A phase measurement system for measuring phase between an input signal having a frequency and a reference signal having a substantially different frequency includes: a phase comparator having an output representing a time between a crossing of a first threshold by a clock derived from the reference signal and a predetermined time along an interval from a first sample to a second sample, where the input signal crosses a second threshold on the interval; an interpolator having an output indicative of an interpolated time of the second-threshold-crossing on the interval in the input signal; and a phase calculator which computes the phase difference by combining the phase comparator output and the interpolator output.

The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for accurately determining, measuring or matching the time or phase of an input signal with the time or phase of a reference, such as done in a phase-locked loop (PLL). More particularly, the invention relates to any such apparatus or methods used in connection with any communication channel employing a known carrier wave. Yet more particularly, the invention relates to such apparatus and methods as applied to the field of matching the phase of a wobble signal recovered from a recordable/writable or re-writable Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), Compact Disk (CD), Blue-ray media and HD-DVD media very precisely to the phase of a write clock having a frequency several orders of magnitude greater than that of the wobble signal.
In certain data storage systems, including DVD media, recoding equipment and playback equipment, several signals are used to extract timing information and facilitate recording and playback of information. In the following discussion, several signals are referred to. Analogous signals are found in communication channels employing a known carrier wave, as would be understood by the skilled artisan. They are defined as follows:
Definition List 1TermDefinitionWrite clock (wclk)The write clock is a signal derived fromthe wobble signal in a fixed phase andfrequency relationship thereto and isused to time the recording/writing ofeight-to-fourteen modulation (EFM) andeight-to-fourteen modulation plus(EFMP) data signals to the media.Wobble signalThe wobble signal is a signal that variesin correspondence with a physical,sinusoidal wobble incorporated into thetracks of the media at the time ofmanufacture. The wobble signal variessinusoidally about a median, or zero,value, with a constant carrier frequency,fwobble.Digital wobble signalThe digital wobble signal is a sequenceof digital values representing samples ofthe wobble signal, taken at a sample rategreater than or equal to the Nyquist ratefor the wobble signal.Reference clockThe reference clock is a clock signalformed by dividing the write clock by aninteger divisor and having a frequencysubstantially equal to that of the wobblesignal.
A conventional PLL solution, accurately matching the phase of the recovered reference clock, to the phase of the wobble signal is shown in FIG. 1. The write clock, wclk, is divided by divider, 104, to form the reference clock, at the same frequency as the wobble signal. In DVD+R/RW media, the write clock has a frequency, fwclk, 32 times the frequency of the wobble signal; while in DVD-R/RW media, the write clock has a frequency, fwclk, 186 times the frequency of the wobble signal. The reference clock and the wobble signal are applied to a phase comparator, 101, which digitally compares the phase of its inputs with a resolution finer than the frequency of the write clock, producing a control signal, for example a voltage signal, which is applied to a controllable oscillator, for example a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), 102. The output of the VCO, 102, may be a high speed clock from which the resolution of the phase comparator is derived, and which is divided by divider, 103, to form the high-frequency write clock, wclk, and which is divided down further to form the reference clock.
Conventional solutions are expensive and inadequately robust because it is difficult, in general, to produces a high-frequency signal having low phase jitter by phase locking two signals of frequencies several orders of magnitude lower than the frequency of the high-frequency signal to be produced. The resulting wclk accuracy and jitter depends on the resolution employed in the phase comparator/detector. The higher the resolution of the phase comparator relative to the frequency of the wclk signal, the more accurate wclk will be derived. Because the wclk frequency is scaled with the recording speed, and further because new DVD standards and associated media support increasing recording speeds, conventional solutions would impose a very high phase comparator resolution.

Method and apparatus for high resolution measurement of signal timing


Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for controlling an engine of construction equipment, the apparatus including: a lever for generating a first signal when a state of the construction equipment is switched to an operation state or a neutral state; and an auto idle switch for generating a second signal when an auto engine idle mode is on; in which when a state of the lever is switched to a neutral state in an on state of the second signal, an engine speed is reduced to a step engine speed, when a first speed reducing step is maintained for a predetermined time, the engine speed is further reduced to an idle engine speed, and when a state of the lever is switched to an operation state while the second speed reducing step is maintained, the engine speed returned to the step engine speed.

In general, a hydraulic system is mounted in construction equipment to operate various operating devices. The hydraulic system operates a hydraulic pump by receiving power from an engine, and various operating devices are operated by working oil discharged from the hydraulic pump. The working device includes an actuator operated by hydraulic pressure.
In the meantime, available torque generated by the engine is limited. Accordingly, an operating load applied to an operating device needs to be operated within a range of the available torque of the engine. When the operating load is close to or exceeds the range of the available torque of the engine, the operating load is hard on the engine. Particularly, in order to generate required torque, the large amount of fuel is momentarily consumed and exhaust gas is generated.
On the other hand, the maintenance of the engine at a rated engine speed even in a low operating load is inefficient in consideration of fuel efficiency. The reason is that when an operating device does not perform an operation or performs an operation having a very small operating load, torque generated by the engine is not used by the operating device and disappears.
As a technology for solving the aforementioned problem, there is an auto engine idle mode maintaining a minimum engine speed at a degree, at which the engine is not stopped. That is, the auto engine idle mode may be a state where the engine is operated, but torque at a degree substantially usable by an operating device is not generated. This is for the purpose of improving fuel efficiency of construction equipment by reducing an engine speed when engine torque is not used.
The auto engine idle mode known in the related art is varied according to whether a lever of a manipulating device is in a neutral state or an operating state, or whether an auto idle switch is selected.
The auto engine idle mode in the related art will be described in more detail below.
When the auto idle switch is in an off state, the engine maintains a high engine speed higher than the rated engine speed regardless of a neutral position or an operation position of the lever.
By contrast, when the auto idle switch is in an on state, the auto engine idle mode is executed only when the lever is at the neutral position, and the engine continuously maintains a high engine speed when the lever is at the operating position.
That is, an apparatus and a method for controlling an engine of construction equipment known in the related art have a problem in that a section, in which a fuel efficiency improvement effect is substantially expectable by the auto engine idle mode, is very limited.
Hereinafter, an apparatus and a method for controlling an engine of construction equipment according to the Comparative Example in the related art will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
FIG. 1 is a diagram for describing an apparatus and a method for controlling an engine of construction equipment according to the Comparative Example. FIG. 2 is a diagram for describing a no-load (idle) section in the apparatus and the method for controlling the engine of construction equipment according to the Comparative Example. FIG. 3 is a diagram for describing an operation case in the no-load (idle) section in the apparatus and the method for controlling the engine of construction equipment according to the Comparative Example.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, reviewing a configuration for performing a control in an auto engine idle mode according to the Comparative Example, a first on/off signal of a lever 12, based on which an operation of construction equipment may be determined, and a second signal indicating whether an auto idle switch 14 is selected are provided to a vehicle control unit (VCU) 10. The VCU 10 generates an engine speed command by calculating an engine speed appropriate in a current situation. The engine speed command is provided to an engine control unit 22, and an engine 20 is operated by the engine speed command.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, in the Comparative Example, when a predetermined time is maintained in a neutral section of an operating device, the engine enters an auto engine idle mode. Here, the predetermined time may be generally set to be within a range from 3 seconds to 10 seconds.
That is, in the Comparative Example, when the lever 12 is not manipulated in a state where the auto idle switch 14 is on, and an engine speed is maintained at a high engine speed RH, a mode of the engine is switched into the engine idle mode. In the engine idle mode, an engine speed is changed into an idle engine speed RI. The idle engine speed RI means that a low engine speed at a degree, at which the engine is not stopped, is maintained as described above.
Then, when the lever 12 is operated, the idle engine speed RI is changed into the high engine speed RH, so that the engine generates large torque at a degree at which an operating device is operable.
In the meantime, when the high engine speed RH is changed into the idle engine speed RI or by contrast, the idle engine speed RI is restored to the high engine speed RH, an inclination of a change of an engine speed to a time is determined by a governing speed of the engine.
Referring to FIG. 3, there is a case where the method of controlling the engine of construction equipment according to the Comparative Example is rather disadvantageous in fuel efficiency.
That is, when the lever 12 is operated in the auto engine idle section, an engine speed is increased at a moment of the operation of the lever 12 to reach the high engine speed RH. Then, the engine speed is varied according to an operating load. For example, an operation of moving a boom up or folding an arm performs digging, which may be a high load operation. During the performance of the high load operation, an engine speed is maintained at a rated engine speed.
In the meantime, when construction equipment performs an operation of moving down the boom or swinging an upper body, the construction equipment may perform a relatively low load operation compared to the high load operation. As described above, during the performance of the low load operation, an engine speed is maintained at a high degree reaching the high engine speed RH.
That is, in the method for controlling the engine of construction equipment in the related art according to the Comparative Example, a high engine speed is rather generated in a low load operation section compared than a high load operation section, and as a result, fuel consumption is increased and fuel efficiency deteriorates. Further, an engine speed is maintained at the high engine speed RH, so that a noise problem is generated.

Apparatus for controlling construction equipment engine and control method therefor


A body board for wave surfing includes a shark-shaped semi-rigid board having a pair of depending pectoral fins. The underside of the board is concave, and the board has a cone-shaped nose section with an underside including a series of laterally inboard projecting slats which open and close in response to movement of the fins. A tail section stabilizes the board in the water and provides a seat for the surfer while waiting for or traveling to a wave. The fins each include a sleeve adapted to receive the surfer's hands.

The sport of riding a wave toward shore, i.e. surfing, has long been a popular pastime for some and a full-time obsession for others. Competitive surfing has grown into a large industry with its participants traveling the globe to take advantage of regional swell conditions. A surfing subculture has developed which has been featured in several movies and television series.
The surfing method of choice has varied depending on a surfer's experience, swell conditions, budget, etc. Body surfing is favored by some, wherein the fully-extended body itself is propelled by the wave. Body surfing is relatively easy to learn and is most popular among those who don't want to invest the time required to learn other methods, or invest the money into surfing paraphernalia. It is especially popular among those who don't surf on a regular basis.
Boogie boarding has also become popular with the recreational or casual surfer. Boogie boards are typically short rigid boards on which the surfer lies prone and holds onto the board while riding the wave.
The most advanced form of surfing is stand-up surfing done on a long, narrow and somewhat rounded board known as a surfboard. It offers a challenge to the surfer who must manipulate, maneuver, and stabilize the relatively large board while standing on it even in steep or tight turns with the wave crashing around the surfer. While waiting for or moving to the wave, the surfer sits or kneels on the surfboard while paddling, often resulting in a condition known as surfer's knobs. Surfer's knobs are tumorlike overgrowths of connective tissue just below the knees, on the tops of the feet, and often on the toes.
Body surfing, boogie boarding and traditional surfing all rely on the forces generated by a wave to propel a relatively flat, rigid object through the water. There is, therefore, a need for an improved body board which is constructed to efficiently utilize the forces generated by beach waves and provides the surfer with greater control of his or her movement within the wave than that afforded by prior surfing techniques. Such an improved body board should be capable of riding smoothly, be comfortable to paddle and sit on, and appeal to the novice while still posing a challenge to the experienced surfer. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.


A conveyor system for sorting articles being conveyed in a conveying direction. A first conveyor section includes a plurality of inclined conveyors for de-stacking articles. A second conveyor section includes at least one indexing conveyor for spacing a first group of articles from upstream articles. A third conveyor section includes a chicane conveying path for forming the first group of articles into a single row generally aligned with the conveying direction. Related methods are also disclosed.

Over the past several years, the demand from businesses and individuals alike for second day and even overnight deliveries of articles, such as small to mid-sized parcels, packages and letters, has steadily increased. This demand is due, in part, to the prevalence of Internet and mail order shopping, which creates a similar need for an efficient and effective distribution system to deliver expediently the wares to a common carrier. Consequently, the need for methods and systems for quickly transporting, sorting and distributing this ever-increasing volume of articles has similarly increased.
Existing sortation systems all suffer from being extraordinarily complex. Known examples rely on staging conveyors that, in connection with "machine vision" scanners, attempt to characterize the articles being conveyed and implement control of the associated conveyors on this basis. While such systems may achieve the desired goal of singulation, the associated cost is high as a result of this complexity.
Thus, a need is identified for a simpler approach to article sortation and, in particular, singulation (that is, taking a random group of articles (potentially stacked) being conveyed and forming a single, unstacked row aligned with the conveying direction) to facilitate downstream processing. The approach would avoid the past need for characterizing the articles being conveyed as part of the sortation process, or attempting to independently control the conveyance of individual articles in order to achieve singulation.


Methods of collecting, thawing, and extending the useful polarized life of frozen polarized gases include heating a portion of the flow path and/or directly liquefying the frozen gas during thawing. A polarized noble gas product with an extended polarized life product is also included. Associated apparatus such as an accumulator and heating jacket for collecting, storing, and transporting polarized noble gases include a secondary flow channel which provides heat to a portion of the collection path during accumulation and during thawing.

Conventionally, MRI has been used to produce images by exciting the nuclei of hydrogen molecules (present in water protons) in the human body. However, it has recently been discovered that polarized noble gases can produce improved images of certain areas and regions of the body which have heretofore produced less than satisfactory images in this modality. Polarized Helium 3 ("3He") and Xenon-129 ("129Xe") have been found to be particularly suited for this purpose. Unfortunately, as will be discussed further below, the polarized state of the gases is sensitive to handling and environmental conditions and can, undesirably, decay from the polarized state relatively quickly.
Hyperpolarizers are used to produce and accumulate polarized noble gases. Hyperpolarizers artificially enhance the polarization of certain noble gas nuclei (such as 129Xe or 3He) over the natural or equilibrium levels, i.e., the Boltzmann polarization. Such an increase is desirable because it enhances and increases the Magnetic Resonance Imaging ("MRI") signal intensity, allowing physicians to obtain better images of the substance in the body. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,396 to Albert et al., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference as if recited in full herein.
In order to produce the hyperpolarized gas, the noble gas is typically blended with optically pumped alkali metal vapors such as rubidium ("Rb"). These optically pumped metal vapors collide with the nuclei of the noble gas and hyperpolarize the noble gas through a phenomenon known as "spin-exchange". The "optical pumping" of the alkali metal vapor is produced by irradiating the alkali-metal vapor with circularly polarized light at the wavelength of the first principal resonance for the alkali metal (e.g., 795 nm for Rb). Generally stated, the ground state atoms become excited, then subsequently decay back to the ground state. Under a modest magnetic field (10 Gauss), the cycling of atoms between the ground and excited states can yield nearly 100% polarization of the atoms in a few microseconds. This polarization is generally carried by the lone valence electron characteristics of the alkali metal. In the presence of non-zero nuclear spin noble gases, the alkali-metal vapor atoms can collide with the noble gas atoms in a manner in which the polarization of the valence electrons is transferred to the noble-gas nuclei through a mutual spin flip "spin-exchange".
Conventionally, lasers have been used to optically pump the alkali metals. Various lasers emit light signals over various wavelength bands. In order to improve the optical pumping process for certain types of lasers (particularly those with broader bandwidth emissions), the absorption or resonance line width of the alkali metal can be made broader to more closely correspond with the particular laser emission bandwidth of the selected laser. This broadening can be achieved by pressure broadening, i.e., by using a buffer gas in the optical pumping chamber. Collisions of the alkali metal vapor with a buffer gas will lead to a broadening of the alkali's absorption bandwidth.
For example, it is known that the amount of polarized 129Xe which can be produced per unit time is directly proportional to the light power absorbed by the Rb vapor. Thus, polarizing 129Xe in large quantities generally takes a large amount of laser power. When using a diode laser array, the natural Rb absorption line bandwidth is typically many times narrower than the laser emission bandwidth. The Rb absorption range can be increased by using a buffer gas. Of course, the selection of a buffer gas can also undesirably impact the Rb-noble gas spin-exchange by potentially introducing an angular momentum loss of the alkali metal to the buffer gas rather than to the noble gas as desired.
In any event, after the spin-exchange has been completed, the hyperpolarized gas is separated from the alkali metal prior to introduction into a patient. Unfortunately, after and during collection, the hyperpolarized gas can deteriorate or decay relatively quickly (lose its hyperpolarized state) and therefore must be handled, collected, transported, and stored carefully. Thus, handling of the hyperpolarized gases is critical, because of the sensitivity of the hyperpolarized state to environmental and handling factors and the potential for undesirable decay of the gas from its hyperpolarized state.
Some accumulation systems employ cryogenic accumulators to separate the buffer gas from the polarized gas and to freeze the collected polarized gas. Unfortunately, reductions in polarization of the gas can be problematic as, after final thawing of the frozen gas, the polarization level of the gas can potentially be undesirably reduced by as much as an order of magnitude. Further and disadvantageously, the extremely low operating temperatures of the accumulator near the cryogen source can sometimes clog the collection area of the accumulator, thereby decreasing the rate of, or even preventing, further collection.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Polarized gas accumulators and heating jackets and associated gas collection and thaw methods and polarized gas products


A new and distinct cultivar of Crepe Myrtle plant named ‘Bradberry's Wine’, characterized by its upright to somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; large inflorescences with showy red purple-colored flowers; resistance to Powdery Mildew; and good garden performance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Crepe Myrtle plant, botanically known as Lagerstroemia indica and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Bradberry's Wine'.
The new Crepe Myrtle plant originated from an open-pollination in 1993 of Lagerstroemia indica 'Zuni', not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Lagerstroemia indica, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Crepe Myrtle plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors in 1996 as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in San Antonio, Tex.
Asexual reproduction of the new Crepe Myrtle plant by softwood cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in San Antonio, Tex. since July, 1996 has shown that the unique features of this new Crepe Myrtle plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Crepe myrtle plant named ‘Bradberry's Wine’


An aluminum nitride sintered body is provided. The aluminum nitride has a polycrystalline structure of aluminum nitride crystals having an average particle diameter in a range of 5 xcexcm to 20 xcexcm and cerium in a range of 0.01 wt % 1.0 wt %, when calculated as an oxide thereof. The aluminum nitride sintered body has a room temperature volume resistivity in a range of 1xc3x97108 xcexa9xc2x7cm to 1xc3x971012 xcexa9xc2x7cm under the application of 500 V/mm, and a value of a in the I-V relational equation, I=kVxcex1, is in a range of 1.0 to 1.5, V being a voltage in a range of 100 V/mm to 1000 V/mm, I being a leak current when V is applied to said aluminum nitride body, k being a constant, and xcex1 being a non-linear coefficient.

The present invention relates to aluminum nitride sintered bodies and semiconductor-producing members using the same.
As a method for attracting and holding a semiconductor wafer, an electrostatic chucking system utilizing the Johnsen-Rahbek force is useful. When the volume resistivity of a substrate of the electrostatic chuck is set at 108 xcexa9xc2x7cm to 1012xcexa9 xc2x7cm, high attracting force and high response can be obtained. Therefore, what is important in developing the electrostatic chucks is to control the volume resistivity of the substrate to 108 xcexa9xc2x7cm to 1012 xcexa9xc2x7cm in a use temperature range.
For instance, NGK disclosed in JP-A 9-315,867 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,001,760) that the volume resistivity can be controlled to 108 xcexa9xc2x7cm to 1012 xcexa9xc2x7cm at room temperature by adding a very small amount of yttrium oxide to aluminum nitride having a high purity.
In the aluminum nitride sintered body disclosed in JP-A 9-315,867, the resistance can be reduced. However, it is revealed that when the voltage applied varies, the leak current largely changes, which exhibits a behavior like a so-called varistor. That is, it is clarified that the value of xcex1 in a I-V relational equation: I=kVxcex1 (V to the xcex1th power, k: a constant and xcex1: a non-linear coefficient) is a high value of 1.5 to 2.0 in case of V being in a range of not less than 100 V/mm and not more than 1000 V/mm, I being a leak current when a voltage V is applied to the aluminum nitride sintered body. Such a non-ohmic voltage-current behavior is not preferable for parts for the semiconductor-producing apparatus, particularly for the semiconductor susceptor containing the electrostatic electrode. For example, although a dielectric layer is present between the electrostatic chucking electrode and the surface of the chuck, the thickness of the dielectric layer slightly varies or deviates. Since the voltage is constant between the electrostatic chucking electrode and the surface of the electrostatic chuck, the voltage applied (V/mm) is smaller in a thicker portion of the dielectric layer and larger in a thinner portion thereof When the leak current varies in a non-ohmic manner with respect to the voltage applied, the deviation in within the plane of the leak current increases. Consequently, the attracting force can be unstable.
It is an object of the present invention to reduce the volume resistivity and suppress the non-ohmic behavior between the voltage applied and the leak current in a sintered body of aluminum nitride having a high purity.
The present invention relates to an aluminum nitride sintered body composed mainly of aluminum nitride, having a polycrystalline structure of aluminum nitride crystals, and containing not less than 0.01 wt % to not more than 1.0 wt % of cerium when calculated as an oxide thereof.
The present inventors discovered that when a small amount of cerium is incorporated into the aluminum nitride sintered body, the volume resistivity of the sintered body can be reduced, and the non-ohmic behavior between the voltage applied and the leak current can be suppressed, and as the case may be, almost the ohmic behavior can be realized. The inventors reached the present invention based on this discovery.

Aluminum nitride sintered bodies and semiconductor-producing members including same


A credit card system has a card with first identification information written thereon, a reading/writing unit for writing information on and reading information from the card, an input device for entering second identification information, a processor for deriving second identification information from information written on the card, comparing the second identification information entered by the entering device with the second identification information derived by the deriving device, and controlling the reading/writing unit to write information representing allowance of issuance of the card on the card if the compared second identification information agrees with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for issuing credit cards to customers for use in selling goods and services (hereinafter collectively referred to as "goods"), and more particularly to a system for checking the validity of credit cards when they are issued and used so as to prevent credit cards from being issued and used illegally.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, it is very popular for customers to pay for goods with credit. Generally, there are two types of payment available, i.e., payment by single-purchase sales credit and payment with a credit card. According to the former payment method, each time a person buys goods at a retail store, he fills out an application form to apply for payment by sales credit with a credit company or credit control division of the same company (hereinafter referred to as a "credit company") through the retail store. After the credit company checks the credibility of the purchaser, the credit company gives the retail store a membership number indicating that the application has been accepted. The retail store then accepts the payment by sales credit. This payment method requires that each application for payment by single-purchase sales credit be accepted by the credit company. Therefore, the credit company controls every sales contract based on payment by sales credit, is free of multiple debts and credit collection failures in credit sales, and can entrust retail stores with the preparation of filled-out applications. Purchasers can acquire the goods almost at the same time they apply for payment by sales credit, and carry back the goods from the retail store. Consequently, this payment method requires no preparatory period in advance and is immediately available for customers and retail stores, and effective to promote sales.
According to the payment method using a credit card, the user needs to obtain a credit card before he buys goods with the credit card. Specifically, the user sends an filled-out application form to a credit company either directly or via a retail store, and the credit company then checks the application. Since no such information is available at the time the credit company issues a credit card as about goods which the user is going to buy and the amount of money which the user is going to pay, the credit company usually sets a credit limit for the user, and issues a credit card with a notice of the credit limit to the user. After having received the credit card, the user can purchase goods with the credit card simply by signing a slip insofar as the amount of money which the user is going to pay for the purchased goods is less than the credit limit.
Although the former payment method provides credit on the spot, as described above, it requires a complex process which the user and the retail store have to follow because the user has to apply for payment by sales credit each time he buys goods with credits. For example, when a person buys different goods on different floors of a department store, he has to apply for payment by single-purchase sales credit each time he buys goods on each floor.
The latter payment method requires the credit company to carry out an investigation procedure including detailed credibility check because the credit limit cannot fully be checked each time the user purchases goods with the credit card. It takes a relatively long period of time before a requested credit card is issued to a customer because of the time and efforts needed to prepare and mail the credit card to the customer. To solve this problem, attempts have been made to issue a credit card immediately on site. However, such an approach also has problems because a certain number of unissued credit cards need to be in stock at the credit card issuing desk, and a person from the credit company, rather than the retail store, is required to directly handle the issuance of credit cards in order to avoid the risk of illegal issuance of credit cards and illegal use of missing credit cards.
As described above, the former payment method is not suitable for repeated use because an application is required each time it is relied upon, but is advantageous in that safety in credit sales is high and retail stores can be entrusted with the preparation of filled-out applications. The latter payment method is suitable for repeated use as no application is required each time it is relied upon, but is disadvantageous in that credit cards cannot immediately be issued when requested by users. The attempted process of immediately issuing credit cards on site has not been widespread because retail stores could not be entrusted with the issuance of credit cards due to possible illegal issuance and use of credit cards.

Credit card system and method of issuing credit card using such a system


Apparatus for condensing hydrocarbons, such as but not limited to butane and propane, from a stream of natural gas includes as its primary components a pre-cooler assembly, a chiller assembly, a refrigerant compressor/condenser assembly, and separator assembly. In the pre-cooler assembly warm gas entering the apparatus is cooled by counter-current flow heat exchange with cooled natural gas exiting the apparatus. The chiller assembly of the apparatus the hydrocarbon stream is cooled in co-current flow heat exchange with a first refrigerant tube, carrying a first refrigerant which is itself cooled in co-current heat exchange with a second refrigerant tube disposed in coaxial relationship with the first refrigerant tube. Both first and second refrigerant tubes are disposed in coaxial relationship with an outer jacket conveying the gas stream through the chiller assembly. Condensed hydrocarbons are separated from the gas stream in the separator assembly.

Natural gas is commonly considered to consist of methane, but the gas produced from a well normally contains higher hydrocarbons such as propane and butane. Those hydrocarbons are in gaseous form when the gas is collected from the well, but because of their higher boiling points are more readily condensed to liquids. It is desirable to remove higher hydrocarbons from the methane before the natural gas is introduced into high pressure pipelines to prevent condensate from forming in the pipeline and in associated equipment during transport. Those hydrocarbons also have economic value to the well owner or operator.
Approaches known in the prior art for removing higher hydrocarbons from methane at the wellhead include expansion of the produced gas, and the use of refrigerant, to cool the gas and condense some of the higher hydrocarbons. Although these approaches do result in removal of some of the higher hydrocarbons from the predominantly methane stream, their effectiveness is limited because of limitations of the temperature drop that can be achieved.
There remains a need for an efficient and effective process and apparatus for removing hydrocarbons such as propane and butane from a natural gas stream at the wellhead.

Apparatus and method for condensing hydrocarbons from natural gas


A corrugated pipe connection joint structure and method for connecting two sections of corrugated pipe. The joint structure includes opposing bell-formed ends with reduced corrugations, a connector insert including a gasket on either end and a push-ring. The gasket(s) form a seal sufficient to keep fluid inside the pipe, and to help keep the joint structure from separating under normal use.

Corrugated pipe is used for many purposes, such as for public utilities reasons, including the transport of water, waste and other materials. In the installation of corrugated pipe, several sections of pipe are fitted together to the desired length using a pipe connection joint. Problems arise when the pipe connection joint is not relatively watertight, does not allow some longitudinal offset between adjacent sections for applications in which the length of pipe is not completely straight, is not easily used, and cannot be easily fabricated at the construction site. Existing pipe connection joints are relatively effective, but are subject to the above-mentioned problems.
It is with respect to these considerations and other background information relative to prior art pipe connectors that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.


A method for improving electrical and light producing efficiency in two terminal, direct current, low voltage incandescent lamp dimming wherein a small inductance in series with the power source, lamp, and two terminal controller boosts the voltage supplied to the timing circuitry. Accordingly, the voltage level of the controlling signal applied to the insulated gate of the field effect transistor is increased as well, improving electrical efficiency and allowing for efficient use with a wide range of supply voltage, from 18 volts or more down to as low as one volt. Also a technique is provided whereby, even though using only two terminals, lamp intensity is regulated over a wide range of supply voltage excursions, improving light producing efficiency in incandescent lamps. Also, this same technique proportionally reduces current demand when the supply voltage exceeds that of the lamp, affording increased energy extraction efficiency from batteries.

This invention relates generally to lighting controls, and more particularly to direct current low voltage pulse width modulated incandescent lamp controllers having two terminals suitable for connection in series with an electrical power source and load.
Techniques for lamp intensity control include several methods and apparatus with which problems and solutions for direct current low voltage pulse width modulated insulated gate dimmers are discussed and disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,120 (Scott, et al.) the timing wave form supply is increased in voltage by a charge pump voltage doubler, thus allowing n-channel field effect transistors to be used in series with the power supply and load. This approach works well for voltages in the 10 to 30 volt range, and at pulse repetition rates of approximately 70 Hz. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,287 (Goodale et al.), to which this application is related, the timing wave form is differentiated by a capacitor and stepped up in voltage by an auto transformer, then applied to the gate of the Mosfet. This circuit enables placement of the entire dimmer in series with the power supply and load, allowing operation down to about 3.5 volts, but also has a low pulse repetition rate. With both of these methods the timing wave form produced is not much more than twice that of the supply voltage. And the manner in which the timing circuitry controls the FET results in transitions from On to Off and vice versa of the field effect semiconductor being limited in rapidity, thus requiring a reduced pulse rate as to secure enhanced efficiency. Furthermore, neither of the above methods provide load or power source regulation.
This invention has as one object a means to simply yet effectively increase the timing voltage to many times that of the supply voltage as to afford maximized efficiency by the field effect transistor.
A related object is to allow the option of a relatively high pulse repetition frequency with the attendant advantages of smaller component values, and versatility/flexibility in use with bulbs having small filaments with reduced thermal inertia.
A further related object of this invention is to provide full operation of lamp intensity control down to a supply voltage of 2 volts or less, and with a simple start circuit, down to 1 volt or less. But, with or without the start circuit, the controller is compatible with higher voltage applications of 18 volts or more.
Still another object is to afford a lamp controller having two terminals with input voltage responsive lamp intensity regulation wherein the lamp may be fully dimmed by operator manual control, yet maintain the same brightness over a considerable range of supply voltage.
And again another object is to provide two terminal illumination output responsive lamp intensity regulation with the benefits as just mentioned in the previous object, while retaining the advantages attendant to increased timing voltage.

Two terminal method of and apparatus for improving electrical and light producing efficiency in low voltage direct current incandescent lamp intensity control


An electronic musical instrument according to one embodiment includes: a sound source configured to generate a first sound signal and a second sound signal in accordance with an instruction signal for instructing to produce a sound; a first output unit configured to output a third sound signal containing the first sound signal and the second sound signal at a first sound volume ratio; and a second output unit configured to output a fourth sound signal containing the first sound signal and the second sound signal at a second sound volume ratio that is different from the first sound volume ratio.

Various devices have been designed to make sounds from electronic pianos as close as possible to sounds of acoustic pianos. An example is Patent Literature 1 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2014-59534), in which when a key is depressed in playing an acoustic piano, not only is a string striking sound produced, but also a keybed hitting sound is produced along with the depression of the key. In the field of electronic musical instruments such as electronic pianos, technologies for reproducing such keybed hitting sounds have been disclosed.


A system for establishing a prosthetic gap between first and second bones at a joint comprises an instrument for positioning within the gap between the first and second bones, and an augment for filling the gap when coupled to the instrument. In one embodiment, a resilient coupling member is provided to resiliently and removably couple the augment to the instrument. In another embodiment, the instrument and augment are configured so that the augment can be coupled to the instrument on either one of opposite surfaces of the augment facing the first and second bones.

The present invention relates to devices for use in orthopaedic surgery, and especially for proper alignment of surgical instruments used in preparing a bone for an implant. The invention has particular application in preparing the distal end of the femur to receive a femoral prosthesis.
Damage or disease can deteriorate the bones, articular cartilage and ligaments of human joints, such as the knee, which can ultimately affect the ability of the natural joint to function properly. To address these conditions, prosthetic joints have been developed that are mounted to prepared ends of the bones of the joint, namely the tibia and femur in the case of a knee prosthesis. Among the many knee prostheses, a mobile bearing knee simulates the condylar and bearing surfaces of the knee to emulate the natural movement of the knee during flexion and extension. The tibial component is configured to permit rotation about the axis of the tibia to accurately replicate the effects of differential rollback in the transverse plane.
Implantable mobile bearing knee prostheses, such as the prosthesis 10 shown in FIG. 1, for diseased and/or damaged knees typically include three components, namely a tibial component 12, a femoral component 16 and a meniscal component (not shown). The tibial component 12 includes a platform 13 with a stem 14 configured for engagement in the prepared proximal end of the tibia. Generally, in a total knee joint replacement the platform 13 replaces the entire superior surface of the tibial plateau and substitutes for the tibial condylar surfaces. The femoral component can also include laterally-spaced condylar portions joined by an inter-condylar bridge and a patellar surface.
The femoral component 16 defines interior mounting surfaces 17 that often require involved cuts into the distal end of the femur. Since the components of the mobile bearing knee prosthesis 10 are generally configured to restore or emulate as much of the natural motion of the knee joint as possible, the femoral component often has a complicated geometry, which requires significant modification to the femur to accept and support the implant. The selection of the particular prosthesis components is usually dictated by the condition of the patient's knee. For instance, the condition of the distal end of the femur and proximal end of the tibia, as well as the patency of the surrounding ligaments and soft tissue can affect the form of the joint prosthesis.
In addition to the overall implant geometry, implant positioning with respect to the natural bone is critical. For instance, a proper implant will maintain the proper tension in the retained ligaments supporting the joint. In total knee reconstruction surgery, the menisci, bone ends and other stabilizing tissues are removed and replaced with implants. The thicknesses of the implants are ideally equal to the thickness of the removed material. Exceptions occur in reconstruction of severe deformity, where ligament length and tension after tissue releases during the reconstruction vary significantly form the preoperative state and from the normal knee.
Intraoperatively, the gap between the facing ends of the bones of the joint, which are related to the final implant position, can be manipulated. In the knee, a critical measure is the gap when the knee is in flexion or extension. The bone gaps in an ideal surgical reconstruction will have be the same in flexion and extension, the only exception being with implant systems having uneven implant thicknesses between anterior and posterior, or between medial and lateral compartments on either the tibial or femoral implants. The bone gaps for implants with unequal thicknesses must be accommodated for by the measuring tool or in the measurements when accessing potential implant fit. An ideal implant will maintain the same tension in flexion and extension, and the resulting joint tension and the stability of the implant will be substantially identical to the joint tension and stability of the patient's natural knee.
In preparing a knee joint, for instance, to receive a prosthesis, the orthopaedic surgeon typically uses templates to determine the proper size of the implant components. The surgeon may also measure the joint gap and choose a spacer that can be used in the procedure to maintain that gap. Since the femoral component of the knee prosthesis requires complex cuts in the femur, a femoral resection guide is used, such as the resection guide 20 shown in FIG. 2. The main body 22 of the guide 20 is aligned at the distal end of the femur F and held in place by one or more guide pins 24. The resection guide 20 may include other structure and components for maintaining the guide in a proper orientation as the femur is resected.
In order to ensure that the resulting femoral implant achieves the proper flexion and extension gaps, a femoral positioner 26 is often used. The femoral positioner shown in FIG. 2 includes a surface alignment plate 28 that rests on the previously resected surface R of the tibia. The alignment plate 28 is integral with a connector plate 30 that fits within a slot 23 in the main body 22 of the resection guide 20. The femoral positioner 26 is thus used to help position the resection guide so that the femur is properly resected.
Another known femoral resection guide 32 is depicted in FIG. 3. This guide includes a body 33 defining a slot 34 for receiving a saw. A stylus 36 is used to align the depth of the saw cut. Handles 40 can be provided to help stabilize the resection guide during a cut. Guide pins 38 extend into the femur F to align and support the resection guide.
It is important that the resection guide be properly oriented when the distal end of the femur is prepared, otherwise the femoral implant will be produce undue strain or laxity in the knee joint. It is critical to maintain equal flexion and extension gaps to restore the proper anatomic tension as much as possible, regardless of the nature of the knee prosthesis. For instance, most mobile bearing knees are modular, meaning that several bearing elements can be provided depending upon the patient's anatomy. Obviously, thicker bearing elements correspond to greater flexion/extension gaps.
Similar modularity is important in the guide instruments used to ensure proper manipulation of the bones of the joint. There is a need, therefor, for an augment that can be readily used in the orthopaedic procedure to allow the guide instruments to properly emulate the natural anatomy of the instrumented joint.
Moreover, there is a need for an augment that can account for variations in the quality of the underlying bone. This need is particularly acute for revision surgeries in which the bone may have defects that make finding a stable platform difficult.


A rotating electric machine includes a stator having a segment pair of first and second active part segments, and a rotor mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation relative to the stator and including a ring-shaped reaction element extending along a reaction element circle about the axis of rotation, with a circular arc of the reaction element circle running between the two active part segments. The rotor includes magnetizable regions arranged in series along the reaction element circle, with a non-magnetic region being arranged between two adjacent magnetizable regions. The first active part segment of the segment pair of the stator includes a number of electromagnets arranged in series along a course of the circular arc, and the second active part segment of the segment pair of the stator includes a number of permanent magnets arranged in series along the course of the circular arc.

The Invention relates to a rotating electric machine.
Rotating electric machines have a stator and a rotor which is rotatable about an axis of rotation relative to the stator. The stator and/or the rotor have magnets for generating magnetic fields. The magnets are electromagnets and/or permanent magnets and are generally arranged on the stator and/or on the rotor along circles around the axis of rotation. With large rotating electric machines, in other words with large radii of these circles, a corresponding number and/or size of magnets is required. This results in high costs for the provision of magnets on such machines.
The object underlying the invention is to specify a rotating electric machine, which is improved in particular in respect of the costs involved in magnet provision.


A RF power generator for exciting inductively coupled plasma for spectrometry includes an induction coil for exciting the plasma as part of its load circuit. The load circuit also comprises a capacitor connected in parallel with the induction coil. The RF power generator is a free running oscillator having a switching circuit of two MOSFETs alternately switchable on and off via a feedback control circuit from the load circuit. RF power from the switching circuit is coupled to the load circuit via an inductor. The inductor and load circuit is resonant at a first frequency, which is lower than the operating frequency of the power generator.

The present invention relates to a radio frequency (RF) electrical power generator that includes an induction coil for exciting inductively coupled plasma (ICP) for use in spectrometry.
In spectrometry, an ICP may be used as a source of ions for mass spectrometry (MS) or as a source of light for atomic optical emission spectrometry (OES). The ICP apparatus typically consists of one or more water-cooled induction coils mounted coaxially with a torch assembly through which argon gas is introduced at carefully controlled rates. RF electrical power is supplied to the induction coils. The argon does not conduct electricity and so is not heated by the RF electromagnetic field of the induction coils until the plasma is "struck", typically by a small electrical discharge created in the argon by a high voltage spark. This discharge produces enough electrons and ions to interact with the RF electromagnetic field and thereby generate sufficient heat for the process of ion and electron generation to become self-sustaining, thereby sustaining the plasma.
In spectrochemical applications the temperature of the plasma is typically in a range of 3,000 K to 10,000 K. The frequency of the varying electromagnetic field can be in the range of a few MHz to many GHz, but a particularly useful range, where it is relatively easy to excite the plasma to an appropriate temperature is between 10 MHz and 50 MHz.
The generator for supplying the RF electrical power must be capable of generating sufficient power for exciting and maintaining the plasma, typically in the region of 500 W to 3 kW. It must also be capable of handling rapid and significant changes in the load impedance, as occurs for example when plasma unexpectedly extinguishes. It must also be able to handle non-constant load impedance conditions as occurs for example between excitation and sustained generation of the plasma.
Another significant factor is the cost of RF generator in a spectrometry instrument. Spectrometry instrumentation is expensive and the field is competitive, thus there are cost constraints on componentry such as the RF generator or oscillator if a manufacturer of such instruments is to remain competitive in the market.
An object of the present invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive RF electrical power generator for exciting and sustaining inductively coupled plasma for spectrometry. This object is in part met by the provision of a RF oscillator that comprises solid state components.


A chip used for a replaceable unit of an image forming apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store related parameters of the replaceable unit, a plurality of electrical contacts, and an impedance branch. The image forming apparatus is provided with an electrical contact terminal. An electrical contact is capable of electrically connecting to the electrical contact terminal. One end of the impedance branch is connected to at least one of the plurality of electrical contacts for achieving a detection of contact reliability between the at least one of the plurality of electrical contacts connected to the impedance branch and the electrical contact terminal of the image forming apparatus.

As imaging technology matures, an image forming apparatus, as a computer peripheral equipment, has gradually gained popularity in offices and homes due to advantages of fast speed and low cost of single-page imaging, etc. According to different functions, the image forming apparatus includes a printer, a copier, a multifunctional integrated machine, etc. According to different imaging principles, the image forming apparatus includes a laser primer, an inkjet printer, a dot-matrix printer, etc.
The image forming apparatus is often provided with a replaceable unit that needs to be replaced. Taking a laser printer as an example, the replaceable unit includes a process cartridge or a developing cartridge for accommodating developer, a fixing unit, a paper accommodating unit, etc. Taking an inkjet printer as an example, the replaceable unit includes an ink cartridge or an ink tank, etc. Taking a dot-matrix printer as an example, the replaceable unit includes an ink ribbon cartridge. When the replaceable unit is not installed in a predetermined position as required, it may cause the replaceable unit not to fit well with any other component in the image forming apparatus. When a replaceable unit with incorrect model is installed to the image forming apparatus, it may also cause the replaceable unit not to fit well with any other component in the image forming apparatus. Even if the installed replaceable unit with incorrect model is capable of being structurally matched with any other component in the image forming apparatus, the replaceable unit with incorrect model may not meet the conditions required by the image forming apparatus for imaging, causing degradation of imaging quality. To prevent the replaceable unit from not being installed in the predetermined position in the image forming apparatus or to prevent the replaceable unit with incorrect model from being installed to the image forming apparatus, in the existing technology, a chip that cooperates with the body of the image forming apparatus to detect the characteristics of the replaceable unit is often provided on the replaceable unit.
For example, a patent with Chinese patent application No. CN01803941.3 discloses an inkjet printer, in which a printer body is provided with an identification device, and an ink cartridge is provided with a chip with a storage unit. The identification device determines whether a wrong ink cartridge is installed in the printer body by comparing whether the identification information stored in the storage unit in the chip is consistent with the predetermined requirements. Another patent with Chinese patent application No. CN201410804409.9 discloses an electrophotographic laser printer, in which a chip substrate in the replaceable unit is provided with a fuse F1 for identifying new and old units and a resistor R1 for indicating a model (sale destination) of the replaceable unit (consumables).
During the process of implementing the present disclosure, the inventors found that by adding a chip in the replaceable unit, after the replaceable unit is installed to the image forming apparatus, whether the chip in the replaceable unit meets the predetermined requirements is detected in the technical solutions in the existing technologies. However, the chip in the existing technologies is lack of technical solutions to cooperate with the detection module/unit in the body of the image forming apparatus to identify whether there is a reliable contact between a contact of the chip and a contact terminal in the body of the image forming apparatus during the installation process of the chip. Specifically, a chip-side contact and the contact terminal in the body are often required to transmit communication information between the chip in the replaceable unit and the detection module unit in the body of the image forming apparatus. The chip-side contact is often in elastic contact with the contact terminal in the body, and, thus, the normal communication process requires a predetermined amount of elastic force between the chip-side contact and the contact terminal in the body to ensure reliable contact between the two parts and to effectively transmit a signal. However, because an elastic element is deformed due to long service time of the image forming apparatus, the elastic element is loose due to transportation, merely a small part of the contact of the chip is in contact with the contact terminal in the body, or the surface of the contact of the chip is dirty (hereinafter also referred to as improper installation), even if the chip-side contact is physically contacted with the contact terminal in the body, the signal cannot be guaranteed to be transmitted as expected. During the communication between the chip and the body of the image forming apparatus, if the contact between the chip-side electrical contact and the electrical contact terminal in the body is unreliable, the following problems may occur.
1. Because the contact between the chip-side electrical contact and the electrical contact terminal in the body is unreliable, it is likely to affect the reliability of the communication between the chip and the body of the image forming apparatus, such that the validity of data transmission cannot be guaranteed.
2. When there is a problem in the validity of data transmission between the chip-side electrical contact and the electrical contact terminal in the body, the existing technologies cannot detect an error caused by the chip itself, or an error caused by improper installation of the replaceable unit, such that the image forming apparatus cannot accurately correspond to the error type.
3. Because the existing technologies cannot distinguish the above error types, a case that there is no problem with the chip itself, but due to the improper installation of the replaceable unit, the existing technologies merely prompt that the replaceable unit does not meet the requirements, may occur. Therefore, the use; is likely to think that the chip of the replaceable unit itself has an error, and cannot be aware of that it is an error caused by improper installation of the replaceable unit in time. The replaceable unit can be used after being installed again according to the correct installation method.

Chip and replaceable unit of image forming apparatus


A system and method for a single spatial stream based multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system in wireless MIMO channels with a non-zero mean or a fixed component is provided which utilizes deterministic beamforming in the transmitter and deterministic combining at the receiver. For transmission and reception of a data over MIMO channels, the method and system avoids the requirement of knowledge of the instantaneous channel values at the transmitter and the receiver. By assuming perfect knowledge of the mean value of the channel matrix at the transmitter, a beamforming vector is obtained for the transmitter. The receiver utilizes deterministic receive weights which are chosen using the channel statistics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system including deterministic processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication systems are known for diversity, coding gain, and capacity improvement. In MIMO systems, transmit and receive diversity can be achieved if perfect knowledge of the channel gains is available at the transmitter and the receiver, respectively. In the transmitter, a transmit weight vector can be obtained in order to maximize a performance metric like signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with the perfect knowledge of the MIMO channel. U.S. Pat. No. 8,073,069, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes a MIMO downlink beamforming system. For achieving receive diversity, it has been described that the receiver can use linear combining schemes such as maximal-ratio combining (MRC), equal-gain combining (EGC) and optimum combining which also require complete or partial channel state information (CSI) for decoding of the data. For estimation of the channel gains at the receiver, a training overhead is required which leads to the wastage of valuable bandwidth. In MIMO systems, the training overhead reduces the effective data rate significantly. Moreover, perfectly feeding back the exact values of the channel coefficients from the receiver to the transmitter is a challenging task since it requires a fast feedback link with very large bandwidth. Inaccurate or outdated channel values at the transmitter have the potential to destroy the transmit diversity.
Use of deterministic weights at the transmitter or at the receiver works for a channel with a non-zero mean or fixed component resulting in a finite K-factor, such as a Ricean channel and has been described in M. Vu and A. J. Paulraj, "Optimum space-time transmission for a high K factor wireless channel with partial channel knowledge," Wireless Commun. Mob. Comput., vol. 4, pp. 807-816, November 2004. Capacity optimizing transmission schemes with deterministic weights have been described for the case of Ricean fading, as in M. Vu and A. Paulraj, "On the capacity of MIMO wireless channels with dynamic CSA," IEEE Sel. Areas Commun., vol. 25, no. 7, pp. 1269-1283, September 2007; and M. Vu and A. J. Paulraj, "Optimum space-time transmission for a high K factor wireless channel with partial channel knowledge," Wireless Commun. Mob. Comput., vol. 4, pp. 807-816, November 2004. A modified maximum likelihood (ML) receiver based on deterministic combining is proposed in R. K. Mallik and J. H. Winters "Deterministic combining for fading channels," in Conf. Rec. IEEE International Conference on Communications (IC(:), Dresden, Germany, June 2009, pp. 1-5, for single-input multiple-output (SIMO) communications systems.
It is desirable to provide a MIMO system in which the transmitter and the receiver utilize only the knowledge of the channel statistics for deterministic array and receiver processing.

Deterministic processing for MIMO systems


Systems and methods for replicating a device image to a storage such as the cloud. The cloud is seeded with a base image that corresponds to the device. Changes between the contents of the device and the base image are identified, uploaded to the cloud, and applied to the image. The changes are tracked continuously and the image in the cloud can thus be used to restore the device to any point in time. The cloud image can also be used in a cloud based virtual machine that provides a user of the device with access to the device's contents via the cloud based image.

Client devices, such as desktop computers and laptop computers, are used extensively for personal and business needs. These devices often store data that is significant to the users of the devices and/or associated entities. The data may include content such as files of various types, user-data, applications and data commonly found on user devices. Client devices are also used for communicating with others (e.g., email) and connecting to the world (e.g., Internet, remote data access). Notwithstanding their importance, many of these machines are not sufficiently protected. In fact, it is very difficult to transfer the personal/business use from one device to another device.
In other words, there is a distinction between the use of the device and the data that may be stored on the device. There are many ways to protect certain types of data such as files and many ways to recover this type of data. However, these solutions do not adequately address situations where the device is unavailable, destroyed, encrypted (e.g., ransomware), or forgotten (e.g., left at home or on plane). The ability to recover files does not help when the device itself is unavailable. There is no easy way to recover the device in these situations without rebuilding the environment on a new or on the same device. The user's data or files can be recovered only after the environment is rebuilt.
More specifically, file-based backup/recovery solutions have significant drawbacks for client devices. When the device is unavailable, or needs to be completely restored, the reconstruction of the device takes a substantial amount of time due to the need to: re-image the operating system (OS) (or reinstall the OS), apply all updates and patches to the OS, configure the environment parameters, install all applications from original disks/iso, and apply all updates/patches to applications. Only when this is completed can the user's files be recovered. Further, when the device is replaced, the complete process for recovery is required.
For every change in file based recovery systems, it is often necessary to copy the full file. This can be time consuming and create significant network traffic. Further, solutions that are able to create an image of the device cannot run while the system is working (because the disk is changing). In addition, conventional image based recovery solutions often require that the device boot from an external drive. Ensuring that the external drive is properly set up can also be problematic and difficult.
In addition, these processes result in copies that are not continuous and that correspond to specific points in time. The user is, as a result, exposed between backups. It also complicates the copy creation and the recovery, because these recovery operations are intrusive and complex procedures that are not streamlined with the device operation. Consequently, restoring a device such as an end user device can take a very long time and can be quite complex.

Cloud image replication of client devices


A valve operating mechanism of an internal combustion engine, comprises a drive cam rotatable with and eccentric to a drive shaft; a link arm having a circular opening in which the drive cam is rotatably received, so that rotation of drive cam about an axis of the drive shaft produces a swing movement of the link arm; a pair of swing cams swingably disposed on the drive shaft at both sides of the drive cam, the swing cams being connected through a movement transmission mechanism to the link arm to be swung when the link arm is subjected to the swing movement; a pair of swing arms respectively actuated by the swing cams for carrying out an open/close operation of a pair of engine valves; a pair of spring retainers respectively provided by the pair of engine valves; and a pair of valve springs respectively held by the spring retainers and biasing the engine valves in a close direction. A lubricating oil passage is formed in the drive cam. The oil passage has one end exposed to an oil feeding passage formed in the drive shaft and the other end exposed to a minute clearance defined between a cylindrical outer surface of the drive cam and a cylindrical inner surface of the circular opening of the link arm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to valve operating mechanisms of internal combustion engines, and more particularly to the valve operating mechanisms of a type having an improved lubricating oil supply arrangement that provides mutually contacting portions of moving parts with a sufficient lubricating oil.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to clarify the task of the present invention, one conventional valve operating mechanism of an internal combustion engine will be briefly described before describing the detail of the present invention. The valve operating mechanism is disclosed in P2003-500602A (WO00/073635).
The valve operating mechanism of the publication is of a so-called "desmodromic cam driven variable valve (VVT)" type which comprises generally a camshaft that is driven by a crankshaft, valve opening and closing cams that are mounted on the camshaft and a control member that is positioned apart from the camshaft and has a supporting shaft. A rocker arm is swingably disposed on the supporting shaft and includes first and second arm portions that extend radially outward. The first arm portion is equipped at a middle part thereof with a first roller that contacts the valve opening cam and the second arm portion is equipped at a leading end thereof with a second roller that contacts the valve closing cam. Due to employment of the arrangement wherein the contact of the first roller with the valve opening cam and the contact of the second roller with the valve closing cam are constantly kept, swing movement of the rocker arm is actively carried out. Thus, in the desmodromic cam driven variable valve mechanism, there is no need of using a return spring that is usually employed in a conventional cam driven variable valve mechanism for enforcedly returning the rocker arm to a valve closing position.
To the camshaft, there are rotatably disposed a pair of swing cams that carry out an open/close movement of two intake valves through respective swing arms. Each swing arm has one end supported by a pivot member and the other end to which an end of a valve stem contacts.

Valve operating mechanism of internal combustion engine


Apparatus for expelling air from a liquid storage tank, such as a hot water storage tank includes a bleed line coupled between a water circulating pump discharge conduit and a hot water discharge line emanating from tank 10. The bleed line is connected to the hot water discharge line at a location which is elevated with respect to a location where the bleed line is connected to the pump discharge conduit. The pump is operable to draw hot water from the top part of the tank and discharge it into a cold water fill line extending into the tank to enhance water circulation in the tank. Air and other gas released when water is heated in the top part of the tank are drawn from the top part of the tank and expelled via the bleed line, to prevent accumulation of air and other gas in the tank. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an elongated tubular member is inserted into the cold water fill line. The tubular member has a bushing with a tapered surface for directing the incoming cold water into a first fluid passageway within the tubular member. A second fluid passageway is defined between the tubular member and the cold water fill line. The water circulating pump discharges hot water from the top part of the tank into the second passageway so that the hot water does not mix with the incoming cold water until the incoming cold water is injected back into the second passageway at the lower end of the tubular member.

Apparatus for heating liquid, such as water, are well known in the art. Such apparatus typically include a tank for storing the heated liquid, a liquid fill line coupled to the tank for introducing the liquid to be heated into the tank and a heated liquid discharge line coupled to the tank for discharging heated liquid from the tank for external use, such as for domestic use and/or for space heating. One problem associated with such heating apparatus is that air and other gas are released from solution when the liquid is heated and may accumulate in the tank, particularly at the top thereof.
There is therefore a need for apparatus to prevent accumulation of air and other gases in a liquid storage tank.


A drawer release is described. The drawer release includes a handle portion pivotally or rotatably engaged to a fixed portion, and the fixed portion is attached to or connected to a drawer. The handle portion includes at least one engaging member that engages a lever or actuator of a drawer-slide of the drawer to open or release the drawer. The drawer release provides for the one-handed opening of the drawer.

Conventional drawers on cargo and utility trucks are mounted to drawer-slides that allow the drawers to slide in and out. The drawer-slides typically having a bearing arrangement to allow the drawer to slide easily in and out. The drawer-slides are mounted to the drawer and a support structure or housing, such as a cabinet.
Some of the drawer-slides include locking mechanisms on one or both sides of the drawer. These locking mechanisms may lock the drawer in an open or closed position or both the open and closed positions. Such locking mechanisms are especially useful when the truck is parked on an incline to prevent the accidental opening of the drawer.
In order to unlock the drawer, the operator must manually actuate the locking mechanism on both sides of the drawer, which is difficult or impossible to do with a single hand. As such, in order to use both hands to unlock the drawer, the operator may have to inconveniently set down their cargo or item intended for the storage area within the drawer before the drawer can be conveniently opened.


A high-speed digital interface circuit for use with an N bit digital data signal is disclosed. The circuit comprises a source device that initially receives the N bit digital data signal, and a sink device that receives the N bit digital data signal from the source device. The N bit digital data signal has a skew when received by the sink device. A skew detection circuit in the sink device detects the skew in the N bit digital data signal and generates a skew detection signal. A line supplies the skew detection signal to the source device. A compensation circuit in the source device receives the skew detection signal and compensates for the skew in the N bit digital data signal.

A high speed digital interface circuit typically has two independent devices, called a "source" device and a "sink" device, that communicate with each other across a bus having multiple data signal lines or channels. Individual data bits forming a digital data signal, when transmitted along the bus, take a different amount of time to reach the other end. The time difference between the "fastest" bit and the "slowest" bit is the bus's maximum delay skew. Excessive skew is problematic because it results in timing problems for signals intended for virtually simultaneous arrival.
Data rates of 2.5 Gb/s and higher are used between the source and the sink devices in high-speed optical interfaces. Since skew is a significant problem in a high-speed optical interface, a special skew correction circuit is often implemented in the sink device in order to compensate. Currently available technologies, which are capable of processing data at a speed up to 40 Gb/s, do not allow complex circuits (or multiplexing devices) to be constructed, thereby limiting the types of circuits that can be used to compensate for skew. In some instances, the source device and the sink device are implemented in different technologies, further limiting the opportunities for skew correction. The sink device can even be implemented in a technology that does not allow high complexity, even further limiting the circuits that can be used to compensate for skew.

Method and apparatus for compensating for timing variances in digital data transmission channels


A demultiplexer apparatus has a plurality of integrating circuits which operate in parallel. The plurality of integrating circuits receive in parallel an input time-series binary data. One of the plurality of integrating circuits in a current stage converts the input binary data into multi-value data in the current stage, and generates recovery data in the current stage based on the multi-value data and recovery data from one of the plurality of integrating circuits in a stage immediately or more previous to the current stage integrating circuit. The plurality of integrating circuits output the generated recovery data as parallel data to the input binary data. In this way, the demultiplexer apparatus which can read the input binary data with a frequency component exceeding a maximum operation frequency is provided.

In a conventional communication apparatus, a receiver uses a demultiplexer apparatus, and the demultiplexer apparatus uses a demultiplexer circuit DEMUX. FIG. 1 shows the circuit structure example of a conventional demultiplexer apparatus of a shift register type. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional demultiplexer apparatus of the shift register type has D-type flip-flops 501 to 508 connected as a cascade of a plurality of stages (8 stages in the example shown in FIG. 1). A latching circuit 51 receives in parallel the outputs of the D-type flip-flops 501 to 508. Data is shifted for each clock through the D-type flip-flops. Thus, the number of process bits per clock is one. Such a technique is disclosed in, for example, IEICE Trans. Electron, (Vol. E78-C, No.12, 1995, p.1746): conventional reference 1).
FIGS. 2A and 2B show the circuit structure example of a conventional demultiplexer apparatus of a tree type. Referring to FIG. 2A, in the conventional demultiplexer apparatus of the tree type, 1:2 demultiplexers DEMUX 60 (601 to 607) are hierarchically arranged. As shown in FIG. 2B, the 1:2 demultiplexer DEMUX 601 at a first stage defines an operational rate and alternately reads the data for the flip-flops in two systems. Thus, it can process the data of two bits for each clock. Such a technique is disclosed in, for example, IEICE Trans. Electron, (Vol. E78-C, No.12, 1995, p1746: conventional reference 2).
Also, an over-sampling method is proposed in which one data is read a plurality of times. Such a technique is disclosed in, for example, Symp. On VLSI Circuits Digest of Technical papers (1997, p.71: conventional reference 3).
In a method of using binary logic flip-flops in an input unit, in any case of the logics, the input section is operated as schematically shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. In FIG. 3A, a switch SW1 is closed (turned on) in a former part of a one-clock period, and a switch SW2 is opened (turned off). An input data is sampled by a capacitor C. As shown in FIG. 3B, the switch SW1 is opened (turned off) in a latter part of the one-clock period, and the switch SW2 is closed (turned on). The data held by the capacitor C is sent to a flip-flop at a next stage (not shown).
If the frequency of the clock used for the sampling is the maximum operational frequency of a transistor to be used, in order to carry out the accurate sampling, one sampling requires at least a sampling time equal to half the clock period. In short, the data rate that can be attained by this method is (the maximum operational frequency×2).
In the over-sampling method, as shown in FIGS. 4A to 4E, the data (DATA) is sampled the plurality of times at timings slightly different from each other. That is, multi-phase clocks CLK0 to CLK3 are used to carry out the sampling. The data is recovered from the plurality of sample data by using a weighting function. In the example shown in FIGS. 4A to 4E, the data is sampled at edges of a 4-phase clock, and 1 is recovered as a recovery data (Decision Data) from 0111. Consequently, in this case, the possible data rate is greater than (the maximum operational frequency×2).
By the way, in FIGS. 4A to 4E, the waveform of the clocks CLK0 to CLK3 is illustrated as a rectangular wave. However, if a transistor is used such that the frequency of the clock is close to its maximum operational frequency, the waveform of the clock becomes a sine wave. For this reason, the sample data contains an error because of the influence of the data before and after the data of a target to be read. This results in a problem that it is difficult to reduce an error rate.
In conjunction with the above-mentioned description, a sign converting circuit is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A P2000-165246). In the sign converting circuit for optical dual binary transmission in this reference, a bit distributor receives a high speed input signal and distributes this signal into low speed signals into N (N is an integer of 2 or more) systems. N sign converters are provided for the distributed low signals of the N systems, and each perform the sign conversion on the low speed signals, respectively. A bit synthesizer receives the low speed signals after the conversions of the N signs respectively outputted from the N sign converters, and logically operates and synthesizes those respective low speed signals, and then generates a high speed output signals after the sign conversions. Each of the sign converting circuits includes an EXOR circuit for generating an EXOR output of the corresponding low speed signal and a delayed feedback signal one bit before.

Demultiplexer apparatus and communication apparatus using the same


An optical exchange for a wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) network performs a switching operation on a plurality of optical signals, which are input via a plurality of input ports, and outputs the resulting optical signals to a plurality of output ports, which are allocated to the input ports, by making deflection the optical signal; target amounts of the deflection to which the respective input optical signals are stored. The deflection is made using a switching controller, which reads out the target amount of deflection for such destination-of-switching output port with respect to such object-of-switching port, and controlling the deflection in such a manner that the individual input optical signals are deflected based on the respective target amounts of deflection. And during the switching, the power-level controller performs a feedback control for adjusting a power level of the individual deflected output optical signal to a target power level.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical exchange and an optical exchange method which are suitable for optical cross-connects, optical add/drop multiplexers, wavelength routers and etc. in high-speed large-capacity WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexed) systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nowadays as the population of the Internet has spread explosively, traffic in the Internet is on the drastic increase. Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) has been popular as one of the best means to build a large-capacity optical communications network.
FIG. 14 of the accompanying drawings schematically shows a conventional optical cross-connect (OXC) system for a trunk optical network according to WDM. The OXC system 100 comprises a plurality of optical switches 101-1 through 101-4 (only four depicted in FIG. 14) each connected to adjacent ones via optical fibers 102. Assuming that wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) optical signals are input to a particular one of the optical switches 101-1 through 101-4 via optical fibers, the particular optical switch cross-connects the input optical signals in terms of wavelengths and performs wavelength multiplexing over prospective output optical signals to be transmitted to the same destination switch, whereupon the resultant wavelength-multiplexed optical signals are transmitted to the selected destination switch.
If a trouble or fault has occurred in an optical fiber 102 in the OXC system 100 of FIG. 14, the system 100 automatically and instantly diverts the output optical signals onto a protection optical fiber (or another optical fiber) 102.
FIG. 15 schematically shows a conventional optical add/drop multiplexing (OADM) system 200. The OADM system 200 comprises a plurality of optical switches 201-1 . . . 201-5 (only five depicted in FIG. 15) connected one to another in a ring topology. Of the five optical switches, three switches 201-1, 201-3, 201-4 are each equipped with a router 202, 203, 204. And of the two remaining optical switches, one optical switch 201-2 is connected to another optical switch 201-6 and the other optical switch 201-5 is connected to a SONET (Synchronous Optical NETwork) system 205.
The OADM ring system 200 is used in a regional network or metropolitan area network (MAN), which is branched from a trunk network or wide area network (WAN); optical signals can be transferred from the ring line of the OADM system 200 to the regional network and vice versa without being converted between electric and optic for every wavelength. When the traffic at a point in the regional network, the OADM ring system 200 dynamically changes allocation of wavelengths to thereby automatically expand the wavelength band and hence to increase the transmission capacity so that the network configuration automatically varies to meet the local traffic in the regional network.
FIG. 16 shows the details of the individual optical switch 110 in the OXC system 100 or OADM system 200, comprising a first optical amplifier 111, an optical demultiplexer 112, an optical switch device 113, a variable attenuator 114, an optical multiplexer 115, a second optical amplifier 116, and a gain-level equalizer 117.
In the optical switch 110, the first optical amplifier 111 amplifies the optical signals that have lowered in level as transmitted over a long distance through an optical fiber. The resulting optical signals are demultiplexed by the optical demultiplexer 112 in terms of wavelengths. Then the optical switch device 113 performs a switching operation, such as cross-connector add/drop, on the demultiplexed optical signals.
And the variable attenuator 114 attenuates/equalizes power levels of the individual switched optical signals (e.g., in the ring line of FIG. 15) in terms of the wavelengths. The multiplexer 115 performs wavelength multiplexing on the attenuated/equalized optical signals. Then the wavelength-multiplexed optical signals are amplified by the second amplifier 116, and the individual gain levels of the resulting optical signals are equalized by the gain-level equalizer 117.
In short, the WDM system, such as the OXC system 100 in FIG. 14 and OADM system 200 in FIG. 15, transmits the wavelength multiplexed optical signals between long-distance end devices through the optical fiber. During this long-distance transmission, the power levels tend to stagger between the individual optical signals of every wavelength, causing not only a narrowed transmission band but also an impaired SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) the WDM system partly due to the lowered optical power level.
Further, the first and second amplifiers 112, 116 are exemplified by erbium doped fiber amplifiers (EDFA), whose gain band is approximately tens nm as a single amplifier is used. But, as a common knowledge in the art, when two or more EDFAs are used as connected one to another, a wavelength gain difference would occur because their wavelength-gain characteristics are emphasized, narrowing the gain band to the extremity. It is also known that, in optical amplification according to EDFA, the optical signals of the wavelength however lower in gain would be buried in naturally emitting incoherent adjacent optical signals of the wavelength higher in gain.
Evenness of gain characteristics of the first and second optical amplifiers 112, 116 as connected in series is therefore essential to compensate possible loss of the SNR. Generally, however, a wavelength-gain characteristic of EDSA has two peaks in the wavelength band and is hence uneven.
Meanwhile, the variable attenuator 114 attenuates/equalizes the staggered power levels of every wavelength shown in (a) of FIG. 17 to obtain the even power level shown in (b) of FIG. 17. The gain-level equalizer 117 (FIG. 6) is omitted here in FIG. 17 for clarity of description.
And the gain-level equalizer 117 equalizes the staggered power levels of the wavelength-multiplexed optical signals shown in (a) of FIG. 18 to the even power level shown in (c) of FIG. 18 by imposing an inverted characteristic of the gain of the amplifier 116 shown in (b) of FIG. 18 over the gain of the amplifier 116. The variable attenuator 114 (FIG. 16) is omitted here in FIG. 18 for clarity of description.
However, the optical switch 110 of FIG. 16 encounters the following problems because of the variable attenuator 114 and the gain-level equalizer 117.
First, the gain-level equalizer 117 may be realized by an optical filter, such as a Fabry-Perot-etalon filter or a Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG), disposed downstream of the second amplifier 116 as EDFA; because the wavelength-gain characteristic of every practical EDFA is originally complex, it is very difficult to design a filter having such a filter characteristic as to meet an inverted one of the complex EDFA characteristic.
Further, a somehow precise gain-equalization filter can be realized by combining two or more optical filters that correspond one to each of Fourier series terms, which are obtained by approximation. For an improved accuracy, however, it is necessary to connect plural optical filters in series, which would increase the loss of transmission as well as the system size.
Furthermore, the variable attenuator 114 can be realized by placing a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) gate, which are to be controlled, respectively in two parallel waveguides for optical signals of the corresponding wavelengths. It is however difficult to compensate either possible wavelength dependency or deflection dependency due to the user of waveguides.
Because both the variable attenuator 114 and the gain-level equalizer 117 exist for every optical switch device 113, as shown in FIG. 16, it would result in an increased size of the whole system.

Optical exchange for wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) network, and optical exchange method for WDM network


A cushion support for infants for use in cooperation with infant transport apparatus such as car seats, the support apparatus aiding in maintaining the infant's body in a proper posture. The apparatus is a T-shaped cushion member having a plurality of hook and loop fasteners, the T-shaped cushion member conformable to the shape of the car seat or baby seat, the hook and loop fasteners permitting the planar cushion to be rolled and secured to provide for lateral cushion support adjacent the infant's head and to permit the positioning of lateral cushion supports on the baby's sides.

This invention relates to a cushion support apparatus for infants for providing support while the infant child is in a seated position, the support apparatus being fully adjustable to accommodate the infant child as he or she grows, the apparatus being adaptable to cooperate with a variety of different types of children's seating apparatus.
Small children, such as infants from a few months old to one to two years old cannot adequately support themselves conveniently in a seated position. This problem is aggravated with premature babies who are initially underweight. The problem manifests itself when the child is placed in a car seat, stroller, high chair, or other form of seating or carrier arrangement for infants. The infant's head will tilt or hang to the left or the right and find support in the shoulder or chest region when the infant falls asleep, which occurs frequently with young children. A further tendency is for the child to slide downwardly in the seat or carrier to an unnatural, posture-poor position. It is preferred that the infant be supported in the transportation mode, at an approximate 45.degree. angle or less. This is to prevent the young infant who has not developed muscle control from pitching forward. The straps or harnesses are normally utilized to further prevent this occurrence. An infant so positioned, particularly when being transported, will have the tendency to fall asleep and having insufficiently developed muscle control, will tend to have its head tilted to the side.
In these early formative stages of life, it is important that the child be supported correctly from an orthopedic standpoint in order to aid in proper growth and bone development so as to avoid or eliminate possible skeletal problems in later years. It is of particular importance to the infant and to the infant's parents that the child be supported in such a manner.
It is further recognized that infant children rely upon their parents for transportation in their early years. Small infants accompany their parents more and more frequently, not only in shopping, traveling and visiting situations, but small infants also require frequent visits to the physician to check on their development. As such, the small child is subjected to a variety of different transportation modes from car seats, strollers, baby seats, and baby carriers. It is therefore important that the parent have a convenient, light-weight and adaptable support apparatus which can easily be affixed to any one of the foregoing transportation modes for support of the infant child and which will be adaptable to the infant child and his or her growth stages during the early formative years of life.
The prior art has directed its attention to this problem in an attempt to offer a solution. The prior art suffers from its inability to adapt to different modes of transportation, its awkwardness or cumbersomeness and its inability to accommodate the growing child. U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,341 is a self-contained car seat adaptable for only that purpose. U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,548 again provides for a safety seat which is cumbersome and not adaptable to different modes of transportation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,221 provides for a child's support wedge which does not address nor solve the problem of supporting an infant's tilting head. U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,713 provides for an orthopedic support apparatus, but again, there is no provision for adapting the apparatus for growing infants.
Despite the aforesaid prior art, it has been recognized as recently as 1991 that there is no adequate device available for positioning small infants in car seats and baby seats and the like. These problems were addressed in publications ranging from Pediatrics, Volume 87, No. 1, January 1991; Baby Talk, November 1990; American Baby, February 1991 and Healthy Kids, Winter of 1991. All of the aforesaid articles recognize the problem and the need. The solutions suggested are the use of rolled diapers or towels positioned adjacent the infant's body in order to provide support. Applicant's cushion support provides a solution to the problem and is secured directly to the car seat or baby seat and cooperates with the car seat or baby seat in maintaining the infant in the proper position.
The novelty of the present invention lies in the fact that the apparatus is lightweight, portable, and can be stored in a diaper bag, and is adaptable to different modes of transportation and adaptable to different size children and can be modified as the child grows to accommodate his or her growing proportions.