Process for the production of photographic copies from photographic copy masters in a photographic copy apparatus, wherein initially in a measuring station of the photographic copy master an exposed photographic master material, on which photographic copy masters are exposed, is analyzed master by master. In the process, the measuring data necessary for the exposure of each master is determined, together with the size and the position of the center of each copy master on the film. A number is assigned unambiguously to each master, the number being determined by scanning an expanded DX code provided in periodic intervals in a border area of the master material by a single bar code detector used in the measuring station to read the expanded DX code. The number is determined by reading the expanded DX code. The numbers assigned to the copy masters, together with the associated measured data, are passed on to a computer and control unit. In an exposure station, located downstream from the measuring station in the direction of transport of the master material, the copy masters are exposed according to the measured data belonging to the prevailing copy master number present in the computer and control station onto photographic copy material to produce photographic copies. The number assigned to each copy master is applied to the photographic copy, preferably to the reverse side.

The invention concerns a process for the production of photographic copies from photographic copy masters in a photographic copy apparatus, having a measuring station wherein an exposed photographic master material, on which photographic copy masters are exposed, is analyzed master by master.
Photographic copy masters, such as exposed negative film material, are exposed in a photographic copy apparatus onto photographic copy material, usually photographic positive paper, and are delivered together with the exposed photographic copy material to the customer. Reorders in most cases are from existing positive images. It is usually necessary for the customer to find the corresponding negative and to communicate it to the laboratory. The negative films at this point in time are typically present in strips of four to six negative masters. In order to facilitate the correlation of the positive images with the negative masters, the negative film manufacturers provide continuous numbering at regular intervals on the negative film strips, which become visible during development and may be coordinated with a given negative master. However, as during the exposure of the negative film it is being transported at different uniform rates in each photographic camera, generally the relative position of the negative masters relative to the numbers applied during manufacture is not correlated. For this reason, it is frequently very difficult for the customer to coordinate the negative desired in a given case with the correct number. If the customer in such a case has decided on a negative with respect to a certain number, as may occur in particular during the automatic processing of the order, individual copies of negatives other than the one ordered (for example the preceding or following one) will be used in processing the order. To avoid such an error, it has often been necessary heretofore for the operating personnel of the laboratory, either together with the customer or alone, to decide which negative is actually the correct one. This condition is unsatisfactory for both parties and is also highly laborious and personnel intensive.
In numerous cases the relative position of the negative masters to the numbers on the negative film strips is such that even experienced operators in the laboratories encounter severe problems in arriving at an unambiguous correlation. For this reason, in EP 0 293 887 a process and an apparatus are proposed to eliminate this condition. In the process described therein, films are used on which the numbers additionally are represented by bar codes, applied between the perforation holes and the outer edge of the negative film. This bar code is provided in addition to the so-called DX code, which also is a bar code and contains information concerning the manufacturer, the type of film and the production lot number. In the measuring station of a photographic laboratory, the numbers coded in the bar code are read by means of a detector which is provided in addition to the detector for the DX code and together with further information relative to the negative concerned, and punched for example into a perforated strip. In the exposure station another detector is present for the bar code to again read the numbers. Synchronously, the information contained on the perforated strip is also read and processed. By comparing the negative number detected in the exposure station with the information contained on the perforated strip, the correct exposure data are assigned to the particular negative. With the aid of these data, the negative master is copied onto positive photographic paper to produce a positive image. Additionally, the number assigned to the negative in the measuring station is printed onto the reverse side of the paper image. This process should be suitable both for full size and for half size images. It is stated in the reference that in the case of half size images it may be necessary to print two adjacent numbers onto the paper image to assure unambiguous correlation.
The process described and the corresponding apparatus are optimized for the aforementioned specific negative film materials, where the numbers are represented as additional strip codes, located on the edge of the film opposite the DX code.
On the other hand there is a demand for negative film materials on which one edge of the film is free of coded information. It may be desirable to provide thereon information relative to the negative film material that may be read without additional devices by the operating personnel, so that the negative film may be processed correctly even in photographic copy apparatuses without DX code detectors. It has therefore been proposed to apply to the negative film material a so-called expanded DX code. This expanded DX code contains in addition to the coded information of the existing DX code, another coded number and is located as before on the lower edge of the film. In this manner the additional bar code may be eliminated and the upper film edge remains free for other uses.
There is therefore the problem of creating a process for the production of photographic copies from photographic copy masters in a photographic copy apparatus, making it possible to work with the modified negative film material and the expanded DX code. Furthermore, the unambiguous correlation of the master and the copy both for full size and half size images should be possible by citing a single number. The process should be simple and capable of automation. Any multiple detection of coded information in the individual processing stations should be avoided. The corresponding apparatus should be simple in its configuration and no additional detectors should be required. A process is to be created making it easier for the customer to determine the correct copy master belonging to the reorder desired. The process should also permit the reliable processing of customer reorders.

Process for the production of photographic copies from photographic copy masters on a photographic copy apparatus


Methods for determining the identity of a substance are provided. A classification parameter set is defined to allow identification of substances that previously could not be identified or to allow identification of substances with a higher degree of confidence. The classification parameter set may include at least one of relative nuclear susceptibility (RNS) or an x-ray linear attenuation coefficient (LAC). RNS represents the density of hydrogen nuclei present in a substance relative to the density of hydrogen nuclei present in water. The extended classification parameter set may include T1, T2, and/or T1ρ as well as at least one additional classification parameter comprising one of RNS or LAC. Values obtained for additional classification parameters as well as values obtained for T1, T2, and T1ρ can be compared to known classification parameter values to determine whether a particular substance is a known material.

The identity of unknown substances can be determined through a variety of means. When samples of an unknown substance can be obtained, various tests and analyses can be performed to determine the likely identity of the substance. In some instances, however, it is either not possible or not desirable to obtain samples of an unknown substance. In such cases, non-invasive methods of material analysis are preferred.
For example, in security settings, efficiency concerns dictate use of non-invasive identification techniques such as x-ray analysis. More recently, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has been used in security settings to identify unknown substances by measuring common NMR parameters and comparing these parameter values to known parameter values of known substances. In some instances, however, the measured NMR parameter values are not sufficient to positively identify an unknown substance. Current NMR analysis techniques can also be too time intensive to be useful in high-throughput security settings.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Classification of materials using nuclear magnetic resonance dispersion and/or x-ray absorption


An air intake control system includes valve elements disposed in intake passages for varying the cross-sectional area of each intake passage, a valve shaft for transmitting a driving force to the valve element, an actuator including a motor for producing the driving force for turning valve shaft, a worm gear mounted on a rotary shaft of the motor, and a housing accommodating the motor and the worm gear, and a driving gear which meshes with the worm gear to transmit the driving force supplied from the actuator to the valve shaft. The driving gear includes a boss portion, a tooth portion which meshes with the worm gear, and an elastic member which is sandwiched between and bonded to the boss portion and the tooth portion. The boss portion rotates together with the valve shaft, whereas the tooth portion and the elastic member can rotate relative to the valve shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air intake control system provided in an air intake line of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, an air intake control system of an internal combustion engine employs an air intake control apparatus which includes an intake air control valve disposed in an inlet pipe connected to cylinders, the intake air control valve including a valve shaft and a valve element mounted pivotably about the valve shaft. The valve shaft is turned in a controlled fashion by an actuator, such as a motor, whereby the valve element is pivoted between a fully opened position and a completely closed position to adjust intake passage cross section of the inlet pipe.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-124933 discloses a variable air intake control apparatus including a valve element mounted on a valve shaft disposed in an intake passage within an intake manifold which is connected to engine cylinders. The valve element is mounted pivotably about the valve shaft which is supported by the intake manifold. A gear is fixedly mounted on the valve shaft and the valve element is controllably opened and closed by a driving force produced by a motor of which rotary shaft is fitted with a pinion that meshes with the gear of the valve shaft.
In the variable air intake control apparatus thus structured, the valve element goes into contact with a stopper at a fully opened position and at a completely closed position. One problem of this variable air intake control apparatus is that an impact load acts on the valve element due to inertia of the motor and of the gear fitted on the valve shaft when the valve element goes into contact with the stopper, causing an impact on meshing teeth of the gear fitted on the valve shaft and the pinion fitted on the motor shaft. Since contact areas of the meshing teeth carry the entirety of the impact load, the teeth of the gear and the pinion are likely to break.
One approach to reducing this impact load for overcoming the aforementioned problem is introduced in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1999-173116, which discloses an air intake control apparatus in which a gear (motor gear) fitted on a rotary shaft of a motor and a gear (throttle gear) fitted on a valve shaft carrying a valve element are helical gears, and the motor gear fitted on the rotary shaft is sandwiched by a pair of spring washers. The motor gear is mounted on the rotary shaft in such a manner that the motor gear can move along an axial direction of the rotary shaft but does not rotate relative to the rotary shaft. When the throttle gear goes into contact with a stopper and stops at a fully opened position or at a completely closed position, one of the spring washers is compressed and the other extends, whereby the motor gear moves along the axial direction of the rotary shaft and an impact load caused by inertia is alleviated.
The air intake control apparatus of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1999-173116 however poses the following problems:
(1) The helical gears are complicated in structure and are difficult to manufacture;
(2) The structure of the Publication, in which one of the helical gears sandwiched by the spring washers is mounted movably along the rotary shaft but unturnably around the rotary shaft, requires a larger number of components including the spring washers and stoppers therefor as well as a complex assembly process; and
(3) Foreign matter may intrude between sliding areas of the helical gear and the rotary shaft when the helical gear moves along the rotary shaft, or the spring washers may be damaged by repeated stress over the course of time, resulting in poor reliability of the air intake control apparatus.


A photoelectric conversion device includes a pixel circuit section including: a first semiconductor region containing a first conductivity type impurity; a second semiconductor region formed in the first semiconductor region by using the first conductivity type impurity; a third semiconductor region formed in the second semiconductor region by using a second conductivity type impurity; and a contact plug formed on the third semiconductor region. A net concentration of the first conductivity type impurity is higher in the second semiconductor region than in the first and third semiconductor regions. In the second and third semiconductor regions, a distance between the contact plug and a position where the concentration of the second conductivity type impurity is maximum is equal to or less than a distance between the contact plug and a position where the concentration of the first conductivity type impurity is maximum.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photoelectric conversion device and a manufacturing method thereof.
Description of the Related Art
As imaging apparatuses chiefly used in digital still cameras and video camcorders, demand for photoelectric conversion devices has been increased. Among photoelectric conversion devices used in digital still cameras, in particular those having a large size, such as APS-C size to 35 mm film size, have recently been widely used. As the above photoelectric conversion devices, CCD-type or MOS-type photoelectric conversion devices are used. Such a photoelectric conversion device includes a number of pixels arranged in an array across a large region, and a well contact is provided in every pixel in order to stabilize a reference potential at a center portion of a pixel circuit section and in a peripheral circuit section.
A method of forming a well contact for supplying a reference potential to a common well among pixels is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-73607. In the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-73607, the common well among the pixels is formed as a p-type impurity region, and a p-type impurity region having a higher p-type impurity concentration than that of the common well is further formed in the well contact in every pixel prior to formation of a contact interlayer film. P-type impurity having a high concentration is further ion-implanted into an opening of a contact hole after the contact hole is opened, thereby forming the well contact having a higher concentration of the p-type impurity than that of a p-type impurity introducing region.
In the case of forming the well contact in this manner, contact etching and ion-implantation may induce crystal defects, or may cause contamination with impurity atoms of heavy metals, or the like. Crystal defects and contamination with impurity atoms of heavy metals in a well contact region may cause deterioration of sensor characteristics, particularly deterioration of noise characteristics, such as occurrence of white defects and dark currents.
Although not mentioned in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-73607, it is necessary to supply a stable potential for contact holes to n-type impurity regions of a pixel circuit section, such as a source region, a drain region, a gate region, and a floating diffusion region. Therefore, after opening each contact hole in the pixel circuit section, n-type impurity having a higher concentration than that of p-type impurity should be ion-implanted into the opening of each contact hole. In this case, the n-type impurity is also ion-implanted in a well contact region to be a p-type impurity region, which causes change in effective p-type impurity concentration (a net p-type impurity concentration) distributions, so that it is concerned that white defects may occur, and dark current characteristics may become deteriorated. Hence, it is essential to control an impurity profile including not only concentration distributions of p-type impurity formed before the contact hole is formed, but also concentration distributions of n-type impurity to be ion-implanted, thereby controlling distributions of effective p-type impurity concentration.

Photoelectric conversion device and manufacturing method of the same


An induction motor speed control apparatus and method wherein various capacitors are switched in series with the auxiliary winding of an induction motor and, during such switching, the power source is disconnected from the main and auxiliary windings and the in-use capacitors are momentarily connected to the main winding to form a closed-loop discharge path through the main and auxiliary windings.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to induction motors. More particularly, this invention relates to speed control of induction motors employing switchable capacitors connected in series with the auxiliary/start winding of the motor.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventional induction motors typically comprise a main winding and an auxiliary/start winding. A capacitor and a resistor are connected in series with the auxiliary winding. Voltage from an alternating current (AC) power source is applied across the windings by means of a switch which, for high speed operation, applies voltage across the main and auxiliary windings connected in parallel and, for low speed operation, applies voltage across only the main winding. Additional speed control can be obtained by switching in different capacitors into the auxiliary winding. U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,699 discloses various speed control techniques for induction motors wherein the capacitors in the auxiliary winding are selectively switched in and out of the auxiliary winding so as to achieve high, medium, and low speed operation.
As reflected in U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,699, the resistor connected with the capacitor(s) in the auxiliary winding provide a means for safely discharging the capacitor(s) when changing from one speed to another. Indeed, it has been known that without such a resistor, the capacitor(s) will not be safely discharged during switching thereby resulting in increased arcing during switching. Moreover, the need for such a resistor unnecessarily increases the manufacturing costs.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an induction motor speed control apparatus and method which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art controls and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the induction motor art.
Another object of this invention is to provide speed control for induction motors by switching in various capacitors in the auxiliary winding of the motor and by providing means for discharging such capacitors during switching without employing a resistor connected in the auxiliary winding.
Another object of this invention is to provide speed control for induction motors wherein a switch is provided for selectively switching in various capacitors in series with the auxiliary winding of the motor for achieving multi-speed operation of the motor, the switch including means for disconnecting the power source from the in-use capacitor and, during such disconnection, momentarily connecting such capacitor to the main winding, allowing such capacitor to discharge through the main winding and the auxiliary winding, and then connecting the power source to one or more of the other capacitors or reconnecting the power source to such capacitor in parallel with one of the other capacitors.
Another object of this invention is to provide speed control for induction motors as described hereinabove, wherein the switch comprises a rotary switch having indexed positions corresponding to the "off" position and each position of speed control (e.g. "low", "medium" and "high"), configured in such a manner that each of the in-use capacitors in the auxiliary winding is momentarily disconnected from the power source and connected to the main winding as the switch is rotating from one of such positions to another.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Dual capacitor speed control apparatus and method for electric motor

Chien Luen Industries Company, Ltd., Inc.


The present invention provides a strain gauge comprising a resistive layer. The resistive layer comprises metallic or semiconducting nanoparticles or aggregates thereof in which the nanoparticles or aggregates thereof are separated by insulating and/or semiconducting material.

Strain gauges measure the change in resistance of an electrical conductor associated with the application of a mechanical load to the conductor which results in a strain. This change in resistance can be due to changes in the geometry of the conductor and in the resistivity of the conductor material. Conventional strain gauges are based on metallic wires or foils or on micromachined single- or polycrystalline semiconductors. These gauges are usually attached to a flexible plastic substrate, which in turn is bonded to the structure for which the strain has to be determined. The sensitivity of a strain gauge is given by the gauge factor "G", which is defined as the ratio between the relative change in resistance "ΔR/R" and the strain "ε": G=ΔR/R/ε. For metallic strain gauges, the gauge factor has typical values of about G=2, while for semiconductor gauges, G is considerably higher and can reach values of 70–200. The monograph "Strain Gauge Technology" by Window and Holister describes the prior art in detail. The strain is typically measured in units of "microstrain" ("με"); where 1 με=10−6ε.
Conventional strain gauge technology has a number of disadvantages. Metal wire and foil gauges have a limited sensitivity, which means that rather sophisticated measurement techniques are required to detect relative changes in resistance as low as a few ppm corresponding to low strains in the microstrain range. Furthermore, the resistivity of the conductor material of such gauges is rather low, resulting in increased power dissipation. This places restrictions on the minimum size of the gauge structure and thus on the spatial resolution of the strain measurements. Semiconductor-based gauges, on the other hand, while exhibiting higher sensitivities, suffer from non-linear behaviour, high temperature coefficients of resistivity, low strain limits and a complex (and thus costly) manufacturing process.
Fuchs et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,042, 1989) have described a strain gauge type based on a thin, granular metal film in which the conduction is governed by the tunnel effect between the metal grains. A theoretical description of this conduction mechanism together with experimental results for granular films of metals such as gold, silver, palladium or tin was given by Abeles et al. (Adv. Phys. 24, 407 (1975)). The granular films are produced using physical or chemical vapour deposition. The sensitivity of granular metal film gauges is comparable to that of semiconductor-based gauges.

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization

The Commonwealth of Australia as represented by The Defence Science and Technology Organization of the Dept. of Defence


The present invention provides an apparatus for extracting parts from a general-purpose storage for various vehicle models, the apparatus including a synchronization bar and a driving bar, which transfer driving force by a pneumatic cylinder for providing power of linear reciprocating movement, and an automatic part dropping unit that drops the parts placed on a plurality of plates rotated by the rotation of a plurality of shafts configured to be rotated by the transferred driving force.

(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus for extracting parts from general-purpose storage for various vehicle models. More particularly, the present invention relates to an unmanned automatic feeding apparatus which sequentially drops parts from a pallet preferably rotated by a plate that is rotated by a pneumatic cylinder and feeds the parts into a production line.
(b) Background Art
Unmanned automation is used in most production and assembly lines of vehicle manufacturing factories, however some processes require that a worker directly performs a few operations instead of automation.
In the case of a conventional apparatus for extracting parts from a general-purpose storage for various vehicle models, a worker standing by the production line at all times extracts the loaded parts from the pallet one by one and loads the parts on the production line. Accordingly, since the above process is a semi-automatic process, when the worker presses a "Done" button after loading the parts on the production line, the production line is suitably operated and the production operations are conducted.
Accordingly, in the case where the parts are extracted from the conventional storage for various vehicle models, since the worker who unloads the loaded parts is necessarily required, the working process is not performed automatically, and further the worker should confirm whether the operation for loading the parts is completed.
To this end, an unmanned automatic feeding apparatus, which automatically extracts working parts for a desired vehicle model sequentially from a pallet without a worker and feeds the working parts to the production line, is required.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Apparatus for extracting parts from general-purpose storage for vehicle


An automatically or manually operable closure system for a closing flap on a transport container is situated on the container frame and a docking stand at an unloading station. A rotating device for moving the closing flap is provided on the docking stand and a locking device for locking the closing flap in the closed position is provided on the container frame. A flap shaft, whose other end is mounted rotatably in the container frame and is implemented as a first connection element, engages axially to the rotational axis of the closing flap. The first connection element is axially coupled using a torsion-fixed tongue-groove pair to an axially displaceable second connection element. Formfitting coupling elements are provided on the second connection element and on the driveshaft for moving the closing flap.

According to prior art various locking systems are known for closing flaps. In a robust operation for unloading transportation containers the closing flaps are frequently opened and closed manually at the unloading site.
Arrangements are also known, which are provided directly at the transportation container and can be opened and closed in different ways. For example, DE 10 2004 036 273 A1 describes a locking and removal arrangement for a silo or bulk goods container with a silo flap sluice to close the output opening. Here, the motor to operate the silo flap sluice is coupled directly to its shaft. Here, the silo flap sluice comprises several semi-circular segments allowing a dosed extraction.
In locking devices directly connected to the transportation container it is disadvantageous that each transportation container must be provided with a respectively expensive device. In particular in manually operated locking devices additional arrangements for fixing the closing flaps are necessary to prevent an unintended automatic opening. Such arrangements for fixing shall prevent that unloading already occurs before the transportation container has reached the necessary position above the unloading station or that the closing flap opens automatically, e.g., in a container mixer. The known devices for fixing closing flaps prevent the use of automated locking systems.


A riser adapted to be immersed at a deep water level and including a main tube or an extension tube and peripheral lines. The riser includes at least two of an internal lining of an extension tube, a float only on the upper portion of the extension tube, and/or an extension tube and/or at least one of the peripheral lines having a weight less than that of an equivalent steel tube and/or of an equivalent steel line.

Deep sea level drillings, for example, down to 1,000 and, in particular, down to 2,000 m, requires that the architecture of the current risers be reviewed.
The difficulties caused by the transport, maintenance, storage and implementation of numerous elements comprising a riser, the resistance of the tubes of connectors and floats subjected to extremely high static and dynamic stresses which are sometimes hard to detect, as well as the manufacture, use and maintenance of a large volume of mud, would to a large extent reduce the effectiveness, reliability and safety of the drilling system and operations.
The words riser, extension tube or standpipe are understood here to mean a pipe making it possible to transfer, in particular, fluids between the water bottom and an installation situated at an upper level, namely one which may be situated roughly at the water surface or be immersed.
The present invention provides a riser making it possible to work at a great water depth by overcoming the difficulties previously indicated without adversely affecting the effectiveness or reliability of the riser.
For several years, operators have been constantly increasing the diameter of the riser (16"-185/8- 21) and the BOP working pressure (10,000-15,000 series), the same applying to the use of high density mud (maximum density in question in this analysis being 17 ppg, namely 2.03). This evolution, justified by reasons of safety and effectiveness, more particularly adversely affects the behaviour of the extension tube.
The problems linked to the static dimensioning of the riser appear when a riser longer than 1,000 m is dimensioned according to the prior art.
It has been observed that the internal volume of the riser is greater than the volume of the well itself as soon as the water depth goes down to 1,000 m (for example, the maximum volume of the well, which down to a water depth of 1,246 m, is equal to 164 m3, whereas, the volume of the riser reaches almost 200 m3). It exceeds by double or even triple this volume at a water depth of 3,000 m. This however, presents many serious technical and economic difficulties for the manufacture, storage, maintenance, control and treatment of mud and, finally, there remains the question of safety concerning such drillings.
As the apparent weight of this mud needs to be entirely supported by the tensioners, it follows that the greater the water depth, the greater is the pressure at the top of the riser, even if the actual weight of the riser is nonexistent (in the water).
Consequently, this firstly requires that an installation aboard the surface units has a sufficient tensioning capacity, with regard to the recommendations stipulated in the standards (standard API RP 2Q) currently in force, and secondly the use of tubes which are thicker at the upper portion of the riser so that the stresses there are limited to acceptable values.
Such a dimensioning shows that the ratio between the minimum tension required at the top and the available tensioning capacity would, in many cases, exceed the 71% authorized by the API RP 2Q standard, whereas, the apparent weight of the riser would be assumed as being equal to 0, which conforms neither to reality nor desirability, as it shall be seen further.
Finally, the differential tension generated in the lower section of the riser by virtue of the difference between the maximum density of the mud (dmud=2.03) and that of the seawater (dsw=1.03) here also requires the use of highly-resistant tubes.
These observations actually show the difficulties brought about by the simple static dimensioning of the riser due to the increase in weight and pressure of the mud which is contained there when the water depth increases. It might be imagined that these difficulties could be overcome by simply using sufficiently thick tubes and relatively resistant connectors. Unfortunately, this is not, strictly speaking, true due to the consequences on the floats and, secondly, a worsening of the dynamic behaviour of the riser.
As regards the problems linked to the floats, the following observations may be made:
The overhead minimum tensions mentioned above have been determined, as already stated, by supposing that the weight in water of the riser elements was nil. Such a hypothesis implies that a sufficient number of floats is tied to so as to fully compensate for the weight of the tubes and of the connectors which form them.
Now, it is known that the density of synthetic foam floats, which ordinarily equip the riser elements, is that much greater when the water depth level (and, consequently, the water pressure they need to resist) is high. Below 2,000 m (200 bars), the resistance of these floats is moreover not yet proven and the corresponding costs concerning development, all the more greater since the water depth level is high. qualification and provisioning could be quite high.
Secondly, the external diameter of the floats needs to be less than a certain value, namely about 1.2 m (47 inches), so as to enable the floats to pass into the 125.7 cm (491/2 inches) turntable during the maneuvering of the riser. The volume of the floats and, accordingly, the induced buoyancy are thus physically limited. Therefore, in practice, there is a depth below which the synthetic foams no longer fully compensates for the weight of the riser, with this lack of buoyancy needing to be made up for by a greater tensioning installed capacity. This depth may be estimated at about 2,000 m.
As regards the problems linked to the dynamic behavior of the riser, many factors combine in deteriorating the dynamic behaviour of risers when the water depth level increases.
More particularly, when the riser, connected to the well head, is supported by the steady tension cables of a heave compensation system, it has been observed that the dynamic response of this system is less effective when the tension applied is greater. In other words, for a given mud density, the rigidity of the system increases along with the water depth level. It results, at constant heave in an increase of the amplitude of the oscillations of the tension (around the mean tension) in all the sections of the riser which needs to be taken into account in the fatigue resistance calculations of the tubes and connectors.
However, it is when the riser, which is not connected to the top of the well, is suspended under the floating support without decoupling the relative heave movements of this riser and the support in the event of a storm or during operation that the situation is the most troublesome.
Increasing the riser length actually results in an increase proportional to at least its weight. If, in addition, it is firstly considered that the tubes and connectors need, for those reasons specified above, to be more resistant and thus heavier and that, secondly, the higher the density of the floats attached to the tubes and connectors, the greater the ambient water pressure in the floats need to resist, one can clearly understand that the proportionality factor is in fact greater than 1.
This rapid increasing of the riser weight when the water depth increases provokes the emergence of two phenomena, not very significant and often ignored for average and low water depths. These phenemona may then condition dimensioning, and their characteristics, causes and effects need to be carefully analyzed.
More particularly, the increasing of overtensionings due to inertia of the riser during violent storms may provoke the partial or total detensioning of the upper part of the riser and induce there redhibitory bending stresses in correlation with the other movements (breakout movement, skidding) and the direct action of swell.
Additionally, the raising of the actual period of longitudinal vibrations beyond values for which the amplitude of heave is nil could considerably limit, even in relatively calm weather, the maneuvering operations of the riser to the risks it would present.
The problems linked to control of eruptions and to drilling safety are definitively of less importance concerning the conception and dimensioning of the riser with respect to the existing situation for smaller water depths. As regards this field and when the water depth increases, the following stress principles apply.
The working service of the "kill and choke lines" raised to 1,050 bars (15,000 psi) requires the use of thicker tubes which contribute in increasing the weight of the riser and accordingly increasing the problems linked to its dynamic behavior (see above).
The increasing of head losses induced in these lines during eruption control operations renders these operations more delicate and dangerous to carry out.
The distance of the well head and the intense pressure existing in the head render it more difficult to detect the possible presence of gas in the well and act accordingly by closing the valves of the valves wedges in time. The presence of large quantities of gas in the central tube of the riser thus becomes more likely.
This is expressed by the increased need of using materials fully resistant to the corrosion provoked by petroleum effluent and especially by sulphured hydrogen (H.sub.2 S).
This also results in the risk of seeing this gas, once decompressed, partially or completely filling the inside of the main tube whose wall, not being thick enough to resist the ensuing hydrostatic compression, would not be able to avoid collapse.
The final type of the problems listed above concerns the difficulty of storing on the bridge of the floating supports the large number of elements comprising the riser when its length increases and the factors need to be considered.
Namely, the resistance of the structure of the platform under the storage areas needs to be sufficient so as to support the total weight of these elements (see above).
Moreover, the volume occupied by the elements, having regard to the size of the floats, needs to be compatible with the available locations and with the naval stability of the rig.
Furthermore, the disposition and handling of the riser shall enable it to implement, according to a specifically established order, elements with different characteristics (central tube thickness, density of floats, with etc), these elements being more numerous (4 or
When the water depth is greater is greater. The use of means for the automatic handling of the riser elements, becoming increasingly common on modern rigs, needs to be considered.


An electrically operated actuation tool for a subsea completion system component having at least one hydraulically actuatable mechanism comprises an electric motor, a hydraulic pump which is driven by the motor and at least one hydraulic line which communicates between the hydraulic pump and a corresponding hydraulic conduit that is fluidly connected to the mechanism. In this manner, the motor drives the hydraulic pump to generate hydraulic pressure which is used to actuate the mechanism.

The present invention is directed to an actuation tool for subsea completion system components. More particularly, the invention is directed to an actuation tool which comprises an electrical actuator, such as a motor, for actuating a corresponding mechanism on the subsea completion system component.
Subsea completion systems typically comprise a wellhead housing which is located on the sea floor at the upper end of a well bore, a Christmas tree which is secured to the top of the wellhead housing, and a tubing hanger which is landed in either the wellhead housing or the Christmas tree and which supports a tubing string that extends through the well bore and into the subterranean well. Prior to installing the tubing hanger, a blowout preventer ("BOP") is usually connected to the top of the wellhead housing or the Christmas tree and a low pressure riser pipe is connected between the BOP and a surface rig. The BOP provides a necessary barrier between the well bore and the environment and allows the riser pipe to be disconnected from the subsea completion system in the event of an emergency.
Numerous subsea completion system components include mechanisms which are actuated by hydraulic pressure that is supplied from the surface rig over an umbilical. One such component is a tubing hanger running tool ("THRT"), which is used to install the tubing hanger in the wellhead housing or the Christmas tree. Prior art THRT's commonly include a cylindrical body and first and second generally tubular locking pistons which are slidably supported on the body. The first locking piston is adapted to engage a first locking device to secure the THRT to the tubing hanger, and the second locking piston is adapted to engage a second locking device to secure the tubing hanger to the wellhead housing or the Christmas tree.
During installation of the tubing hanger, a running string is connected to the top of the THRT, the first locking piston is actuated to secure the THRT to the top of the tubing hanger, and the assembly is lowered to the subsea wellhead through the riser pipe and the BOP. Once the tubing hanger is landed, the second locking piston is actuated to secure the tubing hanger to the wellhead housing or the Christmas tree and, when appropriate, the first locking piston is again actuated to release the THRT from the tubing hanger so that the THRT can be retrieved to the surface rig.
The first and second locking pistons are typically actuated by hydraulic pressure which is communicated to the THRT through an umbilical that extends from the surface rig. The lower end of the umbilical is often terminated in a slick joint which is located at the upper end of the BOP when the tubing hanger is landed in the wellhead housing or the Christmas tree. The slick joint allows the BOP rams to close and seal around the running string or the THRT without interference from the umbilical.
Although the slick joint allows the BOP rams to form an effective seal without interference from the umbilical when the BOP is located subsea, several operators are exploring the possibility of mounting the BOP on the surface rig and connecting the BOP with the subsea completion system using a high pressure riser pipe. This arrangement requires that the THRT umbilical pass through the BOP rams, which may prevent the BOP rams from sealing adequately in the event of an emergency. A possible solution to this problem is to connect the umbilical to a special BOP spanner joint which is located adjacent the surface-mounted BOP. However, this requires that the umbilical be cut to an exact length to properly span the distance between the spanner joint and the subsea wellhead or Christmas tree, and the use of such custom-length umbilicals for each subsea completion system is undesirable. Another solution is to employ composite riser pipe joints which incorporate hydraulic conduits for the THRT. However, these composite joints are time consuming to install and their hydraulic conduits are difficult to fill and flush.

Electrically operated actuation tool for subsea completion system components


Methods and systems for anonymous digital identification are disclosed and may include detecting the presence of a first communication device associated with a first set of content that is distinguishable from an identifier associated with the first communication device, detecting the presence of a second communication device associated with a second set of content that is distinguishable from an identifier associated with the second communication device, and in response to a determination that the devices are geographically proximate to one another, providing matched content to at least one of the first and second devices. The matched content may be based at least in part on the first set of content, the second set of content, and a shared or complementary interest associated with the first and second devices. The interest may have been previously expressed by a user of the first or second devices.

The present invention generally relates to anonymous digital identification. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for providing personalized digital content and consumer information using anonymous digital identification.
Parties communicate in a variety of ways: face-to-face, over the telephone, and by electronic mail, just to name a few. Despite the many ways in which people and businesses are able to communicate, however, innumerable opportunities for valuable communication are missed every day. For example, an unemployed mechanical engineer in search of a job may ride the same bus every morning as a human resources director for a local engineering firm who is searching for qualified applicants. While their physical paths may cross, they may never communicate with one another simply because they are unaware of their shared personal interests. If each somehow knew what the other was interested in or looking for, they would likely begin communicating and potentially form a mutually beneficial relationship.
Missed connections and overlooked opportunities for communication also occur between businesses and consumers. Research service estimates from 2007 indicate that advertising and marketing expenditures average well over $400 billion each year in the United States alone. Much of these valuable advertising dollars are allocated to blanketed and minimally targeted advertising, but these techniques are still tremendously inefficient in terms of the number of sales versus the number of targets and advertisements. This inefficiency stems from businesses' inability to closely match advertising content with the interests and wants of prospective consumers. Although minimally targeted advertising may, in many cases, be more effective than simply blanketing the general public, the rate of return on targeted advertising is still often quite low. However, if a business could target its advertisements to those potential customers who (1) have already expressed an interest in the item being advertised, and (2) are located physically near the storefront carrying the desired item, then such advertisement is likely to be significantly more effective than other techniques. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may allow a business to understand its customer more thoroughly by providing in-depth, real-time information related to the buying habits, interests, activities, demographics, and most importantly, the desired purchases of existing and potential customers.
Prior art systems have attempted to use location detection technologies to promote social networking but present significant shortcomings. For example, the invention described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2005/0250552, filed by Eagle et al. (Eagle), utilizes Bluetooth technology to facilitate communication between Bluetooth-enabled devices in detectable range of one another, particularly for purposes of developing interpersonal relationships. The invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,071,842, issued to Brady, Jr. (Brady), utilizes Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates to identify people, places, and things based on a user's stated preferences. However, neither Eagle nor Brady discloses a multi-modal system for anonymous digital identification that facilitates widespread adoption and cross-platform usage. Moreover, neither Eagle nor Brady discloses the customization of advertising content for purposes of improving customer experience and increasing advertisement effectiveness. Neither discloses a system that allows consumers to communicate their purchasing desires to merchants and facilitates commercial transactions between buyers and sellers. Additionally, neither utilizes a multi-modal anonymous identification system for purposes of gathering, analyzing, and selling to businesses a wide range of consumer data.
Other prior art systems provide anonymous digital identification or distributed electronic commerce, but these systems also present shortcomings. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,490,567, issued to Gregory (Gregory), is directed to distributed electronic commerce over a network, in which merchant content is separated from transaction functionality. The invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,879,960, issued to Nascenzi et al. (Nascenzi), utilizes anonymous identification tags in the context of electronic commerce. However, neither Gregory nor Nascenzi discloses, for example, the use of location detection technologies in order to facilitate targeted commercial transactions between commercial entities and customers. Moreover, neither discloses a multi-modal anonymous identification system, particularly one capable of compiling and processing consumer data for commercial entities.


An apparatus includes a delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter for digitalizing an analog input signal. The Δ-Σ ADC includes an analog band-pass loop filter configured to filter an analog signal derived from the analog input signal and a quantizer configured to produce a series of digital signals by sampling the filtered analog signal from the loop filter at a sampling frequency. The loop filter has a center band-pass frequency. The series of digital signals has a data-carrying frequency spectrum that is a mirror image of a data-carrying frequency spectrum of the analog input signal. The data-carrying frequency spectrum of the series is located between the center band-pass frequency and zero.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to analog-to-digital converters and, more specifically, to apparatus and methods using delta-sigma analog-to-digital converters.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the telecommunications community has considered data receivers in which analog-to-digital (AD) conversion happens very close to the receiving antenna. Performing AD conversion close to the receiving antenna significantly reduces the amount of signal processing, e.g., filtering and demodulation, performed in the analog domain. Instead, when AD conversion occurs near the receiving antenna, signal processing is performed on the digital signals produced by AD conversion. The displacement of signal processing to the digital domain is desirable, because digital devices typically have lower temperature sensitivities, more linear behavior, and higher component tolerances than their analog counterparts.
One type of AD converter is known as a delta-sigma AD converter (Δ-Σ ADC). Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary Δ-Σ ADC 2 includes a clocked quantizer 4, a loop filter 5, and a feedback loop 6 with a digital-analog (DA) converter 7. The quantizer 4 performs a sampling operation that produces the analog-to-digital conversion. The feedback loop 6 produces analog signals with values responsive to the values of the digital output signals from the quantizer 4 and feeds the analog signals back. The fed back analog signals are sequentially combined with an analog input signal to form the analog signal that the loop filter 5 will process. For example, an adder 8 may add the fed back analog signals to analog input signals, and/or one or more intermediate taps 9 into the loop filter 5 may combine the fed back analog signals with analog signals generated in the loop filter 5.
By feeding back signals responsive to the digital output signals, Δ-Σ ADCs reduce the contribution of quantization noise to selected frequency components of the digital output signal. For the selected frequency components, signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) are typically higher in Δ-Σ ADCs having higher oversampling ratios (OSRs) than in Δ-Σ ADCs having lower OSRs. Herein, the OSR is defined as the ratio of an AD converter's sampling frequency to the data bandwidth of the analog input signal being digitalized by the AD converter. In the selected frequency band, the value of the SNR is also typically higher in Δ-Σ ADCs with high-order loop filters than in Δ-Σ ADCs with low-order loop filters. Unfortunately, high-order loop filters also can cause unacceptable instabilities into the operation of a Δ-Σ ADC.
Some conventional Δ-Σ ADCs use fourth-order loop filters and quantizers with high sampling frequencies, e.g., sampling frequencies that are four times the center carrier frequency of the analog input signal.

Bandpass delta-sigma analog-to-digital converters


Disclosed is an electrolyte for a rechargeable lithium battery including a non-aqueous organic solvent, a lithium salt, and a lactam-based compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by formulas 1 to 6:

Recently, the rapid development of smaller, lighter, and higher performance communication and other electronic equipment has required the development of high performance and large capacity batteries to power such equipment. The demands for large capacity batteries have fostered investigation of rechargeable lithium batteries. Positive active materials for rechargeable lithium batteries use lithium-transition metal oxides and negative active materials use crystalline or amorphous carbonaceous materials or carbon composites. The active materials are coated on a current collector with a predetermined thickness and length, or they are formed as a film to produce electrodes. The electrodes together with a separator are wound to produce an electrode element and the electrode element is inserted into a battery case such as a can followed by insertion of an electrolyte to fabricate a battery.
The rechargeable lithium battery theoretically exhibits an average discharge voltage of about 3.6 to 3.7V, which is higher than other alkaline batteries such as a Ni-MH (M is a hydrogen storage metal) battery or a Ni—Cd battery. However, such a high discharge voltage can be obtained only from an electrolyte which is electrochemically stable at charge and discharge voltage, 0 to 4.2V. The electrochemically stable electrolyte includes non-aqueous mixed carbonates such as ethylene carbonate or dimethyl carbonate.
During initial charging, lithium ions from a lithium-transition metal oxide positive electrode transfer to a carbonaceous negative electrode to cause the intercalation of lithium ions to the carbonaceous negative electrode. At this time, highly reactive lithium reacts with the carbonaceous negative electrode to generate Li2CO3, LiO, or LiOH, thereby forming a thin film on a surface of the negative electrode. Such a thin film is called a solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film. The SEI film not only prevents side reactions between lithium ions and a carbonaceous negative electrode or other material during charging and discharging, but also acts as an ion tunnel, allowing the passage of only lithium ions. The ion tunnel prevents the disintegration of the structure of the carbonaceous negative electrode because organic solvents in an electrolyte with a high molecular weight solvate lithium ions, and the solvent and the solvated lithium ions are co-intercalated into the carbonaceous negative electrode. Once the SEI film is formed, side reactions are inhibited, maintaining the amount of lithium ions. That is, the carbonaceous negative electrode reacts with an electrolyte during the initial charging to form a passivation layer such as an SEI film on the surface of the negative electrode, thereby preventing the decomposition of the electrolyte and allowing stable charging and discharging (J. Power Sources, 51(1994), 79–104). According to the mechanism, an irreversible formation reaction of the passivation layer occurs during the initial charging and discharging and does not occur thereafter, thereby providing a battery with stable cycle life characteristics.
However, thin prismatic batteries are problematic in that the carbonate-based organic solvent of the electrolyte can decompose to generate gases in the battery (J. Power Sources, 72(1998), 66–70). These gases include H2, CO, CO2, CH4, CH2, C2H6, C3H8, C3H6, etc. depending on the type of non-aqueous organic solvent and negative active material used. Such generated gas causes expansion of the volume of the battery and an increase in electrochemical energy and heat energy when the battery is stored at high temperatures, thereby slowly disintegrating the passivation layer which results in a side reaction between an exposed surface of the negative electrode. In addition, the generation of gas causes an increase in internal pressure, which induces the deformation of prismatic batteries and lithium polymer batteries, thereby deteriorating battery performance and stability.
One attempt to solve these problems has been to add an additive to an electrolyte. As the additive, carbonate-based compounds are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,981 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 2002-15769. However, there are various problems with these methods: the added compound is decomposed or forms an unstable film by interacting with the carbon negative electrode during initial charging and discharging according to inherent electrochemical characteristics, resulting in the deterioration of the ion mobility in an electrode; and gas is generated inside the battery such that there is an increase in internal pressure, resulting in the significant worsening of the storage characteristics, stability, cycle life, and capacity of the battery.
Toshiba has attempted to use γ-butyrolactone in pouch-type batteries in order to suppress swelling (expansion of the battery), but it has not been effective.

Electrolyte for rechargeable lithium battery and rechargeable lithium battery comprising same

Abstract: where R is a H radical, a C2 to C6 alkenyl or a halogen radical; and K, T, X, Y and Z are identically or independently H radicals or halogen radicals.


A display device includes a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines crossing each other on a first substrate, to define a pixel; a first thin film transistor in a portion where the gate lines and the data lines cross each other; a plurality of position detection lines on the first substrate, the position detection lines spaced a constant distance from the data lines and crossing the gate lines; a second thin film transistor for detecting a position, in a portion on the first substrate where the gate lines and the position detection lines cross each other; a protrusion pattern protruding from a second substrate and corresponding to a drain electrode of the second thin film transistor; and a transparent conductive layer on the protrusion pattern, electrically connected to the drain electrode when touching.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device and a method of manufacturing the same, which can simplify structure thereof.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Personal computers, portable transmitting devices, and other personal data-processing devices process texts and graphics with various input devices including keyboards, mice and digitizers.
Such input devices, as interfaces corresponding to the purpose of PCs, continue to evolve for simple and easy operation.
Today, beyond meeting requirements relating to a common function of an input device, delicate technologies become more important, which includes reliability, services with new functions, durability, a design allowing for materials and substances, and manufacturing and producing methods.
Specifically, touch panels are well known as an input device that is simple to operate, and easy to input data in mobile situations, and makes it possible to input characters without an additional input device.
Such a touch panel commonly includes an upper substrate having upper electrodes and a lower substrate having lower electrodes, in which the upper and lower substrates are spaced apart from each other. When touching, with an input member such as a pen or a finger, a certain point of the upper substrate including the upper electrodes, the upper electrode in the upper substrate corresponding to the touched point is electrically connected to the lower electrode disposed in the lower substrate, then a voltage value changed depending on a resistance value or capacitance value corresponding to the touched point is determined, and then position coordinates are detected at a position detection driver according to the change of potential difference.
Such a touch panel is disposed on a top of a display device such that a user directly touches e.g., an icon displayed on the display device with his/her finger or stuff and desired content is selected for the user.
However, since the touch panel is disposed on the top of the display device, a product including the touch panel becomes thick and large. Also, position detection drivers should be provided for supplying a driving voltage for an x-axis and a y-axis, which results in complicated structure.

Display device and method of manufacturing the same


Robot (1) to tighten a series of nuts (2) pre-screwed on bolts (3) arranged in a curved flange connection (4), which bolts (3) project from the nuts (2) pre-screwed in substantially a nut plane (13) by a projection length (15), which robot (1) comprises a drive to move the robot (1) along the curved flange connection (4) and a tool (10) to tighten the nuts (2) with a predefined torque both connected to a support platform (6), characterized in that

The present invention is related to a robot to tighten a series of nuts pre-screwed on bolts arranged in a linear or in a particular curved flange connection, which bolts project from the nuts pre-screwed in substantially a nut plane by a projection length, which robot comprises a drive to move the robot along the curved flange connection and a tool to tighten the nuts with a predefined torque both connected to a support platform.
The present invention is furthermore related to a method to tighten a series of nuts pre-screwed on bolts arranged in a linear or in a particular curved flange connection with a robot, which bolts project from the nuts pre-screwed in substantially a nut plane by a projection length and which robot comprises a drive to move the robot along the curved flange connection and a tool to tighten the nuts with a predefined torque both connected to a support platform.

Robot with positioning means to move a tool along a flange connection

Abstract: the tool (10) is built to screw a tension nut (26) onto the bolt (3) to elongate the bolt (3) and to tighten the pre-screwed nut (2) with a predefined torque with a tightening wheel (35), which robot (1) comprises positioning means to substantially align the axis (28) of the tension nut (26) with the axis (14) of the bolt (3) by lowering the tool (10) onto the bolt (3) in order to screw the tension nut (26) onto the bolt (3).


A foot-actuated drain stopper is provided that is interconnected to a strainer of a wastewater outlet of a bathtub. The foot-actuated drain stopper is interconnected to the strainer by way of an adapter that includes a hub that receives a carrier on which the foot-actuated stopper travels.

Water receptacles, such as bathtubs, generally include a drain port located at their lowermost point. The drain port feeds waste water to a drain pipe and accommodates a strainer that prevents items from entering the drain pipe. Thus, a "strainer" as understood by one of skill in the art, is a fitting located in the bottom of a sink, bathtub, or the like (hereinafter "bathtub") that is interconnected to the drain pipe. Commonly, a strainer includes a cylindrical body portion with external threads that engage corresponding threads of the drain port and/or the drain pipe. Strainers also include a flange extending from an upper end of the strainer body that engages the bottom surface of the bathtub. The bottom surface of some bathtubs have an indentation that receives the flange so that the top surface of the flange is generally flush with the bottom surface of the bathtub. Many strainer bodies accommodate drain closure valves that selectively control the flow of water out of the bathtub. The closure valve is often interconnected to the strainer by way of a carrier that extends upwardly from a hub located within the strainer body. The distance between the flange and the hub varies depending on the type of strainer body and closure valve employed.
Strainer flanges may become outdated, damaged, or marred. In addition, individuals may simply wish to change the look and feel of their bathroom by changing the plumbing fixtures. For example, one may wish to replace brushed-nickel fixtures to brass fixtures. Replacement, however, is often very difficult because the strainer must be disconnected from the drain pipe, which is difficult to access because it is often located beneath the floor to which the bathtub is interconnected. Further, the threads of the replacement strainer may not be compatible with the threads of the drain port and/or drain pipe.
Wastewater strainers are presently concealed by devices that are glued to or otherwise interconnected to the wastewater strainer or the flange thereof. That is, instead of replacing the wastewater strainer, a concealing member of the intended finish is placed on the flange of the existing strainer. For example, attention is directed to Applicant's Nufit™ device, which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,931, that employs a flange that is glued onto the strainer flange. The Nufit™ flange includes a downwardly-extending outer lip that engages an outer edge of the wastewater strainer flange that, alone or in concert with other features, helps maintain radial position of the Nufit™ device in relation to the strainer body. The Nufit™ device also employs a cylindrical portion that is placed within the strainer body.
Another concealing device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,083 (the "'083 patent") that is similar to that of the Nufit™ device wherein a flange is provided with a cylindrical portion extending therefrom. The cylindrical portion also includes at least one groove for receiving an o-ring seal that engages the strainer body to maintain the position of the concealing device. The o-ring seal helps align the opening of the strainer and the concealing device. It should be noted that the device of the '083 patent contemplates a system wherein no adhesives are used. The outer edge of the '083 device may also include a downwardly extending outer lip for engaging the outer edge of the waste water flange similar to that described above.
One drawback of the prior art concealing devices is that the downwardly-extending cylindrical portion often employed may interfere with internal components of the strainer body which can potentially prevent engagement of the concealing device onto the strainer flange. Additionally, strainer bodies usually possess spokes or cross members that accommodate the hub that holds the closure valve carrier that could interfere with the proper placement of the concealing device. Further, there are a multitude of strainer manufacturers, each with different designs, sizes, features, etc., which makes integrating a concealing device difficult. In addition, manufacturers may, over time, modify designs such that retrofitting existing strainers may prove problematic. The interference between the concealing device and the strainer frustrates consumers and forces them to either alter the cylindrical portion of the concealing device, i.e., trim it, or to purchase a new one. As trivial as this may at first appear, the practical consequences of such difficulties has serious financial implications. For example, a $500 per night hotel room may remain vacant simply due to the inability to conceal damaged bathtub fixtures. The foreseeable cost caused by the failure to have a straightforward "one size fits all" solution is enormous and orders of magnitude above the cost of the product itself
Drain valves commonly comprise a cap with an interconnected seal. The cap and seal are sometimes interconnected to a downwardly-extending post that slidingly engages an upwardly-extending carrier that is interconnected to the hub of a strainer body. Operation of this type of drain valve comprises pulling the cap upwardly which removes the seal from the strainer body flange. To close the drain valve, the cap is pushed downwardly to engage the seal onto the strainer body flange. Some drain valves also include posts/carriers that include or receive selectively-deflectable pins or seals, for example, to maintain the open position of the cap. Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,570, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Other drain valves of this type have a post with a groove that receives a complimentary portion of the carrier, or vice versa. To maintain the drain stopper in an open configuration, the cap must be twisted or turned about the longitudinal axis of the post which seats the complimentary portion in the groove in such a way to prevent closure of the valve. To close the drain valve, the cap is again turned to unseat the complimentary portion to allow the post to slide relative to the carrier.
One drawback of the drain stoppers of this embodiment is that the post and carrier must extend into the strainer body, which obstructs fluid flow. More relevant, perhaps, is that the post and carrier make retrofitting a new drain valve onto an existing or new strainer body difficult. More specifically, when adding a new drain valve onto an existing or new strainer body, the old drain valve must be removed from the hub, which could damage the hub. Further, the new carrier or post may be too long, too short, or there may be some incompatability between the carrier, post, or hub.
These issues were addressed in the past by providing closure valves that did not require a carrier. More specifically, drain valves that are rotatably interconnected to the edge of a strainer body, as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,368, which is incorporated by reference herein, do not extend into the strainer body when the valve is closed. The drawbacks for this type of drain valve are that one needs to put their hand into dirty water to open the valve. Of course, users could use their foot, but the size of these drain valves make it difficult for some users.
Thus, it has been a long felt but unsolved need to provide a drain valve closure that is easy to install and can accommodate various models of wastewater strainer bodies. Further, it is a need to provide a drain valve that is easy to use and access with one's foot.


The present invention provides methods and means for encoding digital data in the angular orientation of circularly asymmetric halftone dot patterns that are written into the halftone cells of digital halftone images. In keeping with standard practices, the sizes of these halftone dot patterns are modulated in accordance with the grayscale data sample values that are provided to define the image, so the average reflectance or transmittance of each of the halftone cells is modulated to provide a more or less standard halftone rendering of the image. In accordance with this invention, however, provision is made for modulating the angular orientation of the halftone dot patterns in accordance with digital data values, thereby embedding the digital data in the halftone image.

Halftoning is a well-known and widely utilized technique for imparting a grayscale appearance to dual tone renderings of variably shaded monochromatic images (e.g., black and white images) and to dual tone color separations of variably shaded polychromatic images. It originated as an optical analog process for imparting a grayscale appearance to dual tone reproductions of continuous tone monochromatic images, but it since has been extended to provide digital halftoning processes that can be utilized by digital document processors for imparting a grayscale appearance to dual tone representations of variably shaded, scanned-in digitized images and to dual tone representations of variably shaded, computer generated synthetic images. These digitally defined images may be monochromatic or polychromatic, so it is to be understood that digital halftoning can be applied for imparting a grayscale appearance to printed and displayed renderings of monochromatic and polychromatic images. Polychromatic images typically are halftoned by halftoning each of the color separations that are provided for rendering such images.
Polychromatic imaging (sometimes simply referred to as "color imaging") is becoming increasingly important and commonplace for digital image processing applications. It, therefore, is to be understood that the present invention can be applied for embedding digital data in printed and displayed renderings of these images, typically by identically encoding the data in each of the color separations that are provided for rendering them. In other words, the encoding process that is used for embedding digital data in halftoned renderings of polychromatic images typically involves multiple iterations of the process that is employed for embedding such data in halftoned renderings of monochromatic images. Accordingly, in the interest of simplifying this disclosure, the following discussion will concentrate on the monochromatic case.
As has been pointed out previously, the functional utility of plain paper and other types of hardcopy documents can be enhanced significantly if the human readable information that they normally convey is supplemented by adding appropriate machine readable digital data to them. Input scanners can be employed for recovering this machine readable data, so the data can be employed for various purposes during the electronic processing of such documents and their human readable contents by electronic document processing systems, such as electronic copiers, text and graphic image processing systems, facsimile systems, electronic mail systems, electronic file systems, and document and character recognition equipment. See, for example, the copending and commonly assigned United States patent application of Frank Zdybel, Jr. et al., which was filed May 30, 1990, under Ser. No. 07/530,677, on "Hardcopy Lossless Data Storage and Communications for Electronic Document Processing Systems." Also see the copending and commonly assigned United States patent application of Walter A. L. Johnson et al., which was filed May 30, 1990 under Ser. No. 07/530,753 on "Form and System Utilizing Encoded Indications for Form Field Processing."
As is known, machine readable digital data can be recorded by writing two dimensional marks on a recording medium in accordance with a pattern which encodes the data either by the presence or absence of marks at a sequence of spatial locations or by the presence or absence of mark related transitions at such locations. The bar-like codes which others have proposed for recording digital data on paper utilize that type of encoding. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,603 on "Optical Reader for Printed Bit-Encoded Data and Method of Reading Same," U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,783 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,127 on "Method and Apparatus for Transforming Digitally Encoded Data into Printed Data Strips," and U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,221 on "Printed Data Strip Including Bit-Encoded Information and Scanner Contrast." Another interesting approach is to encode machine readable digital data in the shapes of the marks or "glyphs" that are written on the recording medium. See, a copending and commonly assigned United States patent application of Dan S. Bloomberg, which was filed Jul. 31, 1990 under Ser. No. 07/560,514 on "Self Clocking Glyph Shape Codes."
Glyph shape codes have the advantage that they can be designed to have a relatively uniform appearance. For instance, a simple glyph shape code suitably is composed of small slash-like marks that are tilted to the right and left at, say, .+-.45.degree. for encoding 1's and 0's, respectively. However, in some situations the more or less uniformly gray appearance of such a code may aesthetically objectionable, so there still is a need for even less obtrusive codes for encoding digital data on hardcopy documents.

Methods and means for embedding machine readable digital data in halftone images


A steering device equipped with an air bag, in which the air bag is completely inflated and expanded in a state in which a steering wheel has been moved in a direction toward a driver when a vehicle suddenly decelerates. The steering device equipped with the air bag has a driving device which tilts the steering wheel toward the driver when the vehicle suddenly decelerates and includes a pawl, a tilt cam, a connected member, a wire, and a pretensioner and a holding device which maintains a tilted state of the steering wheel and includes a lock member and a lock plate. When the vehicle suddenly decelerates, the wire is pulled, the tilt cam rotates, and the pawl moves away from a steering support. The steering wheel is tilted a maximum amount toward the driver, this state is maintained by the holding device, and the air bag inflates and expands. Accordingly, the steering wheel is oriented toward the driver and an expanded air bag is oriented toward the driver such that kinetic energy of the driver is effectively absorbed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering device equipped with an air bag which expands at the time a vehicle suddenly decelerates.
2. Description of the Related Art
An air bag, which is used to protect a vehicle occupant, is often provided in the steering wheel of a vehicle such as a one-box car (i.e., an automobile in which the engine space, dwelling space, and trunk space are formed integrally), i.e., such as a truck or a cab-over vehicle.
Compared with a standard passenger car, in a one-box car, the angle of the steering shaft with respect to a horizontal plane is relatively large, and the axis of the steering wheel is oriented upward. As a result, a large-capacity air bag or a highly rigid air bag is needed in order to absorb the kinetic energy of the driver.


A smart radio incorporating Parascan® varactors embodied within an intelligent adaptive RF front end. More specifically, this is provided for by a smart radio incorporating Parascan® varactors embodied within an intelligent adaptive RF front end that comprises at least one tunable antenna; at least one antenna null steering facility associated with said at least on tunable antenna; at least one tunable duplexer receiving the output from and providing input to said at least one antenna null steering facility; a first tunable RF filter receiving the output from said at least one tunable duplexer and providing the input to an analog to digital converter, said analog to digital converter providing the input to a digital signal processor, the output of which is input for a digital to analog converter; a second tunable RF filter receiving the analog output of said digital to analog converter and providing an input to said at least one tunable duplexer.

This invention relates to soft-ware defined radios and, more specifically, software defined radios using tunable material for significant system improvements.
Following a modem trend in radio design whereby radios are becoming increasingly flexible and software definable, more processing is done in the digital domain and preferably, in software. Large chunks of the RF spectrum are digitized at once, enabling an open architecture with regards to RF waveforms.
In the current expanding wireless communication environment, systems require both high data rates and high processing gains. Wideband transceivers are essential to realize these features demanded by wireless communication systems. In fact, it is believed that the next generation of wireless transceivers, for both multimedia applications and for wireless networking, must be wideband systems.
In addition, a large variety of digital systems have recently emerged in the wireless market. To combine the emerging digital systems with existing analog systems, and to reduce the cost of a wireless system, a new technology, i.e., a wideband software-defined radio (SDR) base station system, is developing. Essentially, in a software-defined radio base station transmitter, digital base-band channels are processed separately. All channels are then combined together, and the combined signal (i.e., a wideband multiple channel signal), after a digital to analog conversion, is then up-converted to RF by a wideband multiple channel frequency converter.
The current performance of analog to digital converters (A/D's) and digital to analog converters allows instantaneous RF bands of 10–30 Megahertz to be handled with spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) not exceeding 100 dB and signal to noise ratio (SNR) not exceeding 75 dB. The instantaneous RF band can be (software) tuned anywhere up to about 200 MHz and even several GHz in experimental systems.
However, for a software-defined radio (SDR) to be truly flexible and interoperable, operation over the entire 30–2000 MHz band is required. Receive signal levels may be as low as −120 dBm and as high as 0 dBm in a hostile environment, demanding a 120 dB dynamic range. Furthermore, emissions from colocated transmitters could amount to 100 Watt at the SDR receiver antenna. Co-site interference would thus require a dynamic range of more than 170 dB.
Despite advances in converter technology bringing a doubling of instantaneous bandwidth and sampling frequency every few years, SDR in its pure form will not be a practical reality for quite some time. As had been the case with traditional radios since the invention of the super-heterodyne receiver almost a century ago, the analog RF front end is still looked upon to provide the required tuning, selectivity and interference rejection. Thus, there is a strong need in the RF industry and more particularly in the software-defined radio technology industry for a flexible and interoperable operation over a very wide bandwidth and to enable a dynamic range of more than 170 dB and solves the problem in radio communications of resolving (separating) friendly, wanted signals, from interfering or unwanted signals and noise.

Smart radio incorporating Parascan® varactors embodied within an intelligent adaptive RF front end


The present invention relates to a technique capable of establishing communications between cores, which can provide a large degree of freedom of clock frequencies settable in each core, and thus providing deterministic operation, small communication latency, and high reliability. An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device with high reliability, by analyzing factors affecting the performance of the semiconductor device, based on the communication histories within the semiconductor device, and reflecting the analysis back to the next generation semiconductor devices. The improved semiconductor device includes a core A for transmitting data in sync with the clock signal clkA, a core B for receiving data in sync with the clock signal clkB coincided with the rising or falling of the clock signal clkA in a constant period, and a controller for controlling communications between the core A and the core B. The controller controls in such way that the core B can receive only the data arriving prior to the setup of the clock signal clkB. The controller stores the history on a communication status between cores.

Conventionally, as the method for establishing communications between cores (or function blocks), each which operates at a different clock frequency, there are chiefly two types of communication method, that is, synchronous system and asynchronous system.
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a semiconductor device for establishing communications in the synchronous scheme.
When communications between cores A and B are established by such a semiconductor device, the synchronous scheme requires that the clock frequency ratio for two cores in communication is 1:times of integer number (for example, 1:2, 1:3, . . . , etc.) or 1:a fraction of integer number (for example, 1:½, 1:⅓, . . . , etc.) and that the phases of two clocks must be equalized. That is, the synchronous communication can be established between only the cores in which clocks are in synchronous state.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a semiconductor device for establishing communications in the asynchronous scheme.
Communications between cores, in which the clock frequency ratio of two cores is not 1:times of integer number or 1:times of a fraction of integer number and the phase between two clocks is not equalized, are called asynchronous communications. In the asynchronous communications, the timing with which signals are output and the timing with which signals are input are in asynchronous relationship. The signal fluctuates between "0" and "1" for a certain time period (called "metastability"). For that reason, a technique of using a synchronizing circuit to prevent an erroneous operation due to metastability is generally provided (refer to, for example, patent document 1).
According to the technique disclosed in the patent document 1, a synchronizing circuit is disposed between a first core that performs a predetermined operation in sync with the first clock signal and a second core that performs a predetermined operation in sync with the second clock signal. The synchronizing circuit latches the output data of the first core in sync with the first clock signal and thus outputs the latched signal in sync with the second clock signal.
Moreover, the technique of preventing an erroneous operation due to metastability is proposed (refer to, for example, patent document 2).
In the technique disclosed in the patent document 2, changes of the data input signal and the clock input signal are detected. When the setup time or hold time is satisfied, the erroneous operation caused by metastability is prevented by controlling in such a way that the data input signal of the flip-flop is not changed.
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent laid-open publication No. 2003-273847
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent laid-open publication No. H6-45880

Semiconductor device and communication control method


A humidifier, a device including a fuel cell, and a motor vehicle. The humidifier of the includes at least one humidifying duct and is designed in such a way that a first gas to be humidified can be conducted in the humidifying duct in a direction of flow and, separated by a water-permeable material, past a humidifying second gas so that water is transferred from the second gas to the first gas. The humidifier includes a cross-sectional area of the humidifying duct available to the first gas tapers in the direction of flow. The fact that the cross-sectional area tapers results in a drop in pressure along the humidifying duct, and the drop in pressure reduces, compensates or overcompensates an increase in pressure resulting from the increasing humidification, so the partial difference in pressure between the first gas and the second gas remains large over the distance of the humidifying duct in spite of the transfer of humidity.

Humidifiers are used to supply moisture to a gas to be humidified. Humidifiers are used in particular during operation of a device which includes at least one fuel cell. Fuel cells are used to directly convert chemical energy into electrical energy, and may be employed in stationary or mobile applications. One example of an application is in motor vehicles. Humidifiers are used to humidify supply air for the fuel cell, for example with the aid of exhaust gas of the fuel cell, which naturally has a high moisture level.
In principle, humidifiers are designed in such a way that on a humidification path, a gas to be humidified and a humidifying gas which are separated from one another by a water-permeable material may be passed by one another in such a way that water in the gaseous, liquid, or vapor phase is transferred from the second gas into the first gas.
Thus, for example, a humidifier is known from DE 101 02 447 A1 which is provided for use with a fuel cell. The humidifier includes multiple combined water-permeable membranes, each of the water-permeable membranes generating humidified gas, in that various gases having different moisture contents flow therein, and moisture exchange takes place between the various gases, so that a dry gas having a lower moisture content is humidified by the other, moist gas having a higher moisture content.
Another form of humidifier uses hollow fibers. DE 102 44 707 A1 describes a device for exchanging moisture, in particular water or water vapor, between a moist gas stream and a dry gas stream. Hollow fibers are used for separating the two gas streams from one another. In addition, DE 101 02 358 A1 describes a humidifier which includes a housing that accommodates a large number of water-permeable hollow fiber membranes situated in the longitudinal flow direction of the housing, two different gases having different moisture contents, separated by the space, being led outside and through the interior of the bundle of the hollow fiber membranes in order to exchange their moisture via the hollow fiber membranes, the dry gas having the lower moisture content being humidified.
While the housing mentioned in DE 102 44 707 A1 is cubic, JP H07-71795 relates to a humidifier in a cylindrical housing.
Kadylak, David Erwin, "Effectiveness method for heat and mass transfer in membrane humidifiers," April 2009, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, discusses the variables and parameters which influence the water transfer in humidifiers, and mentions in particular the dependency of the performance on the humidifier geometry and the flow conditions. It is stated that capillary water transfer through membrane pores is driven by large pressure differences.
To equalize the pressure loss of an air stream which penetrates into a free space between humidifier modules, DE 10 2008 006 793 A1 describes a design of the humidifier module with two mutually inclined inflow surfaces.

Humidifier, plate, device, and motor vehicle


Various examples are provided related to mobile segmental rail foundation systems, and their assembly, deployment and use. In one example, among others, a mobile rail foundation system includes a segmental rail foundation including a plurality of anchor assemblies and at least one sectional spacer rail assembly configured to detachably attach adjacent anchor assemblies to form the segmental rail foundation. The anchor assemblies can be coupled to soil anchor assemblies and/or hold down assemblies to secure the segmental rail foundation in position. The soil anchor assemblies can include helical pile soil anchor assemblies and the hold down assemblies can include forked hold down plate or brackets secured by anchor bolts.

Rapid deployment initiatives whether for military expeditionary campaigns, humanitarian crisis or emergency disaster relief require prompt and expeditious response in most cases. Conditions can be hazardous and readily available construction materials are often are not available for the construction or re-construction of depleted, damaged or required infrastructure. In the light of these challenges and difficult logistics associated with these type of response initiatives, construction materials and designs must be engineered to accommodate for the adversities faced during such events. Many of the responses involve remote locations that lack manpower, equipment and materials necessary to respond in short order.
For first responders and expeditionary initiatives speed of construction is of utmost importance. These structures are critical to these missions, and these structures need to be erected expediently and require these proprietary, engineered and robust structural foundations. There are many ways to complete this task where there is a readily available supply of the conventional construction materials necessary to complete the task at hand. Conventional foundation elements and current practices consist of reinforced concrete, steel or concrete piling and specialty foundation systems that are cumbersome, mandate the utilization of more and larger pieces of equipment for installation that require considerable maintenance, systems that require extensive training and expertise to install, and methods that are reliant on substantial infrastructure and materials in support of the application. However, where these materials, equipment, and infrastructure are in short supply, foundation construction becomes a major problem to solve.


The multiple wire cable connector comprises an outer housing having at least one opening for a multiple wire cable to pass therethrough and at least one inner housing for arranging therein termination sockets of the wires of the multiple wire cable the inner housing comprising a front end for contacting a device to be electrically connected to the wires of the multiple wire cable, and a receiving end for receiving the wires of the multiple wire cable.

Some connectors for connecting multiple wire cable (e.g. multiple coaxial cables or multiple twisted pair cables) are known in the prior art. These connectors are used, for example, in telecommunication applications to connect a multiple wire cable to an electronic card, for example at the face plate of a 19″ rack card. Such a connector is described for example in EP-A-0 952 637.
The connector of EP-A-0 952 637 comprises two metal casing components for housing a socket connector that is adapted to receive a plurality of coaxial or twisted pair cables each terminated in a termination socket. The metal casing provides an electromagnetic shield but it leaks somewhat through the opening in the casing through which the multiple wire cable passes.
There is a need in the telecommunication field to increase the signal density and the signal transmission rate. This need can be achieved by increasing the number of wires or cables or by increasing the frequency by which the signals are transmitted. The first approach results in the connector becoming rather large while the second approach results in problems of shielding electromagnetic radiation.
Electromagnetic radiation can exit, for example, from the face plates of electronic cards to which the connector may be connected. This electromagnetic radiation can penetrate into the connector through its front end. The outer shell of the connector has a passage or throughhole through which the multiple wire cable passes into the connector. The more wires contained in the cable, the larger the cable size and, accordingly, the larger the passage or throughhole must be. However, large throughholes mean that the lower limit of the frequency at which electromagnetic radiation leaks through the throughhole decreases.
Accordingly, there is a need for better electromagnetic shielding of connections between multiple wire cable connectors (especially having a large number of individual wires) and electronic devices, with electronic cards, to permit high speed and large band width signal transmission as well as high signal density transmission through the connection.
EP-A-0,074,205 and EP-A-0,670,082 describe coaxial high-frequency, plug-type connectors for multiple coaxial lines that have individual termination sockets for the individual coaxial cables inserted into associated receiving pockets and that open at their rear ends. They do not have any outer shell arranged around the row of termination sockets.