The present invention provides a data migration method and apparatus, where the method includes: after a second control board is inserted into a second control board slot, receiving, by a first control board, type information from the second control board, and determining whether the type information of the second control board and type information of the first control board are the same; and when determining that the type information of the second control board and the type information of the first control board are different, sending, by the first control board, configuration data stored by the first control board itself to the second control board, so that the second control board utilizes the configuration data to perform a configuration.

In a communication device of each site in a communication network layout, a control board used to be responsible for service processing is generally disposed, and a communication device with a large user capacity is generally configured with two control boards: an active one and a standby one. Due to reasons such as one for satisfying demands for continuously developed service processing capabilities, new control boards are continuously developed, such as a control board with a higher processing capability, and an old control board needs to be replaced with a new control board, namely, control board upgrading is performed, so as to improve a processing capability of the communication device, and satisfy service demands.
A key for replacement between a new control board and an old control board is to migrate configuration data on an old control board of an existing network to a new control board, and the prior art adopts the following manner: Before upgrading, a shelf completely the same as that of a communication device of an existing site is additionally prepared in a lab (if the shelves do not match with each other, data conversion may fail), and the new control board is inserted into the shelf and started; first, an application is made to an operations support system (Operations support system, OSS for short) of an operator to stop service provisioning, so as to avoid data loss caused by configuration data alteration once more in a control board replacement procedure. Then, remote login is made to the site of the existing network, configuration data corresponding to the old control board to be replaced is exported, the data is imported into the new control board and data conversion is performed. The data conversion is to convert a data format of the data of the old control board into that matching with a type of the new control board, and specifically, a manner of activating a configuration file or internally disposing a database upgrading tool may be adopted. After the data conversion is completed, the new control board is unplugged from the shelf, a site and a communication device which correspond to the new control board are recorded, an operator takes the new control board to the site of the existing network to find the corresponding communication device, and unplugs the old control board in the device, and then inserts the new control board, and the replacement procedure is completed after the new control board is started.
The manner of replacing an old control board with a new control board has the following problems.
First, configuration data import of the new control board can only be completed in the lab in advance, and the shelf has to be additionally prepared; after the data is imported, the operator takes the new control board to the site to perform replacement, and configuration data export, import and conversion work are all executed through manual control, so control board replacement efficiency is low, and a manpower cost is high.
In addition, from the time of beginning to export the configuration data of the old control board to the time of completing the control board replacement, where the time for the operator to hurry to the site of the existing network is included, it is not allowed to provision a new service in the entire procedure, so as to prevent inconsistency between the configuration data of the new control board and that of the old control board; furthermore, sites of the existing network are generally not distributed in a concentrated manner, so that it is caused that no service can be provisioned in several hours or even in a longer time, thereby impacting service operating of the existing network greatly.
Furthermore, after the configuration data is imported into the new control board in the lab, each new control board has to be tagged with a specific site and a specific communication device which correspond to the each new control board, and the operator finds the corresponding device according to the tag to replace the old control board with the new control board; if control boards of a plurality of communication devices are replaced simultaneously, manual seeking according to a tag easily errs, and a situation of an error of non-corresponding insertion of a control board may occur.


Neural networks can be used for time series data classification. However, in a K-shot scenario in which sufficient training data is unavailable to train the neural network, the neural network may not produce desired results. Disclosed herein are a method and system for training a neural network for time series data classification. In this method, by processing a plurality of task specific data, a system generates a set of updated parameters, which is further used to train a neural network (network) till a triplet loss is below a threshold. The network is trained on a diverse set of few-shot tasks sampled from various domains (e.g. healthcare, activity recognition, and so on) such that it can solve a target task from another domain using only a small number of training samples from the target task.

A time series data set represents data pertaining to specific parameters, collected over a period of time. Such data find application in a variety of fields. For example, weather data collected over a period of time can be used for generating weather predictions. In case of an industrial plant monitoring, data pertaining to various parameters of the plant can be used for assessing/predicting plant performance.
Data can be collected using appropriate sensors. Amount/quantity of such data collected over a period of time could be huge. As analyzing/processing huge quantity of data can be a cumbersome task, appropriate time series data classification approaches can be used to classify and extract required data, over time windows. Considering volume and complexity of such data collected over a period of time, the time series classification when handled manually can be a cumbersome task and may even be prone to errors.
The inventors here have recognized several technical problems with such conventional systems, as explained below. As machine learning is a popular and evolving field, the same can be used to automate the time series data classification. In the machine learning approach, machine learning algorithms build mathematical data models using sample data (also known as training data). Accuracy with which a data model can perform a task depends on quality and quantity of training data used to train/generate the model. However, in some scenarios, the amount of training data available is minimal, and this may not be sufficient for state of art training approaches to generate appropriate data models.

Method and system for training a neural network for time series data classification


A restraint assembly for securing an automotive vehicle to a flat-bed transport vehicle is adapted for use along with wheel chocks. The restraint assembly includes a synthetic, woven webbing strap having ends which are cut cold rather than by a heated blade; a standard, off-the-shelf ratchet mechanism with which the strap is engaged; a vehicle attachment hook attached to a second end of the strap; and a J-shaped hook for engaging a hole on the transport vehicle, the J-hook having a return bend that is approximately 180.degree. in arc length and an extended free end. The geometry of the J-hook serves to substantially prevent the ratchet mechanism from becoming disengaged from the transport vehicle due to bouncing of the restrained automotive vehicle on its suspension. Cold cutting the end of the strap result in a soft, brush-like tip, rather than a hard bead of re-solidified plastic material as is caused by the heat cutting and sealing process normally used to cut synthetic webbing, and thus prevents excessive frictional heating of the strap caused by bouncing of the vehicle.

Various anchoring or restraint methods are known for securing automotive vehicles to a flat-bed transport vehicle to prevent shifting of those automotive vehicles during shipping from a manufacturing facility to a delivery location. A commonly used method is to tie the vehicles downwardly to the support surface, e.g. the floor of a railway flat-bed car, using chains which are tightened by ratchet mechanisms. An end of a chain is attached to the chassis or frame of the vehicle and a hook on the ratchet mechanism is attached to a hole in a steel runner or rail on the support surface. The ratchet is then actuated to tighten the chain and partially or completely compress the springs of the vehicle's suspension system. Normally, one chain and ratchet combination is positioned adjacent each of the vehicle's wheels.
In an attempt to decrease the length of time required to secure a vehicle to a flat-bed transport vehicle, wheel chocking devices have been developed. One example of a vehicle wheel chocking device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,213. In general, wheel chocks are positioned in front of or behind each front and rear wheels and secured to some portion of the transport vehicle support surface. Such wheel chocks have been found to adequately restrain vehicles against horizontal movement with respect to the flat-bed, but do not restrain the body of the vehicle against bouncing on its own suspension system while the flat-bed is in motion. Such bouncing can cause wear and tear on the suspension system during pre-delivery shipping of the vehicle.
More significantly, unrestrained bouncing of the vehicle may cause damage to the vehicle body. Automotive vehicles are often transported on double-decker railway cars to permit carriage of twice as many vehicles as would be possible on a single deck car. It has been found that bouncing of the vehicles can be severe enough that the vehicles carried on the lower deck strike the underside of the upper deck above them, causing significant damage to the roof of the vehicle. This is most commonly a problem for tall vehicles, such as full-size vans.
To prevent bouncing of the restrained vehicles, attempts have been made to use ratchet tie-down mechanisms along with wheel chocks. It is, of course, possible to use the expensive and cumbersome chain-and-ratchet devices employed previously and which the wheel chocks were intended to replace. For reasons of lower cost and greater ease and safety during use, it would be preferable to use a restraint system that employs woven, synthetic webbing straps. Such ratchet-and-strap devices are used in a wide variety of industrial applications, and are procurable off-the-shelf for a relatively low price.
Unfortunately, it has been found to be very difficult, when using an off-the-shelf ratchet mechanism, to generate enough leverage to tighten the restraint straps to the point where they completely compress or "bottom out" the suspension of the vehicle. During tests conducted with General Motors Corporation 3/4-ton and 1-ton vans, the best that can be achieved in normal operating conditions is to compress the suspension approximately 21/2 inches out of a total travel of approximately 4 inches. Accordingly, while the straps are able to restrain the vehicle against bouncing upward and so prevent the top of the vehicle from striking the overhead structure of the transport vehicle, some degree of bouncing downwardly from the restrained position may still occur. This bouncing may at times be large enough in magnitude that a restraint strap can become sufficiently slack to allow the prior art hooks used to restrain vehicles to a transport vehicle (see FIG. 6) to come unhooked from the hole, eyelet, or other feature with which it is engaged.
Existing ratchet-and-strap restraint devices have also been found to be unusable in this environment because of failures of the webbing strap itself. When the ratchet mechanism is actuated to tighten the strap, the strap is wound in a spiral fashion around a shaft of the ratchet. During use to restrain a vehicle against vertical movement, bouncing of the vehicle subjects the strap and ratchet to a cyclical, tug-and-release type of loading. This results in the layers of webbing wrapped around the ratchet shaft sliding over one another with sufficient friction to cause heating within the spiral-wound webbing strap. Such heating may be of sufficient intensity and duration to melt and fuse the layers of webbing, preventing the strap from being unwound or even causing failure of the restraint strap during use.


The invention relates to methods for determining the separate radio frequency gains for carriers in a multi-carrier transmitter of a radio transmission unit of a radio communications system. In order to enable a simple and accurate estimation of the gains, it is proposed to determine the individual gains (G1–GN) of the different carriers mathematically from different sets of powers (REF1–REFN) at some point in each single carrier unit and the corresponding total output powers of the transmitter. Alternatively, the relation of the powers of the different carriers to each other is determined just before the carriers are combined to a single multi-carrier signal. This relation is used for determining the contribution of the different carriers to the transmission power of the multi-carrier signal and for therefrom determining the radio frequency gains for the different carriers. The invention equally relates to corresponding radio transmission units and modules of such radio transmission units.

In radio communications systems, it is known to employ cellular base station transmitters outputting signals with different carrier frequencies. In such transmitters, it is of great importance to be able to control the radio frequency gains and accordingly the output powers for each carrier accurately to predetermined levels.
In conventional base station transmitters, which comprise a separate transmitter for each carrier, it is possible to determine the radio frequency gain for each carrier independently from the gain of the other carriers.
For illustration, FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of such a conventional base station transmitter based on RF (radio frequency) IQ (in-phase and quadrature) modulators. The base station transmitter comprises N single-carrier transmitters, of which the first one and the last one are shown. Signs of components or of values of the transmitters having an index 1 or N indicate that they are assigned to the 1st or Nth single-carrier transmitter.
Each of the N single-carrier transmitters includes a baseband modulator 1 connected at its input to elements (not shown) of a communications network supplying data symbols and at its outputs to two digital-to-analogue converters 3, 4. The digital-to-analogue converters 3, 4 are connected to inputs of an RF modulator 5. An additional input of the RF modulator 5 is connected to a local oscillator (LO) 6, while the output of the RF modulator 5 is connected to an input of a variable gain RF amplifier 7. The output of the RF amplifier 7 is connected to a single carrier power amplifier (SCPA) 8 and the output of the SCPA 8 of each single-carrier transmitter is connected via a common summation unit 10 to a transmit antenna 11. The output of the SCPA 8 is further connected to an input of a power detection and control unit 9 belonging to the respective single carrier transmitter.
Equally, the baseband modulator 1 is connected via a baseband power detection unit 2 to an input of the power detection and control unit 9. The output of the power detection and control unit 9 forms a gain controlling input of the RF amplifier 7. In practice, there can be included more upconversion stages and amplifiers, and filters may be included as well.
The baseband modulators 1 of the N single-carrier transmitters receive symbols from the network that are to be transmitted via the transmit antenna 11 over the air interface. The baseband modulator 1 of the respective transmitter generates a digitised signal trajectory in the complex plain in IQ format and forwards the signals to the two digital-to-analogue converters (DAC) 3, 4. Each of the digital IQ signals is converted into an analogue signal I, Q by one of the two digital-to-analogue converters 3, 4 and then fed to the RF modulator 5. In the RF modulator 5, both signals I, Q are modulated onto one of N carriers determined by the local oscillator 6 associated to the respective single-carrier transmitter. The output signal of the RF modulator 5 is then amplified by the RF amplifier 7 according to the gain set according to a gain control signal GC1, GCN applied to the respective RF amplifier 7, and fed to the SCPA 8. The powers output by the N single-carrier transmitters are combined at the output of the SCPA 8 by the summation unit 10 for transmission by the transmit antenna 11.
The power REF1, REFN of the output signal of each baseband modulator 1 is computed in the associated baseband power detection unit 2 and forwarded to the respective power detection and control unit 9. Equally, the output of each of the SCPAs 8 is fed additionally to the respective power detection and control unit 9, where the output carrier power is measured and compared to the output power provided by the baseband power detection unit 2 of the corresponding single-carrier transmitter. The quotient of these powers constitutes the gain of the respective RF path, G1, GN. If the measured gain G1, GN on the RF path of one of the N single-carrier transmitters deviates from the desired value, the responsible power detection and control unit 9 changes the gain control signal GC1 GCN applied to the respective RF amplifier 7 for this path in order to steer the gain G1, GN into the direction of the desired gain.
Equally, an independent power control of the different carriers is possible in another embodiment of a conventional base station transmitter shown in FIG. 2. The base station transmitter corresponds to the one of FIG. 1, except that each baseband modulator 1 is now connected to the respective RF amplifier 7 via a digital upconverter 12 and a single digital-to-analogue converter 14. An input of the digital upconverter 12 is further connected to a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO) 13. To the components of the single carrier transmitters corresponding to the components of the single carrier transmitters of FIG. 1, the same reference signs were assigned.
In contrast to the example of FIG. 1, here the conversion of the digital IQ signals output by one of the baseband modulators 1 to a modulated RF signal is carried out in the digital domain by the respective digital upconverter 12, the frequency of which is determined by the NCO 13 associated to the digital upconverter 12. The output of the digital upconverter 12 is then converted to an analogue signal by the single digital-to-analogue converter 14. Presently, digital-to-analogue converters 14 are not capable of generating high quality signals at GHz frequencies. Therefore, the architecture of FIG. 2 has in practice at least one extra analogue upconversion stage. However, for the sake of simplicity this is not shown in the diagram.
Since the power output by the baseband modulators 1 and the output of the SCPAs 8 correspond to the outputs of baseband modulators 1 and SCPAs 8 of FIG. 1 and are fed to the power detection and control units 9 as in the example of FIG. 1, the RF gain for each carrier can be determined independently as described with reference to FIG. 1. Again, gain control signals GC1, GCN are provided by the power detection and control units 9 according to the determined gains G1, GN and supplied to the respective RF amplifier 7 in order to adjust the gain for each carrier to a predetermined value.
The base station is required to control the output power used for each carrier accurately to a predetermined value. At maximum output power, the GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) and WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) standards demand an accuracy of better than ±2 dB per carrier. In order to achieve this accuracy reliably, the power measurement accuracy should in practice even be better than ±1 dB.
If a single carrier power amplifier is used for each carrier, this accuracy can be achieved e.g. with one of the architectures described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, since an access to the separate output powers of each carrier is given. Combining the carriers only at the single carrier power amplifier outputs, though, has several drawbacks. Output power is lost and changing the number of carriers in a base station takes much effort. Future base station will therefore combine the carriers already before power amplification or even earlier. The carriers are then power amplified by a single multi-carrier power amplifier. This, however, causes problems for the power control, since the individual power of the power amplified carriers cannot be accessed any more but only the multi-carrier signal output by the single multi-carrier power amplifier. Therefore, an accurate estimation of the individual carrier RF gains becomes more complicated.
In a known approach, it is simply assumed that the RF gain is equal for all carriers. Accordingly, the total output power is measured and divided by the sum of the output powers of the baseband modulators. This quotient constitutes the total gain. If the measured gain deviates from the desired value, the gain control signals for each RF amplifier are changed equally in order to adjust the gain to the right value. The drawback of this method is that there is no way to ensure that the RF gains for the different carriers are indeed all equal and will stay equal for all values of the common gain control signal, under all environmental conditions and during the whole lifetime of the base station. The relation of the gains to each other can be verified only during the assembly of the base station and, after putting into operation, by a site visit to check.
In an alternative approach, it was proposed to use a channeliser to separate the individual carriers from each other at the output of the single multi-carrier power amplifier. The powers of the separated carriers can then be measured and compared to the powers of the baseband signals. By division of the respective pair of values for one carrier, the gain for the individual carriers is found. If one of the gains deviates from the predetermined gain for this carrier, the gain can be adjusted individually by a corresponding gain control signal. The disadvantage of this method is that a channeliser is needed. The required selectivity is such that its implementation must be at an intermediate frequency or baseband. Therefore, one or two downconversion stages are needed, which increases complexity and adds uncertainty to the measurement. In practice, the power measurement circuitry moreover needs some automatic calibration circuit to maintain its accuracy. Therefore, the power control becomes rather expensive and space consuming. Moreover, in case frequency hopping transmitters are used, like e.g. in the GSM, also the channelisers have to be suited for frequency hopping, which makes the construction even more complex.

Methods for determining the gains of different carriers, radio transmission units and modules for such units


A first supporting section provided between a substrate section and a second supporting section. The first supporting section is structured by, e.g., a film formed from a material having a higher acoustic impedance than a piezoelectric body and the substrate section, or a film formed from a material having a smaller Q value than the piezoelectric body and substrate section. By inserting the first supporting section, most vibration from the second supporting section toward the substrate section is reflected, and also a vibration having been transmitted to the substrate section from the second supporting section is prevented from reflecting at the bottom of the substrate section 40 and then returning in a direction of the vibration section.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an acoustic resonator and a filter, and particularly to an acoustic resonator, which is capable of suppressing a spurious occurrence, and a filter using the acoustic resonator.
2. Background Art
Components embedded in electronic device such as portable devices are required to decrease in size and weight. For example, a filter used in portable devices is required to decrease in size, and also required to be capable of precisely adjusting a frequency characteristic. A filter using an acoustic resonator is known as a filter satisfying such requirements (refer to Patent Documents 1 to 3).
Hereinafter, a conventional acoustic resonator disclosed in Patent Document 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 13A to 13D.
FIG. 13A is a cross-sectional view showing a fundamental structure of the conventional acoustic resonator. The conventional acoustic resonator has a structure in which a piezoelectric body 101 is provided between an upper electrode 102 and a lower electrode 103. This conventional acoustic resonator is used while mounted on a substrate 105 in which a cavity 104 is formed. The cavity 104 can be formed by performing, on the back of the substrate 105, partial etching using microfabrication method. In this conventional acoustic resonator, when a electric field is applied in a thickness direction via the upper and lower electrodes 102 and 103, a vibration occurs in the thickness direction. Next, operations of the conventional acoustic resonator will be described referring to a thickness longitudinal vibration occurring in an infinite plane.
FIG. 13B is a schematic perspective view for describing the operations of the conventional acoustic resonator. When an electric field is applied between the upper and lower electrodes 102 and 103 in the conventional acoustic resonator, an electrical energy is converted into a mechanical energy at the piezoelectric body 101. A mechanical vibration induced here is an extensional vibration in the thickness direction, which vibration extends and contracts in a same direction as that of the electric field. In general, the conventional acoustic resonator uses a resonant vibration in the thickness direction in the piezoelectric body 101. The conventional acoustic resonator operates to resonate at a frequency whose half wavelength is equivalent to a thickness of the piezoelectric body 101. The cavity 104 shown in FIG. 13A is used for obtaining a thickness longitudinal vibration of the piezoelectric body 101.
As shown in FIG. 13D, in an equivalent circuit of the conventional acoustic resonator, both a serial resonance and a parallel resonance occur. The equivalent circuit comprises: a serial resonance section including a capacitor C1, inductor L1 and resistor R1; and a capacitor C0 connected in parallel with the serial resonance section. As shown in FIG. 13C, an admittance frequency characteristic of the equivalent circuit in this circuit configuration has an admittance which becomes maximum at a resonance frequency fr and minimum at an antiresonance frequency fa. Here, a relationship between the resonance frequency fr and antiresonance frequency fa is as follows:fr=1/{2π√{square root over ( )}(L1×C1)}fa=fr√{square root over ( )}(1+C1/C0)
When the conventional acoustic resonator having the above admittance frequency characteristic is applied as a filter, the resonant vibration of the piezoelectric body 101 is utilized. This allows the filter to be realized as a small-sized low-loss filter.
Here, a piezoelectric thin film which greatly affects a characteristic of the acoustic resonator is desired to be of high quality. For this reason, various manufacturing methods for realizing a high-quality piezoelectric thin film have been suggested (refer to Patent Document 4). FIG. 14 illustrates steps of a conventional acoustic resonator manufacturing method disclosed in Patent Document 4.
First, etching is performed on a substrate 111 to form, on the substrate 111, a hollow which is later formed into a cavity 112 (FIG. 14(a)). Then, a sacrifice layer 115 is formed on an entire surface of the substrate 111 (FIG. 14(b). Next, planarization is performed such that the surface of the substrate 111 and a surface of the sacrifice layer 115 have a same height (FIG. 14(c)). Subsequently, a lower electrode 121, piezoelectric thin film 122 and upper electrode 123 are laminated thereon, whereby a vibration section 120 is formed (FIG. 14(d)). Lastly, the sacrifice layer 115 is removed by etching, whereby the cavity 112 is provided, and thus the acoustic resonator is completed (FIG. 14(e)). In Patent Document 4, a film thickness and flatness of molybdenum (Mo), which is the lower electrode 121, are specified so as to improve crystallinity of the piezoelectric thin film. This allows a piezoelectric thin film having a high quality to be realized by using a spatter method.
Patent Document 1: Japanese National Phase PCT Lain-Open Publication No. 60-68711
Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-158309
Patent Document 3: U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,620
Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent No. 2800905
Patent Document 5: U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,818


A system including an overhead cable pathway structure and a cable storage device that mounts overhead to the cable pathway structure. The cable storage device including a storage spool and a cable pathway exit having a curved surface that guides excess cable exiting from the overhead cable pathway structure to the spool.

In the telecommunications industry, effective management and organization of cables is necessary in light of the massive cabling schematics involved in providing telecommunication services. Telecommunication facilities, such as data centers or central offices, for example, often have rows of equipment racks and/or equipment cabinets interconnected to cables routed overhead. The cabling schematics of such facilities involve dropping cables down from overhead cable pathways (e.g., troughs or ladders), terminating the cables to termination panels mounted on the racks or in the cabinets, and storing excess cable slack about cable management devices (e.g., spools) mounted to the racks or cabinets.
Space to accommodate the increasing demand for telecommunication services is limited. Improvements are needed in the methods and devices for managing and organizing the systems, cabling schematics, and components associated with providing telecommunication services.

Lateral storage spool for overhead cable pathway


The disclosed are shelf-stable beta-hydroxyisovaleric acid containing soft gel compositions and methods for making such compositions. In certain aspects, disclosed compositions comprise a plant-based capsule shell and a liquid formulation comprising beta-hydroxyisovaleric acid and at least one excipient, wherein the soft gel capsule is shelf-stable. In certain aspects, the excipient is selected from selected from choline salt, betaine, phosphatidylcholine, alpha-glycerophosphocholine, carnitine, adenosine 5′-triphosphate, or a combination thereof.

Beta-hydroxyisovaleric acid in its free acid form, interchangeably referred to herein as "HMB-FA", is also known in the art as 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylbutyric acid, β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutyric acid, 3-Hydroxy-3-methylbutyrate, β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylbutanoic acid, and β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutanoic acid. The molecule, shown below, has a structural formula of (CH3)2C(OH)CH2COOH:

HMB is known to improve nitrogen retention and protein sparing, improve lean body mass, improve muscle function and/or muscle performance, decrease muscle damage in muscle subjected to stress or damage, decrease inflammatory response after muscle is subjected to stress or damage, improve the body's immune response after stress or damage, treat disease associated wasting (such as wasting associated with cancer, chronic pulmonary disease, age, chronic kidney disease, long-term hospitalization or AIDS), improve a lipid profile such a low density lipoprotein (LDL) to high density lipoprotein (HDL), and improve a person's emotional state.
Currently, HMB-FA is administered by soft gel capsules, where it is incorporated into the gel capsule its pure liquid form. However, the hygroscopic character of HMB-FA causes water migration from or through the capsule shell during the manufacture, drying, and storage of the gel capsules. The water migration results in deterioration of the gel capsule because many capsule shell materials, including gelatin, carrageenan, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, pullulan, or mixtures thereof, and plasticizers, have a critical moisture content at which the soft gel capsule maintains integrity and stability. Water migration changes the moisture content of both the capsule shell and the filling, which either leads to cracking and failure as the water migrates from the capsule shell to the filling or to softening of the capsule shell as environmental water migrates into the gel capsule.
There is a need in the art for a gel capsule filling composition that can overcome the issues arising from the high hygroscopy of HMB-FA. The disclosed soft gel capsule filling composition of HMB-FA and at least one excipient was surprisingly and unexpectedly found to solve the stability issues arising from high hygroscopy of HMB-FA.

Stabilization of beta-hydroxyisovaleric acid formulations in soft gel capsules


A portable electronic device includes a cover section (54), a body section (52), a magnet (60) and a hall sensor (70). The cover section has a printed circuit board secured therein. The body section has a connecting portion, and the body section is rotatably connected to the cover section with the connecting portion. The magnet is secured in the connecting portion, and the hall sensor is electrically attached to the printed circuit board. The magnet acts on the hall sensor according to relative rotation between the cover section and the body section, thereby switching the portable electronic device to a work mode when the cover section is opened away from the body section or a power save mode when the cover section is closed to the body section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable electronic devices, particularly to a portable electronic device with a hall sensor which is responsive to magnetic fields.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
With the development of wireless communication and information processing technologies, foldable electronic devices such as mobile phones and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) are now in widespread use, and consumers may now enjoy the full convenience of high technology products anytime and anywhere. Foldable electronic devices are particularly favored by a wide range of consumers because of their small size, novel design and ease of use.
The foldable electronic device such as mobile phone generally includes a cover section and a body section. The cover section and the body section are rotatably interconnected through a hinge assembly, thus allowing the mobile phone to be switched between an in-use position and a closed position. When the cover section is opened relative to the body section, the mobile phone is automatically switched to a work mode. Accordingly, the keypads may be operated so as to input information by user. The background lights and the liquid crystal display in the mobile phone are actuated. However, when the cover section is not fully closed relative to the body section, the liquid crystal display and the background light will be shut off.
The above function of the foldable electronic device is provided by a device controlling a main circuit to be conducted or be shut off. The device usually includes a hall sensor and a magnet. The hall sensor is a transducer, which varies output voltages in response to changes in magnetic field. Due to a change of the position relationship between the hall sensor and the magnet, the hall sensor is affected by magnetic fields of the magnet so as to activate or shut off the main circuit. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a mobile phone 10 is provided. The mobile phone 10 includes a body section 12, a cover section 14 and a hinge assembly 16. The hinge assembly 16 is rotatably connected to the body section 12 and the cover section 14. The body section 12 has a printed circuit board 120 positioned therein. The printed circuit board 120 has a main circuit, and the main circuit is electronically connected to a hall sensor 122. The cover section 14 disposes a magnet 142 therein corresponding to the hall sensor 122. The magnet 142 includes an S pole 1424 and an N pole 1422. When the cover section 14 is closed relative to the body section 12, the S pole 1424 of the magnet 142 is opposite to the hall sensor 122.
When the user opens the mobile phone 10, the cover section 14 with the magnet 142 is far from the body section 12. Accordingly, the hall sensor 122 is far from the S pole 1424 of the magnet 142, and is toward the N pole 1422. The hall sensor 122 then activates the main circuit of the printed circuit board 120 so that the mobile phone 10 is switched to a work mode. The user may operate the mobile phone 10. If the cover section 14 is closed to some angles relative to the body section 12, the hall sensor 122 is turned to toward the S pole 1424 of the magnet 142. The hall sensor 122 will switch the main circuit to be shut off, and allow the mobile phone 10 to be in a power saver mode. Although the above device may realize the control for the work mode of the mobile phone, the magnet 142 will occupy a space along a thickness direction in the cover section 14. The cover section 14 requires a thin thickness, however, this structure increases the thickness of the cover section 14, and will not satisfy a development tendency of miniaturization for mobile phones.
Therefore, an improved portable electronic device for activating or shutting off the call mode is desired in order to overcome the above-described shortcoming.

Portable electronic device with hall sensor


A fuel cell using a neat alcohol such as neat 2-propanol, as its fuel is described. The fuel that is purposely not mixed with any amount of water is oxidized directly at the fuel cell anode. The fuel cell can support a higher current density than a fuel cell using 1 M 2-propanol aqueous solution. The energy density of a fuel cell using a neat fuel is much higher than that of one using dilute fuel aqueous solutions.

Hydrogen is the cleanest and most efficient fuel used in fuel cells. It is widely used in low temperature fuel cells like proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, alkaline fuel cells, and phosphoric acid fuel cells, since its oxidation rate at the anode is high enough even at room temperature. However, producing pure hydrogen is not a trivial task. Hydrogen is normally produced through reforming hydrocarbon fuels such as methane, propane, and methanol. This not only makes the entire fuel cell system more complicated, it also dramatically increases its cost. Moreover, any carbon monoxide (CO) remaining in the reformed gas, even at ppm levels, will poison the electrodes of a PEM fuel cell and reduce its performance. In addition, transporting and storing hydrogen can be dangerous and difficult.
The problems associated with hydrogen have encouraged scientists to look for other fuels that can be directly oxidized without utilizing a reforming step. Methanol, the simplest alcohol containing only one carbon atom, is the most popular and widely used alternative. A direct oxidation fuel cell using methanol as the fuel is called a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). DMFCs have a long history. U.S. Pat. No. 3,113,049, issued to Worsham et al. on Dec. 3, 1961 for DIRECT PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY FROM LIQUID FUELS, describes liquid feed, direct, methanol fuel cells.
Early DMFCs have used liquid electrolyte such as dilute sulfuric acid, for proton transportation. Sulfuric acid, however, can cause major problems when used as a liquid electrolyte, one of which is corrosion of the fuel cell materials. Sulfuric acid can also poison electrodes by the adsorption of sulfate anions, and cause leakage of electrolyte through the surrounding materials. For example, the electrolyte could gradually leak out through the pores of the air cathode, which also causes fuel loss and cathode poisoning. In order to alleviate such a leaking problem, a solid proton-exchange membrane was interposed between the anode and cathode. Nafion®, a perfluorinated polymer, made by E. I. DuPont, was used by Kudo et al. who were issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,063 on Apr. 14, 1981 for FUEL CELL USING ELECTROLYTE-SOLUBLE FUELS; and by Kawana et al. who were issued U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,603 on Jun. 28, 1983 for METHANOL FUEL CELL. U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,917, issued to Fujita et al. on Oct. 23, 1984 for FUEL CELL, uses sulfonated styrene-divinylbenzene co-polymers as the membrane.
Current fuel cell practice eschews the use of liquid electrolyte in a DMFC. U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,638, issued to Surampudi et al. on Feb. 4, 1997 for AQUEOUS LIQUID FEED ORGANIC FUEL CELL USING SOLID POLYMER ELECTROLYTE MEMBRANE, uses a proton exchange membrane such as Nafion membrane as the electrolyte. Nafion membranes have excellent chemical, mechanical, thermal, and electrochemical stability, and their ionic conductivity can reach as high as 0.1 S/cm. The kinetics of methanol oxidation and oxygen reduction at the electrode/Nafion membrane/electrode interfaces have been found to be more facile than those at the previously used electrode/sulfuric acid/electrode interfaces. This also has the advantage of reducing corrosion. The cell could also be operated at temperatures as high as 120° C., compared with sulfuric acid cells that tend to degrade at temperatures higher than 80° C. Also, the absence of conducting ions in the fuel/water solution substantially eliminated the parasitic shunt currents in a multi-cell stack. U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,460 B1 granted to Surampudi et al. on Jun. 19, 2001 (a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,638), describes this type of cell.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,740, issued to Davis on May 18, 1999 for FUEL FOR LIQUID FEED FUEL CELLS, a cell was described comprising a formic acid and methanol/water solution for the conduction of protons within the anode structure. Formic acid appeared to improve ionic conductivity and was clean burning. Furthermore, it did not poison the catalysts.
Unfortunately, methanol still presents a serious cross over problem through the Nafion and other similar types of proton-exchange membranes. This result is due to its physical diffusion, and electro-osmotic drag by protons. Such a crossover not only results in a large waste of fuel, but also greatly lowers the cathode performance.
Most of the methanol that crosses over will be electrochemically oxidized at the cathode. Such oxidation reactions not only lower the cathode potential, but also consume some oxygen. Should the reaction intermediate, such as carbon monoxide, become adsorbed to the catalyst surface, the cathode will be poisoned, further lowering the cell performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,438, issued to Banerjee et al. on Sep. 30, 1997 for MEMBRANE AND ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY EMPLOYING EXCLUSION MEMBRANE FOR DIRECT METHANOL FUEL CELL, describes a fuel cell having a thin layer of polymer. The polymer has a higher ratio of backbone carbon atoms to that of the cationic exchange side chain. This polymer can reduce the methanol crossover rate, albeit at the expense of increasing the membrane resistance. It was suggested that the polymer with higher carbon atom ratios be preferably oriented on the anode side.
In PCT International Patent No. WO 98/22989, issued to Prakash et al. on May 28, 1998, a fuel cell having a polymer membrane composed of polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSSA) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is described. Such a PSSA-PVDF membrane exhibited lower methanol crossover, which translated into a higher fuel and fuel cell efficiency.
In PCT International Patent No. WO 01/93361 A2, granted to Pickup et al. on Dec. 6, 2001, a modified ion exchange membrane that possessed lower methanol crossover is described. The cell contained modified membranes comprising Nafion. The modification was accomplished in situ, by polymerization of monomers, such as aryls, heteroaryls, substituted aryls, substituted heteroaryls, or a combination thereof. The modified membrane was observed to exhibit reduced permeability to methanol, and was often observed without a significant increase in ionic resistance. Another barrier to the commercialization of DMFCs has been the sluggish methanol oxidation reaction. Moreover, some intermediates from methanol oxidation, such as carbon monoxide, can strongly adsorb onto the surface of catalysts. This can cause them to be seriously poisoned. Pt alloys like Pt/Ru have a much higher CO tolerance, so they are widely used as the anode catalyst.
Other short chain organic chemicals such as formic acid, formaldehyde, ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, dimethoxymethane, trimethoxymethane, and trioxane have been speculated as being useful fuels for direct oxidation fuel cells. U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,638, issued to Surampudi et al. on Feb. 4, 1997 for AQUEOUS LIQUID FEED ORGANIC FUEL CELL USING SOLID POLYMER ELECTROLYTE MEMBRANE describes experimental results in the use of dimethoxymethane, trimethoxymethane, and trioxane for direct oxidation fuel cells. It was claimed that dimethoxymethane, trimethoxymethane, and trioxane could be oxidized at lower potentials than methanol, and thus, could be better fuels than methanol. It was also claimed that only methanol was found to be the intermediate product from the oxidation of these fuels, and thus, it was not a concern because methanol would be ultimately oxidized to carbon dioxide and water. Using Nafion 117 as the membrane and oxygen as the oxidant at a pressure of 20 psig, cell voltages of 0.25 V, 0.50 V, and 0.33 V were achieved at a current density of 50 mA/cm2 when dimethoxymethane, trimethoxymethane, and trioxane were used at cell temperatures of 37° C., 65° C., and 60° C., respectively.
Recently, Qi et al. discovered that secondary alcohols such as 2-propanol could perform much better than methanol in dilute aqueous solutions, especially at current densities less than approximately 200 mA/cm2. This result is described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/091,624, filed on Mar. 5, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,049,014; and in Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters, pp. A129–A130, June 2002. The better performance of this fuel appears to be the result of the faster kinetic reaction of 2-propanol, and the lower tendency for alcohol crossover.
All the direct oxidation fuel cells reported so far use dilute aqueous solutions as their fuels. The concentration of the fuel in the solution is normally less than 10% (wt.), and most frequently about 3% (wt.). The other 90–97% (wt.) is water. This not only results in a bulky fuel cell system, but also seriously limits its energy density. In addition, a large amount of water from the anode compartment transports through the membrane to the cathode side, and causes serious flooding of the cathode.
In order to decrease this flooding, a high airflow rate is normally utilized. Using a high airflow rate, however, not only consumes more parasitic power, but also makes it difficult to balance the water within the fuel cell system. In the event that the water that is taken away by exhaust air should not be effectively recovered, a larger water reservoir will be needed for the same amount of fuel.
The present invention provides a direct oxidation fuel cell using neat fuels. This eliminates the need to carry large amounts of water, thus reducing the bulkiness of the fuel cell system. A preferred fuel for such a fuel cell system is neat 2-propanol. The use of this neat fuel enhances the performance and efficiency of the cell. Higher energy densities are possible, and cathode flooding is eliminated.

Alcohol fueled direct oxidation fuel cells


Movable optical parts included in an ellipsometer are removed to increase the measurement speed, and a specific quadrant to which a phase difference .DELTA. as an ellipsometric parameter belongs is determined by one measuring operation. A beam is radiated from a light source section onto a measurement target, and the reflected beam having an elliptically polarized beam, which is reflected by the target, is divided into four different polarized light components. The optical intensities of the respective light components are then detected. Ellipsometric parameters .psi. and .DELTA. are calculated on the basis of the detected four optical intensities. In addition, the above-mentioned four different polarized light components are obtained by using a wave plate. Furthermore, the polarization directions of the four polarized light components whose optical intensities are obtained are respectively set at angles -45.degree., +45.degree., 90.degree., and 0.degree. with respect to a reference direction. Alternatively, a composite beam splitter is used to obtain four polarized light components.

The present invention relates to a measuring method for an ellipsometric parameter, which is designed to measure ellipsometric parameters used to measure the thickness of a thin film, and an ellipsometer for measuring ellipsometric parameters by using this measuring method.
As a method of measuring the thickness of a thin film, ellipsometry is used. In this method, a change in polarization state upon reflection of a beam by a sample surface, i.e., a ratio .rho. between a reflectance Rp of a light component (P component) parallel to the incident plane of an electric field vector and a reflectance Rs of a light component (S component) perpendicular thereto, is measured according to equation (1), and a film thickness d is obtained in accordance with a predetermined relationship between the already obtained polarization reflectance ratio .rho. and the film thickness d: EQU .rho.=Rp/Rs=tan.PSI.exp[j.DELTA.] (1)
In this case, since the polarization reflectance ratio .rho. is normally represented by a complex number as indicated by equation (1), two ellipsometric parameters, i.e., an amplitude ratio .PSI. and a phase difference .DELTA., must be obtained.
As a conventional method of obtaining these ellipsometric parameters .PSI. and .DELTA., the null ellipsometry method is known. In this method, a polarized beam is radiated from a light source onto a measurement target at a predetermined angle with respect to the target, and a beam reflected by the target, which is elliptically polarized, is transmitted through a .lambda./4 plate and an analyzer to be guided to a light-receiving unit. While optical intensity signals obtained by the light-receiving unit are observed through, e.g., a measuring unit, the .lambda./4 plate and the analyzer are rotated to obtain a rotational angle at which the minimum optical intensity is observed. The above-mentioned ellipsometric parameters are calculated on the basis of this rotational angle. In this method, however, since the analyzer needs to be rotated to find an angular position at which the minimum optical intensity is observed, a measuring operation requires a long period of time.
Under the circumstances, a method using a rotating analyzer is proposed as a method of measuring the above ellipsometric parameters at a relatively high speed. More specifically, according to this method, similar to the above-described null ellipsometry, a linearly polarized beam with predetermined azimuth angle, e.g. 45.degree., is radiated from a light source onto a measurement target, at a predetermined angle with respect to the target, and the ellipsometric parameters are calculated on the basis of the output waveforms of optical intensity signals obtained by a light-receiving unit when the analyzer on the measurement side is rotated once.
In the measuring method for an ellipsometric parameter, which uses the rotating analyzer, however, the following problems are posed.
(1) The analyzer must be rotated once to execute one measuring operation. This rotation requires a predetermined period of time or more. Therefore, it is impossible to obtain the ellipsometric parameters .PSI. and .DELTA. of a measurement target which is moving at high speed and to measure the film thickness d on the basis of these ellipsometric parameters. In addition, the presence of a mechanical movable portion increases the size of the apparatus itself. For this reason, the apparatus cannot be installed on a production line in a factory to perform on-line measurement of film thicknesses on measurement targets, e.g., continuously supplied measurement targets.
(2) If, for example, the above-mentioned linearly polarized beam is used as a beam to be incident on a measurement target, phase difference information of ellipsometric parameters is obtained in the form of cos.DELTA.. Therefore, it is impossible to determine whether a correct phase difference is .DELTA. or (360.degree.-.DELTA.). In addition, if a circularly polarized beam is used as an incident beam, since phase difference information of ellipsometric parameters is obtained in the form of sin.DELTA., it is impossible to determine whether a correct phase difference is .DELTA. or (90.degree.-.DELTA.).
It is, therefore, necessary to determine which quadrant (zone) of the first quadrant (0.degree. to 90.degree. ) to the fourth quadrant (270.degree. to 360.degree. ) the obtained phase difference .DELTA. belongs to. This determination is generally called zone definition. In a general zone definition method, output waveforms are respectively obtained from a circularly polarized incident beam, which is formed by inserting a .lambda./4 plate in the optical path of a beam to be incident on a measurement target, and from a linearly polarized incident beam, which is formed without inserting a .lambda./4 plate in the optical path, and the two output waveforms are compared with each other to determine a zone to which the obtained phase difference belongs. However, in this method, since two measuring operations must be performed with respect to the same measurement point, the measurement efficiency is not necessarily increased much as compared with the above-described null ellipsometry.
(3) Although a beam reflected by a measurement target is elliptically polarized, the measurement precision is decreased as the elliptic shape approaches a circle. For this reason, a .lambda./4 plate needs to be inserted in the optical path of an incident or reflected beam to change the elliptical polarization state of a reflected beam to be incident on a measurement system. This further decreases the measurement efficiency.
(4) The conventional method requires a mechanism for rotating the analyzer and a mechanism for inserting/removing a .lambda./4 plate in/from an optical path. Since these mechanisms incorporate a large number of movable members, the apparatus itself is increased in size. Therefore, a place where the ellipsometer is installed is limited to a relatively large area with a good environment, e.g., a laboratory.
In addition, since the above-mentioned members are mechanically moved, a long period of time is required for moving operations. If the .lambda./4 plate is inserted/removed and the analyzer is rotated twice with respect to one measurement point, it takes a few seconds to perform a measurement with respect to one measurement point. Therefore, high-speed measurement in an on-line state cannot be performed.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation, and has as its object to provide a measuring method for ellipsometric parameters and an ellipsometer, in which a reflected beam having an elliptically polarized beam, which is reflected by a measurement target, is divided into four different polarized light components, and the optical intensities of the respective polarized light components are detected to calculate ellipsometric parameters on the basis of the detected four optical intensities, so that the analyzer need not be rotated, the .lambda./4 plate need not be inserted/removed in/from an optical path, and only stationary members are required, thereby saving the time required to move movable members, allowing substantially instant measurement of ellipsometric parameters by one measuring operation, enabling on-line measurement of ellipsometric parameters with respect to moving measurement targets, and allowing measurement of film thicknesses.

Measuring method for ellipsometric parameter and ellipsometer


A system can collect, from an address resolution protocol (“ARP”) cache of a managed virtual network function (“VNF”), at least one active entry corresponding to at least one active element of a plurality of virtual local area network (“VLAN”) networks. The system can check the ARP cache for an entry associated with at least one of the plurality of VLAN elements. The system can determine whether an entry associated with at least one of the plurality of VLAN elements was found. In response to determining that an entry associated with at least one of the plurality of VLAN elements was not found, the system can send an ARP request to the plurality of VLAN elements, wait for an ARP response, and, in response to determining that an ARP response has not been received, generate a notification that VLAN connectivity has been lost.

Software-defined networking ("SDN") is an architectural framework for creating intelligent networks that are programmable, application aware, and more open. SDN provides an agile and cost-effective communications platform for handling the dramatic increase in data traffic on networks by providing a high degree of scalability, security, and flexibility. SDN provides several benefits. SDN can allow for the creation of multiple virtual network control planes on common hardware. SDN can help extend service virtualization and software control into many existing network elements. SDN enables applications to request and manipulate services provided by the network and to allow the network to expose network states back to the applications. SDN exposes network capabilities through application programming interfaces ("APIs"), making the control of network equipment remotely accessible and modifiable via third-party software clients using open protocols such as OpenFlow, available from Open Network Forum ("ONF").
Customer-defined, on-demand cloud services and user digital experience expectations are driving planning and deployment of network function virtualization and service-centric SDN among global telecommunications service providers. Network Virtualization Platforms ("NVPs"), including some cloud platforms, are deployed in information technology ("IT") data centers and network central offices to accelerate deployment of on-demand user service and virtualized network functions ("VNFs"). A NVP is a shared virtualized infrastructure that supports multiple services and network applications (including real-time and non-real-time applications).
In today's managed services, a fault management system ("FMS") manages routers, servers, switches, and/or other network elements that are located on the customer's premises. In emerging solutions, the managed router or managed Internet service connections are implemented using virtualized network elements located in a cloud platform. These virtualized network elements are also referred to as managed VNFs. The customers may access managed VNFs via data link layer (Layer 2) Ethernet. The network elements on the customer's end of the connection and the VNF will then belong to the same virtual local area network ("VLAN"). With managed services as defined today, the elements at the customer's end of this connection will not be managed. Therefore, existing FMSs will not be able to proactively identify loss of connectivity between customer end of the access connection and the managed VNF in a cloud platform.
Tools exist that allow intrusive diagnostics of data link layer connectivity loss, but the intrusive nature of these tools render them unsuitable for proactive monitoring. Alternatively, it is possible to change the definition of a service, to request that the customer set up an active IP address known to and accessible by the FMS, and to make the FMS ping the active IP address with a configured interval, similar to what is done in managed services today. This solution changes definition of the service and also limits customer's control of their internal network, and therefore might be not acceptable to the customer for security reasons.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Low-impact proactive monitoring of customer access to virtualized network elements in a cloud platform


A storage container includes a first container portion and a second container portion hingedly attached to the first container portion. A latch is slidably disposed on the first container portion. The latch includes a pair of engaging members extending therefrom. The latch is moveable between a locked position wherein the engaging members engage the first container portion to the second container portion and an unlocked position wherein the engaging members disengage the first container portion from the second container portion. The latch is subjected to a first biasing force adapted to inhibit movement of the latch in a first direction and a second biasing force adapted to inhibit movement of the latch in a second direction. Movement of the latch into the unlocked position is accomplished by sequential movement of the latch in the first direction followed by movement of the latch in the second direction.

Storage containers exist in many varieties and may be used to store, organize and transport various items such as fasteners, tool bits and other accessories. When used to store tool bits, fasteners or accessories on a job site, a storage container must be built to be strong and durable so that if it is dropped, it does not break open and spill its contents. Storage containers often include a base portion and a cover portion hingedly connected to the base portion.
In some instances a latch configuration may be employed on a storage container to locate hinged portions, such as a base and cover, between a locked and unlocked position. Such latch configurations may include hook or clasp arrangements and may be actuated by pivoting, sliding or other movement. While known arrangements have proven satisfactory for their intended purpose, a need exists in the art to improve upon available latch configurations. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a robust latch configuration for a storage container that is easy to operate.

Large tough case extension case cover latch


A vehicle suspension comprising a frame and a pair of levers carried by the frame on opposite sides thereof. Each lever is pivotally mounted on the frame for swinging movement on an axis intermediate opposite ends of the lever transverse to the frame. The suspension includes a pair of beams, one extending forward from one of the levers and the other extending forward from the other lever, each of the forwardly-extending beams having a pivotal connection with the respective lever forward of the lever axis and having a support for a forward axle. The suspension also includes a pair of beams, one extending rearward from one of the levers and the other extending rearward from the other lever, each of said rearwardly-extending beams having a pivotal connection with the respective lever rearward of the lever axis and having a support for a rearward axle.

This invention relates generally to vehicle suspensions, and more particularly to an improved suspension for tandem-axle trucks.
The present invention is especially suited for beam-type suspensions where the axles of a tandem-axle truck are supported by beams pivoted to hangers on opposite sides of the frame of the truck. Springs (e.g., air bags) on the axle ends of the beams support the frame. Ideally, such suspensions are designed to be as lightweight as possible, to provide a soft ride and adequate roll stiffness or stability, that is, resistance to the tendency of the truck body to roll laterally during cornering, to provide an even distribution of the load over the wheels as the truck travels over bumps and as it turns, to provide good braking, to minimize torque applied to the axle as the vehicle encounters bumps in the road, and as it turns, and to eliminate so-called "dock walk", which is the tendency of a vehicle to move away from a dock as it is being loaded. While certain prior designs have achieved some of these objectives, it has usually been at the sacrifice of other objectives. There is a need, therefore, for a suspension which represents an improvement over prior suspensions.


A DSP tuner, which is equipped with an A/D converter and a digital signal processing part, is provided to the receiving parts of an in-vehicle equipment and a portable equipment that constitute an in-vehicle equipment remote control system. The A/D converter quantizes analog input signals received by receiving antennas and converts them into digital values. The digital signal processing part always appears, and removes as a noise a frequency band of which spectrum hardly change within a predetermined time period. Moreover, the digital signal processing part sets a frequency band with a comparatively large spectrum change as an FSK modulation signal corresponding to code contents, and outputs binary data corresponding to the frequency band as a code signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to digital signal processing and receiving apparatuses and, more particularly, to a digital signal processing and receiving apparatus, which separates a code signal according to a modulation signal from an analog reception signal received by a reception antenna.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 8-8744, a signal processing apparatus, which applies a digital signal process to a reception signal after applying an A/D conversion process. In this signal processing apparatus, a reception signal is sample-held, and an A/D process is repeated continuously for N times during the sample-hold. Then, the N sets of digital data are subjected to a spectrum analysis according to a Fourier transformation so as to take out a sample signal having only a direct-current component. Therefore, according to the above-mentioned conventional signal processing apparatus, a frequency component other than a direct-current component can be removed from a reception signal, and, as a result, a noise of a high-frequency component equal to or higher than a sampling frequency can be eliminated.
On the other hand, there is known an in-vehicle equipment remote control system that performs a control of permission or non-permission of use of a vehicle in accordance with a result of a code check according to radio communication between a portable equipment and an in-vehicle equipment. This system is a system, which, when it is determined that contents of a code according to a modulation signal transmitted from a portable equipment by a predetermined carrier wave in an in-vehicle equipment, locks or unlocks a vehicle door and permits a start of an engine or an electric motor as a power source or checks whether or not the portable equipment exists in the vehicle after start of the vehicle. If the above-mentioned conventional signal processing apparatus is used when extracting contents of a cord from the modulation signal transmitted by the portable equipment in the in-vehicle remote control system, the code contents can be extracted while eliminating a noise of a high-frequency component equal to or higher than a sampling frequency.
In the above-mentioned in-vehicle remote control system, the communication between the in-vehicle equipment and the portable equipment is performed even in a state where a control unit, which controls an engine or an electric motor, is in operation or a state where the engine or the electric motor is being driven. For this reason, there may be a case in which an interference wave is superposed on a frequency band of a carrier wave in a communication between the in-vehicle equipment and the portable equipment, the interference wave being a narrow-band noise such as a clock dividing wave caused by a start of a control unit and a wide-band noise such as an ignition noise, a motor noise, an inerter noise, etc. If such an interference wave is a noise having a large energy, a communication error tends to occur in a communication between the in-vehicle equipment and the portable equipment. Therefore, in order to always perform a communication between the in-vehicle equipment and the portable equipment, it is necessary to surely eliminate an interference wave having a large energy superposed on a frequency band of a carrier wave.
However, it is impossible for the above-mentioned conventional signal processing apparatus to eliminate all interference waves due to various noises that can be generated in a vehicle. For this reason, even if the above-mentioned conventional signal processing apparatus is applied to the above-mentioned in-vehicle remote control system, contents of a code sent from a potable equipment with a carrier wave cannot be demodulated appropriately, which may result in that a check of the contents of the code is not performed appropriately.

Digital signal processing and receiving apparatus and method


Method to produce eritadenine by liquid phase fermentation of Lentinus edodes without formation of the fruit body wherein the Lentinus edodes is exposed to shear during its cultivation.

There is a significant industrial interest in the production of the compound eritadenine, particularly for but not limited to, its potential use as a blood cholesterol reducing therapeutic agent for humans. The fungus Lentinus edodes, more commonly known as the shiitake mushroom, is known to produce eritadenine when the fungus forms the fruit body of the mushroom. In prior art it was discussed that eritadenine could only be formed in significant amounts by causing the formation of the fruit body. This is a problem since the cost of raising shiitake solely for extraction of the eritadenine is prohibitive. In order to produce the eritadenine as a therapeutic agent there is a need to be able to produce it in fermentive culture.

Method for producing eritadenine in liquid phase fermentation


Embodiments of the present application provide a wireless communication method and device, able to improve communication performance and avoid damages to terminal hardware. The method comprises: a terminal device sending a first message to an access network device, the first message being used for carrying first capacity information and/or first function parameter information, the first capacity information being used for instructing the access network device to update the maximum communication capacity of the terminal device to a first communication capacity, the first function parameter information being used for instructing the access network device to update the function parameter or parameter range of the terminal device for communication to a first function parameter or parameter range; and the terminal device receiving a second message sent by the access network device, the second message carrying the function parameter or parameter range configured by the access network device for the terminal device according to the first capacity information and/or the first function parameter information.

In an existing Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, along with constant increasement of maximum capabilities supported by terminal devices, a network device may configure different function parameters according to different terminal capabilities to meet service requirements of users.
A terminal device supports a quite high capability. However, the terminal capability is achieved in ideal conditions, for example, in single-service and single-network conditions. It is difficult to achieve a maximum terminal capability in a practical network.

Wireless communication method and device

GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.


A latch-based level-shifter is provided that includes an edge-triggered pulse generator that drives a switch to switch off and isolate a pair of cross-coupled inverters in the level-shifter from ground for a transition period responsive to rising and falling edges in an input signal.

Modern integrated circuits typically use core devices located in a low-voltage domain to save power and increase processing speed. As technology advances, the power supply voltage for the low-voltage domain continues to decrease. But these same devices use legacy input/output (I/O) standards that require higher power supply voltages. The devices in the low power domain must thus interface through level shifters to the I/O buffers using these higher-voltage legacy I/O standards.
The decreasing power supply voltage used in the low-voltage domains increases the input-to-output voltage range requirement for the corresponding level shifters. For example, it may be necessary to shift from a low-voltage-domain power supply voltage of approximately 0.7 V to an I/O power supply voltage of 1.8 V using a latch-based level shifter. Like any latch, a latch-based level shifter includes a pair of cross-coupled inverters. Each inverter is formed from a serial stack of a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor. At any given time, one of the PMOS transistors in the latch-based level shifter will be on. An NMOS access transistor having its gate controlled by the low-voltage domain input signal being shifted must be able to shut down this switched-on PMOS transistor.
Transistors in the low-voltage domain may use a relatively thin gate-oxide layer because of the reduced stress from the lower power supply voltage. In contrast, transistors in a high-voltage power domain such as used for I/O devices require a thicker gate-oxide layer due to the increased stress from the higher power supply voltage. The NMOS access transistors in a latch-based level-shifter are thus thick gate-oxide devices as they are exposed to the I/O power supply voltage. Although each NMOS access transistor is powered by the low-voltage domain input signal, its overdrive is relatively weak as it is driven by the low-voltage-domain power supply voltage. For example, if the NMOS access transistor has a threshold voltage of 400 millivolts, the overdrive is just 300 millivolts for a low-voltage-domain power supply voltage of 0.7 V. Given this weak overdrive, the NMOS access transistors must thus be relatively large so that they can flip the state of the latch in the latch-based level shifter. Accordingly, conventional latch-based level shifters have poor density, particularly at the increased voltage conversion ranges required for level-shifting from modern low-voltage power supply voltages to legacy I/O power supply voltages. Moreover, conventional latch-based level shifters suffer from power consumption issues due to the crowbar circuit current from the power supply node to ground that is discharged while the NMOS access transistor overcomes the inverter's switched-on PMOS transistor.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved latch-based level shifters having improved density and lower power consumption.


A device for placing a paper bag bottom produces score lines on the ends of tubular segments which are used for producing bags, applies glue layers to the folded bottoms on the extremities of the tubular segments and/or to sheets for gluing them with the bottoms with the aid of gluers and connects and glues the folded bottoms and the sheets. The device has at least one gluer which includes at least one glue reservoir or at least one glue duct, the glue contained in the reservoir or in the duct being exposed to a pressure higher than ambient pressure. The glue reservoir or the glue duct is provided with at least one output orifice for applying the glue to the sheets and/or to the folded bottoms.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a device for placing a paper bag bottom that has connected and glued folded bottoms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices of this kind are used for manufacturing different types of bags. These include cement bags that are usually manufactured as valve bags. For this purpose usually the bottom folding involves the use of valve sheets that are inserted in the bottom of the bag. However it is important to differentiate between pinch-, block- and cross bottoms. In the creation of cross bottom bags that is explained, for instance, in DE 090 145 48 U1 and DE 3020043 A1, special demands were placed on the gluing.
In all devices of this kind the bag bottoms are formed with the help of glue—usually starch glue. For this purpose either the folded bottoms or the valve sheets assigned to them or both the aforementioned elements to be glued are provided with a glue layer and subsequently merged together. Each of the bag components is glued usually by bringing a format part in contact with glue rollers or other glue storage or transmission components. The format part is attached to a rotating roller and is often also referred to as a plate. By rotating the glue roller, the format part is supplied with glue. As the glue roller continues to rotate, the format plate transfers the glue stored on it to the respective bag component to be glued.
For this purpose the format part is provided with characteristic peaks (ridges) that are adapted to a definite bag format. In order to manufacture bags with different measurements on the bottoming device the format parts are replaced.
The described type of glue application has stood the test of time in the devices for placing a paper bag bottom because it enables a clean application of large quantities of starch glue that is otherwise difficult to handle.
However, this method of glue transfer makes it necessary to make available and later clean many mechanical glue transfer components—such as for instance the plate roller and the format parts.
Therefore the task underlying the present invention is to make these components redundant.


An electronic circuit and system (1) incorporating a battery system (30), power-discharge sensing circuitry (40) and sleep circuitry (10) all in electrical communication with each other. The sleep circuitry (10) detects the presence or absence of an external load on the battery system (30) by sensing changes in voltage across the battery's protection diode (D3). When no external load is present, the sleep circuitry (10) controls the power-discharge sensing circuitry (40) in an extremely low current mode (e.g., current is consumed by sleep circuitry (10), but no power supplied to power-discharge sensing circuitry (40)). This mode is also referred to as a sleep mode. Upon detection of a small voltage drop on the battery's protection diode (D3) caused by a power-consuming load on the battery, the sleep circuitry (10) supplies power to the power-discharge sensing circuitry (40). When the power-discharge sensing circuitry (40) is thus activated, the amount of power removed from the battery system (30) can then be monitored. When the load is removed, the power-discharge sensing circuitry (40) is again placed into the sleep mode.

In the field of battery systems, there are many instances where it is preferable or necessary to keep track of the amount of power available in a battery before, during, and after the battery is subject to an external load. If the amount of battery power is effectively monitored, users are able to monitor further use of the battery and replace or recharge a depleted battery before a minimum useful power threshold is reached or the battery is completely discharge. As those of skill in the art realize, the ability to continuously monitor the amount of power remaining in a power source is almost a necessity in various end-use applications, such as military applications. Proper monitoring of battery power is also of concern when the battery remains unused for many years.
Some end-use applications, such as military applications, employ a battery with a built-in protection diode (designated as D3 in FIG. 2) and a fuse of conventional design. The battery's protection diode is typically a high-current Schottky diode. The protection diode and fuse are in electrical connection with the battery and serves to protect the battery from electrical surge events or related harmful events (attempts to recharge a primary battery). Most electronic devices on the market today, which consume battery power, incorporate such a protection diode in series with a fuse. If no protection diode or fuse exist on the battery, these can usually be added with minimal impact to the battery. Further, due to additional power requirements, some end-use applications require more than one battery. When one or more batteries in electrical connection with each other are used, the combination is generally known as a "battery string". Those skilled in the art know that the term "battery" includes one or more batteries.
Most users of a battery, however, do not take advantage of all power remaining in the battery because there is no convenient, economical or highly accurate way to monitor the power level in the battery. Rather, users are apt to replace the battery or continuously recharge them in an attempt to maintain adequate power for an end-use application (or "load"). Successive replacement of batteries prior to consumption of all available power is cost inefficient. Continuously recharging the batteries may result in what is known as the "memory effect", wherein the battery's ability to retain charge diminishes significantly over time.
Portable devices exist for measuring the charge capacity available on a battery. However, such measuring devices are expensive, are usually larger than the batteries themselves, and do not provide the level of accuracy required for many end-use applications (such as, for example, military equipment).
Smaller devices exist that are capable of monitoring the discharge rate of a battery. An example of such a battery capacity discharge monitor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,898 to Atwater et al. A diagram of the Atwater et al. device is shown in FIG. 1. The device of Atwater et al. includes a sense resistor of minimal resistive force, sense circuitry, counter circuitry and miscellaneous logic circuitry. In order to determine the amount of power capacity remaining in a high-powered battery system, the Atwater et al. device monitors the current flow from the battery to an attached load through the sensing resistor. In operation, the sensing resistor is placed in serial electrical connection with the battery (or batteries connected in series). When voltage is detected across the sensing resistor due to the presence of a load on the battery, the voltage signal is then amplified and integrated over time to obtain an average current value. The resulting integrated signal is then applied to a capacitor in the miscellaneous logic for storage. Whenever a predetermined threshold voltage is achieved across the capacitor, the sense circuitry operates to discharge the capacitor and increase the value in the counter circuitry. When the capacitor is discharged, this event represents the discharge of one coulomb of power from the battery. Atwater et al.'s counter circuitry maintains count of the number of discharge cycles (or, the number of coulombs of power removed from the battery). The counter circuitry is electrically connected to light emitting diodes to indirectly represent the amount of power dissipated from the battery.
Circuitry that senses the discharge rate from a battery, such as that disclosed by Atwater et al., is deficient for several reasons. First, a power-discharge sensing circuit contributes greatly to the amount of power dissipated from the battery being monitored because the voltage across the sensing resistor must be continuously monitored. While this problem may not exist with high-power batteries, problems do exist in those instances where the end-use application requires lower power batteries.
Second, high-power discharge sensing circuits, like that disclosed in Atwater et al., require active (e.g., always "ON") circuitry to enable the sense circuitry and counter circuitry to operate. Such active circuitry is purposely designed to continuously draw power from the battery, and is not easily disabled because the circuitry is located in a housing with the battery. Thus, in order to operate, these circuits require continuous power from the same power source these circuits are designed to monitor. Such continuous consumption of power contributes or greatly reduces the operable life of the battery. Third, these types of battery sensing methods incorporate electronic components which draw a large amount of current from the battery, whether a load is placed on the battery or not. Finally, discrete MOSFETs used in these circuits are expensive.

Power source monitoring arrangement and method having low power consumption


A modular implant for stabilizing the relative motion of spinal vertebrae comprises at least two pairs of plates which connect to two adjacent spinous processes, a spacer configured to be positioned between the spinous processes, and a fastener which pivotably connects to the plates and the spacer. The spacer is interchangeable and may comprise a variety of materials, each providing a different level of elasticity to the spinous processes. Relative motion between vertebrae can also be controlled by varying the surface configuration of the plates and by varying threading of the fastener. Several implants may be linked to provide stabilization across multiple vertebral levels, and the relative motion provided at each vertebral level may differ. A method for revising the implant is provided which comprises accessing the implant and replacing the spacer.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to spinal orthopedics, and more specifically, to posterior implants designed to dynamically stabilize or immobilize one or more spinal motion segments.
2. The Relevant Technology
Orthopedic medicine provides a wide array of implants that can be attached to bone to alleviate various pathologies. Due to the degeneration of spinal tissues, it can be desirable to dynamically stabilize, or even immobilize, adjacent vertebral levels. Unfortunately, currently available implants are often usable only to treat a very narrow range of pathologies. Many such devices are also bulky, difficult to implant, or difficult to revise. There is a need in the art for posterior spinal implants capable of providing dynamic stabilization at a desired level of stiffness so that a variety of pathologies can be treated via first implantation or revision.

System and method for segmentally modular spinal plating


A mat is produced from a single length of rope or other flexible member using a holder assembly which releasably clamps an end of each of a plurality of hollow tubular members. Warp lengths are formed over the clamped tubular members by alternately weaving the lead end of the flexible member over and under adjacent tubes, thereby forming respective groups of aligned loops thereon, until a desired width is obtained. The ends of the tubular members are unclamped from the holder assembly and weft lengths are formed by pushing or drawing the flexible member through the tubular members. A tube is removed from its position within a corresponding group of aligned loops when the pushed lead end emerges therefrom. The ends of the flexible member are wedged alongside a respective weft length to prevent unravelling of the mat.

The present invention relates to a method of forming a mat or other floor covering from a rope or other flexible member formed of strands, and an apparatus for performing the same.
Floor coverings, such as rugs or door mats are made using a Wide variety of materials and using a wide variety of techniques. Some mat designs, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,686,303, example, utilize a plurality of individual rigid frame members interconnected by flexible strands of yarn or cord. Others, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 685,916 to Gawne et al, utilize a woven wire mesh having a length of rope interlaced therein. Such composite designs are often relatively expensive to manufacture since the various materials required may be costly. Further the very features which give them their utility also make them rather unattractive.
Therefore, in order to provide door mats which are sufficiently decorative and aesthetically pleasing, it is still desirable to make available mats and the like which are woven from one or more lengths of rope or other stranded members. Heretofore, however, the manner in which such decorative mats are made has remained essentially unchanged for centuries. Each mat is manually woven by arranging a section of rope into a group of parallel lengths on a flat support surface and then interlocking them by alternately going over and under them with the free end of the rope. As should be readily apparent, the disadvantage of weaving the mat using this technique is that it is very time consuming. Further, the rope ends of mats produced in this manner must be secured by adhesive or by some mechanical fastening means such as a staple or clip to prevent them from becoming "unwoven" during use.

Hand weaving frame for forming a floor mat


A system and a method for conducting credit card transactions through a mobile device of a user. The mobile device comprises an image acquisition unit and a mobile application operated by the mobile device. The system enables acquiring an image of a client's credit card, using the image acquisition unit; analyzing data of the image; outputting details of the credit card from the analysis; verifying the output details, wherein the verification is further carried out through the mobile application; verifying authorization of inputted monetary transaction, wherein the mobile application enables verifying the authorization by communicating with the billing center, associated with at least one credit company associated with the credit card over at least one communication network, wherein the communication is carried out by the mobile application using the mobile device; and conducting monetary transactions using the verified credit card details.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of applications for mobile devices and more particularly to systems and methods for conducting credit card transactions through mobile devices.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Sale points that allow customers to purchase products and services using the customers' credit cards are usually stationary. Credit card based monetary transactions are usually carried out by systems that can either read data from a magnetic strap attached to the card enabling the system to read details of the card for identification or by mechanically inputting the card number and other card details such as the name of the card owner and the expiry date of the card, which are usually printed or engraved on one surface of the card as well as the Card Verification Value Code (CVV or CVC) which is usually printed or engraved in the back surface of the card.
Mobile sale points can be achieved by allowing using mobile devices such as cell phones, PDA devices etc. for managing transactions using customers credit cards.
The following patents and patent applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety:
U.S. Patent Publication No. US20050009564 discloses a communication system that enables addition of a function for use of credit card settlement services to a portable information terminal. In this system, if a user brings his credit card close to the portable information terminal, the portable information terminal reads a card ID stored in a contactless IC card provided in the credit card. Then, the card ID is transmitted to a card management system which checks whether or not the card ID is valid. If confirming that the card ID is valid, the card management system instructs the portable information terminal to write the card ID thereto. If the user places an order of a merchandise, the card ID written to the portable information terminal is provided therefrom to use credit card settlement services.
WIPO Publication No. WO03047208 discloses a method of transacting financial transactions using a handheld internet network data enabled wireless device. The method comprises: receiving transaction information from the wireless device; forwarding the transaction information to a financial transaction server for processing; receiving information from the transaction server on the successful processing or otherwise of the transaction and sending information on the successful processing or otherwise of the transaction to the wireless device. The steps of receiving and sending information to and from the wireless device are conducted using an internet network data protocol. The wireless device has a unique identifier which is transmitted to the server.
WIPO Publication No. WO2005066907 discloses a system in which financial transactions are authorized over a mobile phone by recording the data required for a transaction in a secure database, registering the users phone number, and registering a PIN differing from the users other PINs to authorize a transaction only from the registered phone number. Limitations may be placed on the type of transactions available from various phone systems.
Korean Patent Document No. KR20020011052 discloses a mobile system having a fingerprint sensor added to a conventional internet terminal such as a PDA, a smart phone, a notebook, where the system enables a user to make a credit card payment without a credit card by using a member ID, a password and a fingerprint data. The user purchases a commodity at an affiliated store and makes a credit card payment, the system installed at the store performs steps of making an access to the internet, enabling the user to select a credit card company or a bank, inputting an identification number or payment amount, inputting fingerprint data, requesting an approval to a server of the selected credit card company, receiving the approval result, and printing a payment slip.

Mobile phone payment system using integrated camera credit card reader