Systems and methods can provide, in one aspect, a method for modulating the pulse width of control signals generated on a plurality of separate channels. In one practice, the methods described herein are suitable for execution on a microprocessor or micro controller platform that includes a timer interrupt mechanism which will generate an interrupt in response to a timer counting down a selected time interval or time period. In one practice, the timer is set to count down a period of time that is representative of a portion, or sub period, of the PWM cycle. Upon expiration of that time period, the timer executes an interrupt that causes the micro controller to enter an interrupt service routine (ISR) that can further modulate the PWM cycle of one or more signals.

Pulse width modulation (PWM) is a common technique for controlling the amount of power that is delivered to a device, such as a motor or a lamp. One of the main benefits of PWM is that it is a technique that allows a digital system to achieve relatively high resolution control over the operation of a particular device. For example PWM is a technique commonly employed in motor control to allow a digital signal to control the speed of a motor. Specifically, PWM takes advantage of the fact that a motor is an inductive element that acts like an integrator. Accordingly, the application to that motor of a pulsed digital signal results in the motor integrating over the square wave of the pulsed digital signal. By selecting the proper duty cycle and frequency for the PWM signal with respect to the time response of the particular motor under control, the pulsed signal will appear to the motor as a DC signal at a voltage level that is intermediate between the high and low voltage levels of the pulsed digital power signal. Accordingly, pulse width modulation is a technique that allows a digital output signal to effectively achieve control over a device as if the digital output signal could be set to an intermediate voltage level.
Traditional methods of providing pulse width modulated signals include employing data processing systems that have software timers which control the pulse modulation of a particular output. However, although these systems can work quite well, it is often not cost effective to dedicate a data processing platform to the task of running timer modules for a PWM application.
Other techniques include interrupt driven processes in which a microprocessor, such as one having a watchdog timer, receives periodic interrupts at a known rate. Each time through the interrupt loop the processor updates one or more output pins, thus creating a pulse width modulated signal on each output pin. In this case, the rate at which a signal can be modulated is the clock speed multiplied by the number of cycles in the interrupt routine. For interrupt routines that control multiple channels, the number of instructions in the interrupt routine and therefore the number of clock cycles, can be quite large. Thus, the time period for executing the update instructions can be significant, and the PWM signal may have poor resolution, lacking fine grain control over the system. Still other techniques exist which are effectively combinations of the first two processes, software loops that contain a variable number of instructions for these techniques. The processor uses the hardware timer to generate a periodic interrupt, and then, depending on whether the pulse is to be very short or not, either schedules another interrupt to finish the PWM cycle, or creates the pulse by itself in the first interrupt routine by executing a series of instructions consuming a desired amount of time between two PWM signal updates. The difficulty with this method is that for multiple PWM channels it is very difficult to arrange the timer based signal updates such that they do not overlap, and then to accurately change the update times for a new value of PWM signals.
Accordingly, a method is needed to provide multiple PWM channels without the problems of these traditional methods. Moreover, there is a need to provide a PWM technique that provides fine resolution over multiple channels, and be executed on an inexpensive micro controller or microprocessor platform.

Method for software driven generation of multiple simultaneous high speed pulse width modulated signals


A convertible article of footwear has a primary article of footwear and a sandal that is removably inserted into the primary article of footwear. The primary article of footwear includes an outsole and an upper attached to the outsole. The sandal includes at least one strap. When the sandal is inserted into the primary article of footwear, it is disposed above the outsole, and forms a midsole of the primary article of footwear. When the sandal is removed from the primary article of footwear, the sandal can be worn independently of the primary article of footwear.

Footwear is usually designed to meet a user's specific needs. For example, casual shoes are designed for comfort, to be worn during daily activities. Sports shoes are designed for active sports. Sandals can be designed for active sports or leisurely activities. As a result, users typically have many different pairs of footwear for different needs. However, traveling or carrying several pairs of footwear can be an inconvenience.
Accordingly, there is a need for an article of footwear that can be used for multiple purposes.


A thermal cutout module is insertable into the starting circuit of a vehicle. The module places a thermal cutout in intimate physical contact with the ignition switch. In the event of a failure in the ignition switch creating an overheating condition the thermal cutout will open and stop current from flowing in the starting circuit. The module includes a control relay which allows the starting current to flow through the relay and not through the ignition switch contacts. LED's are provided to indicate the status of the cutout module. A portion of the module is mounted on a bracket attached to the vehicle firewall.

This invention relates to a cutout module for a vehicle starting circuit. It is applicable to any vehicle ignition system but is particularly useful in vehicles having a heavy duty cycle for the ignition switch. Service and delivery vehicles are likely to have such a heavy duty cycle because the vehicles are started and stopped so frequently. A particular example of this is the long life vehicle (LLV) used by the United States Postal Service.
The LLV has an ignition switch with a contact rating of 35,000 cycles. The amperage rating is approximately 30 amps. The switch design consists of spring contact terminals and a drag plunger spring resistor. Due to the extreme duty cycle of the LLV (some starting up to 250 times a day) the ignition switch may reach its designed cycle threshold in under one year. Accordingly, these vehicles have been subject to ignition switch failures, apparently due to mechanical wear of the ramps and/or contact bars within the switches. Switch failure can cause carbonized shorting within the switch. It is believed that such shorting has been the cause of several vehicle fires.
One way to address the problem of ignition switch failures is to replace the switches as part of routine maintenance. But this approach has proven to be extremely costly. Another problem with routine replacement of the ignition switches is that studies to date have not been able to positively identify the exact failure mode or the predicted time at which a switch can be expected to fail. Thus, replacing ignition switches on a routine basis may result in replacement of switches that have significant remaining life. Conversely, some switches may fail and cause fires well before their rated life cycle expires.


A mobile location system (MLS) may receive a request to provide a representative location of a user equipment device (UE). In response to receiving the request, the MLS may apply a location determination process so as to determine a location of the UE. The MLS may then determine that the determined location of the UE coincides with an existing location of another entity, such as a private address. In response to determining that the determined location of the UE coincides with the existing location of the other entity, the MLS may adjust the determined location to not coincide with the existing location of the other entity. The adjusted determined location may be a road segment, geodetic marker, or property boundary. The MLS may then provide a response to the request, in which the response identifies the adjusted determined location of the UE as the representative location of the UE.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
A typical cellular wireless network operated by a wireless service provider, such as a radio access network (RAN), includes a number of base stations that radiate to define wireless coverage areas, such as cells and cell sectors, in which user equipment devices (UEs) such as cell phones, tablet computers, tracking devices, embedded wireless modules, and other wirelessly equipped communication devices, can operate. In turn, each base station may be coupled with network infrastructure that provides connectivity with one or more transport networks, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and/or the Internet for instance. With this arrangement, a UE within coverage of the network may engage in air interface communication with a base station and may thereby communicate via the base station with various remote network entities or with other UEs served by the base station.
An important feature of contemporary cellular wireless networks is an ability to locate the geographical position of a UE. Such a feature may be used for a variety of location-based services. As an example, location information of the UE may be used to assist emergency services, such as Enhanced 9-1-1 services, in locating a UE. For instance, when a 9-1-1 call is placed, the 9-1-1 call may be routed by the PSTN to be answered at one of many public safety answering points (PSAPs), each PSAP serving a particular area, such as a city, county, or metropolitan area.
In practice, when a location-based service provider/application (e.g., a cellular wireless carrier or third party) or other entity wants to determine the location of a UE, the location-based service provider may send a location request message to the wireless carrier that serves the UE (or, if the location-based service provider is itself the carrier, then the location-based service provider may send the request within the carrier's network to a designated entity or logic for handling). In response, the carrier may engage in a process to determine where the UE is currently located, generate a response to the location request, and send the response to the location-based service provider.
In some implementations, a wireless carrier will operate a mobile location system (MLS) (or, "mobile location server") that is arranged to determine and report UE locations to requesting entities, such as a PSAP. The MLS may include a mobile positioning center (MPC) and a position determining entity (PDE), which may be integrated together. The MLS may function to determine the location of a given UE based on various factors such as (i) the identity and location of the cell/sector in which the UE is currently operating, (ii) satellite-based positioning information provided by the UE, (iii) round trip signal delay measurements, and/or (iv) signal strength measurements. Further, the carrier may operate a front end server for receiving location requests from location-based service providers and forwarding those requests to the MLS.
When the MLS receives a request for the location of a particular UE, the MLS (e.g., MPC/PDE) may thus determine the location of the UE. The MLS may then return the determined location of the UE to the requesting entity, and the requesting entity may then report or make use of the determined location, such as to provide a location-based service (e.g., delivering emergency aid to the UE's location, sending a law enforcement unit to the UE's location, or delivering to the UE content established or selected based on the UE's location).
In some scenarios, however, the MLS or other location-determining entity may not be able to determine a precise location of a UE for a requesting entity, and may instead determine an estimated location of the UE using one or more low-accuracy location determination processes. For instance, the MLS may determine the location of the UE to be a centroid of a cell sector in which the UE is operating. As another example, the MLS may determine the location of the UE to merely be a location of a base station that is serving the UE.
However, a problem may arise in these scenarios. For example, the determined location of the UE may coincide with an existing location of another entity, such as a home residence, school institution, or other private address where the UE is not actually located. As a result, the requesting entity may send law enforcement or other unwanted services/content to the existing location of the other entity, believing the UE to be located there.

Method and system for skewing location determinations


A process for feeding or cracking heavy hydrocarbon feedstock containing non-volatile hydrocarbons comprising: heating the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock, mixing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock with a fluid and/or a primary dilution steam stream to form a mixture, flashing the mixture to form a vapor phase and a liquid phase, and varying the amount of the fluid and/or the primary dilution steam stream mixed with the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock in accordance with at least one selected operating parameter of the process, such as the temperature of the flash stream before entering the flash drum.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the cracking of hydrocarbons that contain relatively non-volatile hydrocarbons and other contaminants.
2. Description of Background and Related Art
Steam cracking has long been used to crack various hydrocarbon feedstocks into olefins. Conventional steam cracking utilizes a pyrolysis furnace which has two main sections: a convection section and a radiant section. The hydrocarbon feedstock typically enters the convection section of the furnace as a liquid (except for light feedstocks which enter as a vapor) wherein it is typically heated and vaporized by indirect contact with hot flue gas from the radiant section and by direct contact with steam. The vaporized feedstock and steam mixture is then introduced into the radiant section where the cracking takes place. The resulting products including olefins leave the pyrolysis furnace for further downstream processing, such as quenching.
Conventional steam cracking systems have been effective for cracking high-quality feedstock which contain a large fraction of light volatile hydrocarbons, such as gas oil and naphtha. However, steam cracking economics sometimes favor cracking lower cost heavy feedstocks such as, by way of non-limiting examples, crude oil and atmospheric resid. Crude oil and atmospheric resid contain high molecular weight, non-volatile components with boiling points in excess of 1100° F. (590° C.). The non-volatile, components of these feedstocks lay down as coke in the convection section of conventional pyrolysis furnaces. Only very low levels of non-volatile components can be tolerated in the convection section downstream of the point where the lighter components have fully vaporized. Additionally, during transport some naphthas are contaminated with heavy crude oil containing non-volatile components. Conventional pyrolysis furnaces do not have the flexibility to process resids, crudes, or many resid or crude contaminated gas oils or naphthas which are contaminated with non-volatile components hydrocarbons.
To solve such coking problem, U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,493, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses the use of an external vaporization drum for the crude oil feed and discloses the use of a first flash to remove naphtha as vapor and a second flash to remove vapors with a boiling point between 450 to 1100° F. (230 to 600° C.). The vapors are cracked in the pyrolysis furnace into olefins and the separated liquids from the two flash tanks are removed, stripped with steam, and used as fuel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,709, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a process to minimize coke deposition. It provides preheating of heavy feedstock inside or outside a pyrolysis furnace to vaporize about 50% of the heavy feedstock with superheated steam and the removal of the residual, separated liquid. The vaporized hydrocarbons, which contain mostly light volatile hydrocarbons, are subjected to cracking.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,634, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a process for inhibiting coke formation in a furnace by preheating the feedstock in the presence of a small, critical amount of hydrogen in the convection section. The presence of hydrogen in the convection section inhibits the polymerization reaction of the hydrocarbons thereby inhibiting coke formation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,443, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a process wherein the feedstock is first preheated and then withdrawn from a preheater in the convection section of the pyrolysis furnace. This preheated feedstock is then mixed with a predetermined amount of steam (the dilution steam) and is then introduced into a gas-liquid separator to separate and remove a required proportion of the non-volatiles as liquid from the separator. The separated vapor from the gas-liquid separator is returned to the pyrolysis furnace for heating and cracking.
The present inventors have recognized that in using a flash to separate heavy liquid hydrocarbon fractions from the lighter fractions which can be processed in the pyrolysis furnace, it is important to effect the separation so that most of the non-volatile components will be in the liquid phase. Otherwise, heavy, coke-forming non-volatile components in the vapor are carried into the furnace causing coking problems.
The present inventors have also recognized that in using a flash to separate non-volatile components from the lighter fractions of the hydrocarbon feedstock, which can be processed in the pyrolysis furnace without causing coking problems, it is important to carefully control the ratio of vapor to liquid leaving the flash. Otherwise, valuable lighter fractions of the hydrocarbon feedstock could be lost in the liquid hydrocarbon bottoms or heavy, coke-forming components could be vaporized and carried as overhead into the furnace causing coking problems.
The control of the ratio of vapor to liquid leaving flash has been found to be difficult because many variables are involved. The ratio of vapor to liquid is a function of the hydrocarbon partial pressure in the flash and also a function of the temperature of the stream entering the flash. The temperature of the stream entering the flash varies as the furnace load changes. The temperature is higher when the furnace is at full load and is lower when the furnace is at partial load. The temperature of the stream entering the flash also varies according to the flue gas temperature in the furnace that heats the feedstock. The flue-gas temperature in turn varies according to the extent of coking that has occurred in the furnace. When the furnace is clean or very lightly coked, the flue-gas temperature is lower than when the furnace is heavily coked. The flue-gas temperature is also a function of the combustion control exercised on the burners of the furnace. When the furnace is operated with low levels of excess oxygen in the flue gas, the flue gas temperature in the mid to upper zones of the convection section will be lower than that when the furnace is operated with higher levels of excess oxygen in the flue-gas. With all these variables, it is difficult to control a constant ratio of vapor to liquid leaving the flash.
The present invention offers an advantageously controlled process to optimize the cracking of volatile hydrocarbons contained in the heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks and to reduce and avoid the coking problems. The present invention provides a method to maintain a relatively constant ratio of vapor to liquid leaving the flash by maintaining a relatively constant temperature of the stream entering the flash. More specifically, the constant temperature of the flash stream is maintained by automatically adjusting the amount of a fluid stream mixed with the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock prior to the flash. The fluid optionally is water.
The present invention also provides a method to maintain a relatively constant hydrocarbon partial pressure of the flash stream. The constant hydrocarbon partial pressure is maintained by controlling the flash pressure and the ratio of fluid and steam to the hydrocarbon feedstock.
Separate applications, one entitled "CONVERTING MIST FLOW TO ANNULAR FLOW IN THERMAL CRACKING APPLICATION," U.S. application Ser. No. 10/189,615 Family Number 2002B064, filed Jul. 3, 2002, and one entitled "PROCESS FOR CRACKING HYDROCARBON FEED WITH WATER SUBSTITUTION", U.S. application Ser. No. 10/188,901, Family Number 2002B091US, filed Jul. 3, 2002, are being concurrently filed herewith and are incorporated herein by reference.

Process for steam cracking heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks


Systems and methods are disclosed for stochastic block allocation for improved wear leveling for a system having non-volatile memory (“NVM”). The system can probabilistically allocate a block or super block for wear leveling based on statistics associated with the block or super block. In some embodiments, the system can select a set of blocks or super blocks based on a pre-determined threshold of a number of cycles (e.g., erase cycles and/or write cycles). The block or super block can then be selected from the set of super blocks. In other embodiments, the system can use a fully stochastic approach by selecting a block or super block based on a biased random variable. The biased random variable may be generated based in part on the number of cycles associated with each block or super block of the NVM.

NAND flash memory, as well as other types of non-volatile memories ("NVMs"), are commonly used for mass storage. For example, consumer electronics such as portable media players often include flash memory to store music, videos, and other media.
A NVM can include multiple blocks and/or super blocks. In order to extend the lifespan of a NVM, it is preferable to have similar wear on all of the super blocks of a NVM. Therefore, in some cases, electronic devices may perform an operation known as "wear leveling" on one or more super blocks of the NVM.
In order to determine which super block to select for wear leveling, a system may rely on statistics associated with each super block of the NVM. These statistics may indicate the number of times a particular super block has been erased or programmed, and are generally aggregated for a period of time before being recorded on the NVM.
When a system experiences a power loss, however, unrecorded statistics may become lost. As a result, the system may be unable to accurately determine which block to select for wear leveling purposes.

Stochastic block allocation for improved wear leveling


The invention provides an article carrier (10) having a handle (22) formed from flexible material at the top of the article that is to be carried (11). A pair of straps (18, 20) which form article-encircling loops are both connected to the handle (22). Where the straps (18, 20) are connected to the handle (22), each is twisted to make a half turn, i.e., 180.degree. twist, and each is folded against itself to define an oblique angle (A) between portions of each strap (18, 20) on opposite sides of the handle (22). The strap (18) at the front end of the handle (22) diverges forwardly and the strap (20) connected to the rear of the handle diverges rearwardly. Sewing between the straps and a cover (12) terminates on either side of the handle (22) to form a sleeve which serves as an opening into which a reinforcing plate (26) is placed. Pockets (14, 16) on opposite sides of the cover (12) each have a hollow interior and each includes an upper flattened tubular portion (53) which is folded downwardly when the pocket (14, 16) is closed to help prevent water from entering either pocket (14, 16).

My prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,481 describes an outboard motor tote that is excellent for helping a person to mount or remove a heavy article such as an outboard motor from the transom of a boat, which is an especially difficult job when the boat is bobbing about in a heavy sea. While this product is very good, there are certain areas in which performance can be improved. In my original design there was no way to orient strap portions on either side of the handle at an oblique angle without weakening the staps, for example, by cutting each strap and then sewing the cut portions together adjacent the handle. It is thus one object of the invention to find a better way of arranging the straps so that they are oriented at an oblique angle and diverge from one another at the point where they are connected to the handle without cutting or in any way weakening either the straps or the handle.
Another drawback of the prior design was the difficulty encountered in mounting a reinforcing plate and a somewhat complex layered construction employed for connecting the reinforcing plate to the handle and to the straps. Accordingly, it is another object to simplify construction where the reinforcing plate and handle are connected together and to make it easy for the reinforcing plate to be mounted in place and securely retained on the finished carrier.
In the prior design, it was sometimes possible for water to enter the pockets on the cover. It is another object of the invention to find a way of making it less likely for water to enter pockets provided on each side of the cover.
These and other more detailed and specific objects of the present invention will be apparent in view of the following description setting forth by way of example but a few of the various forms of the invention that will be apparent to those skilled in the art once the principles described herein are understood.


According to one embodiment, a backlight device includes a case having a bottom plate, a light guide having an emission surface, a second main surface and an incidence surface and arranged on the bottom surface, and a light source unit including a wiring board and light-emitting elements on the wiring board. Each light-emitting element has a mounting surface, a first side surface opposed to the mounting surface, and a light-emitting surface between the mounting surface and the first side surface. Each light-emitting surface faces the incidence surface, and the first side surfaces are arranged parallel to the second main surface, and the light source unit is fixed to the light guide with a fixing tape attached over each first side surface and the second main surface.

Liquid crystal display devices have been widely used as display devices of smartphones, tablet computers, vehicle-navigation systems and the like. In general, a liquid crystal display device comprises a liquid crystal panel and a backlight device which illuminates the liquid crystal panel. The backlight device comprises a frame (or bezel), a reflective layer, a light guide, an optical sheet (prism sheet or diffusing sheet), a light source device (light source unit) which supplies light made incident on the light guide and the like. The light source unit comprises a wiring board such as an FPC and a plurality of light sources (for example, light-emitting diodes (LEDs)) mounted on the wiring board.
To narrow the frame of the liquid crystal display device, the width of the frame is reduced mainly along the right side and the left side. Recently, there has been increasing demand for large reduction of the width on the light source side (light entering side).

Backlight device and liquid crystal display device


An ink-jet recording apparatus includes a characteristics detection circuit for detecting temperature characteristics of a recording head based on a temperature change when the recording head is heated, an ambient-temperature detection circuit for detecting an ambient temperature, and a control circuit for controlling an amount of ink discharge of the recording head based on the detected temperature characteristics and ambient temperature. It is thereby possible to obtain an appropriate recording density.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an ink-jet recording apparatus and recording method which can be applied to a recording apparatus, such as a printer, a facsimile apparatus, a word processor, a copying apparatus or the like. More particularly, the invention relates to an ink-jet recording apparatus and recording method for controlling the temperature and the amount of ink discharge of a recording head.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recording apparatuses in which recording is performed on a recording medium, such as paper, an OHP (overhead projector) sheet or the like, have been practically used by mounting recording heads of various kinds of recording methods. The recording methods comprise, for example, a wire dot method, a thermal printing method, a thermal transfer method, an ink-jet method, and the like. In the ink-jet method, recording is performed by discharging ink from a recording head onto a recording medium. This method has attracted notice as a quiet recording method with a low running cost.
However, the amount of ink discharge in the ink-jet method generally has temperature dependency, so that the recording density changes depending on the ambient temperature and the like. This is because the physical properties, particularly the viscosity, of ink change depending on the ambient temperature. At low temperatures, it is difficult to discharge ink because the viscosity of the ink increases. On the other hand, at high temperatures, ink can be easily discharged because the viscosity of the ink decreases. Accordingly, in order to provide an appropriate amount of ink discharge, various methods have been adopted for controlling the temperature of the recording head.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,098, two principal control methods are considered for controlling the temperature of the recording head. In one of the methods, a heater provided at the recording head is used as control means such that the recording head is heated to an appropriate temperature at a low temperature. In another method, an ink discharging heater is used as control means such that ink is preliminarily heated at a low temperature, or the heat when the ink is discharged is controlled.
In a control method of these control means, it is theoretically desirable to detect the temperature of the recording head to be controlled, and to perform feedback control in a closed loop. In this case, however, problems often arise in the detection of the temperature of the recording head. In general, the temperature of the recording head is detected using a thermistor, a thermocouple or the like as a temperature sensor in which the value of electrical resistance or an electromotive force changes depending on the temperature. At that time, the relationship between a reference temperature and the output value of the temperature sensor differs for each temperature sensor due to variations in produced temperature sensors. Therefore, some kinds of countermeasures must be taken in order to detect an actual temperature.
In a simplest approach, only temperature sensors whose outputs are within a predetermined range with respect to a reference temperature are selected and are used without performing adjustment. This approach, however, has a great disadvantage in that the cost of the temperature sensor very much increases. In another approach, temperature sensors are ranked according to output values with respect to a reference temperature, and ranked temperature sensors are used by changing a conversion reference in accordance with a rank. Such an approach, however, also requires a considerable number of operations, such as measurement of ranks in the production process of recording heads, display of ranks, manual adjustment in an assembling process of apparatuses, mounting of means for automatically identifying ranks in a recording apparatus, and the like.
Accordingly, in general, the temperature of a recording head is controlled by performing open-loop sequence control without detecting the temperature of the recording head.
In the open-loop sequence control, it is desirable to perform thermal analysis of the recording head to be controlled, and to perform control based on the result of the analysis. Actually, however, it is rather difficult to realize such an approach. Practically, data relating to the temperature and the amount of ink discharge of the recording head to be controlled when various kinds of control inputs are provided to control means of the control system is obtained, and control is performed based on the obtained data. The obtained data have different values depending on temperature characteristics of the recording head. Accordingly, for example, control inputs are set to average values of respective recording heads by statistically processing the data.
However, the above-described conventional approach has the following problems.
When setting the control inputs to average values of respective recording heads, although no problem arises when only small variations are present in temperature characteristics of produced recording heads, the objects of control will not be achieved and recording heads will, in some cases, be operated under worse conditions when large variations are present in temperature characteristics of recording heads. In such a case, it is necessary to control temperature characteristics of recording heads by an approriate method.
In another approach, taking into consideration variations in temperature characteristics of produced recording heads, control inputs are set to small values so that the recording heads are not operated under worse conditions irrespective of temperature characteristics. In such a case, however, little control effects will, in some cases, be obtained for certain recording heads because the control inputs are set to small values.

Ink-jet recording apparatus and recording method


A dog harness having two straps down opposite sides of the dog is modified to add reachably attachable and detachable supply carrying means by use of hook and loop connections between the straps and a pair of sheets mounting pouches for carrying supplies. An additional sheet mounting additional pouches extends over the back of the dog behind the harness and is detachable attached by hooks and loops between the rear strap and a margin of the additional sheet where the rear strap overlaps said rear margin.

Harnesses with attached leashes are often used for controlling dogs when taking them on walks and on longer hikes when supplies may be needed. The idea of separately attaching several supply containers to a dog harness so that each container hangs by itself from a single strap of the harness is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,762 of Newitt, issued Feb. 9, 1993. Attaching a pair of packs of supplies to a connecting fabric that is placed over the top of a dog's harness to let the packs hang below on opposite sides of the dog, is disclosed in Design U.S. Pat. No. 313,677 of Hammond et al., issued Jan. 1, 1991. The connecting fabric rests on a piece of harness strap and extends down both sides of the dog where it is shown overlying but is not shown to be connected to two straps of the harness that extend in parallel spaced relation down the sides of the dog. Another piece of strap extends over and apparently can be moved toward the first piece of strap to hold the connecting fabric between them.


A method is provided to provide a photodetector that can enhance the light receiving sensitivity with a relatively simple structure, and that can maintain a high speed responsiveness. A photodetector having a MSM (Metal-Semiconductor-Metal) structure, including a substrate, a multilayer film that is disposed over the substrate and includes a low refractive index layer and a high refractive index layer that are alternately laminated as a unit cycle. At least one of the low refractive index layer and the high refractive index layer is a photoabsorption layer composed of semiconductor, and a portion that is embedded in the multilayer film, the portion having at least one pair of opposing electrodes within the multilayer film. The multilayer film is formed such that a wavelength region corresponding to a band edge of a photonic band overlaps at least a part of an absorption band of the photoabsorption layer, to thereby delay a group velocity of incidence light Pin with a predetermined wavelength that belongs to the absorption band of the photoabsorption layer.

1. Field of Invention
Exemplary aspects of the present invention relate to photodetectors, optical modules and optical transmission devices having a MSM (Metal-Semiconductor-Metal) structure.
2. Description of Related Art
A related art MSM type photodiode uses a comb-shaped electrode to apply a high electric field with a low voltage to a photoabsorption layer, and realizes a high-speed responsiveness with its short traveling distance of electrons. For this reason, the MSM type photodiodes are promising as photodetectors in optical transmission devices, optical interconnection, etc.

Photodetectors, optical modules, and optical transmission devices


A clamp for attaching a pipeline tracer wire to a pipeline riser has an elongated riser grip which is resiliently flexible to snap onto the riser. An elongated conduit with a V-shaped groove extends integrally along the outer wall of the riser grip. The conduit receives the tracer wire therein. At least one tap screw is engagable in the groove and radially into the conduit to lock the tracer wire between the screw and the opposite inner wall of the conduit. Alternatively, a tap screw may be threadedly engaged in the upper end of the conduit to lock the tracer wire between the screw and the opposite inner wall of the conduit. Preferably, the clamp is made of non-metallic, fire retardant material such as a high density thermoplastic.

This invention relates generally to underground pipeline locating equipment and more particularly concerns a snap clamp for holding a pipeline tracer wire in place at a pipeline riser.
In order to facilitate the location of an underground nonmetallic pipeline such as may be used, for example, in a gas service line, a metallic tracer wire is buried with the nonmetallic pipe. The use of tracer wire is especially desirable in more modern code installations which require that the pipeline be installed in a snake-like path so as to minimize pipeline damage resulting from seasonal freezing and thawing. While the beginning and end points of such a line are readily determinable, the pipeline path itself is random and unpredictable.
The present practice with tracer wires is to extend the riser end of the wire above ground near the riser pipe and to tape, tie or clamp the wire above ground to a suitable fixture near the riser. This is frequently done with a small metal clamp located above ground so that the tracer wire extends upwardly in an exposed condition from the ground to the clamp. Recently, plastic clamps have been used for the purpose, but the tracer wire remains exposed. As a result, the clamp and the tracer wire are exposed to damage by lawn tools such as weedeaters and lawnmowers so that even properly mounted tracer wires can be damaged or lost. One such clamp has serially arranged pipe gripping segments of decreasing size or diameter so that the clamp is adaptable to a variety of pipe outer diameters. This further compounds the problem since the clamp holds the wire outwardly from the fixture to which it is attached. In addition to possible damage by lawn tools, the metal clamps are subject to corrosion and deterioration. The cathodic affect of the combination of metal clamps with tracer wires increases the possibility of corrosion. Furthermore, the exposed tracer wire, as well as the totally above ground and outwardly extending clamp, are an invitation to innocent and not-so-innocent observers.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a tracer wire snap clamp which facilitates attaching a pipeline tracer wire to a riser. Another object of this invention is to provide a tracer wire snap clamp which simplifies tracer wire installation. A further object of this invention is to provide a tracer wire snap clamp which holds the tracer wire in close proximity to the riser. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a tracer wire snap clamp which encases the entire length of tracer wire extending above the ground. It is also an object of this invention to provide a tracer wire snap clamp which protects the tracer wire from damage by contact with yard tools such as weedeaters and lawn mowers. Still another object of this invention is to provide a tracer wire snap clamp which reduces the possibility of the tracer wire being lost and resulting need for digging for the tracer wire or pipeline. An additional object of this invention is to provide a tracer wire snap clamp which will not corrode or deteriorate in the field. Another object of this invention is to provide a tracer wire snap clamp which reduces the possibility of corrosion or deterioration of the tracer wire. A further object of this invention is to provide a tracer wire snap clamp which blends into the riser environment so as not to attract attention. Yet another object of this invention is to provide a tracer wire snap clamp which is easily located.


A decoder unit is configured to decode a plurality of texels in accordance with a texel request, the plurality of texels being encoded across one or more blocks of encoded texture data each encoding a block of texels, and includes a first set of one or more decoders, each of the first set of decoders being configured to decode n texels from a single received block of encoded texture data; a second set of or more decoders, each of the second set of decoders being configured to decode p texels from a single received block of encoded texture data, where p<n; and control logic configured to allocate blocks of encoded texture data to the decoders in accordance with the texel request.

Textures are used heavily within the field of computer graphics processing. Textures may be used to represent surface properties, illumination (e.g. within the environment of a scene being imaged) or to apply surface detail to an object being rendered. Textures may require relatively large amounts of memory storage, and texture accesses can contribute a significant proportion of a graphics device's memory bandwidth. As such, it is often desirable to compress texture data.
There exist various texture compression schemes, or formats. One class of texture compression schemes are known as block-based schemes. In a block based scheme, the compressed texture data is encoded in a series of data blocks of a given size (e.g. 64 or 128 bits). Each data block encodes the texture data for a particular block of texels of the texture (e.g. a 2×2, or 4×4 block of texels). Examples of block-based texture compression schemes include, for example, PowerVR Texture Compression (PVRTC), PVRTC2, S3 Texture Compression (S3TC, also known as BC1, BC2 and BC3); Adaptive Scalable Texture Compression (ASTC); Ericsson Texture Compression (ETC); ETC2; EAC; 3Dc (also known as BC4 and BC5); BC6 and BC7.
It is often desirable fora graphics system to decode a plurality of texels simultaneously, or in parallel, in order to improve performance of the system when rendering a scene. A further motivation arises from the fact that, in many graphics applications, texels to be decoded can be grouped together into groups of multiple texels. For example, in many graphics pipelines the texture colour to be applied to a particular pixel being processed is obtained by filtering a plurality of neighbouring texels mapped to that pixel. Thus, when processing the pixel, multiple texels may need to be decoded to be used in the filtering operation to obtain the final texture colour for that pixel. Some graphics systems may additionally process multiple pixels concurrently, each of which may require multiple texels to be decoded as part of a filtering operation.
An effective way of handling this demand for decoding multiple texels (from a performance standpoint) is to simply have a requisite number of decoders each operating in parallel such that the total number of texels that can be decoded in parallel matches or exceeds the number of texels in a given texel request. However, this approach suffers from the drawback of high hardware requirements, which may manifest as large circuitry area. For example, simply having 'n' decoders operate in parallel in order to handle the texture requests at a desired performance level results in decoder circuitry that is commensurately 'n' times as large.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A method of sensing vibrations in the middle ear is presented. The method includes implanting a transducer in the middle ear. The transducer measures vibration, within a predetermined frequency range, of at least one component of the middle ear. The transducer has a resonance frequency within the predetermined frequency range, and further has a limited frequency response in a portion of the frequency range. The implanting includes operatively coupling the implant to the at least one component of the middle ear such that the limited frequency response of the transducer is complimentary to, and compensated by, the frequency characteristics of the at least one component of the middle ear.

FIG. 1 shows the anatomy of a normal human ear. A normal ear transmits sounds through the outer ear 101 to the tympani membrane (i.e., the eardrum) 102, which moves the bones of the middle ear 103, which in turn excites the cochlea 104. The cochlea (or inner ear) 104 includes an upper channel known as the scala vestibuli 105 and a lower channel known as the scala tympani 106, which are connected by the cochlear duct 107. In response to received sounds the stapes, a bone of the middle ear 103, transmits vibrations via the fenestra ovalis (oval window), to the perilymph of the cochlea 104. As a result, the hair cells of the organ of Corti are excited to initiate chemi-electric pulses that are transmitted to the cochlear nerve 113, and ultimately to the brain.
Some patients may have partially or completely impaired hearing for reasons including: long term exposure to environmental noise, congenital defects, damage due to disease or illness, use of certain medications such as aminoglycosides, or physical trauma. Hearing impairment may be of the conductive, sensorineural, or combination types.
One type of implant for patients with impaired hearing yet a fully functioning tympanic membrane and middle ear component(s) is a hearing implant that includes an implantable middle ear microphone. The middle ear microphone detects "sound" by sensing motion of middle ear component(s). The sensed motion of the middle ear may, for example, be processed by an implanted sound processor/cochlear stimulator into stimulus signals. The stimulus signals are adapted to stimulate nerves within the inner ear via a plurality of electrodes in an electrode array positioned in the inner ear (e.g., similar to an electrode array of a traditional cochlear implant).
Classical designs of a middle ear microphone have a resonance frequency that is outside the measured frequency range. In this manner, a flat transfer function across the measured frequency range may be obtained. An exemplary middle ear microphone attached to the umbo of the middle ear is described by Wen H. Ko, J. Guo, Xuesong Ye, R. Zhang, D. J. Young, MEMS Acoustic Sensor for Totally Implantable Hearing Aid Systems, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Circuits and Systems, Volume 3, Issue 5, p. 277-285, 2008, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The microphone disclosed by Ko et al. has a limited low frequency measurement range, being designed to work from 250 Hz to 8 KHz, and has a resonance frequency outside the used measurement range (200 Hz). The type of microphone disclosed by Ko et al. is an electrets microphone. Hence low frequencies below 200 Hz cannot be measured well. It also suffers from a large electrostatic force introduced by the electrets.
Another middle ear microphone design is disclosed in Darrin J. Young, Mark A. Zurcher, Wen H. Ko, Maroun Semaan, Cliff A. Megerian, Implantable MEMS Accelerometer Microphone for Cochlear Prosthesis, IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, ISCAS 2007, pages 3119-3122, 2007, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The microphone of Young et al., is attached to the umbo of the middle ear, and is designed as an accelerometer (as opposed to a seismic sensor), with a targeted resonance frequency of 10 kHz. As the targeted frequency range is below 10 kHz, the microphone in Young et al. appears to be designed as a low pass filter, which is consistent with their description of the microphone as an accelerometer. Due to the high resonance frequency, the microphone of Young et al., is very limited in the low frequency range
Still another middle ear microphone is disclosed by Woo-Tae Park et al., Ultraminiature Encapsulated Accelerometers as a Fully Implantable Sensor for Implantable Hearing Aids, Biomed Microdevices, 9:939-9:949, 2007, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The microphone disclosed by Woo-Tae Park et al. is a piezo-resistive microphone fixed at the stapes of the middle ear. Similar to the microphone of Young et al., the microphone is designed as an accelerometer (as opposed to a seismic sensor) with a resonance frequency in the range of 6 kHz. Due to the high resonance frequency, measurements are possible in the range of 900 Hz to 10 kHz, but are too limited in lower frequencies


A building-mounted awning. The awning includes a support frame, and a covering provided over the support frame to act as shelter from precipitation, or act as a shade from the sun. The support frame is attached to the building at only one location along a width of the support frame.

Awnings are in-use around the world. Awnings enhance the appearance of many buildings, provide shade or cover from precipitation and wind, and can be a useful medium on which to provide advertising or signage for businesses. Awnings are generally constructed from a fabric or similar web of material supported by a frame. Awnings are traditionally affixed to a building and form a permanent fixture, often in-use above windows or doors. In many cases, the frames of existing awnings are generally cantilevered from buildings with attachment points running along the substantial width of the awning, or cantilevered by using two or more spaced apart points of attachment, generally adjacent to each end of the awning.
Inventors have determined that there is a need for awnings and canopies that can be more quickly and easily attached and detached from a building so that the awning can be more easily changed or removed to adapt to weather conditions, or adapt to desired changes in appearance and content.

Building-mounted awning with single location attachment


A water pump assembly for controlling the flow of temperature control fluid in an internal combustion engine. The water pump assembly includes a housing with an inlet, an outlet and an electric motor assembly for causing fluid to flow from the inlet to the outlet. A housing includes a mounting flange for mounting the water pump to an engine. The mounting of the water pump permitting direct flow into or out of the engine from the water pump.

As discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,442, entitled "Integral Waterpump/Electronic Engine Temperature Control Valve" as fuel is burned in an internal combustion engine, about one-third of the heat energy in the fuel is converted to power. Another third goes out the exhaust pipe unused, and the remaining third must be handled by a cooling system.
Most internal combustion engines employ a pressurized cooling system to dissipate the heat energy generated by the combustion process. The cooling system circulates water or liquid coolant through a water jacket which surrounds certain parts of the engine (e.g., block, cylinder, cylinder head, pistons, and intake manifold). The heat energy is transferred from the engine parts to the coolant in the water jacket. In hot ambient air temperature environments, or when the engine is working hard, the transferred heat energy will be so great that it will cause the liquid coolant to boil (i.e., vaporize) and destroy the cooling system. To prevent this from happening, the hot coolant is circulated through a radiator well before it reaches its boiling point. The radiator dissipates enough of the heat energy to the surrounding air to maintain the coolant in the liquid state.
In cold ambient air temperature environments, especially below zero degrees Fahrenheit, or when a cold engine is started, the coolant rarely becomes hot enough to boil. Thus, the coolant does not need to flow through the radiator. Nor is it desirable to dissipate the heat energy in the coolant in such circumstances since internal combustion engines operate most efficiently and pollute the least when they are running relatively hot. A cold running engine will have significantly greater sliding friction between the pistons and respective cylinder walls than a hot running engine because oil viscosity decreases with temperature. A cold running engine will also have less complete combustion in the engine combustion chamber and will build up sludge more rapidly than a hot running engine. In an attempt to increase the combustion when the engine is cold, a richer fuel is provided. All of these factors lower fuel economy and increase levels of hydrocarbon exhaust emissions.
To avoid running the coolant through the radiator, conventional coolant systems employ a thermostat. The thermostat operates as a one-way valve, blocking or allowing flow to the radiator. Most prior art coolant systems employ wax pellet type or bimetallic coil type thermostats. These thermostats are self-contained devices which open and close according to precalibrated temperature values.
Coolant systems must perform a plurality of functions, in addition to cooling the engine parts. In cold weather, the cooling system must deliver hot coolant to heat exchangers associated with the heating and defrosting system so that the heater and defroster can deliver warm air to the passenger compartment and windows. The coolant system must also deliver hot coolant to the intake manifold to heat incoming air destined for combustion, especially in cold ambient air temperature environments, or when a cold engine is started. Ideally, the coolant system should also reduce its volume and speed of flow when the engine parts are cold so as to allow the engine to reach an optimum hot operating temperature. Since one or both of the intake manifold and heater need hot coolant in cold ambient air temperatures and/or during engine start-up, and since these components are normally situated along the same flow circuit as the engine block, it is not practical to completely shut off the coolant flow through the engine block.
Numerous proposals have been set forth in the prior art to more carefully tailor the coolant system to the needs of the vehicle and to improve upon the relatively inflexible prior art thermostats. The inventor of the present invention has patented several such improvements. In particular, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,503,118, 5,458,096, 5,724,931, and 6,499,442 disclose improvements to conventional cooling systems. These prior art patents are all incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.
A water pump is used in conventional engines to circulate coolant through the engine. Conventional water pumps function as the primary mechanism for forcing the fluid to flow through the cooling system. The most common form of water pump is a mechanical centrifugal pump which utilizes a circulating impeller to force water to flow into the engine. While mechanical impeller type water pumps provide a sufficient amount of pressure and are highly reliable, they cannot be actively controlled for maximizing the efficiency of the cooling system.
Recently, electric water pumps have been developed which provide for more efficient control of the flow of a fluid. Examples of some electric water pumps are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,056,518 and 6,702,555, and U.S. Published Patent Application 2004/0081566, which are all assigned to Engineered Machine Products, Inc., one of the leaders in electric water pump design. These patents and patent applications are each incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
As described above, conventional cooling systems utilize a valve for controlling circulation of coolant between the radiator and the engine. Typically, the water pump and the thermostat are mounted separate from one another. U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,442 describes a unique combination of an electric water pump and an electronic temperature control valve. In this system, the control valve is located within a housing that is directly connected to the water pump, thus permitting relatively direct fluid flow between the valve and the pump drive mechanism.
While U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,442 describes an improved combined water pump and valve arrangement, its mounting arrangement relative to the engine is not optimized. A need exists for a more efficient and optimized mounting arrangement for an electronic water pump.

Mounting arrangement for electric water pump


A motor start capacitor assembly for providing an enclosure for a motor start capacitor and a thermistor electrically connected in series. The enclosure is constructed of a low temperature plastic case and cap with a high temperature plastic core for supporting the thermistor within the low temperature plastic case. The core holds the thermistor in a longitudinal orientation. The core and thermistor and related contacts are assembled without rivets or other fasteners.

This invention relates to a start capacitor assembly for an AC motor, and more specifically relates to an enclosure for a capacitor and a thermistor electrically connected in series with the capacitor. The enclosure, including a case and a cap, is fabricated from a relatively low temperature plastic with a high-temperature plastic core for holding the thermistor.
A single-phase permanent split-capacitor (PSC) induction motor is often used to drive a compressor for an air conditioning system. A PSC motor has two windings, a main winding and an auxiliary start winding. A capacitor, whose value is chosen as a compromise between start and run performance, is placed in series with the start winding. This capacitor also affects phase shift of the run windings and thus increases both starting and run torque, though it is not optimized for either. When power is applied, both windings contribute, aided by the phase shift of the capacitor, to the necessary torque to cause initial torque and acceleration. As the motor achieves operating speed, both windings continue to contribute to the motor""s torque although the run winding now contributes to a far greater degree due to its lower impedance.
A conventional starting device for a PSC motor includes a capacitor in series with a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistor or thermistor. The resistance of this thermistor increases with rising temperature. The starting device, comprising a capacitor which is optimized for providing starting torque and a thermistor, is connected in parallel with the existing capacitor of the PSC motor. When power is connected to the motor, the ac current is connected to the windings on the motor through both the existing and the extra start capacitor (through the thermistor which has a low resistance when cold). As current flows to the windings through the capacitor and the thermistor, the thermistor heats up, and its resistance increases. The increased resistance of the heated thermistor reduces the current through the start capacitor. At some point, the temperature and current through the thermistor reach steady state, with only a very small current connected through the start capacitor to maintain the temperature of the thermistor.
The starting device of a capacitor and thermistor is generally packaged as a single unit with two wire leads for connection to the start winding of the motor. Because the thermistor remains hot during the normal operation of the motor, the enclosure for the capacitor and thermistor must be able to withstand the heat generated by the thermistor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,753 discloses an enclosure for housing a starting device including a capacitor and thermistor. The enclosure includes an elongated cylindrical case which is closed at one end and closed by a cap at the opposite end. The enclosure has two transverse intermediate walls of heat insulating material that divide the enclosure into three sections along the longitudinal dimension of the enclosure. Each intermediate wall has a spring contact that extends into the center section between the intermediate walls. The thermistor is located between and engages the spring contacts. The thermistor is disk shaped with opposite sides being the electrical contacts for the thermistor. The thermistor is oriented with its axis extending parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the case. In order to hold the thermistor between the intermediate walls in engagement with the contact springs, a combination of standoffs and rivets are employed to maintain the spacing between the intermediate walls against the force exerted by the spring contacts. Thus the center section with the thermistor is separately fabricated with the standoffs and rivets prior to insertion into the case. The case within the center section has a vent hole for dissipation of heat. The vent hole will also allow access by moisture, dust, insects, and the like to the spring contacts and the thermistor. There is no specific disclosure concerning the plastic used for the enclosure other than the material of the case and the cap are the same material, and the intermediate walls are heat insulative.
Another prior art starting device is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The starting device 1 includes a plastic encased capacitor 2 topped by a plastic enclosure 3. The capacitor 2 has an outer cylindrical shell 14 and electric terminals 15 and 16. The plastic enclosure 3 comprises an outer cylindrical shell 4, an internal support structure 5, and a cap 6. A thermistor 7 is supported within recess 8 of the internal support structure 5 of the enclosure 3. The thermistor 7 is sandwiched between contacts 9 and 10 which are in turn connected to wires 11 and 12 respectively. The contacts 9 and 10 have spring elements and are held in contact with the thermistor 7 by protrusions 19 extending from the inside of cap 6. Thus the springs in the contacts 9 and 10 tend to force the cap 6 loose from the shell 4 of the enclosure 3. Therefore, during assembly, the cap 6 must be held against the spring force onto the shell 4 of the enclosure 3 during welding or gluing of the cap 6 to the shell 4. Wire 11 is connected to terminal 16 of capacitor 2, and wire 13 is connected to terminal 15 of capacitor 2. The enclosure 3, including the cylindrical shell 4, the internal support structure 5, and the cap 6, is made of high temperature plastic to withstand the heat generated by the thermistor 7. On the other hand the outer plastic shell 14 of the capacitor 2 is made of a low temperature plastic based on cost considerations. Because the shell 14 of the capacitor 2 and the enclosure 3 are made of different plastic materials, the capacitor shell 14 and the enclosure shell 4 cannot be reliably connected to each other by welding or gluing. Consequently, for the prior art starting device 1, the shell 14 of the capacitor 2 and the shell 4 of the enclosure 3 for the thermistor 7 are mechanically connected by a series of metal clips 17. The metal clips 17 engage the support structure 5 of the enclosure 3 by means of a tab 18. The clips 17 then frictionally engage the capacitor shell 14 by means of a series of sharp barbs along the length of each clip 17 which dig into the shell 14 and resist separation of the enclosure 3 from the capacitor 2. Because the attachment is mechanical, any leakage by the capacitor around its terminals will also leak out of the enclosure 3. In addition, because the enclosure fits over the shell 14 of the capacitor 2, a protruding flange 19 is created which is aesthetically objectionable and which makes the resulting assembly larger in diameter than the capacitor shell alone would be without the cap 6.
The present invention solves the above problems by providing an enclosure for a starting device comprising an outer case and cap both constructed of a low cost, low temperature plastic for enclosing the capacitor and the thermistor of the starting device. The case is cylindrical to accommodate the cylindrical shape of a conventional metal can starting capacitor. The case has a closed end and an open end to which the cap is fitted and substantially sealed. Because the cap and the case are made of the same low temperature plastic, attaching the cap to the case can be reliably accomplished by welding or gluing.
The thermistor is supported within the case by means of a core assembly. The core assembly consists of a high temperature molded plastic core which includes at least one chamber for accommodating the thermistor, and first and second electric contacts for engaging the terminals of the thermistor. The contacts are frictionally fitted on the sides of the chamber. The chamber in the molded plastic core is dimensioned so that when the disk shaped thermistor is inserted into the chamber, the thermistor is oriented with it thickness dimension (and axis) extending in the transverse dimension of the case, and the thermistor""s diameter is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the case. Because the thermistor is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the case, the contact pressure between the contacts in the chamber and the thermistor is contained by the sides of the chamber. No pressure from the electric contacts is exerted on the case or cap of the enclosure.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an enclosure for a starting device including a capacitor and thermistor connected in series.
More particularly it is an object of the present invention to provide a starting device enclosure with an outside case and cap that is constructed primarily of a low cost, low temperature plastic that may be glued or welded together.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide an enclosure with a core assembly for holding the thermistor that does not require any fasteners or the like to hold the thermistor in place.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an enclosure with a core assembly for holding the thermistor in which the electric contact with the thermistor does not exert any pressure on the outside case or cap.


An implantable medical device and associated method deliver cardiac resynchronization therapy in a patient having right bundle branch block by measuring an interval between a right atrial depolarization and a first heart sound and selecting a right atrial-ventricular (AV) pacing interval in response to the measured interval. Pacing pulses are delivered to the right ventricle of a patient's heart at the selected right AV pacing interval to synchronize the right ventricle with an intrinsic left ventricle depolarization.

CRT is a cardiac electrical stimulation therapy that can benefit patients suffering from heart failure by resynchronizing heart chamber contractions. In particular, patients can benefit from synchronization of the right and left ventricles by delivering pacing pulses in one or both chambers. Patients having right bundle branch block (RBBB) have normal left ventricular electrical activation with an impaired right ventricular electrical depolarization resulting in a wider QRS signal and ventricular dysynchrony. As such, patients having RBBB, with or without heart failure symptoms, may benefit from CRT by restoring the synchronization of the right and left ventricles.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy for patients with right bundle branch block


There is provided a developing agent replenishing method in a digital photographic printer in which an image is exposed onto a photosensitive material based on digital data containing image data and the exposed photosensitive material is developed by a developing agent, comprising the steps of: (a) calculating an image rate of an image to be exposed based on the digital data, the image rate being a parameter for obtaining, based on at least one of a density characteristic of the image to be exposed, depth of the image to be exposed, and contrast of the image to be exposed, a replenishment quantity of a developing agent used for development processing of the image to be exposed; (b) calculating a replenishment quantity of the developing agent based on the calculated image rate; and (c) effecting replenishment of the developing agent on the basis of the calculated replenishment quantity. The replenishment quantity of the developing agent is calculated based on the image rate as described above, and therefore, an appropriate quantity of developing agent can be supplied.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for replenishing processing chemicals, for example, a developing agent, and also relates to a photographic printer such as a digital photographic printer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for replenishing a developing agent in a digital photographic printer in which an image is exposed onto a photosensitive material on the basis of digital data including image data and the exposed photosensitive material is developed by a developing agent, and also relates to the digital photographic printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
The term "image rate" used in the specification of the present invention means a parameter which is used to obtain, based on a density characteristic value of an image, image density, image contrast, and the like, a quantity of a developing agent replenished, the developing agent being used for development processing of the image. Further, the term "print image rate" used in the specification of the present invention means a parameter which is used to obtain a quantity of the developing agent replenished on the basis of a density characteristic value of the image among the image rate.
Conventionally, a method for replenishing a color development processing solution (hereinafter referred to as a "developing agent") in a development processing section of a projective photographic printer in which a general silver halide photosensitive material is used (for example, a printer in which exposure is effected in such a manner that light from a light source is irradiated on a negative film and the transmitted light is projected on a photographic printing paper via a lens) is constructed such that, assuming that an image modulus of an exposed image is set substantially fixed, the amount of consumption (i.e., a quantity of the developing agent to be replenished, hereinafter referred to as "replenishment quantity") is calculated by multiplying a processing quantity (i.e., a processing area) by a fixed coefficient, and on the basis of the calculated quantity, a replenishing agent of the replenishment quantity is supplied. Namely, an image exposed by the projective photographic printer is one in which objects in the natural world are photographed, and it can be supposed that a density characteristic value of the image, image density, image contrast, and the like will be generally stabilized. Accordingly, it can be further supposed that the image rate of such an image will become substantially constant. As a result, the above-described replenishment quantity calculation method can be applied to the projective photographic printer.
Further, in recent photographic printers, various images are to be processed, such as an image with an original image to be printed being recorded on a negative film or on a slide, an image recorded on a photographic print, and digital image data stored on a storing medium such as a floppy disk. Accordingly, the present inventors have proposed a printing system (corresponding to the above-described photographic printer) in which an exposure section is provided correspondingly for each type of original image and a photosensitive material on which an image is exposed in any one of the exposure sections is subjected to development processing in a common development processing section (see Japanese Patent Application Nos. 6-310598 and 6-310599). It can be supposed that, among original images processed by the above-described photographic printer, an image recorded on a negative film or on a slide has a substantially fixed image rate, the above-described replenishment quantity calculation method can be applied.
On the other hand, in recent years, there has been widely used a digital photographic printer which has a function of exposing, onto a photographic printing paper, an image generated by computer processing, for example, computer graphics (hereinafter referred to as CG), a composite image (for example, an image formed with a plurality of images being synthesized on a mount paper such as an album print, or an image with characters and a photograph being synthesized), and the like. The above-described CG images, composite images, or the like, exposed by the digital photographic printer, have different densities (for example, there are various images which are extremely dark, extremely light, and the like) unlike images, with objects in the natural world being photographed, exposed by the above-described projective photographic printer. Therefore, it cannot be supposed that the image rate of the above-described CG image or composite image becomes substantially constant.
Accordingly, in a case in which the above-described replenishment quantity calculation method is applied to the digital photographic printer, an appropriate replenishment quantity cannot be calculated due to each image rate in the images printed by the digital photographic printer being not made constant. When a developing agent of an inappropriate replenishment quantity is supplied, over-replenishment or under-replenishment occurs so that a fixed development processing condition cannot be maintained. As a result, there is a possibility that a finished state of a photographic print may be adversely affected by the above circumstances.
In other words, there has not been established, under existing circumstances, a developing agent replenishing method in which, in a photographic printer for effecting exposure and development processing for various original images, an appropriate replenishment quantity of the developing agent is calculated for each of the various original images, and on the calculated replenishment quantity, proper replenishment of the developing agent is effected.
Further, there has been recently a growing need for apparatus downsizing and a downsized development processing tank or reduced replenishment quantity of the developing agent is required. At the same time, precise control of the replenishment quantity of the developing agent is also required.
In order to solve the above-described drawbacks, there has been proposed a technique in which, by effecting prescan photometric processing using a sensor for a character document or an original document with a plurality of prints installed on a mounting paper and by supposing an image rate of an image to be printed on a photographic printing paper based on the photometric value and a density correction key, an optimum replenishment quantity is calculated by multiplying a parameter varying in accordance with the image rate by a processing quantity, and based on the calculated quantity, the developing agent of the optimum replenishment quantity is supplied (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2-146038).
In the digital photographic printer, both an original such as a negative film is printed by photometric processing (scanning) using a sensor, and digital image data generated by computer processing (for example, CG image), digital image data previously read by another scanner so as to be stored in a storing medium, and the like may be printed.
However, the prescan photometric processing using the sensor is not intended for the above-described digital image data, and therefore, the above-described developing agent replenishing method disclosed in JP-A No. 2-146038 cannot be applied to the digital photographic printer. In addition, these digital image data particularly have different densities (for example, various image data extremely dark, extremely light, and the like) and it was difficult to assume that the image rate becomes constant. Namely, in the development processing for the above-described digital image data generated by computer processing, digital image data stored in a storing medium, and the like, it was difficult to calculate an appropriate replenishment quantity of the developing agent.

Developing agent replenishing method and digital photographic printer


Provided is a switching regulator for preventing generation of an inrush current flowing through a switching element of an output stage, which is provided in the switching regulator. A soft start control circuit (116) detects a current flowing through a PMOS transistor (104) serving as a switching element of an output stage. When the detected current is equal to or larger than a current limiting value for limiting the current flowing through the PMOS transistor (104), the soft start control circuit (116) controls the PMOS transistor (104) to be turned off. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent generation of the inrush current flowing through the PMOS transistor (104).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a switching regulator having a soft start function.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a power supply unit for stably supplying a constant voltage from a power supply voltage source, a switching regulator and a series regulator are widely known. The switching regulator performs an on/off control of a switching element, which is connected in series between an input connected from the power supply voltage source and an output connected to an outside, in response to a switching pulse under a predetermined control, and performs the on/off switching of an input voltage supplied from the power supply voltage source, thereby outputting only necessary power.
The switching regulator is controlled by a switching regulator control IC. The switching regulator control IC has a soft start function for preventing an overshoot of an output voltage of the switching regulator control IC and generation of an inrush current flowing through a switching element, which are caused upon turning on of a power supply. According to the soft start function, a duty of the switching pulse with respect to the switching element upon turning on of the power supply is caused to gradually increase, thereby controlling a time period for energy transfer between the input connected from the power supply voltage source and the output connected to the outside (for example, see JP 2004-297985 A).
However, a current value between the input connected from the power supply voltage source and the output connected to the outside is not sensed. As a result, the generation of the inrush current flowing through the switching element may not be completely prevented.


The present invention provides a stroke operation mechanism which is incorporated in a single-structure press machine so that various types of stroke operations can easily be generated on the slide side, and a control method for controlling the stroke operation mechanism so as to cause the mechanism to exhibit various types of stroke operations. The press machine stroke operation mechanism has a driving system having a feed screw member disposed on a plane in parallel therewith, at least one pair of nut members screwed on the screw member and moved by rotation of the screw member so as to separate from and approach to each other, and a servomotor for supplying torques for normal and reverse rotations to the screw member; and a slide system having a slide member supported below the screw member at right angles therewith so as to be vertically slidable, and a transmission bar member having an upper end axially connected to the nut members and a lower end axially connected to the slide member. The rotational frequency and the rotational speed of the servomotor are controlled for controlling the position and speed of the slide member between the upper dead center and the lower dead center during the stroke motion of the slide member, which is caused by rotation of the motor.

The present invention relates to a press machine stroke operation mechanism comprising a servo motor and a link mechanism, and a method of controlling the position and speed of the stroke operation of the mechanism so that the press machine is operated in accordance with the working contents of the intended press work.
Press machines using a servo motor as a driving source of a stroke operation mechanism are proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 62-252700, 62-296999 and 62-297000. A press machine using a link mechanism as a stroke operation mechanism is also known as a quick-return press or the like.
However, the previously proposed press machines using a servo motor as a driving source are screw presses and are developed as single purpose machines for caulking. Thus such press machines are not intended to be used considering the pressure applied to a workpiece, the pressure speed or a position in a stroke where the pressure and speed are applied.
Since the link mechanism of the known link press is also incorporated into a machine in order to simply quickly return a slide member, the same press mechanism cannot be used for press works having different work contents.
However, if the way of applying the pressure and the pressure speed to a workpiece can be changed for working different workpieces by a single press machine, press machine makers need not to produce different machines according to work contents, and the user also need not to buy and install machines respectively required for different work contents. It is thus thought that an attempt can be made to significantly rationalize the press work from various viewpoints.

Press machine stroke operation mechanism and operation control method therefor


Diffuser-augmented wind turbines can include a first diffuser ring arranged to form a turbine rotor cowling, the diffuser being fixed to and rotatable with the turbine rotor about the horizontal axis of the wind turbine. The first diffuser ring may have one or more dynamic, aero-elastic, vortex entrainment devices attached to a trailing edge of the diffuser. The first diffuser ring may include one or more slot gaps arranged within its body, each slot gap creating a channel between the interior and exterior surfaces of the first diffuser ring. In some embodiments the diffuser may optionally further include one or more further diffuser rings, the one or more further diffuser rings being static rings (e.g. non-rotatable about the horizontal axis) or dynamic diffuser rings (e.g. rotatable around the horizontal axis).

The listing or discussion of an apparently prior-published document in this specification should not necessarily be taken as an acknowledgement that the document is part of the state of the art or is common general knowledge.
A wind turbine is a device that can be used to convert kinetic energy (from the wind) into mechanical energy, for example by using wind to rotate turbine rotor blades. An example of a classic wind turbine is a horizontal axis wind turbine comprising an electrical generator in a horizontal central hub with turbine rotor blades attached. The turbine rotor delivers torque energy to the generator hub which converts this to electrical energy via an electrical generator. However, a classical wind turbine that is not augmented with a diffuser is limited in the amount of energy it can convert from wind by Betz' law, which states that for a classical wind turbine, in which the airflow is axial and free streaming, no more than 59.3% of kinetic energy from wind can be converted to mechanical energy.
Wind turbine diffusers may be used to increase the velocity of the air entering the turbine's rotor plane, thus increasing the power output and efficiency of any given turbine. Conventional diffusers require a large expansion in exit area of the wind turbine in order to induce a relatively modest increase in wind speed (and hence, power output and efficiency). This increased exit area reduces the air pressure behind the turbine and leads to air being accelerated over the turbine rotor blades. However, expanding the exit area of the wind turbine generally results in the use of large, uneconomic and highly drag-loaded cowlings around the turbine. US 2005/0002783 A1 describes a diffuser augmented wind-turbine which has an expanded exit area.
Another example of a conventional wind turbine diffuser is one that uses a mixer-ejector system to draw high energy air into the rear section of the diffuser. In theory, this system decreases the air pressure behind the wind turbine and therefore draws more air through the turbine rotor plane, which increases the power output and efficiency. However, injection-mixer systems may not provide as significant an increase in the velocity of the air passing through the turbine in practice and therefore may not provide a significant increase in power output efficiency. WO 2010/036678 A1 describes a mixer-ejector (MEWT) wind turbine.
Wind turbine rotor cowlings that are attached to and rotate with the turbine rotor blade tips may be used to reduce the noise and disruption caused by blade tip vortices. However, they are not designed to reduce the pressure behind the turbine plane and therefore accelerate the air through the turbine plane thereby increasing power output and efficiency. WO 2004/083631 A2 describes a wind turbine with a rotatable cowling which is designed to eliminate blade tip vortices. WO 2010/131052 describes a static wind turbine cowling which has angled slots in front of the turbine plane which induce rotational flow acting against the post-rotor wake. This acts like an anti-swirl device, re-aligning the flow.

Wind turbines augmented with rotating diffusers


A bottle body formed of plastic injection-molded in a single piece. The bottle body includes a hollow body (12) with an open rear end (18) for filling the body with a fluid product, and a narrowed front end forming a neck (20). The body includes a transverse tear-off seal (22) integrally formed with the body for sealing the corresponding end of the body (12). The body is suitable for bottles for ophthalmological products.

The present invention relates to a bottle body and to a bottle which are intended to contain a fluid product, and to a method for manufacturing such a bottle.
Bottle bodies, formed of a single piece of injected plastic, of the type which have an open rear end to allow them to be filled with a fluid product, and a narrowed front end forming a neck, are known in the prior art.
Prior to the filling operation, the neck is generally sealed by an attached membrane which is intended to be pierced when the bottle is put into actual use.
Some of these bottles are intended to contain a sterile product, for example an eye ointment.
When the neck is being sealed using the membrane, foreign bodies can enter the body of the bottle and can thus contaminate that the product that the body is intended to contain.

Bottle body and product dispensing bottle