A radio controlled liquid monitor, capable of rotation about a vertical axis through an infinite arc is disclosed. A rotatable body is rotatably mounted onto a base element for rotation about a vertical axis, and a discharge elbow is rotatably mounted on the rotatable body for rotation about a horizontal axis. A horizontal drive unit and a vertical drive unit operate on gears on the rotatable body and the elbow, to enable the rotatable body to rotate about a vertical axis, and the discharge elbow to rotate about a horizontal axis. A control module is attached to the rotatable body which receives radio control commands from an operator via a portable transmitter apparatus or a fixed transmitter apparatus. The control module and drive unit receive electrical power and control signals through a rotating connector positioned within the base element and rotatable body so that the control module and drive units receive electrical power and control signals regardless of the rotational position of the rotatable body.

The present invention is related to water or liquid monitors, and more particularly to liquid monitors used for firefighting, airplane deicing, hydro-planting of seeds, or equipment washing, in which the ability to control the direction of flow of water from the monitor is radio controlled.
A liquid monitor is typically a tubular device which can be articulated to control the direction of water flow out of the device. In operation, one end of the device is connected to a water supply or a supply of some other type of firefighting fluid. The other end of the device terminates in a nozzle, which is used to project the fluid out of the liquid monitor in a desired direction. The water supply is typically under a pressure, thereby inducing a forceful projection of fluid out of the nozzle of the liquid monitor. A liquid monitor can typically be articulated, such that the direction of fluid projection may be changed about both a vertical axis, to enable the projection of water to be aimed in different directions. A liquid monitor is used by firefighters to project a stream of water onto burning surfaces, for purposes of fighting a fire, or to water a surface to make the surface temporarily resistant to catching fire. Liquid monitors may be mounted to a vehicle, such as a fire truck, or may be of a portable type, where a portable liquid monitor may be positioned close to a fire and attached to a hose, which supplies water to the liquid monitor. Liquid monitors may also be automated, such that an energized drive mechanism operates on the drive axes, so that the direction of the projection of water may be changed without a human operator being physically present to operate the device.
Desirable features of an automated liquid monitor include remote articulation by a wireless apparatus, unattended operation, simultaneous control of two or more liquid monitors from a centralized location, electronic control of rotational limits, programmable electronic control of oscillation, and continuous 360 degree rotation about both the drive axes.
Remote articulation of a liquid monitor using a wireless control apparatus is a desirable feature, because it allows placement and remote control of a monitor in an area deemed unsafe for firefighters to operate in, for better visibility of the liquid stream and better aiming of the stream. For example, a liquid monitor could be placed in an area of a forest close to a forest fire. The liquid monitor could continue to project fluid onto a forest fire, and could be controlled to rotate on its axes by a firefighter who could be located in a nearby safe area. The firefighter would not have to endure an increased risk of personal injury, while maintaining the ability to fight the fire.
Automatic oscillation of a liquid monitor is a desirable feature, as it would allow a firefighter to set the device in operation, and shift attention to other matters. For example, a liquid monitor could be programmed to oscillate horizontally over an arc, in order to water a fire break, or to keep a neighboring structure from catching fire. This results in less firefighter fatigue and exposure to danger, and the firefighter or team of firefighters who would normally be assigned to those tasks may now be deployed elsewhere.
Simultaneous control of two or more liquid monitors is also a desirable feature, so that control of a group of liquid monitors may be centralized at a command area. In this way, the actions of multiple liquid monitors may be controlled according to a centralized plan for fighting a fire.
Continuous 360 degree operation about the vertical axis of a liquid monitor is a desirable feature, as continuous operation allows the liquid monitor rotate in any direction, and thus project water in any direction. Often, motorized liquid monitors have external wiring to provide electricity to the motors which rotate the device in horizontal or vertical directions. This external wiring may twist around the device, eventually disabling the device, if the device were driven to rotate continuously. Eventually, continued rotation would cause damage to the external wiring. Typically in the prior art, a mechanical or electrical interlock is provided to prevent over-rotation, but such an interlock prevents the device from rotating continuously about a vertical axis. A desired feature of an improved liquid monitor includes an improved wiring structure, to enable the liquid monitor to rotate continuously in a horizontal direction.
Thus it would be a significant advance in the art to provide a liquid monitor which allows for remote control, unattended operation, simultaneous control of two or more liquid monitor devices, and continuous 360 degree rotation about a vertical axis.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention relates to an electronic document communication system and to an electronic document communication method, which can construct an electronic document communication system for providing not only enterprise/institutions with reliability, but also individuals and small companies.

Generally, the electronic document communication has been restrictively performed only in a specific industrial group or community based on an individual unique regulation of corporations/institutions.
Further, there are problems in that an email is used as an assistant means between general individuals or between an individual and an enterprise/institution without considering a concept of a reliable electronic communication, or online communication is performed only when the individual, an individual business, or a small company access to an web site of the enterprise.
Therefore, it is expected that not only the enterprise that can possess a predetermined size of communication system, but also the individuals, the individual business, or the small company may build an electronic document communication based infra that guarantees the reliability of the communication.

Electronic document communication system and electronic document communication method


An adjustable dolly, said dolly comprising a first base plate and a second base plate, each of said base plates having a pair of wheels attached at opposite ends on a lower surface thereof, a support bar, said support bar being multi-sided, each base plate having an opening extending transversely through a center portion thereof, each opening being multi-sided for mating slideable engagement with sides of the support bar, said first base plate and said second base plate being in coaxial alignment with one another, the support bar being slidable engaged in said openings in each of the base plates, each of said base plates having a clamping means mounted on an upper surface thereof and positioned generally upright, and a brake means, said brake means being affixed to each base plate in locked engagement with support bar, whereby each of said base plates can be positioned in a center area of the support bar so that end portions of the support bar extend on opposite sides of each of the base plates for permitting the opposite ends of the support bar to be used as hand grips for lifting the adjustable dolly with an article secured in between the base plates by said clamp means.

1. Field of the Invention
The field to which the invention pertains is dollies or carts for moving heavy objects such as refrigerators, television sets, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the prior art to transport objects, such as doors, on wheel mounted vices. It is also known in the prior art to utilize wheeled extendable and retractable platforms fitted with straps for the securement of a load to a base.
The present invention provides significant advancement over the known prior art by enabling a person or more than one person to readily transport a heavy article or any size article.
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel adjustable dolly which allows for any size or weight load to be removably attached to the dolly while preventing excessive movement of the load during transport.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel dolly which allows for one or more persons to lift and transport an article of any size or weight without excessive movement of the load.
These and other types of dollies disclosed in the prior art do not offer the flexibility and invented features of the present dolly. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the dolly of the present invention differs from those proposed.


A method for fabricating a light-emitting device is disclosed. A die that includes a semiconductor light emitting device is mounted on a carrier, the die having a face through which light is emitted. A mixture of photocurable epoxy and phosphor particles is dispensed on the face in a pattern that covers the face. The dispensed mixture is then irradiated with light to cure the epoxy in a time period that is less than the time period in which the phosphor particles settle. In one embodiment, the photocurable epoxy includes a UV curable epoxy. In one embodiment, the die includes sides through which some of the light is emitted and the mixture is allowed to run down the sides prior to being irradiated.

For the purposes of the present discussion, the present invention will be discussed in terms of a "white" emitting light-emitting diode (LED); however, the methods taught in the present invention can be applied to wide range of LEDs. A "white emitting LED" is an LED that emits light that is perceived by a human observer to be "white". Such sources can be constructed by making an LED that emits a combination of blue and yellow light in the proper ratio of intensities. High intensity blue-emitting LEDs are known to the art. Yellow light can be generated from the blue light by converting some of the blue photons via an appropriate phosphor. In one design, a transparent layer containing dispersed particles of the phosphor covers an LED chip. The phosphor particles are dispersed in a potting material that surrounds the light-emitting surfaces of the blue LED. To obtain a white emitting LED, the thickness and uniformity of the dispersed phosphor particles must be tightly controlled.
In one class of prior art LEDs, the phosphor layer is fabricated by a molding process that utilizes a liquid mold compound that has the phosphor particles dispersed therein. The liquid mold compound is applied to a die having an LED thereon. The mold compound is then cured in place to provide the layer of phosphor particles. In one design, the LED is mounted on a heat sink in a well in a printed circuit board base. The well has reflective sides that form a reflective "cup" having the LED chip at the bottom thereof. The phosphor is mixed with a liquid casting epoxy and injected into the cup. The mixture is then heat-cured for 2 hours.
Unfortunately, this manufacturing system has a poor yield due to uneven phosphor dispersion in the reflecting cup. The density of the phosphor particles is greater than that of the liquid casting epoxy, and hence, the particles tend to settle toward the bottom of the reflector cup during the curing period. As a result, the amount of phosphor over the chip is reduced, which, in turn, lowers the ratio of yellow to blue light generated by the completed device. Such a device emits light that is bluish-white rather than white.

Method for fabricating light-emitting devices utilizing a photo-curable epoxy

Avago Technologies ECBU IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


An apparatus for in vitro testing of medical device thrombogenicity includes an enclosure; a heating element thermally coupled to the enclosure; and a temperature feedback circuit operably coupled to the heating element and configured to control the heating element to maintain an interior of the enclosure within a preset temperature range. Positive, negative, and intermediate control rods are provided as standards against which to compare a medical device test article. Multiple blood test loops can be established through the enclosure using a common blood supply. The medical device test article can be placed in one of the loops, while the remaining loops can contain controls. Blood can be circulated through the test loops at a flow rate similar to that encountered in vivo, and thrombus formation can be assessed thereafter.

The present disclosure relates generally to medical devices. In particular, the present disclosure relates to apparatuses, systems, and methods for testing medical device thrombogenicity.
Medical devices for use in contact with circulating blood must be assessed for thrombogenicity in accordance with ISO 10993-4. Extant methodologies for testing thrombogenicity utilize an in vivo procedure in a canine model. Such methodologies are associated with various challenges, including anatomy, animal variability, limited data sets, and a lack of controls for comparison. Such methodologies also disadvantageously require that the test animals be euthanized following the thrombogenicity studies.
Grove et al., "Thrombogenicity Testing of Medical Devices in a Minimally Heparinized Ovine Blood-Loop," published in 2017 in the Journal of Medical Devices, discloses an in vitro method for testing medical device thrombogenicity.

Thrombogenicity test apparatus and associated methods

St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.


The invention concerns a method for focusing acoustic waves useful for obtaining an image of a field to be observed in a dissipative heterogeneous medium (2, 3) around which acoustic transducers (T1–Tn, T′1–T′m) forming an imaging network and a target network. The method consists in following a training step during which pulse responses from the medium are measured between each transducer (Ti) of the imaging network (5) and several transducers (Tj) of the target network (6); deducing therefrom reference signals to be emitted by the transducers of the imaging network to produce a focused acoustic pulse in each transducer of the target network, then cumulatively, in determining reference signals to be emitted to focus an acoustic pulse on predetermined points in the medium. Said reference signals are stored and used subsequently to generate an acoustic image of the medium.

More particularly, the invention relates to a noninvasive method for focusing acoustic waves in a dissipative heterogeneous medium comprising a substantially homogeneous medium (for example the brain) surrounded at least partially by a dissipative aberrating layer (for example the skull) which generates aberrations in the propagation of the acoustic waves, the acoustic waves being emitted from outside the aberrating layer and focused in the substantially homogeneous medium.
The methods of this type which are commonly used do not make it possible to obtain good focusing of the acoustic waves inside the medium, and, when these methods are used in imaging applications, they therefore do not make it possible to obtain a good resolution and a good image contrast when the propagation aberrations are significant, for example when echography of the brain is being carried out from outside the skull.
It is, in particular, an object of the present invention to overcome this drawback.

Method and non-invasive device for focusing acoustic waves

Centre National de la Rechercher Scientifique - CNRS


Methods, systems and computer program products for tracking, encoding and decoding the code-location of runtime events. The system modifies a request packet to access a resource initiated by a source address to indicate the request packet was sent by an intermediary address. The system injects an identifier pre-allocated for the source address into the request packet. The system updates the modified request packet by replacing the intermediary address with a substitute address that corresponds with the source address' pre-allocated identifier. The system sends the updated request packet to the resource, the updated request packet indicating a response to the updated request packet is to be sent back to the substitute address.

The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.
In conventional systems, many existing cloud infrastructures depend on an I.P. address of a source that sends out an API request(s) as a means for identifying the source to which a response(s) should be sent. However, when the source's request is encrypted and utilizes a private I.P. address, the intended destination that is in receipt of the source's API request will not be supplied with sufficient data with regard to the source of the request.

Source network address translation for unique sender identification


Tire (1) having sidewalls (2), a substantially electrically insulating crown block (7) and a substantially insulating tread (8), the tire (1) also having at least one conductive peg (21) that is oriented in the radial direction and positioned under the tread (8) of the tire so as to create an electrically conductive path between the ground and a rim on which the tire is able to be mounted.

Generally, the electrical resistivity of a tire on the road should be understood as being dependent on the intended use of the tire. Thus, certain standards set the maximum resistivity limits that a given tire may have.
The electrostatic charges stored by a moving vehicle have to be able to be evacuated from the wheel to the ground in order to make the tires comply with the specific standards. According to the standard WDK110, the tires have to have a minimum electrically conductive nature, where their conductivity is measured between the ground and the wheel. The maximum electrical resistance threshold is 1E10 ohms.
However, the increasingly common use of silica instead of carbon black within the elastomer compounds that make up the treads and skims in particular, has the consequence of making these tire portions insulating. This also goes for the compounds with a low content of carbon black. Consequently, and in order to attenuate this effect, various arrangements have been provided.
For example, the patent application DE19520996 relates to a tire having a tread, the first layer of which is substantially non-conductive, and one of the lower layers of which is made of conductive materials. Said substantially electrically conductive layer extends radially towards the outside of the contact surface in contact with the ground and is connected to a second conductive layer situated under the tread and connected to the region of the heel of the tire. This arrangement is electrically conductive.
The document EP1533144 describes a tire, the sidewall of which has an internal rubber layer, the electrical conductivity of which is high. This internal rubber strip extends radially towards the outside from the heel portion of the tire, as far as one of the base layers of the tread. Said rubber strip therefore makes it possible to provide increased electrical conductivity.
The document EP1175992 describes a method for manufacturing a tire tread provided with an electrically conductive layer. This layer has a ribbon of unvulcanized rubber, which is highly electrically conductive.
Similarly, the application EP2193934 relates to a tire, the tread of which contains an electrically conductive rubber strip. This conductive layer extends radially from a base layer of the tread towards the outside of the tread. This layer brings about electrical conductivity through the non-conductive layer of the tread.
According to these various solutions, electrical conductivity is ensured by the arrangement of conductive layers. Moreover, these architectures make it necessary to add layers specifically designed to provide conductivity.
Another way of controlling the electrical conductivity of the tire consists for example, according to the document DE102011000361, in a method intended to form an electrically conductive thread. This conductive thread is unwound continuously from a cylindrical reel, and is held in position by means of an elastic in the form of a mesh. The thread is conductive on account of its elastomer composition. The conductive thread is then affixed to a tire carcass insert in order to improve the conductivity of the lateral wall of the tire.
The application EP2567833 relates to a carcass ply comprising a plurality of bleeder cords and discharge cords that exhibit sufficient electrical conductivity to make it possible to conduct an electric charge from the structure of the tire as far as a part of the heel of the tire, via the carcass ply.
The document FR2930192 describes a tire reinforcing ply made up of a set of threads coated in a weakly electrically conductive rubber compound. Some of the threads are coated with a rubber compound of which the external layer is electrically conductive. Other threads are coated with a rubber compound of which the external layer is very weakly electrically conductive. The set of threads is interposed so as to form one or more electrically conductive passages between the upper part and the lower part of the ply.
The application EP1621365 relates to a pneumatic rubber tire containing at least one electrically conductive cord. The electrically conductive cord extends from an external surface of the bead of the tire to an internal layer of the tread. Such an arrangement makes it possible to create an electrically conductive passage between the external surface of the rim of the tire and the internal base layer of the tread. The cord consists of at least one conductive metal filament wound in a spiral around a core disposed at the centre of at least one organic fibre.
The documents cited above relate to controlling the electrical conductivity of tires by fitting threads or cords that are materially electrically conductive. These threads and cords extend generally inside the tire along different walls and involve particular architectures.
Another electrically conductive arrangement is for example, as described by the document DE102006050840, a tire having a tread consisting of a conductive portion and a coil consisting of layers of non-conductive materials made of a composite compound. The outermost layer is made up of electrically conductive materials between its outer part and its lower part in order to produce an electrically conductive passage.
The application EP0658452 likewise relates to a tire having a conductive insert. The conductive insert is incorporated into the tread of the tire, and extends in an annular configuration, circumferentially around the tread. The conductive insert extends through the width of the tread as far as the exterior of the tread. The insert exhibits sufficient electrical conductivity to allow the electrostatic charges stored by the vehicle to be evacuated towards the ground through the tire.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,319 describes a tire made of rubber having high electrical resistance. The tread includes an electrically conductive filament that extends from the inner surface to the outer surface of the tread. An electrically conductive passage is created through the tread.
The application US2004069386 relates to a pneumatic tire, the tread of which is electrically conductive. The tread is designed with an electrically resistant rubber composition and a conductive passage located in the belt of the tire. In a variant, a conductive passage extends from the belt layer as far as a section of the carcass of the tire.
The above-described documents describe means for controlling the electrical conductivity of the tire by fitting an electrically conductive moulded insert, arranged through the tread.
The document EP1659005 describes a tire, the sidewalls of which consist of very weakly electrically conductive materials, and are furthermore provided with a conductive strip with a small thickness and a small width that is made with electrically conductive materials and provides the link between the crown region and the bottom region of the tire, in order to ensure the transmission of electric charges towards the wheel of the vehicle. Moreover, the conductive strip is arranged in the sidewall, in the immediate vicinity of the axially outer layer of the sidewall. This embodiment makes it possible to ensure the function of electrical conduction, but involves the implementation of a specific architecture to allow the integration of the conductive strips without impairing the durability of the product.
The document FR3040017 describes a tire comprising a carcass, a substantially insulating crown block, an internal tread layer radially on the inside of the substantially insulating crown, and a substantially conductive tongue that is made of elastomer materials and arranged radially through the tread, the tire also comprising at least one conductive thread extending between the radially inner end of the tongue and the closest conductive layer. Since the conductive layer remains fairly far away from the tongue, the conductive thread covers a fairly large distance in the tire in order to connect the two parts together.
The document NL2006420 describes a tire having a weakly conductive tread having a conductive internal layer connected to the external surface of the tread by a plurality of conical pegs implanted in the tread, the wide part of the cone being able to come into contact with the ground during running. The fitting of the pegs includes a step of recessing the tread to form housings intended for the positioning of the pegs. Such an architecture involves the formation of stress concentration zones at the tips of the cones of the peg housings. These stress concentration zones are liable to create cracks in the tread.
The document US2004069386 describes a tire in which one or more radial conductive bridges are provided so as to ensure good conductivity between the external layer of the tread and the conductive internal layers of the tire. The bridges are entirely disposed in the internal volume of the tread. In order to ensure the conductivity through the plies with reinforcers, bridges having multiple sections are provided. This type of architecture is particularly complex and costly to implement.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 2,641,294 describes a tire provided with threads extending between the bases of the sidewalls and the central region of the tread. These threads are provided to ensure good electrical conductivity. The ends of the threads pass through the thread in order to make contact with the ground. A variant provides for the implantation of conductive metal pegs connected to the threads and inserted into the tread, with a protruding portion. Such an architecture involves the formation of stress concentration zones in the enlarged body of the pegs. These stress concentration zones are liable to create cracks in the tread.
Therefore, the prior art reveals a large number of arrangements for transferring electric charges from the wheel of a vehicle to the ground. For all that, regardless of the way in which the electrical conductivity is controlled, the manufacture of the various tires remains complex and costly as regards the arrangement of the various layers, the fitting of a conductive cord, and the manufacture of a moulded insert in the tread.
Embodiments of the invention provide various technical means for remedying these various drawbacks.

COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN


A method and arrangement for supplying quiescent current to a vehicle having a multi-voltage on-board electrical system with at least two on-board electrical subsystems having different voltage levels during normal operation. The voltage levels of the on-board electrical subsystems are reduced to a uniform value when the engine is stationary.

This application claims the priority of German Application No. 101 60 266.9, filed Dec. 7, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for supplying quiescent current to a vehicle having a multi-voltage on-board electrical system with at least two on-board electrical subsystems.
A conventional multi-voltage on-board electrical system is known, for example, from German Patent DE 199 21 451 A1. The multi-voltage on-board electrical system of this reference includes a plurality of on-board electrical system circuits or on-board electrical subsystems having power supply sources which have different voltages intended for respective different loads. Decentralized electronic controllers for controlling and regulating associated loads are supplied with power by means of the on-board electrical subsystems. Depending on the type and design of the multi-voltage on-board electrical system, the on-board electrical subsystems are supplied with power by a common generator which supplies power directly to one of the on-board electrical subsystems, in particular the on-board electrical subsystem for high-consumption loads and for the starter region. This on-board electrical subsystem is assigned its own battery, for example, a 36 V battery in the case of a 42 V on-board electrical subsystem. The 14 V loads which are associated with a further on-board electrical subsystem are connected to the generator via a DC voltage transformer, referred to as a DC/DC transformer. This on-board electrical subsystem has its own associated battery, in particular a 12 V battery. In vehicles with a high level of equipment, such interconnection and decentralization of electronic controllers leads to problems with a long-term energy supply from the battery, in particular to problems with what is referred to as the wake-up capability of the controllers when the vehicle is inactive for a relatively long time, for example at airports.
In order to maintain the wake-up capability of the controllers, they are usually supplied with a low current when the vehicle is stationary. If a controller is then woken up, whether as a result of an external process, for example, a closing process, or as a result of an internal fault, the controllers are automatically woken up and activated by means of a bus system, for example, a CAN bus. This leads to increased power drain and to a significant reduction of the energy reserves. In order to stabilize the on-board electrical system voltage during peak current demand, in a two-voltage on-board electrical system, a battery, which has a high voltage level and is not used for supplying quiescent current, is generally employed. In order to supply quiescent current, in particular a further battery with a lower voltage is used. In order to supply quiescent current in such a way, the controllers with the relatively high voltage are additionally connected by cables to the energy storage means of the on-board electrical subsystem with the low voltage. This leads to a particularly complicated cabling arrangement. Furthermore, this does not eliminate the problem of faulty controllers leading to the waking-up of the bus system and thus to the activation of all the controllers.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to specify a method for supplying quiescent current to a vehicle having a multi-voltage on-board electrical system having at least two on-board electrical subsystems which have different voltage levels during normal operation, and which permits the entire multi-voltage on-board electrical system to be provided with the lowest possible quiescent current in the simplest possible way and with the smallest possible degree of expenditure on cables. Furthermore, it is an object to provide an arrangement for supplying quiescent current which is particularly simple in design.
According to the invention the quiescent current is supplied in such a way that, when the engine is stationary, the voltage levels of the on-board electrical subsystems are reduced to a uniform value. By uniformly reducing the voltage level in such a way in all the on-board electrical subsystems, there is no requirement for separate cabling of loads with a battery to ensure the supply of quiescent current. Furthermore, the direct connection of one of the on-board electrical subsystems to the other on-board electrical subsystem or subsystems permits all the loads, and thus also their controllers, of all the on-board electrical subsystems to be supplied. The uniform value expediently corresponds approximately to the value of the lowest voltage level of all the on-board electrical subsystems. As a result, on the one hand, the lowest possible quiescent current drain is ensured and, on the other hand, it ensures that the battery which covers the peak current demand is not required for supplying quiescent current. The voltage levels are preferably reduced to a uniform value of approximately 6 V to 14 V. It is thus also possible to supply loads with a relatively high voltage. In the case of a quiescent current supply, a resultant relatively slow response, possibly also with reduced effect, is sufficient.
The on-board electrical subsystems are preferably isolated from the respectively associated energy storage device and are connected to one another by connection element in such a way that the charge is drawn from the energy storage device which ensures the quiescent-current operating mode. This is a particularly simple embodiment which avoids complex cabling.
Also provided according to the present invention is an arrangement for supplying quiescent current in a multi-voltage on-board electrical system having at least two on-board electrical subsystems which have different voltage levels during normal operation, in which case, when the engine is stationary, an isolator element isolates the on-board electrical subsystems from the respectively associated energy storage devices, and a connection element connects the on-board electrical subsystems to one of the energy storage devices. This ensures that only one of the energy storage devices is used to supply all the loads in the quiescent-current operating mode. Furthermore, the existing cabling can be used. Additional cabling connecting all the loads to the battery ensures that the quiescent-current operating mode is reliably avoided because the on-board electrical subsystems are connected to one another by a simple connection element in such a way that charge is drawn only from the battery which ensures the quiescent-current operating mode.
The connection element is expediently designed in such a way that the on-board electrical subsystems are disconnected during normal operation. The connection element is preferably designed as a semiconductor element having an optimum conductivity property in the quiescent-current operating mode and a very good blocking property during normal operation. The connection element expediently includes at least one diode or at least one transistor element. Depending on the type and design of the multi-voltage on-board electrical system, the on-board electrical subsystems are connected to one another by a diode or by a plurality of diodes connected in series.
During normal operation, the on-board electrical subsystems are preferably connected to one another by a DC/DC transformer. As a result, during normal operation on-board electrical subsystems having different voltage levels are reliably disconnected. In order to connect the on-board electrical subsystems in the quiescent-current operating mode, the connection element is preferably arranged in parallel with the DC/DC transformer.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method and arrangement for supplying quiescent current to a vehicle having a multi-voltage on-board electrical system


An acrylic copolymer consisting of a first acrylic monomer represented by the following general formula (1):

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an acrylic copolymer and, more particularly, to an acrylic copolymer consisting of at least two types of acrylic monomers.
2. Related Background Art
Heretofore, researches have been conducted on acrylic resin which is considered to be excellent organic glass in processability, light transmittance, specific gravity, safety and the like as compared to general glass. In particular, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), which is a hard and transparent material with high light transmittance, has been used in applications including materials for automobile components and optical members. However, PMMA is subject to thermal decomposition and offers low heat resistance, incurring limitations in application range.
Meanwhile, a polymer of acrylic ester having acyloxy groups with a small number of carbon atoms at its α position is described in "Conversion-Dependent Molecular Weight of the Polymer in Free Radical Polymerization of Captodative Substituted (Acyloxy)acrylates" (H. Yanaka, et al., Macromolecules, Vol. 30, No. 14, (1997) pp. 4010–4012) (Document 1). However, Document 1 merely reveals relation between the molecular weight of the resulting polymer and the polymerizability of the acrylic ester, relation between the molecular weight of the resulting polymer and polymerization conditions, and the like. Accordingly, an elastic modulus, heat resistance and mechanical properties of the resulting polymer have not been revealed. In this connection, the present inventors prepared and evaluated the polymer described in Document 1. In this study, they confirmed that the resulting polymer has an elastic modulus (an elastic modulus in typical working temperature range, hereinafter referred to as "a normal temperature elastic modulus") equal to that of PMMA and offers higher heat resistance (an elastic modulus and resistance to thermal decomposition at higher temperatures, hereinafter collectively referred to as "heat resistance") than PMMA. However, the polymer described in Document 1 hardly softens below the thermal decomposition temperature, and therefore still remains unsatisfactory in that general molding methods cannot be used for molding.
Moreover, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,559,635 (Document 2) and "Radical copolymerization of methyl α-acyloxyacrylates with some vinyl monomers" (T. Hongo, et al., Polymer International, Vol. 48 (1999) pp. 505–508) (Document 3), there is described a copolymer of acrylic ester having acyloxy groups with a small number of carbon atoms at its α position and vinyl monomer such as styrene, methyl methacrylate and acrylonitrile. However, since Documents 2 and 3 have also not revealed the elastic modulus, heat resistance and mechanical properties of the resulting copolymer, the present inventors prepared and evaluated the copolymer described in these documents. In this study, they found out that the resulting copolymer offered reduced normal temperature elastic modulus and heat resistance compared to the polymer described in Document 1, and therefore concluded that this copolymer still remains unsatisfactory.

Abstract: [where each of R1 and R2 represents an aliphatic hydrocarbon group whose main chain is composed of 3 or less carbon atoms, and each of R3 and R4 represents a hydrocarbon atom], and                a second acrylic monomer represented by the following general formula (2):

Abstract: [where at least one of R5 and R6 represents an aliphatic hydrocarbon group whose main chain is composed of 4 to 60 carbon atoms, in the case where one of the R5 and R6 does not represent the aliphatic hydrocarbon group, it represents an aliphatic hydrocarbon group whose main chain is composed of 3 or less carbon atoms, and each of R7 and R8 represents a hydrogen atom],                wherein the first acrylic monomer makes up 50 to 99 % of total monomer units in the copolymer.


A two part bracket particularly suited for mounting a winch to a vertical environmental surface. One of the parts of the bracket is a base comprising a flat plate, with two bent edges, having chamfered screw holes for permanently mounting the base to a wall or other environmental surface. The base has three tabs projecting outwardly therefrom, thus forming a three sided pocket for receiving the second part. The second part includes a mounting flange cooperating with the three sided pocket, and a support plate projecting perpendicularly from the mounting flange. The support plate has a plurality of holes, some elongated, for receiving bolts or the like for fastening a winch to the bracket. The second part is manually removable from the base, and preferably remains with the winch to avoid inadvertent loss.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bracket intended for mounting a winch for maintaining tension on a net of a tennis, volleyball, and badminton court to a supporting wall. The bracket has two components, a base for securing to the wall, and a support member having screw or bolt holes for receiving the winch. The support member is slidably retained within the base. Position of the winch on the support member can be adjusted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Nets for certain sports, such as tennis, volleyball, badminton, and the like are usually maintained under tension during play by a winch. In courts specifically dedicated to such activities, a post solidly anchored in the ground or floor is typically provided to support the winch. However, some facilities are general purpose, or intended for many different activities. In these cases, the post usually cannot be provided, since it is not readily removable, and would interfere with some of the activities.
A representative tensioning system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,880, issued to Edwin T. Allbright on Aug. 2, 1994. This patent points up problems in providing tensioning systems generally, notably space requirements and requirements for fasteners which must penetrate environmental surfaces. In the Allbright device, such fasteners include stakes driven into the ground.
This approach is appropriate in outdoor applications. However, it is occasionally desirable to erect nets indoors, such as in a gymnasium. Driving fasteners into wall or floor surfaces is usually objectionable as being unduly damaging to the gymnasium. There exists a need for a mounting, such as a bracket, adapted for indoor use.
Brackets for facilitating mounting of bulky or heavy items to vertical or horizontal surfaces have long been employed. Examples are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,405,116, issued to Charles G. Shepherd et al. on Apr. 11, 1995, and 5,417,396, issued to Milton J. Merl on May 23, 1995. These devices illustrate a number of aspects which are generally typical of brackets generally, such as holes for receiving fasteners. Merl illustrates multi-part construction. However, these devices are clearly different in construction from the present invention, which includes a permanently mounted base and a removable, complementing member having holes and slots for accepting threaded fasteners for securing the subject object.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.

Combination winch and winch mounting bracket


A sound signal analysis apparatus 10 includes sound signal input portion for inputting a sound signal indicative of a musical piece; feature value calculation portion for calculating a first feature value indicative of a feature relating to existence of a beat in one of sections of the musical piece and a second feature value indicative of a feature relating to tempo in one of the sections of the musical piece; and estimation portion for concurrently estimating a beat position and a change in tempo in the musical piece by selecting, from among a plurality of probability models described as sequences of states q classified according to a combination of a physical quantity relating to existence of a beat in one of the sections of the musical piece and a physical quantity relating to tempo in one of the sections of the musical piece, a probability model whose sequence of observation likelihoods each indicative of a probability of concurrent observation of the first feature value and the second feature value in corresponding one of the sections of the musical piece satisfies a certain criterion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sound signal analysis apparatus, a sound signal analysis method and a sound signal analysis program for receiving sound signals indicative of a musical piece and detecting beat positions (beat timing) and tempo of the musical piece.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there are sound signal analysis apparatuses which receive sound signals indicative of a musical piece and detect beat positions and tempo of the musical piece, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-265493, for example.

Sound signal analysis apparatus, sound signal analysis method and sound signal analysis program


A clock synchronization circuit includes a delay-locked loop (DLL) and a delay-locked control unit. The DLL is configured to generate an output clock signal by delaying an input clock signal by a delay time, and to execute a delay-locking operation in which the delay time is adjusted to a locked state according to a comparison between the output clock signal and the input clock signal. The delay-locked control unit configured to detect the locked state of the DLL, and to control the DLL based on the determined locked state.

The inventive concept generally relates to semiconductor circuits, and more particularly, to clock synchronization circuits which include a delay-locked loop (DLL) and to semiconductor memory devices including clock synchronization circuits which include a DLL.
In order to avoid degradation of high-frequency performance, a semiconductor device that operates at a high frequency, such as a semiconductor memory device, requires a circuit that is effective in accurately synchronizing a phase of an internal clock signal with a phase of an external clock signal. To this end, a delay-locked loop (DLL) is generally used. The DLL operates by delaying the external clock signal by a delay time to generate the internal clock signal, and by feeding back the generated internal clock signal to adjust the delay time so as reduce a phase difference between the internal clock signal and the external clock signal.

Clock synchronization circuit and semiconductor memory device including clock synchronization circuit


A pressurizing/depressurizing method of a liquid ejecting apparatus which includes a print head which ejects liquid, and a supply unit which supplies the liquid to the print head, the method including depressurizing/pressure accumulating in which a depressurization buffer tank is depressurized, and a pressure is accumulated; pressurizing/pressure accumulating in which a pressurization buffer tank is pressurized, and a pressure is accumulated; depressurizing in which the liquid is depressurized so that a pressure is lower than an atmospheric pressure in the supply unit using the depressurization buffer tank; and pressurizing in which the liquid is pressurized so that the pressure is higher than the atmospheric pressure in the supply unit using the pressurization buffer tank.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a technology of pressurizing and depressurizing in which a pressurizing process of pressurizing liquid, and a depressurizing process of depressurizing liquid are performed in a liquid ejecting apparatus which ejects liquid such as ink from nozzles of a print head.
2. Related Art
In the related art, a liquid ejecting apparatus such as a printer which ejects liquid such as ink from nozzles of a print head has been known. In such an apparatus, there is a case in which ejecting of liquid is not appropriately performed due to bubbles in liquid, and for example, a quality of printing using liquid deteriorates. Therefore, for example, in an apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2010-208186, a depressurizing pump is operated after ending a printing operation, and deaeration processing is executed by pressurizing liquid (depressurizing process).
In addition, since it is not possible to perform good liquid ejection when bubbles or foreign substances are mixed into nozzles, for example, a printing quality deteriorates. Therefore, in an apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2010-255538, bubbles are discharged from nozzles by pressurizing ink in an ink supply tube using a pressurizing pump (pressurizing process).
In order to perform high quality printing, it is desirable to perform the above described pressurizing process and depressurizing process. In order to perform these processes, it is necessary to operate a pressurizing pump in every pressurizing process by operating the pressurizing pump in every depressurizing process. However, a value of a positive pressure or a negative pressure which is applied from the pump is unstable immediately after starting the operation of the pump. In addition, there is a case in which it is difficult to preferably perform pressurizing and depressurizing, when the operation of the pump is limited due to an operational condition of an apparatus, or the like.

Liquid ejecting apparatus and pressurizing/depressurizing method thereof


In various example embodiments, a system and method for contact merge management is provided. In example embodiments, a contact management system detects that a first contact list of a first user has a first contact including a first value and a second contact including a second value. The contact management system identifies that at least one further user is associated with a further contact list that has a third contact including the first value and the second value. Based on the identifying of the third contact including the first value and the second value, the contact management system causes an automatic merge of the first contact and the second contact in the first contact list into a single contact.

Typically, users have friends and associates that are reachable via multiple networks. For example, a friend may have a Facebook account, a Gmail account, and a mobile number. The various contact information for the friend may be imported into an address book. However, each imported contact will be a separate entry in the address book. The user must then manually organize, merge, or delete contacts. Because it is such a tedious process, many users do not bother updating their address books as often as they should.

System and method for contact merge management


There is disclosed a capping machine head for affixing screw caps on containers, which in one embodiment has a cylindrical magnet ring in the body of the head surrounding a cap chuck driving element in a low friction bearing in the head, each having an array of permanent magnets distributed around their periphery. For certain angular relative positions of the ring and the chuck driving element, the North poles of one are face-to-face with the South poles of the other; displacement from such position causes torque on the order of ten to twenty inch pounds to be imparted to the chuck driving element. The chuck driving element rotates with the magnet ring until the resistance of a cap being threaded on the container exceeds a predetermined torque limit, after which the magnet ring rotates relative to the essentially stationary chuck driving element. The ring magnets may be in an axially misaligned position to reduce and control maximum torque value. Preferably the flux pattern of the magnets is elongated in an axial direction, by providing two rows of cylindrical magnets, or magnets which are elongated in that direction. The spring for urging the chuck downward is fully contained within the head. In some magnet arrangements torque is produced by both attraction and repulsion, and in others it is produced by attraction only.

The present invention relates to capping machines for affixing plastic screw closures on glass or plastic containers for beverages or the like. More particularly it relates to the head portions of a capping machine which serve to rotate the plastic screw cap with respect to the container while pressing on the cap and applying a limited predetermined tightening torque to the cap as controlled by an internal slip clutch. The capping machine head of the present invention is characterized by a magnetic clutch for torque control, preferably in the form of concentric cylindrical configurations of about twenty to forty magnets each with their North-South magnetization oriented radially.
1. Field of the Invention
The development of capping heads has been impelled in considerable part by the changes in closures which have progressed from the traditional crowns, to roll on aluminum caps, to plastic screw caps. With the advent of plastic screw caps, it became necessary to provide the capping machine heads with a slip clutch or other means so that the rotation of the upper part of the head with the spindle after the screw cap was tightly seated would not impart excessive torque causing the cap to be over-tightened or broken. At first such clutches were typically friction slip clutches, and in more recent years, magnetic clutches or magnetic drives have been employed to control the torque applied to the screw caps.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many variations on magnetic slip clutches are known, as shown for example in Swiss Patent to N. V. Philips' Gloelampenfabricken No. 313,871, or U.K. Patent to Owens Illinois No. 2,111,964A, I.C. B67B 3/20. U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,068 to Obrist issued Jan. 8, 1985, shows the use of a magnetic slip clutch in a screw closure capping machine head which takes the form of a pair of generally identical clutch plates, each having many cylindrical magnets embedded therein in a circular pattern near the periphery of the disk. The magnets are oriented North-South alternately around the periphery, and the two plates are attracted to preferred rotational alignments where each North pole of a magnet on one phase is aligned facing the South pole of a magnet on the other plate. Adjustment of the limiting torque in such a magnetic slip clutch may be achieved by varying the space between the plates and thus increasing or decreasing the attraction or repulsion of the aligned or nearly aligned magnets of the two plates.
Another magnetic torque control drive is shown for a screw closure capping head in U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,609 to Kowal, issued Dec. 4, 1984. This patent does not employ concentric arrays of magnets however, but rather employs one array of magnets in a cylindrical configuration which is intended to cooperate with a concentric ring of material with high magnetic permeability so that torque of a limited value is imparted to the cap chuck of the head.

Capping machine head with magnetic clutch


Described is a genus of undecatrienoic acid derivatives useful in imparting, augmenting and/or enhancing flavors, aromas and somatosensory effects in or to consumable materials such as foods, beverages, skin care products, oral care products, medicinal products and the like. Also described is a synthesis process for producing such derivatives.

The prior art discloses the presence of C10, C11 and C12 alkatrienoic acids and ester and amide derivatives thereof in a wide variety of botanicals the use thereof to impart flavor and/or a tingling and/or warming sensations in the oral cavity and on skin when used in foodstuffs, chewing gum, oral care products, hair care products, colognes, topical cosmetic products or medicinal products. Such C10, C11 and C12 alkatrienoic acids and ester and amide derivatives thereof are also disclosed as exhibiting biological activity, most notably anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and insecticidal activity. The most significant compounds which are members of the genus: "C10, C11 and C12 alkatrienoic acids and ester and amide derivatives thereof" are those disclosed as follows:
(a) Amides:
Spilanthol or Affinin having the structure
the use of which in oral care, skin care and medicinal products is disclosed in Nakanatsu et al, Published European Patent Application EP 1,121,927 A2; the use of which as an oral sensate, flavor enhancer and potentiator is disclosed in U.S. Published Patent Application 2002/0122778 A1; and the pungency of which is disclosed in Nakatani et al "Pungent Alkamides from Spilanthes acmella L. var. oleracea Clarke, Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 56(5), 759–762 (1992);
Isoaffinin having the structure:
disclosed in Gamboa-Leon et al., "Isobutylamide numbing agents of toothache grass", Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 28 (2000) 1019–1021;
N-isobutyl E2, Z7, E9-undecatrienamide having the structure:
disclosed in Rameswak et al., "Bioactive N-isobutylamides from flower buds of Spilanthes acmella", Phytochemistry 51 (1999) 729–732;
The disclosure of the compound having the structure:
by Snider et al., "Synthesis of the N-((1E)-Alkenyl)-(2Z,4Z)-heptadienamide Side Clain of Salicilihalamide A and Apicularens A and B", Organic Letters (2000), Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 407–408.(b) Acids:
The presence of dodecatrienoic acid (structure not specified) in a Hop Plant named "YCR Accession No. 14" having an aroma with sharp, floral and spicy notes, as disclosed in Zimmermann, U.S. Plant Patent PP12,213 P2;
The disclosure of the compound having the structure:
by Crombie, "Amides of Vegetable Origin, Part VII, Synthesis of N-isobutyldodeca-trans-2:trans-4:trans-8- and trans-2:trans-4:cis-8-trienamide and their relation to Sanshool I", J. Chem. Soc. 1955, pp. 4244–4249.
Published application for U.S. Patent 2003/0068330 A1 published on Apr. 10, 2003 discloses 2,6,10-dodecatrienoic acid (without specifying any particular isomer thereof) for potentiating the activity of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF).
(c) Esters:
The disclosure of the compound having the structure:
by Furber et al., "Stereospecific Diene Synthesis using Acetylene Carbocupration; Preparation of Navel Orangeworm Pheremone and Leukotriene Analogues", J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. I, 1986, pp. 1809–1815;
The disclosure of the compound having the structure:
by Tanaka et al., "Structure and Synthesis of a New Hypotensive Vasodilator Isolated from Streptomyces Aureofaciens", Tetrahedron Letters, Vol. 22, No. 35, pp. 3421–3422, 1981.
Despite the existence in the prior art and in commerce of such a vast number of C10, C11 and C12 alkatrienoic acids and ester and amide derivatives thereof, there is an increasing ongoing need for flavor ingredients, skin care ingredients, oral care ingredients and hair care ingredients that exhibit organoleptically-acceptable somatosensory activity or flavor property, particularly at relatively low threshold levels.

E2,E4,Z8-undecatrienoic acid and ester and carboxamide derivatives thereof, organoleptic uses thereof and processes for preparing same


An analyzer, preferably a desktop analyzer, includes: a component transport system; a liquid dispense or aspirating station; a member removably located on the transport system. The removable holder includes: a probe tip dispenser; a fluid supply section for holding a sample; a test element recess for holding one or more test elements or test element holders, wherein the removable holder is configured to contain the test element recess such that a test element can be acted upon by the liquid dispense or aspirating station, while the test element is in the recess; and a measurement device to analyze a sample. Another aspect provides a removable centrifuge model on the transport system, which separates samples, such as whole blood before analysis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a diagnostic analyzer, preferably a desk top analyzer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a diagnostic analyzer having removable holders that include a probe tip dispenser, a fluid supply section and a test element recess in the same line of travel. The invention also relates to an analyzer having a centrifuge thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
Desktop analyzers, particularly for veterinary use and point of care (POC) human use, are known in the art. For example, the Abaxis Vetscan™ and Hemagen Analyst™ are both desktop analyzers for veterinary use. The Vitros® DT-60 is a desktop analyzer manufactured by Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics Corp. Other known analyzers include those POC analyzers described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,968,329, 5,747,666, 5,980,830 and 5,787,015, all of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties. U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,049 also discloses a modular analyzer system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,734 discloses a modular automated diagnostic system. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0098116 ('116 publication) describes a biochemical analysis system that includes a circular sample tray and a removable sample cartridge. EP 458 138 A2 discloses a diagnostic system that includes a slide compartment having a graduated microcup and pipette tip opening. U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,257 describes analyzers and their components that use slides as test elements. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,741,708, 5,244,633, and 5,736,403 all disclose analyzers having concentric rotors. These publications are also incorporated by reference in their entireties.
Known diagnostic systems, such as those described above, have generally adequately addressed size issues but often at the expense of functionality, test menu, and productivity, or vice versa. Most known systems perform tests serially on a single patient sample, significantly limiting walk away time for the user to perform other work tasks. These analyzers usually employ a number of dedicated subsystems within the analyzer to perform discrete functions such as sample storage and positioning, reagent storage, and waste collection among others. In some cases, multiple analyzer systems are required to perform a variety of test menus needed in the lab, for example, separate systems to perform immuno rate or electrolyte assays.
In many known systems, whole blood samples must be prepared (e.g., diluted or centrifuged) prior to testing, further limiting the user's productivity. Reagent formats can be individual test strips (e.g., such as dry-slide technology), which offer the most cost effective solution and test flexibility, or multiple test formats (e.g., such as the Abaxis Vetscan™ rotor), which limit selective assay testing, and, as a result, drive up test costs. Liquid systems may compromise analytical performance when dealing with patient sample background interference compared to analyzers that use a dry-slide format. However, there are some tests which are incompatible with dry formats and therefore must use wet or liquid formats.
With systems that require separation prior to testing, separation of the sample into its components, such as blood into serum or plasma, is usually accomplished as a pre processing step by a lab technician. Centrifugation is the more common method used. The sample, such as whole blood contained in a sample tube is placed into a high-speed centrifuge to perform the separation, which can take varying amounts of time depending on the centrifuge's speed. Known analyzers can also include microcentrifuges such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,291 which describes a device that allows whole blood sample to be aliquoted into a centrifugable pipette tip. The pipette tip is then engaged by a high-speed drive that rotates the tip along its center axis. As the tip rotates, blood cells from plasma are forced upward along the angled surface of the tip into a trap or cavity near the top of the tip. After spinning, the separated plasma is then dispensed from the bottom of the tip. Published Patent Application No. 2001/0019842 discloses a microcentrifuge for separating whole blood.
There is a need for small, portable in vitro diagnostic systems that are capable of automatically performing a wide range of analysis, preferably for both human and animal health care providers, and provide the flexibility to execute a variety of operations on patient samples with a high degree of simplicity and cost effectiveness. There are a number of factors that drive the need for improved products including:
Cost Pressures—Lower cost testing solutions that more effectively utilize system reagents and operation.
Ease of Use—Users at the POC and veterinary labs are often less skilled than most technicians working in large lab operations and often perform a wide range of lab and office functions. Systems utilized in these labs must be simple to use but offer a high degree of functionality. Systems that are easy to use with little maintenance or preparation of both sample and instrument are advantageous.
Increased Test Menu Capability—Systems are needed that can perform a wide range of tests without compromising analytical performance due to test format limitations. Current systems penalize the user due to their inflexibility to accommodate individual and panel tests without additional reagent waste associated with pre-configured test formats (e.g., the Abaxis Vetscan™ rotor or the Hemagen Analyst™ Panels+test rotor).
Size—Lab space is often very limited and portability is often a factor allowing the analyzer to be used at the patient location.
In developing such systems that achieve the above factors, there is a need to minimize the number of moving parts to save on costs and minimize space requirements. Known analyzers having removable holders (e.g., EP 458 138 A2) that include components such as slides, probe tips and sample sources do not have the components arranged in the same line of travel which results in an additional direction of motion for each subsystem. Other known analyzers (e.g., U.S. Publication No. 2002/0098116) also do not include components arranged in the same line of travel thus resulting in an additional direction of motion for subsystems to access the components. In addition, not all of the necessary components (e.g., probe tips) are arranged on the same removable holder. For analyzers requiring separation of the sample before analysis, known analyzers have not been able to incorporate a separating device such as a centrifuge, into the analyzer in a manner that allows the analyzer to minimize space requirements and provide ease of use.
The result is expensive and space consuming transport systems that are used to move various components throughout the analyzer.

Analyzer having removable holders or a centrifuge


A mixed mode RAM/ROM cell includes a volatile memory cell and an antifuse coupled to the cell. In an array of mixed mode memory cells, addressing circuitry is coupled to the volatile memory cells and programming circuitry is coupled to the antifuses. After an antifuse is programmed, the associated memory cell is transformed from a volatile memory to a non-volatile memory. Specifically, during normal operation, a standard supply voltage is provided to all antifuses. Thus, after a power down or power fluctuation, the programmed antifuses ensure subsequent configuration of their respective volatile memory cells.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to random access memory (RAM) cells and read only memory (ROM) cells, and particularly to mixed mode RAM/ROM cells using antifuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
Random access memory (RAM) cells and read only memory (ROM) cells are well known in the art. A RAM cell stores a logic state, i.e. a logic one or a logic zero, and needs a constant DC voltage to maintain its configuration. Thus, a RAM cell can be reprogrammed by turning the power off, thereby providing design flexibility. A ROM cell also stores a logic state, but is non-volatile, i.e. retains its logic state even in the absence of DC voltage. Thus, ROM cells provide protection against power loss, but fail to provide design flexibility. Therefore, a need arises for a memory cell having the design flexibility of a RAM cell as well as the non-volatility capability of a ROM cell.


An architecture for a hybrid power plant for driving a rotorcraft rotor (1). The rotorcraft is fitted with an electrical energy distribution network (17) for distributing electrical energy from a management network (20) that is interposed between the distribution network (17) and electrical energy sources (4, 9, 10). A management computer (21) takes account of information about the working of a combustion engine (3) for driving the rotor (1), about the working of the electrical energy sources (4, 9, 10) fitted to the rotorcraft and including an energy store (9), a reversible electric machine (4), and an electricity generator (10) engaged with the combustion engine, and about the electrical energy needs of the electricity distribution network (17). Electrical energy is distributed selectively by the management computer (21) via the management circuit (20) and to the distribution circuit (17) depending on priorities of maintaining safe flight of the rotorcraft and providing drive assistance to the engine (3) as produced by the reversible electric machine (4).

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of equipment for rotary wing aircraft, in particular for helicopters, and it relates to feeding energy to members that are fitted to the rotorcraft. Said members are more particularly power members such as at least one power plant for driving a rotor in rotation, and accessories and/or pieces of equipment that are useful for the working of the rotorcraft.
The present invention relates more specifically to architectures for supplying a rotor fitted to a helicopter or an analogous rotary wing aircraft with mechanical power derived from hybrid energy sources, and for managing this power supply by means of an on-board electrical network of the rotorcraft.
(2) Description of Related Art
The concept of hybrid energy sources should be considered with respect to selectively using a combustion energy source and/or an electrical energy source. The combustion energy source makes use in particular of a turboshaft engine or an internal combustion engine of the diesel engine type, and the electrical energy source makes use in particular of a reversible electric machine, and more particularly a generator/starter.
The concepts of a turboshaft engine, of an internal combustion engine, of a reversible electric machine, and of a generator/starter should not be considered narrowly, but broadly with respect to their operating mode and the ways they are implemented. More particularly, a turboshaft engine, an internal combustion engine, and a reversible electric machine, in particular a generator/starter, may be replaced by members that are commonly accepted as being analogous in terms of their operating mode and the ways they are implemented.
Helicopters are rotary wing aircraft having at least one rotor driven in rotation by at least one power plant. In the context of the present invention, consideration should be given more particularly to a hybrid power plant associating a combustion engine and an electric motor, in particular a reversible electric machine.
The rotor may be a main rotor providing the rotorcraft with its lift, and also its propulsion in a helicopter. The rotor may also be a secondary rotor such as a tail rotor serving to guide the rotorcraft about a yaw axis, or indeed a propulsive propeller in the context of a long-range high-speed rotorcraft, traditionally referred to as a hybrid helicopter.
The rotor is commonly driven in rotation by a power plant comprising at least one engine driving a main gearbox that mechanically engages the rotor. In a variety of variants associated essentially with the power of the rotorcraft and with regulations concerning the kind of territory over which the rotorcraft is allowed to fly, a rotorcraft may have a single engine or it may have more than one engine, and in particular it may be a two-engined rotorcraft. Conventionally, a single-engined rotorcraft has a turboshaft engine or an internal combustion engine, in particular a diesel engine, while a two-engined rotorcraft has two turboshaft engines. Each turboshaft engine associates a gas generator engaging a free turbine for driving rotation of the main gearbox.
The main gearbox may also be used for mechanically driving major pieces of equipment of the rotorcraft that require significant amounts of power in working, such as for example a pump or a compressor of a ventilation, heating, and/or air conditioning device. Such major pieces of equipment include a secondary power member that is mechanically driven by the main gearbox.
Furthermore, a rotorcraft is fitted with an on-board electrical network for electrically powering various pieces of equipment and/or accessories of the rotorcraft. In order to operate, those accessories require powering at a level that is considered as being moderate relative to the mechanical power that needs to be delivered for driving the rotor, and more particularly for driving the main gearbox. Such moderate power accessories of a rotorcraft are conventionally electrically powered in working from the on-board electrical network.
By way of example, the accessories may be control panel accessories and/or comfort accessories, on-board instrumentation providing information about the working and/or the environment of the rotorcraft, or indeed calculation accessories controlling the operating mode of the rotorcraft. It should be observed that these accessories include members for making the operating mode of the rotorcraft safe and/or members for providing people with safety, or indeed members that are found to be essential for enabling the pilot to guide the rotorcraft in complete safety via a man-machine interface (MMI).
The on-board network is in communication with various sources of electrical energy, such as a reversible electric machine, an electricity generator, and/or an electrical energy store. The on-board network has one or more central units controlling the distribution of energy flows to the various accessories and pieces of equipment of the rotorcraft that are to be supplied with electrical energy, or indeed to power members such as a said reversible electric machine that is capable of being used for temporarily driving the engine.
It is appropriate to ensure that the working of a rotorcraft is safe given the available electrical energy. For example, according to document FR 2 961 767 (Sagem Defense Sécurité), proposals are made to interrupt recharging electrical energy into an energy store for electrically powering an accessory of a rotorcraft in the event that an engine of the rotorcraft is in operation and said energy store is at a predefined charge threshold.
For this purpose, central units have connection interfaces (buses) in communication with various switch members, such as contactors or analogous switch members. The electrical energy resources of the rotorcraft are managed by the central units that control the flows of electrical energy passing via the on-board network.
Depending on needs, the central units control the supply of electrical power to the on-board electrical network and the distribution of this electrical power to an electricity distribution network form which auxiliary electrical networks are powered for electrically powering accessories and pieces of equipment of the rotorcraft.
The on-board electrical network is a sensitive installation of the rotorcraft and it is important to ensure that it is constantly fed with electrical energy and that it constantly has power available. It is necessary to be able to obtain a suitable electrical power supply for the various pieces of equipment and accessories of the rotorcraft regardless of the flight situations and/or the stages of flight of the rotorcraft.
Flight situations correspond in particular to a situation of starting or stopping a rotor, a situation of hovering flight, and/or a situation of low-speed flight, corresponding to the rotorcraft advancing at less than 40 knots (kt), or indeed to a situation of cruising flight in which the power plant of the aircraft is used at a nominal speed. Stages of flight correspond to a change in engine speed, such as a stage of starting or stopping the power plant, and in particular to transient stages during which the power plant is accelerated or decelerated.
Traditionally, a machine that generates electricity is incorporated in the power plant for the purpose of being driven in rotation by the engine. The electric machine delivers electricity to the on-board network and is used to feed an electrical energy store that makes it possible, where necessary, to power the on-board network.
Under such conditions, changes in technology and in requirements have led to organizing the architecture for delivering mechanical power to the rotor from a plurality of energy sources associating an engine with a reversible electric machine. Such architectures are commonly referred to as hybrid power plant architectures.
In addition to the mechanical energy contribution delivered to the rotor by the engine, the reversible electric machine is used as a drive member capable of temporarily delivering extra mechanical energy in specific flight situations and/or flight stages of the rotorcraft. By way of example, the reversible electric machine is used when starting the rotorcraft in order to initiate drive of the engine. Also by way of example, it is possible to make use of a configuration in which the reversible electric machine is engaged with the drivetrain used for driving the rotor to provide the engine with assistance during an acceleration stage, or conversely during a deceleration stage.
For example, according to document US 2009/0145998 (Ival O. Salyer), a turboshaft engine delivers the mechanical energy normally required by the rotor in a cruising flight situation. An electric motor is used for driving the rotor in predetermined flight conditions. The electric motor may be electrically powered by the on-board network from an electrical energy store, or from an electricity generator that is mechanically driven by a turboshaft engine.
Also by way of example, according to document U.S. Pat. No. 7,513,120 (United Tech. Corp.), electric machines are mechanically engaged on a turboshaft engine, one via the gas generator and the other via the free turbine. The efficiency and the performance of the gas generator are improved during transient flight stages in the operation of the engine.
Reference may also be made to document FR 2 929 324 (Turbomeca SA), in which a reversible electric machine is selectively mechanically engaged with the gas generator in order to start the engine, or with the free turbine in order to be driven in an electricity generator mode.
Document FR 2 914 697 (Turbomeca SA) proposes a hybrid power plant architecture for a rotorcraft in which electrical energy is used during transient flight stages, in particular during an acceleration or a deceleration stage.
Under such circumstances, an auxiliary electric motor is engaged with the gas generator of a turboshaft engine driving the rotor in order to assist it in an acceleration stage. The auxiliary motor is electrically powered from an electrical energy store or from a first electricity generator. The first electricity generator may be driven by the free turbine of the engine or by the mechanical drivetrain used for driving the rotor.
A second electricity generator is engaged with the gas generator in order to take mechanical energy therefrom during a deceleration stage and transform the mechanical energy it takes into electrical energy. The second electricity generator feeds electrical energy to an electrical energy store when it is driven by the gas generator. Still with respect to deceleration, the auxiliary motor may be a reversible electric machine operated to take mechanical energy from the gas generator.
A problem raised lies in reconciling delivering top-up mechanical energy from a reversible electric machine in order to drive the rotor, with safe working of the on-board network faced with the electricity needs of the rotorcraft. Account should also be taken of the possibility whereby a hybrid power plant architecture can be installed without major structural modification on board any type of rotorcraft, in particular a single-engined rotorcraft or a two-engined rotorcraft.
This difficulty is addressed in document FR 2 962 404 (Eurocopter), which discloses a hybrid power plant architecture fitted to a rotorcraft. A solution proposed in that document is in particular to draw a distinction between the on-board network operating under a nominal electric voltage and an auxiliary electrical network that is specifically reserved to the reversible electric machine operating at its own auxiliary electric voltage.
It is appropriate to optimize the use of the electric machine for delivering mechanical drive to the rotor. This seeks in particular to use a reversible electric machine to the best of its capacities, regardless of the flight situations and/or the transient flight stages of the rotorcraft.
More precisely, the reversible electric machine must be capable of being used regardless of the flight situation of the rotorcraft as considered from the stage of starting the rotor to a cruising flight situation, and vice versa, while including critical flight situations of the rotorcraft progressing at low speeds and/or hovering.
In particular, the reversible electric machine must be used during transient flight stages in which the engine needs to be assisted mechanically by the reversible electric machine in order to drive the rotor when accelerating.
More particularly in an acceleration stage, it is appropriate to deliver the top-up mechanical energy from the reversible electric machine in order to drive the rotor. Still more particularly, in a deceleration stage, it is appropriate to use the reversible electric machine and/or an electricity generator to take mechanical energy from the drivetrain for driving the rotor in rotation.
Such advantages provided by the hybrid power plant architecture need to be obtained without affecting the working of the on-board network of the rotorcraft. It is therefore also appropriate to guarantee the reliability and safe working of the on-board network. The electrical energy resources of the on-board network need to be kept available and sufficient regardless of the immediate needs of the rotorcraft, and without affecting the safety of its operation.
A quantity of electrical energy must be kept available for safe working of the various pieces of equipment and accessories in the rotorcraft. The availability of this quantity of electrical energy must not be obtained to the detriment of attempts at simplifying the hybrid power plant architecture and must take account of the electrical energy needs of numerous pieces of equipment and accessories that might be fitted to the rotorcraft. For a given mission profile of the rotorcraft, it is also important to avoid wasting energy.
Account must also be taken of it being desirable for the hybrid power plant architecture to be installed on any type of rotorcraft without requiring major structural modification, and in particular regardless of the number of engines with which the rotorcraft might be fitted and regardless of the structure of the engine used for driving the rotor, i.e. whether it is an internal combustion engine or a turboshaft engine, in particular.
Consequently, it appears not to be easy to design an architecture for delivering mechanical power to a rotorcraft rotor from hybrid energy sources while complying with all of the above-mentioned constraints.

Hybrid power supply architecture for supplying mechanical power to a rotor and managed from the on-board network of a rotorcraft


Apparatus, and an associated method, for selectably introducing desired levels of diversity into data communicated upon a radio communication channel to effectuate a communication service, such as a 1×EV-DV communication service. Responsive to channel conditions, the level of diversity is selected, and levels of encoding are utilized. Matching encoder and decoder apparatus are provided to sending and receiving station pairs. Encoder apparatus includes constituent encoder elements, and associated interleaver elements for interleaving data that is to be communicated by associated encoder elements. One, or more, antenna transducer elements are selectably utilized to provide spatial diversity in addition to temporal diversity.

A communication system operates to provide for the communication of data between communication stations positioned at spaced-apart locations. At least one of the communication stations forms a sending station, and at least another of the communication stations forms a receiving station. A communication channel interconnects the sending and receiving stations. Data is communicated by a sending station to a receiving station by way of the communication channel.
Various types of communication systems have been developed and deployed, capable of effectuating different types of communication services. As a result of technological advancements, new types of communication systems have been developed and deployed. With continued technological advancements, additional types of communication systems shall likely be developed and deployed, providing improved and new communication services that can be effectuated.
A radio communication system is an exemplary type of communication system. Various types of radio communication systems have been developed and deployed, permitting the effectuation of many types of communication services. Radio communication systems utilize communication channels that are defined upon radio links formed between sending and receiving stations. The need otherwise to utilize wireline connections along the entire paths between the sending and receiving stations is obviated. That is to say, at least for the portion of the path that utilizes radio communication channels defined upon a radio link, the need for a wireline connection is obviated.
Use of a radio communication system by which to communicate provides various advantages. For instance, the costs required initially to deploy a radio communication system are generally less than the costs required to deploy a corresponding wireline communication system. That is to say, the infrastructure costs associated with a radio communication system are generally less than the infrastructure costs associated with a corresponding wireline communication system. Additionally, a radio communication system is amenable for implementation as a mobile communication system in which communication mobility is provided to one or more of the communication stations operable in the communication system.
Many radio, as well as other, communication systems make use of digital communication techniques. And, many of the technological advancements that have been implemented in communication systems pertain to digital communication techniques or provide for the communication of the data in digital form. When digital communication techniques are used, data that is to be communicated is first placed into digitized form. And, then, typically, the digitized data is formatted into data packets or frames according to a selected data formatting scheme. The data is communicated by sending the packets or frames between the sending and receiving stations. Because of the formatting of the data into packets or frames, the packets or frames can be communicated individually or in discrete groups. And, when delivered to the receiving station, the informational content of the data is recovered by determining the values of the data contained in the packets or frames.
Ideally, the data is communicated upon distortion-free channels so that the values of the data, when received at a receiving station, are in identical correspondence with the values of the data when communicated by a sending station upon a radio channel. However, in an actual system, fading, or other distortion-causing conditions distort the data during its communication upon the channel to the receiving station. If the values differ significantly, the informational content of the data can not be recreated at the receiving station. Fading conditions, also know as multipath conditions, alter the values of the values of the data, or portions thereof, such that, when detected at the receiving station, the values of the data differ with corresponding values when sent by the sending station.
Compensation for the distortion caused by fading is attempted by various techniques. For instance, the diversity of the data is sometimes increased to increase the likelihood that the informational content of the data is recovered at the receiving station.
One type of diversity is time diversity that is introduced into the data that is communicated by a sending station. By utilizing time diversity, time redundancy is introduced into the data. By introducing time redundancy, loss of portions of the data during its communication upon a channel susceptible to fading is less likely to prevent recovery of the informational content of the data. The time diversity takes advantage of the time variance typically associated with fading. That is to say, the amount of fading varies as a function of time, and the time diversity introduced into the data that is communicated upon such a channel increases the likelihood that some part of the redundant data is delivered to a receiving station.
Space diversity is sometimes also utilized. In space diversity, a sending station uses two or more transmit antennas from which to transmit data that is communicated to a receiving station. The transmit antennas are spaced apart by separation distances, thereby to cause the data that is communicated by the respective ones of the transmit antennas to be communicated upon differing communication paths to the receiving station. Through appropriate selection of the separation distances, the correlation between the data is potentially reduced. Systems that utilize multiple transmit antennas are sometimes referred to as being multiple output systems. Spatial, and sometimes also polarization, diversity is provided in systems that utilize multiple transmit antennas.
As the data rates, and corresponding amounts of data, that must be communicated to effectuate many new, and proposed communication services increases, the need to utilize multiple output communication systems shall also become increasingly necessary due to the increased throughput capabilities of the multiple output systems. As data shall need to be communicated upon channels that are susceptible to fading, or other distortion-causing conditions, there shall be a continuing need to utilize diversity in the communication of the data.
If an improved manner could be provided by which selectably to increase, or otherwise alter, the amount of diversity introduced upon data that is to be communicated, depending upon communication conditions, improved communications would be possible.
It is in light of this background information related to the communication of data in a communication system susceptible to fading, or other distortion-causing conditions, that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.

Apparatus, and associated method, for communicating data at selected levels of diversity in a radio communication system


Tools in a system for the design of customized three-dimensional models of dental restorations for subsequent manufacturing. Dental restorations such as implant abutments, copings, crowns, wax-ups, bridge frameworks. Moreover, a computer-readable medium for implementing such a system on a computer. A system for designing at least one dental restoration, said system including: a display, means for acquiring and displaying a three dimensional dental restoration model of the dental restoration, and means for displaying a plurality of control points, each of the control points corresponding to a respective location on the dental restoration model, and each of said control points enabling manual customization of the dental restoration model.

The present disclosure is related to the field of designing and manufacturing of dental restorations such as crowns, bridges, copings, abutments and implants. When a patient requires a dental restoration the dentist will prepare the teeth e.g. a damaged tooth is grinded down to make a preparation where the crown is glued onto. An alternative treatment is to insert implants (titanium screws) into the jaw of the patient and mount crowns or bridges on the implants.
CAD technology for manufacturing dental restorations is rapidly expanding resulting in improved quality, reduced cost and facilitation of the possibility to manufacture in attractive materials otherwise not available. The first step in the CAD manufacturing process is to create a 3-dimensional dental model of the patient's teeth. This is provided by 3D scanning of one or both of the dental gypsum models or by scanning impressions of the teeth. The 3-dimensional replicas of the teeth are imported into a CAD program, where the entire dental restoration or a bridge substructure is designed. The final restoration 3D design is then manufactured e.g. using a milling machine, 3D printer, rapid prototyping manufacturing or other manufacturing equipment. Accuracy requirements for the dental restorations are very high otherwise the dental restoration will not be visual appealing, fit onto the teeth, could cause pain or cause infections.
Systems for designing dental restorations are known in the art, e.g. 3Shape DentalDesigner™ and 3Shape AbutmentDesigner™, which are generally used by dental specialists such as dental technicians. Users of such design tool systems are working with a three dimensional dental model of the patient trying to fit the dental restoration model into the dental model. During dental restoration of a patients teeth the typical procedure could be to secure an implant abutment in the jaw of the patient, a coping is then attached (e.g. by glue) to the abutment and finally a crown is glued onto the coping. However, both abutment, coping and crown must be designed to fit the patient, both physically and visually. I.e. the abutment, the coping and the crown must be customized for each tooth of each patient.
In the following the term "dental restoration" can be an implant abutment, a coping, a crown or any combination of these. Correspondingly a "dental restoration model" can be an abutment model, a coping model, a crown model or any combination of these.
In the design phase of a dental restoration a three dimensional model of the dental restoration is typically provided by the system and the task of the dental specialist is to shape the dental restoration model to provide a perfect fit in the dental model, whereby the patient can end up with a tooth implant that matches the other teeth of the patient. A dental specialist (i.e. a user of the system) is typically working with a dental model with at least one attached dental restoration model on a screen and the 3D models can typically be rotated around any axis, zoomed, panned and the like. Thus the user will typically be able to specify and change the orientation and viewing angle of the dental model and the dental restoration model. The task of a user is to shape and customize the dental restoration model into the dental model by translating, rotating, dragging, tilting, widening and/or narrowing the 3D dental restoration model (which preferably is fixed in the dental model). This is typically provided by use of an electronic screen pointing tool, such as a mouse, a ball pen or the like. In the following any reference to a "mouse cursor" or a "mouse marker" is a reference to the element on the screen representing the electronic screen pointing tool.
The dental restoration model can be customizably shaped by means of the pointing tool by shaping ("dragging") the dental restoration model with origin in specific points on the dental restoration model. These points are in the following termed "control points" and can be seen in FIG. 1. The control points are typically located in carefully and preferably automatically selected positions on the dental restoration model. For example in FIG. 1 showing an abutment model where the control points are located on the top center, each of the four sides and around the lower bottom rim (i.e. the lower collar of the abutment).

Tools for customized design of dental restorations