover) to a source of a recovering switch transistor (T n+1).
FIG. 3a shows a timing diagram before the recovering and FIG. 3b shows a timing diagram after the recovering. Since the recovering signal line (Recover) is throughout the whole GOA in the recovering methods discussed above, the recovering signal line (Recover) is connectable with all signal outputting terminals (Output), and thereby a parasitic capacitor may be generated at a connection point. Furthermore, the above recovering methods replace a signal outputted from the failed shift register by using the recovering signal line (Recover), thus a load of the whole row of pixels on the gate line connected with the recovering signal line (Recover) and the load at the connection point between the recovering signal line (Recover) and each signal outputting terminal (Output) will cause a serious attenuation of a signal transmitted on the recovering signal line (Recover), thereby affecting the recovering of the failed shift register.

Gate driving circuit, an array substrate and a method for recovering the same

HEFEI XINSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A method of fabricating a mask set is provided. The method includes providing mask data associated with a plurality of mask layers. The mask data includes a first pattern associated with a first technology node and a second pattern associated with a second technology node. The method continues with determining to form a multi-technology node mask (MTM) for a first mask layer of the plurality of mask layers. The MTM for the first mask layer is formed, which includes features associated with the first pattern and features associated with the second pattern.

The present disclosure relates generally to semiconductor fabrication, and more particularly to a photomask.
As semiconductor devices increase in complexity, the mask sets required to fabricate devices increase in complexity, number, and cost. As such, fabrication of masks for development, test, or even small volume production becomes prohibitively high. One solution to easing these costs offered by semiconductor foundry suppliers is to provide a mask "shuttle." Using a mask shuttle, it is possible for the foundry to share over multiple customers and/or products the costs of one mask set—the shuttle mask. The shuttle mask is used to produce devices for each of the multiple customers and/or products. However, the costs of a mask shuttle itself is sufficiently high such that a shuttle often can not be run very frequently, in particular, as frequently as may be desired by a customer. A shuttle for a sub-node (e.g., a node distinct from a main technology node) may have an even lower frequency.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A pressure compensation device for use in a high-pressure direct driven pump to control the output pressure of the pump is shown and described. In a preferred embodiment, the high-pressure pump has a valve assembly that selectively allows fluid pressurized by a reciprocating plunger to pass from a pressurization chamber to an outlet chamber from which the pressurized fluid is collected for use. A pressure compensation device has a lever which balances a control force against a force generated by the high-pressure fluid in the outlet chamber. When the outlet pressure exceeds a selected level, the pressure compensation device acts to prevent the further pressurization of fluid by causing the fluid to flow back out of the pressurization chamber via the same passageway(s) through which the fluid was originally introduced into the system.

Numerous tasks, for example cutting sheet metal or abrading a surface, may be accomplished through the use of a stream of pressurized fluid, typically water, which is generated by high-pressure, positive displacement pumps. Such pumps pressurize a fluid by having a reciprocating plunger that draws the fluid from an inlet area into a pressurization chamber during an intake stroke, and acts against the fluid during a pumping stroke, thereby forcing pressurized fluid to pass from the pressurization chamber through a passageway to an outlet check valve which selectively allows the pressurized fluid to pass into an outlet chamber. The pressurized fluid in the outlet chamber is then collected in a manifold to be used by an operator via whatever tool has been attached to the pump for a particular task.
During the normal course of operation, the required flow rate will vary from the maximum the pump can supply to zero, for example, when the operator turns the tool off. In this situation, where the pressurized fluid is not being used, the pressure in the outlet chamber will build up beyond an acceptable level unless some form of pressure control is incorporated into the pump. If no pressure control is provided, the buildup of high pressure will result in damage and stress to the parts of the pump and undesirable surges of pressure will occur when the operator again turns the tool on.
One method of pressure control which is currently used is to incorporate a relief valve into the pump. When the pressure in the outlet chamber rises above a preset limit as a result of pressurizing more water than is demanded by the end user, the relief valve opens to vent the excess pressurized fluid. This method has several disadvantages, however. Perhaps most significantly, it is very expensive and inefficient to pressurize water thereby generating potential energy, only to throw it away. This throwing away of energy results in increased maintenance and fuel costs. This method of controlling output pressure is also undesirable because of the large quantity of water that is thrown away as waste, rather than being used.
Another method considered in the course of developing the present invention for controlling the output pressure of the pump, which is substantially equivalent to the pressure in the outlet chamber, is to choke off the flow at the inlet. However, this method causes the fluid to cavitate, which results in significant damage to the pump. Such damage in turn increases the "down time" of the machine and increases cost of operation, both in labor and replacement parts. This method also causes the system to have a large time constant, which results in undesirable pressure oscillations.

Pressure compensation device for high-pressure liquid pump


A refresh controller transmits two refresh request signals of a first request signal which indicates a time at which a refresh operation of a DRAM may be performed and a second request signal which indicates a time at which a refresh operation of the DRAM must be performed, to an arbitrator. On the other hand, also transfer request signals each of which requests a data transfer are transmitted from plural data transfer parts, respectively, to the arbitrator. If no transfer request signal is input when a first request signal is input to the arbitrator, a refresh operation of the DRAM is performed. As a result, a refresh operation is performed when the crowding level of a bus is relatively low. This improves an efficiency in a data transfer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory controller for controlling a dynamic random access memory ("DRAM").
2. Description of the Background Art
For an electronic device such as a digital still camera, a DRAM has been conventionally employed as a memory IC. In a DRAM, capacitors for storing data are provided respectively for memory cells. Because of a simpler structure of a DRAM as compared to a structure of a static random access memory ("SRAM") or the like, an integration density thereof can be easily increased on one hand. However, on the other hand, as electric charges in capacitors decrease with time, a burden of periodically performing a refresh operation for injecting electric charges into memory cells is caused. During a refresh operation, a data transfer with a DRAM such as writing of data and readout of data cannot be accomplished.
In the meantime, recent electronic devices are required to process huge volumes of data such as images in real time. Thus, also a DRAM for storing data which is to be processed is required to transfer huge volumes of data at an extremely high speed.
However, it is necessary to periodically perform a refresh operation of a DRAM. According to the conventional arts, when a necessity of a data transfer and a necessity of a refresh operation arise at the same time, a refresh operation is preferentially performed, so that a data transfer is suspended. Occurrence of such a situation in which a data transfer is suspended in order to preferentially perform a refresh operation probably lowers an effective band of a bus (an efficiency in a data transfer on a bus), leading to reduction of a processing speed of an entire processing system.

DRAM controller that forces a refresh after a failed refresh request


An apparatus for and a method of controlling a fan, capable of generating a drive pattern of the fan by utilizing a branching phenomenon occurring in a solution of a parameter function. The method comprises the first step of determining the number of times (N) operating solutions of a function having one parameter until solutions periodically repeated are obtained from the function, an initial value of the function, a parameter of the function determined according to an operation mode selected by a user, the total number of solutions of the function, and the number of times (I) executing fan drive patterns for a predetermined fan drive time, the second step of inputting the initial value as a variable of the function, inputting the parameter, deriving a solution of the function, based on the inputted initial value and parameter, inputting the solution as the variable of the function, and repeatedly executing the above operation procedure of this step for the number of times (N), the third step of executing the operation procedure of the second step again, generating a fan driving pattern, and then repeatedly executing the above procedure of this step for the predetermined total number of solutions, and the fourth step of repeatedly executing the above procedures following the first step for the number of times (I).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fans, and more particularly to an apparatus for and a method of controlling a fan.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional fans are driven in a constant manner at a wind velocity and in a wind amount determined according to a mode selected by a user. As a result, the user may be uncomfortable after a long time use of the fan. In severe cases, the human body may be adversely affected. Consequently, the conventional fans have a disadvantage that an agreeable wind can not be obtained.

Apparatus for and method of controlling a fan utilizing a branching phenomemon occurring in a solution of a one parameter function


The present disclosure relates to estimated road geometries used in vehicles, and in particular to a method and a control unit in a vehicle for determining a confidence level of an estimated road geometry. A method for determining a confidence level of an estimated road geometry is disclosed, the road geometry being estimated at least partly based on a position of a road object. The method comprises obtaining a reference position of the road object relative to the vehicle, updating a reach of a confidence zone of the vehicle, wherein a part of the estimated road geometry comprised within the confidence zone is associated with one or more reference confidence levels, and determining the confidence level of the estimated road geometry based on whether the reference position is comprised in the confidence zone.

Many vehicles today are increasingly aware of objects and traffic infrastructure in their vicinity. Road-users, such as pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vehicles, are detected by one or more on-board sensors in the vehicle, and their positions relative to the vehicle are determined. On-board sensors in the vehicle are also used to estimate the geometry of the road on which the vehicle is currently travelling. Control systems comprised in the vehicle then make use of this position and geometry data in, e.g., active safety applications or for autonomous drive of the vehicle. Some vehicles today also use wireless communications equipment for exchanging information with other road-users, and with the surrounding traffic infrastructure, in order to obtain further data related to the vehicle surroundings.
A wide variety of different techniques for estimating positions of road-users and for estimating road geometry exist in literature;
US 2012/0271483 discloses a method and apparatus for recognizing the shape of a road partly based on a detected object on the road. The disclosure relates to determining road geometry and also to determining a probability that other objects on the road are located in the same lane as the vehicle in which the method is implemented.
WO 2012/104918 teaches a road shape estimation device for estimation of road shape in a vehicle. The estimation of road shape is based on detecting an angle and position of another vehicle in front of the vehicle in which the device is implemented.
US 2010/0250064 discloses using lane markings and other objects on the road, as well as the motion of the own vehicle, in order to estimate road geometry.
Thus, there have been disclosed methods and devices for estimating road geometry in a vehicle. However, having access to an estimate of road geometry is not sufficient for many applications. The quality of the estimated road geometry is often also necessary to know.
Herein, the grade of knowledge about the quality of an estimated road geometry is referred to as the confidence level of the estimated road geometry. The confidence level of an estimate provides information about an expected error magnitude of the estimate. Thus, the accuracy of an estimated road geometry associated with a high confidence level is largely known, e.g., as accurate or as inaccurate, whereas an estimated road geometry associated with a low confidence level is not known to be either accurate or inaccurate, since the grade of knowledge about the quality of the estimated road geometry is low.
For instance, in an autonomous drive application the confidence level of an estimated road geometry is needed in order to decide when autonomous drive of the vehicle can be performed in a secure manner, and when autonomous drive should be terminated due to that the estimated road geometry cannot be trusted, either because the confidence level is high and the expected error magnitude in the estimate is known to be high, or because the confidence level is low such that the expected error magnitude is largely unknown.
Consequently, there is a need for methods for determining a confidence level of an estimated road geometry. These methods for determining confidence levels of estimated road geometries should be reliable, and preferably of low complexity, in order to enable efficient implementation.

Confidence level determination for estimated road geometries


A fabricated cup or other container in which the sidewall is formed from a rectangular sheet-like blank of an oriented thermoplastic material, the blank having its ends joined to one another to form a cylindrical sleeve with a liquid-tight seam, the blank having a relatively high degree of orientation extending circumferentially of the sleeve, the fabrication of the sidewall from the sleeve being accomplished by telescoping the sleeve over a substantially cylindrical mandrel, by exposing the sleeve to heat to cause it to shrink into conformity with the external configuration of the mandrel and by completing the cup by pressing the bottom and forming a beaded rim.. The apparatus for fabricating the container includes a mandrel carrying drum that revolves through a series of work stations that insert a sleeve of thermoplastic material on the mandrel, subjects it to softening heat which permits the sleeve to conform to the mandrel and protrude in part therefrom, presses the protruding material of the sleeve into a container bottom while substantially simultaneously forming a bead-like rim on the container and ejecting the completed container from the mandrel.

For several years it has been recognized that containers such as cups for drinking purposes, and especially for the short term retention of hot beverages such as coffee, can be formed from various plastic materials. One very popular container material has been expanded polystyrene, both of the expanded bead, as well as foam sheet stock material.
A well known container of the above mentioned type is a one-piece cup which is molded directly from expandable polystyrene beads in a steam chest mold. However, in forming cups of the steam chest variety it is necessary, for purposes of imparting adequate strength, rigidity, liquid impermeability and surface finish, to construct such cups with what today is considered to be a thick sidewall and bottom, especially in relationship to the sidewall thickness of other types of foam sheet stock insulated cups. As a consequence of this added sidewall thickness, it is not possible to package as much product per container as can be accomplished when the sidewall is relatively thin. Thus more overall storage and shipping space is required than a comparable quantity of other types of plastic insulated cups.
Another disadvantage of the so-called steam chest molded cup is that, as an inherent consequence of its mode of manufacture, the external surface of its sidewall can only be decorated subsequent to the manufacture of the container. The necessary post decoration and printing techniques are considerably slower and more expensive than the flexographic and other sheet printing techniques which may be used to decorate sheet material prior to incorporation into containers. As a result, the majority of steam chest molded cups on the market today do not contain a decorated exterior simply because such decoration would have to be applied after the cup is fabricated.
Then too, cups have been made of insulated or expanded thermoplastic materials by cutting an arcuate blank from sheet material and forming it into a frustoconical container with techniques that are well known in the art of making paper cups. This process of cup fabrication permits the container exterior sidewall to be decorated while the plastic material is in sheet form and prior to the cutting of the arcuate sidewall blanks. By controlling the density of such sheet, it is possible to fabricate a cup with adequate strength, rigidity and liquid impermeability and which has a considerably thinner sidewall than a steam chest molded cup. Also, the ease with which the exterior of the sidewall of such cups can be provided with attractive and sometimes required decoration by predecorating the sheet from which the sidewall blanks are formed, has made it possible for a substantial number of such cups to be decorated in a way which has proven to be quite popular in the trade. One of the inherent disadvantages of such containers is the cost insofar as materials are concerned, in relationship to the steam chest molded cup, because of the scrap which is formed when crescent shaped sidewall blanks are cut from a sheet or web of stock material.
Another known type of insulated or expanded thermoplastic container which has met with some measure of commercial success is a one-piece seamless deep drawn cup which is manufactured by the well known thermoforming process. Such cups can be formed to very close manufacturing tolerances and with excellent stacking features if desired. Once again, the decoration of thermoformed deep drawn cups must be achieved subsequent to their fabrication.
As can be realized from the foregoing discussion, each of the known types of insulated containers referred to has certain advantages which make it well suited for some uses and certain limitations which make it less suited than one of the other types for other uses.
Another variation in the manufacture of cups is also known as of this time. This particular insulated cup combines a wide range of desirable properties, without offsetting limitations, and which, is well suited for a wide range of applications for insulated lightweight cups. The sidewall of such containers can be formed from rectangular blanks and, therefore, without the scrap and inherent expense involved in the severing of crescent-shaped container sidewall blanks from a sheet or web. The sidewall of such cup may be relatively inexpensively provided with attractive, high quality decorative designs. Additionally, such cup may, if desired, be provided with relatively good stacking or nesting characteristics, and with close manufacturing tolerances to provide the reliable denesting which is important in coin-operated vending machine utilization of cups. Relatively inexpensive high quality cups have been fabricated from rectangularly shaped blanks, both in a one-piece, as well as a two-piece version.
The sidewall of either a one-piece or two-piece container is formed from a web of polystyrene or other thermoplastic polymeric sheet material which has a substantial degree of orientation or heat-shrinkability built into the machine direction of the web. Decorative material is applied to the oriented web material and after printing, the web is severed into long strips, each containing the repetitive pattern of individual container blanks. The strips of material are then severed into individual container blanks which are then formed into cylindrical sleeves with the machine direction of the parent web extending circumferentially around the sleeves. In the formation of the sleeve, a liquid tight lapped seam is effected by heat or solvent sealing techniques. A sleeve winding mandrel is employed to form the sleeve to the desired diameter and to make the required side seam. The completed sleeve is then placed on a mandrel having an outer forming surface corresponding to the desired configuration of the inner surface of the container sidewall, whether such sidewall be substantially straight or tapered, such as in a nestable cup. By heating the sleeve while it is so positioned over the mandrel, the sleeve will heat shrink into conforming face to face contact with the forming surface of the mandrel. A separate bottom closure may be affixed to a sidewall formed in this manner, either while the sleeve is still in position on the mandrel, or after it is removed therefrom. Alternatively, a one-piece cup may be formed by starting with a sleeve which is highly oriented in the hoop or circumferential direction, and which exceeds the height of the forming mandrel over which it is to be telescoped by a distance of the order of from one-half to one diameter of the mandrel diametrical dimension at its smaller bottom forming end. The excess portion of the sleeve extends beyond the smaller end of the mandrel. When such a sleeve is exposed to heat, the excess portion thereof will shrink to form an annular planar portion extending inwardly across the smaller end of the mandrel and a relatively small diameter tubulation extending longitudinally from the interior of such planar portion. By the application of opposed compressive forces to such tubulation, while it is at elevated temperature, it can be caused to collapse and to fuse together to close the interior of the annular planar portion in a liquid tight fashion.
The fabrication of either a two-piece cup or a one-piece cup according to the present invention is effective to provide a cup that can be used for beverages or for the packaging of food products.
The apparatus for fabricating one-piece cups in accordance with the method of the present invention includes a drum mechanism that moves in an arcuate path and carries a plurality of spaced apart mandrels, each having an external configuration corresponding to the internal contour and configuration of the cup. The drum carries the attached mandrels through a series of operational subassemblies which function in timed sequenced interrelationship to form the container of the present invention.
With the process and apparatus of the present invention, cups having exceptional properties can be fabricated at a relatively low cost. Because the operation of the present apparatus is continuous in nature, it is extremely smooth in operation, and achieves excellent rates of container production.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the manufacture of cup-shaped containers.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a machine for the manufacture of both packing containers and beverage dispensing containers.
These and other objects have been attained in accordance with the present invention in that a machine for the manufacture of cup-shaped containers from a thermoplastic material that shrinks in a controlled fashion under the influence of heat is provided for.
It is also a feature of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for thermally fabricating a container from a rectangular blank of oriented thermoplastic material without the need for wasting a portion of the material in such blank, and more particularly, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for fabricating a container from a rectangular blank of oriented thermoplastic material wherein the rim and bottom of the container are formed substantially simultaneously.


A gaming system incorporating a non-deterministic jackpot is provided. In a first embodiment, the gaming system generates a random number to determine a probability of winning and a jackpot amount. A contribution rate is predetermined, and a portion of each bet placed on a gaming machine associated with the system equal to the contribution rate multiplied by the amount of the bet is placed in a contribution pool. The gaming machine on which a bet causing the contribution pool to be greater than or equal to the jackpot amount is awarded the jackpot. According to a second embodiment of the present invention, a first random number within a range is generated. A second random number is generated for each bet placed on a gaming machine associated with the system. The jackpot is awarded to a gaming machine on which a bet resulting in a second random number equal to the first random number was placed.

The present invention relates to gaming machines but more particularly relates to a system for operating one or more electronic gaming machines such that payment of a jackpot to a player or group of players betting on one or more said gaming machines is an entirely random event. More particularly the present invention relates to a gaming control system involving use of one or more electronic gaming machines in which there is a relationship between the contribution to the jackpot (a bet) and selection of the winner. More particularly, the invention relates to a gaming control system in which each contribution to the jackpot from one or more electronic gaming machines has equal chance of winning wherein the process of selecting a winning contributor is an entirely random event.
There are two existing systems which regulate jackpot payouts, the first of which is non-deterministic and the second of which is deterministic.
A non-deterministic jackpot is one where the payment of the jackpot is a random event such that each contribution is independent of any previous contributions. A deterministic jackpot is one in which the winning contributor is predetermined such that not all players have equal chance of winning. In the latter system there might be a selection of a number from a group of numbers which would win, in which case players not having that number would have no chance of winning. In a deterministic jackpot the process of selecting a winner is not based on the principle that each contributor has equal chance of winning.
Where a non-deterministic jackpot is employed in gaming machines, each machine operates in its own right such that each machine has the same chance of dropping a jackpot, Whilst the probability of occurrence is very low, in theory at least it would be possible for two machines to drop a jackpot at the same time.
Gaming machines traditionally pay jackpots to a player after a machine has been worked for a predetermined period of time. Generally, a machine will be programmed to make relatively small periodic payouts and to pay a jackpot after a long period of betting as the probability increases or after a shorter period of higher unit bets which increase the return to a player. This ensures a return to the proprietor of the machine and maintenance of player interest.
The modern machines allow a player a number of options in betting including selection of the number of lines for a payout display and the ability to increase the number of bets per line. An increase in the number of bets per line increases the chances of a payout. Existing gaming machines pay jackpots according to the betting history of the machine. Thus, depending how the machine is pre-programmed, the payout will be manipulated according to the betting history of the machine, which means that payment of a jackpot is not a random event but rather a predetermined event which can be altered by reprogramming the machine. To date, this has been an acceptable method of ensuring that a machine proprietor derives profit and advantage from its machines. However, non-random jackpot payments do not in some states quality as a tax deductible expense which reduces machine proprietor profits. For example, in some gaming jurisdictions, state tax rules deny tax deductability for non random or deterministic jackpots. The rationale behind this role is that where the frequency and level of jackpots can be manipulated so the payments are non-random, a proprietor could manipulate jackpots so as to increase tax deductions. A random jackpot is one that is paid as a random event independent of previous events or history of a particular gaming machine or group of machines.
In one prior art arrangement, a hidden winning figure may be kept in the system memory before start up and this is compared with a random figure, with matching determining the jackpot.
According to a non-deterministic arrangement, each machine in a group of machines has the same probability of paying a jackpot and the parameters behind the jackpot payout is entirely held within each machine unit. The machines are generally programmed to pay a jackpot depending on a display combination of symbols which is essentially a random event.
The present invention seeks to provide an alternative system for selecting a winning contributor involving random selection of a playing station or stations through which a jackpot is to be paid independent of the playing history of the station or stations. The invention represents a departure from conventional methods of selecting a winning contributor such that selections are always random and each contribution has equal chance of being selected. According to the known methods, jackpot payouts are deterministic based on event history in that the chances of winning a jackpot increased the more units bet per line. Thus, according to the prior art, the closer a player gets to the end range of the jackpot the more likely it will be won by that player.
According to the invention the contributor who will win the jackpot is selected by means remote from the gaming machines ensuring that at any one time there will be only one winner. Unlike the prior art system in which the winner is determined on a machine by machine basis and from within each machine the present invention utilizes a remote xe2x80x9cbrainxe2x80x9d center which controls selection of a winning contribution.
According to the invention, a random number generator determines the outcome with no reference to the history of playing. Accordingly, the jackpot could go off at any time but the player will not necessarily increase his or her chances by establishing a long playing history in one session. In one broad form the present invention comprises: a gaming system for selecting a jackpot winner by random selection of a contributor playing a gaming machine or machines wherein, the selection of the jackpot winner is entirely random and independent of the playing history of the machine or machines.
In another broad form the present invention comprises: a gaming system for selecting a winning contributor, comprising at least one playing station, a controller in communication with said at least one playing station and which receives data from each said playing station, a random number generator in communication with said controller which responds to said data received by the controller from said at least one station and which determines which of said stations will win a jackpot.
In another broad form according to a method aspect, the present invention comprises: a method for setting up a gaming system in which selection of a winner playing at a station or stations of the gaming system is an entirely random event independent of the playing history of the station or stations, the method comprising the steps of:
a) taking at least one playing station capable of producing a contribution which can lead to a jackpot payout to a player;
b) connecting a controller to said at least one playing station;
c) connecting a random number generator to or including a random number generator in the controller;
d) entering jackpot parameters into said controller;
e) verifying correctness of said parameters;
f) allowing said controller to deduce a probability of a jackpot outcome based on data transmitted from said station/s in accordance with said jackpot parameters;
g) allowing each contribution to activate said random number generator via said controller;
h) allowing said random number generator to select a winning contributor;
i) following selection of a winning station, resetting the controller and delivering the reset value to said one or more stations.
In another broad form according to a method aspect, the present invention comprises:
a method for setting up a gaming system in which a selection of a winning station or stations is entirely random event independent of the playing history of the station or stations, the method comprising the steps of:
a) taking at least one playing station capable of producing a contribution to a jackpot payout to a player;
b) connecting a controller to said at least one playing station;
c) connecting a random number generator to or including a random number generator in the controller;
d) entering jackpot parameters into said controller;
e) verifying correctness of said parameters;
f) allowing said controller to deduce a probability of a jackpot outcome based on data transmitted from said station/s in accordance with said jackpot parameters such that the jackpot outcome represents a player having one chance in N of winning the jackpot per unit bet;
g) allowing each station to call said random number generator via said controller;
h) randomly selecting a jackpot winning station or stations responsive to a determination of said random number generator.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a random number generator determines a value N as a probability of a win. Based on the probability, as represented by N, a jackpot amount is calculated. The system receives bets from individual gaming machines, and for each such bet, calculates the total amount in a contribution pool. When a bet is received that causes the contribution pool amount to equal the jackpot amount, the jackpot is awarded. The gaming machine on which the bet that caused the contribution pool amount to equal the jackpot amount receives the jackpot.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the probability N that a game will produce a jackpot outcome is determined. A random number generator chooses a first random number from 1 to N. The system receives bets from gaming machines interconnected thereto, and generates a second random number from 1 to N for each unit bet. The first selected random number is compared to the second random number. If the first random number is equal to the second random number, the jackpot is awarded to the machine which caused the matching second random number to be generated.
According to a preferred embodiment, the controller and random number generator are contained in a personal computer and are driven by a computer program.

Gaming system incorporating non deterministic jackpot