The invention relates to a novel array or piece of equipment (100) for providing assistance while composing musical compositions at least by means of acoustic reproduction during and/or after composing musical compositions or the like which are played on virtual musical instruments, preferably in a light music ensemble. Said array or piece of equipment comprises a composing computer (100) having at least one processor unit (4), at least one sequencer (5) that is data-flow connected to the latter and at least one sound sample library storage unit (6b) that is data-flow and data-exchange connected to at least said units (4,5). In order to manage the sound samples (61) stored in the above-mentioned storage unit (6b), a bidirectional sound parameter storage unit (6a) is provided, which is bidirectional or multitdirectional data-flow and data-exchange connected at least to the processor unit (4) and to the sequencer (5). Each of the sound samples (61) stored in the sound sample storage unit are assigned to said bidirectional sound parameter storage unit, which contains sound definition parameters enabling access to sound samples (61).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a new arrangement or system for composing—e.g., supported by the acoustic playback during and/or after the completion of a musical composition—tones, tonal sequences, tone clusters, sounds, sound sequences, sound phrases, musical works, compositions or the like and for the acoustic, scored or other playback of the same, that can be played on and rendered by preferably a plurality of virtual musical instruments corresponding to real musical instruments and providing their tones or sounds, preferably in an ensemble formation such as, e.g., in chamber music, orchestra formation or the like.
2. Discussion of Background Information
The following should be explained about the printed publications concerning the background of the prior art in this field:
EP 0899 892 A2 describes a proprietary extension of the known ATRAC data reduction process as used, e.g., on minidisks. This document discloses nothing more than that the invention described there—like many others—is concerned with digitally processed audio.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,886,274 A describes a proprietary extension of the known MIDI standard which makes it possible to connect sequencer data, i.e., playing parameters of a piece of music, with sound data such that a platform-independent parity of the played back piece is guaranteed. It primarily concerns a distribution of MIDI and meta data over the Internet that is as consistent as possible.
A data-related mix of play and sound parameters is provided there. The sound production is conventional in its approach (see FIG. 1). The output devices are merely the objective, but not the source in the flow chart. A feedback loop as regards content from the synthesizer to the sequencer is not rendered possible.
FR 2 643 490 describes a method for computer-aided music notation-nowadays technically already realized in many cases in a similar way or developed much further; the computer-based notation is naturally a necessary feature, but one that is limited there to the three meters 4/4, ¾ or 2/4 (compare FIG. 4, center).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,960 A describes the problems and possibilities for realization of computer-aided note display and transformation, primarily with regard to contemporary rehearsal and performance practice. "Virtual sheets of music" are thereby produced in real time. In "Conductor Mode" the possibility of a processor-aided processing of a video recorded conducting against a blue screen (see FIG. 9) is considered. There is no reference at all to a virtual/synthetic realization from an intelligently connected sound database.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,783,767 A describes the computer-aided transformation of the control data of a melodic input to a harmonic output—it possibly refers to a logic on which an automatic accompaniment is based, but no bi-directional connection between musical/compositional input and sound result is provided or at least considered there, either. The "Easy Play Software" entry in FIG. 15 also indicates this in particular.


Provided is an engine apparatus that ensures highly accurate adjustment of the exhaust gas pressure of an exhaust manifold while providing an exhaust gas throttle device with a support structure of increased rigidity. The engine apparatus includes: an engine including the exhaust manifold; and the exhaust gas throttle device to adjust an exhaust gas pressure of the exhaust manifold. An exhaust gas intake side of a throttle valve easing of the exhaust gas throttle device is fastened to an exhaust gas exit of the exhaust manifold. An exhaust pipe is coupled to the exhaust manifold through the throttle valve casing.

Conventionally, technology has been developed in that an exhaust gas purifier (diesel particulate filter) is disposed in an exhaust gas flow path of an engine. The exhaust gas purifier includes an oxidation catalyst, a soot filter, and other elements that to perform purification treatment of exhaust gas discharged from a diesel engine (see, for example, patent document 1).
A conventionally known exhaust gas throttle device has been disposed in the exhaust gas flow path. This prevents a drop in a temperature of exhaust gas discharged to the exhaust gas purifier, thereby sustaining purifying capability of the exhaust gas purifier.
Conventionally, technology has been developed in that an EGR device is disposed in the exhaust gas flow path to discharge exhaust gas from the diesel engine.
An EGR cooler for cooling EGR gas is disposed in the exhaust gas flow path of the conventionally known engine. This causes a part of exhaust gas discharged from the engine to the exhaust manifold to be recirculated to the engine through an intake manifold, thereby minimizing the amount of emission of NOx (nitrogen oxide) of the engine. Further, an exhaust gas throttle valve is disposed to increase a pressure of exhaust gas of the engine, and the exhaust gas throttle valve increases the pressure of exhaust gas from the engine, thereby raising the temperature of exhaust gas discharged from the engine. This ensures a necessary temperature of exhaust gas for the exhaust gas purifier (such as the soot filter) to oxidize particulate matters (PM) collected from exhaust gas for removal.


A touch input device provided in the present invention includes a pen tip, a pressure sensing module, a control unit and a PWM generator. The pen tip is utilized to touch a capacitive touchscreen and conduct a touchscreen driving signal. The pressure sensing module is utilized to generate a pressure sensing signal which corresponds to a pressure of the pen tip on the capacitive touchscreen. The control unit is utilized to receive the touchscreen driving signal and the pressure sensing signal, and then to generate a PWM control signal according to the pressure sensing signal. Further, a pulse width of the PWM control signal is proportional to the pressure. The PWM generator is utilized to provide a PWM signal to the pen tip according to the PWM control signal. A touch input system is further provided in the present invention.

Touch technology can be divided into the following types: resistive, capacitive, surface acoustic wave, optics, etc according to the sensing principles thereof. With the convenience of usage and the demand for multi-touch, the capacitive touch technology inputting by fingers has become the mainstream of current electronic products.
A structure of a capacitive touch panel is a substrate on which transparent electrode patterns are coated. When a finger is close to or touches the touch panel, coupling capacitance is formed between the finger and the transparent electrode patterns because the finger is a conductor and has equivalent capacitance. Meanwhile, the capacitance of the electrode pattern positioned at a touch point on the touch panel will change, thus making the voltage or the current in the electrode change. Then by comparing a voltage difference between the electrode and the adjacent electrodes, the position of the touch point can thus be calculated.
However, although the touch input by the fingers is convenient, it is obviously difficult to achieve the following requirements: depicting lines with various thicknesses on the touchscreen, or touch recognition for fine locations by using the fingers. Therefore, in order to increase the accuracy of the touch input, a solution of using a stylus pen has been proposed. However, the input principle of a conventional capacitive stylus pen is mostly by disposing conductive plastic or conductive rubber on one end of a metal tube of the pen. Although it can achieve a more accurate input than the finger input, the capacitive stylus pen also can not depict the lines with the various thicknesses on the screen corresponding to force that exerts to the pen, the shortcoming of the usage still existing.
Accordingly, in order to represent the line with the various thicknesses on the screen, an active stylus pen that adopts Bluetooth or other wireless communication module to communicate with a tablet computer was suggested for achieving the above purpose. However, the establishment of the wireless communication will waste the active stylus pen and the tablet computer more power, and it is a disadvantage to the using time for both.


A device for removing a child resistant closure from a container, including a tab to receive the protrusion of a closure of the line-up-the-arrows type, a recess to receive the closure adjacent the tab, an inclined side of the recess to bear against the closure and maintain the tab in engagement with the protrusion, and an end of the device opposite the tab to receive a force. The recess is such that it can accept varying sizes of closures. Applying a force to the forcereceiving end in the downward direction levers the tab upward to pry the closure off the container. The tab is positioned on the device in such a way that the user can readily see the engagement of the tab with the closure protrusion.

Medicine tablets and capsules are typically packaged in vials or small bottles having a closure which is resistant to removal by a child. In this way, the medicine is readily available for administration to the patient, but cannot easily be accessed by children. These child resistant closures are mandated by law in the United States and many other countries for medicine which could be poisonous to children.
Child resistant closures can be grouped into two categories. One category of child resistant closures includes closures that require the simultaneous application of a force urging the closure toward the container and a rotative force, which are sometimes called "push and turn" closures. A force urging the closure toward the container engages a set of tabs on one part of the closure with a set of notches on another part of the closure, so that a rotative force applied to the first part of the closure is translated into a rotative force on the second part of a closure in order to unthread the second part of the closure from the threaded neck of the bottle. In another embodiment of the push and turn type child resistant closures, the neck of the container holds a set of bayonet lugs which mate with a mating set of bayonet lugs on the inside of an axial skirt of the closure. A force urging the closure toward the container is necessary to disengage the bayonet lugs from the mating lugs, and then a rotative force is necessary to position the mating lugs in the spaces between the bayonet lugs to allow removal of the closure.
The second category of child resistant closures employ a radially outward protruding bead on the neck of the container and one or more radially inward protruding mating beads on the axial skirt of the closure. The bead on the closure snaps over the bead on the neck of the container. The bead on the neck of the container is interrupted, such that there is no bead on a short circumferential portion of the neck. The axial skirt of the closure includes a radially inward extending protrusion having a circumferential length that allows it to pass through the interruption in the bead of the container neck. Therefore, the closure can be removed from the container only when the closure and container are angularly aligned such that the closure protrusion matches the container neck bead interruption so that the closure bead can be snapped off from the container neck bead. If there is no such alignment, the closure protrusion is retained beneath the container neck bead and so the closure cannot be removed. The container neck bead is typically tapered on the upper side, so that the closure protrusion will snap over the container neck bead to replace the closure on to the container even without aligning the closure protrusion with the container neck bead interruption.
Finally, there is normal]y a symbol on the outer surface of the closure and on the outer surface of the container neck to indicate the location of the closure protrusion and container neck bead interruption, respectively, so that the user can ascertain the alignment of those elements. The marker on the closure is usually a protruding arrow to assist the user in applying a force urging the closure away from the container once the proper alignment is achieved to accomplish removal of the closure from the container. Even when the markers are lined up so that the closure protrusion aligns with the container neck bead interruption, it is still necessary to apply a fairly significant force urging the closure away from the container to snap the closure bead past the container bead to open the container. It is this second category of child resistant closures--the so-called line-up-thearrows type--with which the present invention is primarily concerned.
A drawback to these line-up-the-arrow type child resistant closures is that it not only resists opening by a child but also resists opening by an adult. The significant force urging the closure away from the container once the arrows are lined up is very difficult for a person with a muscular or joint disorder or injury, such as arthritis, or for people who are elderly or infirm. Such persons may suffer pain when applying that force, or may be simply unable to apply the requisite force at all regardless of how much pain they are willing to suffer. The result is that either the medicine does not get taken, the patient must obtain help in taking the medicine, or the patient simply defeats the child resistant aspects of the closure by keeping the closure unfastened from the container.
There are several devices in the prior art to assist in the removal of line-up-the-arrow closures from a container. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,069 by Mikan, et al. discloses an opener having a plate with a projecting ring slightly larger than the cap. The ring has an opening to receive the projecting marker on the cap. The plate acts as a lever so that applying a force urging the plate toward the container at the plate edge opposite the opening in the ring pries the cap away from the closure. A significant limitation to the device of Mikan is that it is limited to use with a single cap size. Also directed toward the removal of child resistant closures from medicine vials and the like is U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,478 by Evans. The Evans device is somewhat limited in that it grasps one side of the closure but not the other side of the closure, and so the grasping end of the device tends to slip away from the center of the closure and off the closure end that is grasped.
The prior art includes other devices designed less specifically toward the removal of child resistant closures and more generally toward the removal of ordinary bottle caps. Such devices include devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,597 by Rowland, 4,455,894 by Roberts, 4,178,646, two by Swartz, et al., 4,514,565 by Capriccio, 2,440,485 by Ranseen, and 2,568,612 by Cullen.


Call routing is controlled by a central unit providing switching control signals based on selecting the best figure-of-merit value from among poll responses for agents. While an incoming call is held by a public network 12, poll inquiries are sent from a central unit 20. Each local unit 24, 26, 28 provides a poll response indicative of the one its associated response resources (e.g., agents 31, 32, 33) having the shortest queue wait. Each poll response may be a simple figure-of-merit value representing agent availability. Central unit 20 selects the poll response represented by the best figure-of-merit value and sends routing instructions to the network 12. The call is then routed to the appropriate agent for handling. Where a local unit has no associated agent who is qualified to respond to a call (based on caller data related to that call) no poll response need be sent to central unit 20. The simplified processing provided enables system operation with reduced data collection and intra-system communication requirements.

(Not Applicable)
(Not Applicable)
This invention relates to automatic routing of incoming calls being held by a network and, more particularly, to systems and methods for routing of incoming telephone calls based on localized evaluation of availability and qualifications of response resources such as individual agents and interactive voice response units.
A variety of automatic call distribution (ACD) systems have been proposed, many with detailed description of the basic technology, system components and related communication network considerations. These prior systems typically focus on the problem of efficiently routing a flow of incoming calls (e.g., xe2x80x9c800xe2x80x9d type calls) to a finite number of individual agents. At any given time, some agents may be actively engaged in responding to a prior call, while others may be immediately available. The basic objective is to route a caller efficiently and effectively to a qualified agent who is free or has a relatively short queue of waiting calls. A wide range of related objectives, such as providing caller history data for use by the agent, tracking call status, gathering agent performance data, are also addressed by such prior systems.
While capable of meeting many such objectives, prior systems may typically require relatively complex equipment, extensive gathering and analysis of agent status data on a centralized basis, and a considerable volume of inter/intra-system data communication to enable both data collection and control signal transmission.
Objectives of the present invention are, therefore, to provide new and improved call routing systems and methods, and such systems and methods providing one or more of the following advantages and capabilities:
localized evaluation of response resource availability and qualifications;
localized control of call assignments within a local agent group;
centralized switching control based on simplified local status evaluation responses;
centralized figure-of-merit selection without complex selection criteria and analysis;
limited intra-system data reporting; and
limited communication and control.
In accordance with the invention, a call routing system, responsive to an incoming call held by a switching facility, includes a poll/selector responsive to an incoming call and associated caller data (i) to send a poll inquiry to a plurality of evaluate/controllers, (ii) to receive poll responses from at least one evaluate/controller indicating a current capability to respond to that call, and (iii) to provide a switching control signal based on selection of a poll response which meets predetermined criteria. A plurality of response resources (e.g., agents) capable of responding to incoming calls are provided. The system also includes a plurality of evaluate/controllers each arranged to be linked to a group of response resources and each responsive to the poll inquiry to provide a poll response indicative of current availability of a response resource to respond to that call. The poll/selector is arranged to couple the switching control signal to control the routing of the held call from the switching facility.
In such a call routing system each response resource may be an agent at a receiving terminal, a queue serving a group of agents, or an interactive voice response (IVR) system, for example. Each evaluate/controller is typically arranged to provide a poll response indicative of current queue wait for a single response resource capable of responding, based on the content of caller data associated with a particular call. For simplicity, the evaluate/controller may be arranged to provide no poll response in the absence of availability of a linked response resource capable of responding to a particular call. Upon receipt of the poll responses, the poll/selector is arranged to provide a switching control signal indicative of a poll response on the basis of a predetermined criteria, which may be representative of shortest queue wait. Desirably, the switching facility will receive the switching control signal before expiration of the time period during which the switching facility is programmed to hold the incoming call prior to routing.
Also in accordance with the invention, a call routing method, using localized response capability evaluation, includes the steps of:
(a) in response to an incoming call held by a switching facility and associated caller data, sending a poll inquiry from a central location to a plurality of response locations;
(b) at each response location, evaluating the current availability of at least one response resource to respond to that call;
(c) from at least one response location, sending to the central location a poll response indicative of current availability of a response resource to respond to that call;
(d) at the central location, selecting a response location whose poll response meets predetermined criteria;
(e) sending a switching control signal from the central location to control the routing of that call from the switching facility; and
(f) at the selected response location, coupling that call to the particular response resource whose current availability to respond was the basis for a poll response from that response location.
For a better understanding of the invention, together with other and further objects, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and the scope of the invention will be pointed out in the accompanying claims.

Call routing based on local status evaluation


A transformer is provided, which includes a tank having an enclosed volume with an insulating material, the tank including at least one channel extending through the tank, wherein the interior of the at least one channel is separated from the enclosed volume of the tank by a channel wall. A transformer core is provided outside of the enclosed volume, including at least one core leg extending through the tank via the at least one channel. At least one coil is located inside the enclosed volume, the coil being wound about the at least one channel, the tank has an inner wall or outer wall including a weakly-conductive layer, which includes fibers embedded in an impregnating material.

Solid-state transformers (SST) are anticipated to play an important role in future DC applications. Examples are medium-voltage DC (MVDC) grids, collection grids for off-shore wind farms, collection grids for photovoltaic (PV) installations, and power grids on ships. An SST for MVDC applications consists of a number of cells connected in parallel on the low voltage (LV) side, and connected in series on the high voltage (HV) side. Each converter cell typically comprises a DC to AC inverter, a medium frequency transformer, and an AC to DC rectifier. Due to the series connection of the converter cells on the HV side, at least in a part of the cells the full amount of the (output) DC high voltage is present between the HV winding of the transformer and the grounded core, which, for example, results in high insulation requirements.
In applications such as laid out above, and in many other applications, liquid- or gel-insulated medium frequency transformers (MFTs) with dry core have significantly gained importance. Characteristically, only the windings are immersed in an insulating material in a tank, while the core is provided outside of the tank. A leg of the core extends through the tank via a channel which is not fluidly connected to the Lank volume. This concept enables a compact transformer needing a minimum amount of insulating medium. Besides of low weight, this helps to reduce the fire and smoke hazard. In such a transformer, the oil tank has typically a toroidal shape and forms a loop around the core leg. In order to avoid the induction of high loop currents in the tank, the tank must not form a loop of high electric conductivity around the core. This rules out the possibility of an all-metallic tank.
An option to avoid the above described induction of undesirably high currents in the tank is to build a tank entirely from a dielectric material. Hence, the induction of high currents in the tank is avoided. However, such a solution leaves room for improvement. In view of the above, there is a need for the present invention.

Medium-frequency transformer with dry core


A handheld bean end cutting device.

This invention relates to a novel tool to facilitate the cutting bean ends from a plurality of bean pods having varying lengths. The bean pods include all types of beans having a stringy or otherwise objectionable end that, when removed, is more attractive and delectable to those wishing to fully enjoy a bean dish. This novel tool or device is preferably handheld, allowing convenient storage in a kitchen drawer or cabinet. Being quite portable, this allows the food preparer to rapidly remove the undesirable stringy bean ends from several servings of beans, thereby saving time for an operation which is typically performed on each individual bean by a cook or chef. To save time, many food preparers elect not to remove the objectionable bean ends, which detracts from the dining experience.
As will become apparent, none of the prior art, described below, has identified the problem that is solved by Applicant. Accordingly, none of the prior art below teaches or suggests Applicant's inventive device and/or method to remove bean ends from a plurality of beans.
Blackeney et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,092,103 describes an automatic bean cutter for automatically cutting bean pods into lengths desired for canning. Also described, is the use of trough shaped flights to align the beans to be at right angles to the cutting knifes or disks.
The following references described below are not designed for the cutting of beans in any fashion, but are merely cited as they do apply to cutting food stuffs:
Jacobs, U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,238 describes a food handling device, particularly for an open-ended tray having a single pair of cutting slots located halfway down tray for cutting a sandwich in half. The open tray end allows the cut sandwich to slide into another container, for storage.
Browning, U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,445 is drawn to a food slicing apparatus and a pair of opposed parallel planar faces having formed therein, a pair of laterally spaced guide slots to allow a cutting blade to cut bread, rolls and the like.
Kroh et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,046 describes a food slicer for cutting foods including bread, eggplants, cookie dough bread. In use, the item to be cut is passed over a base upon which there is secured a frame made of rigid sheet metal forming an inverted U-shape, and which includes an opposite, vertical side wall and a horizontal top wall. A series of parallel slots extend around the three sides of the frame. Each slot is of a width to permit a knife blade to be inserted.
Fortney, U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,323 also teaches a bread cutting apparatus having two opposing parallel slotted side walls. Unlike Kroh et al '046, mentioned above, the top is open to receive a loaf of bread. Slot openings in the side walls are used as a cutting guide for the knife.
Serrell, U.S. Pat. No. 1,328,301, teaches a single cut bread board wherein a cutting guide, consisting to two parallel slots are attached to a cutting board.
Shultz, U.S. Pat. No. 2,104,278 discloses a bread slicer guide having two parallel side walls open at the top for receiving a loaf of bread. the end of side is used as cutting guide to cut a slice of bread at that end. Also, an eccentric stop is positioned at the cutting end device to control the width of the slice of bread being cut.
Hyman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,704 discloses a bread cutter box having two parallel side walls open at the top for receiving a loaf of bread. In Hyman, each side wall can be placed into one of a series of parallel slots to adjust for the width of the loaf of bread.
Lastly, concerning baked items is, the U.S. patent to Bindon et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,959, directed to a collapsible bread slicing appliance having two opposing parallel side walls having a plurality of cutting slots at one end. Also, attached is a wall serving as an end stop to hold the loaf of bread while making a series of cuts using one of the slots provide at the loaf end.
Moving now to the deli category, Lasker, U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,138 and Peters et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,273 both teach the use of a cutting guide mounted at the end of a cutting board for the hand slicing of meats. The slab of meat is introduced at the other open end of the board.
In the dessert area, Lowry, U.S. Pat. No. 1,583,725 relates to an ice cream brick slicer and receptacle. Here, Lowry describes a structure similar to Fortney, above, having two opposing parallel walls having a series of slots serving as cutting guides for the cutting of ice cream bricks. The ice cream brick slicer of Lowry is equipped with a stop plate at one end to secure the ice cream brick during cutting.
Lastly, the patents to Salvia et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,042, relates to a work piece holder for shaft cutting; Hadaway et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,514, to a table saw fence; and U.S. patent to Carrasco U.S. Pat. No. 3,348,591, to a saw guide assembly. These patents are not analogous to cutting food items but are cited merely to illustrate other examples of cutting materials using an end guide.
The prior art described above alone or in combination, do not teach or suggest the process or structure of Applicant's novel invention described below.

Abstract: A handheld bean end cutting device.


In one aspect thereof this invention provides a method to estimate pitch in an acoustic signal. The method includes initializing a function ƒt and a time t, where t=0, x′0=ƒ0(F0), x′0 is a pitch estimate at time zero and F0 is a frequency of the acoustic signal at time zero; determining at least one pitch estimate using the function x′t=ƒt(Ft) by an iterative process of creating ƒt+1(Ft+1) based at least partly on pitch estimates x′t, x′t−1, x′t−2, x′t−3, . . . , and functions ƒt(Ft), ƒt−1(Ft−1), ƒt−2(Ft−2), ƒt−3(Ft−3) . . . and incrementing t; and calculating at least one final pitch estimate. Embodiments of this invention can be applied to pitch extraction with various different input acoustic signal characteristics, such as just intonation, pitch shift in the frequency domain, and non-12-step-equal-temperament tuning.

Pitch perception plays an important role in human hearing and in the understanding of sounds. In an acoustic environment a human listener is capable of perceiving the pitches of several sounds simultaneously, and can use the pitch to separate sounds in a mixture of sounds. In general, a sound can be said to have a certain pitch if it can be reliably matched by adjusting the frequency of a sine wave of arbitrary amplitude.
Music transcription as employed herein may be considered to be an automatic process that analyzes a music signal so as to record the parameters of the sounds that occur in the music signal. Generally in music transcription, one attempts to find parameters that constitute music from an acoustic signal that contains the music. These parameters may include, for example, the pitches of notes, the rhythm and loudness.
Reference can be made, for example, to Anssi P. Klapuri, "Signal Processing Methods for the Automatic Transcription of Music", Thesis for degree of Doctor of Technology, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere FI 2004 (ISBN 952-15-1147-8, ISSN 1459-2045), and to the six publications appended thereto.
Western music generally assumes equal temperament (i.e., equal tuning), in which the ratio of the frequencies of successive semi-tones (notes that are one half step apart) is a constant. For example, and referring to Klapuri, A. P., "Multiple Fundamental Frequency Estimation Based on Harmonicity and Spectral Smoothness", IEEE Trans. On Speech and Audio Processing, Vol. 11, No. 6,804-816, November 2003, it is known that notes can be arranged on a logarithmic scale where the fundamental frequency Fk of a note k is Fk=440×2(k/12) Hz. In this system, a′ (440 Hz) receives the value k=0. The notes below a′ (in pitch) receive negative values while the notes above a′ receive positive values. In this system k can be converted to a MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) note number by adding the value 69. General reference with regard to MIDI can be made to "MIDI 1.0 Detailed Specification", The MIDI Manufacturers Association, Los Angeles, Calif.
A problem that can arise during pitch extraction is illustrated in the following examples that demonstrate an increase in the probability for an error to occur in pitch extraction when attempting to locate the best pitch estimates for sung, played, or whistled notes. The following examples assume that the relationship Fk=440×2(k/12) Hz is unmodified.
When a skilled vocalist sings a cappella (without an accompaniment), the vocalist is likely to use just intonation as a basis for the scale. Just intonation uses a scale where simple harmonic relations are favored (reference in regard to simple harmonic relations can be made to Klapuri, A. P., "Multipitch Estimation and Sound Separation by the Spectral Smoothness Principle", Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing, Salt Lake City, Utah 2001). In just intonation, ratios m/n (where m and n are integers greater than zero) between the frequencies in each note interval of the scale are adjusted so that m and n are small:F=(m/n)Fr, where Fr is the frequency of the root note of the key.  (1)
In addition, an a cappella vocalist may loose the sense of a key and sing an interval so that m and n in the ratio of the frequencies of consecutive notes are small:Fk+1=(m/n)Fk.  (2)
There may also be a constant error in tuning, where an a cappella vocalist may use his/her own temperament by singing constantly out of tune.
An additional problem can arise when music is composed to utilize a tuning other than equal temperament, e.g., as typically occurs in non-Western music.
Ryynänen, M., in "Probabilistic Modelling of Note Events in the Transcription of Monophonic Melodies", Master of Science Thesis, Tampere University of Technology, 2004, has proposed an algorithm for the tuning of pitch estimates for pitch extraction in the automatic transcription of music. The algorithm initializes and updates a specific histogram mass center ct based on an initial pitch estimate x′t for an extracted frequency, where x′t is calculated as:x′t=69+12 log2(Ft/440).  (3)
A final pitch estimate is made as: xt=x′t+ct.
The foregoing algorithm is based on equal temperament. However, there are some applications that are not well served by an algorithm based on equal temperament, such as when it is desired to accurately extract pitch from audio signals that contain singing or whistling, or from audio signals that represent non-Western music or other music that does not exhibit equal temperament.

Method and apparatus to modify pitch estimation function in acoustic signal musical note pitch extraction


An apparatus for manufacturing a molded product, which has a highly homogeneous thin film, at low cost by operating an injection molding machine and a film forming device at a high rate of operation is provided. A molded product formed by an injection molding machine is conveyed to a temporary stage by a first conveying device. The molded products corresponding to several times of an injection molding step are pooled on the temporary stage by the repetition of an injection molding step. A second conveying device collectively conveys all the molded products, which are pooled on the temporary stage, to a film forming device. Films are formed on the molded products by the film forming device, and the molded products are conveyed to the outside by a third conveying device. The injection molding step is continuously performed while a film forming step is performed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a molded product having a thin film, and the method and the apparatus form a molded product made of a resin by injection molding, convey the molded product to a film formation chamber, and form a thin film on a predetermined surface of the molded product.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of a molded product, which has a thin film having a thickness of the order of 0.1 to several μm on a part of the surface thereof, include a front lamp provided on an automobile, a CD/DVD on which digital data are recorded, a transparent electrode of a liquid crystal display, and a toy having a metallic luster. These molded products having thin films are formed as follows: a molded product, which becomes a base material, is injection-molded by an injection molding machine; the molded product is carried into a film forming device as a workpiece, on which a film is to be formed; and a film is formed on the molded product. Not only the injection molding machine but also the film forming device has also been known. There are various kinds of injection molding machines, such as an injection molding machine including a toggle type mold clamping device and an injection molding machine including a direct pressure type mold clamping device, but the injection molding machine basically includes a pair of molds, a mold clamping device, an injection device, and the like. Accordingly, the pair of molds are clamped by the mold clamping device, and a resin as a material is melted in the injection device, and a molten resin is injected into cavities formed in the molds. After the molten resin is solidified by cooling, the mold clamping device is driven so that the pair of molds are opened. Accordingly, molded products are obtained.
The film forming device includes a film formation chamber. Incidentally, various kinds of film forming devices are provided according to a film forming method. For example, a sputtering method, an ion-plating method, a plasma film forming method and the like are known as film forming methods. The sputtering method is of forming a thin film by disposing a target material so that the target material faces the surface of a workpiece, on which a film is to be formed, applying a negative voltage in the range of several hundred V to several kV to the target material in an argon gas atmosphere with a pressure of about several to several tens of Pa, and discharging electricity; an electron beam deposition method of forming a film on the surface of a workpiece, on which a film is to be formed, by irradiating a target material with an electron beam, which is generated from an electron gun, in a vacuum chamber so as to evaporate the target material through heating. The ion-plating method is of performing vacuum deposition on a workpiece, on which a film is to be formed, under the pressure of an argon gas of several Pa by applying a negative voltage in the range of several hundred V to several kV to the workpiece. Further, a chemical vapor deposition method is also known as a film forming method. Compound targets, such as an oxide, a nitride, and a carbide, are known as the target material used in these film forming methods, and a metal target, a powder target, and the like are also known as the target material. There are various kinds of film forming methods as described above, and film forming devices suitable for the respective film forming methods are provided.
Incidentally, if dirt from the hands or dust adheres to the molded product when a film is formed on a molded product, it is not possible to appropriately form a film and unevenness also occurs on a thin film to be formed on the molded product. Accordingly, when the molded product, which has been formed by injection molding, is conveyed to the film forming device, it is necessary to prevent dirt from the hands or dust from adhering to the molded product. Further, immediately after the molded product is formed, the temperature of the molded product is high. However, when heat is reduced after the molded product is left, moisture is adsorbed in the molded product. If moisture is adsorbed in the molded product, hindrance occurs when air is sucked from the film formation chamber and the quality of a thin film to be formed deteriorates. For this reason, it is necessary to evaporate moisture adsorbed in the molded product by heating the molded product in advance when forming a film.
Japanese Patent No. 3677033 discloses an apparatus for manufacturing a molded product having a thin film that covers the inner surface of one semi-hollow body of a pair of semi-hollow bodies molded by a stationary mold and a movable mold, that is, the surface of a molded product with a film forming chamber that is provided with deposition elements, such as a target electrode, a substrate electrode, and a vacuum suction pipe, and performs deposition, that is, the formation of a film in the stationary mold while the semi-hollow bodies remain on the stationary mold. JP-A-2011-58048 discloses an apparatus for manufacturing a molded product having a thin film that includes an injection molding machine conveying a molded product formed by the injection molding machine to a film forming device while keeping the molded product warm by a heater, a film forming device, and a conveying device.

Apparatus including a fixed temporary stage for manufacturing molded product


A transistor of a pixel cell for use in a CMOS imager with a low threshold voltage of about 0.3 V to less than about 0.7 V is disclosed. The transistor is provided with high dosage source and drain regions around the gate electrode and with the halo implanted regions and/or the lightly doped LDD regions and/or the enhancement implanted regions omitted from at least one side of the gate electrode. The low threshold transistor is electrically connected to a high voltage transistor with a high threshold voltage of about 0.7 V.

In a conventional CMOS imager, the active elements of a pixel cell perform the necessary functions of: (1) photon to charge conversion; (2) accumulation of image charge; (3) transfer of charge to the floating diffusion node accompanied by charge amplification; (4) resetting the floating diffusion node to a known state before the transfer of charge to it; (5) selection of a pixel for readout; and (6) output and amplification of a signal representing pixel charge. Photo charge may be amplified when it moves from the initial charge accumulation region to the floating diffusion node through a transfer transistor. The charge at the floating diffusion node is converted to a pixel output voltage by a source follower output transistor.
Exemplary CMOS imaging circuits as well as detailed descriptions of the functions of various CMOS elements of an imaging circuit are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,204,524 to Rhodes, U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,366 to Rhodes et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,652 to Rhodes, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
A schematic view of an exemplary CMOS pixel three-transistor (3T) pixel cell 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The three transistors include reset transistor 32, source follower transistor 36 and row select transistor 38. A floating diffusion region 30 receives charge from a photosensor 25 and is connected to the source follower transistor 36 by a contact line 44 which is typically a metal contact line. The source follower transistor 36 outputs a signal proportional to the charge accumulated in the floating diffusion region 30 to a readout circuit when the row select transistor 38 is turned on. The reset transistor 32 resets the floating diffusion node to a known potential prior to transfer of charge thereto from photosensor 25. Photosensor 25 may be a photodiode, a photogate, or a photoconductor. If a photodiode is employed, the photodiode may be formed below a surface of the substrate and may be a buried p-n-p photodiode, buried n-p-n photodiode, a buried p-n photodiode or a buried n-p photodiode, among others.
FIG. 2 is a more detailed illustration of the source follower transistor 36 of the 3T pixel cell 10 of FIG. 1 as fabricated within a semiconductor substrate 16. As shown in FIG. 2, the source follower transistor 36 is formed in semiconductor substrate 16 having a doped well 20 of a first conductivity type, which for exemplary purposes is treated as a p-type. Field oxide regions 15, which serve to surround and isolate the pixel cell 10, are formed by any known technique such as thermal oxidation of the underlying silicon in a LOCOS process, or by etching trenches and filling them with oxide in an STI process.
A p-type blanket or masked enhancement implant may be conducted to implant p-type dopants at an implant dose of about 1×1011/cm2 to 1×1013/cm2 to help set the voltage threshold of the NMOS transistor to be built in the active areas. This implant is typically conducted after pad oxidation, prior to gate oxidation, or after polysilicon gate deposition.
Subsequent to the blanket enhancement implant and the formation of the gate stack of the transistor 36 of FIG. 2, a first implant is conducted to form lightly doped drain (LDD) regions 22 of the drain and source on either side of the gate stack of transistor 36. For NMOS devices, this light implant may be conducted with an n-type doping, typically a phosphorous or arsenic doping, preferably arsenic, at a dose concentration of about 1×1012/cm2 to 5×1013/cm2, more preferably 2×1012/cm2 to 1×1013/cm2. The first implant is self-aligned to the gate stack of the source follower transistor 36. This can be an angled implant at four orthogonal wafer rotations.
Next, a second halo angled implant is conducted to implant p-type dopants, for example boron or boron difluoride, adjacent the LDD regions 22 and to form halo implanted regions 25, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The halo implant is initially conducted on one side of the device. Upon completion, the device may be rotated 180 degrees and the halo implant process may then be repeated to form a halo implanted region 25 on the opposite side. In practice, the gate stack of the source follower transistor 36 may be subjected to four halo implants during processing. Four implants are typically performed because many of the transistors formed above the substrate are oriented at different angles relative to one another.
Sidewall spacers 35 are then formed and a heavier dose n-type implant is conducted to form low-resistivity source/drain regions 23 (FIG. 2) which merge with the lighter doped regions 22 and halo implanted regions 25. In NMOS devices, this heavier dose implant is an n-type implant, typically an arsenic implant, at a dosage of about 5×1014/cm2 to about 1×1016/cm2. This implant is self-aligned to sidewall oxide spacers 35 formed by known methods on the sidewalls of the gate stack of the source follower transistor 36. This n-type doping implant serves to convert a portion of the p-type region to an n-type region and also to form deeper n-type regions on either side of the transistor gate. The reset transistor of the pixel cell is similarly fabricated.
By employing the above-described angled halo implant and enhancement implant in addition to the LDD implant, short-channel effects are minimized, degradation in the threshold voltage is reduced, and the electric field is decreased to an acceptable level near the edges of the gate of transistor 36. More specifically, by "reinforcing" the p-type doping of the p-type well 20 of the semiconductor substrate 16 in the channel between the n-type doped LDD regions 22, the p-type doped angled halo implanted regions 25 improve the "threshold voltage Vt roll-off," that is defined as the decrease of Vt as a function of the decrease in the gate length. Thus, short-channel induced effects such as drain/source leakage current when the transistor is switched "off" (i.e., "off-state" leakage) are reduced.
The above-described halo, enhancement and LDD implants provide a threshold voltage which, for the source follower transistor 36, limits the signal output swing which can be obtained from the pixel cell. That is, the maximum output signal is (VDD−Vt). Accordingly, the higher the Vt the lower the maximum signal swing. Thus, for example, if VDD=3.3 V and Vt=0.8 V, the maximum swing voltage of the source follower transistor 36 is limited to 2.5 V. Similarly, the higher threshold voltage Vt for the reset transistor 32 limits reset voltage which can be applied to the floating diffusion region 30. The resulting reduction of the maximum output swing of the pixel cell 10 due to the combined Vts of the reset and source follower transistors becomes (VDD−2×Vt), or 1.7 V.
As pixel cells are scaled down, it becomes more desirable to increase the maximum swing voltage for the source follower transistor and the maximum reset voltage applied to the floating diffusion region by the reset transistor. Lower threshold voltages for other pixel transistors may also be desirable.

Method and apparatus providing CMOS imager device pixel with transistor having lower threshold voltage than other imager device transistors


Polyester materials, methods for making polyesters materials, and uses of the polyester materials in binder materials and articles of manufacture are disclosed. In one embodiment, a process is provided for preparing a polyester solution, including mixing monomers of at least one organic acid containing at least three carboxylic groups and at least one multi-hydroxyl alcohol containing at least three hydroxyl groups to form a reaction mixture, heating the reaction mixture to a first temperature, polymerizing the monomers at the first temperature until reaching an acid value from about 200 to about 400 mg KOH/g, adjusting the temperature to a second temperature less than the first temperature, and forming the polyester solution. The polyester materials may be mixed with cross-linking materials to form binder materials. The binder material may then be used to form articles of manufacture.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to polyester materials. The present invention particularly relates to methods of preparing polyester materials and products incorporating polyester materials.
2. Background of the Art
Formaldehyde is one of the most common chemicals used in industry. International production was over 46 billion pounds in 2004, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). It is well known as a preservative in medical laboratories, as an embalming fluid, and as a sterilizer. Formaldehyde's primary use is in the production of resins and as a chemical intermediate. Urea-formaldehyde (UF) and phenol formaldehyde (PF) resins are used in foam insulations, as adhesives in the production of particleboard and plywood, and in the treating of textiles.
Unfortunately, formaldehyde is considered undesirable in many applications. Since 1990, several companies have attempted to develop formaldehyde-free products which are equivalent to products containing formaldehyde for roofing glass mat and glass fiber insulation. Such products, polymer emulsion and polymer dispersion are often more expensive and do not have the same performances as traditional formaldehyde based resins. Many companies have worked on sustainable formaldehyde-free binders, such us sugar-based binders and other bio-based materials, for construction materials. However, these materials have not illustrated good mechanical properties and performance.
It would be desirable to form resins that are free, or have reduced amounts, of formaldehyde that also have good mechanical properties, or impart good mechanical properties to substrates.

Compositions and methods for making polyesters and articles therefrom


A retention system for maintaining a screw to a vertebral plate. One or more screws extend through apertures within the vertebral plate. A cavity is positioned adjacent to and overlaps into the aperture. A ring is positioned within the cavity and held in position by a cap. The cap attaches to the plate to prevent removal of the ring. The ring is deflectable between a first shape to allow the screw to be inserted and removed from the aperture, and a second shape to prevent screw back-out from the aperture. A method of using the system is also included and comprises positioning the ring within a cavity in the plate, maintaining the position of the ring to the plate by attaching a cap, inserting a screw through the aperture and attaching the plate to a vertebral member, and positioning the ring over the screw head and preventing the screw from backing-out.

The human spine is a biomechanical structure consisting of thirty-three vertebral members and is responsible for protecting the spinal cord, nerve roots and internal organs of the thorax and abdomen. The spine also provides structural support for the body while permitting flexibility of motion. In certain surgical procedures it is necessary to secure together two or more of the vertebral members. The procedure may be necessary for example as a result of physical trauma or degenerative diseases.
One type of surgical procedure includes attachment of a vertebral plate to the vertebral members. The vertebral plate is sized to extend across two or more of the vertebral members. One or more bone screws extend through apertures in the plate and into the vertebral members to secure the plate. One issue with the attachment is the screws may tend to loosen and back-out of the vertebral members. Screw retention devices may be necessary to prevent the screw from backing-out of the vertebral members.
One type of screw retention device utilizes a snap ring that expands as the screw is inserted into the aperture and then retracts to a smaller diameter once the screw head has passed the level of the snap ring. One issue with previous snap ring designs is the inability to use the rings with a variety of different screws. These designs may not be effective for both variable angle and fixed angle screws, or require specialty screws that are design for only a limited application. Additionally, these previous designs have needed a larger plate thickness to accommodate the snap ring. Another issue is the difficultly for the surgeon to visually see when the lock ring has moved over the top of the screw once the screw has passed the level of the snap ring. Some designs also prevent or limit the ability of the surgeon to tactilely feel the movement of the snap ring as it moves over the top of the screw. Additionally, some designs interfere with the surgeon's feel of the screw purchasing within the bone.

Method and apparatus for retaining screws in a plate


A UAV gateway may be used to assist in the optimization of communications between a UAV and a cellular wireless network. The UAV may include a steerable, multi-faceted antenna array. In one implementation, the UAV may receive, from the cellular wireless network, network description information, describing the physical state of the cellular wireless network. The network description information may include, for example, locations of base stations near the UAV, transmit power associated with the base stations (or with cells provided by the base stations), and/or the transmit antenna patterns associated with the base stations. The UAV may use this information to optimize its communications with the cellular network.

"Unmanned Aerial Vehicles" (UAVs) (sometimes referred to as "drones," Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), or Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs)) refer to aircraft without a human pilot aboard. The flight of a UAV may be controlled either autonomously (e.g., by onboard and/or remote computers) or by remote control of a pilot. Proposals for using UAVs include using UAVs for the delivery of payloads (e.g., packages) and remote monitoring and/or sensing (e.g., monitoring of crops or pipelines).
In either autonomous or remote control operation, it may be desirable that the UAV maintain network connectivity to the command and control location (i.e., the physical location of the pilot and/or control processes). Wireless cellular networks may be used to provide network connectivity to UAVs, as existing wireless cellular networks already cover large geographical areas. Current wireless cellular networks, however, are designed and optimized for communications at ground level.

Optimization of communications with UAVS using terrestrial cellular networks


A thin layer chromatograph residue applicator sampler. The residue applicator sampler provides for rapid analysis of samples containing high explosives, chemical warfare, and other analyses of interest under field conditions. This satisfied the need for a field-deployable, small, hand-held, all-in-one device for efficient sampling, sample dissolution, and sample application to an analytical technique. The residue applicator sampler includes a sampling sponge that is resistant to most chemicals and is fastened via a plastic handle in a hermetically sealed tube containing a known amount of solvent. Upon use, the wetted sponge is removed from the sealed tube and used as a swiping device across an environmental sample. The sponge is then replaced in the hermetically sealed tube where the sample remains contained and dissolved in the solvent. A small pipette tip is removably contained in the hermetically sealed tube. The sponge is removed and placed into the pipette tip where a squeezing-out of the dissolved sample from the sponge into the pipette tip results in a droplet captured in a vial for later instrumental analysis, or applied directly to a thin layer chromatography plate for immediate analysis.

The present invention relates to the collection and characterization of residues, particularly to the collection of trace amounts of high explosives and chemical weapons residues for field analysis, and more particularly to a field-deployable, small, hand held, all-in-one device for efficient sampling, sample dissolution, and sample application to an analytical technique.
Over the last decade extensive efforts have been carried out for development methods for characterization of various chemicals, particularly for the characterization of high explosives, chemical weapons, and biological weapons. These activities have centered on the collection, isolation, and concentration of trace amounts of these chemical residues in air, soil, vegetation, swipe, and liquid samples. Considerable resources have been applied to developing consistent and reliable methods for field analysis of high explosives and chemical weapons related materials. For example, The Forensic Science Center (FSC) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has been developing new technology for the characterization of high explosives (HE) and chemical weapons (CW) in the field. These activities have centered on the collection, isolation, and concentration of trace amounts of HE, and CW residues in air, soil, vegetation, swipe and liquid samples. Considerable resources have been applied to developing consistent and reliable methods for the field analysis of HE and CW-related materials. Recently the FSC was contracted by the United States Army to take a priven laboratory technique, Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), and bring it to field utilization to determine the chemical composition of propellants.
Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) is a widely recognized approach for the collection of various chemical residues, and SPME fibers and syringes are commercially available. SPME requires no solvents, is sensitive to low nanogram signature species, and can be repeatedly used in the field for the characterization of complex samples. A significant attribute of SPME fibers is their exceedingly high collection efficiencies. No chemical pretreatment of solvent extraction are necessary when using SPME fibers with GC or GC-MS instrumentation. The SPME approach has been developed to point of field-deployment, as exemplified by co pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/834,138 filed Apr. 2, 2001, entitled "Solid Phase Micro-extraction Field Kit", assigned to the same assignee, and U.S. application Ser. No. 10/126,792, filed Apr. 18, 2002, entitled "Miniature Solid Phase Micro-extraction Holder", assigned to the same assignee.
Due to the fragile nature of the SPME fiber, there is a need for a more robust approach to environmental sampling, particularly where the contamination has been deposited as a residue on a surface requiring swiping of the surface to obtain a sample. Accordingly, there still exists a need for the rapid analysis of samples containing, high explosive, chemical warfare, and other analytes of interest under field condition. Typically under field conditions, large numbers of samples are necessary from cordoned-off areas. Large sample collections of this type hinder any hope of expeditious analysis. Therefore, the development and use of a small had-held, all-in-one device for efficient sampling, sample dissolution, and sample application to an analytical technique, has been most desired by field analysts.
The present invention provides a solution to this need by utilizing a small, very robust sampling apparatus, with sample collection, sample dissolution, and sample application. The apparatus utilizing a wetted sampling sponge to collect, dissolve, and deposit a sample of interest for immediate or later instrumental analysis. The wetted sponge is retained before and after sampling in a hermetically sealed device which contains a measured amount of solvent. The device also contains a small pipette tip by which the dissolved sample can be squeezed out of the sponge into a vial for later anaylsis or directly applied to a thin layer chromatography for immediate analysis.

Thin layer chromatography residue applicator sampler

The Regents of the University of California


A vacuum cleaner and a control method thereof, wherein the vacuum cleaner includes a vacuum cleaner body, a floor brush assembly, and an extension tube connecting the two together. The floor brush assembly comprises a plurality of different floor brushes for performing different cleaning work. The vacuum cleaner is further provided with a control unit and a detection unit. The detection unit comprises a floor brush current detection module for detecting current passing through an electric motor in a floor brush. The floor brush current detection module sends detection signals to the control unit, and the control unit controls the electric motor to maintain an operating state or stop the operating state according to the detection signals.

In order to meet the different cleaning needs of users, there are a large variety of accessory floor brushes for existing vacuum cleaners. Since different floor brushes have different functions, the electric motors may generally have different operating currents. When an over-current point is used to determine whether the electric motor of a floor brush is in a stall state, if the electric motor of the floor brush is a large-current motor, false protection will occur, and if the electric motor of the floor brush is a small-current motor, stalling and no protection will occur. With the above technical solution, the vacuum cleaner is unstable in overall operation and has potential safety hazards.

Vacuum cleaner and control method thereof


A support rack is arranged to include a base having a shaft mounted fixedly and orthogonally relative to the base rotatably mounting a tubular housing having first and second flanges, wherein the first and second flanges are arranged to pivotally mount U-shaped frameworks to position and secure baseball cards and the like for ease of viewing and access. Each of the U-shaped frames is arranged to include a first and second U-shaped channel leg in facing relationship relative to one another having an intermediate web permitting positioning of cards between the first and second U-shaped channel legs on opposed sides of the intermediate web for display. A further configuration of the invention is arranged to include an illumination structure to direct illumination onto the card structure mounted within the U-shaped frames.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to card display structure, and more specifically pertains to a new and improved card display arrangement wherein the same is arranged to pivotally mount a plurality of card members for ease of viewing and access.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Card display apparatus of various types have been indicated in the prior art and exemplified by the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,912,866; 4,930,627; 5,038,927; and 4,102,070.
The instant invention is addressed to the display of sporting event cards that have developed into popularity and collectability and to this end, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A portable luminescent lighting system that includes a housing member and a first case half. The housing member has a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of long side walls with a pair of lateral cross supports coupled therebetween. The top and bottom wall, each have a plurality of electrical receptacles interiorly coupled thereto for receiving a plurality of bulbs and a plurality of lamps in a parallel orientation. The bulbs and the lamps are each spaced from the pair of lateral cross supports along on complementary sides of the pair of lateral cross supports. A first reflector shield is positioned between the plurality of bulbs and the cross support within the housing member. A second reflector shield is positioned between the plurality of lamps and the cross support within the housing member. Lastly, the first case half has the housing member, with the lamps and bulbs, positioned within. The first case half has the bottom wall with a mounting plate fixedly attached to an exterior side. The mounting plate is capable of coupling with a single mounting bracket that is capable of coupling with a stand for supporting the case above a receiving surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable luminescent lighting system and more particularly pertains to providing a portable lighting system that has dual light sources housed within a case during use and further having a dual A/C power supply for use in the U.S. and international markets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of a portable light system is known in the prior art. More specifically, portable lighting systems heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of lighting the location being photographed, video taped or filmed are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,152 to Yang and So, discloses a lightweight plug-in fluorescent lamp assembly. The lamp assembly will rest upon the existing support grid of a false ceiling or be attached directly to the ceiling in a surface mounted arrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,497 to Costa, discloses a luminescent fixture providing directed lighting for television, video, and film production. The luminescent fixture provides sustained illumination by including a plurality of parallel mercury vapor luminescent lamp tubes aligned in close proximity in a common plane bisecting an arcuate concave angle defined by high reflective facing surfaces of a pair of longitudinal reflector panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,132,885 to Hocheim and Swirk and assigned to Kino Flo, Inc., discloses a portable fluorescent lighting system for use in location photography, and television and motion picture filming. The system comprises an extremely light weight corrugated plastic panel made into five subpanels by removing two flutes of the corrugation out to provide for hinging. At least one elongated florescent light source is placed on the center subpanel and the other four subpanels are used to control the direction of or limit the output of the fluorescent light as well as act as an enclosure box.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,015 to Baggio and Burrows and assigned to Woodhead Industries, Inc., discloses a portable fluorescent lamp fixture for use in coupling with other similar fixtures in a series. The portable fluorescent lamp fixture includes an elongated center channel extending substantially the entire length of the fixture and disposed intermediate a pair of fluorescent lamps for providing a high strength, rugged structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,396 to Costa discloses a method of apparatus for illuminating television studio and video tape production facilities and method of generating a light source suitable for television studios or video production facilities with high speed florescent lighting devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,958 to Hsieh discloses a straight type fluorescent lamp device with light reflecting plates. The lamp device has reflecting plates, its body is made by direct extrusion, and it can be cut into any desired length to match with straight-type fluorescent tubes of any length specification and tube holders.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,428 to Lowell, Calamai, Doll marks Pronputhsri and Seligman, discloses a collapsible fluorescent light for photography to provide a balance to fluorescent ceiling lights.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,033 to Lee and assigned to Specuflex, Inc., discloses an adjustable optical reflector for a fluorescent fixture. The adjustable specular reflector is adapted for use in existing fluorescent lighting fixtures including a plurality of facets extending longitudinally and hingedly joined together.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,582 to Lowell, discloses a lighting arrangement for photographic work. This is a compact lighting arrangement for photographic work.
In this respect, the portable luminescent lighting system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a portable lighting system that has dual light sources housed within a case during use and further having a dual A/C power supply for use in the U.S. and international markets.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved portable luminescent lighting system which can be used for providing a portable lighting system that has dual light sources housed within a case during use and further having a dual A/C power supply for use in the U.S. and international markets. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A short-circuit sense circuit and a power supply according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention use an auxiliary voltage, which is a both-end voltage of an auxiliary coil coupled with a predetermined turn ratio to a secondary side coil coupled to an output voltage. After termination of a start-up period, the short-circuit sense circuit samples a sense voltage, which is a voltage of a node between a first sense resistor and a second sense resistor coupled in series to both ends of the auxiliary coils and determines whether a short-circuit occurs according to a short-circuit sense signal that depends on a result of comparison between the sampled voltage and a predetermined reference voltage.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a short-circuit sense circuit, a short-circuit sensing method, and a power supply including the short-circuit sense circuit.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A load is coupled to an output terminal of a power supply, and a short circuit may occur in the load. When the load is short-circuited, a short-circuit protection operation of the power supply is triggered to prevent the power supply from malfunctioning.
For example, when an LED string coupled to the output terminal of the power supply as a load is short-circuited, the power supply should sense the short-circuit of the LED string and trigger a protection operation. In detail, the power supply can stop power supply by stopping a switching operation.
In order to trigger such a short-circuit protection operation, a circuit-circuit of the load should be sensed.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Short sensing circuit, short sensing method and power supply device comprising the short sensing circuit


A connector cover 30 attached to the posterior end of a female connector 10 is made of hard synthetic resin so that, for example, it can withstand the shock of high-pressure water used to wash cars, and flying stones. The upper portion of this cover 30 comprises a protecting arch 33 which is deformable to release a locking arm 16 of the connector 10. Internal rubber seals water-proof the connector.

Conventional connector covers made of rubber permit operation of a locking arm through the cover itself. Such a connector cover is shown in FIG. 7 of this specification. An upper face of a connector 1 has a locking arm 2 provided thereon, and a corresponding connector (not shown) fits therewith. The locking arm maintains the two connectors in a latched state. In the case where the connector 1 is used, for example, in the wiring for an engine compartment of an automobile or under a wheel arch, a connector cover 3 is attached in order to protect the connector 1 from flying stones when the automobile is in motion.
The connector cover 3 is shaped like a boot so as to surround the entire connector 1, including a locking arm. Since it is desirable that the locking arm be operable with the connector cover fitted, the connector cover 3 is made of rubber and therefore is soft. As a result, when a portion A is pressed against the locking arm 2, the arm is released and the connectors can be separated.
In addition to protection against flying stones, it has also recently become necessary to provide protection against high pressure water, for example from vehicle washers. Unfortunately a rubber boot does not provide sufficient protection against water under high pressure. Accordingly, instead of rubber, it was proposed that synthetic resin be used to produce a connector cover. However, although protection against water under pressure is good, the degree of hardness is so high that operating the locking arm through the connector cover is almost impossible.
The present invention has been developed after taking the above problem into account, and aims at providing a connector cover that can both protect against flying stones and high pressure water, yet allow easy operation of the locking arm.


A method for preventing an illegal use of a mobile communication terminal includes the steps of: transmitting a short message service (SMS) message to a lost terminal when a user requests a phone-locking service; and analyzing the received SMS message to set a phone-locking state for the lost terminal. When a terminal is lost, an SMS message containing a ciphered string is transmitted to the lost terminal to set a phone-locking or forcefully turn off an LCD power, so that the lost terminal can be prevented from illegally using by a third party or a stranger and user's personal information can be effectively prevented from leaking.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal, and more particularly, to a method for preventing illegal use of a mobile communication terminal by a third party or a stranger.
2. Description of the Background Art
These days, thanks to its portability and convenience, a mobile communication terminal (referred to as 'terminal', hereinafter) is used by lots of people. The terminal provides various additional functions such as an address, a phone number, an itinerary management or a memo for a user's convenience.
If the terminal is lost with the various additional function provided, the user information stored in the corresponding terminal would be exposed as it is to a stranger. In order to prevent an illegal use of the lost terminal by a stranger, currently, various restriction functions such as a phone-locking function are provided to the terminal.
First, the user sets a phone-locking menu through a user interface, inputs a lock code to set a phone-locking state for the terminal.
Once the phone-locking state is set, the terminal is put in a state that it can only receive a call. Thus, even though the corresponding terminal is lost, the terminal is prevented from illegally using by a stranger and leakage of the user's personal information can be prevented.
However, there has not been proposed any method for maintaining the user information and preventing an illegal use of a lost terminal by a stranger in case that a terminal is lost while its phone-locking function is not set.
Thus, in the past, if a terminal is lost while its phone-locking function is not set, there arises a problem that a stranger may use it illegally or leak the user information (an address, a phone number or a certain memo) stored in the terminal.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.

Method for preventing illegal use of mobile communication terminal


A lens barrel including an image capturing optical system, to be extended for image capturing and to be retracted for carrying, including: a first lens unit for capturing an image of a subject; a light-amount control member to control an amount of light which comes from the subject and passes through the image capturing optical system; and second lens unit including at least two lens units which sandwich the light-amount control member on the optical axis; wherein when the lens barrel is extended for image capturing, the first lens unit and the second lens unit exist on the optical axis, while the light amount control member is sandwiched between the two lens units of the second lens unit on the optical axis, and when the lens barrel is retracted, the second lens unit is shifted to the position out of the optical axis.

In the past, in order to make cameras to be conveniently portable, the cameras grow popular ones adapted with a retractable lens barrel, wherein the interval between the lens units is shortened so that the lens barrel can be reduced in length.
Further, in the recent years, such lens barrels are structured in such a way that the interval between each optical element of the image capturing optical system is reduced in the optical axial direction, as well as some optical elements are shifted off axial to the other elements, so that the lens barrel is structured to be shorter.
Concerning the above lens barrel, the camera incorporating such a lens barrel is disclosed. That is, the lens units sandwiching a light-amount control member are shifted adjacent to a front group lens, while another lens unit is shifted into a position in a concave section of a member to support an image capturing element, in which the position where the latter lens unit is shifted is different from that of the former lens units (see Patent Document 1).
[Patent Document 1] Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-317943 (FIGS. 34-44).
In the lens barrel described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to shorten the length of the lens barrel, because the plural lens units are shifted when the lens barrel is retracted.
However, in case that plural lens units are shifted in different directions out of the optical axis, and returned onto the optical axis for image capturing, it is very difficult to accurately re-position the plural lens units on the optical axis, and still further, repetitive errors are generated so that an image capturing characteristics of each camera may differ. In particular, if the lens units, placed while sandwiching the light-amount control members, such as a shutter and an aperture diaphragm, are shifted and returned, the image capturing characteristics change abnormally, and thereby periphery image quality becomes uneven, which is a drawback.

Lens barrel and camera incorporating the same lens barrel


An active device of a vehicle, for example a seat belt tensioner, is triggered by reference to an estimated vehicle roll rate exceeding a threshold roll rate. The estimated vehicle roll rate may be conditioned according to vehicle speed, and is determined from inputs of vehicle lateral acceleration, steering wheel angle, and steering wheel speed.

It is known to deploy active devices of a vehicle according to a certain detected threshold. Such active devices may comprise for example occupant restraints such as active seat belt tensioners, active seat bolsters or other resettable devices intended to enhance occupant comfort during driving.
The threshold may be determined by, for example, proximity to an obstacle, or in response to reaching a predetermined speed.
A vehicle occupant will tend to move in the vehicle seat under the effect of cornering forces, and ideally an active device should be deployed before such movement commences.
There may however be an inevitable delay in deployment of an active device as the measured parameter increases toward the threshold, and it would be desirable to provide compensation whereby this delay is eliminated or at least ameliorated in certain conditions of use of the vehicle.
In particular, the lateral acceleration of a vehicle typically peaks just prior to the vehicle exiting a corner, thus causing an inherent delay in actuation or deployment of an active device of the vehicle in response to high cornering forces, where the device is triggered at a threshold. Lateral acceleration alone is thus an unsuitable indication as to the category of a cornering event, because the acceleration value peaks as the vehicle exits rather than enters a corner.
As a consequence the vehicle occupant is generally moving relative to the interior of the vehicle as the active device is deployed, and is typically arrested abruptly by a locked seat belt. This solution is thus not optimised for occupant comfort, and may be irritating if the threshold is set too low because the active device(s) will be repeatedly deployed. On the other hand a high threshold permits greater movement of an occupant before deployment, and a correspondingly higher contact load as the active device has effect.
What is required is an early indication of the category of a cornering event so that activation of such active devices can occur with sufficient time for the active device to deploy in a timely manner, and have a more acceptable effect on the vehicle and/or the vehicle occupants. By category is meant a measure of the increasing effect of a corner on the vehicle and occupants. Thus a large radius corner may have a low category, and a small radius corner may have a high category for a given vehicle speed. Ideally a solution should have a small number of measured variables, or inputs, so as to facilitate a rapid calculation/assessment of the need to trigger an active device of the vehicle.
It is an aim of the present invention to address this issue. Other aims and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, claims and drawings.

Method and apparatus of triggering an active device of a vehicle