A self centering, bi-directional, non-cavitating damper that includes a cylindrical damper body and a piston assembly having a piston reciprocally movable in the damper body and a piston rod connected and movable with the piston. A tube is connected with the piston rod and is spaced about and radially from the damper body so that the tube and damper body may move axially, relative to each other, but are normally positioned in centered positions with respect to each other. First and second plastic washers are positioned between the damper body and the tube. At least one coil compression spring is positioned between the damper body and the tube and biases the washers apart axially to their normal positions. Each washer is prevented from moving apart beyond its normal position, but is movable toward the other washer, against the bias of the spring, when relative movement, from their normal positions, occurs between the damper body and the tube.

The present invention relates to dampers. More particularly, our invention relates to self-centering, bi-directional dampers that may be used, for example, in connection with controlling the operation of hydrostatic transmissions, such as those employed in commercial lawn mowers.
Dampers have long been known. Generally speaking, traditional damper designs employ a tubular body that defines an elongated, closed chamber filled with an incompressible fluid or liquid. A piston and shaft assembly are disposed within the damper body chamber so that one end of the shaft extends out of the chamber. The dampening rate of the damper is determined by the rate of fluid flow across the piston assembly as the piston assembly is moved relatively with respect to the damper body. Valves or other means are carried by the piston assembly and serve to control the fluid flow across the piston assembly.
So-called, non-cavitating dampers are also known. They provide an important advantage, vis-avis, traditional damper designs, in that they eliminate the problems of "cavitation" or "free fall" inherent in the traditional damper designs. Non-cavitating dampers are orientation insensitive in use and may thus be utilized in many more and different applications than traditional dampers.
The long recognized primary function of dampers has been to dampen the movements of relatively fixed and relatively movable members. Nevertheless, however, dampers have not been cast competitive for use before with the hand operated levers that are often employed to control the operation of hydrostatic transmissions such as those used to power commercial lawn mowers. These operating levers are usually pivotally mounted on the mower, at their lower ends, and when the transmissions are in neutral, that is, are not powering the lawn mower, the levers are usually disposed vertically in an upright, centered position. The operator moves the operating lever from its centered or "neutral" position, either forward or rearward, to control the direction of movement--in the forward or rearward direction--and the speed of movement of the mower.
In the past, a variety of spring arrangements have been used to assure that the operating lever is returned to its neutral or centered position after the operator has moved the lever and then let it go. While the prior spring arrangements generally worked as they were intended, they did and do have serious disadvantages. The springs could and did cause the operating lever to return too quickly from a "fast" forward or "fast" rearward operating position to its neutral or centered position after the operator releases the lever. This can cause the mower to dip abruptly and/or to stop too suddenly. Such dipping and/or abrupt stoppages pose serious safety hazards for the operator. Also, the mower transmission may suffer serious "shock" damage due to the spring arrangement causing the operating lever to return through and pass its neutral position. Current spring arrangements also tend to be relatively expensive because of the number of parts and the time and labor costs involved in manufacturing and installing.
Using traditional dampers, in place of spring arrangements, would not appear to provide a practical solution to the problems arising from employing current spring arrangements to re-position the operating level back to its neutral position. To be effectively used with most operating levers, the damper would have to be oriented horizontally or nearly horizontally. Such an orientation would result in serious potential cavitation problems. Non-cavitating dampers appear to perhaps be a possible, partial solution, but they still have the potential of permitting the operating lever to return through and past its neutral position.

Bi-directional damper with a self-centering mechanism


At least three base stations transmit a specific signal pattern at given intervals. This allows a mobile station that received this signal pattern to locate itself by using the positional information about the base stations, sending timing (or information on phase shift from the reference time) of each signal pattern from the base stations, and signal pattern receiving time information. At least one of the above base stations changes the sending timing of the signal pattern. On this occasion, the mobile terminal or station is notified of the altered reference time offset (or information on phase shift from the reference time) of the sending timing or updated sending timing of the signal pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of providing a location service using a mobile communication system.
2. Description of Related Art
A location system using a CDMA-based cellular phone system has been disclosed in a prior art reference, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 7-181242.
FIG. 25 shows a model of the above location system formed by three base stations located on a plane. An object 91 represents a mobile station and three base stations are labeled 921, 922, and 923, respectively. Coordinates (x, y) represent the position (coordinates) of the mobile station 91 and coordinates (x1, y1), (x2, y2), and (x3, y3) represent the positions (coordinates) of the base stations 921, 922, and 923, respectively. The base stations 921, 922, and 923 operate, based on common reference time T0. At the same time, the base stations 921, 922, and 923 have predetermined time offsets TO1, TO2, and TO3, respectively. The base stations 921, 922, and 923 repeats the transmission of same PN (pseudonoise) sequences at a same rate over their pilot channels. When the base stations 921, 922, and 923 transmit the PN sequences, the time at which the first pulse of the PN sequences is sent out (in other words, the time at which the transmission of the PN sequences starts) is delayed, according to the time offsets TO1, TO2, and TO3, respectively. Because the base stations also transmit their time offsets over their sync channels, respectively, the mobile station 91 can obtain the above time offsets TO1, TO2, and TO3. In addition, because the base stations transmit the time offsets of their neighboring base stations over their paging channels, the mobile station 91 can obtain the above time offsets TO1, TO2, and TO3. TP1, TP2, and TP3 respectively represent signal propagation time from the base stations 921, 922, and 923 to the mobile station. T1, T2, and T3 respectively represent the time when the first pulse of the PN sequences sent out from the base stations 921, 922, and 923 has arrived at the mobile station 91, measured at the mobile station 91
The position (coordinates) (x, y) of the mobile station 91 can be obtained by solving the following simultaneous equation where c is the velocity of light (x1, y1), (x2, Y2), and (x3, y3) are assumed to be known, but five values, x, y, TP1, TP2, and TP3 are unknown.(x−x1)^2+(y−y1)^2=(c×TP1)^2(x−x2)^2+(y−y2)^2=(c×TP2)^2(x−x3)^2+(y−y3)^2=(c×TP3)^2T2−T1=(TO2+TP2)−(TO1+TP1)T3−T1=(TO3+TP3)−(TO1+TP1)  (1)

Method of providing location service using CDMA-based cellular phone system, a method of measuring location and location system


A heating system has been incorporated into the commercial space fixture of a plastic chair mat to provide a space-saving heating system. The material for the plastic mat is chosen based on its thermal and electrical properties to provide necessary safety and support convenience for occupied rolling office chairs. Materials include vinyl, acrylic, and polyethylene. The heating elements are placed into the body of the plastic material, which is connected to conventional electrical elements, such as power source, GFIs, thermostats, and safety shut offs, outside the plastic mat. Other more complicated electronics, such as an anti-static mechanism, may be included as needed by the environment.

The temperature in office and commercial spaces is generally controlled by central systems in discrete locations. Often, workers are unable to get comfortable because they cannot control HVAC system settings. Commercial heating systems are also unpredictable in extreme weather and are often operated minimally during "off-hours." In order to facilitate comfort and productivity, commercial entities may provide or allow workers to provide their own electric or gas space heaters. However, although the cost of such heaters is small, their safety is uncertain, especially when they include electrical heating coils exposed to the air and the body is made of cheap meltable plastic material. More expensive space heaters include ceramic models that provide more safety but still present space and energy efficiency problems in the office. Furthermore, small heaters must be placed in proximity to a worker to provide heat and may represent a fire hazard. Large heaters that may be placed at a safe distance may be noisy, dry the already parched winter air, and take up valuable commercial space. Space heaters are often equipped with blowers in order to direct the heat produced by the elements. One of the solutions for improving the footprint used by space heaters has been addressed by the COZY FOOT WARMER™ and related products sold by many different retailers. These products include a soft rubber mat that includes a heating element running through it that can be plugged into a standard outlet. As such, these devices are useful for providing heat akin to a space heater without taking up vertical space. A variation of the COZY FOOT WARMER™ allows the device to be mounted vertically.
Many workers in commercial spaces currently use chairmats. Such mats provide both safety and convenience for personnel in rolling and/or steno chairs which are generally used to more effectively navigate workspaces. On hard flooring such as cement the mats keep chairs from rolling too quickly and out of control, and also prevent unpleasant noise. On soft flooring these mats allow the worker to move more easily where otherwise the chair wheels get stuck or stalled in carpeting, impeding free motion. The mats also prevent chair wheels from catching on carpets, power cords, files, etc. As such, the mats reduce wear and tear on carpeting or other flooring. These mats are usually made of plastic materials, such as vinyl, acrylic, or other plastics that are flexible and strong. In addition, many of these chairmats have anti-slip mechanisms for the particular environment of their intended use. They may include "spikes" that adhere to carpeting or an alternate type of material if the mat is to placed on another type of surface like concrete, wood, vinyl, etc.
Electrical heating elements have been placed in blankets, chairs, mattresses and other items of furniture for some time. Placing such heating elements in an office chair or other piece of furniture made of wood, cloth, or a soft plastic is impractical and unsafe, because the presence of heating coils around foam and fabric increases cost and safety concerns that may not be acceptable for workplace standards.

Reduced-volume commercial space heating system and method for manufacturing same


A catheter guide wire, especially for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, comprises an elongated wire shaft of a flexible material having a proximal and a distal end and disposed on the wire shaft at least one radiopaque, sleeve-like marker adjacent to the distal end. The at least one marker is disposed on a core section of the wire shaft, said core section being widened in its diameter relative to the diameter of the adjoining shaft sections.

Catheter guide wires of a known type have an elongated wire shaft of a flexible material with a proximal and a distal end. In the distal end area, one or more radiopaque, sleeve-like markers are disposed on the wire shaft, which have essentially two functions. On one hand, the position of the guide wire tip must be easily visible on an x-ray monitor—for example by means of an elongated marker coil directly at the distal end of the guide wire—while the catheter is being applied. On the other hand, a length measurement of a stenosis to be treated can be performed on the X-ray monitor, for example, with the aid of multiple markers that are equidistantly spaced adjacent to the distal end.
Guide wires of this type are known in their fundamental design from a multitude of printed publications. U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,730 A, for example, shows a catheter guide wire that has an elongated wire shaft of a flexible material, namely high-strength stainless steel. On it, radiopaque markers are disposed adjacent to the distal end, which are formed by coiled spring elements—so-called "coils"—and which serve—as mentioned above—for measuring the length of stenoses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,938 reveals a similar catheter guide wire on whose shaft radiopaque markers in the form of metal sleeves—also for measuring the length of stenoses—are disposed spaced progressively further apart as their distance from the distal end increases. They may be beveled at their front edges facing in the longitudinal direction of the wire.
Catheter guide wires of this type pose the problem that the wire, especially at its distal end, needs to be as flexible as possible on one hand in order to ensure the most atraumatic insertion of the wire into coronary vessels, and in the process a smooth passage through narrow points and bends in the vasculature being targeted; on the other hand, the markers that are used to identify the guide wire in the case of an X-ray monitoring during the performance of a PTCA, require a certain material volume in order to keep the achievable contrast in the X-ray image at a suitable level. The markers based on a helically wound wire coil that were mentioned at the beginning thus need be mounted on the largest possible winding core, which is diametrically opposed to the demand for the thinnest possible diameter of the wire shaft.
To solve this problem, the invention proposes that the marker or markers are disposed in each case on a core section that is widened in its diameter relative to the adjoining shaft sections of the wire shaft. In other words, a positioning surface that permits a larger diameter of the marker sleeve relative to the remaining wire shaft is provided, only at the locations where the marker is to be located. To maintain the flexibility of the guide wire, the sections that are located between the markers are implemented thinner. The thickened core sections do not cause any significant deterioration of the bending behavior of such guide wires since the flexibility in the regions of the markers is already restricted by this additional component. Additionally, the thickened core section renders the coils easier to solder and center.
According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the core sections transition on both sides in ramp-like annular shoulders in each case into the adjoining shaft section. This prevents sharp inner corners and edges that are difficult to manage from a production aspect given the small dimensions of such guide wires. This is true especially for the processing steps of grinding and polishing the wire. Sharp inner corners would eventually lead to an increased susceptibility of the wire shaft to notch breakage.
According to an additional preferred embodiment, provision is made for the marker, which is implemented as a wire coil, to be secured in each case on the core section by means of a solder bed. The solder bed tapers off at its two ends in a frusto-conical ramp in each case toward the adjoining shaft section and is adapted in this manner to the conical annular shoulder of the core sections. In this respect no interfering edges result on the product, especially after the grinding and polishing of such a guide wire with marker, which could cause injuries to the vessel wall—so-called "dissections"—while the wire is being inserted.
Additional preferred embodiments relate to the dimension ratios of the wire shaft and multiple markers. Of advantage in this case is especially the somewhat smaller outside diameter of the markers in comparison with the distal marker coils that customarily exist on such catheter wires.
This prevents a jolt-like onset of friction when the guide wire is shifted relative to the PTCA catheter. Additional characteristics, advantages and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in which an example embodiment will be explained in more detail based on the appended drawings.

Catheter guide wire especially for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty


An air intake housing and flow enhancing plate for a carburetor with a fluted and contoured air intake opening that flushly aligns with and matches the shape of the carburetor air intake opening. The low profile plate is made of metal for durability and heat resistance. The centrally located air intake opening of the plate has a clover leaf or undulating shape that conforms to the shape of the carburetor air intake opening. The plate is secured directly over the top of the carburetor, and extends radially outward to provide a larger area for securing its fiberglass housing. The housing holds a conventional ring shaped air filter located around the carburetor air intake opening. The plate provides smooth transitions between surfaces to decrease turbulence and improve air flow.

The carburetor of an internal combustion engine controls the air and fuel mixture entering the cylinders of the engine for ignition. Obtaining a desired fuel-to-air ratio helps the engine operate more efficiently and produce more power. Engine power can be increased by increasing the amount of fuel entering each cylinder. However, simply increasing the amount of fuel to increase power is not enough. Problems occur when the fuel-to-air ratio is too "rich" or too "lean."
Increasing air flow into the carburetor to mix with the fuel is often problematic, particularly in racecar applications. The air intake opening of conventional carburetors allow a certain volume of air to enter the carburetor in a given amount of time. The volumetric flow rate of the carburetor can limit how much fuel can be mixed with the air entering the cylinders, and how much power the engine will produce. Air scoops and cowl intakes located by the windshield help direct compressed air into the carburetor when the vehicle is moving. Compressed air increases the amount of air entering the carburetor. More air means more fuel can be mixed with that air, which allows the engine to produce more power. Still, air scoops and cowl intakes only go so far to increase air flow into a carburetor.
Turbochargers and superchargers are frequently added to increase airflow into a carburetor. These devices typical compress air from about 14.7 psi to about 22 psi to provide about 50 percent more air into the engine. Yet, these devices are frequently inappropriate. They are expensive and prone to braking. In addition, while cowl intakes or air scoops are permitted for many racing events, turbochargers and superchargers are not.
The present invention is intended to solve these and other problems.

Carburetor air intake housing and air flow enhancing contoured radial structure


A portable data processing device is provided with first and second display devices. The first display device receives signals for displaying a first set of information, and the second display device receives signals for displaying a second set of information. The second display device forms a skin of the portable data processing device. The device also has a graphics engine for receiving data for generating display signals for the first set information and the second set of information. Driver circuits are coupled to said first and second display devices, in which corresponding ones of the driver circuits are coupled to the first and second displays, the driver circuits being coupled to an output of the graphics engine. The first and second display devices have disjoint display areas.

Each day, it seems as though new, handheld electronic devices are introduced; cell phones, PDAs, pagers, Blackberry devices up to laptop computers are continually updated with new models. For the "early adopters," it is somewhat of a point of pride to have the very latest technology. It is an expression of their individuality.
Yet, there is a problem. One person's brand new cell phone looks much like another's cell phone. Potentially, the wrong device could be inadvertently taken. It also undermines the uniqueness of the device and the self expression of the user. This problem has been addressed to a degree in the case of some of the most popular cell phones by a multitude of add-on faces, for example. These faces are typically plastic and come in a wide variety of colors and designs. Other more crude, handmade ways of making one's handheld device have been witnessed by the inventor, e.g., smiley face stickers. These known solutions tend to be static and, beyond the function of identification, tend not to convey very much information.
While there a great number of colors, there are not as many colors as there are users. Furthermore, changing the appearance of the devices requires an investment in time and effort and possibly expense on the part of the user, which must be invested each time the appearance is to change.
Thus, it would be desirable if a easy, dynamically modifiable way of personalizing handheld devices could be developed. Further, it would be desirable if the method of personalization were capable of conveying dynamically changing information.

Notebook computer and handheld device display skin


The invention relates to a vibrating plate for ground compaction, comprising a drive motor, an exciter unit which is driven by the drive motor and by means of which a base plate can be set in vibration, an adjustably mounted hood, which can be adjusted between an operating position at least partially covering the drive motor and a maintenance position at least partially exposing the drive motor, an exhaust air guiding device leading from the drive motor to an exhaust air opening in the hood for the cooling air of the drive motor, the exhaust air guiding device being formed in two parts and comprising an exhaust air adapter on the drive motor side and an exhaust air guide on the hood side, the exhaust air adapter and the exhaust air guide together forming a continuous exhaust air path from the drive motor to the exhaust air opening in the hood when the hood is in the operating position, the exhaust air adapter being attached to the drive motor, and the exhaust air guide being attached to the hood such that it is adjustable with the hood between the operating position and the maintenance position.

Generic vibrating plates, plate vibrators or vibratory plates are known, for example, from the DE 10 2012 017 777 A1, DE 20 2016 005 059 U1 and EP 3 491 193 A1 by the same applicant. These are hand-held or remote-controlled machines used to compact ground materials, such as asphalt, sand, gravel or soil. They typically include a drive motor, such as an internal combustion engine that runs on gasoline, diesel, or natural gas. Single-cylinder engines are common, for example. Alternatively, electric motors may also be used. The drive motor is used, for example, to drive an exciter unit. The latter typically comprises at least one imbalance mass that is rotated by the drive motor. This may be done, for example, with the interposition of a suitable gearbox. The actual contact with the ground is made with the help of a base plate. The exciter unit may be mounted on the base plate. A support plate or machine frame that carries the drive motor may be connected to the base plate, usually via suitable buffer elements. A guide element, such as a guide drawbar or guide bracket, may be articulated to the support plate. The base plate or ground contact plate of the vibrating plate can be set in vibration with the help of the exciter unit. In other words, the base plate is subjected to dynamic forces during operation of the vibrating plate, resulting in compaction of the underlying ground. The maximum amplitudes of the resulting oscillating motion may be directional and adjustable, for example, to achieve self-propulsion of the vibrating plate.
Especially in the case of large and heavy vibrating plates, the drive motor generates a considerable noise level. For this reason, it is known to equip the vibrating plates with an engine hood, hereinafter also simply called hood. However, since the drive motor must be regularly accessible for maintenance purposes, the hood is normally mounted on the machine frame of the vibrating plate in an adjustable manner. The hood is adjustable, for example, between an operating position covering the drive motor at least partially and in particular substantially to the top and to at least several of the sides, and a maintenance position exposing the drive motor at least partially, in particular to the top and to at least one of the sides. This includes, for example, both linear displacement and swiveling of the hood. The fact that the hood is adjustably mounted also includes, for example, the case where the hood is detachably connected to the machine frame of the vibrating plate, for example via threaded connections. For example, to adjust the hood between the operating position and the maintenance position, it may be necessary to loosen one or more threaded connections. The threaded connections can be restored after the maintenance work. On the other hand, fastening the hood to the machine frame of the vibrating plate via connections that must be destroyed in order to adjust the hood is not included herein and is not considered to be "adjustable mounting" of the hood.
To cool the drive motor, cooling air is typically actively directed past the drive motor, for example, the cylinder of the drive motor. However, the heated cooling air must then be directed out of the interior of the hood, as otherwise heat builds up under the hood. The generic vibrating plates therefore typically have an exhaust air guiding device leading from the drive motor to an exhaust air opening in the hood for the cooling air of the drive motor. The task of the exhaust air guiding device is to transport the heated cooling air, i.e. the exhaust air, from the drive motor through the interior of the hood in a targeted, spatially delimited and directed manner to the exhaust air opening of the hood, through which the exhaust air can escape to the outside environment. Typically, the exhaust air guiding device comprises a single funnel- or trumpet-shaped molded part which is attached to an exit opening for the exhaust air on the drive motor and extends through the interior of the hood to the exhaust air opening. However, this prior art configuration has several disadvantages. For example, the structure-borne sound of the drive motor is transmitted to the exhaust air guiding device, which emits it through the exhaust air opening to the outside environment (loudspeaker effect). In addition, the exhaust air guiding device cannot be sized arbitrarily, firstly because the available attachment points on the drive motor are not sufficient to support a heavy weight at this point, and secondly because the exhaust air guiding device must not interfere with the adjustment of the hood between the operating and maintenance positions. Due to the small dimensions of the exhaust air guiding device, it is impossible to line it with sound-damping elements, for example, or to use particularly heavy materials for the exhaust air guiding device that would transmit less structure-borne sound. As such, conventional exhaust air guiding devices have so far done little to reduce noise emissions from the vibrating plates.
An exhaust opening is also typically provided in the hood for the exhaust gases from the drive motor, through which the exhaust gases are directed to the outside environment. The exhaust gas is typically routed in the interior of the hood via the exhaust of the drive motor, which extends, for example, up to the exhaust gas opening in the hood. Significant noise emission to the outside environment also occurs in this area of the exhaust gas opening. There is therefore an overall desire to be able to operate vibrating plates more quietly.

Vibrating plate with hood optimized for noise reduction


A thermoplastic polymeric material composition including a thermoplastic polymeric material selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic polymer and a thermoplastic polymer alloy, an adhesive resin, and a long chain ester, particularly dimerate and trimerate esters, is capable of unexpected adhesion to substrates such as natural fabric substrates, synthetic polymeric fabric substrates, metal substrates, and thermoplastic polymeric material substrates, particularly natural cords, synthetic polymeric cords, metal cords, and glass cords for use in cord-reinforced articles such as hoses, conveyor belts, transmission belts, and the like.

Thermoplastic polymeric materials, including thermoplastic polymers and thermoplastic polymer alloys, can generally be processed using conventional plastics techniques, such as extrusion and injection molding. Because such processing techniques are advantageous for manufacturing, thermoplastic polymeric materials are used in a wide variety of applications including, for example, the manufacture of cord-reinforced polymeric articles such as hoses, conveyor belts, power train belts, transmission belts, and the like.
In every such cord-reinforced thermoplastic polymeric article, the cord or fiber should be firmly bonded to the thermoplastic polymeric material. This is so whether the fiber is a natural or synthetic polymer, or metallic, and whether the thermoplastic polymeric material is a thermoplastic polymer or a thermoplastic polymer alloy.
The manufacture of cord-reinforced rubber-based articles, such as tires, is well known. The conventional practice for manufacturing such cord-reinforced rubber-based articles has been to prepare the fiber by pretreatment with a combination of hexamethoxymelamine or hexamethylene-tetramine and a phenol-formaldehyde condensation product, wherein the phenol is almost always resorcinol. By a mechanism not completely understood, the resin reacts with the fiber and the rubber, effecting a firm reinforcing bond. Additionally, an increased need in the industry for fiber reinforcing of rubber to survive high dynamic stresses, such as flexing, for example, to avoid tire belt separation, has brought about a continuing search for other and better compositions and methods for achieving high adhesive strength between reinforcing fibers and rubber.
In view of the development of many thermoplastic polymeric materials which provide desirable physical properties similar to rubbers, i.e., softness, flexibility, and resilience, and the processing advantages of such thermoplastic polymeric materials, other and better compositions and methods for promoting adhesion between thermoplastic polymeric materials and substrates such as reinforcing fibers are similarly needed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Adhesion promoters for cord-reinforced thermoplastic polymeric materials and substrate/thermoplastic polymeric material composites


A hub rotatably engaged on a rear wheel axle of a multi-speed bicycle, a cone disposed on each end of the rear wheel axle, a bearing rotatably engaged between one end of the body and one of the cones, a barrel formed integral on the other end of the body and extended outward toward the other cone, another bearing rotatably engaged between the barrel and the other cone, whereby, the bearings are rotatably engaged on the ends of the rear wheel axle such that the rear wheel axle is stably supported in place.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hub assembly, and more particularly to a hub assembly for a rear wheel axle of a bicycle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The closest prior art of which applicant is aware is his prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,121 to Hsieh, filed Oct. 15, 1990, entitled "HUB ASSEMBLY OF A BICYCLE AND THE LIKE". The hub assembly is provided to stably hold the rear wheel axle of the bicycle. The configuration thereof is complicated.
For multi-speed bicycles which are commercially available at present, a plurality of sprockets are engaged on one side of the hub assembly and extend outwards of the hub assembly. However, as shown in FIG. 4, one bearing 91 is disposed close to a first end of the rear wheel axle 90, and the other bearing 92 which is disposed in the end portion of the hub assembly is disposed close to the middle portion of the rear wheel axle, such that a distance is formed between the bearing 92 and the second end of the rear wheel axle, and such that a cantilever type support is formed, a large bending moment is thus formed. The rear wheel axle thus can not be stably supported, and the bearing 92 will suffer a large force or strength, such that the hub assembly will easily become loose.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional hub assemblies for rear wheel axles.

Hub assembly for a rear wheel axle of a bicycle


The fixing unit has a housing that has a heating roller and a pressing roller accommodated therein. A temperature detection sensor and a sensor board are provided outside the housing. An image forming apparatus includes a sensor protection tube. The sensor protection tube includes a hollow cylindrical body passing through a side wall portion of the housing. One end of the sensor protection tube abuts a mounting surface of the temperature detection sensor in the sensor board so as to surround a periphery of the temperature detection sensor. The other end of the sensor protection tube is positioned in the housing.

The technology of the present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus.
In general, a fixing device mounted in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is provided with a temperature detection sensor for detecting the surface temperature of a heating roller. As a detection system of the temperature detection sensor, two kinds of a contact type and a non-contact type have been known. In the contact type temperature detection sensor, a thermistor is made contact with the surface of the heating roller to detect the surface temperature of the roller. Therefore, the surface of the heating roller may be damaged by the thermistor. On the other hand, in the non-contact type temperature detection sensor, since the sensor needs not to be made to directly contact with the heating roller, the surface of the heating roller is not damaged. However, in the non-contact type temperature detection sensor, there is a problem that dust such as toner and paper dust is attached to a temperature detection surface and detection accuracy is reduced.
In order to solve such a problem, a technology of performing fluorine coating on the surface of the temperature detection surface has been proposed. In this way, although contamination has been attached to the temperature detection surface of the temperature detection sensor for example, it is possible to remove the contamination by simple cleaning work.
Furthermore, an image forming apparatus configured such that the temperature detection sensor is covered by a box-like cover member has been proposed. The air in the cover member is sucked by a suction fan. In this way, since the pressure in the cover member becomes a positive pressure (higher than the atmospheric pressure), it is possible to prevent dust from being attached to the temperature detection sensor.


A hollow guidewire with a shapeable distal end, for removing tissue from a body lumen, such as a coronary artery. The hollow guidewire comprises an elongate, tubular guidewire body that has an axial lumen. A tissue removal assembly, such as a rotating drive shaft, is positioned at or near a distal end of the tubular guidewire body and extends through the axial lumen. Actuation of the tissue removal assembly removes occlusive material in the body lumen.

The present invention is generally related to medical devices, kits, and methods. More specifically, the present invention provides a guidewire system for crossing stenosis, partial occlusions, or total occlusions in a patient's body.
Cardiovascular disease frequently arises from the accumulation of atheromatous material on the inner walls of vascular lumens, particularly arterial lumens of the coronary and other vasculature, resulting in a condition known as atherosclerosis. Atheromatous and other vascular deposits restrict blood flow and can cause ischemia which, in acute cases, can result in myocardial infarction or a heart attack. Atheromatous deposits can have widely varying properties, with some deposits being relatively soft and others being fibrous and/or calcified. In the latter case, the deposits are frequently referred to as plaque. Atherosclerosis occurs naturally as a result of aging, but may also be aggravated by factors such as diet, hypertension, heredity, vascular injury, and the like.
Atherosclerosis can be treated in a variety of ways, including drugs, bypass surgery, and a variety of catheter-based approaches which rely on intravascular widening or removal of the atheromatous or other material occluding the blood vessel. Particular catheter-based interventions include angioplasty, atherectomy, laser ablation, stenting, and the like. For the most part, the catheters used for these interventions must be introduced over a guidewire, and the guidewire must be placed across the lesion prior to catheter placement. Initial guidewire placement, however, can be difficult or impossible in tortuous regions of the vasculature. Moreover, it can be equally difficult if the lesion is total or near total, i.e. the lesion occludes the blood vessel lumen to such an extent that the guidewire cannot be advanced across the lesion.
To overcome this difficulty, forward-cutting atherectomy catheters have been proposed. Such catheters usually can have a forwardly disposed blade (U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,858) or rotating burr (U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,509). While effective in some cases, these catheter systems, even when being advanced through the body lumen with a separate guidewire, have great difficulty in traversing through the small and tortuous body lumens of the patients and reaching the target site.
For these reasons, it is desired to provide devices, kits, and methods which can access small, tortuous regions of the vasculature and which can remove atheromatous, thrombotic, and other occluding materials from within blood vessels. In particular, it is desired to provide atherectomy systems which can pass through partial occlusions, total occlusions, stenosis, and be able to macerate blood clots or thrombotic material. It is further desirable to have devices which can easily be configured by the user to have the desired shapeability and/or flexibility. At least some of these needs will be met by the devices and methods of the present invention described hereinafter and in the claims.

Guidewire for crossing occlusions or stenoses having a shapeable distal end


A transmission arrangement for a hybrid vehicle, in which a connection for an internal combustion engine, a connection for an electric machine, and a transmission part are arranged in a manner able to be coupled to each other. The transmission part comprises a simple Ravigneaux planetary gear set with two planetary gears (PG1, PG2) and a single ring gear. The ring gear is coupled to a spur and bevel gear transmission (KT), which forms a power takeoff of the transmission arrangement. The transmission part furthermore comprises two brakes (B1, B2) and two clutches (K1, K2) as force-locking shifting elements.

Multi-speed hybridized transmissions are already known in the prior art, to which a combustion engine and an electric machine can be mechanically coupled.
From DE 10 2014 223 339 A1 there are known a torque transmission device and a method for its operation. The device is intended in particular for a motor vehicle and comprises an input shaft, which can be rotatably connected to an internal combustion engine, two planetary gear sets, a power takeoff shaft, an electric machine, a brake device and three disengaging clutches. Both of the planetary gear sets each have their own ring gear.
DE 10 2014 201 254 A1 discloses a transmission arrangement and a drive train for a hybrid vehicle as well as a corresponding hybrid vehicle. The transmission arrangement comprises an electric machine, connected to an input shaft, a combustion engine input shaft, connected to a combustion engine, an output shaft, as well as a Ravigneaux set, whose frame can be secured by means of a brake on a transmission housing. The transmission arrangement is characterized by a shiftable clutch assembly, by means of which the frame and a second sun of the Ravigneaux set as well as the combustion engine input shaft can be selectively coupled together to transmit torque. Furthermore, the transmission arrangement comprises an auxiliary shaft, which passes lengthwise through the transmission arrangement as a coaxial central shaft. The auxiliary shaft stands in operative connection on the one hand with the brake and on the other hand with the shiftable clutch assembly. In this way, in particular, the combustion engine input shaft, a shaft of the second sun and the auxiliary shaft are respectively joined together in pairs. All three shafts can also be joined together simultaneously. Furthermore, there also exists a neutral position, so that five shift positions can be realized by means of the shiftable clutch unit.

Transmission arrangement for a hybrid vehicle, drive arrangement, method for the operation thereof, and hybrid vehicle


A mechanism that dynamically adjusts the number of packets sent in the train from a node to reflect the rate of packets arriving at the node. A train is a group of packets that are sent from the node as one unit. The node has an optimum train length that the node would like to send. The node also has a timer interval, which is the maximum time to wait before sending the next train. If the timer interval expires and the number of packets accumulated in the train is less than the optimum train length, then the node transmits the train and sets the optimum train length to be the number of packets actually received; that is, the optimum train length is adjusted downward. If the number of packets accumulated equals the optimum train length and the timer interval has not yet expired, the receiving node transmits these packets in a train, and if the next packet arrives before the time that the timer would have expired, the node increases the optimum train length.

Computer networks that facilitate data processing are becoming increasingly common in the modern world. Such networks include multiple nodes, which are typically computers, that may be distributed over vast geographic distances and connected by communications links, such as telephone wires. Each node typically includes a processing element, which processes data, and a communications control unit, which controls the transmission and reception of data in the network across the communications link. The processing element can include one or more processors and memory.
Nodes communicate with each other using packets, which are the basic units of information transfer. A packet contains data surrounded by control and routing information supplied by the various nodes in the network. A message from one node to another may be sent via a single packet, or the node can break the message up into several shorter packets with each packet containing a portion of the message. The communications control unit at a node receives a packet from the communications link and sends the packet to the node's processing element for processing. Likewise, a node's processing element sends a packet to the node's communications control unit, which transmits the packet across the network.
All of this sending, receiving, and processing of packets has an overhead, or cost, associated with it. That is, it takes time to receive a packet at a node, to examine the packet's control information, and to determine what to do next with the packet. One way to reduce the packet overhead is a method that transmits packets in a train, called packet training. This packet training method consolidates individual packets into a group, called a train, which reduces the overhead when compared to processing the same number of packets individually because a node can process the entire train of packets at a single time. The word "train" comes from a train of railroad cars. It is less expensive to form a train of railroad cars pulled by a single locomotive than it is to give each railroad car its own locomotive. Analogously, processing a train of packets has less overhead than processing each packet individually.
In a typical training method, a node will accumulate packets until the train reaches a fixed target length. Then the node will process or retransmit the entire train at once. In order to ensure that the accumulated packets are eventually handled since the packet arrival rate at the node is unpredictable, the method will typically start a timer when node receives the first packet in the train. When the timer expires, the node will conclude the train and process it, even if train has not reached its target length.
This method works well in times of heavy packet traffic because the timer never expires. But in times of light packet traffic, the packets that the node does receive experience poor performance while waiting in vain for additional packets to accumulate, and the ultimate timer expiration introduces additional processing overhead.
Thus, there is a need for a packet training mechanism that will overcome the disadvantages of the prior all and provide improved performance even in times of a light, variable, or unpredictable packet traffic rate.

International Business Machines Corporation


A method of preparing closure components and a method of preparing a stable roll of such components. The methods include (a) providing a fastening portion comprising fastening means; (b) providing a continuous web of a material in a machine direction, said web having a first outer major surface and a second inner major surface and a left and right longitudinal edge at least one of said first and second major surfaces being capable of releasably engaging with the fastening means; (c) joining said fastening portion in the machine direction to the inner and/or outer major surfaces of the web so that the fastening means of said fastening portion are exposed; applying at least two first cuts to the web in order to provide at least two flaps each having a top edge and a baseline, each of said at least two first cuts being discontinuous in the machine direction and in a cross direction, each of said at least two flaps bearing at least part of said fastening portions and being connected to the web at least through its respective baseline so that the baselines of said at least two flaps face opposite longitudinal edges of the web; (e) folding over the flaps into a direction from their top edges to their baseline essentially along said base line onto the web so that the fastening means releasably engage with the first outer major surface or the second inner major surface of the web. A closure component and a stable roll made according to the methods are also disclosed.

Disposable absorbent articles comprise diapers but also other absorbent articles such as incontinence briefs, diaper holders, feminine hygiene garments, training pants, panties, underpants and the like.
Such disposable absorbent articles typically comprise closure components which are used to safely secure the absorbent article to the body of the wearer. The fastening means employed in such closure components include, for example, adhesive means such as pressure-sensitive adhesive means but mechanical fastening means are also used. In the case of mechanical fastening means, the closure component typically comprises at least a first component of such fastening means which is capable of engaging with at least a second matching component of said fastening means arranged at another part of the absorbent article. Mechanical fastening means include, for example, mechanical hooks as a first male component and a fibrous material as a second mating female component.
Disposable absorbent articles often employ materials such as woven or non-woven materials having an exposed surface providing a cloth-like feeling in order to increase the comfort of wearing. It was found that the closure components and, in particular, mechanical closure components tend to engage with such surfaces during the manufacturing of the absorbent articles in an uncontrolled way which may adversely affect subsequent steps of the process of manufacturing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,526 discloses a process for attaching and protecting a mechanical fastener material on a disposable absorbent article. The process includes applying a continuous hook material to a substrate web and cutting by a cutter to form individual fastening portions whereby a substantial part of the substrate web bearing the hook material is discarded. The fastening portions are then folded over and releasably engaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,317 discloses a method of forming a plurality of closure components which comprises providing a composite web which includes a web of hook material. The composite web is divided along first and second, non-intersecting, continuous serpentine division lines which repeatedly traverse across a complete lateral width of the hook web and extend generally longitudinally along a medial region of the composite thus providing a serpentine strip which needs to be discarded. The method according to US '317 does furthermore not allow for a wide variation of the shape of the closure components obtained.
An overriding consideration in the construction of absorbent articles is the cost of manufacturing which includes—besides running the process of manufacturing at high speed and with high reliability—also the requirement of minimizing waste.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cost-effective method of manufacturing closure components suitable for use in disposable absorbent articles such as diapers which is characterized by a high reliability and can be run at high speed with a reduced amount of waste. Other objects of the present invention can be taken from the following detailed description.

Method of preparing closure components suitable for use in diapers


A method of fabricating a printed circuit board is disclosed. A method of fabricating a printed circuit board that includes: stacking an insulation layer on at least one surface of a core layer, on which an inner circuit is formed, and forming an outer circuit pattern; burying the outer circuit pattern in the insulation layer; removing the outer circuit pattern to form minute grooves and curing the insulation layer; and forming an outer circuit by filling metal in the minute grooves, makes it possible to readily form high-resolution fine-line circuits, as well as to reduce fabrication costs and increase productivity.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
With mobile electronic equipment rapidly trending towards lighter, smaller, and thinner products that provide higher performance, and with the demands for LSI packages having higher speeds and higher densities, there is currently a demand also for higher-density build-up boards. Currently, in a flip chip board, the mainstream is to use a SAP (semi-additive process) in forming the circuits, in order to increase the wiring density of the board. However, there is ongoing research on methods other than SAP methods, for conveniently forming fine-line circuits.
One possible drawback of conventional circuit forming methods may be that, since a circuit made from copper is formed on the insulation layer, the portion attached to the insulation layer is only the bottom surface of the circuit. Thus, when forming a fine-line circuit, undercuts may occur at the attachment portions between the circuit and the resin, whereby the fine-line circuit may be peeled off. Such peeling off would cause the entire board to be defective.
To resolve such a problem, a technology is being researched of forming a trench in the insulation layer, by imprinting or by laser processing, and then filling a conductive material inside the trench.
Imprinting may involve forming relieve and intaglio patterns in the surface of a mold to process a circuit pattern, and afterwards transcribing this into an insulation resin to form the trench in the insulation resin. Then, a conductive material may be filled in the trench, such as by filling with metal paste or performing metal plating, to form the circuit. With laser processing, the trench may be formed in the surface of a stacked insulation layer by laser ablation, and the circuit may be formed in a manner similar to that for the imprinting method, by filling with metal paste or by plating.
However, in the imprinting method, the mold is generally expensive, and there is much difficulty in separating the mold from the insulation layer after transcribing the patterns on the mold. Also, curing the resin while the mold is being pressed may cause the pressing to be very time-consuming, and may cause lowered productivity. With the laser processing, not only is the equipment itself highly expensive, but also the method may require expensive aluminum masks or dielectric masks for forming the circuit.
Another important factor in the fabrication of a printed circuit board is the method of interlayer connection.
For the interlayer connection, conventional methods use mechanical hole processing and plating, where the points of importance are on the minuteness and accuracy of the mechanical processing and on how efficiently the plating for interlayer connection is performed in the hole formed by the mechanical processing. There is also a technology being developed and used, of processing blind via holes using a laser, instead of mechanical hole processing, and furthermore, there are developments and productions in B2it (buried bump interconnection technology) and NMBI (Neo Manhattan bump interconnection) technology.
However, with mechanical hole processing, the abrasion of the bit may cause increased costs, and with B2it, the use of paste for interlayer connection renders B2it as yet unreliable for use in semiconductor substrates, and there is a limit to how minute the holes can be made. Also, since NMBI physically connects copper with copper, there may be problems in contact reliability.

Fabricating method for printed circuit board


First internal electrode layers and second internal electrode layers are alternately laminated in a substrate while sandwiching piezoelectric layers therebetween. The first internal electrode layers are exposed to at least a first end face of the substrate, and the second internal electrode layers are exposed to at least a second end face of the substrate which is opposite to the first end face. A first external electrode layer is formed on the first end face and a third end face connecting the first end face and the second end face. The first external electrode layer is electrically connected to the first internal electrode layers. A second external electrode layer is formed on at least the second end face and the third end face. The second external electrode layer is electrically connected to the second internal electrode layers, and is electrically independent from the first external electrode layer. The first external electrode layer and the first internal electrode layers are to be divided by slits extending from the first end face to form a plurality of piezoelectric elements arrayed in a first direction. A part of the first external electrode layer and a part of the second external electrode layer are adjacent in the first direction on the third end face.

The present invention relates to a piezoelectric element formation member in which piezoelectric elements deformed when a piezoelectric material layer is applied with a voltage are integrally formed; a piezoelectric element formation unit; a piezoelectric actuator unit; and a liquid injection head incorporating such a piezoelectric element formation member. In particular, the present invention relates to an ink jet recording head in which ink supplied to a pressure generating chamber being communicated with a nozzle orifice is pressurized by a piezoelectric element to allow the nozzle orifice to eject ink droplets.
As an ink jet recording head wherein a pressure generating chamber being communicated with a nozzle orifice for ejecting ink droplets is partially constructed by a vibration plate to allow this vibration plate to be deformed by a piezoelectric element so that ink in the pressure generating chamber is pressurized to eject ink droplets from the nozzle orifice. It is well known an ink jet recording head using a piezoelectric actuator of a longitudinal vibration mode which expands or contracts in the axial direction of the piezoelectric element.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-277525A (cf., FIGS. 2 and 3, pages 8–10) discloses Such a piezoelectric actuator unit comprising an actuator array in which a plurality of lamination type piezoelectric elements are arrayed and a fixation plate on which the actuator array is mounted. The actuator array is formed by alternately laminating a internal common electrode and an internal individual electrode while sandwiching a piezoelectric body therebetween. This actuator array has an external individual electrode and a external common electrode on surfaces thereof. The external individual electrode is connected to an internal individual electrode exposed to the distal end face of the actuator array. On the other hand, the external common electrode is connected to a internal common electrode exposed to a proximal end face of the actuator array. A contact is formed on each external individual electrode and each external common electrode. Connection terminals of a flexible cable is mounted on the contacts by soldering or the like.
However, in a piezoelectric actuator unit having such a structure, the external individual electrode and the external common electrode provided on the surface of each piezoelectric element are separated in a longitudinal direction thereof. Thus, the contact of the external individual electrode and the contact of the external common electrode, onto which the connection terminals of the flexible cable are mounted, are placed at different positions in the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric element. In an actual case, the contacts of the external electrodes and the connection terminals of the flexible cable are isolated by providing an insulating layer such as a resist. Since it is difficult to accurately control the thickness of such an insulating layer, a defective connection would be occurred between the contacts and the connection terminals due to the error in the thickness of the insulating layer.
Besides, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-94677A (cf., FIGS. 1 to 4 and pages 3–4) discloses a structure in which slits are formed, by a wire saw, in a piezoelectric diaphragm formed with a conductive layer on a surface thereof, thereby dividing the conductive layer to form external individual electrodes and external common electrodes.
According to this structure, the flexible cable can be connected in a relatively favorable manner, but the manufacturing efficiency is low. That is, since the inspection for the connection failure between the external individual electrode and the external common electrode must be performed after the formation of the slits, not only the manufacturing efficiency is low but also the yield is low. This type of problem is also caused not only in an ink jet recording head for electing ink but also in a liquid injection head for ejecting liquid other than ink.

Piezoelectric element formation member incorporated in piezoelectric element formation unit, piezoelectric actuator unit and liquid ejection head


A document image scanner; a camera having a field of view, for sensing differentiated information areas on each physical document as the physical document is transported; an image processing system associated with the camera, for producing a virtual image data file from the differentiated information areas sensed by the camera; sensors for determining the position of the physical document relative to the camera field of view; of electro-mechanical devices for actuating the transporter; and a data interface controller for receiving data from the sensors and controlling the electro-mechanical devices. A communications link is provided between the data interface controller and the image processing system for synchronization by the data interface controller, of the physical document as conveyed and the virtual document image captured by the image processing system.

The present invention relates to image scanners, and particularly to portable high speed image and optical character recognition scanners that can flexibly handle intermixed documents of varying sizes.
Scanners of this type have been available for a number of years. The main functional components are the document transporter, the camera, the transport sensing and control, the image capture and processing, and the operator interface for job control. Typically, an analog to digital converter (A/D converter) provides a data interface for the sensors and the electromechanical devices of the transporter. A general-purpose computer (personal computer, or PC) contains software programs for performing the operator interface, interacting with the A/D converter to identify physical and positional aspects of the document, and controlling the timing of the camera, as well as special dedicated boards for image capture and control. A multiplicity of distinct, fixed-logic controller boards interact with the A/D converter to implement transport control logic through respective electromechanical devices.
The present inventors have identified two main disadvantages to the conventional scanner system as described above.
First, there is a high cost in hardware, programming, and maintenance for providing a multiplicity of distinct fixed-logic controller boards, each associated with one of a multiplicity of transporter related control functions to be performed by the system. The chips on each board must be programmed and the board fabricated. Moreover, if an operational problem is encountered by the user, the diagnosis often requires inspection of several boards to find the problem. The service provider must maintain a large number of boards in inventory, so that whichever one of the multiplicity of boards that is defective, can be readily replaced.
Second, there is programming duplication because many of the physical and positional aspects of the document derived from the A/D converter must be used in both the PC and the controller boards, but the programming must be performed independently as between the software based PC and the fixed-logic of the controller boards. The further consequence is that any improvement in software processing capability that can be readily implemented in or by replacement of the PC, cannot be readily implemented in parallel in the fixed-logic boards.


An endoscope system according to the present invention includes: an illumination unit that radiates illumination light onto a subject, the illumination light having a spatially non-uniform intensity distribution including a light section and a dark section in a beam cross section orthogonal to an optical axis; an imaging unit that images an illumination image of the subject irradiated with the illumination light; and a separation processor that generates two separate images from the illumination image. Among intensity values of pixels within the illumination image respectively corresponding to the light section, the dark section, and a section having intermediate intensity between the light section and the dark section, the separation processor generates the two separate images based on at least two of the intensity values.

When biological tissue inside the body is to be observed through an endoscope, highlight clipping caused by specular reflection of illumination light at the mucous membrane on the surface of the biological tissue becomes a problem. There has been proposed an endoscope apparatus that can prevent such highlight clipping (e.g., see Patent Literatures 1 and 2). The apparatus according to each of Patent Literatures 1 and 2 includes an illumination polarizing plate that converts illumination light to be radiated onto a subject into linearly polarized light, and also includes an imaging polarizing plate that only allows reflected light in a polarization direction orthogonal to the polarization direction of the illumination light to enter an imaging element. The apparatus removes specularly reflected (specular) light by using the imaging polarizing plate.


A redundancy circuit for a NAND flash memory device reduces a test time and production time of the device, by performing a redundancy operation through a repair select unit using a cam cell. In addition, the redundancy circuit employs a repair method using a redundancy cam which can perform the repair operation much faster than a general repair method using fuse cutting.

1. Technical Field
The present patent relates to a redundancy circuit for a NAND flash memory device, and more particularly to, an address redundancy circuit using a repair cam circuit.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A general NAND flash memory device performs a repair operation according to fuse cutting. The fuse must be cut by using a laser. If coordinates, thickness and topology of the fuse are mistakenly calculated, the fuse is not normally cut. Accordingly, the repair operation is not effective.

Redundancy circuit for NAND flash memory device


A communication system that communicates between a base station and a mobile station over a wireless rf channel. The communication system uses a novel protocol for transmitting a data frame in which an 8-bit data byte is divided into two 4-bit data nibbles. Each data nibble is assigned a 4-bit sequence number to form a transmission byte. By determining the sequence number of any transmission byte or series of transmission bytes, the beginning and the end of a data frame can be determined. A CRC check indicates when a data frame has been received successfully. The protocol does not require the use of unique start-of-frame (SOF) and end of-frame (EOF) characters. Also, the system implements a majority vote algorithm that collects data from successively transmitted copies of a given data frame and performs a majority vote to determine a mostly likely received data pattern. The protocol allows the system to achieve an improvement analogous to a 1.5 to 2.5 dB increase in signal power over other transmission protocols that require the use of SOF and EOF characters to transmit a data frame.

This invention relates generally to data communications systems and, more particularly, to a digital communication system for transmitting data through a radio frequency (rf) channel that is subject to noise and channel fades.
A wireless rf channel, for use between a mobile station and other mobile stations or a base station, is subject to Rayleigh fading and often gaussian or white noise. An example of such an rf communications channel is a 900 Megahertz (MHz) channel for use in cellular communications.
A 300 baud modem uses asynchronous frequency-shift keying (FSK) to transmit digital data through a communications channel. An asynchronous data communication system typically transmits data in data packets that use a start bit and a stop bit because the exact arrival time of any given data packet is not known. In typical operation of a asynchronous system, a transmitting device holds the communication channel at a predetermined state, for example, one. The channel is then toggled by a start bit, which changes the channel's state (from one to zero). The start bit indicates the beginning of the data packet. The stop bit indicates the end of the data packet and changes the channel back to the wait state. For example, the stop bit toggles the channel data from one to zero and then back to one, if the bit previous to the stop bit was a one, and the stop bit keeps the channel at zero and toggles it to one if the bit previous to the stop bit was a zero.
Data structures having more than one byte of data are sent using protocols that identify the beginning and the end of a data frame using a start-of-frame (SOF) byte and an end-of-frame (EOF) byte, respectively.

Byte sequencing protocol for an asynchronous data transmission system


A refrigerator is provided which includes an ice maker, a dispenser and the other related components installed to a refrigerator door that opens and closes a storage space of a main body of the refrigerator, the walls of which are formed of insulating layers. A water supply tube is provided in the door to pass through a lower hinge and extend through the door so that water can be supplied to a filter in a filter chamber defined within the door. The water purified in the filter is supplied through a valve to the ice maker and dispenser. The filter chamber is configured to be opened and closed by a service door so that a user can more easily exchange the filter. The service door is provided in front of the door. Since the ice maker, the dispenser and the related components are integrated within the door, the storage space defined by the main body of the refrigerator can be further increased. In addition, a function of the refrigerator can also be improved by merely exchanging the door rather than the whole refrigerator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator with a dispenser, an ice maker and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most large refrigerators recently on the market are provided with a dispenser by which ice or water contained therein can be dispensed without opening a refrigerator door. Therefore, the dispenser can prevent cold air within the refrigerator from escaping to the outside and provide users with more convenience. The refrigerator constructed as such is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,130.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration of a conventional refrigerator with an ice maker and a dispenser, as disclosed in the '130 patent. Referring to the figure, water that has flowed from the outside into the refrigerator through a connection tube D1 passes through and is purified in a filter 1 mounted to a main body 0 of the refrigerator. Then, the water is supplied or introduced to either an ice maker 2 for making ice or a storage tank 3 for storing the purified water. A water supply valve 4 is installed between the filter 1 and the ice maker/water storage tank 2, 3 so as to regulate an amount of water to be supplied to the ice maker 2 or storage tank 3.
The ice maker 2 and the water storage tank 3 are connected to a dispenser 6 installed in a refrigerator door 5, through connection tubes D3, D2, respectively. The stored water and ice are supplied to the dispenser 6 through the connection tubes D2, D3, respectively. Then, a user can eat and drink the ice and water discharged from a dispenser 6 through a dispensing port (not shown). In the '130 patent, the ice maker 2 may also be installed to the main body 0 adjacent to the dispenser 6 so that the ice can be directly supplied to the dispenser 6 without using the connection tube D3.
However, there are the following problems in the prior art.
First of all, only the dispenser 6 is mounted to the refrigerator door 5 and most other components related to the dispenser 6 are mounted in the main body 0 of the refrigerator. For example, the components such as the ice maker 2, the water storage tank 3, and the filter 1 used for purifying water supplied to the dispenser and ice maker 6, 2 are arranged in the main body 0 of the refrigerator. Thus, there is a problem in that a refrigerator manufactured with the above components not included therein cannot be upgraded for use in such a dispenser function.
Further, since the components related to the dispenser 6 are spaced apart from the dispenser 6, additional components are needed for transferring the water or ice between the dispenser-related components. Therefore, there is another problem in that more interior space in the refrigerator is allocated for the additional components and the interior configuration thereof is also complicated.
Furthermore, since the filter 1 of the refrigerator is generally mounted on a rear surface or in a rear portion of the main body 0 of the refrigerator, it is difficult to exchange the filter.


A method of providing content includes receiving emotional information in relation to the content; generating information about a representative type of emotion associated with the emotional information received from the client; updating an Electronic Program Guide associated with the content or a header of the content using the information about the representative type of emotion; and providing the content with the updated Electronic Program Guide or the updated header to the user.

1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to meta data of content, and more particularly, to generating emotional information including a user's impressions in relation to multimedia content or meta data regarding the emotional information.
2. Description of the Related Art
On-line services which provide multimedia content have been become widely popular. However, feedback regarding a user's emotions, feelings, etc. after he or she appreciates content depends on the user's voluntary provision of information. Accordingly, it is difficult to acquire the user's emotional information after the user has appreciated the content. Although the user provides his or her emotional information, the accuracy or objectivity of the information cannot be ensured.

Method and apparatus for generating meta data of content


The present invention provides an OLED display panel, a driving circuit, and a driving method. The OLED display panel includes: a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate arranged opposite to each other; an OLED array formed on one face of the first transparent substrate facing the second transparent substrate, and an optical display array and a first optical film formed on the other face of the first transparent substrate; and a second optical film formed on one face of the second transparent substrate opposite to the first transparent substrate, and an optical display array formed on the other face of the second transparent substrate. The first and second optical films can be switched between a non-opaque status and an opaque status.

An OLED display panel consists of a glass substrate, an indium tin oxide (ITO) anode, an organic light-emitting material layer, and a metallic cathode, etc. The organic light-emitting material layer is sandwiched by the thin, transparent ITO anode and the metallic cathode. When a voltage is injected into holes of the anode and combined with electrons from the cathode at the organic light-emitting material layer, the organic materials included in the organic light-emitting material layer will be energized to emit light.
The OLED display panel has a wide application prospect due to the advantages such as simple manufacturing process, low cost, rapid response, low power consumption, wide range of operating temperature, small dimension and light weight, and convenience in realizing flexible display. However, generally the existing OLED display panel is merely used for single-sided display.

OLED display panel, driving circuit, and driving method


A railway track circuit system utilizing an optical sensor which emits a vehicle detection light signal when a railway vehicle is present in a track section. A reference light signal is also generated by a light emission source. A detector in optical communication with the optical sensor receives the vehicle detection light signal. Information contained in the vehicle detection light signal is interpreted by a processor to detect the railway vehicle. In presently preferred embodiments, the sensor may comprise an elongated optical fiber conductor extending along the track section or a plurality of cascaded localized sensors. The sensor may generally also be utilized as a communication medium to pass communication data between opposite ends of the track section. Depending on the exigencies of the particular application, the sensor may be located within the track section in a number of ways.

1. Field of the Invention.
The invention relates generally to the art of railway signalling and communication. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and method utilizing fiber optic sensing to detect the presence of a railway vehicle within a track section as well as other conditions and parameters.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
Typical wayside instrumentation systems for railway and transit installations interconnect the central office to wayside equipment such as switch and signal devices so that traffic flow may be remotely directed. To prevent the establishment of conflicting routes, such instrumentation systems incorporate logical operation to disallow improper commands from the central office or other wayside equipment. This requires that the system have the capability of detecting the presence of railway vehicles within the controlled territory.
This train detection capability is typically provided by the railway track circuit. Generally, railway track circuits detect the presence of a railway vehicle by electrical alteration of a circuit formed by the rails and the vehicle wheel and axle sets. While there are many variations, such track circuits are typically connected within fixed-location, fixed-length sections of a track route known as blocks. Blocks may range in length from hundreds of feet to a maximum of approximately two to five miles.
To minimize the installation and maintenance of wayside communication, some railway track circuits have been employed which send control data between wayside locations using unoccupied blocks as a transmission medium. These track circuits are referred to as "coded track circuits." Once a vehicle enters a block having a coded track circuit, the communication link to the next wayside location is severed, but that unit then positively detects the presence of the vehicle. The track circuit codes, as well as the break in continual communication, are important input data to all wayside locations for control operations.
Alternative train operation systems have recently been proposed which require more accurate train detection than may be provided by present track circuits. One such system is the Advanced Train Control System ("ATCS") of the Association of American Railroads. For ATCS, and other proposed "moving block" or minimal headway systems, location resolution on the order of one meter may be important for effective control. Current railway systems could also benefit from this degree of resolution to permit vehicles to operate closer together and with a higher level of accuracy.
Additionally, track circuits employed in mainline areas also generally lack the capability to determine direction of motion, count axles or cars, communicate at rates higher than 100 bits per second, or determine the presence and location of fire in a tunnel.

Railway coded track circuit apparatus and method utilizing fiber optic sensing


A conversion system converts DICOM SR information from a DICOM-formatted file into an XML representation. By providing a mapping between DICOM SR and XML, the DICOM SR content material can be more easily processed by application programs that are DICOM-specific, such as medical analysis programs, as well as by application programs that are not DICOM-specific, such as routine clerical or data-management programs. In a preferred embodiment, a two-phase conversion is employed. The DICOM information is parsed and Fig converted directly into a “raw” XML data set. Thereafter, the “raw” XML is transformed into a proper XML output form, via an XSLT processor. Changes to the desired XML output form can thus be effected via changes in the corresponding XSLT stylesheets.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of modeling and data representation, and in particular to the modeling and representation of medical reports, via the use of DICOM SR relational data.
2. Description of Related Art
The Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) Structured Reporting (SR) standard, and the SR Documentation Model upon which it is based, improves the expressiveness, precision, and comparability of documentation of diagnostic images and waveforms. DICOM SR supports the interchange of expressive compound reports in which the critical features shown by images and waveforms can be denoted unambiguously by the observer, indexed, and retrieved selectively by subsequent reviewers. Findings may be expressed by the observer as text, codes, and numeric measurements, or via location coordinates of specific regions of interest within images or waveforms, or references to comparison images, sound, waveforms, curves, and previous report information. The observational and historical findings recorded by the observer may include any evidence referenced as part of an interpretation procedure. Thus, DICOM SR supports not only the reporting of diagnostic observations, but the capability to document fully the evidence that evoked the observations. This capability provides significant new opportunities for large-scale collection of structured data for clinical research, training, and outcomes assessment as a routine by-product of diagnostic image and waveform interpretation, and facilitates the pooling of structured data for multi-center clinical trials and evaluations.1 1"Clinical Rationale for the SR Documentation Model and the DICOM Structured Reporting (SR) Standard", Abstract, W. Dean Bidgood, Jr., © 1999.
The DICOM SR is based on a relational data technology, and has been standardized by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). Supplement 23: Structured Reporting Storage SOP Classes to the DICOM Standard, published by the DICOM Standards Committee, 1300 N. 17th Street, Rosslyn, Va. 22209 USA, and incorporated by reference herein, introduces the SR Service-Object Pair (SOP) Classes for transmission and storage of documents that describe or refer to any number of images or waveforms or to the specific features that they contain. This standard is expected to be adopted by the medical equipment manufacturers and providers at large to provide text, image, and waveform content in a structured reporting format.
Although the DICOM SR standard provides for a consistent reporting and recording scheme, the use of the information contained in a DICOM SR is limited to DICOM compliant applications that can process this information using the DICOM specific format. Application developers must be DICOM literate, and a methodology for deploying applications that interoperate with other applications outside the DICOM domain has not yet been developed.
In the computer industry, progress has been made in the use of standardized languages and methodologies that facilitate the use of information from a variety of sources by a variety of applications. A standard language that is widely used for processing content material is the World Wide Web Consortium Extensible Markup Language (XML), which is derived from the Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), and is designed to describe data and its structure so that it can be easily transferred over a network and consistently processed by the receiver. Because XML is used to describe information as well as structure, it is particularly well suited as a data description language. One of XML's particular strengths is that it allows entire industries, academic disciplines, and professional organizations develop sets of Document Type Definitions (DTDs) and Schemas that can serve to standardize the representation of information within those disciplines. Given a set of DTDs and Schemas, content material that is modeled in conformance with the DTDs and Schemas can be processed by applications that are developed for these DTDs and Schemas.
A further advantage of the use of XML is the wealth of tools that are available for the processing of XML-compatible data. Of particular significance, the "Extensible Stylesheet Language" (XSL) is a language for expressing stylesheets, and the "XSL Transformations" (XSLT) is a language for transforming XML documents into other XML documents, using stylesheets. A stylesheet contains a set of template rules, which are used to match a pattern to a source document, or "source tree" and, when the appropriate match is found, to instantiate a template to a result document, or "result tree". In this manner, XML information that is structured for one application can be relatively easily transformed into a different structure for another application.


It is an object to provide solid-state imaging device, which can easily be manufactured and has a high reliability, and a method of manufacturing the solid-state imaging device. In the present invention, a manufacturing method comprises the steps of forming a plurality of IT-CCDs on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, bonding a translucent member to the surface of the semiconductor substrate in order to have a gap opposite to each light receiving region of the IT-CCD, and isolating a bonded member obtained at the bonding step for each of the IT-CCDs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device and a method of manufacturing the solid-state imaging device. More particularly, the invention relates to a solid-state imaging device of a chip size package (CSP) type in which a microlens is integrally provided on a chip.
2. Description of the Related Art
A reduction in the size of a solid-state image pickup device, such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), has been required because of the necessity of application to a mobile telephone or a digital camera.
As an example, there has been proposed a solid-state imaging device in which a microlens is provided in the light receiving area of a semiconductor chip. In particular, for example, there has been proposed a solid-state imaging device which is provided with a microlens in a light receiving region and is integrally mounted to have an airtight sealing portion between the light receiving region and the microlens, thereby reducing the size of the solid-state imaging device (JP-A-7-202152 gazette).
According to such a structure, a mounting area can be reduced, and furthermore, an optical component such as a filter, a lens or a prism can be stuck to the surface of the airtight sealing portion and a mounting size can be reduced without a deterioration in the condensing capability of the microlens.
In the mounting of the solid-state imaging device, however, it is necessary to mount the solid-state imaging device on a support substrate for mounting in the fetch of a signal to the outside, thereby carrying out an electrical connection by a method such as bonding and performing sealing. Thus, there is a problem in that a great deal of time is required for the mounting because of a large man-hour.
In the mounting of the solid-state imaging device, however, it is necessary to provide the solid-state imaging device on a support substrate for mounting in the fetch of a signal to the outside, thereby carrying out an electrical connection by a method such as bonding and performing sealing. In addition, it is necessary to mount an optical component such as a filter, a lens or a prism and a signal processing circuit. Thus, there is a problem in that a great deal of time is required for the mounting because a large number of components are provided. Moreover, there has been a serious problem in that various peripheral circuits are necessary with a requirement for an enhancement in a resolution, resulting in an increase in the size of the whole device.

Solid-state imaging device and method of manufacturing said solid-state imaging device


An information technology (IT) architecture upper merged ontology which includes an upper merged ontology that is a representation framework for combined knowledge sources that are used in business and information technology; an upper merged ontology knowledge base containing information derived from an analysis of business and technical services pertaining to the IT architecture application; a plurality of semantic web application programming interfaces (APIs) that allow access to the upper merged ontology as a semantic web; a reasoning and constraint language (RaCL) that is a scripting language having the capabilities of model creation, automated reasoning and search and query operations such that scripts developed in the reasoning and constraint language can execute using the semantic web APIs; and a computer processor for representing and performing execution tasks.

The present invention relates to a single, formalized IT architecture ontology which can absorb and reference knowledge from specialist ontologies.
Ontologies are the structural frameworks for organizing information and are used in artificial intelligence, the Semantic Web, systems engineering, software engineering, biomedical informatics, library science, enterprise bookmarking, and information architecture as a form of knowledge representation about the world or some part of it. The creation of domain ontologies is also fundamental to the definition and use of an enterprise architecture framework.
Contemporary ontologies share many structural similarities, regardless of the language in which they are expressed. As mentioned above, most ontologies describe individuals (instances), classes (concepts), attributes, and relations.
Common components of ontologies include:                Individuals: instances or objects (the basic or "ground level" objects).        Classes: sets, collections, concepts, classes in programming, types of objects, or kinds of thing.        Attributes: aspects, properties, features, characteristics, or parameters that objects (and classes) can have.        Relations: ways in which classes and individuals can be related to one another.        Function terms: complex structures formed from certain relations that can be used in place of an individual term in a statement.        Restrictions: formally stated descriptions of what must be true in order for some assertion to be accepted as input.        Rules: statements in the form of an if-then (antecedent-consequent) sentence that describe the logical inferences that can be drawn from an assertion in a particular form.        Axioms: assertions (including rules) in a logical form that together comprise the overall theory that the ontology describes in its domain of application. This definition differs from that of "axioms" in generative grammar and formal logic. In those disciplines, axioms include only statements asserted as a priori knowledge. As used here, "axioms" also include the theory derived from axiomatic statements.        Events: the changing of attributes or relations.
There are many partial ontologies for architectures in specialist areas, but they do not address the end-to-end knowledge management required for enterprise architecture integration.

Upper merged ontology for it architecture

International Business Machines Corporation


An interposition layer (12) is formed on the outside surface of a part (10) made of thermostructural composite material containing carbon, and a metal case is formed by casting molten metal (22) around the part provided with its interposition layer. The interposition layer has closed porosity and it is proof against the metal of the case, such that shrinkage of the metal during cooling is absorbed by compacting or collapsing the porosity of the interposition layer, thereby preserving the integrity of the metal case, and the interposition layer constitutes a diffusion barrier preventing eutetics forming by contact between the metal of the case and the composite material.

The present invention relates to tooling using thermostructural composite materials containing carbon for installations for performing heat treatment and/or thermochemical treatment. The term "tooling" is used herein to cover those elements which serve to support other elements that are to be treated in such installations, in particular oven sole-plates, loading trays, legs and spacers for holding trays at different levels, etc.
Thermostructural composite materials are characterized by their mechanical properties that make them suitable for constituting structural elements, and by their ability to retain these properties at high temperatures. They have various uses, in particular as fairing elements for space vehicles, friction disks, in particular aircraft brake disks, parts for thruster nozzles, parts for turbojets, or indeed tooling for ovens in which treatments are performed at high temperature. Examples of thermostructural composite materials are materials comprising a preform, i.e. fiber reinforcement made of refractory fibers (carbon or ceramic fibers) densified by a matrix that is likewise refractory (carbon or ceramic), such as carbon--carbon composite materials (C--C, for carbon fiber reinforcement and a carbon matrix), or ceramic matrix composite materials (CMCs).
The use of thermostructural composite materials, and more particularly of C--C composite materials for tooling that is intended for heat treatment installations is described, in particular, in document FR-A-2 677 740.
Compared with metal tooling, such C--C composite tooling has the advantages of characteristics that do not deteriorate at high temperatures, and in particular, while at such temperatures, they are not subject to brittleness, creep, or deformation, and in addition they are of substantially lower mass, thereby providing an excellent ratio between the weight of the parts treated and the weight of the tooling.
Nevertheless, in addition to their relatively high cost, C--C composite materials, and more generally thermostructural composite materials containing carbon, can give rise to problems in certain applications.
They have a surface state characterized by a degree of roughness and conserved residual pores however much care is taken when densifying the fiber reinforcement with the matrix. Also, C--C composites are sensitive to corrosion by oxidation in air at temperatures above 450.degree. C. This sensitivity to oxidation also exists for CMCs, either because the fiber reinforcement is made of carbon fibers, or else because an interphase layer of pyrolytic carbon is formed between the fibers of the reinforcement and the matrix, in the manner described in particular in document EP-A-0 172 082. Also, when the tooling is used in installations for treating metal elements, the presence of carbon in the thermostructural materials can give rise to undesirable phenomena of the treated elements being carbided.
It is therefore desirable to remedy these drawbacks so as to be able to benefit fully from the advantages offered by thermostructural composite materials, and the solution proposed herein consists in making the tooling in the form of composite material parts provided with metal covering.
The composite part and the metal case could be manufactured separately and then assembled together. However, that technique is not envisagable in practice because of the complexity of assembling the parts and because of the difficulty in controlling the large clearance that inevitably appears at high temperatures between the composite part and its case. Another possibility lies in hot-forming the metal case, e.g. by casting metal around the composite part. In addition to the problem caused by the difference between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the composite part and of the metal case with regard to the necessity to conserve the integrity thereof, contact between metal and composite material containing carbon also suffers from drawbacks. In particular when the metal case is made of steel, eutetics may form with the carbon of the composite part, having the undesirable consequence of degrading the mechanical behavior of the tooling.
Document FR-A-2 676 051 has indeed proposed making a metal covering from a mixture of powders deposited on the surface of a part and subjected to heat treatment, however there still remains the main drawback mentioned above of methods in which the metal case is formed hot.

Tooling using thermostructural composite materials containing carbon for heat treatment and/or thermochemical treatment installations

Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation