An anti-sway trailer hitch connection is provided for use between a towing vehicle and a trailer and includes structure whereby slight left and right lateral movement of the forward end of the towing vehicle will not be translated into right and left lateral movement, respectively, of the forward end of the trailer, and thereby eliminates the tendency of a trailer to sway back and forth while a towing vehicle changes lanes on a highway or is acted on by cross-wind gusts from the passing of a large vehicle.

Inasmuch as most passenger vehicles and the like include rear overhang portions, which project considerably rearward of the rear wheels of the vehicle, and trailer hitches are constructed in a manner such that the forward tongue portion of a trailer towed behind such vehicles are actually coupled to the vehicles at a point spaced slightly rearward of the rear bumpers of the vehicles, any slight left and right lateral shifting of the forward end of the towing vehicle results in right and left lateral shifting, respectively, of the forward end of the trailer.
This operational feature of the combination of a passenger vehicle and a trailer being towed there behind can be very dangerous, especially when the vehicles are moving at highway speed, such that the vehicles are having momentums such that a sudden lateral changing of direction of the towing vehicle can cause a serious swaying problem of the trailer.
Because the towing vehicle rearward end displaces to the side that is opposite to its forward end, it is especially dangerous when vehicles are in a down hill situation such that the weight of the trailer adds to the momentum of the trailer and the trailer has the tendency to push the towing vehicle rearward end off the moving course.
The towed vehicle-swaying problem is also pronounced when the towed vehicle has a large side elevation area upon which crosswind gusts and slip stream blasts may act on the towed vehicle for creating a sudden unstable condition.
Accordingly, a need exists for a hitch connection between a vehicle and a trailer that eliminates the swaying tendencies of the vehicle and trailer combination as a result of slight lateral shifting of the forward end of the towing vehicle.
Various solutions to the problem of trailer swaying have been proposed with anti-sway trailer hitches that include at least some of the general structural and operational features of the instant invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,201,660, 2,913,256, 3,254,905, 3,785,680, 3,787,077 and 3,825,282.
The most closely related improvement in anti-sway trailer hitch assemblies was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,046, by the present inventor. But, the '046 patent hitch assembly has a limitation for limiting the towing vehicle turning angle, such that, at a larger turning angle, the control rod that connects the hitch beam to the control beam will move closer to and interfere with the intermediate bar on the hitch assembly, thus limiting the towing vehicle turning angles.


The present invention provides an optical filter comprising a crystalline polymer having a spherulite structure, particularly an optical filter comprising porous particles formed of a crystalline polymer in which single particles per se have a spherulite structure. This optical filter can convert linear polarized light to nonpolarized light close to natural light with high efficiency.

In late years, because of characteristics of being thin, light in weight and having a high picture quality, a liquid crystal display device has become a display device which can compete with CRT. A liquid crystal display with multicolor and high definition or the like has been marketed. Furthermore, with the demand for large screen size and development of high-vision technique, an enlarging projection type video display device with a liquid crystal projector is being spread. As the driving principle of the liquid crystal display device, there have been a TFT type, a MIM type, a STN type, a TN type and the like. Any of these types uses a pair of polarizer, and the emitted display light is linear polarized light. Accordingly, light reaching an observer is linear polarized light.
However, as a means to reduce asthenopia caused by using a liquid crystal display for a long time, a polarizing filter or a polarized eyeglass is used in some cases. An object of the polarizing filter or the polarized eyeglass is to cut off the incoming light from the polarization component having a direction perpendicular to the transmission axis of the polarizer, and to take only the incoming light from the polarization component having a direction parallel to the transmission axis of the polarizer. However, as described above, since light emitted from the liquid crystal screen of a cellular phone or a personal computer is linear polarized light, if an angle of the polarizing filter or the polarizing eyeglass is inclined, the quantity of light is remarkably reduced and the screen becomes invisible in the extreme case, or the left and right sides look different. Such extreme problems were caused.
In order to avoid such problems, a ¼ wavelength plate for a wavelength is used, whereby linear polarized light is considered to be converted to elliptical polarized light, but it is not possible to apply this principle because the wavelength of light emitted from the display is various. Furthermore, apart from the polarizing filter, there is a technique using a cloud membrane phenomenon, in which a special metal line having a width of from 0.1 to 0.15 mm is coated on a substrate in a network structure, whereby a non-coated portion (ultrafine hole of about 0.02 mm×0.02 mm) through which light is transmitted is formed, thereby causing interference and diffraction phenomenon in the wavelength of the incoming light. However, a fine processing technology has been needed for this technique. Similarly, a filter including dispersed fine polymer particles has a little ability to make linear polarized light to nonpolarized light by scattering effect of a particle, but it has been known that there is hardly any effect when a thin film is formed.
Furthermore, whereas there has been proposed that linear polarized light is converted to nonpolarized light by means of a polymer having an amorphous structure (refer to Patent Document 1), practically the amorphous structure has only a low ability to convert linear polarized light to nonpolarized light. We found for the first time that the polymer made into a crystalline aggregate called a spherulite structure has the ability to convert linear polarized light to nonpolarized light effectively. Furthermore, whereas there has also been proposed an optical filter employing a depolarizing plate using a crystal quartz plate (refer to Patent Document 2), it is not practical to arrange the optical filter on a surface of the liquid crystal.
On the other hand, there has been proposed a liquid crystal display device using an alignment film composed of a polymer having a spherulite structure (refer to Patent Document 3). This liquid crystal display device is arranged between a polarizer and a liquid crystal layer in order to widen a viewing angle. Its purpose is different from that of the optical filter of the present invention. Furthermore, when a polymer film having a spherulite structure is used as an optical filter and linear polarized light is attempted to be converted to nonpolarized light, distortion applied in the production of a film remains in the film, and the anisotropy of refractive index is exhibited. So, it is not possible to obtain an optical filter which can uniformly convert linear polarized light to nonpolarized light similar to natural light.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-185821    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 1998-10522    Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 1994-308496


A display unit which can be used with various sources of information includes a light-to-light conversion element composed of first and second stripe electrodes arranged to jointly form a matrix electrode, and a photoconductive layer and a light modulation layer disposed between the first and second stripe electrodes, the impedance of the photoconductive layer changes with information written to the light-to-light conversion element. The photoconductive layer is irradiated with a linear light beam deflected in a direction to intersect first stripe electrode, while at the same time successive pieces of information to be inputted to corresponding picture elements are supplied to respective stripe electrode elements of the first stripe electrode. With the use of the matrix electrode, information can be written to and read out from the light-to-light conversion element at a higher response rate with high resolution.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-to-light conversion method for use in display units, optical computers, etc. and a display unit using such light-to-light conversion method. It is also concerned with a light-to-light conversion element incorporated in the display unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various display units are known in which a light beam modulated in its intensity in accordance with time sequential information signals is projected onto a screen via projection optical system, thereby providing a two-dimensional display of an image on the screen.
The prior display units are, however, only applicable with a particular image source. For instance, cathode ray tubes are unable to reproduce those sources other than video signals. Similarly, moving picture projectors can only reproduce movie films. In addition, electro-cinematographic systems are used With a particular information recording medium.
An improved display unit is proposed by the present assignee as described in the co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 633,223, filed Dec. 24, 1990, entitled "Method of Information Conversion and Apparatus thereof".
The proposed display unit is generally satisfactory. However, it still has drawbacks. For example, the response rate of a linear modulator element is relatively low and that an additional image-forming optical system is needed to two-dimensionally project a modulated linear beam onto the input side of a light-to-light conversion element.

Light-to-light conversion method, display unit using the same, and light-to-light conversion element incorporated therein


Performance event data designating rendition style modules are supplied in order of time. When a given performance event data at a given time is to be processed in accordance with the supplied performance event data, another performance event data related to one or more events, following the given performance event data, is obtained in advance of a predetermined original time position of the other performance event daata. Control data corresponding to a rendition style module designated by at least one of the given performance event data and the other performance event data obtained in advance is generated on the basis of the given and the other performance event data, and a waveform corresponding to the designated rendition style module is synthesized on the basis of the control data. Characteristic of at least one of preceding and succeeding rendition style modules is modified on the basis of trailing end information of the preceding rendition style module and leading end information of the succeeding rendition style module. When rendition style designation data, including information designating a rendition style module and parameters for controlling the rendition style module, is lacking in a necessary parameter, the lacking parameter is filled with a predetermined standard parameter.

The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for producing waveforms of musical tones, voices or other desired sounds on the basis of waveform data read out from a waveform memory or the like, and more particularly to an improved waveform production method and apparatus capable of producing waveforms that are faithfully representative of color (timbre) variations effected by various styles of rendition or articulation peculiar to natural musical instruments. Note that the present invention is applicable extensively to all fields of equipment, apparatus or methods capable of producing waveforms of musical tones, voices or other desired sounds, such as automatic performance apparatus, computers, electronic game apparatus or other types of multimedia equipment, not to mention ordinary electronic musical instruments. It should also be appreciated that in this specification, the term "tone" is used to refer to not only a musical tone but also a voice or other sound, and similarly the terms "tone waveform" are used to embrace a waveform of a voice or any other desired sound, rather than to refer to a waveform of a musical tone alone.
The so-called "waveform memory readout" method has been well known, in which waveform data (i.e., waveform sample data), encoded by a desired encoding technique, such as the PCM (Pulse Code Modulation), DPCM (Differential PCM) or ADPCM (Adaptive Differential PCM), are prestored in a waveform memory so that a tone waveform can be produced by reading out the waveform data from the memory at a rate corresponding to a desired tone pitch. There have been known various types of waveform memory readout techniques. Most of the known waveform memory readout techniques are intended to produce a waveform from the beginning to end of a tone to be generated. Among examples of the known waveform memory readout techniques is one that prestores waveform data of an entire waveform from the beginning to end of a tone to be generated, and one that prestores waveform data of a full waveform section for an attack portion or the like of a tone having complicated variations but prestores predetermined loop waveform segments for a sustain or other portion having little variations. In this specification, the terms "loop waveform" are used to refer to a waveform to be read out in a repeated (looped) fashion.
In these waveform memory readout techniques prestoring waveform data of an entire waveform from the beginning to end of a tone to be generated or waveform data of a full waveform section for an attack portion or the like of a tone, there must be prestored a multiplicity of various waveform data corresponding to a variety of rendition styles (or articulation) and thus a great storage capacity is required for storing the multiplicity of waveform data.
Further, although the above-mentioned technique designed to prestore waveform data of an entire waveform can faithfully express color (timbre) variations effected by various rendition styles or articulation peculiar to a natural musical instrument, it can only reproduce tones just in the same manner as represented by the prestored data, and thus it tends to encounter poor controllability and editability. For example, it has been very difficult for the technique to perform control of waveform characteristics, such as time axis control, according to performance data, of the waveform date corresponding to a desired rendition style or articulation.
To address the above-discussed inconveniences, more sophisticated techniques for facilitating realistic reproduction and control of various rendition styles (or articulation) peculiar to natural musical instruments have been proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2000-122665 and the like; these techniques are also known as SAEM (Sound Articulation Element Modeling) techniques. In the case of such SAEM techniques, when a plurality of rendition style waveform modules are to be time-serially connected together to create a continuous tone waveform, it is desired to connect the rendition style waveform modules without unnaturalness.

Waveform production method and apparatus


Engine air-fuel ratio controlling means is provided to control an exhaust air-fuel ratio that is the ratio between the air contained in the exhaust gas discharged from the engine and the fuel element contained in the same exhaust gas and acting as a reducing agent at a NOx catalyst by controlling the air-fuel ratio of the gas combusted in the engine. Fuel adding means is provided upstream of the NOx catalyst in an exhaust passage to add fuel into the exhaust gas. During the SOx poisoning recovery control, when developing a state enabling SOx reduction reactions, the exhaust gas air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas discharged from the engine and the amount of fuel added from the fuel adding means are controlled to minimize the sum of the amount of fuel injected in the engine and the amount of fuel added from the fuel adding means.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an exhaust gas purification system and an exhaust gas purification method for an internal combustion engine having an adsorption-reduction type NOx catalyst provided in the exhaust passage.
2. Description of the Related Art
An exhaust gas purification system for an internal combustions engine has an adsorption-reduction type NOx catalyst (will be simply referred to as "NOx catalyst" where appropriate) provided in an exhaust passage. NOx catalysts adsorb NOx in an exhaust gas under an oxidizing atmosphere and reduce the adsorbed NOx under a reducing atmosphere.
Such NOx catalysts, however, adsorb SOx as well as NOx. Therefore, in an exhaust gas purification system for an internal combustion engine having a NOx catalyst, so-called SOx poisoning recovery control is executed to reduce the SOx adsorbed in the NOx catalyst During the SOx poisoning control, the exhaust gas air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas entering the NOx catalyst, which is the ratio between the air contained in the exhaust gas entering the NOx catalyst and the fuel element contained in the same exhaust gas and acting as a reducing agent at the NOx catalyst, is reduced to a target exhaust gas air-fuel ratio enabling SOx reduction reactions, and the temperature of the NOx catalyst is increased to a target temperature enabling SOx reduction reactions.
Japanese Patent Application Publication. No. 2002-155724 (JP-A-2002-155724) describes a technology in which the exhaust gas air-fuel ratio is controlled by controlling the amount of fuel injected by a post-injection and/or controlling the amount of fuel added from a fuel addition valve provided upstream of the NOx catalyst. Also, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-280125 (JP-A-2001-280125) and Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-120373 (JP-A-2003-120373) have been also studied as references. However, none of these related technologies specifically addresses the necessity for minimizing the reduction of the fuel economy that may be caused by the SOx poisoning recovery control.

Exhaust gas purification system and method for internal combustion engine


A learning system is used in a data processing apparatus for learning an input pattern by obtaining an internal-state value necessary for realizing a desired data conversion by performing a pattern conversion defined by the internal-state value and calculating an output pattern corresponding to the input pattern. The learning system comprises a pattern presenting unit for presenting an input pattern group of the subject to be learned for pattern conversion, dividing the input pattern group of the subject to be learned into at least two sets, selecting one of the divided sets, presenting the input pattern group of the selected set to a pattern conversion unit and presenting an input pattern group belonging to all the sets presented up to the current point when the internal-state value to be converged is obtained in accordance with the presentation of the selected set, and an error value calculating unit for calculating an error value representing a magnitude of a non-consistency between an output pattern group outputted in accordance with the presentation and a teacher pattern group representing a pattern to be obtained by the output pattern group.

The present invention relates to a learning system for a data processing apparatus for determining an internal state value which defines a pattern conversion in order to realize a data processing function by a learning process and more particularly to a learning system for a data processing apparatus capable of quickly learning an internal state value.
In a conventional sequential processing computer (Neuman type), the data processing function cannot be controlled in accordance with a change in the usage method and environment. Therefore, an adaptive data processing apparatus, represented by a parallel distribution process system with a network structure mainly in the field of pattern recognition and adaptive filter technology, is required. Such an adaptive data processing apparatus needs to obtain, by a learning process, an internal state value defining the data processing function.
Of the systems for learning the internal state values in data processing apparatuses, the process method called the back propagation method (D. E. Rumelhart, G. E. Hinton, and R. J. Wiliams, "Learning Internal Representations by Error Propagation, "PARALLEL DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING, Vol.1, pp. 318-364, The MIT Press, 1986) receives attention because of its high practicality.
In a data processing apparatus with a layered network structure, the layered network comprises a kind of node called a basic unit and an internal connection with a weight value corresponding to an inner state value.
FIG. 1 shows the structure of a basic unit 1, which comprises a system with multiple inputs and a single output. It comprises a multiplication unit 2 for multiplying the weight of an internal connection by a plurality of inputs, an accumulating unit 3 for adding all the multiplied results, and a threshold value processing unit 4 for performing a non-linear threshold value process on an accumulated value and outputting a final value, and is composed of a layered network, as shown in FIG. 2. The data processing function is conducted to convert the input signal (input pattern) to a corresponding output signal (output pattern). According to the back propagation method applied to the layered network, the output signal corresponding to the input signal provided for a learning is expected to become a teacher signal (teacher pattern) for designating the signal value. Thus, the weight value of an internal connection of a layered network is determined in accordance with a predetermined learning algorithm. When the value is determined by this process, the layered network outputs the new output signal, even if an unexpected input signal is applied thereto. Thus, a flexible data processing function is provided. However, the learning process must be realized within a shorter time period. That is, it is necessary to shorten the time period required for learning different patterns, including interference between patterns, so that interference between patterns is avoided and different patterns are separated from each other. To realize the required complex data process, the layered network structure must also be complicated. This makes it difficult to shorten the process.
A conventional back-propagation system for use in an adaptable data processing apparatus with a layered network structure is now explained in detail. Supposing that an h layer is a pre-stage layer, and an i layer is a post-stage layer. An arithmetic operation conducted in the arithmetic processing unit 3 within a basic unit 1 is expressed as shown in equation (1). An operation performed by threshold value unit 4 is described by the following equation (2). ##EQU1## where, h: the unit number of an h layer,
i: the unit number of an i layer, PA1 p: the pattern number of the input signal, PA1 .theta..sub.i : the threshold value of the ith unit of the i layer PA1 W.sub.ih : the weight value of an internal connection between h i layers, PA1 x.sub.pi : the sum of the products of the input from respective units in h layer to the ith unit in the i layer, PA1 y.sub.ph : the output from the hth unit of the h layer for the input signal of the pth pattern input signal PA1 y.sub.pi : the ith unit of the i layer corresponding to the input signal of the pth pattern. PA1 W.sub.ji : a weight value of the internal connection between i-j layers, PA1 x.sub.pj : the sum of the products of the input from respective units of an i layer to the j layer unit of the j layer. PA1 y.sub.pi : the output from the jth unit of the j layer for an input signal of the pth pattern PA1 E: the sum of the error vectors for the input voltage with regard to all the patterns. PA1 d.sub.pj : a teacher signal to the jth unit of the jth layer for the input signal of the pth pattern.
The back propagation system performs an automatic adjustment adaptively by using a feed back of the weight value W.sub.ih and the threshold value .theta..sub.i. As is clear from equations (1) and (2), it is necessary to change the weight value Wih and the threshold value .theta..sub.i, simultaneously. However, this is difficult because of mutual interference. Therefore, the present applicant proposes that a basic unit 1 with "1" as an input signal be provided at a layer of the input side and the threshold value .theta.i be combined within the weight value Wih, thereby preventing threshold value .theta.i from appearing in equation (2). Thus, equations (1) and (2) are expressed as follows. ##EQU2##
A conventional process for learning the weight value is explained in accordance with equations (3) and (4). This explanation can be conducted by a layered network having a structure comprising an h layer, an i layer and a j layer, as shown in FIG. 3.
The following equation can be obtained from equations (3) and (4). ##EQU3## where, j: the unit number of j layer,
According to the process for learning the weight value, the error vector Ep is first based on the following equations. It is the second power sum of the errors between the teacher signal and the output signal from the output layer and is calculated as an error produced by the layered network. The teacher signal is the signal which the output signal should become. ##EQU4## where, Ep: an error vector for the input signal of the pth pattern,
It may be necessary to perform a partial differential of y.sub.pj in equation (7) to obtain the relation between the error vector and the output signal. ##EQU5##
Further, to obtain the relation between error vector Ep and the input to the j layer, error vector Ep should be partially differentiated with respect to x.sub.pj in accordance with the following equation. ##EQU6##
Further, a relation between error vector Ep and a weight value between the i-j layers is obtained. Thus, error vector Ep is subjected to a partial differentiation with respect to W.sub.ji. ##EQU7## Thus, the solution represented by the above sum of the products is obtained.
Next, a variation of error vector Ep for an output Ypi of an i layer is obtained as follows. ##EQU8##
Further, a variation of an error vector for a variation of a total sum x.sub.pi to an i layer input unit is calculated. Thus, ##EQU9##
The solution represented by the above sum of the products can be obtained. Further, the relation between the variation of the error vector and the variation of the weight value between the h-i layers is obtained as follows. ##EQU10##
The solution represented by the above sum of the products can be thus obtained. The relation between the error vector and weight value between i-j layers for the total input patterns is obtained, and is expressed by the following equation. ##EQU11##
The relation between the error vectors for all the input patterns and the weight value between the h-i layers can be obtained as follows. ##EQU12##
Equations (15) and (16) represent a rate of change ratio of an error vector to a variation in a weight value between the layers. If the weight is changed so that the rate of damage is always made negative, according tot he so-called gradient method, the sum of error vectors can be gradually converged to 0. In the conventional back propagation system, an updated quantity .DELTA.W.sub.ji and .DELTA.W.sub.ih per unit time are determined as follows and the updating of these weight values are repeated, thereby converging a sum E of the error vectors to a minimum value. ##EQU13## where .epsilon. (>0) represents a learning constant of a learning parameter.
Further, in the conventional back propagation system, in order to accelerate convergence to a minimum value, the data factor relating to the updated quantity of the weight value determined by the previous updating cycle, .DELTA.W.sub.ih and .DELTA.W.sub.ji are determined as follows ##EQU14## where .zeta. (>0) represents the momentum of the learning parameter and t represents the number of updating operations.
In the process of learning the weight value according to the back propagation method, the back propagation method is applied to a learning signal group (a pair comprising an input signal and a teacher signal) provided for a learning. Then the sum E of the error vectors is converged to a minimum value. Thus, the output signal corresponding to the teacher signal can be outputted. Therefore, the learning signal is first determined and then the process of learning the weight value starts. In the process of learning the internal state value, in a data processing system with other network structures and other adaptabilities as well as the data processing apparatus of the layered network structure, a structure in which the process of learning the internal state value starts after the learning signal is first determined for learning the internal state value has been employed.
However, in such prior art technology, as is clear from the explanation of the above back propagation system, the number of calculation steps in the learning process increases exponentially with the number of learning signals provided for learning the internal state value. Therefore, to realize a high degree of data process function, the layered network is made complicated and many learning signals are required to determine the internal state value. Thus, an extremely long time is required for the learning process, thereby causing a problem. For example, if patterns A, B, and C are to be determined first, a learning cycle comprising patterns A, B and C is repeated so that interferences between A and B, B and C, C and A, and A, B and C must be learned to separate patterns A, B, and C. If the number of such patterns increases, interference between them also increases, thus requiring an even longer time.
In the prior art, if an unexpected learning pattern, for example, D, appears, it is added to learning patterns A, B and C obtained up to that point, thereby providing a further pattern D to be learned. Thus, the learning of the internal state value re-starts from the beginning in the sequence A, B, C and D. However, if an adaptive data processing apparatus such as a neural network is used it is difficult to provide all the learning signals which can occurr, from the beginning, in order to avoid the new learning pattern. Therefore, the prior art, has the problem that whenever a new learning pattern is received, a long learning process time is required.
Further, in the above prior art, the number of learning patterns is small and learning has to be repeated for learning signals whose learning has been completed. Therefore, it takes an extremely long time to perform a process of learning an external state value. This problem becomes extremely serious when the layer network for realizing a high degree of data process function becomes complicated and when more learning patterns are required to determine the internal state value.

Learning system for a data processing apparatus


A lamp socket structure consisting of an insulated housing, a cover, at least one insulated conductor, a conductive screw shell and a plurality of piercing plates wherein the portion of the insulated conductor and the piercing plates are securely disposed between the insulated housing and the cover. The insulated housing has an opening at one end for receiving the screw shell which receives the base of a lamp and the cover secures title housing and screw shell by hooks or extended flanges. Each piercing plate has a sharp portion capable of penetrating the insulation of the insulated conductor to contact the wire therein and another end forming a contact terminal for connection to the screw shell or an electrode of the lamp base.

The present invention relates to lamp sockets for the series or parallel connection of electric lamps in a light string, and particularly to those receiving miniature screw-in type lamps operating at a low voltage.
Small and miniature lights are commonly used in decorative light strings and on various natural and artificial elements. Each light is configured as a socket and a lamp. The socket receives a portion of the lamp base of the lamp and makes electrical contact between the filament of the lamp and the electrical power lines.
Normally, a lamp with a bayonet base is inserted into the socket and makes contact with the outside power lines. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,098, a lamp bulb with two filament leads are inserted in a circular socket, then the socket is pushed in a housing with contact plates which are connected with the outside electrical power lines. Alternatively, the lamp base is screwed into the socket by a rotational thread. A particular problem encountered with the push-in type lamp is that it easily loses electrical contact during use, as a result of accidental touching or vibration thereof. The screw-in type lamp may be better for secured connection but it causes other problems, such as high cost, difficulty in bonding the socket and housing and soldering the wires to outside lines.


A polylactic acid resin foamed molding obtained by placing in a mold a cylindrical body having a foamed layer, which is formed by extruding a foamable molten resin composition prepared by kneading together a polylactic acid resin and a physical blowing agent from a die into a low-pressure zone, and molding it, wherein                the molding's foamed layer constituting the foamed molding has a difference (ΔHendo:2° C./min−ΔHexo:2° C./min) between the endothermic calorific value (ΔHendo:2° C./min) and the exothermic calorific value (ΔHexo:2° C./min) obtained by heat flux differential scanning calorimetry (heating rate of 2° C./min) of 10 J/g or more and a melt tension at 190° C. of 2 cN or more.

Heretofore, as one of the processes for molding a thermoplastic resin, there has been known a process for manufacturing a molding by placing a cylindrical body having a foamed layer (may be referred to as "foamed parison" hereinafter), which is formed by melt kneading together a resin and a blowing agent in an extruder and extruding the resulting melt from a die, in a mold and molding it.
For the above process for manufacturing a molding, general-purpose resins such as polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin and polystyrene resin have been studied.
Meanwhile, under such a situation that people's awareness of global environment is getting deeper and deeper and environmental problems such as the exhaustion of oil resources are now in the spotlight, polylactic acid resins derived from corn etc. are attracting attention in place of the above conventional general-purpose resins derived from oil resources. In expectation of the increasing general applicability of the polylactic acid resins in the future, the development of foams obtained from the polylactic acid resins is now under way.
However, as for polylactic acid resin foams, technologies related to foamed sheets are already disclosed by JP-A-2002-322309, JP-A-2002-3709, JP-A-2000-246259, etc. whereas the development of a polylactic acid resin molding obtained by placing a foamed parison of a polylactic acid resin in a mold is not under way.

Polylactic acid resin foamed molding and process for manufacturing the same


A speaker bracket, speaker baffle, and a speaker cover are provided for standardizing speaker box assemblies for television sets having different sized speakers. A speaker box assembly includes a speaker cover having a stepped inverted surface. A speaker bracket is then installed onto the speaker cover using a securing member. A surface of the speaker bracket is then mated with a speaker bore. The speaker bracket can have a stepped inclined surface sized to closely fit inside the stepped inverted surface of the speaker cover. The step of installing the speaker bracket onto the speaker cover then includes fitting the stepped inclined surface of the bracket with the stepped inverted mating surface of the speaker cover. The speaker cover has an elliptical frustum surface having steps that create an increasing circumference at fixed intervals along a length of the speaker box, and includes grooves that run along the length of the speaker box, perpendicular to the steps. The speaker baffle has corrugations formed along a length of the surface.

As television sets have become more readily available for consumers of all classes, a variety of options have become available for consumers to choose from when buying a television set. For example, consumers can choose what size of screen they would like to view, and the quality of sound that is associated with the television set. Consumers who prefer a television set that produces an image using a cathode ray tube, and prefer larger screens as well, often choose from 27-inch screens, 32-inch screens, and 36-inch screens. However, the weight of the television increases with the screen size. This is partly due to the size of, and materials used to make the components such as the speaker box assembly for the larger television sets. A current 36-inch television speaker box assembly is very heavy when compared to the speaker box assembly for a 32-inch or 27-inch television. This is partly because the speaker box assembly for each of the television sets is a different size, with larger and heavier assembly parts being used for larger television sets. The lack of standardization of the speaker box assemblies also produces inefficiency in television set production, resulting in greater costs for the manufacturer.
In order to make television sets price competitive, it is important to reduce the amount of material used. However, it is important when considering redesigning speaker box assemblies to ensure that reduction in material does not result in loss of speaker box strength. Any new speaker box assembly design must take into consideration the need to have sufficient mechanical strength or stiffness to resist sound vibration, and at the same time create good quality sound for the whole speaker box assembly.
Speaker box assemblies conventionally include two components: a speaker baffle and a speaker cover. Conventional television set speaker baffles utilize the concept of flat surfaces with reinforcing rib structures. While this design provides the necessary stiffness to withstand sound vibration, the speaker baffles are relatively heavy, since more plastic material is used to form webs of reinforcing ribs. Conventional television set speaker covers are also produces using the concept of flat surfaces with reinforcing rib structures, and also have the shape of a one-side opened rectangular box. While this design provides the necessary stiffness to the part and provides sufficient enclosure volume for sound reproduction, the speaker covers are relatively heavy, again because a great amount of plastic material is used to form webs of reinforcing ribs.

Waved/corrugated and stepped surface design for speaker box, and method of standardization of speaker box assemblies for television of different screen sizes


A loading unit which elevates a substrate holder holding a plurality of substrates to be subjected to heat treatment with respect to a cylindrical processing container whose bottom portion is opened and closed by a cap, includes, a loading housing, an elevator mechanism elevating the substrate holder, a shutter closing an opening of the bottom of the processing container, a substrate moving and loading mechanism having an elevatable moving and loading arm, a first partitioning box installed to surround the elevator mechanism and a moving space of the elevated substrate holder and provided with a cooling gas injecting means, a second partitioning box connected to the first partitioning box and is installed to surround the substrate moving and loading mechanism and a moving space of the substrate moving and loading mechanism, and a third partitioning box connected to the first partitioning box and is installed to surround the shutter.

In general, in order to manufacture semiconductor integrated circuits such as integrated circuits (ICs), large scale integrated circuits (LSIs), substrates such as semiconductor wafers are subjected to heat treatments such as film forming treatment, oxidizing and diffusing treatment, etching treatment, annealing treatment. In the related art, a vertical batch type heat treatment apparatus is used to treat a plurality of substrates at once.
In such heat treatment apparatus, a wafer boat loading a plurality of (for example 100 to 150) substrates such as semiconductor wafers is ascended and loaded (or inserted) into a vertical processing container made of quartz from a loading chamber having an inert gas atmosphere which is located below the processing container, and heat treatments such as film forming treatment are performed in the sealed processing container. After the heat treatments are performed, the wafer boat is unloaded (or descended) to replace the treated substrates with untreated wafers. Then the same heat treatments as described above are repeated.
A boat elevator installed within the loading chamber is used to elevate the wafer boat and moving and loading of the substrates are performed by a moving and loading mechanism installed within the loading chamber.
However, as described above, for the purpose of preventing natural oxidation of the semiconductor wafers such as silicon substrates and cooling the unloaded substrates having a high temperature, inert gas such as nitrogen gas is horizontally flown into the loading chamber installed below the processing container having a high temperature to bring the loading chamber into an inert gas atmosphere. The nitrogen gas is circulated and reused. In addition, the nitrogen gas is properly supplemented such that an oxygen concentration in the internal atmosphere of the loading chamber is lower than a predetermined value.
However, a large quantity of nitrogen gas is needed to put the entire internal atmosphere of the loading chamber having a considerably high capacity under the nitrogen gas atmosphere at all times. Such need of the large quantity of nitrogen gas may result in high running costs. In addition, since the nitrogen gas acting as cooling gas is flown throughout the loading chamber, a stream of gas which has no contribution to cooling the substrates may exist, which make it difficult to achieve an efficient cooling and takes a long time for cooling, which results in a low throughput.
In particular, in recent years, for the purpose of further improving the productivity of semiconductor integrated circuits, a diameter of substrates has been demanded to become larger, for example from 300 mm to 450 mm. To meet such increase in the diameter of the substrate, a pitch of substrates loaded on the wafer boat had to be increased as well to flow sufficient process gas between the substrates. For example, a pitch of substrates having a diameter of 300 mm is 6 to 7 mm, whereas a pitch of substrates having a diameter of 450 mm is required to be 8 to 12 mm.
Even in this case, since the number of substrates to be treated at once is required to be the same as in the conventional batch type heat treatment apparatus, for example, 100 to 150. Due to a high demand for improving the productivity, a height of the processing container, a length of the wafer boat and a stroke to elevate the wafer boat are increased by the amount of increase in the substrate pitch. As a result, there is a strong need to overcome the above problem that a large quantity of nitrogen gas is needed for a higher volume (or capacity) of a processing unit including the processing container and the loading chamber located below the processing unit.


In a network of primary and secondary servers having individual databases which are mirrored to each other, there is provided a method to increase resource availability by removal, of already-utilized audit files onto external storage. A TRACKER program for expediting the update of the secondary database will initiate a CopyAudit program which offloads the audit files on the secondary server and then signals the primary server to offload the audit file, of the primary, onto external storage.

The method of the present invention relates to a particular system and method for automatic audit data archive within a remote database backup system. A remote database backup is maintained by (i) transferring a package of audit data from a primary database system to a remote system process; (ii) then writing the audit data to a remote disk; (iii) then applying the audited changes to the remote database backup copy. When a network communication error occurs during the first step (i) involving transferring a package of audit data from a primary database to a remote system process, then, the primary database system activity is temporarily suspended.
This temporary suspension of database activity presents problems and is counter-productive to the goal of maintaining 100% database availability. Thus, in this regard, controlling the audit removal is thus an important issue in optimizing the resource utilization on both the hosts and will lead to improved system performance.
One prior art method to which the method of the present invention generally relates is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,164, entitled "Computerized System And Method For Managing Information". This prior art method is a system and method for managing data stored in a database. A mainframe computer associated with the database is operable to execute customer information control system (CICS) transactions that control an application program for processing the stored data. An open socket command from a remote computer enables CICS sockets at the mainframe for connecting the mainframe and the remote computer via a web server. The remote computer communicates on a global network using a client-server communications protocol and the CICS sockets permit the remote computer to communicate with the mainframe by the client-server communications protocol. Following the open socket command, the CICS transactions are executable by the remote computer for controlling the application program at the mainframe. In another form, the system and method extract selected academic registration data from the database for generating a course audit report.
This method of the prior art differs from the present invention in that this prior art relates to methods that manage applications and the processing of stored data. The method of present invention, however, teaches methods to backup and remove audit data from disk. The method of the present invention also provides optimization of disk storage utilization that is not provided in the prior art method.
Yet another prior art method to which the method of the present invention generally relates is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,915, entitled "Remote Duplicate Database Facility With Improved Throughput And Fault Tolerance". This prior art method is a local computer system having a local database, application programs that modify the local database, and a transaction manager that stores audit records in a local audit trail reflecting those application program modifications to the local database. Each audit record has an associated audit trail position. A remotely located computer system has a backup database. A remote data duplication facility (RDF) is partially located in the local computer system and partially in the remote computer for maintaining virtual synchronization of the backup database with the local database. The RDF includes an extractor process executed by said local computer system, and a receiver process and a plurality of updater processes executed by the remote computer system. The extractor process extracts audit records from the local audit trail and transmits those records to the receiver process. When the receiver process detects that it is receiving audit records not in accordance with a predefined sequence, it transmits an error message to the extractor process. Otherwise it distributes the received audit records to a plurality of image trail files in the remote computer system for processing by updater processes, which initiate redo operations of database modifications denoted in at least a subset of the audit records against the backup database. The extractor process responds to each error message by obtaining a restart audit trail position value from the receiver process and then extracting audit records from the local audit trail starting at that restart audit trail position value.
The method of the prior art and the method of the present invention are only similar in the resemblance of the present invention's use of the RDB (Remote Data Base) system in architecture. However, the method of this prior art does not solve the problem of the resource contention created by (1) the need to backup and remove audit data at the source and, (2) maintaining said audit data on disk until it is no longer needed by a remote computer system. The present invention, however, does indeed solve the problem of this contention by the methods discussed that (1) delay the removal of audit data at the source following backup, and (2) send a message from the remote computer system to the primary system to initiate the removal of audit data.
Yet another prior art method to which the method of the present invention generally relates is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,150, entitled "System And Method For Database Synchronization". This prior art method is a database synchronization system (10) is disclosed that synchronizes the content of a central database stored on a central computer (16) with one or more remote databases stored on one or more remote computers (18). A data extract and transfer application (20) is provided on each of the remote computers (18). A migrator application (26) processes the audit trail files (24) of the remote computer (18) to create a database of change (28). When the database of change (28) reaches a size threshold, the data extract and transfer application (20) shuts down the migrator application (26), processes the database of change (28), and restarts the migrator application (26) to begin the creation of another database of change. The data and information in the database of change are converted into a series of flat files (48) that are transferred over a communications line (14) from each of the remote computers (18) to the central computer (16).
The method described in this prior art teaches methods of audit data extraction for the purpose of maintaining a remote database copy much like the present inventions RDB system, but does not teach the methods taught by the method of the present invention that (1) delay the removal of audit data at the source following backup, and (2) send a message from the remote computer system to the primary system to initiate the removal of audit data.
Yet another prior art method to which the method of the present invention generally relates is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,608, entitled "Method And System For Migrating Data". This prior art method is a method and system of the invention migrate data from one or more ASCII files and/or from one or more relational databases to one or more relational database tables without the need to write code. In doing so, the invention allows the user to define mapping templates and conditionals to assist in translating and transforming data values. This method also enforces referential integrity, data dependencies, order of operations, and uniqueness constraints using a predefined set of migration rules templates that are based on the principles of relational design. The invention uses these mapping and migration rules templates to intelligently generate instructions for updating or populating relational database destination tables. The instructions control the data transfer, data translation, data transformation, data validation, foreign key insertion, and the addition of required codes and flags in the destination tables. A migration engine of the system includes a data map architect and an update processor which spawns the templates and migrates the data dynamically, utilizing the data definitions for the destination tables. In addition to supporting conversion efforts, this invention provides support for performing consolidation, restoration from an archive, migration to new instances, upgrading to a new release, adding bolt-ons and enhancements, and changing business requirements. The audit trail in the invention is complete enough that the entire migration process can be reversed without compromising the integrity of either the source or the destination application.
This method of the prior art differs from the method of the present invention in that the prior art teaches methods to migrate existing data and mentions an "audit trail" that records the entire migration process. However, the prior art fails to mention when or how to backup and remove audit data, whereas the method of the present invention teaches this in detail. Since audit generation, by its very nature, is an ever-increasing process, removal of this audit data is critical to maintaining disk resource utilization. The method of the present invention teaches the necessary methods to backup and remove audit data for enabling greater disk accessibility.

System and method for automatic audit data archiving within a remote database backup system


An apparatus for removing dust released, for instance, during the production of a soft crepe paper web which is creped off a Yankee cylinder and spread laterally. The apparatus comprises a dust suction box consisting of a housing with an inner suction chamber, said housing having a first inlet in the form of a suction gap, a main part and first and second parts which define said suction gap between them. According to the invention the main part is in the form of part of a cylinder to provide a corresponding curved inner side in the suction chamber, and the suction gap comprises an outer gradual throttling and an inner gradual enlargement, said throttling and enlargement merging at a transition where said throttling is maximal. The first inlet forming part preferably comprises a flat surface that defines its side of said enlargement whereas the second part forming the inlet comprises both a curved surface having a predetermined radius and such an arc length that it defines the whole of its side of the throttling and an initial part of the enlargement, and also an inner, flat surface extending at a tangent from the curved surface and forming an acute angle .alpha. with a tangent to the curved surface at said transition.

Dust in the form of fibres and other particles is released from the web when creping off a soft crepe paper web, e.g. a tissue web, from a Yankee cylinder. To remove this dust it has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,953 (SE-381 899) to arrange a collection container below the area where the dust is produced. A compressed air pipe and a suction pipe are connected to this in order to remove dusty air drawn across the direction of transport of the web by jets of compressed air. Compressed air must be blown on since merely drawing off the dust by means of ventilation has little effect in view of poor distance action. Such a device is cumbersome, bulky and relatively inefficient since it only takes care of some of the dust falling down below the dust-producing area. The high speeds of modern tissue machines, namely in the region of near 25 m/s, contribute to the unsatisfactory result since dusty air is entrained along on both sides of the fast-moving tissue web which is delicate due to its low grammage.
The release of dust from the surface of a paper web is a problem when cutting and rewinding the paper web, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,806 (SE-319 969) proposes an apparatus for dust-suction of the surface of a paper web. To avoid the web being drawn in towards the suction device and coming into contact with this, thus causing damage to the web, air is blown on at the same time as the suction. The proposed dust-suction device therefore comprises a horizontal sheet-metal channel, open at the top, which surrounds a rectangular blowing pipe and extends transversely across the web. The side of the blowing pipe facing the web has openings facing away from each other in order to direct air jets substantially parallel to the web both with and against the direction of transport of the web, thus fixing the distance between the web and dust suction device. Intermediate openings of the same type may be arranged to direct air jets towards the surface of the web to achieve a better dust suction effect by blowing dust off the surface. The air supplied and the dust entrained are withdrawn perpendicularly to the web, through the two gaps formed upstream and downstream of the blowing pipe, between it and the surrounding sheet-metal channel, to which a means for drawing off air is connected. The wall parts of the sheet-metal channel located nearest the web may be vertically movable up and down enabling them to be set in such a manner that the dust-carrying air blown on does not flow past the suction gaps, neither does the web scrape against said wall parts and become damaged. The dust-suction effect achieved with the arrangement according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,806 does not, however, fulfil modern requirements with regard to also taking care of the dust that accompanies the air around a fast-moving paper web. Furthermore, the arrangement is both bulky and expensive to purchase and to operate due to the air flows required by the blow-on technique.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,333 (SE-B 459 105) proposes an apparatus for removing dust in the boundary layer of a creped web. This apparatus comprises a web-wide hood and a flat cover plate that closes the hood while defining a space in which subatmospheric pressure prevails, and forming a suction gap between the cover plate and an angled strip at the front side edge of the hood. The cover plate is located immediately next to the creped web so that, during transport, it is held close to the cover plate and said suction gap will be located in the dust-containing boundary layer. A lower part of the angled strip faces towards the space and lies parallel with the cover plate in order to define the suction gap, thereby ensuring that its width remains constant in the direction of flow of the air. A suction gap formed in this way easily becomes clogged with dust after a relatively short time in operation and must therefore be cleaned at regular intervals. Another problem is that the web may be damaged by the front edge and flat cover plate, causing a break in the web. The problem is aggravated since the web is drawn by the air flow up towards the front edge of the cover plate. Said space in the hood is irregular in shape, with several corners and edges that detrimentally affect that air flow so that local whirls of air containing dust occur, the flow of the air towards the outlet gradually deteriorates and dust collects along the walls near said corners and edges, which in turn results in poorer suction effect so that the suction gap becomes more easily clogged by dust particles for this reason as well.
However, the problem of suction inlets and channels becoming clogged is general to all known apparatus for removing dust released during treatment of a moving web of fibre material. Installing nozzles inside the actual suction channel has been suggested so that air can be blown in the opposite direction through the gap at regular intervals, in order to remove collections of dust when the suction source has been disconnected. Such interruptions in operation are undesirable since dust is produced continuously and will be blown out into the surroundings, causing further deterioration of the working environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,298 discloses a dust suction system with upstream and downstream curved surfaces in a suction inlet opening which is directed vertically downwardly. Pressurized air is directed to the web and flows along the curved downstream wall of the suction inlet opening by the Coanda effect.
Accordingly, one object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for taking care of and removing the dust released during treatment of a moving web of fibre material, thereby achieving an improved working environment for the operating personnel.


The invention relates to a method of imparting anti-pathogenic properties to a substrate material comprising: (a) preparing a coating composition containing an anti-pathogenic agent consisting essentially of PVP-I and N-9 in a ratio of from about 100:0 to about 0:100 of PVP-I to N-9, the coating composition further containing a pre-mix solution with which the anti-pathogenic agent is intimately mixed in a ratio of from about 6:4 to about 8:2 of agent to pre-mix on a dry basis, and having a percent solids content of from about 5% to about 35% solids; (b) feeding the anti-pathogenic coating composition into a coating machine; (c) loading substrate onto the coating machine; (d) operating the coating machine such that the coating composition comes into intimate contact with at least one surface of the substrate; and (e) drying the coated substrate material. The invention further relates to the preparation of coating composition, the composition itself and to providing the coating in a dual or multilayered format, wherein one or more layers contain anti-viral/anti-bacterial active ingredients.

The invention relates to a method for coating a substrate with an anti-pathogenic agent to render the substrate suitable for use as a barrier against pathogens. Specifically, the invention provides a method for coating a range of substrates with an anti-pathogenic agent such that in the dry state the substrate acts as a barrier to block the progress of pathogens and in the wet state the substrate coating is activated to release the anti-pathogenic agent and eliminate pathogens upon contact thereof with the agent. The coating may also take the form of a dual layered or multilayered coating. The invention further relates to various methods of coating substrates and to the products produced according to the methods.
It is well known in the related technology field to incorporate an anti-bacterial agent into a material or fabric intended for use in medical applications to guard against the transfer of contagious and potentially lethal pathogens. The incorporation of such agents has been accomplished by coating the outer surface of the material, by interply coating of multi-ply fabric or material, or by chemically incorporating the coating agent into the material at the time of production.
Further, the use of various agents has been reported. For example, agents have been successfully incorporated into medical-type materials, whether paper or polymeric in nature, to guard against the spread of infection. Among those agents which have been coated onto or incorporated in paper-based substrates are bisoxirane compounded with phenolic active agents (U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,139); silicone quaternary amine agents (U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,467); 2-amino-4-oxo-tricyclicpyrimidine antiviral agents (U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,026); monocarboxylic acid antimicrobial (U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,381); and the use of polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine complex as a broad spectrum anti-microbial agent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,907). Similar agents have been used in preparing materials comprising polymeric compounds that exhibit anti-viral characteristics. For example, nonoxynol-9 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,159); organosilicone quaternary ammonium compounds (U.S. Pat. No. 5,126,138); and biguanide(chlorhexidine) (U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,210). It has further been shown to use nonoxynol-9, a known spermicide, in conjunction with PVP-I complex, a known bactericide, in the high energy coprecipitate form to protect against the spread of viral and bacterial infection, including the HIV virus (U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,523). Many of the foregoing, however, represent products or compounds which if used in the manner contemplated herein and fully disclosed hereinafter would prove irritating to the skin or difficult to commercially produce. Moreover, the prior attempt at using the high energy coprecipitate of PVP-I/N-9, while it does achieve the desired anti-viral result, is of limited commercial value due to complications in manufacture and use of the product disclosed.
It is, therefore, an object of the subject invention to provide an anti-pathogenic coating to a medical-type substrate in a commercially viable manner.
It is a further object of the invention, in a preferred embodiment thereof, to provide the anti-pathogenic coating in the form of a dual or multilayered coating.

Anti-bacterial/anti-viral coatings, coating process and parameters thereof


A method for manufacturing an electronic part, including: cutting a wiring substrate, which contains a base substrate, a wiring pattern provided on a first surface of the base substrate, and a reinforcing member provided on a second surface of the base substrate, along a line intersecting with an outer circumference of the reinforcing member; wherein a wire, out of a plurality of wires composing the wiring pattern, arranged closest to an intersecting point of the outer circumference of the reinforcing member and the line has a widest width.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electronic part and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Related Art
A wiring substrate using a film substrate is known. In order to enable insertion of a portion of the wiring substrate into a connector or the like, there is a case in which a reinforcing board is partially provided on this wiring substrate. As a method for forming such a wiring substrate, it is known to first provide the reinforcing board on a base substrate and then to cut the base substrate together with the reinforcing board.
Now, because the reinforcing board is partially provided on the base substrate, it is necessary to cut a portion having different thicknesses when cutting the base substrate together with the reinforcing board. When cutting the base substrate having the portion with different thicknesses, cracks may occur in the base substrate. In order to provide a highly reliable wiring substrate, it is desirable to prevent the reliability from decreasing due to the cracks. Further, by limiting cutting directions, it becomes possible to manufacture the highly reliable wiring board.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-286309 is an example of related art.

Electronic part and method for manufacturing the same


A supply identifier takes precise decision on the range of the external supply to manage a proper internal supply to the core of the IC by controlling a regulator or a switch connected to external supply. This supply identifier defers the decision until everything that influences the decision settles after power-up, then makes a decision only once depending on the external supply range and switches itself off, keeping the decision stored, to avoid noise-induced wrong behavior and to reduce power consumption.

Conventional integrated circuits operate on dual voltages, the lower voltage being in the core side in the range 1.8 v, 1.2 v or 1.0 v. External voltages are available in ranges of 5 v, 3.3 v, 2.5 v, 1.8 v, 1.2 v. An existing method for supplying different ranges of external supply voltages for a single IC is to turn on a step down regulator (switching or linear) to supply the low voltage core logic of the IC if the external voltage is higher than required by the core. A switch can be turned on to supply the core if the external supply is in the same range as the required core supply. If the external supply is less than the required internal core supply, a boost-switching regulator can be turned on. All these options can be exercised by options set on the application board for a dedicated external supply.
Patent number FR2838840, which is incorporated by reference, suggests using a comparator for comparing the supply with a reference and take decision accordingly. The comparator is kept on all the time, but the operator IC generates lots of noise and may cause erroneous switching of the comparator and may cause lots of noise on the internal supply line, especially, when two ranges of the supply are so that the lower limit of the higher supply range is relatively close to the higher limit of the lower supply range.
Furthermore, during the power up phase, when the decision-making circuit is not fully activated, then an erroneous supply-management decision, however momentary, may expose low-voltage components to a high voltage.


The management of backup sets based on user feedback techniques include a method, and a system. In some embodiments of these techniques, the method includes receiving an update to a backup set from a first client device. The method further includes analyzing the update made to the backup set. The method further includes updating a default backup set stored in a storage device based on the update to the backup set. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Computer systems are ubiquitous in today's work and home environments. The data stored on these computer systems, however, is vulnerable to theft, lire, flood, and other natural disasters. A user may only realize that data of interest to the user was not backed up after the data is lost (e.g., due to disk failure). Thus, a need exists for a system that allows users to easily manage data backup. Also, a need exists for a system that analyzes modifications made by users to their backup selections to update backup set selections of other users as well as default backup selections.

Managing back up sets based on user feedback


A protective element for a writing tip of a writing instrument including a cap extending longitudinally along a central axis and configured to be fitted onto a body of the instrument, and a clip extending substantially parallel to the central axis from a first end fixed to the cap to a free end. The clip and the cap are in one piece.

There are known in the prior art writing instruments formed of a body which extends longitudinally along a central axis C between a front end and a rear end. The front end comprises an opening through which a writing tip, which is not visible as it is retracted, can extend. At the rear end, the writing instrument has a push button which actuates a tip protraction/retraction mechanism. The body may be made in two parts: a conical nose and a barrel to which the conical nose is fixed.
This writing instrument is also provided with a clip used to enable the user to clip the writing instrument to a shirt pocket for example. This clip consists of an arm provided, at a first end, with a free protruding portion that must be in contact with the body of the writing instrument and, at a second end, attachment means for securing said clip to the body of the writing instrument. These attachment means may be a snap fit system, i.e. the snap fit system is inserted in an orifice in the body to secure said clip. The attachment means may also take the form of an open ring encircling the body of the writing instrument.
A first drawback is that this type of writing instrument is unattractive and fragile. Indeed, the fact that the clip is an additional part leads to risks of said clip being pulled off during handling.
Moreover, a drawback of this configuration is that it requires a manufacturing method wherein the body and the clip are each made separately. A supplementary assembly step is then provided to fit each writing instrument with a clip.
Further, the material forming the clip is any metal. Each material is characterized by its Young's modulus E or modulus of elasticity (generally expressed in GPa), characterizing its resistance to deformation. Further, each material is also characterized by its elastic limit ae (generally expressed in GPa) which represents the stress beyond which the material deforms plastically. Thus, it is possible, for a given thickness, to compare materials, by establishing the ratio of the elastic limit to the Young's modulus σe/E, for each material, said ratio being representative of the elastic deformation of each material. Thus, the higher the ratio, the higher the elastic deformation of the material. However, crystalline materials such as those used in the prior art, for example, the alloy Cu—Be, which has a Young's modulus E equal to 130 GPa and a typical elastic limit σe value of 1 GPa, give a low σe/E ratio, namely of around 0.007. These crystalline alloy parts consequently have limited elastic deformation. In the case of a writing instrument clip, it is noted that the user tends to handle the clip frequently and the clip is eventually deformed or breaks.
Similarly, the use of precious crystalline metals to manufacture such a clip cannot be envisaged given the insufficient mechanical characteristics of these metals. Indeed, these precious metals have, in particular, a low elastic limit, of around 0.5 GPa for alloys of Au, Pt, Pd and Ag, compared to around 1 GPa for the crystalline alloys conventionally used. Given the modulus of elasticity of these precious metals, which is around 120 GPa, a ratio σe/E of around 0.004 is achieved. However, a high ratio σe/E is necessary to produce such a clip, as explained above. Consequently, those skilled in the art are not inclined to use these precious metals to produce such a clip.
Another drawback of existing writing instruments is the spring which is placed in the lower portion of the body and which provides the return force to protract/retract the writing tip. Indeed, this spring is a separate part which sometimes escapes from the body of the writing instrument when the writing tip is replaced, which eliminates a basic function of the writing instrument.

The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd


A device for stabilising a ladder against a surface, the ladder having a pair of stiles and a plurality of rungs connected therebetween, the device comprising:                an engagement mechanism for releasably engaging two adjacent rungs, the engagement mechanism including two opposed receiving portions for at least partially receiving a rung, at least one of the receiving portions being selectively movable relative to the other thereby allowing the engagement mechanism to urge against the adjacent rungs; and        at least one arm pivotably connected to the engagement mechanism to allow pivoting thereof to a fixed angle relative to the engagement mechanism, the at least one arm having an abutting portion for abutting under the surface, thereby allowing the ladder to be wedged between the surface and ground level to stabilise the ladder.

Ladders typically comprise a pair of stiles, or rails, which extend longitudinally and between which a plurality of rungs are affixed. Extendable ladders typically comprise two such ladders, whereby a first ladder has a sleeve or guide for receiving the stiles of a second ladder to allow the second ladder to telescopically slide relative to the first ladder.
Ladders are used to allow a user to access an elevated location. The stiles are arranged on a ground surface and against a structure, and the user climbs the rungs to access the elevated location. When a user climbs towards a top end of the ladder, the elevated mass of the user can cause the ladder to become unstable, which can result in the user falling and consequently injury or death.
It is therefore common for users to attempt to stabilise the ladder to decrease the likelihood of such falls. This often involves tying the ladder to a structure, such as connecting ropes or straps between the ladder and anchor points affixed to a building, or manually stabilising the ladder by another user located on the ground.
Various ladder stabiliser devices are also well known. These typically comprise a pair of arms which are secured towards a top end of the ladder and extend laterally therefrom. The arms are arranged to rest against the structure, for example, against a wall or roof, to increase the width of support for the top end of the ladder.
Similarly, gutter clamps are known and generally affixed towards a top end of the ladder. The gutter clamps engage a gutter arranged around a periphery of a roof to secure the ladder to the gutter.
Whilst the prior art approaches mentioned above may assist stabilising a ladder, these also suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, securely tying a ladder to a building can require a substantial amount of time and skill to set up or disassemble. Also, conventional ladder stabilisers only provide limited lateral stability and do not prevent a ladder from falling backwards, away from the structure. Furthermore, such devices can occupy space between rungs and present a trip hazard, and typically prevent an extendable ladder from being retracted to a storage configuration, as the device interferes with the telescoping mechanism. Gutter clamps are also problematic, as these require a gutter to be present to function, and often damage the gutter when used.
Accordingly, it would be useful to provide a device for stabilising a ladder, or a ladder with improved stability, which is less prone to falling away from a structure. Furthermore, it would be useful to provide such a device and/or ladder which minimises potential trip hazards during use and/or allows an extendable ladder to be extended and retracted.

Device for stabilising a ladder, and a ladder


A cooktop appliance and heating element, as provided herein may define a heating zone having a thermostat positioned therein. The thermostat may include a base, a bimetallic disk, and a conductive spring. The base may extend axially between a first end and a second end. The bimetallic disk may be disposed within the base. The conductive spring may be disposed within the base in biased engagement with the bimetallic disk to motivate the bimetallic disk towards the first end within the base. The conductive spring may include a first layer and a second layer. The first layer may extend from a contact end proximal to the bimetallic disk to a joinder end connected to the first terminal. The second layer may extend from a biasing end proximal to the bimetallic disk to a secured end fixed within the base.

Cooking appliances that include a cooktop traditionally have at least one heating element (e.g., electric coil heating element) positioned on a panel proximate a cooktop surface for use in heating or cooking an object, such as a cooking utensil, and its contents. Recent regulatory requirements mandate that electric coil heating elements on cooktop appliances be incapable of heating cooking oil to an oil ignition temperature. Thus, certain electric coil heating elements utilize a bimetallic thermostat to interrupt power to the coil when the thermostat reaches a tripping point. In some cooktops, the thermostat is remotely positioned from the cookware and infers the cookware temperature through correlation. In other cooktops, the thermostat contacts a bottom of the cookware to improve correlation.
Whether remotely positioned from the cookware or contacting the cookware, bimetallic thermostats generally rely on an internal spring or resistance force to maintain positive pressure on the internal electrical contacts. For instance, an internal spring may act against an enclosed bimetallic element. Thermal expansion of the bimetallic element at a known temperature allows the bimetallic thermostat to act against the spring to open or close the electrical circuit through the thermostat.
Known coil heating elements using bimetallic thermostats have shortcomings, however. In particular, over time, the internal spring may anneal. This will, in turn, often degrade performance of the thermostat. For instance, the tripping point of the thermostat may shift or change as the internal spring anneals. Although using heat-resistant metals to prevent annealing have been used in other high-temperature fields, these are often not suitable for a bimetallic thermostat since, for instance, the high electrical resistivity of most heat-resistant metals generates even more heat when conducting an electrical current. This heat generation may, in turn, cause the thermostat to detect a higher temperature or trip too early.
As a result, it would be useful to have a cooktop appliance addressing one or more of the above identified issues. In particular, it may be advantageous to provide a cooktop appliance having a thermostat with one or more features for reliably and accurately detecting heat at a consistent tripping point over time. Additionally or alternatively, it may be advantageous to have a thermostat with one or more features for maintaining consistent spring force without generating excessive heat within the thermostat.

Cooktop appliance and heating element having a thermostat


In some embodiments, a tandem (MS/MS) mass spectrometry method includes selecting a collision-induced dissociation (CID) voltage amplitude and a q-parameter value for a quadrupole ion trap to optimize a daughter ion fragmentation process for a given parent ion mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio. The q and CID voltage values may be selected according to a look-up table and/or using approximate analytical expressions. The correspondence between m/z values and (q, CID) value pairs may be established by pre-measurement calibration. A fragmentation-optimized q value may be computed according to m/z, and a CID voltage value may be determined according to the computed q value. A user may also force q to another value, for example in order to facilitate trapping of a desired daughter ion mass range, and the controller computes a CID voltage value according to the forced q value.

The invention relates to mass spectrometry, and in particular to methods of optimizing operating parameters of mass spectrometers.
In tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), a mass spectrometer is used to isolate an ion species of interest, selectively excite and fragment the isolated ions, and detect daughter ions resulting from the fragmentation. The fragmentation process, commonly achieved by collision-induced dissociation, or CID, may be performed by applying a dipolar sine wave across the endcaps of a quadrupole ion trap. The properties of an applied CID voltage waveform may affect the efficiency of the CID process.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,591, Schwartz et al. describe a method of generating product ions in a quadrupole ion trap. The amplitude of the applied excitation voltage for an ion of a given mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) is linearly related to the mass-to-charge ratio.

Ion fragmentation parameter selection systems and methods


A computer-implemented method and system for providing Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) services is provided. The computer-implemented method comprises the steps of configuring a cross-operator USSD module for receiving one or more service requests sent to a cross-operator number by one or more communication devices associated with one or more telecommunication service providers. The cross-operator USSD module further processes the one or more service requests for generating one or more interactive USSD menus based on information retrieved from the one or more service requests and one or more pre-defined rules. Furthermore, the cross-operator USSD module renders the one or more interactive USSD menus on the one or more communication devices, wherein the one or more interactive USSD menus facilitate one or more users of the one or more communication devices to avail the USSD services.

In telecommunications industry, short codes and long codes are widely used for the purpose of marketing, advertising, promotions, delivering and activating services and providing Value Added Services (VAS) by Telecommunication Service Providers (TSPs) and third parties such as VAS providers, advertising firms, media companies and business houses. Short codes and long codes are phone numbers provided by the TSPs/operators to the third parties and business houses for receiving Short Messaging Service (SMS) messages and voice calls. Long codes are standard ten or eleven digits phone numbers provided by the TSPs/operators both for commercial and personal usage. The short codes are special phone numbers usually having four to five digits that are provided by the TSPs/operators at a higher price for commercial/business purposes. The short codes may also have additional extensions to the standard four or five digits. For example, "5XXXX", a short code, may have an extension such as 11 to form an extended short code such as "5XXXX11". Both short codes and long codes are used by customers to avail services such as mobile services, setting ring-back tones, ordering ringtones, television programs voting, seeking additional information and other VAS services by sending SMS messages and calling on the short codes and the long codes.
Conventionally, TSPs provide short codes and long codes to the third parties and business houses that require the users to interact via SMS messages for availing services. However, most of the users drop out from the SMS interaction after first few SMS messages. Further, interaction via SMS messages and voice calls on short codes and long codes used by third parties is chargeable at premium rates rather than the standard SMS and voice call rates thereby reducing the number of users availing services associated with long codes and short codes. This results in loss of revenue for the third parties and businesses who have acquired the long codes and the short codes from TSPs for promotional and marketing purposes.
To overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages, communication via Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) channel is a viable solution. The USSD channel provides a simple menu using a real-time and session based connection. The connection allows a two-way exchange of data thereby making it interactive and easy to use as the user is required to key-in few characters to send a response via USSD. Moreover, communication via USSD is usually not chargeable and only the services availed/activated via USSD are chargeable to the users. However, TSPs do not provide USSD codes to the third parties and business houses to facilitate communication with the users via USSD. Further, even if the third parties and business houses are able to procure a USSD code from a particular TSP, it is very difficult and sometimes impossible to procure the same USSD code from other TSPs. The third parties and business houses therefore cannot avail a common USSD code for marketing and promotional purposes that can be used by the users belonging to different TSPs/operators.
In light of the above, there is a need for a system and method for providing USSD services using a cross-operator number. Further, there is a need for a system and method that can initiate the USSD services based on one or more service requests received in the form of SMS messages and voice calls via one or more telecommunication channels. Furthermore, there is a need for system and method that can provide customized USSD menus to one or more users irrespective of the TSP/operator providing telecommunication services. In addition, there is a need for a system and method that can integrate with the existing USSD services.

System and method for providing USSD services using cross-operator number


A fabrication method and materials produce high quality aperiodic photonic structures. Light emission can be activated by thermal annealing post growth treatments when thin film layers of SiO2 and SiNx or Si-rich oxide are used. From these aperiodic structures, that can be obtained in different vertical and planar device geometries, the presence of aperiodic order in a photonic device provides strong group velocity reduction (slow photons), enhanced light-matter interaction, light emission enhancement, gain enhancement, and/or nonlinear optical properties enhancement.

Conventional multilayer-deposition approaches have produced good quality periodic photonic structures, like Fabry-Perot Microcavities and distributed Bragg mirrors. More challenging is the fabrication of high quality aperiodic structures. An example of such a photonic structure is a deterministic aperiodic structure such as the one generate by a Thue-Morse sequence. This is just an example of aperiodic photonic structures and does not limit the approach we are proposing to this specific choice.
Specifically, an aperiodic structure generated by a Thue-Morse sequence is a structure obtained by the simple inflation rule σT-M: A→AB, B→BA. Very recently the authors demonstrated omnidirectional reflectivity in a passive Thue-Morse photonic structure fabricated by a standard sputtering deposition technique. It is known theoretically that aperiodic structures show fractal distribution of sharp band-edge states with resonant transmission and strong field enhancement effect.
However, despite the big potential of aperiodic structures for enhancing light-matter interactions, no such aperiodic structures have been demonstrated combining both strong light-matter interaction and light emission. In fact, the standard materials approaches used to fabricate aperiodic photonic structures are not suited to obtain strong light emission homogeneously from all the layers constituting the structures. In other words, conventional materials used to fabricate aperiodic structures do not provide efficient light emission originating homogeneously from within the photonic structure itself.
Therefore, it is desirable to develop CMOS-compatible light emitting photonic structures that can produce efficient room temperature light emission homogeneously from the inside of photonic structure. Moreover, it is desirable to develop materials that can be used to fabricate aperiodic structures that obtain strong light-matter coupling homogeneously from all the layers constituting the structures.

CMOS-compatible light emitting aperiodic photonic structures


In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided comprising: receiving application data from a primary mobile device, wherein the application data is received via hooks designed to automatically send the application data received by or sent from an application on the primary mobile device; and sending the application data to one or more secondary mobile devices that are registered to the primary mobile device, wherein each of the secondary mobile devices are resource limited devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to consumer electronic devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a secondary mobile device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile devices, most particularly in the form of cellular phones, have become the prevalent mode of communication for many people. As these devices have become more powerful, the processing power and memory capabilities of these devices have allowed them to become closer to computers than phones. Such intelligent cellular phones are often called "smartphones." More recently, tablet computers have become increasingly popular as well. These tablet computers may have access to cellular services via embedded 3G/4G antennas, or may access cellular services indirectly through a WiFi connection. However, rather than supplant the use of smartphones, what has occurred is that many users have both a smartphone and a tablet computer. This trend of having more and more "smart" devices within the control of a single user may become even stronger in the future.
While users may wish to utilize their smartphone as their primary mode of electronic verbal communication, other non-verbal cellular communications, such as text messages, need not be so limited. It would be beneficial if the user could have a device that supplements the smartphone or tablet computer to provide for communications without needing to access the smartphone or tablet computer.


One aspect of the invention is a method of generating object-oriented code. An object model is captured for at least one object using a computer. Code interpretable by a compiler is then generated based upon the object model. The code comprises a base object class (46) and a custom object class (50) where the base object class (46) comprises a base object header file and base object implementation file while the custom object class (50) comprises a custom object header file and custom object implementation file. The base object class (46) inherits from a framework object class (44) while the custom object class (50) inherits from the base object class (46). In response to a change in the object model, a new base object header file, base object implementation file, and custom object header file are generated while preserving at least some code in the base object implementation file.

Software reusability has been a much sought after goal. Rather than having to create software to perform similar operations in different projects, it would be desirable to allow the use of various pieces of a software application in other software applications. Object-oriented systems allow reuse of certain software components because interdependency among those components is reduced. Software objects may be created and tested as independent units. The ability to reuse software components allows programmers to deal with problems on a higher level of abstraction. Various environments and toolkits can be used to address lower level details.
Because software objects, if properly defined, can be easily shared by diverse software applications, software developers have created toolkits and environments to handle low-level details such as printing, interaction with an operating system, interaction with a computer network, display of information on a computer monitor, and communications with other systems using various types of communications links. Freed from these lower level details, developers of object-oriented systems may concentrate on the particular software features desired by the end-user of the software.
To facilitate reuse of software objects, an object framework will often include an object modeling tool to allow a user to specify instance variables and methods for various objects and the relationship between various objects. The object modeling tool captures a user's object model and often will interface with a code generation tool. Generated code will address the lower level details of services provided by the framework based upon the user's object model. After such code generation, the application developer will need to write the code for the methods unique to the developer's application.
When the application developer later changes the object model, however, existing code generators may have difficulty in handling such changes as the code generation process may end up overwriting the code that was previously written for the various application-specific methods. What is needed is a method to preserve the methods that have been developed by the application developer while allowing easy regeneration of code in response to changes in the application developer's object model or to changes in the framework itself.

Object-oriented code generation system and method