Each of picture elements comprises an input transistor for accepting a signal current from a data line when a scanning line is selected, a conversion transistor for converting the signal current into a voltage and for holding thus converted voltage, and a drive transistor for driving a light emitting device with drive current corresponding to the converted voltage. The conversion transistor flows the signal current to its channel to generate the voltage corresponding to the converted voltage and a capacitor to restrain the generated voltage. Further the drive transistor flows the drive current corresponding to the voltage stored in the capacitor. In this case the threshold voltage of the drive transistor is set not to be smaller than the threshold voltage of the conversion transistor, and thereby a leakage current flowing through the light emitting device is suppressed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a display apparatus which employs a plurality of light emitting elements such as organic electro-luminescence elements that are controlled in their intensity by currents flowing through each picture element. This invention is particularly relates to a display apparatus of a so-called active matrix type display apparatus in which an amount of current supplied to each light emitting element is controlled with active elements such as insulated gate type field effect transistors equipped in each picture element. This invention further relates to a drive circuit to be applied to such active matrix type display apparatus, wherein leakage current of sub-threshold level flowing through the insulated gate type field effect transistors is effectively suppressed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in a picture display apparatus of an active matrix type, a plurality of picture elements are arranged in a matrix form, and a video image is displayed by controlling intensity of each picture element according to given intensity information of the video image. A transmission factor of each picture element changes according to an applied voltage to each picture element when a liquid crystal device is used as an electro-optic material. In the picture display apparatus of the active matrix type employing organic materials as the electro-optic materials, the operation thereof is similar to the operation of the liquid crystal device. However different from the liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display is a so-called self-radiation type display having a light emitting device at each picture element, so that the EL display has advantages over the liquid crystal device as follows. Namely, a visibility of a video image is higher, a back-light is not necessary and a response speed thereof is faster than that of the liquid crystal display. Intensity of the individual light emitting device of the organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display is controlled by the amount of drive current. Namely, the organic EL display is greatly different from the liquid crystal display in the point that the light emitting device is a current control type or a current drive type element.
Similar to the liquid crystal display, the organic EL display can possibly take both a simple matrix type and an active matrix type as the drive system. In the simple matrix type drive system, the construction thereof is simple, but it is difficult to apply a large-scale display and a high definition display. Accordingly the development for the active matrix system is more active than for the simple matrix type system. In the active matrix system, the current flowing through the light emitting device of each picture element is controlled with an active element (Thin Film type Transistor (TFT) which is one of an insulated gate type field effect transistor) fabricated in the picture element. An example of one picture element in the organic EL display of this active matrix system is depicted in FIG. 6 as an equivalent circuit. Each picture element comprises a light emitting device OLED, a first thin film transistor TFT 1, a second thin film transistor TFT 2 and a retention capacitor C. The light emitting device is an organic electro-luminescence (EL) element. The most of the organic Electro-luminescence device has a rectification characteristic so that the EL element can be called an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) device, and in this FIG. 6, a sign of a diode device is applied to a sign for the light emitting device OLED. The light emitting device is not limited to the OLED device, and another type light emitting element can be applied if the intensity of such element is controlled by the drive current flowing through the element. In addition, as the light emitting device, the rectification characteristic is not always demanded. In the figure, a source electrode of the P-channel type transistor TFT 2 is connected to a Vdd (power potential), a cathode electrode of the light emitting device OLED is connected to ground potential and an anode electrode of the light emitting device OLED is connected to a drain electrode of the P-channel type transistor TFT 2. On the other hand, a gate electrode of the N-channel type transistor TFT 1 is connected to a scanning line SCAN, a source electrode thereof is connected to a data line DATA and a drain electrode thereof is connected to both the retention capacitor C and a gate electrode of the transistor TFT 2.
At first the scanning line SCAN is made in selected status in order to drive the picture element, then a data potential (signal voltage) Vw representing an intensity information is given to the data line DATA. Then the transistor TFT 1 is made ON, thereby the retention capacitor C charges or discharges and a gate potential of the transistor TFT 2 becomes the data potential Vw. After that, the scanning line SCAN is made in non-selected status, and the transistor TFT 1 is accordingly made OFF. In this case, the transistor TFT 2 is separated electrically from the data line DATA, but the gate potential of the transistor TFT 2 is maintained stable by virtue of the retention capacitor C. A current flowing through the light emitting device OLED by way of the transistor TFT 2 corresponds to a value of a gate-source voltage Vgs of the transistor TFT 2, so that the light emitting device OLED continues to emit light with the intensity corresponding to the current amount supplied through the transistor TFT 2.
By the way, a current Ids flowing between the drain-source of the transistor TFT 2 is a drive current to be supplied to the light emitting device OLED. When the transistor TFT 2 works in a saturation range, the drive current Ids is shown with a following expression.
Ids=xcexcxc3x97Coxxc3x97W/Lxc3x97(Vgsxe2x88x92Vth)2/2
=xcexcxc3x97 Coxxc3x97W/Lxc3x97(Vwxe2x88x92Vth)2/2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
Where the Cox is a gate capacitance of an unit area, and the Cox is given with the following expression.
Cox=∈0xc3x97∈r/dxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(2)
In these expressions (1) and (2), Vth shows a threshold voltage of the transistor TFT 2, xcexc shows a mobility of a carrier, the W shows a channel width, L shows a channel length, ∈0 shows an electric constant, the ∈ r shows a relative permittivity of a gate insulator film and the d is a thickness of the gate insulator film.
According to the expression (1), the drive current Ids can be controlled by the data potential Vw to be applied to the picture element. As a result, the intensity of the light emitting device OLED can be controlled in accordance with the drive current Ids. The reason for operating the transistor TFT 2 in the saturation range is explained as follows. Namely the drive current Ids is controlled only by the gate-source voltage Vgs of the transistor TFT 2 in the saturation range, and the drive current Ids does not depend on the drain-source voltage Vds of the transistor TFT 2. Namely, even if the drain-source voltage Vds of the transistor TFT 2 changes by characteristic dispersion of the light emitting device OLED, a predetermined amount of the drive current Ids can be stably supplied to the light emitting device OLED.
As above described, in the circuit structure of the picture element as shown in FIG. 6, once the light emitting device OLED is supplied the signal voltage Vw, the light emitting device OLED continues to emit light with a constant intensity during one scan cycle (one frame) until the writing voltage is renewed next. As shown in FIG. 7, the active matrix type display apparatus is constituted by arranging a plurality of the picture elements, such as depicted in FIG. 6, in a matrix form. In the conventional active matrix type display apparatus; as shown in FIG. 7, scanning lines SCAN-1 to SCAN-N for selecting one picture element 25 with a predetermined scanning cycle (one frame of the NTSC standard) and data lines DATA for giving intensity information (the data potential Vw) to one picture element 25 are arranged in a matrix form. The scanning lines SCAN-1 to SCAN-N are connected to a scanning line drive circuit 21, and data lines DATA are connected to a data line drive circuit 22.
A desired video image can be displayed by repeating the supply of the data potential Vw through the data lines DATA by the data line drive circuit 22 while selecting scanning lines SCAN-1 to SCAN-N by the scanning line drive circuit 21. In a simple matrix type display apparatus, the light emitting device emits light at the moment when selected, but in a active matrix type display apparatus as shown in FIG. 7, the light emitting device of each picture element 25 continues to emit light even after finishing the selection, thereby a total amount of the drive current can be reduced in the active matrix type display apparatus compared with the simple matrix type display apparatus and this becomes profitable with a display apparatus of, in particular, a large-sized and a high definition type. Generally, in the active matrix type organic EL display, a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) device formed on the glass substrate is utilized as an active element, and this depends on the next reason. Namely, as the organic EL display is a direct viewing type display, the size of the display becomes comparatively large. Therefore it is not realistic to use a single crystal silicon substrate for fabricating an active element for the display due to the production cost the constraint of production facility.
Accordingly, in the active matrix type organic EL display, a comparatively large-sized glass substrate is used, and it is normal that the TFT device that is comparatively easy to form on the glass substrate is used as an active element. However, amorphous silicon and poly-silicon used for fabricating the TFT device show bad crystallization characteristics compared with single crystal silicon and controllability of conduction mechanism is bad, so that a fabricated TFT device shows a relatively large dispersion of characteristic. Particularly in the case where a poly-silicon TFT device is formed on a relatively large-sized glass substrate, a laser annealer is usually employed in order to avoid a problem of heat transformation of the glass substrate. But in this case, it is difficult to uniformly irradiate laser energy on the large-sized glass substrate, so that dispersion by the place for crystalline condition of poly-silicon is not avoided.
As a result, the threshold voltage Vth of the TFT device for a picture element shows a dispersion of several hundreds mV, or even more than 1V among the TFT devices formed on the same substrate. In this case, even if, for example, the same signal voltage Vw is supplied to different picture elements, the drive current Ids flowing through each OLED device differs from a desired value depending on the aforesaid expression (1) due to the dispersion of the threshold voltage Vth of the TFT device, so that as a result it can not be expected to obtain a display apparatus of high picture quality at all. This can say about dispersion of a carrier mobility xcexc and each parameter of the expression (1) are similar in addition to the threshold voltage Vth. In addition, the dispersion of each parameter as mentioned above is affected not only by the dispersion between the picture elements, but also affected by fabrication lot, every manufacturing lot or every product to some extent. In this case, it is necessary to decide setting for the signal voltage Vw in order to flow desired drive current Ids according to the completion of a product based on the parameters of the expression (1). But this is not only unrealistic in a mass production process of the display apparatus, but also very difficult to take measures to meet the situation for the change in characteristic drift of the TFT device by environmental temperature and change in properties with time for the TFT device produced by activity of a long term use.
This invention is producted to overcome the above-described problems and relates to an active matrix type display apparatus, a drive circuit for a picture element of the display apparatus and driving method to such an active matrix type display apparatus. One object of the invention is to present a new display apparatus capable of displaying a high quality image by supplying stable and precise desired drive current to a light emitting device of each picture element in spite of the characteristic dispersion of each active device of the picture element. In particular by suppressing leakage current of the sub-threshold level flowing through a transistor TFT (Thin Film Transistor) which drives an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) device, the drive circuit of the invention prevents slight luminescence of the picture element by the leakage current.
In order to achieve the above object, the followings are applied. Namely a display apparatus of the present invention comprises a scanning line drive circuit for sequentially selecting scanning lines, a data line drive circuit which contains a current source for generating signal current having a current level corresponding to an intensity information and for supplying thus generated signal current sequentially to the data lines, and a plurality of picture elements each having a light emitting device of a current drive type which emits light with a supply of drive current, wherein the picture element is provided at each cross point of the data line and the scanning line. Each picture element comprises an accept section for accepting signal currents from a corresponding data line when selected, a converting section for converting accepted signal current once into a corresponding voltage level and restoring the voltage level and a drive section for supplying a drive current having a current level corresponding to the restored voltage level to the corresponding light emitting device. Further, the converting section includes the conversion, thin film transistor having a gate electrode, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a channel and a capacitor connected to the gate electrode of the transistor. The above mentioned conversion, thin film transistor generates at the gate electrode the voltage level converted by flowing through the channel the signal current taken through the accept section, and the capacitor holds the voltage level generated at the gate electrode. Furthermore, the above mentioned drive, section contains the drive, thin film transistor including a gate electrode, a drain electrode, a source electrode and a channel and the drive thin film transistor supplies, through the channel, the drive current to the light emitting device, wherein the drive current has a current level corresponding to the voltage level stored in the capacitor and accepted at the gate electrode of the transistor. The threshold voltage of the drive, thin film transistor is set not to become lower than the threshold voltage of the conversion thin film transistor corresponding to the picture element. To be concrete, the gate length of the drive, thin film transistor is set not to be shorter than the gate length of the conversion thin film transistor. Or, the thickness of a gate insulator of the drive, thin film transistor may be set not to be thinner than the thickness of the gate insulator of the conversion, thin film transistor, corresponding to the picture element. Further, the threshold voltage of the drive, thin film transistor may be set not to be lower than the threshold voltage of the conversion, thin film transistor corresponding to the picture element by adjusting the impurity density injected in the channel of the drive, thin film transistor. Preferably, the drive, thin film, insulated gate type, field effect transistor works in the saturation range and supplies drive current corresponding to the difference between the threshold voltage and the voltage level given to the gate electrode into the light emitting device. Further, a current mirror circuit is constituted by directly connecting the gate electrode of the drive, thin film transistor to the gate electrode of the conversion, thin film transistor, so that the current level of the signal current and the current level of the drive current are made to be a proportional relation. Further, the above mentioned accept section includes the switch, thin film transistor interposed between the drain electrode and the gate electrode of the conversion, thin film transistor and this switch thin film transistor is made ON when the current level of the signal current is converted into the voltage level, and generates at the gate electrode of the conversion, thin film transistor a voltage level referenced with the source electrode by electrically connecting the gate electrode and the drain electrode of the conversion, thin film transistor. Preferably, the organic electro-luminescence device (OLED) is employed as the light emitting device, and a thin film transistor (TFT), in which the source, the drain and the channel are formed with poly-crystal semiconductor thin films, is employed as the drive, insulated gate type, field effect transistor (FET) and the conversion, insulated, gate type field effect transistor.
A picture element drive circuit of this invention has the following features. Firstly, a writing of intensity information to the picture element is done by supplying the signal current corresponding to the intensity into the data line, and the signal current flows through the source-drain of the conversion, insulated, gate type, field effect transistor in the picture element and thereby generates a gate-source voltage corresponding to the signal current. Secondly, thus generated, gate-source voltage, or the gate voltage, is retained in an operation of the capacitance formed in the picture element or a capacitance existing parasitically, and is kept within a predetermined interval even after the completion of the writing of the intensity information to the picture element. Thirdly, the current flowing through the OLED device is controlled by the conversion, insulated gate type, field effect transistor connected thereto in series or the drive insulated gate type, field effect transistor that is in provided in addition in the picture element, and the gate electrode thereof is connected to the gate electrode of the conversion, field effect transistor. In this case, the gate-source voltage, upon driving the OLED device, is approximately equal to the gate-source voltage of the conversion, field effect transistor generated due to the above described first feature. Fourthly, the data line and the picture element are connected by the input, insulated, gate type, field effect transistor, which is controlled by a first scanning line, and the gate-drain of the conversion, insulated gate type, field effect transistor is short-circuited by the switch, insulated gate type, field effect transistor controlled by a second scanning line. Namely, by summing up the above described features, the most important feature is that the intensity information is given in the form of voltage a value in the conventional case, but the intensity information is given in the form of a current value, namely it is the current writing type in the display apparatus of the present invention.
Namely the object of the present invention is to flow a desired current precisely to the OLED device in spite of the characteristic dispersion of the transistor TFT as described already, the reason why this object can be achieved by the first to fourth features will be explained next. In the following explanation, the conversion insulated gate type field effect transistor is called a transistor TFT 1, the drive insulated gate type field effect transistor is called a transistor TFT 2, the input insulated gate type field effect transistor is called a transistor TFT 3 and the switch insulated gate type field effect transistor is called as a transistor TFT 4. But in the present invention, these transistors are not limited to thin film transistors, and an insulated gate type field effect transistor such as a single crystal silicon transistor made on a single crystal silicon substrate or a SOI (Silicon On Insulator) substrate can broadly adopt as an active element of the present invention. By the way, when writing the intensity information, the signal current to flow in the transistor TFT 1 is defined as a signal current Iw and as a result, voltage between the gate and the source electrodes of the transistor TFT 1 is defined as a voltage Vgs. The transistor TFT 1 works in the saturation range because the gate and drain electrodes of the transistor TFT 1 are short-circuited by the transistor TFT 4 during the writing operation. Thereby the signal current Iw is given with a following expression:
Iw=xcexc1xc3x97Cox1xc3x97W1/L1xc3x97(Vgsxe2x88x92Vth1)2 /2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(3)
Denotations of each parameter follow in the case of the aforesaid expression (1). When current flowing through the OLED is defined as Idrv, the Idrv current level is controlled by the thin film transistor TFT 2 connected to the OLED device in series. In this invention, the gate-source voltage of the transistor TFT 2 becomes the voltage Vgs in the expression (3), so that the following expression is established if the transistor TFT 2 works in its saturation range.
Idrv=xcexc2xc3x97Cox2xc3x97W2/L2xc3x97(Vgsxe2x88x92Vth2)2 /2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(4)
Denotations of each parameter follow it in the case of the aforesaid expression (1). Incidentally a condition for the thin film transistor of a insulated gate field effect type working in its saturation range is given with the following expression as the drain-source voltage of the thin film transistor is a voltage Vds:
|Vds| greater than |Vgsxe2x88x92Vth|xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(5)
The transistors TFT 1 and TFT 2 are formed close to each other within a small picture element, so that approximately xcexc1=xcexc2 and Coxl=Cox2, and accordingly it is thought Vth 1=Vth 2 as long as no-particular idea is introduced in fabrication. Then the following expression is derived easily from expression (3) and the expression (4):
Idrv/Iw=(W2/L2)/(W1/L1)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(6)
It is very common for the values of xcexc, Cox and Vth in expressions (3) and (4) to have dispersion among picture elements, display apparatus or product lot, but expression (6) does not include these parameters, so that the value of the Idrv/Iw does not depend on the dispersion of these parameters. If it is designed to be W1=W2 and L1=L2, the value of Idrv and the value of the Iw become the same value, namely Idrv/Iw=1. Namely the drive current Idrv flowing through the OLED device is precisely accorded with the signal current Iw in spite of the dispersion for the characteristics of these TFT devices, and thereby the luminescence intensity of the OLED device can be controlled precisely
As described above, the Vthl of the conversion transistor TFT 1 and the Vth2 of the drive transistor TFT 2 are basically the same, so that both the transistors TFT 1 and TFT 2 are to be made OFF when a signal voltage for cutting off is supplied to the respective gates of both transistors TFT 1 and TFT 2. But practically due to the dispersion of parameters in respective picture elements, sometimes the Vth2 goes down below the Vthl. In this case, a leakage current corresponding to the sub-threshold level flows through the drive transistor TFT 2, so that the OLED device shows a minute luminescence. Because of this minute luminescence, the contrast of the displayed image is lowered and the display characteristics are deteriorated. According to the present invention, it is particularly set that the threshold voltage Vth2 of the drive transistor TFT 2 does not become lower than the threshold voltage Vth1 of the corresponding conversion transistor TFT 1 within the picture element. For example the gate length L2 of the drive transistor TFT 2 is set to be longer than the gate length L1 of the conversion transistor TFT 1 in order to ensure that the threshold voltage Vth2 of the drive transistor TFT 2 does not become lower than the threshold voltage Vth1 of the corresponding conversion transistor TFT 1. Thereby it is possible to suppress the above mentioned minute leakage current and minute luminescence.

Active matrix type display apparatus and drive circuit thereof


Transferring data is disclosed. An indication to transfer an executable set of data to a destination device is received. A first set of data is transferred to the destination device. Transfer of a second set of data to the destination device is initiated. The first set of data is associated with the second set of data and is usable independent of the second set of data. The executable set of data is transferred to the destination device based at least in part on the second set of data.

Downloading data from a remote device can take a long time. Downloaded data can include an application produced by a software company and distributed through the company's website. Software companies may wish to reduce the transfer time perceived by a user during a download. If a user thinks a download is taking too long, he may become impatient and cancel the process. This may result in the latest version of the software company's application not being distributed to all interested users. Improved methods of downloading data would be useful.

Bootstrap approaches to downloading data in response to a download indication


A sensor comprises an optical modulator that generates a modulation signal, an interferometer that mixes an acoustic signal evoked by a pulsed laser with the modulation signal to down-convert the acoustic signal to lower frequencies, and a photodetector that detects the down-converted signal.

Technical and economic factors continue to drive the evolution of semiconductor processing equipment. The semiconductor industry demands fabrication machines with a capability to process semiconductor wafers at high speed with substantial uniformity and reliability. Integrated circuit fabrication commonly involves numerous process steps with fabrication machinery processing semiconductor wafers at high speed to create structural features with high precision. Measurements are commonly made between process steps to verify features are within tolerances demanding a capability to perform non-destructive inspection and analysis of semiconductor wafers.
Optical metrology is a highly useful technique for non-destructive analysis. Examples of optical metrology include ellipsometry, reflectometry, scatterometry, and others. Ellipsometry involves analysis of changes in polarization state of probe illumination. Reflectometry relates to analysis of changes in illumination intensity. Scatterometry is analysis of diffraction in response to illumination that creates optical scattering of a probe beam. As semiconductor geometries constantly evolve to smaller integrated circuit critical dimensions, optical interrogation wavelengths decrease.
Because the semiconductor fabrication process takes place in a strictly controlled environment, the impact of non-destructive analysis equipment and techniques on the environment is desired to be minimal. Accordingly, desired characteristics of analysis equipment include aspects such as small size, capability to remain conveniently located with respect to process chambers and equipment, capability to perform measurements and analysis without contacting the semiconductor wafers, and capability of remote control.


According to one embodiment, a card connector in which a card-shaped storage medium having card terminals is inserted so as to be extracted includes connector terminals configured to contact the card terminals and a terminal protecting member. The terminal protecting member includes a coated portion configured to maintain the connector terminals in a state of being in no contact with the card-shaped storage medium while the card-shaped storage medium is inserted in the card housing module up to contact positions where the card terminals contact the connector terminals.

In electronic apparatuses such as digital cameras, smartphones and cellphones, for example, card-shaped storage media such as SD cards are used as data storage media. The card-shaped storage media are configured to be inserted into or extracted from card connectors provided at the electronic apparatuses.
When a card-shaped storage medium is inserted into a card connector, a plurality of card terminals provided on the card-shaped storage medium are brought into contact with a plurality of connector terminals provided at the card connector.
Incidentally, according to the card-shaped storage medium, each card terminal is provided in a position recessed from a surface of the card-shaped storage medium. In other words, a stepped wall is formed at a boundary portion between each card terminal and the surface of the card type storage medium.
For this reason, when the card-shaped storage medium is inserted in or extracted from the card connector, each connector terminal often abuts on or engages with the stepped wall. As a result, each connector terminal may be bent or buckled.


In an electric power controller for vehicle mounting, an input voltage supplied through a harness and a threshold value are compared, and the input voltage applied to load is interrupted when the input voltage is smaller than the threshold value. The electric power controller for vehicle mounting includes a voltage drop detector for detecting a voltage drop amount of the harness; and a threshold value setting device in which a voltage provided by subtracting the voltage drop amount of the harness from a predetermined protecting voltage is set as the threshold value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric power controller for vehicle mounting, and particularly relates to a device for controlling electric power supply to load of large consumed electric power, especially, an electric power controller for vehicle mounting having a preventing function of a battery rise.
2. Description of the Related Art
In various electric mounting products mounted to a vehicle, considerably large electric power is consumed in e.g., an audio system of large output and a front illuminating light of a xenon system, etc. Therefore, a burden on the battery is large. Further, a commercial electric power converter (a machine for converting a battery voltage into commercial electric power of AC100V) able to use a domestic appliance such as television, etc. is also arranged in accordance with vehicles. The battery burden is also large when such a domestic appliance is used.
Therefore, when the electric mounting product and the electric product of large electric power consumption (these are generically called load in this specification) are used, for example, the battery voltage is monitored as shown in the following patent document 1. When this battery voltage is smaller than a predetermined reference voltage, electric power supply to the load is interrupted and the battery rise is prevented.
FIG. 4 is a view showing a conventional electric power controller for vehicle mounting. In this figure, a battery 1 can be charged by a dynamo 3 operated by an engine 2. A terminal voltage (hereinafter called battery voltage Vb) of the battery 1 is supplied to load 6 through a harness 4 and an electric power controller 5.
The electric power controller 5 interrupts an electric current i when an input voltage is smaller than a predetermined judging reference voltage (hereinafter called a threshold value SL). For example, the load 6 is an audio system of large output, a front illuminating light of a xenon system, etc. or a domestic appliance such as television, etc. in accordance with the above illustration. However, when the load 6 is set to the domestic appliance, the electric power controller 5 is also used as a commercial electric power converter. Namely, in this case, in addition to the above electric current interrupting function, the electric power controller 5 can convert voltage Vb_in of a load side terminal of the harness 4 into commercial electric power of AC100V and supply this commercial electric power to the load 6.
Here, when a lowest voltage of the battery 1 required to start the engine 2 is set to be called a protecting voltage Vh, the electric current i to the load 6 is interrupted to protect the battery 1 when the battery voltage Vb is smaller than the protecting voltage Vh. Accordingly, it seems that it is sufficient to set the threshold value SL of the electric power controller 5 to the same value as the protecting voltage Vh. However, in reality, the threshold value SL must be set to a value lower by a certain voltage than the protecting voltage Vh. This is because an input voltage of the electric power controller 5 is voltage Vb_in of the load side terminal of the harness 4, and this voltage Vb_in is lower than the battery voltage Vb by a voltage given by a product (ixR) of the electric current (electric current i flowed to the load 6) flowed to the harness 4 and a resistance value R of the harness 4. The voltage given by this ixR is next called a correction voltage Ref.
For example, in the prior art described in the following patent document 1, when an electric power voltage (corresponding to the above voltage Vb_in) of a direct current power source (corresponding to the above battery 1) becomes lower than 6 V (corresponding to the above predetermined voltage SL), electric current supply to a high brightness discharge light (corresponding to the above load 6) is interrupted and this discharge light is turned off (see paragraph number [0041], etc. of the same document). In accordance with the above idea, the threshold value SL (=6V) in such a prior art is SL=Vh−Ref. Accordingly, for example, if i=10A and R=0.2Ω, Ref=ixR=2V is formed and 6V=Vh−2V, therefore, Vh=8V is formed. Accordingly, when the battery voltage Vb is smaller than 8V, the electric current i to the load 6 can be interrupted and the battery rise can be prevented.
[Patent document 1] JP-A-2004-273172
However, in the former electric power controller for vehicle mounting, there are the following problems since the threshold value SL is set to a fixed value set in advance.
As mentioned above, SL=Vh−Ref, and Vh is a tentative standard of battery protection so that Vh may be a fixed value. However, fixed Ref causes incongruence for the following reasons. Since Ref is given by the product (ixR) of the electric current i of the load 6 and the resistance value R of the harness 4, the actual ixR and the fixed Ref are not conformed when the load 6 is changed and the harness 4 is changed.
A first case of the unconformity is a case in which "Ref>actual ixR" is formed. In this case, if the difference between both the voltages is set to α, i.e., if Ref=(ixR)+α is set, the electric current i is interrupted when the battery voltage Vb is smaller than "protecting voltage Vh+voltage α". Therefore, the trouble that protecting ability of the battery is reduced by the voltage α and the battery rise is easily generated is finally caused.
On the other hand, a second case of the above unconformity is a case in which "Ref<actual ixR" is formed reversely to the above case. In this case, if the difference between both the voltages is α, i.e., if Ref=(ixR)−α is set, the electric current i is interrupted when the battery voltage Vb is smaller than "protecting voltage Vh−voltage α". Accordingly, in this case, a protecting function of the battery 1 is early fulfilled by the voltage α. Therefore, the trouble that performance (charging state) of the battery 1 is sufficient, but no load 6 can be used is caused.

Electric power controller for vehicle mounting


The present invention relates to an orally-administrable osteogenesis promoter, which comprises, as an active ingredient, a zinc salt or complex of L-carnosine, has excellent osteogenesis-accelerating action, and is extremely low in toxicity and side effects.

With advancing age, the bone mass decreases. In the younger generation, calcium in bones may also be congenitally or idiopathically abnormally absorbed in blood, so that calcium in bones is reduced and the bone mass is hence lowered, resulting in imperfect bone metabolism and osteogenesis.
Disordered bone metabolism and osteogenesis will bring about fracture, osteomalacia, osteoporosis and/or low back pain. In recent years, the aged people are rapidly increasing in the world and osteogenesis imperfecta increases correspondingly. Also, similar diseases are increasing in the younger generation due to calcium deficiency caused by the disproportionately eating habit.
Experimental markers for osteogenesis and calcification include measurements or determinations of calcium content, alkaline phosphatase activity and DNA content in bones. It is said that the formation and metabolism of bones are more active as these contents or levels in the bone increase.
Calcitonin and active vitamin D.sub.3 drugs have heretofore been used generally in medicinal therapy of diseases caused by imperfect osteogenesis. Besides, hormone drugs and calcium preparations are also used.
Although the calcitonin shows an excellent effect on pains in osteoporosis, it does not exhibit any effects when orally administrated because it is a peptide. Its only use as an injection is however accompanied by problems of inconvenient administration and pain upon its administration. On the other hand, the active vitamin D.sub.3 drugs are insufficient in effects such as bone-forming action and pain-alleviating action and involve such problems as bring about hypercalcemia.
Further, it has been shown in vivo [Metabolism, 35, 1044-1047 (1986); and Biochem. Pharmacol., 35, 773-777 (1986)] and in vitro [Biochem. Pharmacol., 36, 4007-4012 (1987); and ibid., 37, 4075-4080 (1988)] that zinc plays an important role as an activator for stimulation and calcification in osteogenesis. Furthermore, it has been shown that zinc stimulates bone protein synthesis [Biochem. Parmacol., 37, 4075-4080 (1988)].
However, pharmaceutical use of zinc has not been attained though it has been suggested that it has osteogenesis-accelerating action. Zinc itself involves a problem in points of absorption, metabolism and toxicity. There has thus been a demand for the development of a substance excellent in bone-forming property.
On the other hand, an L-carnosine zinc salt is a zinc salt of L-carnosine derived from beta-alanine and L-histidine. The salt has been known to have peptic ulcer-healing action (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 33270/1984) and preventing and healing action of hepatopathy (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 14728/1988). It has been suggested that inhibition of free-radical reaction (anti-active-oxygen action) participates in mechanism of anti-ulcer action [Journal of Japanese Digestive Disease Society, 85. Extra edition, 644 (1987)]. It has however been not known that the zinc salt or complex of L-carnosine has osteogenesis-accelerating action.
With the foregoing circumstances in view, the present inventors have carried out an extensive investigation. As a result, it has been found that the zinc salt or complex of L-carnosine has excellent osteogenesis-accelerating action, and an osteogenesis-accelerating agent comprising, as an active ingredient, this compound is extremely low in toxicity and side effects and useful in treating fracture, osteomalacia and the like, which are caused by a disorder of bone metabolism or osteogenesis, leading to completion of the present invention.


A device for protection of the occupants of a vehicle in the event of a side impact includes an inflatable bag (airbag (9)) placed in the side wall beneath a window in such a way that, in the activated state, it deploys in the direction extending between the occupant's head and the surface of the window. The window pane (15) is a compound glass pane which includes at least one glass sheet (16,17) and at least one intermediate layer (18) and which has an increased flexural strength because of the fact that: a) the layer (18) consists of a laminate composed of a core layer of an impact-resistant polymer, and of two thermoplastic adhesive layers, of polyvinyl butyral or of polyurethane, which are placed on both sides of the PET layer, or b) the layer (18) is made of a plastic having a Young's modulus at least equal to 20 MPa.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for protection of the occupants of a vehicle in the event of a side impact, which includes an inflatable bag called an airbag placed in the side wall of the vehicle.
2. Discussion of the Background
In the case of the known protection devices of the side wall type, the airbag is always placed in such a way that, in the activated state, it presses against one element of the bodywork, so that it can fulfil its protection function. Arrangements in which the airbag presses against a side window pane are, as a general rule, avoided. The basis for this is the fact that, in general, when the vehicle is in a collision the side window panes break and thereby expose the entire window opening, since they are normally made of safety glass consisting of a single sheet, which fragments into small pieces should it break. In the case of the known protection devices, these provide insufficient protection in the event of a side impact. A need, therefore, continues to exist for an improved device for protection of occupants of a vehicle in the event of a side wall impact.

Protection for the occupants of a vehicle in the event of a side impact


The invention relates to a single-portion package (1) for producing a beverage from a beverage concentrate, comprising a closable concentrate container (2) for holding the beverage concentrate. According to the invention, the single-portion package (1) has an extraction and mixing device (3), comprising: an extraction means (4a, 4b) for extracting the beverage concentrate from the concentrate container (2), a mixing chamber (5) for preparing the beverage from the beverage concentrate extracted from the concentrate container (2) and from a mixing liquid that can be supplied, an inlet (6) for letting the mixing liquid into the mixing chamber (5), and an outlet (7) for letting the beverage out of the mixing chamber (5).

Single-portion packages for coffee, for example, have been known for a long time. In order to dissolve the coffee in water, hot water is guided through the capsule under pressure.
In the last few years, single-portion packages for beverage concentrates, e.g., syrup or powder, have also come onto the market in which the beverage concentrate is mixed or dissolved completely in water or carbonated water.
Known from WO2013114346 are syrup capsules which are pressed onto a bottle already filled with carbonated water for emptying by hand. In this case, an inner seal membrane is pierced by means of piercing or cutting parts and the syrup runs due to gravity into the bottle which then needs to be shaken or at least pivoted. The bottle neck must also be dimensioned so that the capsule and the release mechanism fits on the bottle or is released correctly. The capsule is not suitable for beverage preparation machines.
US20110166910 describes a syrup capsule which is opened in a beverage preparation machine and thereby squeezed out. A disadvantage is that parts of the beverage preparation machine come in contact with the syrup and thus subsequent beverages could become contaminated with the preceding syrup (so-called cross-contamination), which in any case can be a problem for allergy sufferers.
Capsules are also known which are pierced from one side in beverage preparation machines similarly to the known coffee capsules in order to press the mixing liquid through the capsule and let it escape on the other side. Here also there is the risk of cross-contamination.

Single-portion package, use, and preparation machine


A video format converter for converting resolution of an input digital image to a different resolution includes an adder for adding the number of input pixels L to a feedback value, a modulo operation unit for allowing an output value of the adder as a numerator value to be feedback to the adder if the output value of the adder is smaller than the number of output pixels, but outputting a load signal so that a new data is loaded into them if the output value of the adder is greater than the number of output pixels M, and at the same time for outputting the remainder divided the output value of the adder by the number of output pixels to the adder, and a divider for performing division using the output value of the modulo operation unit as a numerator value and the number of output pixels as a denominator value and for outputting the resultant value as a weighted value xcex1. Since the video format converter has a simple structure, a small amount of hardware can be realized. Also, since there are provided various input/output formats, it is not necessary to correct hardware due to a newly added format. Since differences in color coordinate sampling and scanning types as well as format size are considered, all kinds of format conversion can be realized without addition of a separate hardware.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital video processor and more particularly to an apparatus for converting resolution of an input digital image to a different resolution.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A digital TV receives images of various types and resolution (or picture quality) such as a high definition grade and a standard definition grade. Also, it is expected that there are provided various types of display devices in a digital TV, such as an existing cathode ray tube (CRT) TV or projection TV adapted to an interlaced scanning type, and a liquid crystal display (LCD) and plasma display panel (PDP) adapted to a sequential scanning type. Thus, a digital TV requires a format converter which converts the type and size of images in compliance with the format of the display device.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a general format converter, in which a plurality of format converters are used in parallel to convert various input formats to a desired output format.
In other words, if a format of an input image is 1080xc3x971920 and a format of an output is also 1080xc3x971920, the input image is output through a multiplexer 16 as it is. By contrast, if a format of an input image 720xc3x971280, the input image is interpolated into 1080xc3x971920 by a vertical 2:3 interpolation unit 11 and a horizontal interpolation unit 12 among a plurality of format converters in parallel connected with one another and then is output through the multiplexer 16.
Also, if a format of an input image is 480xc3x97640 and a format of an output image is 1080xc3x971920, the input image is interpolated into 1080xc3x971920 by a vertical 4:9 interpolation unit 13 and a horizontal 3:8 interpolation unit 14 among a plurality of format converters in parallel connected with one another and then is output through the multiplexer 16.
Likewise, if a format of an input image is 480xc3x97640 and a format of an output image is 1080xc3x971920, the input image is interpolated into 1080xc3x971920 by the vertical 4:9 interpolation unit 13 and a horizontal 1:3 interpolation unit 15 among a plurality of format converters in parallel connected with one another and then is output through the multiplexer 16.
However, since a new format converter is required whenever a new input format is added, the size of hardware increases and correction of a circuit for a new input format or output format is not easy.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve at least the problems and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a format converter for facilitating conversion of input/output formats by hardware.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purposes of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a format converter includes a memory unit for temporarily storing an input image, a delay unit for delaying data output from the memory unit for the unit of line or pixel, and an operation unit for calculating a weighted value a per clock and applying the weighted value xcex1 to an output value of the memory unit and a delay value of the delay unit to obtain a new pixel value.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the operation unit includes a calculating unit for calculating the weighted value xcex1, a multiplier for multiplying a difference value between a pixel value delayed by the delay unit and a pixel value input through the memory unit by the weighted value xcex1, and an adder for adding a pixel value from the delay unit to an output value of the multiplier. The calculating unit includes an adder for adding the number of input pixels to a feedback value, a modulo operation unit for allowing an output value of the adder to be feedback to the adder and also outputting a load signal to the memory unit and the delay unit so that a new data is loaded into them if the output value of the adder is greater than the number of output pixels, and at the same time for outputting the remainder divided the output value of the adder by the number of output pixels to the adder, and a divider for performing division using the output value of the modulo operation unit as a numerator value and the number of output pixels as a denominator value and for outputting the resultant value as a weighted value xcex1.
Furthermore, the calculating unit includes an initial value generator for generating an initial value required for format conversion using information on scanning types, information on color coordinate sampling, and information on the number of input pixels and the number of output pixels, an addend generator for generating addend using information on scanning types, information on color coordinate sampling, and information on the number of input pixels, an adder for initially outputting a value generated by the initial value generator and then adding addend generated by the addend generator to a feedback value, a modulo operation unit for outputting an output value to the adder and also outputting a load signal to the memory unit and the delay unit so that a new data is loaded into them if the output value of the adder is greater than the number of output pixels, and at the same time for outputting the remainder divided the output value of the adder by the number of output pixels to the adder, and a divisor calculator for calculating a denominator value required for division using information scanning types, information on color coordinate sampling, and information on the number of output pixels, and a divider for performing division using the output value of the modulo operation unit as a numerator value and the output value of the divisor calculator as a denominator value and for outputting the resultant value as a weighted value xcex1.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.


A sliding member having more improved wear resistance is provided at a low cost. A sliding member is provided with: a substrate which is made of a nonwoven fabric; and a base resin which includes a phenol resin and which is impregnated into the substrate. The nonwoven fabric is preferably a bonded nonwoven fabric which is produced by a thermal bonding method, a binder method or the like and which has a strength that can tolerate the tension applied to the substrate in the step for producing the sliding member. It is preferable that the nonwoven fabric is made of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber which exhibits a high affinity for the phenol resin. Further, it is preferable that the phenol resin contains a chelating agent which can increase sites of crosslink with hydroxyl groups of the phenol resin.

PTL 1 discloses a sliding bearing which can maintain low friction without lubrication over a long period, against use at high load.
The sliding bearing is constructed by using a metal plate with a porous metal powder sintered layer formed on the surface as a backing material and by forming a sliding layer on the porous metal powder sintered layer of the backing material. The sliding layer is formed in the following procedures.
As a base resin of the sliding layer, a phenol resin is applied in a predetermined thickness onto the porous metal powder sintered layer of the backing material. A woven fabric is arranged thereupon as a substrate of the sliding layer. Then, by applying thermally curing to the phenol resin, the sliding layer is formed and is bonded to the porous metal powder sintered layer. Here, the woven fabric is made by twill-weaving or satin-weaving polytetrafluoroethylene (hereinafter referred to as PTFE) fibers and polyamide (hereinafter referred to as PA) fibers. The PTFE fibers are lubricant resin fibers, and the PA fibers are reinforced resin fibers with high adhesiveness to the phenol resin.


A portable grain moisture meter has a large 16 character digital display allowing an alphabetical list of grain selections to be selectably displayed in full text fonnat and subsequently tested for moisture content with the test results also displayed on the same display. The alphabetical display of grains may be changes to various differing languages with the alphabetical display remaining intact. Certain grains may be deleted from the alphabetical display to provide a sequential display of only frequently tested grains.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to grain moisture meter assemblies generally and particularly to portable grain moisture meters having multi-lingual digital displays for sequentially indicating in alphabetically order the full text of the particular grain being tested.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Portable grain testers utilizing the tested grain as a capacitance dielectric are known. Such devices utilize frequency attenuation through a constant volume of the dielectric as an indication of grain moisture. An example of such a device may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,781,673 and 3,761,810. These devices in some cases even provided a limited digital display of the moisture content of the tested grain. However, these displays were limited to the moisture reading and did not provide a full text complementary digital readout of the particular grain being tested nor did they provide any biasing of the grain moisture readout to allow the operator to calibrate his device to the device that will measure the moisture content of the grain when it is transported to the elevator for sale.
Since grain moisture sensors may be used by operators in the U.S. who are not as fluent in English as in some other language such as Spanish, a multi-lingual capability to provide readouts in various languages is helpful in the U.S. and the Canadian markets and is absolutely necessary for the use of the device in international markets such as Germany, France, Norway and others. It should be remembered that the advent of the common market in Europe and the increase in immigration in the U.S. will make for a more cosmopolitan multi-lingual population worldwide and thus require multi-lingual capabilities in various operator used instruments more and more desirable.
To date, there are no known portable grain moisture sensors that provide a selectively actuated multi-lingual display of instrument functions such as an alphabetically ordered sequential list of the grain being tested by the device.
Multi-lingual electronic circuitry is known for providing concurrent multi-lingual capability to multiple users of a distributed process control system. Examples of such systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,615,002 and 4,566,078. Also language pronunciation displays for various languages are known such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,682. However, none of these patents describe any sequentially actuated alphabetically ordered test material such as grain in a portable moisture sensor of the type needed in the present marketplace.
In view of the foregoing it will be seen that no known portable grain measuring devices or any other devices provided a sequential full text multi-lingual digital display of the grain being tested as was needed in the marketplace.

Multi-lingual portable grain moisture meter


In the low pressure zone (10) of a fuel injection system a fuel pressure damper (12) is provided which dampens pressure variations, especially such pressure variations that are caused by operation of a high-pressure fuel pump (16) mounted downstream of the low pressure zone (10). In the low pressure zone (10), the pressure profile is detected by a pressure sensor (14). The high-frequency components of the pressure profile detected by the pressure sensor (14) can be used to ascertain whether the fuel pressure damper (12) functions properly.

In the context of the present disclosure, the fuel injection systems concerned are used for injecting fuel into the cylinders of an internal combustion engine.
Without restricting its generality, the description of the state of the art and the invention based on it will refer to a high-pressure injection system, although these problems with the state of the art, and their solution according to the invention, also arise or have an effect in low-pressure injection.
A fuel injection system which works at a high-pressure is generally equipped with a fuel store ("rail"), which is filled with fuel by a high-pressure pump, and is thereby brought up to the pressure level required for high-pressure injection. The high-pressure pump itself is supplied with fuel by a low-pressure fuel pump which takes the fuel out of a fuel tank. From the fuel store, the fuel is introduced into the interior of the cylinder via injection valves.
In general, various measures can be adopted for controlling or regulating the fuel injection system. For example, in the low-pressure zone mechanical regulators can be used with return lines to the tank, and also regulating valves in the high-pressure zone.
Pressure pulsations in the low-pressure circuit are a problem. In the case of high-pressure fuel injection systems, these result primarily from the operation of the high-pressure pump, which is generally designed as a single-piston pump. But with low-pressure injection systems too, pulsations of this type can arise, for example from the injection operation. In order to attenuate these pulsations, in the low-pressure zone use can be made of a fuel pressure damper which, for example, is realized as a spring-loaded membrane. In general, a fuel pressure damper provides a compressible medium which absorbs pressure peaks and evens out pressure troughs, thus functioning overall as a buffer.
In the event of faults in the fuel pressure damper, in particular mechanical faults, pressure drops can occur in the low-pressure circuit. This can have a negative effect on the engine power, the emission values for the engine, and other parameters linked with the operation of the internal combustion engine.

Device and method for detecting malfunctions in a fuel injection system provided with a fuel pressure damper


An in situ system used for treating an oil and gas well drilling fluid and treating water after a well is completed. The system includes a fluid treatment unit used in a reserve pit and a water treatment unit disposed next to the pit. The fluid treatment unit includes a floating electrocoagulation unit in the reserve pit for destabilizing contaminates in the fluid and dropping out stable precipitates. The clear treated fluid is then pumped, using a submersible pump, to the water treatment unit. The water treatment includes a number of components including a pre-filter, an activated carbon filter and a heat exchanger for first treating the fluid. The filtered and heated fluid is then piped into a reverse osmosis unit for removing salt and any remaining minerals found therein. From the reverse osmosis unit, approximately 70 to 80% of the filtered water is cleaned and piped to a clean water storage tank for reuse. Reject water from the reverse osmosis unit is transferred to a water pre-heater and a primary and secondary distillation unit for converting the heated water to steam. The steam is now piped to a condenser where the steam is cooled to distilled, clean water. The remaining clean water from the condenser is now transferred to the clean water storage tank.

(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system and a method for treating wastewater from an oil and gas drilling operation and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an in situ system and method for treating an oil and gas well drilling fluid next to a drilling site and greatly reducing various types of contaminates held in suspension in the fluid and creating reusable water for addition drilling or discharge into a ground surface without violating any environmental state and federal regulations.
(b) Discussion of Prior Art
The treating and cleaning of drilling fluids from an oil and gas well drilling operation has long been a problem waiting for a solution. One typical solution is to allow the water to evaporate from a reserve pit next to the drilling rig. This solution can take years for the water to evaporate and prior to burying the remaining solids left in the pit. Also, animals and birds can be trapped in the pit during the time the pit is left open and exposed. There have been efforts employed to shorten the evaporation period by pumping the fluid through sprinklers. This effort works fairly well until the fluid becomes more and more viscous and the surface tension of the water becomes denser. At this time, less and less water evaporation occurs and the fluid becomes more dense until it can no longer be pumped effectively.
Chemical treatment of the drilling fluid can be employed to remove solids, but the water phase of the fluid is loaded with salt and dissolved minerals that make the water undesirable for further use. Solidification of the drilling fluid is an option, but this leaves a potential environmental danger if rain or surface water disturbs the site during subsequent time periods. Electrocoagulation has been employed in the past on drilling sites, but this method of treating the fluid leaves some of the minerals and almost all of the salt in the treated water.
Therefore and because the above-mentioned systems and methods are ineffective in removing all of the contaminates in a drilling fluid, there is no single technology that will solve the overall problem. The subject invention described herein uses a series of technologies to the solve the entire problem and convert the water from the drilling fluid into a very pure form that can be reused as a drilling fluid or discharged into the environment without damage thereto.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,613,202 to Herbst et al. and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,043,050, 5,423,962, 6,179,977, 6,241,861 and 6,746,593 to Herbst, the inventor of the subject invention, Robert J. Herbst describes different types of improved electrolytic, electrochemical and electrocoagulation water treatment processes for treating aqueous, contaminated solutions and precipitating various organic and inorganic materials suspended in the solution. The technology described in these patents is incorporated into various individual features of the subject in situ system and method of treating drilling fluids.
As mentioned above, none of the above mentioned prior art electrolytic, electrochemical and electrocoagulation systems and processes for treating wastewater disclose or teach individually or in combination the unique features of the subject invention which provides for treating large volumes of drilling fluids in situ with reliability and functionality not obtainable with other types of wastewater treatment systems.

Situ system and method for treating an oil and gas well drilling fluid


A method is provided for associating content objects with a database wherein the content objects are accessible over a network communication medium by a user. The method includes: receiving a suggestion for a new content object for addition to the database; approving the suggested content object; generating a list of information users desiring the approved content object; compelling an information provider to provide the desired content object based at least in part on demand identified by the generated list; and making the generated content object available to the database.

The storage and retrieval of information has evolved from storing and retrieving information in textbooks and libraries, to storing and retrieving information from online networks such as the Internet. More particularly, the recent adoption and acceptance of online networks such as the Internet has led to a significant increase in the availability of information to the general public. Users frequently access information from the Internet using a personal computer (PC) and a modem. With such a computer, a user can search through the world's best libraries, connect into computer systems located anywhere on the planet, and read online magazines. Furthermore, users can shop for almost anything, located nearly anywhere in the world. However, this greatly expanded capability to retrieve information has led to a syndrome that can best be characterized as "sipping information from a fire hose". As a result, users become overwhelmed and either fail to find the information they seek or they lose track of the information. As a result of losing track of the information, they cannot find it again at a later point in time. Several techniques have evolved in order to enable a user to collect desirable information from the Internet. However, each of these techniques falls far short of meeting the needs of information providers and information users.
More recently, the World Wide Web (WWW) has become the main vehicle for delivering information over the Internet to users. The World Wide Web (WWW) is a network system that enables easy access to distributed documents over the Internet using a client/server architecture. The World Wide Web provides an Internet facility that links documents locally and remotely. A Web document, referred to as a Web page, includes links in a page that let users jump from page to page (hypertext links) whether the pages are stored on the same server or on servers around the world. These Web pages are accessed and read via a Web browser such as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer.
A user often looks for information on the World Wide Web (WWW) during an online session using a Web search engine, such as AltaVista, Google, or Yahoo! In order to locate items of interest by way of hypertext links, many search engines gather information about content that is available on the Internet using Web crawlers. A Web crawler is a program that gathers information by following hypertext links that have been encountered by the program. The program sends a universal resource locator (URL), as well as document text, back to indexing software on the search engine for each encountered document. The indexing software extracts information from the documents. For example, words, document size and date of creation can be extracted by the indexing software. Such information has been organized into a database, typically based on the frequency of use of individual words present within a document. Accordingly, a keyword search that is implemented by a user with the search engine results in a database being searched, and a search result being generated without actually going directly to the World Wide Web (WWW). The search engine then generates a results page having hypertext links to the Web pages that were located in the database. A user then merely clicks on the link in order to go to the corresponding Web page. However, the World Wide Web (WWW) has merely increased the accessibility of large amounts of information to Internet users.
There is a need, therefore, to provide improvements in the way demand for information is identified, content is generated in response to a defined demand, and the way in which users access desired information.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for associating content objects with a database


A method for specifically inducing transient infertility or permanent sterility in a host animal by selective vaccination with specific zona pellucida proteins or immunocontraceptively active fragments thereof. Novel zona pellucida DNA sequences encoding specific zona pellucida proteins are disclosed.

The present invention relates to a method for inducing reproducible transient infertility or sterility in a mammal by inducing in that mammal antibodies directed to proteins found in the zona pellucida of that mammal's oocytes. The invention also relates to purified, isolated DNA sequences encoding the zona pellucida proteins herein designated "ZPA" and "ZPB" and "ZPC" from various mammalian species. The invention is further directed to pharmaceutical compositions capable of inducing antibody production in a subject mammal.
The zona pellucida (ZP) is a complex matrix surrounding the mammalian oocyte, formed of glycoproteins secreted by ovarian cells. Zona pellucida glycoproteins perform a variety of functions. For example, the mouse ZP proteins previously designated ZP2 and ZP3 are complexed into long filaments which are cross-linked by the protein designated ZP1 in the ZP matrix providing structural integrity to the matrix. Wassarman, P. M., Annu. Rev. Biochem. 57:415-442 (1988). In addition to its structural role, mouse ZP3 has been shown to be a sperm receptor in the ZP matrix. Bleil, J. P. and Wassarman, P. M., Cell 20: 873-882 (1980). Following binding of sperm to ZP3 and the subsequent induction of the sperm acrosome reaction on the surface of the ZP, ZP2 acts as a secondary sperm receptor that is necessary for the maintenance of sperm binding to the egg. Bleil et al., Dev. Biol. 128: 376-385 (1988). Because of its role in the maintenance of the oocyte and in sperm-oocyte interactions, the ZP represents a logical target for design of contraceptive agents which interfere with the fertilization process.
Various groups have undertaken an immunological approach in attempts to interfere with ZP functions and thus to decrease fertility in immunized animals. See, Dunbar et al. In: International Congress on Reproductive Immunology. T. Wegman and T. Gills (eds.). London: Oxford Press, pp. 505-528 (1983); and Dunbar et al. In: Mechanisms and Control of Animal Fertilization. J. Hartman (ed.) Academic Press, New York, pp. 139-166 (1983). These studies showed that active immunization of mammals with ovarian homogenates decreased fertility. However, the large number of components in such homogenates made the identification of antigens responsible for the decrease in fertility nearly impossible. In addition, the use of such a complex mixture creates a potential for unwanted and potentially harmful side-effects.
Research by various investigators using chromatographic methods including SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) have resulted in the identification of numerous zona pellucida proteins from a variety of mammalian species. Data compiled by Timmons and Dunbar in "Perspectives in Immunoreproduction: Conception and Contraception"; pp. 242-260, Mathur, S. and Fredericks, C. M. eds.; New York, Hemisphere Publishing Co (1988), as described below, illustrate examples of zona pellucida proteins that have been characterized.
Zona pellucida proteins isolated from pig include: PZI, a 40-110 kD protein isolated by Dunbar et al., Biol. Reprod. 24:1111 (1981); PZII, a 70-110 kD protein, PZIII, a 95-118 kD protein, and PZIV, an 18-25 kD protein, all isolated by Dunbar et al., Biol. Reprod. 32:619 (1985); 90K, a 89-119 kD protein, 65K, a 61-83 kD protein, 55K, a 47-66 kD protein, and 25K, an 18-26 kD protein, all isolated by Hedrick, J. L. and Wardrip, N. J. Biochem. 157: 63 (1986); ZP1, an 82-118 kD protein, ZP2, a 58-96 kD protein, ZP3 (PPZA), a 40-74 kD protein, and ZP4, a 21 kD protein, all isolated by Subramanian et al., Biol. Reprod. 24:933 (1981); 87K (ZP1I/ZP2), a 77-97 kD protein, 58K, a 40-70 kD protein both isolated by Yurewicz et al., Biol. Reprod. 29: 511 (1983); deglycosylated PZI, a 35 kD protein; PZII, a 55 kD protein; and PZIII, an 80 kD protein all isolated by Skinner and Dunbar as described in Immunological Approaches to Contraception and the Promotion of Fertility, G. P. Talwar (ed.) New York: Plenum pp. 251-268 (1986); and deglycosylated ZP3 having a molecular weight of 45 kD isolated by Sacco et al., J. Reprod. Fertil. 76:575 (1986).
Isolated rabbit zona pellucida proteins include: RZI, RZII, and RZIII, having molecular weights of 68-125 kD, 80-100.5 kD, and 100-132 kD respectively, all isolated by Dunbar et al., Biol. Reprod. 24:1111 (1986); ZP1, ZP2, and ZP3 having molecular weights of 100-118 kD, 83-110 kD, and 80-92 kD respectively, all isolated by Sacco et al., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 167:318 (1981); deglycosylated RZI, and RZII having molecular weights of 65 kD, and 80 kD respectively, both isolated by Skinner and Dunbar and described in Immunological Approaches to Contraception and Promotion of Fertility. G. P. Talwar (ed.). New York: Plenum, pp. 251-268 (1986); and deglycosylated RZIII, a 90 kD protein isolated by Timmons and Dunbar, Biol. Reprod. 36: 1275 (1987).
A number of mouse zona pellucida proteins have been isolated including: ZP1, ZP2, and ZP3 having molecular weights of 200 kD, 120 kD, and 83 kD respectively, all isolated by Bleil and Wassarman Dev. Biol. 76:185 (1980); and ZP1 and ZP2 having molecular weights of 166-122 kD and 90-92 kD respectively, isolated by Sacco et al., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 167: 318 (1981). The differences in the molecular weights of mouse ZP1 and ZP2 as reported by Bleil et al. and Sacco et al. may be due to the fact that Bleil used 2D-PAGE under non-reducing conditions while Sacco used 2D-PAGE under reducing conditions.
The cat zona pellucida proteins CZI and CZII were isolated by Maresh and Dunbar J. Exp. Zool. 244:299 (1987) and have molecular weights of 50-110 kD and 90-110 kD respectively.
Maresh and Dunbar J. Exp. Zool. 244:299 (1987), have also isolated the dog zona pellucida proteins DZI, DZII, and DZIII which have molecular weights of 50-110 kD, 70-95 kD, and 90-100 kD respectively.
Sacco et al., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 167:318 (1981) described squirrel monkey ZP1, ZP2, ZP3, and ZP4 having molecular weights of 63-78 kD, 63-70 kD, 47-51 kD, and 43-47 kD respectively. In the same publication Sacco et al. described human ZP1, ZP2, and ZP3 having molecular weights of 80-120 kD, 73 kD, and 59-65 kD respectively.
To date, few mammalian zona pellucida genes or proteins have been isolated and sequenced. None has been successfully used to produce an effective immunocontraceptive. A lack of consensus among those of skill in the art regarding the number and characteristics (e.g. molecular weight) of proteins present in the zona pellucida of various mammalian species, and difficulties in purifying these heavily glycosylated proteins have hampered attempts to utilize zona pellucida proteins to produce an effective immunocontraceptive with predictable function.
A number of groups have had success in cloning cDNAs or genes encoding various mammalian zona pellucida proteins.
Ringuette et al., Dev. Biol., 127:287-295 (1988) and Liang et al., Mol. Cell. Biol., 10:1507-1515 (1990), reported cloning of mouse DNA encoding zona pellucida proteins ZP3 and ZP2, respectively. The clones were obtained by screening mouse cDNA libraries with anti-ZP3 and anti-ZP2 antibodies. No sequence homology was found between mouse ZP3 and ZP2.
Ringuette et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 83:4341-4345 (1986), reported isolation of a partial cDNA clone for mouse ZP3, which clone hybridized with total genomic DNA of mouse, rat, dog, cow, and human, but not with pig or rabbit genomic DNA unless the hybridization was performed at very low stringency. The full length ZP3 cDNA characterized by Ringuette Dev. Biol. 127:287-295(1988) represents a germ-line specific mRNA having relatively short 5' and 3' untranslated regions and an open reading frame of about 1317 nucleotides with an additional 200-300 nucleotide poly-A tail. Ringuette also found that rat, rabbit, dog, and cow ovary transcribes mRNA which hybridized to the mouse ZP3 cDNA and that the ZP3 transcripts had similar molecular weights. Liang et al. Mol. Cell. Biol., 10:1507-1515 (1990), showed that the nucleic acid and deduced amino acid sequence of ZP2 is distinctly different from that of ZP3 although it had the same short motif of 5' and 3' untranslated regions. The ZP2 mRNA is reported to have single open reading frame of 2,139 nucleotides which codes for a polypeptide of 80,217 Daltons representing 713 amino acids.
Chamberlin and Dean, Dev. Biol. 131:207-214 (1989) and Kinloch, R. A. et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA, 85:6409-6413 (1988) have reported the cloning of the mouse ZP3 gene. The mouse ZP3 gene is reported to have 8 exons and 7 introns in a transcription unit of 8.6 kbp.
Kinloch et al., Dev. Biol. 142:414-421 (1990), reported cloning of hamster genomic ZP3 DNA from a hamster genomic DNA library screened with mouse ZP3 DNA as a probe. The hamster ZP3 gene has a transcription unit of 7900 nucleotides and was found to contain 7 introns and 8 exons. The hamster ZP3 protein is approximately 81% homologous to mouse ZP3 protein. The hamster transcript contained 1266 nucleotides, six less than mouse ZP3 mRNA.
Chamberlain and Dean, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:6014-6018 (1990), reported the cloning of human ZP3 from a human genomic DNA library using mouse ZP3 cDNA as a probe. The human ZP3 gene is composed of 8 exons in a transcription unit of 18.3 kbp. The exons are almost identical in size to the eight exons of mouse ZP3 and the nucleotide sequence of the coding region is 74% homologous. The human ZP3 transcript is very similar to mouse ZP3 mRNA. Both have short 5' and 3' untranslated regions, and both have a single open reading frame of 1272 nucleotides that encodes a 424-amino acid protein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,297, to Dunbar, reported the isolation of three rabbit zona pellucida clones encoding rabbit ZP1 and ZP2 proteins, using anti-ZP1 and anti-ZP2 antibodies as screening probes. The sequences designated as P2 and P3 in FIG. 4 of the Dunbar patent represent rabbit ZP cDNAs of 812 and 1705 nucleotides respectively.
Schwoebel et al., J. Biol. Chem. 266:7214-7219 (1991), isolated and characterized a full length cDNA (designated rc 55) encoding the 55-kD rabbit zona pellucida protein using cross-species affinity purified antisera. The protein encoded by this cDNA has some similarity to the mouse ZP2 protein described by Liang. However, comparisons of rc 55 with the mouse ZP3 protein revealed no homology.
The functional activities of the cloned ZP DNAs and their encoded proteins have not been fully characterized and neither has their potential use as immunocontraceptives been demonstrated.
In order to develop a useful zona pellucida product for use in fertility control, particularly in the form of a vaccine, it is highly desirable to purify, isolate, and characterize zona pellucida proteins from a species of an animal of interest. Because of factors such as the purity of such proteins needed for vaccine production, and the high cost and numerous problems associated with purification of these proteins, it would be highly desirable to ascertain the DNA and amino acid sequences of zona pellucida proteins of a specific species of interest. Having such known, isolated and characterized zona pellucida proteins, the function of each zona pellucida protein may be understood and a fertility control product may be designed based upon the specific functional characteristics of a particular zona pellucida protein and for a particular mammalian species.
It would be thus highly useful and desirable to provide isolated, purified, sequenced, and characterized recombinant zona pellucida proteins which would permit the development of fertility control products possessing specific reproducible effects in eliciting transient and/or permanent infertility. Such products, where used to elicit transient infertility, would desirably have long lasting effects so as to minimize the number of times the immunocontraceptive agent must be administered to maintain infertility.


A transmission system for RF signals, power and control signals over RF coaxial cables is disclosed. A coaxial cable line interconnects two devices, such as an instrument and a remote coupler. A control signal (e.g., data bit) and RF signals are multiplexed onto the coaxial cable line using a bias network at each end of the coaxial cable. In certain embodiments, power is generated at the coupler based on the state of the control bits. Each coaxial cable carries one control bit on the center conductor of the cable. A table maps the states of the one or more control bits to the desired states in the remote coupler. The all-zeroes state for the control bits is disallowed, such that at any given time, at least one of the control lines is high (e.g., at +5V). A passive network at the coupler generates the power voltage for the coupler from the control bits. In further embodiments, a power supply filter is provided at the coupler to supply power to the coupler during transitions of the passive network.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to power and control transmission systems, and specifically to, power and control transmission over RF coaxial cables.
2. Description of Related Art
Network analyzers and other types of measuring instruments are used to measure the magnitude and/or phase of a signal present in a device-under-test (DUT). For example, network analyzers can be used to determine the impedance, gain, group delay, gain compression and other characteristics of mobile telecommunications devices, such as base station antennas, amplifiers, cables and attenuators.
To perform a measurement, the instrument is connected to the DUT via one or more couplers that are strategically placed on one or more feeder cables of the DUT. To interface with the DUT, the instrument supplies RF signals, power and control signals to the coupler(s). For example, when using a network analyzer to measure the antenna return loss of a base station antenna, the RF signals can correspond to a swept signal injected into the feeder cable of a base station antenna. If there are any discontinuities in the feeder cable or antenna, part of the signal may be reflected back down the feeder cable to the network analyzer via the coupler. The control signals from the network analyzer control the RF switches in the coupler. For example, the coupler can be programmed to couple forward power, reverse power or calibration path signals to/from the network analyzer depending upon the states (on/off) of the RF switches in the coupler.
Traditionally, each coupler had separate ports for RF signals (injected signal and reflected signal), power and control signals. Likewise, the instrument also had separate ports for each coupler for the RF signals, power and control signals. The RF signal ports of the instrument and coupler were connected together via coaxial cables, while the power and control ports of the instrument and coupler were connected together via one or more multi-conductor cable assemblies. Depending upon the particular DUT, each of the cables used for connecting the instrument to the DUT could potentially be 40 feet long. Such cables are expensive and difficult to install (i.e., each cable may take up to 30 minutes to install). In addition, for outdoor installations, each cable represents a possible point of water ingress into the coupler.
In systems that require only RF signals and power (no control signals), such as high frequency microwave circuit systems, the RF and power signals can be multiplexed onto a single coaxial cable. The RF signals are transmitted over the RF cable and DC power is transmitted over the center conductor of the cable. A bias network on either side of the coaxial cable separates the RF and power signals. For example, a bias network can include a capacitor to block DC power and an inductor to block the RF signals.
However, in systems that require RF signals, power and control signals, there is currently no mechanism for multiplexing the control signals with the power or the RF signals. Therefore, what is needed is a transmission system for RF signals, power and control signals with a reduced amount of cabling.

Transmission system for transmitting RF signals, power and control signals via RF coaxial cables


In a digital telecommunication system having data packages carrying identification data, the identification data is characterized in that it is unique to the package within a station and does not depend on the identity of the originating station.

The present invention relates to telecommunication systems and more particularly to digital hierarchy systems (SDH). In such systems data is switched within an individual station to the appropriate output port. Also alternate routes are provided between stations by which data can be transmitted from an originating stations port to a receiver stations port so that failure of one route, e.g. due to accidental damage, will not prevent the data from reaching the receiver stations port via the other route.
The data is sent in the form of two packages or so-called virtual containers which essentially are made up of two sections, one being the actual data which is transmitted, i.e. the soiled payload, and the other being data which is concerned with the integrity of the data, referred to hereinafter as overhead or ancillary data.
One of the requirements for a system of the kind outlined above is that there must be some means for checking whether the package is correctly switched (or routed) at each individual station along the overall path of the data. Essentially this is achieved by use of the ancillary or overhead data area at each station in order to include an identity, and other monitoring information, to ensure correct switching.
In our co-pending application no. 9301575 we disclose an arrangement where the package is identified in terms of the channel number of the data, and the receiving stations card number. However there is a potential problem with such an arrangement in situations where the package travels by the alternative route referred to earlier. In the event of failure of the first route the package will acquire a new channel and card number. This means that the destination port of the station will not recognise the package because it will be looking for a package which has an identification which is characteristic of the first route. This problem is a direct result of the use of the alternate route protection identified earlier.
The present invention is concerned with overcoming this problem.

Synchronous telecommunications system with unique indentification of paths


An information processing device is configured to perform processing, the processing including: executing a persistence processing configured to make a part of a region persistent, the region being to be used as a ring buffer in remote direct memory access (RDMA) to a non-volatile memory accessible in an equal manner to a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) so as not to allow received data stored in the part of the region to be overwritten; executing a determination processing configured to determine whether a ratio of the region made persistent by the persistence processing has exceeded a first threshold; and executing a selection processing configured to select a method of evacuating the persistent received data by using a received data amount of the information processing device and a free region in the non-volatile memory in a case where the determination processing determines that the ratio has exceeded the first threshold.

In recent years, use of non-volatile memories mapped into a memory space and accessible in an equal manner to dynamic random access memories (DRAMs) is increasing. Examples of such non-volatile memories include persistent memory devices in which the persistence and recoverability of storage I/O are combined with the speed and fine particle access of system memory, for example.
Furthermore, there is also a known technology in which a non-volatile memory unit receives checkpoint data from a main process and provides an access to the checkpoint data for use in a backup process, a recovery capability is supported in the event of a main process failure.
Examples of the related art include Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2004-227568 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-182781.

Information processing device and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for storing reception processing program


The invention is a reversible, automatically and self-adjustable light emitting diode (LED) component with a heatsink, a plurality of LED elements connected in parallel with half reversed, and two electrodes, each coupled to the main block by a spring. The LED component can be compressed by a user, shortening its length, placed in an LED holder, and then released. The reversed elements allow the LED component to be placed in either orientation with respect to current direction.

Light-emitting diodes (LED) are semiconductor light sources which consume less power and last longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs. LEDs can be manufactured to produce ultraviolet, infrared, or visible light. LEDs produce tight when a current is allowed to flow from the positive anode to the negative cathode across a semiconductor, displacing electrons which subsequently release photons, LEDs can also be made much smaller than traditional light sources, allowing them to be placed on substrates such as printed circuit boards (PCBs). Elements in electronic circuits can be either reversible or irreversible with respect to current flow. Resistors are an example of a reversible, or orientation-agnostic element, which operates essentially identically regardless of current direction. Diodes including LEDs are irreversible, or orientation-specific elements, which operate differently, or not at all, if the current direction changes.

LED bulb having a mounting block, heat sink and extendable electrodes coupled to opposing sides of the mounting block


A code verification tool verifies that code generated from a model represents all of the functionality of the model and does not contain any unintended functionality. The code verification tool may receive for examination a model or an intermediate representation (IR) of the model and the generated code or an intermediate representation of the generated code. The code verification tool may create further intermediate representations of the model and/or the generated code in order to compare the functionality presented in both.

Many organizations are embracing Model Based Design in their production processes of real world systems. Model Based Design is a practice of specifying, analyzing, testing, and implementing systems using a common model and/or a set of models and associated objects. System implementation may involve generating code from a model or some of its parts.
Graphical modeling environments are an example of software applications that may enable a user to create, execute, and analyze models. Graphical modeling environments may be used to model dynamic and/or event-based systems. Dynamic systems are systems whose outputs change over time.
A user may create a graphical model of a real-world system using a graphical user interface, such as a graphical model editor. Graphical models may depict temporal relationships between system inputs, states, parameters, and outputs. The behavior of the dynamic system over a specified time period may be simulated using information entered into the graphical model. The graphical model may be used to compute and trace the temporal evolution of the dynamic system's outputs ("execute the graphical model"), and/or to automatically produce either prototype software systems, deployable software systems, and/or descriptions of hardware systems that mimic the behavior of either the entire model or portions of the model (code generation). Simulink® software from The MathWorks, Inc. of Natick, Mass., is one example of a graphical modeling environment that caters to various aspects of system design, analysis, simulation, and implementation.
Model based design is not limited to dynamic models or, indeed, to graphical models. Model based design may also be accomplished with textual models or a combination of graphical and textual models. Such models may be dynamic models, event-based models, etc. Models may be created within a modeling environment, or realized as stand-alone computer-executable code.

Verification of computer-executable code generated from a model


The disclosure proceeds from a system with a measurement bar and a measurement device, having at least one computation unit, an inclination measurement means and an electronic distance measurement means. The disclosure proposes that the system have a coupling apparatus which is provided for coupling the measurement bar and the measurement device such that they can be separated by an operator.

The disclosure proceeds from a system with a measuring bar and a measuring device as described herein.
A system with a measuring bar and a measuring device which has at least one arithmetic logic unit, an inclination measuring means and an electronic distance measuring means has already been proposed. The measuring bar and the measuring device are integrally formed in this case.

System with a measurement bar and a measurement device


A partially automated transmission system (100) and method for controlling same is provided. The system includes a manually shifted splitter-type transmission (10) having a spatter section (14) and a manually shifted main section (12). The splitter section is controlled by a splitter actuator (116) under control from a system ECU (146). The operator is provided with a selector (120) for selecting upshifts and downshifts. Preferably, shifting in the upper group of ratios (A (9/10)) is fully automatic.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the following co-pending U.S. patent applications, all assigned to EATON CORPORATION, the assignee of this application:
Ser. No. 08/439,908 filed May 12, 1995 AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL SPLITTER SHIFTING CONTROL ASSEMBLY
Ser. No. 08/649,829 filed Apr. 30, 1996 SYNCHRONIZING AND GEAR ENGAGEMENT SENSING LOGIC FOR AUTOMATED MECHANICAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM now issued to U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,790.
Ser. No. 08/649,830 filed Apr. 30, 1996 SEMI-AUTOMATIC SHIFT IMPLEMENTATION now issued to U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,771.
Ser. No. 08/666,164 filed Jun. 19, 1996 AUTOMATED TRANSMISSION SYSTEM CONTROL WITH ZERO ENGINE FLYWHEEL TORQUE DETERMINATION
Ser. No. 08/790,209 filed Feb. 5, 1997 TRANSITION TO DEGRADED MODE OF OPERATION now issued to U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,409
Ser. No. 08/790,210 filed Feb. 5, 1997 ENGAGEMENT OF GEAR RATIO CONFIRMATION
Ser. No. 08/795,615 filed Feb. 5, 1997 DISENGAGEMENT CONFIRMATION now issued to U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,159
Ser. No. 08/795,616 filed Feb. 5, 1997 ANTIHUNT LOGIC
Ser. No. 08/795,918 filed Feb. 5, 1997 AUTOMATED TRANSMISSION SYSTEM POWERDOWN
Ser. No. 08/796,001 filed Feb. 5, 1997 SENSING MANUAL SHIFT INTO AUTOMATED UPPER RATIOS now issued to U.S. Pat. No. 5,795,264
Ser. No. 08/796,006 filed Feb. 5, 1997 AUTOMODE-TO-NEUTRAL LOGIC now issued to U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,111
Ser. No. 08/865,512 filed May 30, 1997 (Continuation of Ser. No. 08/649,831 filed Apr. 30, 1996) SEMI-AUTOMATIC SHIFT IMPLEMENTATION WITH AUTOMATIC SPLITTER SHIFTING now issued to U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,639
2. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to manually lever-shifted mechanical transmission systems having automated features including one or more of automatically implemented splitter shifts, engine automation to achieve a substantially zero torque condition for shifting into neutral and/or to achieve substantially synchronous conditions for engaging a target gear ratio and/or automatic shifting in two or more of the sequentially related highest ratios.
In particular, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to a manually lever-shifted splitter-type compound mechanical transmission system including an electronic control unit, an electronically controlled engine, and a splitter actuator responsive to command output signals from the control unit. In a preferred embodiment, the electronic control unit is effective to cause automatic shifting in the highest two ratios, to cause automatic implementation of manually requested splitter-only shifts, and to assist combined manual lever and splitter shifts.

Partially automated lever-shifted mechanical transmission system