A forward/backward gear shifting mechanism for an outboard engine includes an operating cable passed through an outer pipe fixed to a bracket attached to an under cover and extended into an engine room, a shift rod for shifting a forward/backward gear, a driving arm for turning the shift rod, and a transmission mechanism linked to the operating cable to transmit operating force to the driving arm. The transmission mechanism includes an arm mechanism including an input arm, an output arm and a pivotal shaft and supported for turning about a fixed rotational axis by support members on the engine unit. The operating cable is linked to the input arm of the transmission mechanism by a slider, i.e., a linking member. A first connecting member connecting the input member and the slider is nearer to the bracket than a second connecting member connecting the operating cable and the slider. A necessary stroke of the operating cable is secured, choices of disposing the transmission mechanism are increased, the lightness of a shifting operation is improved, and the transmission mechanism is compact.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a forward/backward gear shifting mechanism provided with a selector rod for selectively shifting a forward/backward selector included in a propulsion unit of an outboard engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A marine propulsion machine has a propulsion unit driven by an engine and including a propeller. The propulsion unit includes a forward/backward gear. A shift rod is operated by a remote control device using an operating cable to shift the forward/backward gear to either a forward-drive position or a backward-drive position.
An outboard engine disclosed in JP 9-123996 A has a shift link connected to a remote control cable with a pin that slides along a guide groove formed in a guide attached to an exhaust guide, and a shift arm connected to the shift link with a pin and fastened to a shift rod. Shifting force is transmitted through the remote control cable extending from a remote controller, the pin and the shift link to the shift arm to the shift rod to drive the shift rod.
In this known outboard engine, the joint of the remote control cable and the pin, and the joint of the pin and the shift link are at the same position with respect to a longitudinal direction from a cable holding part at which the remote control cable is held on a bracket. Therefore, the position of the shift link is decided uniquely when a stroke for which the remote control cable needs to be moved to move the shift link is determined. Thus, there is a restriction on the position of the shift link.
An outboard engine disclosed in JP 8-91296 A is provided, to drive a shift rod in a remote control mode, with an input shift arm fastened to a shaft supported for turning on a bracket fastened to a crankcase, an output shift arm fixed to the upper end of an output shift shaft supported for turning on the crankcase, a shift link connecting the input shift arm and the output shift arm, a driving sector gear attached to the lower end of the output shift shaft, and a driven sector gear attached to the upper end of the shift rod and engaged with the driving sector gear. Operating force applied to a shift lever by an operator to change the position of the shift rod is transmitted through a Bowden cable connected to the shift lever to the input shift arm. The motion of the input shift arm is transmitted through the shift link, the output shift arm and the driving sector gear to the driven sector gear to drive the shift rod.
Each of the outboard engines described in JP 9-123996 A and JP 8-91296 A is provided with a linkage including the shift link to drive the shift rod by the operating force. In the outboard engine disclosed in JP 8-91296 A, the shift link connecting the input and the output shift arm needs to turn relative to the input and the output shift arm and hence some clearances are formed in the joints of the shift link, and the input and the output shift arm. The clearances cause a time lag between the motion of the input shift arm turned by the cable and the motion of the output shift arm moved by the shift linkage. Consequently, the relation between the operating position of the operating member and the selected position of the shift rod is not always fixed and the operator is unable to obtain a satisfactory shift feeling.
In each of the outboard engines disclosed in JP 9-123996 A and JP 8-91296 A, the shift link performs both a translating motion and a turning motion and hence a comparatively wide space must be available for the motion of the shift link. Thus, it is difficult to install the linkage in a narrow space, restrictions are placed on the arrangement of the members related with the shift link and it is difficult to arrange the associated members compactly.
In the outboard engine disclosed in JP 8-91296 A, the Bowden cable is fastened to the input shift arm. Therefore, the Bowden cable is curved and resistance against the sliding movement of the Bowden cable increases when the input shift arm is turned. Consequently, the lightness of the shifting operation is spoiled.
The outboard engine disclosed in JP 8-91296 A is provided, to operate the shift rod in a remote control mode, with the input shift arm fastened to the input shift shaft, the output shift arm fixed to the upper end of the output shift shaft, the shift link connecting the input shift arm and the output shift arm, the driving sector gear attached to the lower end of the output shift shaft, and the driven sector gear attached to the upper end of the shift rod and engaged with the driving sector gear. Operating force applied to the shift lever by the operator to operate the shift rod is transmitted through the Bowden cable connected to the shift lever to the input shift arm, and from the input shift arm through the shift link, the output shift arm, the driving sector gear and the driven sector gear to drive the shift rod. The output shift arm has a depression that receives a roller supported on the extremity of a leaf spring, and a dog for operating a limit switch to send out a neutral-indicating signal.
In the outboard engine disclosed in JP 8-91296 A, a rotational axis about which the output shift arm provided with the dog turns is on a line parallel to the moving direction of the actuator, which moves to close and open the contact of the limit switch. There is not any choice of determining the position of the limit switch, the dog having a length from the rotation axis needs to turn in a wide turning range to move the actuator properly. Thus, it is difficult to form a shifting device provided with such a limit switch in compact construction.
The leaf spring that creates a click to enable the operator to recognize the shift of the shift rod to a neutral position, and the dog for operating the limit switch are separate members. Therefore, in some cases, the detection of the shift of the shift rod to the neutral position and operator's perception of a click do not occur simultaneously.
The need to position the leaf spring so that the resilience of the leaf spring may not affect the turning motion of the output shift arm places restrictions on the placement of the leaf spring and the limit switch, making it difficult to form the forward/backward gear shifting mechanism in compact construction.
In the outboard engine disclosed in JP 8-91296 A, the Bowden cable passed through the wall of the under case has one end connected the input shift arm and the other end connected to the shift lever disposed at a distance from the outboard engine. The operating force applied by the operator to change the propulsion mode is transmitted through the Bowden cable connected to the shift lever, the input shift arm, the shift link, the output shift arm, the driving sector gear and the driven sector gear to the to the shift rod.
In the outboard engine disclosed in JP 8-91296 A, the rotational axis of the driving sector gear in mesh with the driven sector gear lies on a longitudinal straight line passing a steering axis. Therefore, the distance between the rotational axis of the input shift 14m and that of the driving sector gear is long, the input shift arm, the shift link, the output shift arm and the driving sector gear occupy a large space, and hence the outboard engine is large.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing problems and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a forward/backward gear shifting mechanism for an outboard engine, capable of securing a necessary stroke of an operating cable, of increasing choices of disposing a transmission mechanism and of being lightly operated for a propulsion mode changing operation. Another object of the present invention is to increase choices of disposing a pivot shaft regardless of the position of the joint of an operating cable and a linking member.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a forward/backward gear shifting mechanism for an outboard engine, capable of producing an improved shift feel, including a compact transmission mechanism, of increasing choices of disposing the transmission mechanism, and of improving operating lightness.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a forward/backward gear shifting mechanism for an outboard engine, capable of increasing choices of disposing a neutral-indicating switch, of being formed in compact construction, and of eliminating time lag between the detection of the shift of a shift rod to a neutral position and operator's perception of a click.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a forward/backward gear shifting mechanism provided with a compact transmission mechanism for transmitting an operating force applied to an operating cable to a driving member for driving a shift rod, capable of being highly lightly operated, of producing an improved shift feel, and of increasing choices of disposing the transmission mechanism.

Forward/backward gear shifting mechanism for outboard engine


A method of treating a patient includes providing an implantable vessel filter including a plurality of legs and a center-post, inserting the filter into a delivery assembly, and deploying the filter at a desired location in a patient's body. One or more of the legs may have a hook at a distal end thereof and the center-post includes a grooved distal section to receive the hooks. The filter legs transition from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration during deployment.

A vena cava filter is a device inserted into a blood vessel to capture particles in the blood flow. Typically the device is inserted into a major vein to prevent a blood clot from reaching the lungs. Patients who have recently suffered from trauma, heart attack (myocardial infarction), or underwent major surgical procedure (e.g., surgical repair of a fractured hip, etc.) may have thrombosis in a deep vein. When the thrombus clot loosens from the site of formation and travels to the lung it may cause pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening condition. A vena cava filter may be placed in the circulatory system to intercept the thrombi and prevent them from entering the lungs.
Examples of various blood vessel filters are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0000799 A1, titled "BODY VESSEL FILTER" by Wessman et al., published May 3, 2001; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0038097 A1, titled "ATRAUMATIC ANCHORING AND DISENGAGEMENT MECHANISM FOR PERMANENT IMPLANT DEVICE" by Ostrovsky et al., published Sep. 26, 2002; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0193828 A1, titled "ENDOVASCULAR FILTER" by Griffin et al., published Dec. 19, 2002; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0199918 A1, titled "CONVERTIBLE BLOOD CLOT FILTER" by Patel et al., published Oct. 23, 2003; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0208227 A1, titled "TEMPORARY VASCULAR FILTERS AND METHODS" by Thomas, published Nov. 6, 2003; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0208253 A1, titled "BLOOD CLOT FILTER" by Beyer et al., published Nov. 6, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,908, titled "BLOOD CLOT FILTER" issued to Simon, dated Jan. 17, 1984; U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,184, titled "EMBOLUS TRAP" issued to Mobin-Uddin, dated Feb. 17, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,600, titled "IMPLANTABLE FILTER" issued to Herms et al., dated Apr. 4, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,205, titled "PERCUTANEOUS ANTI-MIGRATION VENA CAVA FILTER" issued to El-Nounou et al., dated Oct. 22, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,605, entitled "THROMBOSIS FILTER" issued to Irie et al., dated May 6, 1997; U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,790, titled "INTRALUMINAL MEDICAL DEVICE" issued to Chevillon et al., dated May 26, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,026 B1, titled "REMOVABLE EMBOLUS BLOOD CLOT FILTER AND FILTER DELIVERY UNIT" issued to Ravenscroft et al., dated Jul. 10, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,709 B1, titled "METAL MEDICAL DEVICE" issued to Heath, dated Dec. 24, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,205 B2, titled "BLOOD CLOT FILTERING SYSTEM issued to Goldberg et al., dated Jan. 14, 2003; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,559 B1, titled "BLOOD FILTER AND METHOD FOR TREATING VASCULAR DISEASE" issued to O'Connell, dated Feb. 11, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,767 B1, titled "RECOILABLE THROMBOSIS FILTERING DEVICE AND METHOD" issued to Walak et al., dated Apr. 1, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,620,183 B2, titled "THROMBUS FILTER WITH BREAK-AWAY ANCHOR MEMBERS" issued to DiMatteo, dated Sep. 16, 2003; each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Typically the filter comprises a plurality of radially expandable legs that supports one or more filter baskets which are conical in configuration. The device is adapted for compression into a small size to facilitate delivery into a vascular passageway and is subsequently expandable into contact with the inner wall of the vessel. The device may later be retrieved from the deployed site by compressing the radially expanded legs and the associated baskets back into a small size for retrieval. The radially expandable leg may further comprise engagements for anchoring the filter in position within a blood vessel (e.g., vena cava). For example, the expandable legs may have hooks that can penetrate into the vessel wall and positively prevent migration of the filter in either direction along the length of the vessel. The body of the filter may comprise various biocompatible materials including compressible spring metals and shape memory materials to allow easy expansion and compression of the filter within the vessel. The hooks on the radially expandable legs may further comprise materials more elastic than the legs to permit the hooks to straighten in response to withdrawal forces to facilitate withdrawal from the endothelium layer without risk of significant injury to the vessel wall. In one variation, the hooks are formed on the ends of a portion of the radially expandable legs, but not on others.
Many of the existing vena cava filters routinely encounter problems during deployment due to entanglements of the radially expandable legs. This is especially problematic in designs with hooks implemented on the radially expandable legs. In the compressed/collapsed condition, the various hooks on the legs may interlock with other legs or hooks and render the device useless. Thus, an improved filter design that can prevent entanglement and/or interlocking of the radially expandable legs may be desirable. Such a design may improve the reliability of the vena cava filter and improve the surgical success rate of filter implantation. Such an improved design may also prevent the entanglement of the radially expandable legs when the device is collapsed into the compressed position during the retrieval of the filter from its deployed location within the vessel.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A gas turbine engine disk split retainer ring system is provided and includes an apparatus and method for retaining a split ring in relation to a turbine cover plate or disk. Pegs are used to capture and retain a split retainer ring of the gas turbine rotor in relation to the cover plate. An anti-rotation peg has a radially oriented tab for engaging the split ring so as to control the rotation of the ring. The system may be used to balance the operating condition of a turbo machine.

Retention arrangements are used particularly in relation to engines where there are rotating shafts as it is important to retain the association between seals and other components within the engine. In particular, a rotary gas turbine engine may incorporate a cooling air system in which relatively cool air is conveyed over at least one face of a turbine disk in a radially outward direction before it is introduced through channels or orifices near the periphery of the disk to an internal blade cooling system via blade roots. A cover plate is carried on the disk face to both create a cooling volume for the disk face and a plenum for the airflow into the blade roots. The cover plate is sealed against the disk face to avoid cooling air loss, and normally carries part of a seal assembly co-operating with an adjacent stationary part. The design of the cover plate, therefore, requires stability, dynamic balance, and tolerances to differential thermal expansion between the disk and the cover plate. Further, the cover plate must be positively located on the face of the disk but remain capable of being disassembled and accurately rebuilt.
The assembly of the cover plate to the disk may require a compressible ring that is radially captured at its center diameter by a groove in the disk. During assembly, a special tool is often required to compress the ring to be held in the disk groove to allow a cover plate to pass over the ring. The ring can then be allowed to expand so that a portion of the ring extends above the disk groove and interferes with the cover plate to provide axial retention. The specially configured tool compresses and holds the ring in the disc groove during assembly and disassembly. Such arrangement, however, requires a groove to be machined in a wall of the disk. Such constructs typically do not provide any type arrangement for correcting rotor assembly imbalance, which is not desirable in the airline industry. Moreover, because past methods of assembly and disassembly require special tools to be employed so as to collapse the ring within the disk groove, additional costs are incurred by the airline industry both in tooling costs as well as human capital that is required to maintain and operate such tools. Moreover, the assembly process can be difficult and time consuming due to the nature and size of the tools and components. The tools that are used include small clips that hold the ring into the disk groove. Using the clips is complicated. Due to this difficulty, several attempts may be required before the components are successfully assembled and the opportunity for damage increases with each attempt. Accordingly, it would be preferable to reduce maintenance costs and improve upon the process of assembling and disassembling the aforementioned turbine components.

Turbine split ring retention and anti-rotation method

Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.


A video signal reproducing apparatus, typically an 8-mm video tape recorder, reproduces a signal recorded along inclined tracks on a magnetic video tape in a tape cassette having an erase prevention member. The video signal reproducing apparatus has an erase prevention detector for detecting whether a further signal can be recorded on the magnetic video tape or not based on the status of the erase prevention member. A reproducing circuit reproduces the recorded signal from the magnetic video tape for a predetermined period of time, typically one second, when the erase prevention detector detects that no further signal can be recorded on the magnetic video tape. An index extracting circuit extracts an index signal from the reproduced signal, and the extracted index signal is decoded by an index decoder. The decoded index information, typically a chapter number, is displayed on a television monitor in response to the depression of an index key on a control panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video signal reproducing apparatus suitable for use in an 8-mm video tape recorder, for example.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have heretofore been proposed and used video tape recorders for recording video signals in various formats. The video tape recorders include an 8-mm video tape recorder, a VHS video tape recorder, and a Beta video tape recorder among others. The 8-mm video tape recorder finds wide use in consumer and business applications as it employs much smaller tape cassettes than the VHS and Beta video tape recorders, and can record and reproduce images and sounds with high quality and is capable of recording audio signals by way of multiple pulse code modulation (PCM).
The 8-mm video tape recorder has an audio signal recording mode in which it records an audio signal on a video tape by frequency-modulating the audio signal and mixing it with a color video signal such that the audio signal can be divided in terms of frequencies. In another optional audio signal recording mode, the audio signal is pulse-code-modulated (PCM), and the PCM audio signal and the color video signal are recorded in different regions along one track on a video tape.
FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a rotary head assembly of an 8-mm video tape recorder, and FIG. 2 shows a recording format or pattern of tracks recorded on a video tape by the rotary head assembly.
As shown in FIG. 1, the rotary head assembly has recording and reproducing magnetic heads HA, HB whose gaps have different azimuth angles from each other and which are mounted on a drum 1 in a 180.degree.-spaced relationship to each other. The recording and reproducing magnetic heads HA, HB have tips projecting slightly radially outwardly from the outer circumferential surface of the drum 1. The recording and reproducing magnetic heads HA, HB are rotated with the drum 1 in the direction indicated by the arrow 3H at a frame frequency of 30 Hz.
When the recording and reproducing magnetic heads 4A, 4B are thus rotated, as shown in FIG. 2, signals are recorded along tracks 4A, 4B having a length corresponding to an angle of 221.degree. which are alternately formed on a magnetic video tape 2 by the respective recording and reproducing magnetic heads 4A, 4B. An audio signal, which is pulse-code-modulated and time-compressed, relative to one field of a video signal is recorded in an area AP that corresponds to an angular range of about 36.degree. (including an after-recording margin for the pulse-code-modulated audio signal and a guard band) from the starting end of each of the tracks 4A, 4B. Then, one field of color video signal, an FM audio signal, and a tracking signal are recorded in an area AV over an angular range of 180.degree. following the area AP. The remaining angular range of 5.degree. of each of the tracks 4A, 4B provides a marginal interval in which the recording and reproducing magnetic head leaves the video tape 5.
The after-recording margin includes an index area for recording count values of one frame, time data representing year, month, date, hour, minute, and second, and chapter data.
When a magnetic video tape with no such time and chapter data recorded in the index area is played back on an 8-mm video tape recorder upon pressing of a playback button thereof, the recorded count values are automatically displayed successively. When a magnetic video tape with time and chapter data recorded in the index area is played back on an 8-mm video tape recorder upon pressing of a playback button thereof, the time data indicating year, month, and date or the time data of hour, minute, and second is selectively displayed in response to the depression of a corresponding button.
The chapter data, which means almost the same as chapter data for video discs, is data indicative of a certain range on the magnetic video tape 2.
The data recorded in the index area can be displayed when a certain button of the 8-mm video tape recorder is pressed while the magnetic video tape 2 is being played back by the 8-mm video tape recorder.
In use, the tape cassette housing the magnetic video tape 2 is loaded in the above 8-mm video tape recorder, and thereafter the playback button is pressed to transport the magnetic video tape 2 for signal reproduction. Only at this time, or only when a certain button is pressed while the magnetic video tape 2 is being played back, the desired data recorded in the index area is displayed. Therefore, the user may find the display process cumbersome, and cannot recognize the index information of the tape cassette immediately when the tape cassette is loaded in the video tape recorder.

Video signal reproducing apparatus with index information display


Various embodiments include computer-implemented methods, computer program products and systems for aligning a set of orthogonal circuit elements in an integrated circuit (IC) layout. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for aligning a set of orthogonal circuit elements in an IC layout includes: classifying each orthogonal circuit element in the set of orthogonal circuit elements as including a first space-designated edge and a second space-designated edge; and aligning each orthogonal circuit element on an edge placement grid according to the first space-designated edge and the second space-designated edge, the edge placement grid having a first set of space-designated grid lines separated by a first distance, and a second set of space-designated grid lines separated by a second distance, wherein the first set of space-designated grid lines is separated from the second set of space-designated grid lines by an offset distance.

The continued delay in extreme ultra violet (EUV) lithography is driving the introduction of increasingly complex, costly and design-restrictive double-patterning (DP) solutions. As wiring pitches decrease (e.g., below 50 nanometer (nm) with 193 nm immersion), immersion lithography has involved the use of sidewall image transfer (SIT) double-patterning to overcome the overlay-induced dielectric breakdown failures that limit the achievable pitch scaling with older conventional litho-etch-litho-etch (LELE) double-patterning.
In SIT double-patterning, frequency doubling of the lithography-formed images does not occur by interdigitating two exposures (as in LELE), but by depositing sidewall spacers onto both sides of a lithographically-formed image. A second exposure, referred to as a "block" mask, is then used to add two-dimensional detail to the images formed by the SIT process.
However, a challenge in patterning approaches, e.g., SIT DP comes from the design rules necessary to ensure clean "block mask" generation. For example, line-ends of wire shapes in the layout (e.g., router-generated layout) are constrained such that the resulting block mask is free of minimum width space violations. Further, corner rounding effects on the block mask can cause unmanufacturable line-end angles.
These process constraints on the block mask result in line-end stagger rules, which can be described as:
For two line ends facing opposite directions, a line end stagger on neighboring tracks of, +K>Stagger>−K is forbidden; and
For line ends facing the same direction, a line end stagger on neighboring tracks of, +K>Stagger>0 as well as 0>Stagger>−K are forbidden.
However, implementing these line-end stagger rules in a conventional layout router will greatly reduce routing efficiency, and make the use of certain patterning approaches (e.g., SIT) unfeasible. This issue may be particularly significant for design rules that span multiple neighboring tracks, e.g., a line end stagger of +K>Stagger>−K is allowed if the offending line ends are separated by two empty tracks.
Further, in addition to the line-end stagger rules, the line ends must also satisfy two minimum spacing rules: 1) line-end to line-end spacing rule (T); and 2) line-end to line-side rule (E). These two rules come into play when line edges face one another with a non-minimum run length.
It is known in the art that line-end spacing rules cause challenges in conventional routers, primarily because it is difficult to model these rules precisely. Typically, T>E, and it is sometimes not known whether T or E applies prior to modeling. Stagger spacing rules can introduce several further complexities to the modeling of line-end spacings. For line-ends that occur in adjacent routing tracks, there are also several spacing choices relative to neighboring elements, for example: 0, −K, +K. The combination of spacing rules on the same (and adjacent) tracks, with discrete, non-continuous solutions, can have a negative impact on the efficiency and optimality of path search algorithms.

International Business Machines Corporation


The described embodiments of the present invention provide a circuit and method for programming the organization and mode options of an integrated circuit. The embodiment described provides this function for a dynamic random access memory but is applicable to any integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes programming lead pins, connected to respective programming bond pads, which are connected to an external first reference potential or to an external second reference potential. Circuitry on the integrated circuit provides logical signals on the integrated circuit which select the operational organization and mode of the integrated circuit.

Dynamic Random Access Memories (DRAMs) since the 64K generation have offered options to the basic memory function provided by a simple x1 organization. The 64K DRAM offered a 64Kx1 organization as well as a 16Kx4 organization at the same memory density. However, these two offerings were usually totally separate designs, mask sets and they required separate qualifications by customers. The 256K generation for the most part paralleled the 64K regarding having separate designs for the 256Kx1 and 64Kx4 parts. With the 256K additional options beside organization were offered. The 256K generation also offered nibble mode on the x1 along with the standard page mode version.
With the advent of the 1M, several manufacturers sourced all their device options from one basic mask set. The device options included choice of organization and choice of function, such as page, nibble or static column modes. The desired option is selected during wafer fabrication at metal patterning or in the assembly operation at wire bond. This approach simplifies the inventory of multiple device types for both manufacturer and customer.
In bond programming, the option desired is chosen by selectively bonding the programming pads to Vdd or Vss or leaving them open. If a pad is left un-bonded, the pad is taken to a default potential on chip. The necessary reconfiguration within the chip for the desired mode of operation is accomplished through setting of logic gates and use of CMOS transfer devices. Selection at this stage of manufacturing puts the decision closer to the point of customer delivery and allows the marketing and manufacturing organizations greater flexibility in servicing the customer's needs.
The use of bond programming leads to an interesting possibility--letting the customer himself determine the option he wants at the point of use, his board. If a way can be found for him to do so, without increasing the cost of the device or his system costs, then there appear to be advantages for both the manufacturer and the user. Having a single device from which to source all device options solves his inventory problems for multiple device types while freeing his designers to choose the best device for the application. In both cases it simplifies the question of product mix from "how many of which kind?" to simply "how many?"

Pin programmable dram that allows customer to program option desired


The apparatus for the manufacture of a reinforcement from a thread deposited directly in its final position by projecting lengths of the thread for laying the thread onto a receiving surface (S). The apparatus includes an assembly (5) comprising rollers (15) for the advancing of thread (1), a rotary conduit (2), a knife (3) for cutting the thread and freeing a length (10) upon each turn of said rotary conduit (2), and a thread guide (4) to receive the cut lengths of thread. The thread guide comprises deflectors (43) exerting a pressure on the thread. The pressure of the deflectors can be adjusted by screws (7).

The present invention relates, in particular, to the manufacture of tires, and more particularly, to the manufacture of reinforcement armatures, such as those which are present below the tread of belted tires, the carcass of which is generally radial.
Such reinforcements have been manufactured in the form of semi-finished products known as "plies" which were prepared flat and then incorporated in the assembling of the article. U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,259 relates to the producing of such reinforcements from a continuous thread and placing them directly on the tire blank. This proposal is based on the projecting of a thread in the manner of the thong of a whip.
FIG. 1 illustrates an apparatus for the manufacture of a tire reinforcement employing this principle. Such an apparatus uses a thread 1 fed, for example, by feeding means from a spool, not shown. The apparatus projects lengths 10 of said thread onto a receiving surface S which in this case is part of the tire being manufactured.
The expression "thread" is used herein in a very broad sense to include a monofilament, a multifilament, a cable, a twist or an equivalent assembly, and this whatever the material constituting the thread or the treatment which it has undergone, for instance a surface treatment in order to favor its intimate bonding to rubber, or a rubberizing treatment surrounding said thread with a layer of rubber in order to permit its direct adherence on the support upon its projection.
The apparatus is an assembly 5 which includes:
means for advancing the thread 1 from a source of thread (not shown), such as a spool, PA1 a rotary conduit 2 mounted on a shaft 20 constituting the axis of rotation of said conduit, in such a manner that the outer radial end 21 of said conduit is directed substantially radially with respect to the axis of rotation, said conduit receiving the thread 1 at its central end 22 opposite said outer radial end 21 coming from the thread feeding means, said thread emerging through said outer radial end, said feeding means controlling the linear speed of advance of the thread within said rotary conduit, PA1 means for driving said rotary conduit 2 in rotation, PA1 means for cutting the thread in such a manner as to free one length upon each rotation of said rotary conduit 2.
Furthermore, said apparatus comprises a thread guide, designated generally as 4, for receiving lengths 10 of thread. For further details as to the operation of an apparatus of this type, reference should be made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,259. In that apparatus, the thread guide 4 is positioned with respect to said rotary conduit 2 in such a manner as to receive the thread, or more precisely lengths 10 removed one after another from this thread, in the plane of rotation of said conduit 2. The thread guide 4 receives each length 10 of thread, which passes through this thread guide and emerges through a projection orifice 40 in the immediate vicinity of the surface on which the length of thread is to be deposited and held by adherence. In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus, the lengths of cords are whipped and forced through the thread guide.

Removable thread guide which receives threads projected onto a surface


The present invention belongs to the technical field of wastewater treatment, and particularly relates to a method for pre-conditioning high-calcium wastewater by calcification blocking, and a device for implementing the method. The method for treating high-calcium wastewater by calcification blocking includes mixing high-calcium wastewater, an alkalizing agent and a chelating agent, and carrying out alkalizing conditioning pretreatment under a condition of stirring by bubbling of a biogas, so as to obtain pre-conditioned wastewater. The pre-conditioned wastewater is mixed with anaerobic granular sludge, and an anaerobic reaction is performed in a high hydraulic shear flow field formed by the biogas, so as to generate the biogas and calcium scale. A part of the biogas for the stirring is refluxed by bubbling of the biogas and the rest of the biogas is refluxed for forming the high hydraulic shear flow field.

For wastewater treatment, an anaerobic biological treatment technology, especially an anaerobic granular sludge technology, is widely used in the field of high-concentration organic wastewater treatment at home and abroad due to its advantages of less amount of sludge, high biological treatment efficiency and low cost.
As the most common anaerobic reactor applying the anaerobic granular sludge technology, an IC anaerobic reactor is an efficient internal circulation anaerobic reactor. The IC anaerobic reactor consists of an upper reaction chamber and a lower reaction chamber, where the reaction chambers are filled with anaerobic granular sludge. In the IC anaerobic reactor, the lower part is a high-load part and the upper part is a low-load treatment part for advanced treatment. The biogas generated by the lower anaerobic reaction chamber of the IC anaerobic reactor is used as power to realize the internal circulation of the lower mixed liquor, so that reinforced pretreatment of the wastewater is obtained, and meanwhile, the second reaction chamber at the upper part continuously carries out post-treatment on the wastewater, such that the effluent can meet the expected treatment requirements.
However, when the IC anaerobic reactor is applied for treating organic wastewater with high hardness, the high content of calcium ions in the initial wastewater (as calculated based on CaCO3, the concentration of calcium ions can reach 300-900 mg/L) will lead to the accumulation of inorganic components such as calcium carbonate, hydroxyapatite and the like in the anaerobic granular sludge, which will lead to the loss of granular sludge with high biomass under the higher rising flow rate in the high-efficiency anaerobic reactor, while the high-calcium sludge with low biomass and high density will deposit on the bottom, resulting in sludge bed hardening and reactor blockage and causing the collapse of the anaerobic system over time.

Method and device for treating high-calcium wastewater by calcification blocking

GUANGXI UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LIGHT INDUSTRY AND FOOD ENGINEERING


A phosphorus removal system is operable to remove phosphorus from an influent. The system includes a first section receiving the influent and discharging a first flow. A first coagulant inlet is positioned upstream of the first section and is in fluid communication with the influent to introduce a first coagulant selected to precipitate phosphorus. A second section receives the first flow and discharges a second flow, and a third section receives the second flow and discharges an effluent. A second coagulant inlet is positioned downstream of the first section and upstream of the third section to introduce a second coagulant selected to precipitate phosphorus.

The present invention relates to a system and method for removing phosphorus from an influent. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method for removing phosphorus from an influent using a multi-stage treatment system.
Influent, such as contaminated water, is often treated using a multi-stage process to allow for the removal of various contaminates. The treatment processes may include coagulation, absorption, adsorption, filtration, biological treatment, and/or chemical treatment. However, phosphorus can be difficult to remove because it may be present in different forms such as soluble phosphorus, polyphosphate, and phosphorus tied to bacteria or other organic material. In addition, some particulate phosphorus is too small for filtration or coagulation to be effective.
Present systems generally cannot reduce the level of phosphorus in an influent below about 50 parts per billion (ppb).


A fluid supply apparatus with leakage protection. The apparatus includes a housing defining a storage cavity having a total volume including a fluid portion and a gas portion. The storage cavity extends along a cavity axis from a first end to a second end. A capillary member is fluidly coupled with the fluid. A vent tube having a primary vent passageway and a plurality of vent apertures is located in the storage cavity. The primary vent passageway forms a pathway from the vent apertures to the external atmosphere. Fluid cannot flow through the vent apertures at ambient temperature and pressure equilibrium. The vent apertures may be located and arranged on the vent tube such that irrespective of vertical and angular orientation of the housing relative to a gravitational vector at least one of the vent apertures is in spatial communication with the gas.

Fluid supply apparatuses are used to store a fluid that is later dispensed onto a surface. Examples of fluid supply apparatuses include writing instruments, liquid dispensers, liquid applicators, and the like. Personal care implements, particularly oral care implements such as toothbrushes, are typically used by applying dentifrice or toothpaste to tooth cleaning elements such as bristles followed by brushing regions of the oral cavity, e.g., the teeth, tongue, and/or gums. Some oral care implements have been equipped with fluid reservoirs and systems for dispensing auxiliary oral care fluids before and/or during the tooth brushing regimen. An issue with existing fluid supply apparatuses and personal care implements containing the same is leakage, particularly due to air expansion as a result of temperature increases or pressure decreases which forces the liquid to leak out of the device. An improved fluid supply apparatus and personal/oral care implement containing the same is desired to address existing unwanted fluid leaks.

Fluid dispensing implement having curly tube with vent openings


An exercising chair device includes a chair member having a seat element and an upwardly extended column, a lever pivotally attached to the column and having a bar for engaging with an ankle portion of the user, and a barrel rotatably attached to the lever and rotatable relative to the lever between a lateral working position that is located in front of the bar, and an upwardly extended folding position that is moved away from the bar and located in front of the lever, and for allowing the user to easily engage his feet onto the bar when the barrel is moved away from the bar, and for allowing the feet of the user to be engaged between the bar and the barrel when the barrel is rotated relative to the lever to the lateral working position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rehabilitation or exercising chair device, and more particularly to a rehabilitation or exercising chair device including a structure or configuration for the disable persons to easily and safely engage with and actuate or operate the exercising chair device and for comfortably rehabilitate or exercise their legs with the exercising chair device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of typical rehabilitation or exercising devices have been developed and provided for the disable persons to conduct or operate various kinds of exercises, and comprise a large number of the exercising devices for training or exercising the upper muscle groups and/or the lower or other muscle groups of the users.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,353 to Tench, U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,223 to McGorry et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,056 to Cataldi, Jr. et al. disclose several of the typical rehabilitation or exercising devices each comprising a chair member for supporting the user thereon, and an exercising equipment or arrangement or the like disposed or attached or mounted or secured or formed or provided on the chair member for being actuated or operated by the user to train or exercise the upper muscle groups and/or the lower or other muscle groups of the users.
However, the typical rehabilitation or exercising devices comprise a complicated structure or configuration that may not be made or manufactured and may not be used for the disable persons to comfortably rehabilitate or exercise their legs or their lower muscle groups.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,276,018 to Studdard discloses another of the typical rehabilitation or exercising device also comprising a chair member for supporting the user thereon, and an exercising equipment or arrangement or mechanism or the like is disposed or attached or mounted or secured or formed or provided on the chair member for being actuated or operated by the user to train or exercise the upper muscle groups and/or the lower or other muscle groups of the users.
However, the exercising equipment or arrangement or mechanism of the typical rehabilitation or exercising device includes a predetermined or fixed structure or configuration that may not be adjusted or folded to an adjusted structure for allowing the disable persons to easily and safely engage with the exercising chair device and to easily and safely actuate or operate the exercising chair device.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional rehabilitation or exercising devices.

Rehabilitation or exercising chair device


In some embodiments, a swimming pool coping having an upper end, a lower end, a front end, and a back end, the coping includes a main body extending from the upper end toward the lower end, a horizontal extension attached to the back end of the main body and being perpendicular thereto, and at least one vertical extension parallel with the main body and spaced away from the main body.

Current swimming pool copings are limited by lacking a variety of aesthetic designs. Additionally, swimming pools, and in particular vinyl swimming pools, often do not have a finished look as they lack color, design and a sleek profile to the swimming pool design. Additionally, decorative materials, such as tile, that are adhered directly to a pool liner have a high failure rate. Adhered material also are not clearly visible which diminishes the aesthetics and the perceived value of the swimming pool.

Swimming pool coping and methods of manufacturing and using same


A server apparatus renders a process result of software on an image memory that stores a display image to be displayed on a client terminal, detects an update area in which an update occurs between frames of an image. The server apparatus selectively switches and performs a first generation process and a second generation process according to the number of detected update areas. The first generation process is a process that generates a color map for each update area based on colors used in the update area. The second generation process is a process that generates a color map commonly used between the update areas based on colors used in images of the update areas. The server apparatus reduces the number of colors in an update area using the generated color map and transmits a compressed image of the update area to the client terminal.

A system called a thin client is known. The thin client system is constructed so that a client has a minimum function and a server manages resources such as applications and files.
Although the thin client system causes the client to display a result of a process that is actually performed by the server and data held by the server, the thin client system behaves as if the client independently performed the process and held the data.
When the server transmits screen data to be displayed by the client, there may be a transmission delay due to network congestion between the server and the client. The screen data transmitted from the server is displayed late on the client due to the transmission delay on the network, so that response to an operation performed on the client deteriorates.
Therefore, to reduce the amount of data transmitted between the server and the client, a compression process is performed on block data in an updated screen among desktop screens to be displayed on the client. As an example of the compression process, compression coding is performed using a still image compression method, and further a subtractive color process for converting block data in a screen from 24-bit color, that is, so-called full color, to 16-bit color or 8-bit color is performed before the compression coding.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-311957
However, in the related technique described, the subtractive color process and the compression coding is performed for each block data in a screen, so that there is a problem that time for the compression process increases as the amount of transmitted data is reduced.

Remote screen control device, remote screen control method, and recording medium


A device control apparatus includes a request accepting unit which accepts a device control request, the device control request containing an instruction code indicating a specified instruction and a device identifier indicating a specified device. A competition control unit includes a set of competition definition tables for respective devices and respective device-control instructions, reads out one of the competition definition tables by the device control request, and recognizes competition states between in-process instructions to competition devices and the specified instruction to the specified device by using the read-out competition definition table. A parallel execution control unit performs execution of one or a plurality of the specified instruction and the in-process instructions in accordance with the competition states when a sum of a first weight for the specified instruction and a second weight for the in-process instructions is less than a maximum weight.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device control apparatus and method of controlling parallel execution of device-control instructions to a plurality of devices of a system.
An information system such as a digital switching system is constructed with a plurality of devices to provide various functions. Recently, it is required that the information system be enabled to efficiently execute a device-control instruction such as placing in service, isolating or switching to any of the devices of the information system. It is desirable to easily carry out an instruction execution control of the devices of the information system.
(2) Description of the Related Art
A conventional digital switching system is one of information systems, and, generally, it is constructed with a plurality of main control devices (such as central processing units), a plurality of main storage devices, a plurality of switching network control devices, a plurality of switching networks, a plurality of channels, and a plurality of external devices (such as magnetic disk units). Various functions of the system are provided by the above-mentioned devices.
In the conventional digital switching system, a device-control instruction such as placing in service, isolating or switching to a single device is executed in accordance with a program of a corresponding central processing unit which controls the device. Since the central processing unit controls a plurality of devices connected thereto, it executes one of device-control instructions to respective devices at a time.
When a competition state between two or more devices with respect to device-control instructions by the central processing unit has occurred, a detection of the competition state is performed by individual programs for the two or more devices in a parallel manner.
As described above, in the conventional digital switching system, one of device-control instructions to two or more devices is executed at a time. There is a problem in that it takes a long time to execute placing the two or more devices in service. In addition, since the individual programs for the two or more devices perform in parallel detections of the competition states of the devices, it is necessary that the programs include a complicated routine in order to perform such detections. Further, it is difficult for the conventional digital switching system to provide a flexibility when adding a new device to the system is required.

Device control apparatus and method of controlling parallel execution of device-control instructions to devices of a system


Disclosed herein is a method for reducing roof membrane damage from hail/fastener impact by locating a fastener, positioning an energy absorbing material over the fastener and affixing the material to the fastener. Further disclosed herein is a roof system with reduced hail/fastener impact damage characteristics. The system comprises a roof substrate having one or more layers of material at least one fastener exposed at a top surface of the substrate and a dedicated energy absorbing material positioned over the at least one fastener. A roof water proofing membrane is placed atop the foregoing elements.

In the roofing industry and particularly the commercial roofing industry, exposed roofing membranes have become prevalent. Single ply roofing systems, and others using an exposed membrane, although very effective are subject to greater damage from hail impact than some other types of roof systems. One significant exacerbator of the potential for damage from hail is the very fasteners that retain the membrane and roof assembly component materials underlying the membrane. Such fasteners are nails, special clips, anchors or screws and typically have washers positioned thereunder to spread the hold down load of the head of the fastener. Because fasteners are generally immovable, connected to structural subjacent roof support materials or otherwise substantially immoveable, they pose particular risks to the overlying waterproofing membrane when hail strikes. The fastener/washer act essentially as an anvil against which the roofing membrane can be suddenly and violently compressed by the substantial momentum transfer from a hail stone. This compression tends to rapidly and for short duration "flow" the membrane material in all directions from the impact site. Rupture of the overlying waterproofing membrane can easily occur when hail hits the membrane in an area of an underlying fastener. In order to improve the hail resistance of such roof structures, this characteristic must be alleviated. The roofing industry tests for hail presently utilize a ½″ to 2″ steel ball. The ball is accelerated to terminal (free full) velocity and directed at a roof assembly to measure hail impact. Recently, hail testing has been developed further to enable the shooting of actual ice balls from an air cannon through a timing device at a roof assembly which has been cooled to 38° F. with chilled water. This test more realistically shows the effects of various size hail ice balls from ½″ to 5″ diameter at various mph speeds into a roof assembly sample. A 3″ hail ball approximately the size of a baseball will fall in still air at 95 to 97 mph. If the 3″ hail is caught in a down draft of wind it can increase its speed. Some 3″ hail impact dents on sheet metal equipment on roofs hit by hail required a 3″ hail ball to be shot at 150 mph to replicate the dent. At 100 mph, a 3″ hail ball will go through ½ inch APA approved oriented strand board (osb) wafer board and at 135 mph and a 3″ hail ball will go through ½″ plywood.

Method for reducing roof membrane damage from hail/fastener contact impact and a roof system having reduced membrane damage from hail/fastener impact


A serial display drive for an electronic system including control circuitry that manipulates a serial clock signal that synchronizes each of a plurality of status bits in a serial data stream. The serial display drive circuitry includes a set of indicating elements for displaying the status information and means for switching the indicating elements. The control circuitry periodically stops the serial clock signal to provide a status update interval for each of the indicating elements and to obviate the need for a register element and strobe signal to hold data for the light-emitting elements. In another embodiment, the control circuitry generates bar graph displays.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of displays for electronic systems. More particularly, this invention relates to a low cost low pin count serial display drive mechanism for electronic systems.
2. Art Background
Prior electronic systems that perform relatively complex functions commonly employ highly integrated specialized integrated circuit chips. Typically, such specialized integrated circuit chips are designed and optimized for performing the required specialized function. For example, prior communication systems typically employ one or more specialized integrated circuit chips that perform functions required by a particular communication protocol.
One such specialized integrated circuit chip is the AM79C981 Ethernet control chip manufactured by Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. This highly integrated and specialized control chip implements the communication functions required to perform communication repeater functions for a set of ethernet communication links.
In addition, prior electronic systems such as communication repeater hubs commonly provide a status display mechanism. Such a status display mechanism usually provides a variety of application specific indicators according to the specific requirements of the electronic system. For example, a status display for a communication repeater hub typically provides link activity indicators for the individual communication links.
Prior lower cost electronic systems usually provide such application specific indications via a set of illuminating elements such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs). For example, prior communication repeater hubs usually provide a set of communication link status indicator lights in the form of LEDs.
Typically, such application specific status information is maintained by the specialized integrated circuit chips. Such specialized chips typically supply the status information to the status display on a continuous basis for display. In addition, prior specialized integrated circuit chips commonly use serial data streams to supply data to the status display indicators.
For example, the AM79C981 Ethernet control chip generates a serial data stream that carries the status information for the corresponding communication links. The AM79C981 Ethernet control chip also generates a continuous clock signal and a strobe signal for externally latching and holding the contents of the serial data. Prior repeater hubs that employ the AM89C981 usually include a shift register that assembles the serial data stream under control of the continuous clock and also provide latch circuit that holds the status information under control of the strobe signal. Typically, the strobe signal periodically loads the latch from the Q outputs of the shift register such that the output of the latch drives the LEDs that provide the status display.
Unfortunately, such external shift register and external latch components usually increases the overall cost of such a communication repeater hub. Moreover, extra input/output pins are usually required on the control chip to provide the serial data stream, the serial clock, and the strobe signal. Such extra input/output pins usually increase the manufacturing costs of such highly integrated control chips. In addition, such extra pins may not be available without implementing the control chip in a higher pin count package that is much more expensive than would otherwise be necessary.

Serial display drive for electronic systems


A reception synchronization circuit for receiving a unique word transmitted in a predetermined digital pattern. A detection circuit detects the reception electric field intensity as received power. A UW correlation judgment circuit detects the unique word (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cUWxe2x80x9d) and takes a correlation between the unique word thus detected and a predetermined digital pattern. A memory stores two or more threshold values for the movement average. After the two or more threshold values and the movement average are compared with each other, the correlation is taken by the UW correlation judgment circuit when the movement average is larger than the minimum values of the two or more threshold values.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reception synchronization circuit, a reception synchronization method and a receiver, and particularly to a reception synchronization circuit, a reception synchronization method, a receiver and a digital communication system for receiving a synchronous word or a unique word (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cUWxe2x80x9d) which is used to establish synchronization and transmitted in a predetermined digital a pattern for transmission of digital data in a satellite communication and a mobile communication, for example, ICO system (Inmarsat-P Communication system), Iridium system, Global Star system, CDMAOne system, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) and W-CDMA system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. Hei-1-256232 (prior art 1) discloses a synchronous word (UW) detection system. The synchronous word detection system comprises a line quality monitoring circuit for monitoring the quality of a line at any time with a controller of a TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) satellite communication system and outputting line quality information at a predetermined time interval; a permission error number setting circuit which receives the line quality information and search/narrow mode information representing a reception synchronization process in the TDMA satellite communication system to make the permission error number (threshold value xcex5) of a synchronous word pattern of the satellite circuit variable in accordance with the quality of the line at a predetermined time interval and output it; a threshold value correlation detection circuit which receives the variable permission error from the permissible error number setting circuit, compares reception input data with a predetermined synchronous word pattern to establishment a correlation therebetween, and then outputting a coincidence pulse on the basis of an indicated permission error number xcex5; a storage circuit containing hardware information to exchange the permission error number setting circuit and the threshold value correlation detection circuit with each other on a real-time basis with the search/narrow information and the line quality information as an input address; and a logic circuit for performing AND between the coincidence pulse output from the threshold value correlation detection circuit and an aperture signal occurring at a normal position of a reception reference burst and outputting a synchronization detection pulse.
With the synchronous word system thus constructed, the UW detection can be efficiently performed on a real-time basis, and particularly it can perform the detection of UW efficiently when applied to an earth station having a compact-size antenna (1 to 2 m level) or an earth station in which deterioration of C/N due to attenuation of a rainfall remarkably appears.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. Hei-3-46429 (prior art 2) discloses a unique word detection circuit apparatus including a code error rate measuring circuit for measuring the code error rate of reception data input and outputting the code error rate thus measured; a correlation detection threshold value calculation circuit for calculating and outputting the correlation detection threshold value (xcex5) corresponding to the code error rate; a microprocessor for outputting the correlation detection threshold value (xcex5) with a bus signal; and a unique word detection circuit for judging detection or miss detection of the correlation detection threshold value (xcex5) output from the microprocessor and the reception unique word and then outputting a unique word detection signal only when the unique word is detected.
With the unique word detection circuit apparatus thus constructed, loss of a unique word due to temporary deterioration of a code error rate , loss of reception data which is appendant to the loss of the unique word, and out-of-synchronization of a line can be prevented, thereby enhancing synchronization precision and reliability.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. Hei-3-70226 (prior art 3) discloses maximum value detection selection means for selecting the reception signal having the maximum envelope level from reception signals which are received by plural antennas; a limiter circuit for dividing the reception signal having the maximum enveloped level thus selected by the maximum envelope level to normalize the reception signal having the maximum envelope level and set the envelope level to a predetermined value; means for calculating a complex correlation coefficient between the normalized reception signal and the complex signal corresponding to a specific frame synchronization pattern (UW); and comparison means for comparing the complex correlation coefficient with any threshold value level, wherein a frame synchronization detection circuit judges the reception signal as a frame synchronization pattern (UW) when the complex correlation coefficient is larger than the threshold value level.
Accordingly, in a reception apparatus using a diversity reception system, the effect of multi-path fading can be removed, and the detection precision of the frame synchronization pattern can be enhanced, so that there can be achieved a digital ground mobile radio (wireless) communication system having high reception precision.
Further, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. Hei-5-167630 (prior art 4) discloses a unique word detector including: a first delay detector for receiving as an input signal a signal obtained by subjecting quasi-synchronization and demodulation to a reception signal in which a unique word is inserted, and detecting the delay of the input signal; a unique word generator for generating a complex conjugate value of the unique word; a second delay detector for detecting the delay of the output of the unique word generator; a mutual correlator for taking a mutual correlation between the first and second delay detectors; and a level detector for comparing the output of the mutual correlator with a predetermined threshold value to detect the maximum value thereof.
With the unique word detector thus constructed, the input signal is subjected to the delay detection by the first delay detector to remove a frequency offset therefrom, and then input to the mutual correlator while a frequency offset is removed therefrom. Therefore, even when an input signal has large frequency instability, it is unnecessary to arrange many mutual correlators in parallel for use unlike the prior art, and thus the circuit scale can be greatly reduced. In addition, only one input signal is supplied to the level detector, so that the error detection probability can be reduced.
However, in the prior arts 1 to 4, the detection means of UW itself is shown, and it is applicable to a case where a received status is surely stable. However, when the received status is unstable, an error detection state occurs in UW itself, and thus UW detection which takes no consideration into the received status is little accurately performed. Further, a predetermined time is needed to detect the correlation of UW, and when the correlation of UW is taken although the received status is bad, time is merely wasted.
In the prior art 4, the level detection is performed by the quasi-synchronized and modulated signal of the reception signal and the unique word generator for generating the complex conjugate of UW. In this prior art, the level detection is accurate, however, the relationship between the level detection and the detection of UW is not clarified.
That is, when a reception frequency at which a reception signal exists is not known at an initial stage, the reception electric field intensity of the reception signal, that is, the reception power is first detected in order to establish an early synchronization between the reception frequency and the clock timing. At this time, in the case where the detection level of the reception power is judged on the basis of only one threshold value, the reception power is frequently judged as a noise if the threshold value is low, and thus erroneous detection frequently occurs. On the other hand, if the threshold value is high, the detection of the reception signal is missed. When the reception electric field intensity, that is, the detection level of the reception power is low, the probability that the detection error is increased is high, and thus it has been still required to perform accurate UW detection with a simple construction.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reduce the noise error detection and the signal miss detection by preparing one type or two or more types of threshold values for a movement average detected and calculated on the basis of received power and using an improved judgment algorithm.
Further, another object of the present invention is to enable adaptive controls in various communication states by storing various past detection situations to feed them back to the setting of a threshold value.
Still further, another object of the present invention is to keep an early realization of synchronization establishment by achieving a retrial of a maximum UW measurement.
In order to attain the above objects, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a reception synchronization circuit for receiving a unique word transmitted in a predetermined digital pattern is characterized by comprising: a detection circuit for outputting a reception movement average of a received signal; a memory for storing at least one threshold value for the movement average; comparison means for comparing the reception movement average and the threshold value of the movement average; and an UW correlation judgment circuit for detecting the unique word (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cUWxe2x80x9d) when the reception movement average is higher than the threshold value of the movement average, and taking a correlation between the detected unique word and a predetermined digital pattern.
Further, according to a second aspect of the present invention, a reception synchronization circuit for receiving a unique word transmitted in a predetermined digital pattern is characterized by comprising: a detection circuit for detecting the received power of a received signal and outputting a movement average; a UW correlation judgment circuit for detecting the unique word (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cUWxe2x80x9d) and taking a correlation between the unique word thus detected and a predetermined digital pattern; and a memory for storing two or more threshold values for the movement average, wherein after the two or more threshold values and the movement average are compared with each other, the correlation is taken by the UW correlation judgment circuit when the movement average is larger than the minimum values of the two or more threshold values.
In the above reception synchronization circuit, when the movement average is larger than the maximum threshold value of the two or more threshold values, the correlation is taken by the UW correlation judgment circuit. Further, when the movement average is smaller than the minimum threshold value of the two or more threshold values, the minimum threshold value is increased.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a receiver according to the present performs data detection based on the TDMA system by using the above reception synchronization circuit.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a reception synchronization method for receiving a unique word (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cUWxe2x80x9d) transmitted in a predetermined digital pattern is characterized by comprising the steps of: detecting the received power of a received signal; calculating the mean square of the received power and outputting a reception movement average; reading out from a memory the minimum threshold value and the maximum threshold value which are stored in the memory in advance; comparing the reception movement average with the minimum threshold value; detecting the UW when the reception movement average is larger than the minimum threshold value; and taking a correlation between the UW and the predetermined digital pattern.
In the above reception synchronization method, when the reception movement average is judged to be smaller than the minimum threshold value as a result of the comparison between the reception movement average and the minimum threshold value, the minimum threshold value is reduced to search a next reception channel. Further, in the above reception synchronization method, when the reception movement average is judged to be larger than the minimum threshold value and smaller than the maximum threshold value as a result of the comparison of the reception movement average, the minimum threshold value and the maximum threshold value, the maximum threshold value is reduced to perform a correlation calculation between the received signal and the UW.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a digital communication system according to the present invention performs synchronization by using the above reception synchronization method.
Specifically, the signal detection and synchronization are established by the power detection and the UW (Unique Word) correlation. At this time, the judgment of the detection is performed on the basis of the threshold value, and two kinds of threshold values are prepared for the power detection to enhance the early search and the detection probability. Further, the past results are beforehand stored to suitably renew the threshold value.

Reception synchronization circuit, receiver using the same, and digital communication system


An apparatus and method for loading samples into a gel of an electrophoretic gel system (EGS). The preferred sample loader includes a membrane having a net negative charge, net neutral charge or no charge (preferably nitrocellulose or nylon) which releasably retains the samples such that the samples are actively released when the membrane is inserted into the gel of an EGS. In one preferred embodiment, the sample loader includes a substrate having a plurality of sample loading areas extending therefrom. In an alternative embodiment, the membrane is substantially thick and serves as its own substrate. In another embodiment, sample inhibiting agents such as hydrophobic ink are formed through the membrane to inhibit the diffusion of samples between sample loading areas. Each sample loading area includes an affixed membrane. In use, one or more samples to be subjected to electrophoretic action are applied to the membrane before the membrane is inserted into a previously polymerized gel. The membrane advantageously prevents contamination of electrode buffer solution and cross-talk or mixing between samples by inhibiting the diffusion of sample material into the gel or buffer solution before the gel is activated by a release mechanism. Once the gel is activated by the release mechanism, the membrane releases substantially all of the samples into the gel where the samples are subjected to the electrophoretic separation and identification process.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of gel electrophoresis, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for loading samples into a gel of an electrophoretic gel system.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrophoresis gels are widely used in biotechnology for analyzing biomolecular sample materials such as proteins and nucleic acids. In molecular biology research laboratories, it is well known to use gel electrophoresis to separate and identify sample material based on size, charge and other aspects of the sample material. Biomolecules such as DNA, RNA and protein are commonly separated using this procedure. Electrophoresis involves the migration of electrically charged particles in a gel solution or suspension in the presence of an applied electric field. Samples are inserted or loaded into the gel of an electrophoretic gel system (EGS) and thereafter an electric field is applied to the gel. Each particle in the sample moves toward the electrode having an electrical polarity which is opposite the electrical polarity of the particle. The electrophoretic mobility of a sample particle is inversely proportional to the size of the particle. Various species of a sample may be separated and identified due to differences in electrophoretic mobilities in the gel. The gel also reduces the mixing, or "cross-talk", of various sample particles during the electrophoretic process. Gel electrophoresis thereby facilitates the stable separation and identification of sample material.
Typically, the initial step in manufacturing an EGS is "casting", or polymerization, of the gel. Common techniques used to cast the gel employ a well-forming instrument such as a comb having teeth which extend downwardly toward a sample loading end of the EGS gel. In these systems, the comb teeth are inserted into the EGS gel before polymerization. After the gel polymerizes, the comb is removed from the gel, thereby forming sample wells in the gel where the teeth were inserted. One example of such a sample well-forming instrument is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,565 to Chu, et al. The Chu comb forms sample wells in the EGS gel which taper downwardly toward the gel enclosure. Disadvantageously, it has proven difficult to form structurally consistent sample wells using these well-forming techniques.
FIGS. 1-2 show a prior art electrophoretic gel system. As shown in the electrophoresis apparatus 100 of FIG. 1a, a gel 102 is disposed between two substantially rigid plates 104, 106 which are used to secure the gel 102 in place and to facilitate casting of the gel 102. The gel 102 typically comprises agarose or polyacrylamide. A well-forming comb 108 having a plurality of teeth or fingers 110 is used to form sample wells in the gel 102. As shown in FIG. 1a, the comb 108 is inserted between the plates 104, 106 into an upper edge of the gel 102 before the gel polymerizes. As shown in FIG. 1b, after the gel polymerizes, the comb 108 is removed from the upper edge of the gel 102. A plurality of sample wells 112 are thus formed between the plates 104, 106 in the upper edge of the gel 102. Liquid samples are then introduced into the sample wells 112 wherein they form individual sample pools, each separated by partitions 114 formed in the upper edge of the gel 102. To facilitate the electrophoresis process, the apparatus 100 is immersed in an electrode buffer solution. The buffer solution may be liquid, gel or paste. As shown in FIG. 1b, the apparatus 100 is immersed in the electrode buffer solution so that the level of the solution 116 is slightly below the top edge of the plate 104. After the liquid samples are introduced into the sample wells 112, an electric field is applied to the electrode buffer solution so that electric current passes through the buffer solution, sample material, and gel 102. The samples in the sample wells 112 then migrate toward the bottom of the gel and separate due to their differing migration characteristics.
FIGS. 2a and 2b show a prior art horizontal EGS. The horizontal EGS 200 includes a gel casting structure which has two substantially rigid removable dams 202 shaped to be received by the EGS 200. Before solidification or congelation of a gel 204, the gel 204 is poured into the EGS 200 and is cast by the EGS walls and the removal dams 202. The comb fingers 110 (FIGS. 1a and 1b) are then inserted into the gel solution 204 before the gel congeals. After the gel congeals, the fingers 110 of the comb 108 are removed from the gel 204, as shown in FIG. 2b. The comb 108, and specifically the teeth 110, form sample wells 112 in the gel 204. Sample material is then typically manually inserted into the wells 112 using a pipette. One of the drawbacks of this sample insertion technique is that it requires a high degree of technical skill and dexterity. Consequently, the insertion of sample material into the wells is a time-intensive process which is prone to error and inadvertent spillage of sample material into the buffer solution. Therefore, there is a need for an improved gel electrophoresis method and apparatus which facilitates the loading of samples into an EGS.
As shown in FIG. 2b, the gel is immersed in an electrode buffer solution for electrophoretic separation. Similar to the apparatus of FIG. 1, the electrode buffer solution is filled to a level 116 which is sufficient to immerse the gel 204. The EGS 200 typically includes connections to a power supply (not shown). As shown in FIG. 2b, a cathode wire 206 is immersed in the electrode buffer solution at an upper end of the EGS 200 proximate the sample well end of the gel 204. An anode wire 208 is immersed in the buffer solution at a bottom end of the EGS 200 near a distal end of the gel 204. Thereafter, as described above, an electric field is typically applied to the buffer solution and the samples previously inserted into the sample wells 112 separate due to the electrophoretic effect.
Another prior art gel electrophoresis system and sample loader is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,710 issued to Gombocz et al. Gombocz teaches a sample loader or applicator which has a plurality of applicator channels covered by an absorbent material (such as a wick) which prevents the uninhibited flow of sample material into the gel. When the wicks are loaded with a measured amount of sample material, the applicator is lowered into the gel so that the wicks contact the gel, which allows the sample material to perfuse through the wicking material and into the gel. Disadvantageously, the applicator taught by Gombocz allows sample material to diffuse into the gel and surrounding buffer before the gel is activated by applying an electric field. Therefore, a need exists for a sample loading apparatus and method for loading samples into an EGS which allows samples to be easily, quickly and accurately loaded into the gel yet which inhibits the electrophoretic separation of the samples until activation by the release mechanism.
One of the problems associated with the prior art sample loading apparatuses is the potential for inadvertent cross-contamination via the buffer solution. As shown in FIG. 1b, if the samples overflow the sample wells 112, the buffer solution becomes contaminated with sample material, which may lead to erroneous results due to mixing of sample material between sample wells. Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus for loading sample material into an EGS which inhibits the diffusion of sample material into the gel or buffer before electrophoretic action commences.
Another drawback associated with the prior art EGS sample loading devices is due to the incomplete polymerization of certain types of gel material such as polyacrylamide due to the presence of a polymerization inhibitor. For example, due to the presence of oxygen, the area surrounding the comb teeth in prior art EGS loaders is often incompletely polymerized. Also, because the sample wells 112 are typically spaced in very close proximity to each other, the walls or partitions 114 are often quite fragile and as a result are easily damaged or destroyed. Another drawback associated with the prior art methods and apparatuses for loading samples into an EGS is the difficulty in removing undesirable materials such as urea from the sample wells after use.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method for loading sample material into a gel of an EGS. The present invention provides such an apparatus and method.


A metamaterial includes a first continuous layer formed with a first material by atomic layer deposition (ALD), a first non-continuous layer formed with a second material by ALD on first upper surface portions of a first upper surface of the first continuous layer, and a second continuous layer formed with the first material by ALD on second upper surface portions of the first upper surface of the first continuous layer and on a second upper surface of the first non-continuous layer.

Metamaterials are artificial materials that have been engineered to have particular material properties, including material properties that are not found in nature. The typical metamaterial has a periodic structure that is selected to affect sound, electromagnetic radiation, heat transport, and/or electricity in a particular way. An exemplary metamaterial is negative refractive index material, which is a material that exhibits a negative refractive index in response to electromagnetic radiation of a particular frequency.
The structure of some metamaterials is periodic on a nanometer or sub-nanometer scale. Forming these types of metamaterials using known methods is both time consuming and expensive.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need in the art to develop methods and systems for forming periodically structured metamaterials reliably and less expensively.

Metamaterial and method for forming a metamaterial using atomic layer deposition


A magneto-optical device is disclosed that includes a non-magnetic support body and a fine particle arrangement layer on the non-magnetic support body. The fine particle arrangement layer includes multiple regularly arranged fine metal magnetic particles. In the magneto-optical device, magnetization is generated by applying an external magnetic field to the fine metal magnetic particles, and linearly polarized light is made incident on the fine metal magnetic particles, so that a magneto-optical effect is increased by the interaction between the incident light on the fine metal magnetic particles and the surface plasmon oscillation of the fine metal magnetic particles.

Conventionally, studies have been made of surface plasmon oscillation and of the Faraday effect, and it has been discussed to use these for various magneto-optical devices.
First, a description is given of surface plasmon oscillation.
When metal crystals are reduced in size into ultra-fine particles, surface plasma oscillation, which is characteristic of ultra-fine particles, occurs.
Conduction electrons in metal form a kind of plasma state with ion shells (each of which is part of an atom except an outer electron), and oscillation due to the collective motion of these electrons is referred to as plasma oscillation. The quantum of this plasma oscillation (waves regarded as a quantum) is referred to as plasmon.
Surface plasmon refers to a plasma mode localized on a surface.
Here, fine particles are so sized as to cause surface plasmon oscillation, and are normally in the range of several nm to several tens of nm in size depending on the material.
Next, a description is given of the Faraday effect of a magnetic body (material) on a periodic structure.
The plane of polarization of light that passes through a transparent ferromagnetic body (material) rotates. This phenomenon is referred to as the Faraday effect. The Faraday rotation angle is maximized when the light travels in a direction parallel to a spin orientation in the magnetic material.
It has been confirmed that if a thin film of this magnetic material is not provided as a flat film but is provided on a periodically uneven structure, the Faraday rotation angle is substantially greater than in the case of a flat film. (See, for example, below-described Patent Documents 1 and 2.) It is presumed that this is because the refractive index differs between the S wave and P wave of the transmitted light because of the periodic structure so as to cause a great difference in the ratio of amplitude, thus increasing the Faraday rotation angle in combination with the Faraday effect, which causes the plane of polarization to rotate. (See, for example, below-described Non-Patent Document).
This method of providing a magnetic body (material) on a periodic structure has the following problems.
While various methods of reversing the magnetization of a magnetic body have been proposed, it is considered necessary as a specific method to provide a coil as immediately as possible below the film (in order to effectively apply a generated magnetic field to the magnetic body) and generate a magnetic field by causing current to flow through the coil.
In this case, a greater number of coil turns increases magnetic field strength, but increases the number of interconnection layers and manufacturing cost. Therefore, it is considered to increase current while reducing the number of coil turns. In this case, it is preferable to apply a transparent conductive film such as ITO as interconnection material in terms of high transmittance. Such a transparent conductive film, however, has a problem in that a large current cannot be caused to flow therein because of its resistance, which is approximately ten times that of a copper line. That is, practically, it is necessary to cause a current of several hundred mA to flow in order to obtain a magnetic field strength of 100 gausses in a pixel of 100 μm in diameter, for example. Therefore, it has been necessary to apply a low-resistance metal line (of copper, silver, gold, or the like) although it is an opaque material.
As the coil is reduced in diameter, the magnetic field strength at the coil center increases. However, it is not possible to have a high aperture ratio (that is, light transmittance) without reducing interconnection line width. For example, in the case of forming a circular coil of a period of 100 μm (with a 10 μm distance between coils), the aperture ratio is approximately 60% with a copper line width of 10 μm.
Accordingly, it has been considered an ideal and an object to be achieved to perform driving with a small current using a transparent conductive film of high transparency.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 3628859
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent No. 3654553
[Non-Patent Document] Katsuragawa, T; "Enhancement of the Faraday Rotation," Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 40, 6365-636(2001)


Disclosed in the present application are a data transmission method and a device, comprising: dividing a time unit into DL areas, a time unit including at least two DL areas; notifying a terminal of the divided DL areas by means of configuration signaling. The terminal receiving the configuration signaling; according to said configuration signaling, determining DL areas into which a time unit is divided. Using the present application, defining at least two DL detection areas in a time unit, a terminal detects a downlink transmission in each detection area, and, when one is detected, performs ACK/NACK feedback in an uplink area corresponding to said downlink area. In the present invention, each downlink area has a defined feedback and scheduling relationship, respectively, by means of dividing a time unit into multiple downlink areas, thereby increasing scheduling flexibility and system resource utilization.

The following frame structure is defined for the Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode in the existing Long Term Evolution (LTE) system.
FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of the frame structure type 2 for an LTE TDD system, and as illustrated, there are different sub-frames or slots at the same frequency for uplink and downlink transmission in the Frame Structure type 2 (FS2) in the LTE TDD system. Each 10 ms radio frame includes two 5 ms half-frames, and each half-frame includes five sub-frames with a length of 1 ms. The sub-frames in the FS2 are categorized into downlink sub-frames, uplink sub-frames and special sub-frames, where each special sub-frame includes a Downlink Pilot Time Slot (DwPTS), a Guard Period (GP), and an Uplink Pilot Time Slot (UpPTS). Each half-frame includes at least one downlink sub-frame, at least one uplink sub-frame, and at most one special sub-frame. Seven TDD uplink-downlink configurations as depicted in Table 1, and ten special sub-frame structures as depicted in Table 2 are defined for different downlink to uplink switching periodicities and uplink-downlink allocation proportions.
TABLE 1Uplink-downlink configurations.Uplink-downlinkDownlink-to-UplinkSub-frame numberconfigurationSwitching periodicity012345678905 msDSUUUDSUUU15 msDSUUDDSUUD25 msDSUDDDSUDD310 ms DSUUUDDDDD410 ms DSUUDDDDDD510 ms DSUDDDDDDD65 msDSUUUDSUUD
TABLE 2Special sub-frame configurations (including DwPTS/GP/UpPTS lengths).Normal cyclic prefix in downlinkExtended cyclic prefix in downlinkUpPTSUpPTSSpecialNormal cyclicExtendedNormal cyclicExtendedsub-frameprefix incyclic prefix inprefix incyclic prefixconfigurationDwPTSuplinkuplinkDwPTSuplinkin uplink0 6592 · Ts (1 + X) · 2192 ·Ts(1 + X) · 2560 · Ts 7680 · Ts(1 + X) · 2192 · Ts(1 + X) · 2560 · Ts119760 · Ts20480 · Ts221952 · Ts23040 · Ts324144 · Ts25600 · Ts426336 · Ts 7680 · Ts(2 + X) · 2192 · Ts(2 + X) · 2560 · Ts5 6592 · Ts(2 + X) · 2192 · Ts(2 + X) · 2560 · Ts20480 · Ts619760 · Ts23040 · Ts721952 · Ts12800 · Ts824144 · Ts———913168 · Ts———
Where Ts is an interval of time in the system, and X is a predefined or preconfigured value.
In the LTE system, uplink and downlink resources are allocated by defining the TDD frame structure above, therefore, for an LTE cell, only one TDD frame structure can be configured and only a fixed allocation of the uplink and downlink resources is supported, where the allocation is notified via system information broadcasted in the cell, so it is fixed and shared among all the UEs in the cell.
Furthermore, in the LTE system, a GP shall be arranged between an uplink resource and a downlink resource to thereby avoid interference between the uplink and the downlink in the same cell, and to switch from the downlink to the uplink. A GP only exists in a special sub-frame in each TDD uplink-downlink configuration, and a length of the GP is determined by a special sub-frame configuration corresponding to an allocation of lengths of a downlink resource (a DwPTS component), an uplink resource (an UpPTS component), and a GP component in the special sub-frame. The special sub-frame configuration is also notified in a cell via system information broadcasted in the cell, so it is fixed and shared among all the UEs in the cell.
A drawback in the prior art lies in that there has been absent so far a solution to transmit data over dynamically allocated uplink and downlink resources, for example, in the existing 5G system.

China Academy of Telecommunications Technology