In one embodiment of the invention, a register format of a source register operated on by a source instruction in a source block of code is determined. The register format includes an input instruction format and an output block format of the source block of code. The source block of code runs in a source architecture. The source register has multiple formats and is used as an input of the source instruction. The input instruction format contains format of the source register expected by the source instruction. The output block format contains format of the source register after the source block of code is executed. An instruction format inconsistency is detected between the source register and a target register of a target architecture during a translation phase of a binary translation that translates the source block of code into a target block of code running in the target architecture.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to microprocessor compilers. In particular, the invention relates to binary translation.
2. Description of Related Art
Binary translation is a process to translate a source binary code for a source architecture into a translated code to be run on a target architecture. Typically, the target architecture is different than the source architecture. The differences may include instruction set architecture (ISA), number of registers, and register format. Among these, the difference in register format presents many difficulties for binary translation. The problem becomes complicated when the source architecture has multiple register formats and the target architecture cannot support all of these formats in a single register. For example, the source architecture may support three different formats: packed single precision floating-point (PS), packed double precision floating-point (DS), and packed integer (PINT). A register having 128 bits may contain four 32-bit data in PS format, two 64-bit data in DS format, or one 128-bit data in PINT format. The source architecture has instructions designed to operate on these registers with different content format but the target architecture may not support all three formats in a single register.
Existing techniques to solve this format incompatibility problem include inserting extra code to detect the format difference and to perform format conversion. The extra code incurs overhead to the binary translation. This overhead results in large code size and degraded performance. This is especially more significant when the number of registers in the block of code to be translated is large.
Therefore, there is a need to have an efficient technique to maintain compatibility on register format in binary translation.

Tracking format of registers having multiple content formats in binary translation


The disclosure relates to a lithography apparatus for writing to substrate wafers. The apparatus includes: a light generating device including one or a plurality of light sources for generating light; a writing device; a light transferring device including a number of optical waveguides for transferring the light from the light generating device to a writing device, the writing device including a plurality of individually controllable write heads for projecting the light from the one or the plurality of light sources in different regions of a substrate wafer; a transport device for moving the substrate wafer relative to the writing device in a predefined transport direction; and a control device for controlling the writing process on the substrate wafer.

Photolithographic patterning methods are typically used for producing microstructures, in which methods the desired structure is transferred into a photosensitive layer arranged on a substrate and the substrate is patterned in a desired manner via the exposed photosensitive layer in subsequent chemical and physical processes. Either imaging or directly writing exposure systems are used for transferring the respective structures into the photosensitive layer. In the first case, a pattern produced in a mask beforehand is projected onto the substrate in a greatly reduced fashion via a complex projection system. By using suitable masks, with the aid of a projection system it is possible to transfer a relatively large number of structures to the substrate all at once, which becomes apparent in a high throughput, in particular. On account of the high precision during the imaging of structures in the micrometres and nanometres range, projection exposure systems are constructed in a very complex fashion and are therefore also very cost-intensive both in terms of procurement and in operation. By contrast, directly writing lithography exposure systems, in which the desired structures are written directly into the photosensitive layer on the substrate wafer via a laser, manage with a significantly less complex construction. However, the writing speed of such directly writing laser systems does not suffice to obtain a throughput comparable with the projection exposure systems.

Lithography apparatus comprising a plurality of individually controllable write heads


A liquid crystal display (LCD) device temperature compensation control system and associated methodologies that controls the contrast voltage provided to the LCD device based on the ambient temperature to enable the LCD to display data beyond the normal, manufacturer-specified operational temperature range. The LCD contrast ratio is dependent upon ambient temperature and contrast voltage. The invention controls the contrast voltage supplied to the LCD device such that it operates in either a standard or extended operating range based on ambient temperature to achieve an optimum contrast ratio. The invention may also adjust the frame rate and/or data inversion state of the displayed data.

1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and, more particularly, to controlling the contrast with which data is displayed on an LCD device.
2. Related Art
Sudden cardiac arrest has been attributed to over 350,000 deaths each year in the United States, making it one of the country""s leading medical emergencies. Sudden cardiac arrest is a disruption of the natural heart""s functioning, causing a lack of blood flow to vital organs. In a majority of instances, sudden cardiac arrest is manifested as an abnormal or chaotic heart rhythm, called fibrillation. These instances are generally identifiable by the victim""s immediate loss of pulse, loss of consciousness and a cessation of breathing. Unless immediate medical intervention is initiated, sudden cardiac arrest can lead to death within a matter of minutes.
The critical components of medical treatment that must be administered to a victim of sudden cardiac arrest include (1) early access to emergency care; (2) early cardiopulmonary resuscitation to maintain blood oxygenation and flow to the victim""s brain and other vital organs; (3) early defibrillation to restore the heart""s regular rhythm; and (4) early access to advanced medical care. If cardiopulmonary arrest is followed by defibrillation within about four minutes, a victim""s chance of survival can approach or exceed fifty percent. Prompt administration of defibrillation within the first critical minutes is considered one of the most important components of emergency medical treatment for preventing death from sudden cardiac arrest.
To achieve this, portable defibrillators have been developed that can be carried to a victim""s location to defibrillate the victim prior to reaching a hospital. Initially, portable defibrillators were manually-controlled, sophisticated devices that could be used safely only by specially-trained medical personnel. More recently, however, defibrillators with advanced decision making functions, commonly known as automatic or semi-automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) have been developed. AEDs can be used safely by first responders with less advanced medical training.
There has been a trend to install these more advanced AEDs in public facilities such as shopping malls, hotels, commercial aircraft, stadiums, sports arenas, concert halls and the like, as well as to equip emergency response vehicles such as EMS vehicles, fire engines and police cars with such devices. These AEDs are subject to a wide range of environmental conditions. In particular, AEDs may be stored in a vehicle or facility for extended periods of time, subject to vibration, heat, etc. Beyond storage and transportation, these AEDs must also be capable of operating in a myriad of environmental conditions. For example, an AED may be required to operate in the dark, shade or direct sunlight; in precipitation as well as dry or humid conditions, etc.
Typical AEDs include a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen or panel, referred to generally herein as an LCD device. The LCD device may display a wide range of data to an operator during a resuscitation, including device status information, patient monitoring information, operator instructions and the like. The environmental conditions in which an AED must operate often effect adversely the ability of an operator to view clearly such information displayed on the LCD device. One environmental condition of particular relevance to the present application is ambient temperature.
Due to the above-noted storage, transportation and operating conditions, AEDs must be capable of performing reliably in a wide range of ambient temperatures that may be significantly greater than the temperature range that the LCD devices are designed to operate within, referred to herein as the normal or standard temperature range. For example, during a single use an AED may be transferred in a matter of minutes from a vehicle storage compartment wherein the ambient temperature exceeds 55xc2x0 C. to an indoor facility wherein the ambient temperature is less than 20xc2x0 C., at which immediate, reliable performance is required. In addition, use of the defibrillator in direct sunlight or in varying combinations of sunlight and shade may be required, all of which require data to be displayed with the appropriate contrast to enable the operator to view clearly the displayed data.
Unfortunately, many commonly available LCD devices exhibit poor or limited contrast characteristics when subject to high ambient temperatures, even those that are just slightly greater than the standard operating temperature. As a result, an operator of a defibrillator incorporating such an LCD device may be unable to visualize the displayed data when attempting to resuscitate a victim, or may have to relocate the victim to an environment in which the temperature is suitable for the LCD. Such delays only serve to decrease the likelihood of a successful resuscitation.
The present invention is directed to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device temperature compensation control system and associated methodologies. The invention controls the contrast voltage provided to the LCD device based on the ambient temperature of the LCD to enable the LCD to display data beyond the standard, manufacturer-specified operational temperature range or to improve the contrast when operating within the normal ambient temperature range.
Generally, the contrast ratio (luminance with all pixels white divided by luminance with all pixels black) of an LCD display depends primarily on ambient temperature. Generally, at a given ambient temperature an LCD device displays data with a range of contrast ratios in response to a range of corresponding contrast voltages provided to the LCD device. Beyond this standard contrast voltage/ambient temperature operational range the contrast ratio is approximately one; that is, all LCD device segments or regions (pixels) are either substantially white or substantially black. As noted, for certain implementing systems such as automatic and semi-automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), operating within this standard operating range may be insufficient to insure that the LCD device will display data with the requisite contrast in the anticipated operational environments.
The inventor has found that certain LCD devices can be controlled so that they contrast voltage/ambient temperature operational ranges. The first is the noted standard operating range. The second operational range in these LCD devices is separate and distinct from the standard operating range. The second operational range is effective for ambient temperatures that are greater than or equal to the high temperature region of the standard operating range. As such, this second operational range is referred to herein as the extended operating range. Thus, such an LCD device is controlled in accordance with two modes of operation: A standard operational mode and an extended operational mode. At normal ambient temperatures, the LCD device is controlled in accordance with the standard operational mode, the LCD device is controlled such that the relationship between the contrast voltage and ambient temperature is represented by the standard operating range. At ambient temperatures greater than or equal to those associated with the standard operating range, the LCD device is controlled in accordance with the extended operational mode. Here, application of a sufficient contrast voltage causes these certain LCD devices to improve the contrast of displayed data or to once again display previously non-visible data with a contrast ratio suitable to provide some visibility. Thus, the present invention takes advantage of the ability of the LCD device to operate in this second, extended operating range, controlling the contrast voltage supplied to the LCD device based on ambient temperature such that the LCD device operates within either the standard or extended operating range to achieve an optimum contrast ratio.
In connection with certain types of LCD devices, the present invention also adjusts the frame rate and/or data inversion state of the displayed data. With regard to frame rate, when subjected to higher ambient temperatures, the contrast of an LCD device improves with an increase in frame rate. Conversely, when subjected to lower ambient temperatures, the contrast of an LCD device degrades with an increase in frame rate. Aspects of the present invention select a frame rate based on the ambient temperature in which the device is being operated to further optimize the contrast of the displayed data. In one embodiment in which the above behavior is exhibited, the selected frame rate is controlled so as to correlate with changes in ambient temperature; that is, the frame rate is increased with an increase in ambient temperature, and is decreased with a decrease in ambient temperature.
With regard to data inversion state, LCDs commonly have two data inversion states: a normal display state in which black characters are presented on a white background, and an inverted display state in which white characters are displayed on a black background. The inventor has found that the liquid crystals in certain of the noted LCD devices behave unexpectedly when operating within the extended operating range. Specifically, the liquid crystals behave so as to invert the displayed data. To insure continuity of the display from the perspective of the operator, aspects of the present invention cause the inversion of the data provided to the LCD device under such conditions. This inverted data is then inverted again by the LCD device, resulting in a display of data having the same inversion state for the standard and extended operational modes.
A number of aspects of the invention are summarized below, along with different embodiments that may be implemented for each of the summarized aspects. It should be understood that the summarized embodiments are not necessarily inclusive or exclusive of each other and may be combined in any manner in connection with the same or different aspects that is non-conflicting and otherwise possible. These disclosed aspects of the invention, which are directed primarily to LCD contrast control systems and methodologies, are exemplary aspects only and are also to be considered non-limiting.
In one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for controlling a contrast voltage applied to an LCD device is disclosed. The contrast voltage is based on a current ambient temperature so as to cause data to be displayed on the LCD device with a contrast ratio that is associated with the applied contrast voltage and current ambient temperature. The applied contrast voltage is determined in accordance with a standard operating range and an extended operating range of ambient temperatures each of which having a corresponding range of contrast voltages. The applied contrast voltage is set in accordance with the standard operating range when the ambient temperature is below a first ambient temperature and is set in accordance with the extended operating range when the ambient temperature is greater than a second ambient temperature.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an LCD device temperature compensation control system is disclosed. The system controls a contrast voltage provided to an LCD device based on ambient temperature of the LCD device to cause the LCD device to display data with a visible contrast ratio beyond the normal, manufacturer-specified operational temperature range, or to improve the contrast of displayed data at upper regions of the normal temperature range.
In a still further aspect of the invention, a liquid crystal display device temperature compensation control system is disclosed. This system controls contrast control parameters including a contrast voltage applied to an LCD device; a frame rate with which data is provided to the LCD device for display; and an inversion state of the displayed data. The contrast control parameters are adjusted such that the LCD device displays data with a particular contrast ratio.
In a still further aspect of the present invention, a defibrillator is disclosed. The defibrillator includes an LCD device that displays data with a contrast ratio that is dependent upon ambient temperature and a received contrast voltage. The LCD device displays data with a contrast ratio of less than one for a standard contrast voltage/ambient temperature operational range and an extended contrast voltage/ambient temperature operational range effective for ambient temperatures that are greater than or equal to temperatures defining the standard operational mode. The defibrillator also includes a device that controls the contrast voltage supplied to the LCD device such that it operates within either the standard or extended operating ranges based on ambient temperature to achieve an optimum contrast ratio.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for controlling the contrast voltage supplied to an LCD device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of (1) monitoring ambient temperature of the LCD device; and (2) supplying a contrast voltage to the LCD device. The contrast voltage is associated with a selected one of either a standard operating range of ambient temperatures or an extended operating range of ambient temperatures greater than the standard operating range of ambient temperatures. The contrast voltage is determined based on current ambient temperature and a selected operational mode.
Various embodiments of the present invention provide certain advantages and overcome certain drawbacks of the conventional LCD devices and traditional techniques for controlling the contrast with which data is displayed on such devices. Not all embodiments of the invention share the same advantages and those that do may not share them under all circumstances. This being said, the present invention provides numerous advantages including the noted advantage of controlling an LCD device so as to achieve an optimum contrast ratio for a given ambient temperature and, in particular, enabling the LCD device to display data with sufficient contrast at temperatures that are greater than standard operating temperatures. These and other features and advantages of the present invention as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Liquid crystal display (LCD) contrast control system and method


A mobile communications network includes various entities, such as a mobile station, a radio network, and a packet data node. In one implementation, the mobile station is enabled for an always-on service. In response to detecting that the mobile station is an always-on mobile station, the packet-data node denies requests from the radio network to tear down a packet data session of the mobile station unless some predetermined criterion has been met.

A mobile communications network is typically made up of a plurality of cells. Each cell includes a radio base station, with each base station connected to a mobile switching center or a packet service node that manages communications sessions between mobile stations and terminals coupled to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) or a packet-based data network. Communications between mobile stations and base stations are performed over wireless links.
Traditional wireless protocols provide for circuit-switched communications. Such protocols include time-division multiple access (TDMA) protocols and code-division multiple access (CDMA) protocols. In a circuit-switched network, a channel portion between two endpoints (e.g., two mobile stations) is occupied for the duration of the connection between the endpoints.
However, with the wide availability of the Internet and intranets, packet-switched communications (e.g., web browsing, electronic mail, and so forth) have become more common. Generally, a circuit-switched connection is an inefficient technique for communicating packet data. As a result, third generation (3G) and beyond wireless technologies are being developed and implemented to provide higher bandwidth and more efficient packet-switched communications (of data as well as voice and other forms of real-time data) over wireless networks.
One example of a packet-switched wireless technology is defined by the CDMA 2000 family of standards, developed by the Third Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2). A CDMA 2000 wireless communications network is capable of supporting both circuit-switched services and packet-switched services. For TDMA, packet-switched wireless communications protocols have also been developed, such as the Enhanced General Packet Radio Service (EGPRS) protocol as defined by the 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) Release 1999 Standard, and others.
In packet-switched communications, packets that are sent across a data network are routed based on a source network address and a destination network address contained in each packet. In one example, packets sent over a packet-based data network are defined by the Internet Protocol (IP).
Once a packet data session is established between a mobile station and another end device, communications of packet data can occur between the mobile station and the other end device. Typically, in response to a teardown request, the packet data session is terminated. CDMA 2000 provides an always-on feature that is intended to maintain a subscriber's packet data session on a data network so that the mobile network does not initiate release of the subscriber's packet data session unless the mobile network determines that the subscriber is no longer reachable. However, an efficient messaging mechanism has not been provided to handle the release of an always-on mobile station.

Maintaining a communications session with a mobile station


Provided is a waveguide-type polarization beam splitter in which deterioration of a polarization extinction ratio due to temperature change and wavelength change is suppressed. A groove is formed to extend across a pair of optical waveguide arms and two quarter wave plates are provided in the groove to extend respectively across the arms. Polarization axes of the quarter wave plates are orthogonal to each other. A first optical coupler which gives a phase difference of 0° or 180° between coupled or split light beams and a second optical coupler which gives a phase difference of 90° or −90° between coupled or split light beams are used in combination.

Polarized and multiplexed optical signals are increasingly used for large-capacity optical communications and importance of polarization beam splitters for coupling and splitting polarized waves is increasing. Particularly, a waveguide-type polarization beam splitter is attracting attention because the waveguide-type polarization beam splitter can be integrated with other waveguide-type devices such as a coupler, a delayed interferometer, and an optical hybrid. The waveguide-type polarization beam splitter generally achieves a polarization wave coupling-splitting function as follows. A phase difference of π is provided between a TE polarization and a TM polarization in a configuration of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) and the phase difference of the TE polarization in the interferometer is set to 0 (or π) while the phase difference of the TM polarization in the interferometer is set to π (or 0).
FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional waveguide-type polarization beam splitter. The conventional waveguide-type polarization beam splitter includes input optical waveguides 101a, 101b, a first optical coupler 102, a pair of waveguide arms 103, a groove 104 provided to extend across the waveguide arms 103, quarter wave plates 105a, 105b of angles of 0° and 90° which are inserted in the groove 104, a second optical coupler 106, and output optical waveguides 107a, 107b (see Patent Literature 1). Since the wave plates inserted in the respective arms give the phase difference between the polarized waves in this method, a polarization beam splitter excellent in temperature characteristics can be achieved.

Waveguide-type polarization beam splitter

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


Refrigerant compressor installation comprising at least three compressors which are arranged in parallel between an intake conduit and a pressure conduit and which each comprise a lubricant sump unit, wherein the compressors, when in operation, work in such a way that the respective pressures in the respective lubricant sump units of the respective compressors form a pressure cascade according to which the compressors have a successively slightly decreasing pressure in the respective lubricant sump unit in a defined cascade sequence, and wherein the lubricant sump units are connected to each other in a manner corresponding to the cascade sequence by way of a lubricant conduit system for lubricant transport, and wherein each lubricant sump unit comprises a port to which is connected an insert element which on the one hand establishes communication with the lubricant conduit system and on the other hand is configured such that it predetermines, for the respective lubricant sump unit, a lubricant level from which lubricant is transported to the lubricant sump unit that follows next in the cascade sequence.

The invention relates to a refrigerant compressor installation comprising at least three compressors which are arranged in parallel between an intake conduit and a pressure conduit and which each comprise a lubricant sump unit.
There is a need in such refrigerant compressor installations to provide sufficient lubricant supply to all of the compressors.


A method is provided to measure an overall image quality score for a remote desktop on a first computer and accessed from a second computer. The method includes playing a video timestamp on the remote desktop at the first computer where the video timestamp includes unique timestamps, screen capturing first computer frames of the remote desktop at the first computer and second computer frames of the remote desktop at the second computer at the same time, determining a frame image quality score for each second computer frame by comparing the client screen to a corresponding baseline first computer frame, and determining the overall image quality score for the remote desktop from frame image quality scores of the second computer frames.

In a typical virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) architecture, displays and input devices are local, and applications execute remotely in a server. A user's desktop is typically hosted in a datacenter or cloud, and the user remotely interacts with her desktop via a variety of endpoint devices, including desktops, laptops, thin clients, smart phones, and tablets. There are many other instances where users may interact with a computer system remotely.

Frame image quality as display quality benchmark for remote desktop


A cover structure in a motor may include a rotor, a stator having a drive coil, a connector provided so that an engaging connector is engaged in a rotation shaft direction of the rotor, a main body cover covering outer peripheries of the stator and the connector and integrally formed with a connector cover, coil terminals extended from the stator to an outer side, connector terminals supported by a terminal support part integrally formed with the connector cover and are extended at a position offset from the coil terminals in the rotation shaft direction, and a wall part which is provided on a radially inner side of the terminal support part along the connector terminals. The wall part is located on an outer side in the radial direction with respect to the coil terminals, and a space is formed on a radially inner side of the wall part.

A stator structure of a motor has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-282479.
In this stator structure, a connector is provided on an outer side in a radial direction of a stator part and the connector is arranged in a direction so that an engaging connector is engaged with and disengaged from in an axial direction. The stator part includes drive coils and coil terminals with which end parts of the drive coils are connected, and the connector is provided with connector terminals disposed along the axial direction. The connector terminals and the coil terminals are connected with each other on an outer side of the stator part in the radial direction.
A main body case for covering an outer periphery of the stator part and its upper face is integrally provided with a connector cover for covering an outer periphery of the connector and, when the stator part is accommodated in the main body case, the connector is also accommodated in the connector cover.
Stress is acted on the connector when the connector and an engaging connector are to be engaged with and disengaged from each other. In the stator structure described in the above-mentioned Patent Literature, the connector and the connector cover are separately provided from each other. Therefore, in order to prevent the connector applied with the stress from being detached from the connector cover, a support structure (support member) for the connector is provided on an inner side of the connector cover to secure support strength for the connector in the connector cover.
In order to further enhance the support strength for the connector, it is conceivable that the support member for the connector described in the Patent Literature is integrally formed with the connector cover which is integrally formed with the main body case. However, in the case described in the Patent Literature, the coil terminals and the support member for the connector are provided in an overlapped relationship in position when viewed in an axial direction of the stator part and thus, in a case that the support member for the connector is integrally formed with the connector cover which is integrally formed with the main body case, when the stator part is to be assembled to the main body case, the coil terminals are interfered with the support member and the assembling is not performed.
In view of the problem described above, at least an embodiment of the present invention may advantageously provide a cover structure in a motor in which assembling work of the motor including a main body cover integrated with a connector cover is performed easily.


This invention relates to: a labeled amino acid that can be introduced into a protein with the aid of a protein synthesis system; a functional protein having functions derived from a label compound; a labeled amino acid comprising an aromatic ring bound to an amino acid side chain and a label compound bound thereto via the aromatic ring; a functional protein to which the labeled amino acid has been introduced; and a novel method for effectively obtaining a labeled amino acid-tRNA complex.

When a functional group is introduced to a surface of a protein, specific protein residues are generally subjected to chemical modification. This chemical modification is simple, and many specific residues can be advantageously modified at one time. On the contrary, a favorable outcome is hard to attain in respect of the reproducibility of the modification site and/or the regulation of the number of modifications. Because of the progress in recent genetic engineering, it has become possible to substitute amino acid residues in a protein. Modification of a protein synthesis system has enabled the introduction of a desired non-natural amino acid having an amino acid skeleton to a protein and the synthesis of a functional-group-carrying protein with high reproducibility.
In the process of protein synthesis, an amino acid is first bound to the 3′ end of tRNA and then transferred to a ribosome where protein synthesis takes place. At the ribosome, codons are translated into amino acids. Use of tRNA comprising a non-natural amino acid bound thereto enables the incorporation of the non-natural amino acid into a protein. P. G. Schuss et al. and A. R. Chamberlain et al. Have reported a method that utilizes a termination codon to incorporate a non-natural amino acid into a protein by allocating UAG termination codon as a genetic code for a non-natural amino acid (Science, 244, p. 182, 1989, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 111, p. 8013, 1989). In this method that utilizes a termination codon, however, two or more kinds of non-natural amino acids cannot be introduced to a protein molecule, and the yield is disadvantageously low.
Sisido et al. Have developed a method that utilizes a four-basecodon in which a codon is comprised of 4 bases. A four-base codon is inserted into a mRNA at the site where a non-natural amino acid is intended to be introduced, an anticodon site of tRNA is substituted with a corresponding four-base, and a non-natural amino acid is then bound thereto. When protein synthesis is conducted using the modified mRNA and the anticodon, in the ribosome, a four-base codon-anticodon pair is formed at the site substituted with a four-base codon of mRNA, and the non-natural amino acid that was bound to tRNA is incorporated into an elongating peptide chain. In contrast, at other sites, triplet (3 bases) is decoded and translated as usual, thus non-natural amino acids are only introduced to the sites designated with a four-base codon in the final protein. Reference can be made to Hohsaka T. et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 118, 9778-9779, 1996 and Hohsaka T. et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 121, 34-40, 1999 (these documents are cited in this description by reference).
Further, Hirao et al. have developed a protein synthesis system utilizing an artificial base pair (a method that utilizes an artificial base codon) (Hirao, I. et al., Nature Biotech., 20, 177-182, 2002).
In these techniques, a non-natural amino acid can be bound to tRNA by chemical aminoacylation in which a dinucleotide at the 3′ end of tRNA is deleted, and a dinucleotide comprising a non-natural amino acid bound thereto is bound with the aid of an RNA ligase instead of the former dinucleotide. Further, more than one non-natural amino acid can be simultaneously introduced to a protein by the method that utilizes a four-base codon and by the method that utilizes an artificial base codon.
Introduction of a non-natural amino acid to a protein has enabled not only the analysis of protein structures and functions but the production of artificial proteins with some type of artificially-added functions. With the use of non-natural amino acids comprising a variety of label substances bound to the amino acid skeletons, therefore, labeled proteins into which the label substances have been incorporated can be obtained. With the method in accordance with each type of label substance, the labeled protein can be detected and/or purified directly or indirectly by means of enzymatic chemical techniques or enzymatic immunochemical techniques when, for example, the label substance is an enzymatic substrate or antigenic substance. This can be utilized in a wide variety of applications in the technical fields associated with medical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, polymer chemistry, biochemistry, or the like.
It should be noted that a non-natural amino acid cannot be always introduced to a protein by merely binding to tRNA. A natural protein synthesis system has the admissibility of incorporating any of 20 types of naturally-occurring amino acids into a polypeptide chain, regardless of their types. Thus, a natural protein synthesis system is considered to have some degrees of admissibility for non-natural amino acids. However, an amino acid having a side chain with a bulky molecular structure such as 1-pyrenylalanine or ferrocenylalanine cannot be introduced to a protein through the natural protein synthesis system. In a natural protein synthesis system, the ribosome has two sites for incorporating tRNA. tRNA bound to a polypeptide is incorporated into one of them, and tRNA carrying an unreacted amino acid is incorporated into the other site. tRNA carrying a bulky amino acid, however, cannot be incorporated into the ribosome. Thus, tRNA carrying a bulky amino acid is deduced to be incapable of being incorporated into a protein.
Among label compounds, fluorescent substances have particularly high usefulness as labels for a protein. Further, a luminescent substance in the visible light range can be detected by a detector that is extensively and commonly used. Furthermore, a variety of highly sensitive detectors have already been developed and extensively used. These fluorescent substances are very useful as label compounds for labeling cells or the like since they are not affected by interferential actions caused by fluorescence emission in cells. When these fluorescent substances are used as label compounds for non-natural amino acids, however, it is difficult to introduce them to the proteins by a method that utilizes a protein synthesis system due to their large molecular weights. Compounds having a variety of functions, such as enzyme reactivity, antigenicity, protein binding property, or intermolecular interactivity, in addition to fluorescent and luminescent properties, are also useful as label compounds. The possibility of a label compound being introduced to a protein is disadvantageously limited by the method that utilizes a protein synthesis system due to its molecular weight. It is necessary to resolve this problem in the art.

Non-natural labeled amino acid and method of constructing amino acid/tRNA complex


A reproduction route composed of a still image section and a motion image section is recorded on a recordable DVD. A drive device (93) reads picture data from the DVD-RAM. An MPEG decoder (95) decodes and displays the read picture data. By referring to cell information, the judgment is performed as to whether the read picture data belongs to the still image section or the motion image data. If the read picture data belongs to the still image section, the next picture data is read out after a predetermined wait time.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reproduction apparatus that is capable of reproducing a plurality of sets of picture data recorded on an optical disc with being classified into motion image sections and still image sections. Also, the present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium that makes a computer execute reproduction processing.
(2) Background Art
Recordable DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs), such as a DVD-RAM (DVD Random Access Memory), DVD-R (Digital Video Disc-Recordable), DVD-R/W (DVD-Read/Write), and DVD+RW (DVD+ReWritable), are used as recording media for wide varieties of devices like video cameras and TV broadcast recorders. In some cases, motion images and still images together constitute one reproduction route. An example of such cases is when a recordable DVD is used as a recording medium for a video camera. Since only a limited number of DVDs can be carried with the video camera, the user wishes to record as many videos as possible onto one DVD. In recent years, some video cameras are capable of recording still images as well as motion images. With this kind of video camera, the user may try to make full use of the total recording time by recording a scene of a moving person as a motion image, and a scene of a motionless landscape as a still image. According to the DVD video recording standard that defines a DVD recording format, the still image and motion image recorded in this way are processed as one reproduction route, as if they are recorded on one video tape. This produces a reproduction route that includes both a motion image section and a still image section on the DVD.
The following describes how a conventional DVD reproduction apparatus reproduces such a reproduction route. A conventional DVD player is roughly composed of a read unit, an MPEG decoder, and a system control unit. The read unit accesses a recordable DVD to read picture data. The MPEG decoder decodes the read picture data. The system control unit receives a user operation and instructs the MPEG decoder to start decoding the picture data.
According to the DVD video recording standard, a still image is generally processed in units of still VOBs (Video OBjects). Each still VOB includes an I-picture (Intra Picture) that is intra-frame coded picture data, and a sequence end code.
The sequence end code indicates the end of the still VOB. Upon decoding the sequence end code, therefore, the MPEG decoder is provided in the DVD player freezes in a state of displaying the lastly decoded picture data. By inserting the sequence end code into each still VOB, the DVD player that is designed to play back motion images can also display still images.
However, the use of the sequence end code for displaying still images has the following disadvantage. Suppose a reproduction route alternately composed of a still image section and a motion image section is recorded onto a recordable DVD. Here, the motion image section is made up of motion VOBs and the still image section is made up of still VOBs. In this case, various special reproduction can be performed in the motion image section, whereas only such limited control that suspends reproduction after displaying each still image can be performed in the still image section. This causes inconsistency in reproducing the motion image section and the still image section.
Special reproduction typically includes rapid reproduction such as "forward scan" and "backward scan", and slow reproduction. When the user wishes to view a motion image section quickly, he or she instructs the DVD player to perform rapid reproduction. On the other hand, when the user wishes to take time viewing the motion image section, he or she instructs the DVD player to perform either normal reproduction or slow reproduction. For a motion image section, the DVD player can comply with the user's intension by accepting designation of such special reproduction. For a still image section, however, the reproduction is always to be suspended once decoding the sequence end code, regardless of the user designation of normal reproduction or special reproduction. This means that reproduction control to comply with the user intention is not at all performed in the still image section.
When the user intends to view the motion image section quickly by special reproduction, he or she designates a reproduction speed, so that the reproduction time of the motion image section is shortened in accordance with the designated speed. For the still image section, however, reproduction is suspended after displaying each still image, regardless of the designated reproduction speed. This may end up irritating the user.
When the still image section includes only a few still images, the user may stand this inconvenience. However, if the still image section includes as many as ten or twenty still images, suspension of the reproduction after displaying each still image will seriously undermine the user's impressions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Reproduction apparatus and computer reproduction method


A three-phase decanting centrifuge is provided. Solids are removed from a slurry in the centrifuge in the conventional manner, as described above. The liquid separated from the slurry moves into a fluids reservoir. Centrifugal action classifies the fluids, with lighter fluids (typically oil) radially closer to the axis of rotation of the machine, while the heavier fluids are radially farther from the axis, i.e. at the bottom of the reservoir. Lighter fluids flow out a plurality of overflow tubes. Heavier fluids flow through a plurality of ports into a heavy fluids reservoir to be skimmed out by a pair of radially actuatable skimmer tubes. The skimmer tubes are preferably automatically operated based on the light transmissivity of the lighter and heavier fluids discharged from the machine.

Three phase decanting centrifuges have been developed over the years to separate solids from a slurry and to separate liquid phases, such as for example oil and water. Such centrifuges are provided by such companies as FLottweg, Centrisys, and Alfa Laval. In a typical machine, as described by FLottweg, the slurry is fed through a fixed central pipe into a distributor located in the scroll of the centrifuge. The slurry to be treated is accelerated and passes through feed ports in the scroll to the bowl.
Separation of solids from the slurry takes place in the conical cylindrical bowl which rotates at a preset speed. The slurry rotates in the bowl at the design speed and forms concentric layers or solids and liquids around the inside of the bowl. The solids in the slurry are deposited against the bowl wall under the influence of centrifugal force.
The scroll rotates at a differential speed to that of the bowl and conveys the separated solids in the direction of the conical end of the scroll. The separated solids are then discharged through openings at the conical end of the bowl. The solids then enter a stationary solids housing and are discharged down an outlet chute.
While the liquid is being clarified (i.e. having the solids removed therefrom), it flows to the cylindrical end of the bowl and overflows adjustable weir plates which determine the depth of the pond. The clarified liquid is decanted into a fixed centrate chamber where two liquid phases with different specific gravities may be separated. The two liquids (e.g. oil and water) are separated in the liquid zone (two phase) and decanted through separate discharge systems to prevent cross-contamination. An adjustable paring disc provides a pressure discharge for the heavier (water) phase. If the density difference or the quantity of the two phases changes, the paring disc allows the interface between the two liquid phases to be optimally adjusted during operation to ensure maximum purity of the liquid phases.
Unfortunately, the paring disk must be adjusted by hand while monitoring the quality of the discharge. As the mix of solids and phases of liquids changes over time, an operator must recognize the changing quality of liquids at the discharges and adjust the paring disc accordingly. With rapidly changing slurry, the operator must remain dedicated to the machine, and is not free to perform other duties.
Thus, there remains a need for a three phase decanting centrifuge which can adapt to a changing mix or recipe of a slurry and maintain a desirable separation of liquid.


A developing roller (1) includes a highly conductive shaft (2) and a conductive elastic layer (3). When the developing roller carring a one-component developer thereon comes in contact with or in proximity to an image forming body, the developer is supplied from the roller to a surface of the image forming body, thereby forming a visible image on the image forming body surface. The elastic layer (3) has applied to its surface a resin component having an elongation at rupture of less than 10% as measured according to JIS K7113. The developing roller ensures that images of high quality are reproduced without a drop of image density over a long period of time.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a developing roller for use in electrophotographic and electrostatic recording machines such as copiers and printers for supplying a one-component developer to an image forming body for forming a visible image on the surface of the image forming body. More particularly, it relates to a developing roller which is durable so that acceptable images can be reproduced without a drop of image density over a long period of time. It also relates to a developing apparatus using the same developing roller.
2. Prior Art
In conjunction with prior art electrophotographic and electrostatic recording machines such as copiers and printers, one typical developing method is an impression developing method as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,152,012 and 3,731,146. This developing method visualizes electrostatic latent images by supplying a one-component developer to a photoconductor drum bearing a latent image, thereby adhering the developer to the latent image. Since the impression developing method eliminates a need for magnetic material, the apparatus can be simple and compact and color toner can be used.
More particularly, the impression developing method is printed by bringing a developing roller carrying a toner, typically non-magnetic one-component developer in contact with a latent image holder or photoconductor drum bearing an electrostatic latent image, thereby adhering the toner to the latent image. The developing roller must be formed of an elastic material having electrical conductivity.
Referring to FIG. 2, the impression developing method is briefly described. A developing roller 1 is placed between a toner feed roller 4 for feeding a toner 6 and a photoconductor drum 5 having an electrostatic latent image borne thereon. Upon rotation of the developing roller 1, photoconductor drum 5, and toner feed roller 4 in the directions shown by arrows, the toner 6 is fed from the feed roller 5 onto the surface of the developing roller 1 and regulated into a uniform thin layer by a doctor blade 7. The thin layer of toner is then delivered from the developing roller 1 to the photoconductor drum 5 to adhere to the latent image whereby the latent image is developed into a visible toner image. The toner image is finally transferred from the photoconductor drum 5 to a recording medium, typically paper in a transfer section 8. Also included in the device is a cleaning section 9 having a cleaning blade 10 for scraping off the toner left on the photoconductor drum 5 after the transfer step.
During rotation, the developing roller 1 must maintain close contact with the photoconductor drum 5. The conventional developing roller 1 is of a structure having a conductive elastic layer 3 around a shaft 2 as shown in FIG. 1. The shaft 2 is of a highly conductive material, typically metal. The conductive elastic layer 3 is formed of a conductive elastomer in the form of an elastic rubber such as silicone rubber, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR), and ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM) or a sponge such as urethane foam, with a suitable conductive agent being blended therein.
However, prior art developing rollers had the following problems resulting from the properties of elastic layers used therein. (1) Where the elastic layer of the developing roller is formed of an elastic rubber such as silicone rubber, NBR and EPDM having a low hardness enough to achieve tight contact, oil components contained in the rubber bleed out to the roller surface, which becomes sticky to the toner. This can cause a drop of image density after a long period of operation. (2) Where a spongy body such as urethane foam is used to form the elastic layer, toner can penetrate into pores in the elastic layer. As the penetrating toner accumulates from long-term use, the roller becomes harder and electrical charging of toner becomes inefficient, resulting in a drop of image density.
The latent image holder can be a belt instead of the drum. Another image forming system is known wherein toner is directly delivered from a developing roller to a recording medium in the form of a sheet of plain paper, OHP film and photographic paper. In these systems, the same developing roller can be used and the same problems will occur as in the aforementioned system.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a developing roller which ensures that images of quality are reproduced without a drop of image density over a long period of time. Another object of the present invention is to provide a developing apparatus using such a developing roller.


An oscillating section 110 comprised of feedback inverter INV1 and a feedback resistor R2, and a waveform shaping section 120 including a Schmitt circuit S1 of which transistors P3 and N3 respectively receive, as gate control signals, signals Gp3 and Gn3 generated by a stable-oscillation signal A1 and logic elements AND1, OR1 and INV3, respectively, and the supply of power to the waveform shaping section 120 is performed through a low pass filter 111 comprised of a resistor R1 and a capacitor C1 and thus a high potential power source VDD is supplied to the waveform shaping section 120 as a high potential power source VDDX.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to semiconductor integrated circuits, and more particularly to a semiconductor integrated circuit containing an oscillator and reducing Electro-Magnetic interference (hereinafter, abbreviated to EMI) noise produced by the oscillator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known, smaller sets of electrical equipment are introduced because of the recent technical trend of module integration that is proceeding in the automotive electrical equipment industry. This leads to an increasing demand for reducing EMI noise in FM band/keyless band (Rf band) of the individual semiconductor integrated circuits (semiconductor devices) installed in the set, which is also well known.
It is also well known that a variety of factors are responsible for EMI noise of such semiconductor integrated circuits.
EMI noise caused by an oscillator integrated in the above described semiconductor integrated circuit is always emitted in almost all the operating modes thereof except when the oscillator is in a standby mode to be stopped. Therefore, the reduction of noise caused by the oscillator is one of the challenges for the reduction of EMI noise.
A semiconductor integrated circuit containing such a conventional oscillator is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 02-228106.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a semiconductor integrated circuit containing a conventional oscillator. In a semiconductor integrated circuit 900 containing a conventional oscillator, an output A1 from an oscillating section 910 is input to a waveform shaping section 920 including a Schmitt circuit S8, and an output signal 925 is output via an output buffer BUF 5.
The Schmitt circuit S8 is inserted for the purpose of blocking noise superimposed on output from the oscillating section 910, and it serves to increase Electro-Magnetic susceptibility (hereinafter, abbreviated to EMS) characteristic. In addition to this, specifically in the course of oscillation growth from the start of oscillation, the Schmitt circuit serves to reduce EMI noise caused by through-current by eliminating changes in its state in the case in which the output A1 from the key oscillating section 910 is at the intermediate potential.
FIG. 2 shows the results of Fast Fourier transform (hereinafter, abbreviated to FFT) analyses of an oscillation power-source current Ivddosc flowing through the oscillation circuit and a waveform-shaping section power-source current Ivdd flowing through the waveform shaping section including the Schmitt circuit when the semiconductor integrated circuit containing the conventional oscillator shown in FIG. 1 is in stable oscillation.
Also, FIG. 3 shows current waveforms at that time. In the conventional oscillator, the oscillation power-source current Ivddosc flowing through the oscillation circuit in stable oscillation has a peak at the oscillation frequency of a point P, and the spectra fall downward with increasing frequency.
This is because a current flowing through a feedback inverter within the oscillating section changes smoothly as shown in the oscillation power-source current Ivddosc of FIG. 3, due to the fact that the output A1 of the key oscillating section exhibits a waveform close to a sine wave, wherein the current flowing through the feedback inverter is caused by through-current and charging current into capacitance including internal and external parasitic capacitance. In contrast to this, although the waveform-shaping section power-source current Ivdd has a lower spectrum in the vicinity of the point P, its spectra does not fall in strength to the high frequency region, exhibiting a spectrum distribution that is nearly white.
In the Schmitt circuit S8, transistor element P13 and N13 are constantly switched according to feedback signals, and their through-current also complicatedly change with changes in gm of the transistor elements. Because a signal with a rectangular waveform shaped by the Schmitt circuit S8 is input to the output buffer (BUF5) connected to the following stage, the through-current of the buffer becomes steep. Therefore, the waveform-shaping section power-source current Ivdd flowing through the waveform shaping section becomes steep and complicated, as shown in the waveform-shaping section power-source current Ivdd of FIG. 3, and thus its spectra spreads to the high frequency region.
Also, semiconductor integrated circuits containing the conventional oscillator as described above are further disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 02-174248 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-145727.
However, the conventional prior art has a problem that the insertion of the Schmitt circuit contrary increases EMI noise due to the following reasons.
In other words, there is a problem in which the insertion of the Schmitt circuit deteriorates EMI characteristics in the high frequency region because of an increased through-current induced by the adding of transistor element itself and the complicated current characteristics of the Schmitt circuit.
Further, as measures against EMI, a typical, known method is to insert a pass capacitor near a noise source. However, in the case of the oscillator, there is also a problem that insertion of a pass capacitor in the vicinity of the oscillator, is not so effective for the reduction of noise produced by the waveform shaping section including the Schmitt circuit since the capacitor is mostly used for charging and discharging of the feedback inverter within the oscillating section, as shown for the oscillation power-source current Ivddosc in FIG. 3.


This invention is a tool for computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacturing forming a Project Management System, comprising: (1) a Component Database; (2) a Component Data Management System; (3) a Design and Manufacturing System; (4) an Assembly Drawing Generator; (5) a Bill of Materials Generator; and, (7) a Project Database. The Project Manager tracks the process and actions, recording and supervising version and change order compliance and task completion, from the start through verification of a production-ready finished version. Each project uses a master workbench. On it design specifications are entered for each subassembly element and connector. Then the user consults the Component Database using a Search and Cross Reference engine for components meeting those design specifications, until a constraint-satisfying design is completed. The tool generates a Bill of Materials, Assembly Drawings, and process records for the project in process.

In the past score of years Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) tools have been created; some for particular manufactured components (such as a computer chip), some for complex components which incorporate sub-assemblies of electrical components (such as printed circuit boards, computer motherboards or power supplies), and some for discrete pin-to-pin interconnections between separate electrical component circuits. Extremely powerful and elaborate tools have also been created for individual semiconductor-based, integrated-circuit chips' logic circuit design, layout, and manufacturing; similarly, powerful, three-dimensional visualization, rendering, and supportive tools for designing complex-shaped mechanical parts and assemblies have been created. Companies now focus on increasing the density and complexity of particular manufactured components to increase the value-added aspect of their business.
Most of these tools, if not all, have focused on either the logical/electrical aspect, or on the physical/analog aspect, of their subject matter. Most tools in the prior art have focused on particular components rather than the entirety of an assemblage; and most have focused on support for designing from scratch, rather than building from already-available, 'off-the-shelf' manufacturers' products and components.
Over the same time, manufacturers have created many different components. For example, consider the class comprising connectors which are used to link together electronic and mechanical components into a completed product. In the computer field alone there are connectors for parallel, serial, Ethernet, FireWire, SCSI, USB, DIN-9, DIN-25, and other possible connection standards, with each of these connection-standard categories further subdividing into connectors with differing lengths, pin assignments and layouts, resistances, shielding, and other properties, all on the market.
Connection is an essential part of any complex assemblage process, including and more particularly electromechanical assemblies and electronic devices (which hereafter will be referred to as "Hardware Electrical Systems", or "HES"). For each such HES, a multiplicity of connectors bridge and connect the subordinate, disparate component parts and sub-assemblies into a greater whole. But as the density and complexity of incorporated components increase, so, too, does the complexity of their interconnections—and thus the complexity of the connectors which are required to bring them together, so that each whole HES becomes more than just an agglomeration of the parts. What used to be accomplished with simple 16-gauge wires hand-soldered into place now requires complex connectors; and what could be done with simple line drawings now requires systemic design responsive to the precise environment throughout the entirety of the physical, finished product. Connector design, alone, has become its own subordinate engineering specialty!
But connectors are only a part of the greater problem of integrating electrical and mechanical system design. ('Mechanical', in this sense, addresses the physical but non-electrical aspects such as dimensionality, temperature tolerance, strain/stress/flexibility, color, or other characteristics of a component. And non-electrical is meant to exclude only the intentionally electrical aspects of a component, i.e. those aspects affecting the electrical functioning by design as opposed to mishap.) For most 'hardware', in these days of increasingly pervasive electronics, both electrical and mechanical design aspects must be considered and resolved. This is universally true for any HES.
For any HES, both the electrical and mechanical aspects must interoperate, and both the logical and physical details must be correct. All the specific details from count, pin assignment, pin placement, pin resistance, cable length, cable flexibility, cable diameter, to each component's physical, electrical, and logical specifications—all these must be integrated in the real world, or a device will not function (at worst) or will contain unsuspected flaws or weaknesses. All these concerns must also increasingly be integrated in the symbolic design world, when a new product is proposed or considered; and success and efficiency in such is required to move from conception to design to manufacturing to market. Moreover, as companies increasingly strive to produce multiple products and manage these products' lifecycles (design, stocking, inventory, engineering change orders ("ECO") responsive to customers' requests, version tracking), the need for supportive tools to manage the process effectively has increased.
It should be reasonably understood that any particular HES may be considered at the top level of granularity to be a single product. That product is comprised of a set of components, and both the nature of interaction and interconnection (physical and electrical) amongst the members of the set of components, and the particulars of each member's composition, must be tracked. Each member of this set of components can be viewed in turn as a sub-assembly to the entire product, comprising in its turn a set of parts and interconnections. This recursive evaluation can arbitrarily bottom out at the level where the designer of the top-level product decides it is more efficient to treat an assembly as an atomistic element or part which is more efficient to obtain as defined from an external support.
For example, one manufacturer, with less sophisticated personnel, may simply put a computer together from the motherboard, power source, cabling, shell, drive(s), peripheral-support secondary components, and superficial styling components, using nothing more complex than solder, screwdriver, and sweat. A second manufacturer may want to provide a more specialized, or at least more particularized, computer by incorporating a drive which it manufactures itself to obtain an advantage in performance, cost, or quality. A third may wish to put together its own motherboards, using a varying chipset and PCB selection depending on market availability. The first manufacturer will consider its computer to be the project, and every one of the subordinate components to be an 'atom' which it conjoins. The second manufacturer will also consider its computer to be the project, but will have a sub-project (or sub-assembly) for the in-house drive component. The third computer will also consider its computer to be the project, but its drive will be atomistic, while the motherboard will be a sub-assembly. Each manufacturer will want to focus its limited-resource of skilled design engineer and design management time and attention differently; none will want to bear the burden of tracking and entering excess particularity.
To keep up with the continually increasing flow of innovations, choices, and changes, while decreasing their own costs, manufacturers increasingly must reduce the cost of labor used in designing, not just manufacturing, their products. For cost reasons, most manufacturers, particularly end-product, more particularly mass-market consumer product, and most particularly consumer electronic product manufacturers, would prefer to use standardized and pre-existing components (each one representing a solution) from established vendors, over reinventing and manufacturing every component in each subassembly from scratch. This approach also greatly facilitates coordination of manufacturing over multiple products, including multiple product versions and multiple product lines.
In the existing state of the art, both Product Lifecycle Management ("PLM") and HES design for manufacturability take place in a manual, error-prone environment. Currently the design and production engineers must collect an enormous variety and quantity of information. They must gather all the relevant details from manufacturers of the subcomponents, a time-consuming process in itself; compare and contrast amongst various candidate components and each against the design specification's constraints; and, generally, conduct a search and comparison effort for parts availability and suitability using improvised tools, memory, and both on-line and off-line catalogs. These tasks are made more difficult by the fact that some manufacturers, to prevent ready comparison, pointedly differentiate the amount and nature of the details they publish about their components; there is no global standard.
Companies need tools that support more than just the design of each HES (and its subordinate components, sub-assemblies, and sub-components). Once an HES is designed, supporting documentation for the manufacturing process must be completed, and the integrated purchase and inventory control must be supported. In order to obtain the best possible efficiency, any PLM-supportive, CAD-CAM tool for interoperative electrical and mechanical design must also integrate with existing company-wide engineering, manufacturing, and purchasing processes which are used for the subordinate assemblies that the connectors link together. There is a definite need for a tool supporting and enabling higher levels of integration, automation, and adaptation of solutions across disciplines and particular specific assemblies that make the job of designing and engineering electrical hardware systems, and managing the associated data, faster and more efficient. Furthermore, as more and more complex assemblages are being envisioned and designed, there is a need for a tool that turns 'design and systems integration' into real-world manufacturing results. The re-use of as many component parts, and the ability to convert vendor economies (such as volume discounts or special trade considerations favoring one particular vendor) requires a tool and approach that considers more than theoretical and engineering constraints.
For example, the design of a connector from one component (a power source) to a second (a motherboard) may involve the following steps: (1) specifying the electrical input constraints for the PCB assembly, i.e. the motherboard; (2) selecting the connector type (for the link from the power source); (3) determining the first end of the connector's gender (to the power source); (4) delving through manufacturers' catalogs and websites to find a manufacturing part number for that connector; (5) repeating step 4, but this time to find out the supplemental details such as the backshell, tolerances, pricing and availability; (6) selecting the connector's cable and shell material; (7) repeating steps 2–5 for the other end (the one linking to the motherboard; (8) checking for logical and electrical connectivity against both ends' constraints; (9) producing the assembly drawing for the design; (10) producing the Bill of Materials for the design; and, finally, (11) updating ECO and document control and versioning records—and then the design can be turned over to the manufacturing process.
This process, with appropriate variations, would be repeated for each HES and its internal assemblage of components, and for all sub-assemblies and sub-components, recursively until the bottom-level components are reached. A manufacturer wishing to be flexible will not want a tool that forces a designer to accept a uniform level for what constitutes an 'atom' for a particular HES design; what is needed is one where the granularity of what is 'atomistic' may range from an entire sub-assembly (e.g. a power source, incorporating a transformer, plug, in-board connections, and even cooling fan and heat-sink) through a complex but standard IC (or 'Integrated Circuit', each of which comprises a subassembly of multiple transistors, gates, resistors, and other subordinate electrical circuits), to a single but internally complex element (e.g. a coaxial cable, with its outer and inner shielding, cladding, conductive and core elements).
Going back to an earlier example, lets the gap in the prior art be shown. Connectors are used in every possible system of electromechanical equipment available on the market in every industry worldwide, yet have not had their design and manufacturing process automated; for the industry either has focused on the needs of the particular specific parts, or has considered connectors to be 'solved' technology and ignored the need for automation and integration with other CAD-CAM systems and processes. Industries that design, manufacture, or use connectors include the computer, electronic, telecommunication, optical, medical, biotech, industrial equipment, automotive, aircraft, oil, chemical, and plumbing industries; in fact, they may be extended to any industry where the need is for tools that can support designs and manufacturing processes that focus on the physical, logical, and economic flow path of information, control, and content for materials. Electrical and mechanical assemblies are even more widespread. Yet the tools, as described above, have generally limited themselves to one discipline, one approach, or the second. Generally, the focus of the engineering and design 'smarts' has been on providing tools that only support efforts involved in the design for feasibility, rather than on manufacturability; let alone on adaptation within and without the company during a product's lifecycle. Part of the problem has been the absence of universal, standardized, specification requirements across both electrical and mechanical domains. One manufacturer may simple list a part's plating as being 'gold'; a second as being 'gold, 15 mm' and a third not at all—while all three use the same classification and name for that part, creating an illusion of identicality, and complicating tremendously comparison amongst manufacturers. Furthermore, there has been no uniform requirement for specificity, which has allowed a tremendous concealed variation to develop.
Even today engineering and manufacturing firms continue to incur high costs and time associated with HES designs, including the subset of connector designs, when transitioning from 'napkin' to 'manufacturable' design for anything using 'on the shelf' or pre-existing components. This is partly because this element of engineering has long been viewed as in essence a readily solvable problem, an application of 'cookbook' engineering. So hardware and electrical system design (as opposed to particular component design) remains largely a manual and multidisciplinary process, where designers and engineers are given the specifications (determined by the HES functionality) and then asked to use the information from many vendors to come up with the 'cookbook' solutions. Highly skilled and costly engineers then engage in a manual and time-consuming process using their memories, paper, whiteboards, spreadsheets, the Internet, and piles of vendor catalogs to first produce and organize a design, then to manually produce assembly drawings and bills of materials, and finally (as production shifts into gear) to process numerous engineering change orders as physical constraints, subcomponent dimensions, logical interconnections, physical layering for manufacturability, and other real-world constraints shift and change. This may be cookbook engineering, but it is a cookbook where neither the FDA nor any 'consumer watch' organization has been able to establish a universal weights, measures, qualities, and—most importantly—descriptive terminology, to which the suppliers must adhere. There is a great difference between #12 durum wheat flour, and potato flour; there is even more difference between a DIN-15 hi-lo and DIN-15 lo-hi connector end (before considering whether they are screw-attached, clamp-fixed, shielded, unshielded, etc. etc. etc.).
There also are enormous inefficiencies associated with hardware and electrical systems design and the integration into the entire manufacturing process for any complex system. The current process has great potential for errors arising from unchecked and mistaken assumptions, from data entry mistakes, or from undocumented, prior design determinations that conflict with new manufacturing requirements. There are also significant constraints on the engineers' ability to find and integrate existing design or vendor information within any company which limit the re-use of already-extant solutions. And there is no automatic or ensured coordination with other enterprise information that, properly, should influence design choices, as such enterprise information should guide the product through its lifecycle management. (For example, dropping a formerly-related vendor may set off a chain of redesign to switch 'equivalent but not identical' subcomponents whose pricing or availability may be dramatically altered. Or a previously-unconsidered constraint (e.g. temperature range stability) may mean the substitution of one subcomponent for another, to allow minimization of separate vendors over multiple product lines.
One problem that has arisen in the rapidly-expanding and changing manufacturing world: non-end-product manufacturers, who sell components to other manufacturers, often want to 'lock in' their existing customers through information and design manipulation, rather than depend solely upon the harder-to-guarantee pure price advantage. These manufacturers recognize that every specific detail for any aspect of a particular component which need not match an externally-specified standard or constraint (whether such be color, temperature tolerance range, physical dimension limit, component material, pin assignment, voltage drop over time, etc. etc.), might not be readily discoverable, or might subject to change. These non-end-product manufacturers may wish to create or sustain an appearance of differentiation, hoping that the 'FUD factor' (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) will keep existing customers from shifting their purchases based on a minor cost savings—because their customers cannot be certain that the new supplier's purportedly similar component will prove to be functionally equivalent. They are also depending on the reality of engineering inertia: once a component has been examined and fully evaluated by a customer, and used, it will be preferred as it represents a 'known quality', over an as-yet unexamined and only partially-confirmable 'similar' product from a competitor. For no one engineer can keep abreast of, and test, all the existing components and establish the requisite knowledge base to permit, in the light of only partial manufacturers' documentation, when "true" and when "incomplete" equivalence actually exists. One important limitation to design and manufacturing assistance programs has been the reluctance of manufacturers to provide a universal, standard description for all of their components; instead, there is a continual drive for differentiation for marketing advantage. Complexity, in this area, is the friend to the provider, not to the consumer of his products—even when the 'consumer' is a higher-level manufacturer. Because once a product becomes generic, its only remaining competitive arenas are price and availability.

PLM-supportive CAD-CAM tool for interoperative electrical and mechanical design for hardware electrical systems


A resilient structure having a fiber batt with coil springs disposed therein and respective coil spring paths. Each of the coil spring paths extending from a respective coil spring and having a profile similar to a cross-sectional profile of the respective coil spring taken in a plane parallel to a length of the coil spring. A method is also provided for heating the coil springs and inserting the coil springs into a side wall of the fiber batt to produce the coil spring paths that have a profile similar to a cross-sectional profile of the respective coil spring taken in a plane parallel to a length of the coil spring.

Non-woven fiber batt has a demonstrated usefulness in a wide variety of applications. This material has been used in manufacturing scouring pads, filters, and the like, but is particularly useful as a filler material in various personal comfort items such as stuffing in furniture, mattresses and pillows, and as a filler and insulation in comforters and other coverings. One of the inherent characteristics of fiber batt is its cushioning ability due to the large amount of air space held within the batt material. The air space defined within the fiber batt acts as a thermal insulation layer, and its ready displaceability allows support in furniture, mattresses and pillows.
Typically, the fiber batt is produced from a physical mixture of various polymeric fibers. The methods for manufacturing the batt are well known to those skilled in the art. Generally, this method comprises reducing a fiber bale to its individual separated fibers via a picker, which "fluffs" the fibers. The picked fibers are homogeneously mixed with other separated fibers to create a matrix which has a very low density. A garnet machine then cards the fiber mixture into layers to achieve the desired weight and/or density. Density may be further increased by piercing the matrix with a plurality of needles to drive a portion of the retained air therefrom.
A resilient structure such as a seat, a furniture back or a sleeping surface must be able to support a given load, yet have sufficient resilience, or give, to provide a degree of comfort. For these structures, a heat bonded, low melt fiber batt may be used to form an inner core, or as a covering. To provide the necessary support, a certain fiber density must be built into the fiber batt. If the fiber density is too high, the seat cushion or mattress will have sufficient rigidity but it will be too firm. If the fiber mass is less dense, it will be more comfortable. However, it will not be as durable and will be more susceptible to flattening out after use. Thus, while fiber batting has a number of well-recognized advantages, it is difficult to achieve a high degree of structural support and/or comfort for a resilient structure with a covering or core made from a heat bonded low melt fiber batt.
To minimize these limitations, it is common to combine a fiber batt with an interconnected wire lattice. For instance, mattresses often include a wire lattice sandwiched between two layers of fiber batting. The wire lattice provides a high degree of structural rigidity. Resiliency can be built into the wire lattice by including coil or leaf springs at various locations. To do this, the lattice may include a plurality of internal coils interconnected by border wire and anchoring springs. While a resilient structure with an interconnected wire lattice of this type has many desirable features, it requires a relatively large quantity of steel. Moreover, its manufacture and construction also requires relatively complex machinery to form and interconnect the steel. The overall cost of a typical resilient mattress of this type reflects the relatively high quantity of steel used to make the support lattice and the complexity of the required machinery.
An alternative construction is known which does not have the disadvantages of the above wire lattice. With the alternative construction, a heat bonded, low melt, fiber batt is initially formed. Thereafter, heated coil springs are screwed through the thickness of the heat bonded, low melt, fiber batt at predetermined positions. The heated coil springs melt some or all of the immediately surrounding low melt fibers. As the melted fibers resolidify or cure, they interlock with the coil springs to hold and encapsulate the coil springs in place within the fiber batt. The fiber batt may be compressed after insertion of the springs, or while the springs are still hot, and until curing is completed.
If the coil springs are unknotted and have a constant diameter throughout their length, threading the coils through the thickness of the fiber batt from a top or bottom surface presents minimal breakage and disruption to the fiber strands. Each successive turn travels along substantially the same path as a prior turn, so that fiber strand damage in the fiber batt is minimal. However, as the heated coil spring is threaded through the fiber batt, the leading turn of the coil spring quickly cools and will cool below the melt temperature of the fiber strands before it is threaded completely through the thickness of the fiber batt. In that event, fiber strands resolidify on the cooled coil; and as the threaded insertion of the coil continues, the solidified fiber strands thereon tear away from their adjacent fiber strands. That process diminishes the integrity of the fiber batt at the location of the tear, and further, any fiber strand tearing prohibits the coil spring from interlocking with its immediately surrounding fiber strands.
The known coil threading process has another significant disadvantage. In some applications, it is desirable to use coil springs having turns of different diameters over the length of the coil spring. However, as the variable diameter coil spring is threaded through the thickness of the fiber batt, a smaller diameter turn cannot travel along the same path as a larger diameter turn. Therefore, variable diameter coil springs cannot practically be threaded through the thickness of the fiber batt.
In other applications, it may be desirable to use coil springs in which the ends of a coil are knotted to the end turns. With such a coil, threading of the coil through the fiber batt is not possible. Therefore, for all practical purposes, knotted coil springs cannot be used.
It is also known to cut a plurality of intersecting slit patterns in the fiber batt, from one side thereof. Preferably, each intersecting slit pattern has two slits which define a cross shape. The springs are then inserted into the slit patterns until the endmost turns of the springs lie flush with or slightly above the top and bottom surfaces of the batt. Preferably, variable diameter, knotted type springs are used, and the wedge-shaped segments of fiber batt created by the cross-shaped slits fill in between the turns of each spring to interlock the spring in the batt without the necessity of heating and cooling the batt and/or spring. However, heat and compression and/or heating, cooling and compression may be applied to the fiber batt, as described previously, before or after the additional layers are placed on the batt.
The above described embodiment of inserting a coil spring into a slit in the fiber batt also has disadvantages. First, cutting slits through the thickness of the fiber batt cuts a substantial number of fiber strands through the thickness; and as described above, substantially weakens the resiliency and load carrying capability of the fiber batt. The process of slitting the fiber batt requires extra tooling and a processing station as part of the manufacturing process. That tooling and processing station also requires maintenance; and therefore, they add significant cost to the manufacturing process.
Thus, the known processes of threading a coil spring through a fiber batt and slitting a fiber batt for coil insertion have significant limitations and disadvantages. Therefore, there is a need to provide a resilient structure in which coil springs are inserted into a fiber batt without the above disadvantages.

Method of making resilient structure including inserting heated coil spring through side surface of fiber batt


A system and method for driver-initiation of regeneration of a diesel particulate filter using a service brake pedal in a motor vehicle to reduce the risk that the vehicle will become unattended during on-going regeneration.

A known system for treating exhaust gas passing through an exhaust system of a diesel engine comprises a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) associated with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). The combination of these two exhaust gas treatment devices promotes chemical reactions in exhaust gas and traps diesel particulate matter (DPM) as exhaust flows through the exhaust system from the engine, thereby preventing significant amounts of pollutants such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, soot, SOF, and ash, from entering the atmosphere.
A DPF requires regeneration from time to time in order to maintain particulate trapping efficiency. Regeneration involves the presence of conditions that will burn off trapped particulates whose unchecked accumulation would otherwise impair DPF effectiveness. While "regeneration" refers to the general process of burning off DPM, two particular types of regeneration are recognized by those familiar with the regeneration technology as presently being applied to motor vehicle engines.
"Passive regeneration" is generally understood to mean regeneration that can occur anytime that the engine is operating under conditions that burn off DPM without initiating a specific regeneration strategy embodied by algorithms in an engine control system. "Active regeneration" is generally understood to mean regeneration that is initiated intentionally. either by the engine control system on its own initiative or by the driver causing the engine control system to initiate a programmed regeneration strategy, with the goal of elevating temperature of exhaust gases entering the DPF to a range suitable for initiating and maintaining burning of trapped particulates.
Active regeneration may be initiated even before a DPF becomes loaded with DPM to an extent where regeneration would be mandated by the engine control system on its own. When DPM loading beyond that extent is indicated to the engine control system, the control system forces active regeneration, and that is sometimes referred to simply as a forced regeneration.
The creation of conditions for initiating and continuing active regeneration, whether forced or not, generally involves elevating the temperature of exhaust gas entering the DPF to a suitably high temperature. Because a diesel engine typically runs relatively cool and lean, the post-injection of diesel fuel is one technique used as part of a regeneration strategy to elevate exhaust gas temperatures entering the DPF while still leaving excess oxygen for burning the trapped particulate matter. Post-injection may be used in conjunction with other procedures and/or devices for elevating exhaust gas temperature to the relatively high temperatures needed for active DPF regeneration.
When a vehicle is being operated in a way conducive to active DPF regeneration, such as cruising on a highway, the regeneration process may be conducted with little or no significant effect on vehicle driveability and may be initiated either by the driver or else automatically by a regeneration initiation strategy, possibly even before the DPF becomes loaded with DPM to an extent where forced regeneration would be mandated by the engine control system. The elevated temperature of tailpipe exhaust is typically not a concern on the open road.
However, when a vehicle is parked with the engine running, regeneration may be inappropriate for the surrounding environment due to the elevated temperature of exhaust coming out of the tailpipe. Yet the after-treatment device may at times need regeneration in just such a situation.

System and method for driver-initiated regeneration of a diesel particulate filter while a motor vehicle is parked

International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC


A security brace for impeding forced entry into a room through an entry door. The brace comprises a plurality of elongated pole members with foot members secured at a first end of the pole member, and a block member operatively coupled to a second end of the pole members. The block member has a top planar surface with a yoke projecting upward from the top planar surface. The yoke is adapted to receive the shaft of a door knob lock set. When an uninvited intruder applies force to open the entry door, the force vector is directed down the pole members and holds the foot members against the floor, thus impeding the door from swinging open.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to building security devices, and more particularly to a portable bar arrangement designed to prevent a door from being forced open.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
Security in one's home is a paramount value in today's society. As reflected in films such as "Panic Room", Americans desire to know that they are going to be safe from a violent or criminal invasion of their home. In particular, individuals wish to know that a burglar will not be able to kick in a building's entry door.
Most people rely on conventional locksets to keep invaders out of their home. These locksets typically have a key-operated bolt which is too short relative to its depth of penetration into an adjacent door jam to resist the force of an adult kicking in the door or lunging at the door with his shoulder. With little force, a burglar can crack and shatter a wooden door jams.
In addition to conventional locksets homeowners may deploy a variety of other devices including slide bolts, chains, and other devices which can be overcome using a pry bar or a bolt cutter.
Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,232 entitled "Entry Door Security Bar" represented a step forward in overcoming the deficiencies of previous locking mechanisms. The device claimed by the '232 patent comprised a single pole having a footpad at its lower end and a specially designed head member at the upper end of the pole. The head member had a semi-circular grove for receiving a door knob. When the head member received the door knob, and the foot member intersected with the floor, the force vector resulting from someone pushing against the entry door was directed downward which prevented the door from opening. However, as intruders have become stronger, the stress on the bar has become greater. Intruders using a battering ram or other such tools maybe able to overcome the resistance provided by the '232 brace.


The present invention is directed toward methods and systems for providing advanced features to a telecommunication device. The systems and methods determine a hierarchical relationship of participants of a conference call and when one participant is communicating with another participant, the parties are made aware of their hierarchical relationship relative to each other.

Communication networks, such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), for transporting electrical representations of audible sounds from one location to another are well known. Additionally, packet switched networks, such as the Internet, are able to perform a similar function by transporting packets containing data that represents audible sounds from one location to another. The audible sounds are encoded into digital data and placed into packets at the origination point and transmitted across the packet switched network. At the destination point, the digital data is extracted from the packets and decoded into audible sounds.
In a communication network, it is desirable to provide conference arrangements whereby many participants can be bridged together on a conference call. A conference bridge is a device or system that allows several connection endpoints to be connected together to establish a communications conference. Modern conference bridges can accommodate both voice and video data, thereby allowing, for example, collaboration on documents by conference participants.
In a conference call, the audible sounds received at a device, usually a telephone, are distributed to all of the other devices participating in the conference call. Thus, each participant in the conference call may share information with all of the other participants.
Unfortunately, during a conference call, it may be difficult for a participant to determine who is speaking unless he/she is familiar with the voices of all other participants. Furthermore, the "rank" of the person speaking may be even more difficult to establish unless a listener knows all positions held by all of the other participants.
There have been attempts to correct the problem of identifying speakers during a conference call. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,853,716 to Shaffer et al., which is herein incorporated by this reference, a system and method are described that identifies a speaking participant during a conference call by analyzing his/her voice characteristics. Once the speaking participant is identified, his/her information is determined and displayed to all other participants of the conference call who are receiving the voice signal. This is particularly useful when more than one participant is using one endpoint (telephone). However, this architecture fails to provide the relative rankings of the various participants on an absolute basis. Although titles of each participant are displayed, the meaning of the title is often unknown to the other participants. For example, different cultures use different titles for the same position or the same titles for different positions.
In very formal societies like Japan and Korea, it is necessary to know the rank of a person before addressing him/her as a different form of formal address is used depending upon the rank and possibly age of the person. Even in English speaking countries the knowledge of another person's rank can be important as very distinct persons are addressed formally. Addressing someone before his/her ranking is known may lead to an unintentional insult of the person being addressed.
Furthermore, the importance of a directive/information is often related to the rank of the person delivering the directive/information. In military applications, where rank is of the utmost importance, an order given by a general needs to be addressed differently than an order given by a corporal. Like most business entities, the military is driven by the chain of command. Other participants of the conference need to know exactly who gave the order and what his/her ranking is relative to them. Particularly because an individual ranking just under the general, say a colonel or major, will need to pass the order received from the general down to lower ranking subordinates. Other generals that are participating on the conference may not need to pass the order on to their subordinates. Likewise, an order given by a sergeant is typically not directed toward individuals ranking higher than the sergeant. Without knowing the hierarchical position of the speaker, listeners may not now how to handle certain instructions.

Display hierarchy of participants during phone call