Resin masterbatch compositions are provided as closed end pellets having a core including at least one additive and an outer layer comprising a polymer encapsulating the core, in which the thickness of the outer layer if from 0.001 mm to 1 cm. A stabilized composition is prepared from an organic material to be stabilized and the resin masterbatch composition. A process for producing the resin masterbatch composition includes co-extruding in tubular form a core material encapsulated by an outer layer, wherein the core material comprises at least one additive, and the outer layer comprises a polymer, to form a filled tube; passing the filled tube into a sealing device that cuts the filled tube into multiple discrete segments seals and simultaneously seals each end of each discrete segment, thereby forming closed end pellets; and cooling the closed end pellets.

Field of the Invention. The present invention generally relates to stabilizer compositions for providing protection to organic polymers (plastics) against deleterious effects from air (oxygen), residual catalyst, mechanical stress, heat, and light. More particularly, the present invention relates to polymer additive (stabilizer) concentrates that are sticky, waxy, and/or viscous in nature that are encapsulated in a synthetic thermoplastic polymeric matrix, and which provide improved characteristics in shipping, handling, storage, and processing.
Description of the Related Art. A large body of art has been developed directed toward polymeric additive stabilizer compositions capable of inhibiting degradation in organic materials such as plastics and polymeric articles due to deleterious effects from air (oxygen), residual catalyst, mechanical stress, heat, and light wherein these additives are admixed with the organic materials. The stabilizers include several different classes of compounds, such as antioxidants, antiozonants, thermal or heat stabilizers, ultraviolet (UV) light stabilizers, UV absorbers, surfactants, densification aids, dispersant, pigments, metal oxides, thioesters, nickel compounds, free-radical inhibitors, anti-stat agents, anti-fog agents and anti-corrosive agents. In many cases, to obtain optimum protection, a mixture of compounds, each specifically selected to afford maximum protection against a certain type of degradation, is often used.
Although certain of such stabilizers may be added during the polymerization process, this approach may prove unsatisfactory for the incorporation of other additives. For example, the efficiency of the polymerization process may be adversely affected by interaction of the stabilizer(s) with the polymerization catalyst, the polymer stabilizer in question may exhibit incompatibility with other additives used in the polymerization process and/or the subsequent treatment of the polymer may be restricted by the presence of the incorporated stabilizer at such an early stage. One method of introducing the stabilizers which may be used individually, or in an additive "system" that includes a pre-formed blends of stabilizers is to admix with the polymer to be stabilized during post-reactor extrusion operations. In order to facilitate blending operations it is desirable to provide stabilizer in a granular form because many stabilizers can cake up or form rat-holes in feed hoppers, and/or feed unevenly through metering equipment. Moreover, certain stabilizers, often used in the manufacture of polymers can create hazardous airborne dusts during handling and blending operations. Powder additives are difficult to convey in the systems most commonly used in the plastics industry, and significant losses of the powders occur during conveying. Powder additives also are dusty, presenting a potential for dust explosion and potential health risks to workers, who either inhale the dust or whose skin comes into contact with the dust. Additionally, powders are difficult to meter accurately. Thus charging 100% individual additive components has several issues, e.g., dusty, multiple hopper/feeders for multiple additives, sticky due to equipment high temperature melting the additives, adding several component individually leads to inhomogeneity, additive agglomeration/poor dispersion in the polymer, storage agglomeration and shipping agglomeration. On the other hand, charging pre-formed blends of additives improves dispersion, less feeding system required, however, some issues remain unresolved, e.g., dusty when tumbled, stickiness from the high equipment temperature (hopper), migration of additives out of additive preform, storage agglomeration and shipping agglomeration.
Another method is to first prepare a stabilizer concentrate, a pre-blend of the stabilizer and a thermoplastic polymer which contains a high level of the stabilizer and which can, therefore, serve as a masterbatch or concentrate. The use of a masterbatch or concentrate is a generally preferred technique, particularly with liquid or pasty additives, as the neat use of additives having such physical form frequently gives rise to dosing problems and often requires special metering pumps or other expensive equipment. In general, however, it has been found difficult to obtain polymer additive concentrates having an additive concentration in excess of about 15 percent by weight in the masterbatch. In addition, the masterbatch technology still has the issue of migration/leakage of additives and stickiness from the high equipment temperature especially when the additives have a low melting point or are pasty or waxy. Consequently, the use of these masterbatches leads to low throughput due to bridging in the hopper, which ultimately increases processing times.
In order to overcome the low additive concentration problem in the masterbatch, European Patent Application Publication No. 259,960 A2 discloses a means of greatly increasing the percentage of polymer additive in such concentrates by employing a particulate solid, preferably silica, as an absorbent for liquid, pasty or waxy, low-melting point solid additives. This loaded absorbent is blended with a suitable polymer under conditions such that a super concentrate containing from 15-80 percent by weight of such an additive is formed. However while the polymer additive concentrates of EP 259,960 will provide masterbatches having greatly increased loads of liquid, paste or waxy additives, certain drawbacks exist with respect to such concentrates. Specifically, when such concentrates are downloaded into polymers which are extruded into clear films, the silica (or other particulate filler) adversely affects the clarity of the final film.
More recently, SKIN TECHNOLOGY™ from Addcomp Holland B.V. uses a two-layer approach featuring an inner additive layer and an outer protective layer to address some of the issues of master blend approach. Charging stabilizers by SKIN TECHNOLOGY™ addresses the migration issue of masterbatch blends to a certain extent and it claims to eliminate pellet agglomeration. However, while leakage during storage, transportation or use is reduced, it still persists in large part due to the open/cut ends. Reference is made to FIG. 1, which depicts typical product made using SKIN TECHNOLOGY™. This is particularly true for additives that are liquid, pasty or waxy in nature, or if a solid, have a low melting point. In addition, the concentration of typical stabilizers is about 25%.
Accordingly, a masterbatch delivery system that achieves homogeneity of multiple polymer additive stabilizers (and, thus, provides improved dispersion and processability in polymeric materials) at concentration levels greater than those provided by the prior art, and which alleviates storage and shipping agglomeration due to the migration of additives which are pasty, waxy, or have a low-melting point would be a useful advance in the art and could find rapid acceptance in the polymer industry.


In a paging receive for use in a radio paging system which employs a sophisticated data communication protocol, all protocol analysis operations such as de-interleaving and error correction processing are performed by a CPU which executes a control program, with the analysis being performed only on those received data frames which contain messages addressed to that paging receiver, and with the protocol analysis being performed first for the address field of such a frame, to obtain information specifying the position within a message field of that frame of requisite specific message data which are addressed to the paging receiver, then being performed only for these specific message data, within that message field. The control program is executed as two separate processes, each of which can be interrupted in response to interrupt signals supplied to the CPU and subsequently restarted, with one process performing protocol analysis and the other process performing operations which are requested through function switch actuations, so that such operations requests can be registered while protocol analysis is in progress, enabling rapid response to the requests.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio receiving apparatus for receiving radio-transmitted digital data, and in particular to a paging receiver which provides digital data receiving and display functions, with the receiver having a data communication protocol analysis function.
2. Description of the Prior Art
By comparison with wired (i.e. cable-connected) digital data transmission, radio transmission of digital data is highly susceptible to externally induced noise. Because of this, and also because in general the effective data transmission rate is relatively low, radio data transmission has hitherto been used for transferring only small amounts of data at a time. In particular in the case of a radio paging system, since each paging receiver is extremely small in size, the receivers have been generally limited to displaying an array of approximately twenty to thirty numerals or characters. However due to changes which have occurred in recent years with regard to increased efficiency of modulation techniques and the development of communication protocols which are highly effective against the effects of noise, it has become feasible to transfer digital data at a high transmission rate via radio. Thus for example in the case of a paging system, it has become technically possible to transmit large sections of text, or images, etc., which are expressed by large amounts of data.
In the case of a communication protocol which makes possible such high-speed transmission of data by radio, the protocol itself is extremely complex, and as a result the paging receiver must incorporate a function for analyzing the protocol. For example with one method, to reduce the effects of induced noise, the transmitted digital data are encoded using a BCH (Bose Chaudhuri Hocquenghem) code, with the resultant data being interleaved and transmitted. In that case, the paging receiver must incorporate a function for analyzing the interleaved encoded data, and executing decoding of the BCH code to achieve error correction. The BCH code error correction method is also known as the "polynomial code" method, or "cyclic redundancy code (CRC)" method.
There are two possible approaches for implementing such a function. With one approach, dedicated hardware is provided in the paging receiver. With the other method, a software implementation is used, i.e. a suitable program is executed by the paging receiver for analyzing the communication protocol. Use of the first of these two possible approaches, with a prior art paging receiver, will first be described. FIG. 27 is a general system block diagram of an example of such a prior art paging receiver. In FIG. 27, a ROM (Read-only Memory) 2601 stores a program that is executed by a CPU 2600, while a RAM (Random Access Memory) 2602 stores received data. The CPU 2600 processes the received data in accordance with a program that is stored in the ROM 2601. A radio receiving section 2608 obtains a received radio signal from the antenna 2607, and demodulates the radio signal to obtain a digital signal. A bit synchronization section 2603 achieves bit synchronization between the data conveyed by that digital signal and a reference clock signal, and uses that clock signal to sample the digital signal and recover the originally transmitted digital data. A de-interleaving section 2604 analyzes the received digital data, to convert the data back to de-interleaved form, and an address verification section 2605 examines data of successive received addresses contained in the digital data, to detect coincidence with an address which has been assigned to the paging receiver and is held in the ROM 2601. A data decoding section 2606 executes decoding of the BCH code of the de-interleaved received data, to effect error correction. A LCD driver 2609, in response to output signals from the CPU 2600, drives a LCD (liquid crystal display device) 2610, while an audio driver 2611 drives a loudspeaker (i.e. an electro-acoustic transducer device) 2612.
The operation of this paging receiver example is as follows. The antenna 2607 receives radio waves transmitted from a base station of the paging system, and converts these to an analog signal. The receiver section 2608 demodulates this analog signal to obtain a digital signal, which is supplied to the bit synchronization section 2603. The bit synchronization section 2603 establishes synchronization between a reference clock signal and the digital signal from the receiver section 2608, converts the received digital signal to the original digital data stream, which is supplied to the de-interleaving section 2604. The de-interleaving section 2604 executes de-interleaving processing of the received digital data, and supplies the resultant digital data to the address verification section 2605 and data decoding section 2606. The address verification section 2605 compares address portions within the received data with the address that has been assigned to that paging receiver, and when address coincidence is detected, the data decoding section 2606 executes decoding of the BCH code of the received digital data portion corresponding to that received address, to thereby perform error correction processing of that digital data portion and recover corrected data as a received message. The received message is then supplied to the CPU 2600.
The CPU 2600 first temporarily stores successive parts of the received message within the RAM 2602. When storing of the received message has been completed, it is supplied via the LCD driver section 2609 to be displayed by the LCD 2610. In addition, an indication signal is transferred via the audio driver section 2611 to activate the loudspeaker 2612 and generate an audible indication to the user that a message has been received.
It can thus be understood that with such a prior art type of paging receiver, it is necessary to utilize dedicated hardware apparatus units (i.e. the data decoding section 2606, address verification section 2605, and de-interleaving section 2604) to provide a de-interleaving function and a BCH decoding function for processing the received digital data. Patents relating to such a prior art method are for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,516 and Japanese Patent SHO 63-87031.
The most attractive features of a paging receiver, for the general user, are that the paging receiver be highly portable, have low utilization costs, and above all, that the paging receiver have a low purchase price. However if such prior art technology is used, it becomes necessary to incorporate special dedicated hardware for use in protocol analysis, i.e. de-interleaving and error correction processing. Furthermore, if the communication protocol is complex, then the hardware that is required for analyzing the protocol will become accordingly complex, with a resultant increase in the manufacturing cost of the paging receiver.
With the second approach on the other hand, i.e. the "software approach", it has been necessary in the prior art for the CPU to execute complex processing to analyze the communication protocol, so that this again will result in the need to utilize a sophisticated design for the CPU, resulting in a corresponding increase in the manufacturing cost of the paging receiver. Specifically, if the CPU must execute de-interleaving of the received digital data, followed by BCH decoding processing, then if for example BCH (31, 21) decoding processing must be executed, 31 bits of BCH code must be operated on by an 11-bit value which represents the set of coefficients of a predetermined polynomial, used to generate the BCH code. Specifically, modulo-2 division of the 31 BCH code bits by the 11-bit set of coefficients of the polynomial (generally referred to as the generator polynomial) is performed, i.e. a long-division operation in which a succession of exclusive-OR operations is performed to obtain respective intermediate values, and finally obtain a remainder, i.e. the error syndrome. However a practical type of paging receiver is in general limited to using an 8 bit CPU, i.e. a CPU which operates with a word length of 8 bits, and the processing performance is not very high. Moreover in order to reduce power consumption and to minimize radio interference, the CPU is limited to operating at a low value of clock frequency, i.e. only a low frequency of performing processing operations can be achieved. In particular, executing BCH decoding processing would place an excessive burden on such an 8-bit CPU. It would of course be possible to instead use a CPU which operates at a high clock rate, however this would result in an increase in radio interference that is generated by the CPU operation, causing a resultant lowering of the receiver sensitivity, so that this would result in other problems.
Moreover with such a "software approach", due to the load imposed on the CPU becoming excessive, the performance of the paging receiver will deteriorate. Specifically, while the paging receiver is executing receiving processing, the response to actuations of switches of the paging receiver by the user will become extremely slow. This is due to the fact that it is difficult to execute the various types of processing that are required in response to switch actuations concurrently with executing the processing that is necessary for communication protocol analysis.
It can thus be understood that in the prior art there are severe problems with regard to providing a paging receiver which can receive large amounts of data at a time, i.e. can receive data which are sent at a substantially higher transmission rate than has been possible with prior art types of paging receiver. These problems basically result from the difficulty of using a simple and inexpensive type of CPU (in general, an 8-bit CPU) which must be operated at a low clock frequency, for analyzing a data transfer protocol which employs interleaving and a complex error-correction encoding technique such as BCH encoding.

Paging receiver which performs data communication protocol analysis through execution of control program

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The invention is directed to a method for periodically clock driving a through-flow control valve between a first position wherein the valve is closed and a second position wherein the control valve is open to pass a flow of fluid therethrough. The valve is driven by a drive signal having a period duration and the valve opens in response to the drive signal only after a delay time (tv) has elapsed. In the method, the period duration of the drive signal is changed, and a reaction of a variable, which is operatively coupled to the flow, is detected. A value of the delay time (tv) is utilized when forming the drive signals and the value of the delay time (tv) is changed in dependence upon the detected reaction of the variable.

Motor vehicles driven by internal combustion engines are often equipped with a so-called tank-venting system, which helps to prevent an emission of fuel vapor from the fuel tank into the ambient. The fuel vaporizes in the tank and is stored in an active-charcoal filter and is supplied to the intake pipe of the engine via a clock-driven electromagnetic tank-venting valve. In this way, the vaporized fuel is supplied for combustion.
Valves of this kind exhibit a lag time or delay time caused by their construction. This time-dependent delay is understood to mean the delay with which the opening cross section of the valve follows its drive signal. The actual open time of the valve is shortened by this delay time. In this way, the quantity of gas flowing (fuel vapor and air) via the tank-venting valve is reduced which becomes very significant especially for short drive times.
In the tank-venting systems, the gas quantity, which flows via the tank-venting valve is varied within wide limits in an open-loop controlled manner or in a closed-loop controlled manner. This gas quantity is varied in dependence upon its fuel concentration and also upon the actual load/rpm operating point of the engine. An adequately precise metering of the gas flow, which flows via the tank-venting valve, must be guaranteed also for a comparatively low total air flow inducted by the engine (for example, during idle). In each case, this requires that the delay time be considered. Up to now, an average delay time was calculated for the formation of the drive signal. This delay time was determined during experiments on individual valves of a type.
However, the delay time can fluctuate from valve to valve and changes because of deterioration for an individual valve.
This problem occurs not only for tank-venting valves but affects, generally, clocked-driven solenoid valves.

Method for adapting the delay time of an electromagnetic tank-venting valve


In some embodiments, an apparatus and a system are provided. The apparatus and the system may comprise a first integrated circuit die comprising a plurality of silicon vias and a first surface activated bonding site coupled to the plurality of silicon vias, and a second integrated circuit die comprising a second surface activated bonding site coupled to the first surface activated bonding site. The first surface activated bonding site may comprise a first clean metal and the second surface activated bonding site may comprise a second clean metal. If the first surface activated bonding site is coupled to the second surface activated bonding site respective metal atoms of the first activated surface activated bonding site are diffused into the second surface activated bonding site and respective metal atoms of the second activated surface activated bonding site are diffused into the first surface activated bonding site.

Many systems exist for packaging two or more integrated circuit (IC) dice. These multi-die systems may electrically couple the IC dice to each other and to various external elements.
For example, a Package on Package (PoP) system comprises a first IC package mounted onto a second IC package, with solder balls of the first package coupled to electrical contacts located on an upper surface of the second IC package. A Folded Stack-Chip Scale Package (FS-CSP) includes a first IC package is mounted to a first side of a substrate at one end of the substrate. The other end of the substrate is folded over the top of the first IC package to couple the first side of the substrate to the top of the first IC package. A second IC package is thereafter coupled to a second side of the substrate above the first IC package.
Conventional multi-die systems are often inadequate for one or more reasons. Specifically, such systems may require long trace lengths between active circuitry of each included IC die, may not provide desired I/O density, and/or may consume too large a footprint or volume. Systems are desired that may address one or more deficiencies of conventional multi-die systems.

Stacked-die packages with silicon vias and surface activated bonding


Disclosed herein is a shredder having a closure located adjacent an output opening of a shredder housing that is selectively positioned to prevent shredded materials from being discharged from the output opening. The closure may be connected to the shredder housing, and the container may comprise a removable waste bin. The closure may be actuated via an actuator to a closed position in response to the container and the shredder housing being moved out of an operative position relative to each other, such as when the waste bin is being emptied. The closure may assist in reducing or eliminating waste from being distributed in or around the shredder.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention is generally related to a shredder having cutter elements for shredding articles. In particular, the apparatus comprises a device for capturing shredded articles when a waste bin is removed.
2. Background
A common type of shredder has a shredder mechanism contained within a housing and mounted atop a container. The shredder mechanism typically includes a cutting head assembly including a series of cutter elements that shred articles such as paper, CDs, DVDs, credit cards, and the like that are fed therein and discharge the shredded articles downwardly through a discharge opening into the container. An example of such a shredder may be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,559, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
When the container of the shredder is emptied, the cutter elements may have waste particles from the shredded articles caught within them, or they may be caught on the strippers located between the cutter elements. Paper shredders using cutting assemblies having stacked cutters and strippers may aggravate this problem even more so because their assembly is more prone to allowing waste particles to become wedged into these areas. When the waste bin or container is pulled out from beneath the shredder mechanism to be emptied, the action of moving or pulling on the bin or container may agitate the shredder and the waste particles stuck in the cutting assembly. Thus, dislodged waste particles may fall through the discharge opening to the bottom of the cabinet and/or onto the floor near the shredder. The creation of this mess of waste particles in, near or around the shredder is typical, known, and recognized as a consumer annoyance.
Some prior art shredders are known to provide mechanisms or flaps for safety reasons, e.g., to keep the user away from the sharp metal cutter elements, or as a bin full indication method. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,204,441 B1, issued Apr. 17, 2007 to the same assignee, and herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes a shredder apparatus with full bin indicator. More specifically, the '441 patent illustrates a flap that can be used for both safety purposes and as an indication that the waste bin is full of shredded materials. The flap of the '441 patent is hinged so that it can close over the opening if the head is tilted vertically. However, devices for helping reduce possible messes caused by waste particles when the bins or containers of the shredders are emptied are not known in the art.


A compact culture device capable of performing large-scale culture in an aseptic state. A culture device has a culture bag which has ports through which a liquid flows and enables cell culture, a bag holding portion having holding plates holding the culture bag and rotating shafts, a rotation mechanism supporting and rotating the rotating shaft, a liquid supply/discharge mechanism supplying and discharging a liquid to/from the culture bag, and a rotation control portion controlling the rotation of the rotation mechanism. The rotation control portion brings the bag holding portion into a first position in parallel with the approximately horizontal direction according to a first information, brings the bag holding portion into a second position when a culture medium in the culture bag is caused to flow out of the port according to a second information, and brings the bag holding portion into a third position in parallel with the approximately vertical direction at least when a cell suspension in the culture bag is caused to flow out of the port according to a third information.

The present invention relates to a device culturing cells.
Cell culture includes a process of transferring cells in a culture vessel to another culture vessel and a process of exchanging culture media in a culture vessel. Such processes of the cell culture need to be performed in an aseptic state. The cell culture is performed over several day to several weeks, and, during this period, each process described above is performed two or more times. For the purpose of simplifying an operation performed by a person in the cell culture or culturing a large number of cells, a device performing each process in the cell culture by a machine has been published (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A tabletop assembly (20) for securing articles against high acceleration loads includes a substantially planar tabletop (22) having a top surface (24) and an opposite bottom surface (26). At least one article-receiving track (28) is inset into the top of tabletop (22). A brace (36) is disposed beneath the tabletop (22) and connected to the track (28) so that the track (28) will not separate from the tabletop (22) under high acceleration loads such as from a seismic event.

Devices for holding articles in a fixed position are well known in the art. One category is those devices which fasten an article to a flat horizontal surface for the purpose of performing work on the article (such as woodworking, metalworking, and the like). For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,254 illustrates a collapsible work bench apparatus for use with clamps and conventional power tools. The work bench includes two pairs of support legs pivotally connected to two pairs of strut arms. An apertured support surface includes inboard and outboard channels that may be joined together to other work bench apparatus in both end-to-end and side-to-side fashion by a locking clip and a locking bar. The channels are designed to receive diverse accessories and clamping systems for the purpose of securing workpieces to the support surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,438 discloses a work piece locating apparatus for a burn table. The apparatus has a locator which is moveable with the work piece and a second position at which the locator is spaced from the work piece. U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,654 describes a woodworking work table assembly having an extruded T-slot. The worktable assembly includes a worktable having a work supporting surface and an elongated slot formed therein. A guide insert is positioned within the slot. U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,454 depicts a universal self-aligning locator for supporting a plurality of parts in their proper relative position for assembly and/or clamping to a machine bed and the like. The locator includes a support member having a base leg with a cam locking device for engagement with a T-slot on the machine bed. U.S. Pat. No. 1,329,728 shows a universal clamp tool for rigidly holding stock of a round or other shape during the performance of machine operations upon the stock. A base slides along T-slots in a machine bed.
Another category of device is specifically designed to mitigate the effects of seismic events. These devices secure articles to a substantially horizontal planar surface such as a tabletop using an upwardly projecting unistrut and associated restraint. However, the aforementioned device is difficult to use in that (1) an article can only be connected at one marginally accessible point at the back of the table, therefore requiring the user to awkwardly stretch, (2) the track requires adjustment, and (3) because of the upwardly projecting track, the device is not generally useful as a flat tabletop surface.
While each of these aforementioned devices adequately serve their intended purpose, they do not address the needs of a typical work station in a modern day industrial setting (such as for securing expensive electronic equipment to a horizontal work surface). Specifically, these prior art devices do not include the structural features necessary to withstand the shock and vibration resulting from a seismic event.


A method of verifying a flash memory device includes discharging memory cell strings respectively connected to an even bit line and an odd bit line. Next, a voltage is applied to the memory cell strings respectively connected to the even bit line and the odd bit line, thus precharging the memory cell strings. The memory cell string connected to the even bit line are verified as erased by sensing the status of each memory cell string connected to the even bit line, and the memory cell string connected to the odd bit line are verified as erased by sensing the status of the memory cell string connected to the odd bit line.

1. Technical Field
This patent relates, in general, to a flash memory device and, more particularly, to a method of verifying a flash memory device using a page buffer, in which a program or erase verify time can be reduced and an overall driving time can be shortened.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In recent years, there is an increasing demand for semiconductor memory devices which can be electrically programmed and erased and do not require a refresh function of rewriting data at regular intervals. Furthermore, to develop memory devices with a large capacity capable of storing large amounts of data, a high-integrated technique of memory cells has been developed.
To increase the integration of the memory cells, a NAND flash memory device may have a plurality of cells are connected in series to form one string and two strings share one contact. In the NAND flash memory device, program and erase are performed by controlling a threshold voltage of the memory cell while injecting and discharging electrons into and from a floating gate by means of F-N tunneling.
Accordingly, an erased cell has a negative threshold voltage since the electrons of the floating gate are discharged from the cell. A programmed cell has a positive threshold voltage since the electrons are injected into the floating gate. In the case of the NAND flash memory device, however, a fail may occur due to a charge gain or charge loss. Some verifications may be performed in relation to these characteristics. In order to verify whether program and erase have been performed normally, a page buffer is used.
The page buffer serves to receive a large capacity of data from an I/O pad and supply the received data to memory cells or store data of memory cells and then output the stored data. In the past, the page buffer was constructed of a single register in order to temporarily store data. The page buffer is now comprised of a dual register in order to increase the program speed when programming a large capacity of data in the NAND flash memory device.
To perform erase verification of the NAND flash memory device having the page buffer of the dual register structure, a column scan method of confirming whether all cells have been turned on by applying a voltage of 0V to the entire word lines is used. In the column scan method, fail is determined if one cell is turned off.
For the purpose of erase verification, erase verification is performed on a selected bit line through three steps, including precharge, evaluation, and sensing, in the same manner as a common read operation. In the column scan method, erase verification is implemented by dividing the bit lines into even bit lines and odd bit lines. Accordingly, after the even bit lines are verified, the odd bit lines are verified. Therefore, whether erase has been performed is determined through the twice verify process. It results in a long erase verify time.
Meanwhile, in a multi-level cell, threshold voltage distributions of an erase cell have an effect on the threshold voltage of a program cell. Accordingly, a post program is performed on a cell on which erase has been completed. The post program is performed by employing an ISPP method and erase verification is performed after the post program. Accordingly, if the erase verify time becomes long, an overall erase time is lengthened.
Furthermore, at the time of program, a program verify time is lengthened in the same manner as the above. Accordingly, an overall program time becomes long.


A circuit isolator apparatus for use with pump or master valve circuits having a plurality of controllers connected thereto. One isolator apparatus is used in association with each controller. The isolator apparatus includes a pair of relays which allow only one controller to access the pump or valve circuit at a time to prevent feedback between controllers and damage to controllers due to incorrect phasing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to pump and valve controllers for irrigation and landscaping water systems, and more particularly to a circuit isolator apparatus for pump and master valve circuits which eliminates feedback and phasing problems which can occur when multiple controllers are included in a single circuit.
2. Description of the Background Art
Timed controllers are commonly used to provide power for operation of pumps or master valves in irrigation or landscaping water systems. Frequently, multiple controllers are tied to the same circuit for operation of a common pump or master valve. When the area to be irrigated is large, the individual controllers can be hundreds of yards apart.
Various problems arise when two or more controllers which are interconnected through the same circuit are operating at the same time. The problem of feedback or cross-talk between controllers on the same circuit can result in strange or unwanted behavior of the controllers such as unscheduled cycle starts and stops. Another problem experienced is incorrect phasing or reversed polarity of controllers, which can result in serious damage to multiple controllers on the circuit. A further problem is that, when a controller circuit breaker has been tripped due to a faulty solenoid, the circuit breakers on other controllers on the circuit may also be tripped by the same faulty solenoid upon activating the pump or valve circuit.
The feedback problem can be overcome through use of a separate pump relay for each controller. Manufacturers of irrigation controllers typically recommend that each controller on a circuit be wired to a separate relay at the pump or valve location where the contacts can switch to a separate power source individually or together, without interconnecting the controllers. In practice, however, the recommended relays are not used, since it is an expense which is easily eliminated during new construction. Even when a separate relay is used for each controller, the aforementioned problem of incorrect phasing of multiple controllers on a circuit may not be avoided. The use of good design practices and adherence to electrical codes can resolve phasing problems but, in order to reduce costs, this practice is not carried out.
Accordingly, there is a need for a circuit isolator apparatus for use in circuits wherein multiple controllers are interconnected through a pump or valve circuit which eliminates feedback and phasing problems, and which avoids unwanted tripping of multiple circuit breakers. The present invention satisfies those needs, as well as others, and generally overcomes the deficiencies found in the background art.

Pump and master valve circuit isolator apparatus


Provided are a method of recognizing a quick response (QR) code in image data, and an apparatus and method for converting a QR code in content data into a touchable object. The method of converting a QR code in content data into a touchable object includes a step in which a computer device receives content data including a QR code, a step in which the computer device recognizes the QR code in the content data, and a step in which the computer device converts an image in which the QR code is shown into a touchable object for executing a command included in the QR code. The converting step includes interpreting, at the computer device, the command included in the recognized QR code, and modifying, at the computer device, a code of the content data to convert the image into the touchable object for executing the command.

1. Field
The following description relates generally to a method of recognizing a quick response (QR) code in image data, and an apparatus and method for converting a QR code in content data into a touchable object.
2. Description of Related Art
With the proliferation of smart phones, a variety of services using QR codes have recently been provided. A QR code is a two-dimensional code having various pieces of information in a quadrilateral grid. While an existing one-dimensional (ID) bar code can only store numerical information of about 20 digits, a QR code can store several thousands of digits or letters and also has a superior recognition speed, recognition rate and restorability of stored data in a QR code to a general bar code.
A QR code is provided in the form of an image that is output in a document or on a display device. A user photographs the QR code using a camera installed in a device such as a smart phone, and accesses information stored in the QR code by decoding the photographed information. To decode the QR code, the user generally utilizes an additional camera.

Method of recognizing QR code in image data and apparatus and method for converting QR code in content data into touchable object

KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


A magnetic disk device wherein a member having and suspension thereof a natural frequency similar to that of a head is disposed on an opposite surface of a head arm having one head mounted thereto via a suspension. The outermost shape (profile when the member is projected in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the magnetic disk) of the member having the natural frequency equal to that of the head and suspension thereof is similar to that of the head and the suspension or does not swell out from the profile of the head and the suspension. The member having the natural frequency similar to that of the head is provided to the head arm by the same device as that of the head.

This invention relates to a magnetic disk device as one of storage devices of computers. More specifically, this invention relates to a magnetic disk device having a positioning structure suitable for reducing the size and the thickness of a magnetic disk device, for achieving a large storage capacity and a high recording density and for improving an information processing speed.
JP-A-8-45205 (hereinafter called the "first related art example") and JP-A-5-325459 (hereinafter called the "second related art example") describe a positioning mechanism for accomplishing the reduction of the size and the thickness of the device, a large capacity, high recording density and a high information processing speed. The first and second related art examples improve positioning accuracy by restraining the vibration occurring in the magnetic disk device.
The first related art example prevents the vibration of a voice coil motor resulting from the movement of a carriage from being transmitted to a base by fixing the voice coil motor and the base through viscoelastic members, or the like.
The second related art example restricts the residual vibration by a spring arm at the time of seek by providing a vibration absorption member to the spring arm.
Because it has been customary to package the magnetic disk device into notebook type personal computers, the reduction of its size and thickness and a large storage capacity and a high recording density of the disk device have been required in the past. Because the notebook type personal computers are mainly of the type which incorporate a battery and can be operated even in the absence of an alternating current outlet, low power consumption is another essential requisite. In addition, reliability and low price of the device and a higher information processing speed are required naturally.
To satisfy these requirements, a positioning mechanism of the magnetic disk device must reduce as much as possible a relative position error between the disk and the head. Factors of the position error include the vibration of the head and a carriage swinging portion for supporting the head and the vibration of the disk and a spindle motor rotation portion for supporting the disk.
If the amplitude of the vibration is great when the head reads out the information recorded circumferentially on the disk surface, the head reads also the information adjacent to the target position in the radial direction. Therefore, the space of the information in the radial direction must be increased. However, a large capacity cannot be achieved in this case, and the reduction of both size and thickness cannot be attained.
The vibration of the head increases the number of times of repetition of correction of the head position in positioning control and requires a long settling time before positioning is made correctly to the target position. Therefore, the vibration of the head also impedes a higher information processing speed of the magnetic disk device.
To use the full surface of the mounted disk, a head arm of a carriage includes a portion at which two heads are mounted via suspensions or spring arms as shown in FIG. 6 and a portion at which one head is mounted via a suspension as shown in FIG. 7. The portion having one head mounted via a suspension thereto involves the problem that the vibration (amplitude) is great.
The systems described in the first and second related art examples have been examined as means for solving the problem but they are not entirely satisfactory for restraining the vibration (amplitude) of the portion at which one head is mounted via a suspension.

Magnetic disk device for restraining vibration of head mounting part


A fiber retention device is provided for retention of fibers such as optical fibers, tubing, cables, buffer tubes and other elongate objects. The retention device includes, generally, a mounting retainer and a resilient sleeve. The mounting retainer is formed of a resilient material and defines one or more generally U-shaped support channels. The resilient sleeve is positioned in the U-shaped support channel and defines at least one expandable passageway for receiving a fiber therein. The passageway diameter is less than the fiber diameter in a pre-load orientation or relaxed condition prior to inserting the fiber into the passageway. The support channel selectively includes a plurality of tabs for locating the sleeve therein including tabs on a bottom wall for resisting relative horizontal movement and tabs on a side wall for resisting relative vertical movement of the sleeve within the channel. The sleeve is positively located by the channel, and the fiber is retained and strain relieved by the elastomer sleeve. A mounting flange is provided for coupling a plurality of mounting retainers in a coupled orientation as desired.

The disclosure pertains generally to retention devices for providing locational stability, restraint, and strain-relief to elongate objects such as tubing, optical fibers, wires, cables, buffer tubes and the like. The preferred embodiments will be described in connection with such retention devices for optical fibers, such as, for example, splice trays. Splice tray mechanisms can be used to route and store optical fibers therein. However, the application is not limited to use with optical fibers and, instead, finds application with any elongate tubular objects such as electrical wires, tubes, pipes, and the like. "Fibers" or "optical fibers" will be used hereinafter to refer to all of these.
Optical fibers are present in trunk and feeder lines and can be in the form of single or multiple strands. There is often a need to restrain and/or to channel such optical fiber strands to prevent their damage and to provide a solid base for termination, branching or connection. When there is a termination or a branch of these fibers, such as at a feeder to a group of subscribers or at the end of a trunk, it is desirable to locate the fibers at a relatively fixed position to facilitate their connection. Further, they should be located, routed, stored, and retained positively so that they can be identified easily and not kink or break. In conjunction with these restraints, it is further desirable to strain relieve the fibers so that the mechanical flexions on another portion of the fiber strand do not break a termination.
Many techniques, i.e., tie wraps, for optical fiber restraint and strain-relief have been used but most are time consuming, cumbersome, and can potentially cause damage to the fiber optics. In one example, fiber optics can have a buffer tube or cover surrounding the fiber optic which are then bundled and wrapped with a tie wrap and then secured to a splice tray. In some installations, another step is involved whereby the cover is first wrapped with felt prior to bundling and securing with the tie wrap. Overall, therefore, effective restraints for optical fibers should be relatively strong, easy to install, modular, and inexpensive.


An iterative process of depositing on a solid electrolyte a coating of unconnected particles composed of an ionically conductive material. A liquid solution is also applied. The liquid solution includes an inorganic component. The deposited liquid is heated to a temperature sufficient to evaporate or otherwise remove some or all of the volatile components of the liquid solution. Typically the temperature is below 1000° and often at about 850° C. The effect of heating the solution is to cause ion conducting material in the solution to adhere to the surface of the existing ion conducting particles and form connections between these particles. This is understood to create an ion conducting skeletal support structure. Within the intrestices of this skeletal support structure, the step of heating is also understood to result in the deposition of the inorganic component that will begin to form a electron conducting structure. The process of applying the liquid solution and heating may be repeated until a sufficiently thick layer of material is laid over the solid electrolyte to provide the composite electrode structure desired.

Fuel cells produce electricity from chemical reactions. The chemical reactions typically react hydrogen and air/oxygen as reactants, and produce water vapor as a primary by-product. The hydrogen can be provided directly, in the form of hydrogen gas, or can be derived from other fuels, such as butane or other hydrocarbon liquids or gasses, that can be reformed to isolate hydrogen gas for the reaction. A Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) is often a solid state device which employs a solid oxide ceramic material such as Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) as the electrolyte, which remains solid at normal operating temperatures—typically in the range of 800° C.—making it impermeable to gas transport. At these temperatures, the electrolyte is a good conductor of electrically charged oxygen ions, and the SOFC takes advantage of this property to generate and extract electrical current from the reaction between fuel and air via oxygen ion transport through the electrolyte.
Solid oxide fuel cell assemblies employ a pair of porous electrodes separated by a solid electrolyte member to extract energy from the fuel. The electrodes provide a large number of chemical reaction sites which enable electrically charged oxygen ions to be transported through the electrolyte, creating an electrical potential that can be harnessed by an external device. The electrodes employed by SOFCs have included electrodes formed from thermally sintered ion conducting particles. To form these sintered electrodes, a coating or layer of conductive particles may be laid over or applied to the solid oxide electrolyte and then the electrolyte and the particles can be heated, typically to a temperature above 1000° C. Optionally, this deposition and heating process can take place over several iterations, with the end result being a sintered layer of hard electrode material formed over and adhered to the electrolyte. Typically this process is used to form electrodes on both sides of the electrolyte, so that the process yields a layer of electrolyte that had electrodes on either side.
Although these processes for forming the sintered electrodes can work well, they do require a temperature that is sufficiently high to cause or to risk structural damage to the oxide electrolyte. The risk of damage increases with the fragility of the electrolyte layer. A problem today is that the electrolyte layer used in SOFCs seems to perform better if applied as a very thin layer of material over a substrate that acts as a mechanical support. The thin layer of electrolyte provides a greater efficiency per volume of material than a thicker layer. This can yield greater power densities for the fuel cell device. However, as layers grow thinner, the electrolyte becomes more susceptible to thermal damage, and thus—in an iterative process of thermal cycling that heats thin layers of electrolyte to relatively high temperatures—can fail as the thermal energy can warp or otherwise ruin the electrolyte layer.
Thus, there is a need in the art to provide improved methods for manufacturing SOFCs that have thin layer solid electrolytes, and to provide SOFCs having electrodes that are more reliably manufactured.

Chemically sintered composite electrodes and manufacturing processes


A neuromodulation system, comprises an implantable electrode which is implanted within a body adjacent to a target nerve structure to which electric energy is to be applied via the electrode and a connection port which is implanted in the body with a proximal surface thereof substantially flush with an outer surface of a skin of the body, the connection port including a device interface for electrically connecting to an external device which remains external to the body in combination with an electric line extending from the device interface to the electrode for carrying electric energy from the external device to the electrode and a cover selectively closing an opening of the external surface of the implanted connection port.

Many debilitating medical conditions may be alleviated by stimulating targeted nerves and muscles. For example, electric current may be applied to a nerve or bundle of nerves to disrupt signals carried by, or to affect muscles controlled by, those nerves. Common examples of neural stimulation devices include cardiac pacemakers, devices to control epilepsy and chronic pain, etc.
In conventional applications, the ability of neuromodulation systems to operate over extended periods of time is limited by the endurance of their power supplies (e.g., batteries). This approach works well for devices used for short time periods, but can be problematic for devices which must operate beyond the life span of the batteries. For such devices, additional surgery may be necessary to replace the worn batteries. Alternatively, an external power supply carried by the patient may be connected to the implanted device by wires or other connections to provide a long lasting, constant power supply. However, the wires penetrating the skin increase the likelihood of infection and other negative reactions at the location where the connections penetrate the skin.
The size of components of conventional implanted neuromodulation systems often causes discomfort and may reduce a patient's ability to carry out routine tasks. In addition, the cost of such implanted devices (e.g., implanted pulse generators) may be significant. Implanted pulse generators also have a limited life span, usually around 5 to 10 years, after which they must be replaced. As with batteries, this may involve additional surgery with the associated discomfort and costs. It may also be extremely difficult to perform upgrades or repairs to conventional, implanted pulse generators due to the same concerns described above.

Percutaneous access for neuromodulation procedures


An aluminum alloy wire, having an alloy composition which contains: 0.01 to 1.2 mass % of Fe, 0.1 to 1.0 mass % of Mg, and 0.1 to 1.0 mass % of Si, with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities, in which a grain size is 1 to 30 μm, and in which a dispersion density of Mg2Si needle precipitate in the aluminum alloy is 10 to 200/μm2; and a method of producing the same.

Hitherto, a member in which a terminal (a connector) made of copper or a copper alloy (for example, brass) is attached to electrical wires comprised of conductors of copper or a copper alloy, which is called a wire harness, has been used as an electrical wiring for movable bodies, such as automobiles, trains, and aircrafts. Among a means of weight reduction required for movable bodies in recent years, studies have been progressing on use of aluminum or an aluminum alloy that is lighter than copper or a copper alloy, as a conductor for the electrical wiring, in place of the copper or the copper alloy.
The specific gravity of aluminum is about one-third of that of copper, and the electrical conductivity of aluminum is about two-thirds of that of copper (when pure copper is considered as a criterion of 100% IACS, pure aluminum has about 66% IACS). Therefore, in order to pass an electrical current through a conductor wire of pure aluminum, in which the intensity of the current is identical to that through a conductor wire of pure copper, it is necessary to adjust the cross-sectional area of the conductor wire of pure aluminum to about 1.5 times larger than that of the conductor wire of pure copper. Nevertheless, an aluminum conductor wire is still more advantageous in mass than a copper conductor wire, since the former has an about half weight of the latter.
Herein, the term "% IACS" mentioned above represents an electrical conductivity when the resistivity 1.7241×10−8 Ωm of International Annealed Copper Standard is defined as 100% IACS.
There are some tasks in using aluminum as a conductor of electrical wirings for movable bodies.
One of the tasks is improvement in resistance to bending fatigue. This is because a repeated bending stress is applied to a wire harness attached to a door or the like, due to opening and closing of the door. A metal material, such as aluminum, is broken at the certain number of times of repeating of applying a load when the load is applied to or removed repeatedly as in opening and closing of a door, even at a low load at which the material is not broken by one time of applying the load thereto (fatigue breakage). When the aluminum conductor is used in an opening and closing part, if the conductor is poor in resistance to bending fatigue, it is concerned that the conductor is broken in the use thereof, to result in a problem of lack of durability and reliability. Generally, a material higher in mechanical strength is said to have more satisfactory resistance to bending fatigue. Thus, it may be considered that it might be favorable to apply an aluminum wire high in mechanical strength. However, on the other hand, a worked product high in mechanical strength is insufficient in elongation, and it is difficult to conduct the installation to vehicles. Thus, in general, annealed products that can secure elongation are utilized in many cases.
Another task is enhancement of tensile strength. This is to maintain the tensile strength of a crimp section in a connection part of a wire and a terminal, and to endure a load that is abruptly applied thereto in installation to a vehicle. Since replacement of copper conductors with aluminum conductors results in an increase in the cross-sectional area as described above, the resistance to applied load [N] is apt to increase. However, a pure aluminum conductor is lower in resistance to applied load [N] than a copper conductor, and it is difficult to replace the copper conductor. Thus, there is a demand for a new wire of an aluminum conductor, which is improved in resistance to applied load per unit area (tensile strength [MPa]).
According to the above, for an aluminum conductor that is used in electrical wirings of movable bodies, a material is required, which is excellent in tensile strength and resistance to bending fatigue, as well as which is excellent in electrical conductivity that is required for passing much electricity.
For applications for which such a demand is exist, ones of pure aluminum-based alloys represented by aluminum alloy wires for electrical power lines (JIS 1060 and JIS 1070) cannot sufficiently tolerate a repeated bending stress that is generated by opening and closing of a door or the like. Further, although an aluminum alloy in which various additive elements are added is excellent in tensile strength, the alloy has such problems that the electrical conductivity is lowered due to solid-solution phenomenon of the additive elements in aluminum, and that wire breaking occurs in wire-drawing due to formation of excess intermetallic compounds in aluminum. Therefore, it is necessary to limit and select additive elements, to prevent wire breakage as an essential feature, as well as to prevent lowering in electrical conductivity, and to enhance mechanical strength and resistance to bending fatigue.
Typical aluminum conductors used in electrical wirings of movable bodies include one described in Patent Literature 1. This is to realize the required tensile strength, elongation at breakage, impact resistance, and the like, by using an electric wire conductor that is formed by stranding a plurality of fine aluminum alloy solid wires.
However, since the aluminum conductor described in Patent Literature 1 is large in a grain size, the aluminum conductor does not satisfy resistance to bending fatigue, and a further improvement has been demanded.

Aluminum alloy wire and method of producing the same


Collating apparatus cuts a strip of paper into two side-by-side streams of individual pages or sheets of paper. These streams of paper are transported on belts such that each sheet in one stream is next to and paired with a sheet in the other stream. Each pair of sheets is stacked by moving one of the sheets onto the other which the other sheets continues to be transported by belt. Each stacked pair of sheets can be stacked on each other.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing paper.
More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing a strip of paper into two streams of cut sheets and for collating the streams.
In a further respect, the invention pertains to a method and apparatus which facilitates the collating of two streams of separate sheets of paper by laterally displacing sheets in one stream into registration with sheets in the other stream while maintaining a constant speed of movement of both streams in a selected direction of travel.
In another respect, the invention pertains to a method and apparatus which facilitates the collating of two streams by producing sheets of differing length in either or both streams.
A prior art method for processing a strip of paper 10 to cut and collate pages formed on the strip of paper is illustrated in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, paper strip 10 has a width indicated by arrows W and includes longitudinal centerline 21 and laterally extending lines of weakening 11 formed at equal intervals therealong. The lines of weakening 11 can comprise imperforate lines, can comprise line formed by die cutting part way through strip 10, can comprise imprinted lines, can comprise imaginary lateral lines which pass through a timing mark or some other mark on strip 10, or can simply comprise locations which can be identified by equipment which processes strip 10. Information, for example alphanumeric characters 22 and 23, is formed on strip 10. The information is formed by printing or any other desired means and typically comprises alphanumeric characters, illustrations, or any other desired data or forms. The information is formed on strip 10 in locations which anticipate that strip 10 will be cut into equal sized separate sheets or pages which comprise multiple documents or "jobs" and that the separate sheets or pages will be collated and stacked. As used herein, the term paper is understood to include thin sheets of material upon which alphanumeric characters, illustrations, etc. can be formed. While such material normally comprises a cellulose composition, plastics, fabrics or other materials can be utilized.
At point A in FIG. 1, a cutting apparatus slits strip 10 along its longitudinal centerline 21 to form a pair of supplemental paper strips 13 and 14.
At point B in FIG. 1, collating of supplemental paper strips 13 and 14 begins.
At point C in FIG. 1, supplemental paper strips are fully collated into registration with one another.
At point D in FIG. 1, collated supplemental paper strips are cut along lines of weakening 11 to form discrete stacks of paper each comprised of a pair of pages or sheets.
At point E in FIG. 1, a stacked pair of pages 15 and 16 is illustrated. Each sequential stacked pair of pages ordinarily is stacked on top of the preceding previously stacked pairs of pages which comprise a document. Once all of the pages in a document are stacked, or separated from other cut pairs of sheet produced by the method of FIG. 1, then a new stack of separated page pairs is begun which comprises another document. Such stacking and separating of documents can be done manually or with equipment.
The prior art process illustrated in FIG. 1 has disadvantages. First, the process of FIG. 1 stacks and separate pairs 15, 16 of sheets or pages. If a document includes an odd number of pages, then a blank or "waste" page ordinarily is formed on strip 10 adjacent the last page of the document. Second, the process of FIG. 1 has no provision for separating out prior to collating and stacking a single page from the processing stream. Third, if one large stack of sheets including multiple documents is formed using the process of FIG. 1, there is no easy way to determine quickly the location of each document in the stack.
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to provide an improved method and apparatus which would cut and collate pages in a strip of paper such that waste blank pages would not have to be included on a strip of paper being cut and collated, such that designated sheets could be removed from a stream of cut sheets, and such that the location of documents in the stack could be readily determined.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for separating a strip of paper containing multiple documents into cut sheets and for collating the cut sheets.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for processing a paper strip into a stack of paper sheets comprising multiple documents such that the location of each document in the stack can be readily identified.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for processing a paper strip which facilitates the location of each sheet imprinted on the paper strip so that selected sheets can be cut from the strip having lengths different from other sheets in the strip.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for processing a paper strip into a stream of sheets which enables selected pages to be removed from the stream of sheets before the sheets are collated and stacked.
These and other, further and more specific objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description thereof, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

System and method for collating and stacking two streams of cut sheets


In order to facilitate the production of coil windings in components of electrical machines a method and a device are provided for winding a wave winding mat for forming a coil winding of an electrical machine, wherein one or more wires are wound with a predefined wire spacing between wire sections, wherein the wire spacing is set differently for different regions of the wave winding mat.

With respect to the technological background of the invention, reference is made to the following sources:
[1] WO 2016/174542 A1
[2] DE 10 2015 120 661 A1
[3] DE 10 2015 120 963 A1
[4] EP 3 182 568 A1
The present invention is in the field of the production of electric motors or other electrical machines, such as generators, for example, which are designed for high performance, reliable operation and high efficiency. In particular, electric motors are to be produced that can be used as driving engines of electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles and have a nominal output of between 20 kW and 400 kW, for example. In order to build stators of such high-performance electrical machines, it is advantageous to provide as high a coil density as possible.
In this regard, it is known from the aforementioned sources [1] to [4] to provide wave winding mats that can be fitted into radially open grooves of a holding body, such as, in particular, the main body of a stator or rotor. In order to achieve a particularly high filling level, the coil windings are made from, in particular, wires with a rectangular cross section, for which winding methods devised for winding wires with a round cross section are not very suitable. According to the sources [1] to [4], wave winding mats for providing the coil windings are therefore proposed which include, for example, a plurality of parallel wires that have straight wire sections which are disposed in the grooves of a stator. These straight sections alternate between an inner radial position and an outer radial position in the component of the electrical machine, with bent-back portions that are referred to as end turns being provided between these straight wire sections, at the longitudinal edges of the wave winding mat.
For winding the wave winding mat, the sources [2] to [4] suggest winding a bundle of parallel wires onto a winding blade rotatable about an axis of rotation. Prior to winding, the bundle of parallel wires is bent in some portions to form slanting wire sections that extend between the straight wire sections and form the end turns after the bend-back process on the winding blade.
[1] describes winding a wave winding mat with a winding apparatus that has no winding blade. Generally, a bend-back process takes place on a bending edge provided on a bend-back member rotatable about an axis of rotation.
A wave winding mat is produced in this manner, which extends, with straight wire sections in two layers and end turns between them, over such a length that it can be inserted in several layers into a stator. The grooves of the stator are only slightly larger than the wires to be inserted therein, so that the insertion of the wires is difficult to handle.

Method and device for winding a wave winding mat and wave winding mat that can be produced by means of the same


A method to recover lost data in a piece of information transmitted from a number of server computers to a client computer. The method includes the steps of transmitting by the server computers a piece of server data to the client computer. The piece of server data includes the piece of information and at least one redundant symbol. Due to the failing of at least a part of one of the server computers, data are lost. The client computer identifies such a loss. The client computer recovers the lost data using the one or more redundant symbols. Then, the remaining non-failing server computers transmit another set of server data, which include another piece of information with at least one additional redundant symbol over what was previously transmitted to the client computer. This will ensure that the client computer can recover additional data lost due to the failing of at least a part of another server computer. In another embodiment, the one or more redundant symbols are not transmitted until the client computer identifies that data are lost.

The present invention relates generally to using an array of servers to transmit information to one or more clients, and more particularly to recovering lost data due to failure in servers.
The data networking industry has been growing at a tremendous rate. In the corporate space, local area networks (LANs) have become mission critical tools for basic business operations, and corporate communication. In the public space, the explosion of Internet usage and telecommuting has fueled demand for networking products.
One primary driver of the increase in data networking is the increase in the number of end users attached to LANs and wide area networks (WANs). In the past few years, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of individuals accessing the Internet. The graphically-based, easy to use web browsers have transformed the Internet from a communication tool for a select group of elitists to a popular communications medium. To improve employee productivity, reduce costs and remain competitive, many corporations have been promoting remote LAN connectivity. Businesses are demanding high-speed access to information from a variety of locations. Companies are increasingly providing employees with communications tools that allow them to access corporate databases from branch offices or send electronic mails and transfer files from their laptops while traveling.
Not only has the number of end users increased tremendously, the amount of data being transferred have also been surging in an alarming rate. The increasing focus on multimedia in the World Wide Web is causing larger and larger files of data to be transferred across the Internet. Historically, information on the Web was heavily text-based. As the Internet user base grows, graphic files have become more and more common. Such files require tremendously more data than texts. For example, a page of text may only occupy a few kilobytes, while a picture requires a few megabytes, and a compressed movie a gigabyte. All these create a huge demand for large networks.
Many networks ultimately connect to personal computers, accessed by users. Such personal computers are sometimes known as client computers. These client computers are connected to server computers, which hold much more information. Actually, the ease of retrieving multimedia information on-line using a client-server model has become the norm of most networking applications.
Many of today's servers run on a single machine connected to a network. The idea is that the servers do not fail. Most of the problems are perceived to come from the transmission media If a client does not receive any part of a piece of information, the client will ask the server to re-transmit, because, probably, the transmission media have lost packets of the information. Servers are assumed to operate without malfunctioning. However, servers do fail. When they fail, the information in them is lost. To remedy this problem, one may replicate data on several servers. This type of technique is known as service replication, which can increase the original storage by a few times. With multimedia data typically requiring significant amount of storage, service replication might take too much storage space.
There is another prior art technique known as service partitioning, where data are partitioned and distributed among server clusters. This technique has previously been described, for example, in "Design and Implementation of the SUN Network File System," written by Sandberg et. al. and published in In Proceedings of the Summer Usenix Conference on 1985. Service partitioning allows the loading to be shared by several servers. However, if a server among the cluster of servers is down, information is again lost.
Another problem encountered in server failure is the disruption in information flow. For video-on-demand services, the video signals have to be continuous. We do not want to watch a movie that breaks or slows down in the middle due to server failure.
It should be apparent from the foregoing that there is still a need to protect information loss due to server failure. The protection mechanism should not significantly increase server storage, and should maintain continuous information flow if there is failure in servers. With networks permeating into every corner of our society, such needs will only increase as time goes by.


A packet communications system provides for point-to-point packet routing and multicast packet routing to limited subsets of nodes in the network, using a routing field in the packet header which is processed according to two different protocols. A third protocol is provided in which a packet can be multicast to the limited subset even when launched from a node which is not a member of the subset. The routing field includes a first portion which contains the route labels necessary to deliver the packet to the multicast subset. A second portion of the routing field contains the multicast subset identifier which can then be used to deliver the packet to all of the members of the multicast subset. Provision is made to backtrack deliver the packet to the last node identified before the multicast subset if that last node is itself a member of the subset.

In high speed packet transmission networks, routing of packets through the network is accomplished by means of routing information in the packet header. Such a network is composed of nodes interconnected by transmission links. Nodes include packet switching mechanisms for selectively launching received packets on outgoing transmission links. Some of these nodes are called end nodes and provide user access to the network. When analyzed as a graph, such networks can be characterized as a graph of switches, user stations, and the edges connecting them together. Edges connecting switches together correspond to the transmission links interconnecting such switching mechanisms. Edges connecting user stations (user applications) to the network at end nodes are called terminal edges. Adapter circuits at each of the switching mechanisms adapt the packet signals for transmission on or delivery to the transmission links and user applications, respectively. Many different types of packet switching mechanisms and transmission links can be accommodated in such packet transmission systems.
Routing information for such networks can be expressed in many different forms, two major modes of which are called Automatic Network Routing (ANR), used to deliver a packet to a single destination user station, and Tree Multicast Mode (TMM), used to deliver the same packet to a plurality of destination user stations. In ANR routing, the successive links in the route are specified, in routing order, by transmission link labels in the routing field. Along the route, as the packet is switched to a new link, that link label is stripped away from the routing field to leave the next-to-be-used link label as the first label in the routing field. Automatic Network Routing is described in "PARIS: An Approach to Integrated High-Speed Networks" by I. Cidon and I. S. Gopal, International Journal of Digital and Analog Cabled Systems, Vol. 1, No. 2, April-June, 1988, pages 77-85.
In TMM routing, multicast trees are predefined to connect a desired subset of user stations connected to the packet transmission network. In this connection, a "tree" is defined as a connected set of switches, packet user stations, and edges having no cycles or loops. The term "multicast" is defined as a single sender transmitting packets to a multiplicity of receiving user stations. The multicast tree is identified in the routing field by a tree address. Rather than stripping the tree address from the routing field, this address is used at each switching point in the tree to route the packet to all other connected switches or user stations of the same tree (except the switch or user station from which the packet was received). In this way, any user station of a multicast tree can launch a packet with the tree address in the routing field and have that packet delivered to all of the other user stations of the same multicast tree. Such multicast tree routing is described in "Distributed Control for PARIS," by B. Awerbuch, I. Cidon, I. Gopal, M. Kaplan and S. Kutten, Proceedings of the 9 th ACM Symposium on Principles of Distributed Computing, Quebec, Canada, August, 1990, pages 145-159.
Due to the differing protocols for processing the routing field to provide ANR and TMM routing, it has heretofore been impossible to mix these two types of routing in the same packet header. It is often desirable, however, to deliver a packet to all of the user stations of a multicast tree from an originating user station which is not itself a member of the multicast tree. For example, a plurality of adapters may be connected to a particular Local Area Network (LAN). One such local LAN adapter may wish to send a request to a remote group of LAN adapters which are associated with a second LAN and connected by a multicast tree for information about the stations of than second LAN. Similarly, an end node may wish to simultaneously send a query to a group of directory service providers which have been, for update convenience, connected by a multicast tree. A significant problem, then, is to allow such remote access to multicast trees.

Methods and apparatus for routing packets in packet transmission networks


A prisoner restraint device is provided having a belt with a tongue attached to a handcuff cover with two plates with inner and outer faces, lateral edges, longitudinal edges and slots. A channel to receive a portion of a pair of handcuffs extends across each of the inner faces of the plates from one lateral edge to the other lateral edge. The plates may be secured together with locking mechanisms and/or by using a sleeve containing slots corresponding to the slots of the plates and inserting a tongue through the slots. One end of the tongue is attached to a belt, further restricting the prisoner's ability to move his hands relative to his body.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to devices used by law enforcement personnel to restrain prisoners and other subjects, and more specifically relates to a prisoner restraint and a method therefor to improve the restraint of a subject.
2. Description of Related Art
In law enforcement and related fields, it is often necessary to restrain individuals. While some individuals may be relatively compliant and require little in the way of physical restraint, many individuals are likely to attempt to escape and/or to do physical harm to those around them. These latter individuals may require substantial physical restraints to be safely kept in custody. This need for physical restraints is particularly acute when an individual is transported or is first apprehended.
Perhaps the single most common method of physically restraining such an individual is handcuffs. A typical set of handcuffs includes two wristlets joined by a chain. The wristlets are locked around the wrists of the subject. Typically the wristlets are unlocked using a key.
While handcuffs are a useful form of restraint, they often fail to restrain the prisoner as fully as might be desired. Prisoners wearing handcuffs may succeed in accessing the locks on the wristlets and picking them, thereby escaping from the handcuffs. A prisoner may break the chain joining the wristlets on rocks or other hard surfaces so that, even without the wristlets removed, the prisoner will have full use of his hands. Even if the prisoner cannot open the wristlets or break the chain, the handcuffs allow him to move his hands a considerable distance relative to his body and to move his hands relative to one another as far as the chain between the wristlets permits. This range of movement may allow the prisoner to grab a weapon or a tool. Even if no weapon or tool is available to the prisoner, he may take advantage of his range of movement by striking or grabbing those around him. For these reasons, handcuffs used alone often fail to adequately secure a subject.
One prior art device is U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,977 to Stefanson. This device includes a cover assembly for enclosing conventional handcuffs. A difficulty with this device is that the lock 56 for belly chain 54 as shown in FIG. 5 may be easily accessed by a prisoner's hands. The lock 56 may be easily accessed because both ends of the belly chain 54 are attached proximate the handcuff cover 10 and the prisoner's hands. Furthermore, release of the lock 56 would permit the belly chain 54 to be released.
Therefore, the need exists for a device to prevent a prisoner from accessing the locks on the belt while additionally restricting a prisoner's hand movements relative to each other and to his body. Such a device must be easy to use and capable of rapid securement. While the prior art devices and methods aid in preventing a prisoner from accessing the locks on handcuff wristlets and restrict the movement of the prisoner's hands, they do not prevent access to locks on the belt while securing a handcuff cover to the belt, they are generally difficult to use, and require an inordinate amount of time to secure properly.

Prisoner restraint device and method therefor


A method of using at least a part of a cavity for a first and at least one second laser includes providing a first laser beam to the part of the cavity, splitting the first beam into a first and a second part, splitting the first part into a third and a fourth part, splitting the second part into a fifth and a sixth part, superimposing the third and the fifth part in a way causing extinguishing interference, superimposing the fourth and the sixth part in a way causing cumulative interference to provide a first resulting beam, and performing the above elements with at least one second laser beam provided to the same part of the cavity to provide a second resulting beam.

The present invention relates to laser cavities. Such optical cavities resonated by a laser source, i.e. a laser diode, can select one or more wavelengths emitted by a laser amplifier medium. Known cavities frequently comprise two mirrors, one constituting a cavity end element and the other constituting a tuning element for tuning the laser. For providing a single mode laser the cavity furthermore can contain a wavelength filter, e.g. a diffraction grating, for selecting a certain wavelength. Cavities containing such a filter can be built up according to the Littrow- or the Littman-configuration as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,744 or in U.S. Pat. No. 6,252,718, for example.


A language processing system identifies, from log data, command inputs that parsed to a parsing rule associated with an action. If the command input has a signal indicative of user satisfaction, where the signal is derived from data that is not generated from performance of the action (e.g., user interactions with data provided in response to the performance of another, different action; resources identified in response to the performance of another, different action having a high quality score; etc.), then exception data is generated for the parsing rule. The exception data specifies the particular instance of the sentence parsed by the parsing rule, and precludes invocation of the action associated with the rule.

This specification relates to speech recognition and speech understanding systems.
Speech recognition and speech processing systems are prevalent in many consumer electronic devices. Many of these electronic devices now utilize speech command processing techniques to invoke and perform particular operations. For example, a user device, such as a smart phone, can process speech commands to perform specified operations that include searching the web, setting an alarm, calling a particular person, and so on.
A user device uses a speech recognition processing system to recognize and process speech commands. A provider of the speech recognition and processing system develops parsing rules for various commands a user will speak. Upon a successful parse of a command input by a rule, the action is performed (or may be performed subject to user confirmation). The parsing rules are often in the form of a command structure for a particular action, e.g., an action n-gram, followed by preposition, followed by n-grams that defines a subject of the action, such as:
<Image_Search_Action_Term> of <Image_Subject>
The above generalized parsing rule, for example, successfully parses the following command inputs, where image search action terms include [image], [pictures] and [photos]:
Image of giraffes
Pictures of flowers
Photos of bridges
There are, however, inputs that may be parsed by a rule associated with an action, but the user may not intend for the action to be performed. For example, for the input "Picture of Dorian Gray," the user may actually be more interested in a search of a web corpus or a book corpus for resources related to the book instead of a search of an image corpus for images of "Dorian Gray." Accordingly, some commands may parse to an action that is different from the action the user actually desires to be performed.

Exceptions to action invocation from parsing rules


Compositions comprising fusion polypeptides of T. cruzi epitopes are provided, together with methods for the use of such compositions in the diagnosis of T. cruzi infection and in screening blood supplies. Diagnostic kits comprising such compositions are also provided.

Protozoan parasites are a serious health threat in many areas of the world. Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) is one such parasite that infects millions of individuals. Ten to thirty percent of individuals infected with T. cruzi develop chronic symptomatic Chagas' disease, which may in turn lead to heart disease and a variety of immune system disorders. T. cruzi infection has long been a public health problem in Central and South America. It is estimated that 18 million people worldwide are chronically infected with T. cruzi, but available drug treatments lack efficacy and often cause serious side effects.
The most significant route of transmission in areas where the disease is endemic is through contact with an infected triatomid insect. However in other areas blood transfusions are the dominant means of transmission. Accordingly, in order to inhibit the transmission of T. cruzi, it is necessary to develop accurate methods for both diagnosing T. cruzi infection in individuals and for screening blood supplies. Blood bank screening is particularly important in South America, where 0.1%-62% of blood samples may be infected and where the parasite is frequently transmitted by blood transfusion. Due to high flow of immigrants to the US from many Central and South American countries where T. cruzi infection is endemic, the US blood supply is becoming at high risk for contamination from T. cruzi infected blood donors. While there are a few tests available for diagnosing infection in individuals, there is currently no FDA approved test available in the US for blood donor screening for T. cruzi infection.
The diagnosis of T. cruzi infection has been problematic, since accurate methods for detecting the parasite that are suitable for routine use have been unavailable. During the acute phase of infection, which may last for decades, the infection may remain quiescent and the host may be asymptomatic. As a result, serological tests for T. cruzi infection are the most reliable and the most commonly used form of diagnosis. Such diagnoses are complicated, however, by the complex life cycle of the parasite and the diverse immune responses of the host. The parasite passes through an epimastigote stage in the insect vector and two main stages in the mammalian host. One host stage is present in blood (the trypomastigote stage), while a second stage is intracellular (the amastigote stage). The multiple stages result in a diversity of antigens being presented by the parasite during infection. In addition, immune responses to protozoan infection are complex, involving both humoral and cell-mediated responses to the array of parasite antigens.
While detection of antibodies against parasite antigens is the most common and reliable method of diagnosing clinical and subclinical infections, current tests for T. cruzi infection are generally insensitive, lack specificity, and are not suitable for screening of blood supplies. Most serological tests use whole or lysed T. cruzi and require positive results on two of three tests, including complement fixation, indirect immunofluorescence, passive agglutination or ELISA, to accurately detect T. cruzi infection. The cost and difficulty of such tests has prevented the screening of blood or sera in many endemic areas.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,876,734 and 6,228,601 disclose compositions useful for diagnosing Chagas' disease that comprise a non-repetitive region of the T. cruzi protein TCR27, and fusion polypeptides including such regions. U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,933 discloses a fusion polypeptide referred to as TcF that contains the four antigenic T. cruzi peptides PEP-2, TcD, TcE and TcLo1.2, together with methods for the use of the fusion polypeptide in the detection of T. cruzi infection. While TcF is highly reactive with T. cruzi-infected sera from South America, it exhibits low activity, and is occasionally negative with, Central American sera. U.S. Pat. No. 6,458,922 discloses an assay for T. cruzi infection that employs compositions comprising at least six antigenic T. cruzi peptides selected from the group consisting of: SAPA, CRA, FRA, TcD, Tc24, Ag39 and MAP. Published US Patent Application No. US-2004/0132077-A1 discloses recombinant polypeptides and fusion polypeptides (referred to as FP3, FP4, FP5, FP6, FP7, FP8, FP9 and FP10) useful for diagnosing T. cruzi infection. The disclosed fusion polypeptides comprise modified versions of previously identified T. cruzi epitopes, including TC27, TCR39, SAPA and MAP.

Compositions and methods for the detection of