A coupon insertion apparatus configured for sequentially inserting coupons into receiving containers, including a machine frame, at least one pair of opposed rollers mounted to the frame and adjustable between a closed position and an open position. A drive system includes a drive belt for simultaneously driving the opposed rollers in both of the positions. A tensioner is connected to the belt and is movable generally transversely to a direction of the adjustment of the drive rollers to maintain a designated tension on the drive belt.

The present invention relates to apparatus for inserting coupons into containers moving along a high volume handling system. Such systems separate the forwardmost coupon from a continuous web and inject the coupon into a container as the container passes a designated location for insertion.
It is a common advertising and promotional technique to place coupons or other leaflets into containers, such as cartons for breakfast cereal or snack items, along with the product to be sold. The consumer may use the coupon for whatever purpose intended, such as for discount or future purchases or a rebate. Many devices have been provided for depositing coupons into containers in the present day packaging industry.
This is just one use for the insertion apparatus described below. However, it should be understood that the word "coupon" is used in its broadest possible sense to include any coupon, card, sheet, receipt, warranty, prize, premium or other part that can advantageously be handled as described hereinafter. Similarly, "container" is used in the broadest possible sense to include containers such as boxes, tubs, cans and vessels of all kinds as well as any other coupon-receiver which can advantageously be used with the present system.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,861, incorporated by reference herein, discloses a coupon insertion device receiving a supply of coupons from a reel and inserting them sequentially into an array of containers. The reel is fed between first and second pairs of opposing rollers. Differential speeds of the first and second pairs of rollers create a tear and burst action on the reel through which the forwardmost coupon is separated from the reel and projected into the container.
While this apparatus is very effective in inserting flat or two-dimensional coupons into containers, there has been a need for similar equipment used for three dimensional coupons having a height or thickness which is significantly greater than conventional flat coupons and/or which are irregular in configuration.
Coupon insertion apparatus have been introduced in which the opposing pairs of rollers are vertically adjustable relative to each other to accommodate coupons of varying sizes and shapes. Such systems typically employ drive belts to power the rollers in the opposing sets. However, a corresponding design issue is maintaining desired control of the drive rollers as the apparatus is adjusted between wide and narrow spacings to accommodate coupons of varying thicknesses.
Conventional coupon insertion apparatus have addressed this problem through the use of spring-loaded pulleys or tensioners for adjusting drive system drive belt tension. However, these systems increase the complexity of the apparatus and the associated manufacturing and repair cost. Also, these systems have been found to increase wear of the drive belts.
Thus, there is a need for an improved coupon insertion apparatus in which variations in the separation between opposing pairs of rollers is achieved in a relatively less complicated and more easily maintained manner. There is also a need for an improved coupon insertion apparatus in which drive belt wear is reduced at the same time movement between closed and open roller positioning is accomplished while maintaining adequate drive belt tension.

Belt tensioner for coupon insertion apparatus


In an antenna, a first flat radiating element is placed longitudinally. A second flat radiating element is located opposite to the first flat radiating element. The first and the second radiating element are connected to each other at their lower end portions. A third flat radiating element is longitudinally located below the second flat radiating element. A central conductor of a coaxial cable is connected to the lower end portions of the first and the second flat radiating elements. An outer conductor of the coaxial cable is connected to an upper end portion of the third flat radiating element. The coaxial cable is located parallel to the third flat radiating element.

This invention relates to an antenna, in particular, to an antenna built in an electronic apparatus, such as a personal computer, a printer, a copying machine, an audio-visual apparatus or the like.
Recently, a wireless local area network (LAN) system has come to be used in various places such as an (large scale) office, a hot spot service area, a school, a firm, a home and so on. Then, there is a demand to connect not only computers but also various electronic apparatus such as a copy machine, a projector, a printer, audio-visuals including a television set and/or a video recorder, or the like, to the wireless LAN system. To achieve this, a technique referred to as UWB (Ultra Wideband) has been proposed. The UWB can transmit large size data such as extended definition (moving) picture data at a high speed (e.g. 480 Mbps in maximum).
For the UWB, a frequency range from 3.1 to 10.6 GHz is supposed to be used as of December 2003. Accordingly, an antenna functioning over a very wide or broad band is necessary for the UWB. Furthermore, the antenna must have a small size to be built in the electronic apparatus as mentioned above. In addition, it is desirable that the antenna has a shape like a two-dimensional shape rather than a three-dimensional shape. This is because it is easy to be built in the electronic apparatus.
However, no antenna meets the above mentioned conditions at the present time.
A discone antenna is one of well-known antennas functioning over the wide band. Such an antenna is disclosed in "ANTENNA ENGINEERING HANDBOOK" (at page 128 of the sixth impression of the first edition) edited by IEICE (Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers) and published by Ohm Co. on Sep. 30, 1991.
Though the discone antenna functions over the wide band, it has the three-dimensional shape and is hard to be built in the personal computer, the audio-visual apparatus, or the like.


At least one isolated microorganizm, which converts at least 10% by weight, and preferably 50% by weight, of cellulosic biomass to a lower alkyl alcohol by direct digestion, and which produces at least 4% by volume of the lower alkyl alcohol in an aqueous-based digestion medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing lower alkyl alcohols, such as ethanol, from cellulosic biomass using primarily anaerobic microorganisms under thermodynamically favorable conditions therefor; and to anaerobic microorganisms that produce lower alkyl alcohols, such as ethanol, from cellulosic biomass and which microorganisms are tolerant to the lower alkyl alcohols produced.
2. Description of the Background
The U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/000,856, filed on Dec. 18, 2007; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/870,441, filed on Dec. 18, 2006, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Currently most ethanol fuel produced in the U.S. is made from corn grain, a feed stuff. Further, even if all the corn grain produced in the U.S. were converted to ethanol, it would only supply about 15% of our current transportation fuel needs in replacing that amount of petroleum usage. Thus, there is a pressing need to produce fuel ethanol from cellulosic plant fiber instead. If ethanol could be inexpensively produced from sources other than corn grain, waste biomass like leaves; paper; manure; and wood or wood byproducts, for example, further inroads into replacing petroleum usage could be made. Cellulosic biomass can be grown on marginal land and in greater yields than grain crops and, thus, offers the promise of high yield based on input. Eventually, it is likely that the U.S. could use up to a billion tons of such biomass per year.
Presently, however, the available technologies for producing so-called cellulosic ethanol are prohibitively expensive and, thus, industrially unfeasible. Moreover, competition for available corn grain between use in ethanol fuel and in producing corn-based food stuffs has led to a large rise in the price of such food stuffs for consumers.
There are three processes generally available for the production of ethanol from plant fiber, also called plant cell wall, which contains cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectin, and lignin. One process is called physical conversion where biomass is heated to high temperatures, such as 650° F., in the absence of oxygen. The biomass is degraded to carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2), and subsequently these gases are converted to ethanol by a catalytic or microbial process. Unfortunately, this process involves substantial facility costs and is not considered cost effective for commercial use.
A second approach is biochemical conversion which entails boiling the biomass in caustic acids or other chemicals to unravel the cellulose and hemicelluloses. The residue is neutralized and conditioned and subjected to cellulolytic enzymes to release sugars. The glucose released is fermented by yeast to ethanol, and the 5-carbon sugars are separated and converted to ethanol by a different microorganism.
A third approach to producing cellulosic ethanol would be to use living microorganisms that could digest cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectins with conversion to ethanol. This approach might, in theory, be the least expensive approach because it would not require the use of harsh chemicals or high temperatures and would use fewer process steps with fermentation than would the two approaches described above. Although this approach has been considered for over twenty years, it has, unfortunately, not been used as it is only feasible if there is a microorganism or mixed culture of microorganisms that can readily digest cellulose and hemicellulose, and which, preferably, convert a significant part of the carbohydrate to ethanol. Further, the preferred microorganisms must also be tolerant to relatively high ethanol concentrations, i.e., at least about 3-4% by volume, and preferably in excess of 5% by volume, so that they may be used to digest considerable carbohydrate to produce ethanol at high enough concentration to decrease the cost of distillation.
Currently, microorganisms for effecting this process in a cost effective manner are unknown. Microorganisms are known which can readily digest cellulosic biomass to produce organic acids, but not ethanol. Further, although microorganisms are known which produce trace amounts of ethanol along with acetic acid, these microorganisms are intolerant to ethanol concentrations exceeding a small amount of media volume of ethanol which renders separation of ethanol from aqueous media cost prohibitive. Ethanol tolerant microorganisms not only grow in relatively high ethanol concentrations, however, it would be even more advantageous for such microorganisms to be able to grow from the energy they capture by producing more ethanol. Moreover, the preferred conditions for fiber digestion (e.g. neutral pH) differ from the preferred conditions for ethanol production (e.g. acidic pH) within existing microorganisms.
The conventional wisdom among scientists is that there is little reason to continue pursuing efforts at isolating naturally-occurring microorganisms for cellulosic ethanol production. In fact, the US Department of Energy (DOE) Roadmap for biofuel production (DOE, 2006) also emphasizes similar points and reinforces this conventional wisdom. The grant programs by the DOE and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourage modern metabolic engineering and discourage attempts to find and isolate suitable naturally-occurring microorganisms for the production of ethanol.
Thus, a need exists for a plausible method for producing ethanol, as well as other lower alkyl alcohols, from cellulosic biomass using microorganisms and fermentative digestion, thus avoiding the use of costly process steps to produce the ethanol or other lower alkyl alcohols. Yet, the possibility of finding naturally-occurring microorganisms for this task has been dismissed for the most part.

Process for producing lower alkyl alcohols from cellulosic biomass using microorganisms


A mold for molding a disk substrate includes a stationary mold half having a first molding surface and a movable mold half having a second molding surface, which cooperate with each other to define therebetween a mold cavity. Each of at least one of the stationary and movable mold halves has at least one air supply passage for supplying compressed air, and a plurality of air blow passages having respective air inlets in communication with the at least one air supply passage and respective air outlets open to the mold cavity at respective circumferential positions of the mold cavity about a centerline of the mold, for introducing the compressed air from the air supply passage into the mold cavity, to facilitate removal of the molded substrate from the corresponding mold half or halves. The air supply passage and the air blow passages cooperate to provide a plurality of air passages ending at the air outlets which have a substantially same resistance to a flow of the compressed air therethrough.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to techniques associated with a mold for molding a disk, more precisely, a substrate of a compact disk (CD), a digital video disk (DVD), a magneto-optical disk, a phase-changing optical disk, or the like. More particularly, this invention is concerned with a mold which is provided with a plurality of air blow passages through which a stream of compressed air is introduced into a mold cavity, to facilitate removal of a molded disk substrate from the mold.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
There have recently been used optical disks and other disks as a data storage medium in various fields of the art. Disk substrates used for producing these disks are produced by a known mold, for example, by using a mold including a stationary mold half and a movable mold half, both of which have respective molding surfaces cooperating to define therebetween a mold cavity. The stationary and movable mold halves are brought to a closed position to define the mold cavity, and a material of the disk substrate is injected into the mold cavity. As a result, the disk substrate is molded. Then, the stationary and movable mold halves are brought to an open position, while the molded disk substrate is retained on the molding surface of one of the stationary and movable mold halves. The molded disk substrate is removed from the mold half by using a suitable mechanism, such as a mechanical ejector and an air blow device. Thus, the desired disk substrate is produced. The air-blow device is adapted to supply compressed air to the mold cavity for facilitating removal of the molded disk substrate from the mold cavity. This device is effective not only to aid the mechanical ejector to remove the molded disk substrate, but also to prevent local damage or deterioration or local sticking of the disk substrate in the process of cooling of the material in the mold cavity. Hence, the air blow device is preferably employed.
The air blow device is generally provided for at least one of the stationary and movable mold halves such that an air passage is open on the molding surface of the stationary or movable mold half, at two or more outlets located at the suitable circumferential positions of the mold half. To facilitate the removal of the molded disk substrate from the mold half, compressed air is fed into the mold cavity through the air outlets open on the molding surface of the mold half.
An extensive study of the air blow device by the present inventor revealed that the quality of the disk substrate is influenced by arrangement of the air blow device. Especially, the production. of the disk substrate used for a DVD which has a relatively thin thickness in comparison with those of a CD and a CD-ROM is significantly influenced by the arrangement of the air blow device. For instance, the molded disk substrate suffers from bending or buckling due to inadequate air blows, resulting in an increased ratio of reject of the molded disk substrate.
A further study of the known air blow device in an effort to solve the above-described problem revealed that a variation of pressure of the compressed air injected from the air outlets may cause partial or local sticking of the molded disk substrate to the molding surface upon removal thereof from the mold half, so that the corresponding local area of the molded disk substrate tends to be bent or buckled, and otherwise deteriorated.

Mold for molding disk, having air passages for blowing compressed air to facilitate removal of molded disk


The present invention relates to compounds Formula (I): as inhibitors of AKT activity, which are useful for the treatment of susceptible neoplasms and viral infections.

Protein kinases are involved in the signal transduction pathways linking growth factors, hormones and other cell regulation molecules to cell growth, survival and metabolism under both normal and pathological conditions. One such protein kinase, protein kinase B (also known as Akt), is a serine/threonine kinase that plays a central role in promoting the proliferation and survival of a wide range of cell types, thereby protecting cells from apoptosis (programmed cell death) (Khwaja, Nature 33-34 (1990)). Three members of the Akt/PKB subfamily of second-messenger regulated serine/threonine protein kinases have been identified and are termed Akt1/PKBα, Akt2/PKBβ, and Akt3/PKBγ. A number of proteins involved in cell proliferation and survival have been described as substrates of Akt in cells. Two examples of such substrates include glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) and Forkhead transcription factors (FKs). See Brazil and Hemmings, Trends in Biochemical Sciences 26, 675-664.
A number of protein kinases and phosphatases regulate the activity of Akt; For instance, activation of Akt is mediated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K), which initiates the binding of second messenger phospholipids to the pleckstrin homology (PH) binding domain of Akt. The binding anchors Akt to plasma membrane and results in phosphorylation and activation of the enzyme. Amplifications of the catalytic subunit of PI3-K, p110α, or mutations in the PI3-K regulatory subunit, p85α, lead to activation of Akt in several types of human cancer. (Vivanco and Sawyers, Nature Reviews in Cancer (2002) 2: 489-501.
The tumor suppressor, PTEN, is a critical negative regulator of Akt activation by PI3-K. Myers et al. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 95, USA (1998) 13513-13518. Inactivating mutations in the Pten gene have been found at high frequencies in a large number of human tumors and tumor cell lines, including prostate cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, glioblastoma, melanoma and other cancer types. Inactivation of the PTEN protein results in elevated levels of phosphorylated Akt and increased Akt activity in tumor cells. Li, et al., Science (1997) 275: 1943-1947; Guldberg, et al., Cancer Research (1997) 57: 3660-3663; Risinger, et al., Cancer Research (1997) 57: 4736-4738; Vivanco and Sawyers, Nature Reviews in Cancer (2002) 2: 489-501. In addition to overactivation of Akt due to defects in PTEN, direct amplication and/or overexpression of Akt2 and Akt3 have been found in human neoplasia, for example ovarian, pancreatic, prostate and breast cancer cells (Cheung et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA (1992) 89:9267-9271; Cheung et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA (1996) 93:3636-3641; Nakatani et al., J. Biol. Chem. (1999) 274:21528-21532).
The critical role of Akt in cell proliferation and survival is further strengthened by studies showing that germline knockout of Akt1 results in partial embryonic lethality. The surviving littermates display stunted growth, increased organismal apoptosis, and early deaths. (Cho et al., J. Biol. Chem. (2001) 276: 38349-38520; Chen et al., Genes Dev. (2001) 15: 2203-2208). It has also been demonstrated that pharmacological inactivation of Akt induces apoptosis in cultured human ovarian cancer cells (Yuan et al., Oncogene 19, 2324-2340, 2000) and decreases growth of a human ovarian carcinoma xenograft in mice (Hu et al., Clin. Cancer Res. 6, 880-886, 2000).
Recent studies have also demonstrated the role of the PI3-K/AKT pathway in the life cycle of numerous viruses. Some viral proteins have been shown to directly activate the PI3-K/Akt pathway, thus providing an environment favorable for viral replication. These include the Tat protein of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Protein X of hepatitis B virus, and NS5A of hepatitis C virus (Borgatti et al., Eur. J. Immunol. (1997) 27: 2805-2811; Lee et al., J. Biol. Ciem. (2001) 276: 16969-16977; He et al., J. Virol. (2002) 76: 9207-9217). The PI3-K/Akt pathway is also required for initiation and completion of the replication cycle of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). In fact, pharmacological inactivation of this pathway results in abortive production of HCMV and survival of the host cells (Johnson et al., J. Virol. (2001) 75: 6022-6032).
Because of its pivotal role in the regulation of cell survival, Akt provides a novel therapeutic target for the effective treatment of various disorders, particularly cancer and viral infections. However, such treatment requires the development of potent, selective inhibitors of Akt. Thus, the present invention provides a class of novel inhibitors of Akt, compositions comprising these compounds, and methods of using the compounds.


A clock synchronization method includes receiving, by a receiving apparatus, a plurality of data blocks using a plurality of physical layer modules (PHYs), where the plurality of data blocks include a plurality of head data blocks, performing, by the receiving apparatus, timestamp sampling on the plurality of data blocks to generate a plurality of receipt timestamps, aligning, by the receiving apparatus, the plurality of receipt timestamps using a first receipt timestamp as a reference, generating, by the receiving apparatus, a clock synchronization packet based on the plurality of data blocks, and writing, by the receiving apparatus, a value of a second receipt timestamp into the clock synchronization packet, where the second receipt timestamp is a receipt timestamp that is of a second data block and that is determined based on the plurality of aligned receipt timestamps.

A flexible Ethernet (FlexE) is an Ethernet developed based on a legacy Ethernet. A variable rate interface between a router and an Optical Transport Network (OTN) is defined in the FlexE, mainly to simplify mapping and transmission manners of an Ethernet interface in the OTN as far as possible. A higher transmission rate and a higher transmission bandwidth can be implemented in the FlexE based on a rate binding technology and a flexible mapping manner between an Ethernet interface and an OTN.
In the FlexE, a packet is divided into a plurality of data packets in a transmission process, and the plurality of data packets are transmitted using different physical layer modules (PHYs). After receiving the plurality of data packets, a receiving apparatus needs to restore the Ethernet packet from the plurality of data packets based on an overhead frame. In a sending process, a plurality of data blocks are mapped from a FlexE client to a PHY. Because there are a plurality of PHYs in the FlexE, a plurality of data blocks from a same FlexE client may be mapped to any one or more PHYs. In addition, because a mapping relationship may change in a transmission process, data blocks of a same FlexE client may appear in different PHYs at different moments. Consequently, a skew occurs between the plurality of data blocks from the same FlexE client after the plurality of data blocks arrive at the receiving apparatus, and a skew amount cannot be estimated, leading to a result that the receiving apparatus cannot accurately determine a receiving time of a clock synchronization packet.

Clock synchronization method and apparatus


In a personal authentication medium issuing apparatus, a main image information is input and whether a personal authentication medium on which synthesized image information having sub-information embedded in the main image information is checked or not is determined based on the state of the input main image information. Further, synthesized image information having sub-information embedded in an invisible state in the main image information which is set in a visible state is formed, a personal authentication medium is formed by printing the synthesized image information on a recording medium and the thus formed personal authentication media are sorted into personal authentication media determined to be completely formed and personal authentication media determined to require a checking process.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a personal authentication medium issuing apparatus and personal authentication medium issuing method which record synthesized image information formed by embedding and synthesizing additional sub-information (such as security information) set in an invisible state into main image information (such as a face image of a human being) and issue a personal authentication medium, printed matter, and truth determination apparatus and truth determination method which determine the truth or not of the printed matter.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, greater importance is attached to the technique for making an electronic watermark or electronic signature in order to prevent forgery or falsification of an image as information is more electronized and the Internet is more widely used. Particularly, the electronic watermark technique for embedding additional sub-information (sub-image information) in an invisible state into main image information is proposed to take a countermeasure against illicit copying, forgery or falsification of a personal authentication medium such as an IC card or a photograph of having copyright information embedded therein.
For example, an electronic watermark inserting method is known which embeds data into image data output to a printing matter by use of the characteristic of a color-difference component or high spatial frequency which is difficult to be sensed by a human being. Further, an electronic watermark printing apparatus which can confirm an electronic watermark by use of an optical filter is known.
In the conventional electronic watermark embedding process, sub-information is embedded into main image information in an invisible state by use of the following characteristics (1), (2) and (3).
(1) The visual characteristic of a human being is utilized.
In this case, as the visual characteristic of a human being, it is utilized that the gradation identification ability is lowered with an increase in the frequency of an image and it is more difficult to determine color-difference information than luminance information.
(2) The relation of complementary colors is utilized.
For example, red and cyan (=green+blue) are set in the relation of complementary colors in the case of an additive color mixture. Therefore, when red is adjacent to cyan, it is impossible to individually discriminate the colors to the human eyes and they can be seen as an achromatic color.
(3) The relation of complementary colors and color-difference information are applied to a high frequency carrier pattern image.
For example, when a block (high frequency carrier pattern image) in which red-rich images and cyan-rich images are repeatedly arranged is observed by human eyes, the color-difference amount is determined (visually recognized) as ±0 (that is, as an achromatic color). This is because a small difference in the color difference cannot be recognized by the human eyes.
The truth determination of a printed matter having an image recorded thereon (an image which has sub-information embedded in main image information) to which the above electronic watermark technique is applied is made by checking whether the sub-information obtained by a sub-information restoring process is correct or not. By performing the restoring process by use of key information, the sub-information recorded in an invisible state is restored and the truth determination is made.
However, in the electronic watermark technique utilizing the color difference, the stability (of restoration) of sub-information may vary depending on a color of the main image information in some cases. For example, when a face image is used as the main image, the image quality of a black portion such as hairs is degraded and the stability of the sub-information is degraded in some cases. Also, when sub-information is embedded by use of the same color-difference amount as that of the face portion of a skin color, the stability of the sub-information is degraded in some cases. In a printed matter such as a personal authentication medium, in order to make stable and correct truth determination, it is necessary to set a state in which sub-information embedded in the main image information can be correctly restored. Therefore, conventionally, in the issuing process of a printed matter such as a personal authentication medium, it is necessary to check whether or not the sub-information can be correctly restored from the entire personal authentication medium formed. The above operation takes an extremely long time and may cause the issuing efficiency of the printed matters such as the personal authentication media to be extremely lowered.

Personal authentication medium issuing method


A lens barrel includes a standard optical element used in a standard photographing operation and an insertable optical element which is selectively inserted into and removed from a photographing optical path. The lens barrel includes an accommodating driving device which moves the standard optical element and the insertable optical element rearward in an optical axis direction from a ready-to-photograph state to a retracted state; an insertable-optical-element drive mechanism which moves the insertable optical element between an inserted position on the optical axis on which the standard optical element is positioned, and a removed position off the optical axis, in the ready-to-photograph state of the lens barrel; and a forced removing device which forces the insertable optical element to move from the inserted position to the removed position independently of the insertable-optical-element drive mechanism when the lens barrel moves from the ready-to-photograph state to the retracted state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retractable lens barrel that reduces the length thereof when not in use, and more specifically, relates to such a retractable lens barrel including at least one insertable optical element which is inserted into and removed from a photographic optical path, wherein the insertable optical element is of a type that produces a specific photographic effect when positioned in the photographic optical path.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the case of providing a lens barrel with an insertable optical element such as an optical filter (e.g., a polarizing filter) or a wide-angle converter lens, wherein the insertable optical element is positioned on and off a photographing optical axis when the insertable optical element is in use and not in use, respectively, the operability of the insertable optical element in the case where the insertable optical element is inserted into and removed from a photographic optical path on the photographing optical axis by a drive mechanism incorporated in the lens barrel is better than that in the case where the insertable optical element is manually inserted into and removed from a photographic optical path on the photographing optical axis.
In compact cameras, there has been a strong demand for miniaturization of the lens barrel when the lens barrel is accommodated (fully retracted), and it is conceivable to move the insertable optical element to a position off (away from) the photographing optical axis when the lens barrel is accommodated so that the lens barrel can be accommodated efficiently in a space-saving manner. In a type of lens barrel which incorporates a mechanism for inserting and removing the insertable optical element, the insertable optical element can be driven to move off the photographing optical axis in response to a signal which is generated when the lens barrel is accommodated. However, in the event of the insertable optical element not fully removing off the photographing optical axis due to some malfunction in the operation of the drive mechanism for the insertable optical element, there is a possibility of the insertable optical element interfering with other elements that are moved when the lens barrel is accommodated, which may cause damage to the lens barrel. To prevent this from occurring, the lens barrel needs to be provided with a detector for detecting a removed state of the insertable optical element, which causes an increase in production cost and dimensions of the lens barrel.


A wireless communication device comprises an N-plexer, that is, a multi-band device, connected to a single antenna for receiving multiple communication bands on the single antenna. The N-plexer includes a receive band pass filter of a receive signal path to receive a signal in a certain frequency bandwidth for each of the multiple of communication bands. The N-plexer also includes a GPS receiver filter for receiving GPS signals. The communication device also comprises an amplifier coupled with each of the plurality of receive signal paths. The amplifier is configured to amplify the receive signals associated with each of the plurality of receive signal paths.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to wireless communication devices that are configured for operation using a plurality of communication bands and more particularly to GPS enabled multi-band wireless communication devices.
2. Background Information
A conventional hand-held Global Positioning System (GPS) device provides positional information, related to the location of the GPS device, by receiving and processing GPS band signals from a GPS system. Although such positional information can be quite useful, it is not always convenient to carry a conventional GPS device. Especially, if the user must also carry around one or more other portable devices, such as a laptop, wireless handset, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), or other portable device on which users now depend. It is therefore desirable that a GPS positioning function be integrated within one of these other portable devices.
Unfortunately, the integration of GPS technology with other portable devices has proven difficult. For example, three methods for adding GPS capability to a wireless handset have been implemented, but have proven unsatisfactory in use.
The first method is to add GPS capability in a wireless handset by adding a separate antenna for GPS reception. Since the wireless network antenna is not modified, network communications quality is not adversely affected. However, as mobile handsets for wireless networks have become much smaller, less space is available in the handset housing to accommodate a separate, custom-designed GPS antenna. Furthermore, a GPS antenna disposed within the handset housing typically suffers from a number of reception problems. For example, poor reception can be caused by electromagnetic shielding within the handset housing and by the handset housing itself. Adjusting the electromagnetic shielding to accommodate the GPS antenna can cause substantial redesign and testing of the handset. Also, adding a separate antenna and its associated circuitry to the wireless handset adds expense and design complexity.
The second method is to add GPS capability to a wireless handset by enabling the existing network antenna on the wireless handset to adequately receive a GPS band signal. For example, a typical dual-band antenna may be constructed to receive a PCS signal at approximately 1900 MHz and a cellular signal at approximately 800 MHz. It may therefore be possible that the existing dual-band antenna may be able to receive a GPS signal at approximately 1575 MHz. However, the GPS signal is at a non-resonant frequency for the dual-band antenna, so the received GPS signal would be less than optimal resulting in degraded signal transfer. In this regard, known dual-band antenna systems are not able to receive a GPS signal with sufficient strength and quality to implement a robust GPS location functionality on a wireless handset.
The third method is to add GPS capability to a wireless handset using a tri-band antenna. A tri-band antenna is constructed to receive the cellular, PCS and GPS frequencies, for example. Due to the limitations of antenna design, however, such an antenna normally compromises either the cellular or PCS performance, or both. Using a tri-band antenna also adds substantial extra cost to the antenna.

N-plexer systems and methods for use in a wireless communications device


The present disclosure relates in a first aspect to a method of detecting leakage current from a DC bias voltage circuit of an integrated circuit for a capacitive microelectro mechanical systems (MEMS) transducer. A test signal with a predetermined frequency and level is superimposed on a first DC bias voltage generated by the DC bias voltage circuit.

Today's portable communication device typically comprises one or several microphone assemblies that are coupled to a data bus of the portable communication device via a standardized data communication interface. A digital microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP), i.e. host processor, of the portable communication device typically comprises a corresponding standardized data communication interface for receipt of a data streams, or several time-multiplexed data streams, generated by the one or more digital microphone assemblies. The host processor of the portable communication device is typically configured or programmed to manipulate digital microphone signals generated by the microphone assemblies to create various desirable enhancements to the incoming sound such as beamforming, noise suppression, feedback cancellation etc.
The microphone assembly typically comprises a capacitive sound transducer for capture and conversion of incoming sounds or acoustic signals in the audible range, i.e. a capacitive microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) transducer, into a corresponding transducer audio signal. The microphone assembly also comprises an integrated circuit, which may include a semiconductor die for example a mixed-signal CMOS semiconductor die integrating various analog and digital circuits, in particular a DC bias voltage circuit that is configured to supply a DC bias voltage between a diaphragm and a back plate of the capacitive MEMS transducer through interconnecting pads and wires. The purpose of the DC bias voltage circuit is to put electrical charge on the diaphragm and back plate such that relative motion between the diaphragm and back plate can be detected as an electrical signal representative of incoming sound in the audible range. However, the output impedance of the DC bias voltage circuit is often extremely high, e.g. above 1 TΩ, to ensure proper operation of the capacitive MEMS transducer element because of a very high generator impedance of the capacitive MEMS transducer as discussed below.
The inventors have realized that the provision of this extremely high output impedance of the DC bias voltage circuit represents a significant challenge to the manufacture of both the capacitive MEMS transducer element and the integrated circuit.
More specifically, various physical defects on the integrated circuit and/or on the capacitive MEMS transducer lead to a flow of leakage current from the output of the DC bias voltage circuit. This leakage current seriously deteriorates the output impedance of the DC bias voltage circuit and reduces performance of the microphone assembly. Furthermore, these physical defects on the integrated circuit and/or on the MEMS transducer may indicate that the integrated circuit and/or MEMS transducer element is/are defective or potentially unreliable and therefore may fail during a life-time of the microphone assembly. There are several causes of these physical defects on the integrated circuit and/or on the capacitive MEMS transducer which include high voltage screen induced leaky dielectric overstress, assembly line ESD/EOS, various defects of the capacitive MEMS transducer element, contamination or leakage occurring after bonding or assembly due to contamination, bias pad stack collapse due to excess bonding force causing bias leakage etc.
Consequently, it is desirable to detect abnormal, or unusually high, leakage currents from the DC bias voltage circuit of the integrated circuit, either during wafer level testing where the integrated circuit may be tested in isolation, or during microphone assembly testing where operation of the combined integrated circuit and capacitive MEMS transducer is tested. In either case, devices failing the leakage current test may be identified and scrapped or screened out.

Leakage current detection from bias voltage supply of microphone assembly


An electrical switching system, preferably a medium-voltage switching system, has a power switch or load switch, a disconnecting switch, and a grounding switch configured as a vacuum switching chamber. Low separation distance lengths and a more compact construction of a switching system is achieved by means of a housing in which the disconnecting switch, configured as a vacuum switching chamber, the grounding switch, and the power switch or load switch are disposed, and in which a central switch is disposed, with which the vacuum switching chambers of disconnecting switch and grounding switch can be mechanically activated. Electrical connections between connector contacts of power switch or load switch, disconnecting switch, and grounding switch can be produced.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed at a switching system, preferably a medium-voltage switching system, comprising a power switch or load switch, a disconnecting switch, as well as a grounding switch configured as a vacuum switching chamber.
2. The Prior Art
Electrical switching systems, frequently also configured in gas-insulated form, are particularly used in the sector of medium-voltage technology, and usually possess a disconnecting switch and a grounding switch. The disconnecting circuit and the grounding circuit can be implemented in one switch, as well as a power switch. The disconnecting and grounding switches, which can be brought into electrical connection with one another, as well as the power switch, then connect a bus bar with an outgoing circuit that is connected with several cable connectors, for example. The two switches, namely the disconnecting and grounding switch as well as the power switch, are disposed one after the other, in a common grounded housing, branching off from the encapsulation of the bus bar.
In this connection, the switches are generally disposed on top of one another or next to one another, and are moved in the common direction of movement, in a translational manner. Such a gas-insulated electrical switching system is described in Swiss Patent No. CH 559977 A5. Because the disconnecting and grounding switch and the power switch are arranged vertically on top of one another, a necessary construction height exists, which results from the dimension of the individual switches as well as the dimension of the required disconnecting distance, i.e. the length of the separation distances. Since the two switches are disposed vertically on top of one another, the lengths of the individual components and separation distances add up to produce the required construction height.
In this connection, it is true that it is already possible to configure the power switch as a vacuum switch and thereby to reduce the required separation distance, which is clearly smaller in a vacuum than in a gas atmosphere. Thus, a switching system of the type stated is known from German Patent No. DE 102 19 299 B3, in which the power switch and the disconnecting switch are configured as a structural unit. However, the disconnecting switch is located further in the inert gas atmosphere, so that a separation distance path corresponding to the surrounding gas atmosphere is required to form a reliable separation distance. Furthermore, in the case of the switching system known from this document, a grounding switch configured as a vacuum switch is provided, which is disposed perpendicular to the power and/or power disconnecting switch. For grounding, which takes place after the power disconnecting switch has been brought into its disconnecting position, the moving contact of the vacuum switch is moved towards its fixed contact from the outside. In the case of this embodiment, as well, there is a relatively great construction height, since the disconnecting part of the power disconnecting switch is configured in the gas atmosphere, and there, a separation distance that assures disconnection of the electrical conduction connection must be configured.
European Patent No. EP 1 218 995 B1 describes a gas-insulated electrical switching system, which has an interruption unit having a fixed contact and a movable contact, as well as a disconnecting and grounding switch configured as a rotary switch, which is disposed on the side of the fixed contact of the interruption unit. Different disconnecting and grounding positions can be set by means of the rotary switch. With this system, however, both the disconnecting and grounding switch and the interruption unit with its fixed contact and its movable contact are, once again, disposed in an insulating gas atmosphere. Here again, the separation distances required under the conditions of the insulating gas must therefore be adhered to.
EP 0 680 063 B1 describes configuring a power or load switch in the form of a rotary switch having a pole bridge that can be rotated, whereby at the same time, a tappet connected with a movable contact of a vacuum switch is activated by means of a control cam configured on a movable contact of the pole bridge.
With known switching systems, at least the separation distance of the disconnecting and grounding switch, but also, if applicable, the separation distance of the power switch, in addition, are situated in a gas atmosphere of insulating gas. This makes it necessary to configure relatively long distances between the contacts that form the separation distance, in each instance, to assure a sufficient separation distance, in order to avoid flash-over or leakage paths. This has the result that such gas-insulated switching systems are configured to be very voluminous and as a correspondingly large structural unit.


Data is checked against data quality rules and a corresponding report is generated. The report is provided to an entity, which may be a subscriber. Data correction schema is used to correct stored data. The data quality rules or the data correction schema may be amended or modified according to user input, which may be a subscriber entity. The subscriber or another entity may be billed for data quality or correction services as performed. A budget value may limit the scope or intensity of the data quality services that are performed, as well.

Data warehouses, server farms and the like receive, store and provide data to and from one or more entities. Inventory control, accounting, e-commerce merchandising, and a host of other endeavors generate vast amounts of information that are stored and put to various uses. The accuracy of such data is paramount to the reliability of and confidence in actions that use the data.
Certain implementations and embodiments will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, in which various aspects are shown. However, various aspects may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

Data quality checking and automatic correction


A composite rim for a bicycle wheel that has a wall of structural fibers incorporated in a thermosetting polymeric material and a plurality of spoke attachment seats. The composite material includes at least one layer of woven bi-directional fibers where some fibers are in a nominal direction substantially parallel to the circumferential direction of the rim and some fibers are substantially orthogonal to the circumferential direction of the rim.

Bicycle rims made of composite material are known and they are typically manufactured through compression moulding, with a variety of cross-sectional shapes
Because the rim is associated with a hub to form a bicycle wheel typically through spokes—which can by the way be used only during a manufacturing step of a lenticular or disc wheel or of a spider wheel as described in EP 2674304 A1 and equivalent U.S. Pat. No. 9,724,959, both of which are incorporated herein by reference—a plurality of spoke attachment seats have to be made in the rim.
In the present description and in the attached claims, the term "spoke attachment seat" is used in a broad sense, so as to include both a seat in which a spoke is directly inserted, for example provided with an enlarged head or with a threading, and a seat in which a nipple or other spoke attachment element is inserted; for the sake of brevity, the expression "hole" will also be used hereinafter.
It is also possible to provide for a plurality of openings in the rim, for the passage of fixing nipples.
The holes and the possible openings are made in the positions required by the spoke pattern of the particular wheel, namely according to the number of spokes, to their distribution along the circumference of the rim, to their position in the cross section of the rim, and to the direction taken up by each spoke, for example due to its radial or tangential attachment to the hub and/or the camber angle. Usually, the holes are made on a wall of the rim that is located in a radially inner region of the rim.
In the present description and in the attached claims, the terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the radial direction of the bicycle rim, to indicate proximal and distal, respectively, with respect to the axis of rotation of the rim.
In order to make the spoke attachment seats, in most known processes the rim is first moulded and then transferred to a perforation station where a machine is suitably programmed with the perforation data.
EP 2422959 A1 discloses a process for manufacturing a spoked bicycle wheel rim at least in part made of composite material, comprising the steps of moulding a composite material comprising structural fiber incorporated in polymeric material into the shape of at least part of a bicycle rim, and forming at least one spoke attachment seat in said at least one part of bicycle rim, wherein said step of forming at least one seat is carried out with displacement of structural fiber before said moulding step. The document also discloses a bicycle rim comprising a wall made of composite material comprising structural fibers incorporated in a polymeric material and a plurality of spoke attachment seats, wherein at least one seat comprises a hole in said wall and at least one amassment of structural fibers in a neighbourhood of the hole. By making the seats through displacement of structural fiber and therefore substantially without removal of structural fiber, the holes are substantially devoid of sheared fibers and the rim is stronger.
The structural fibers of the composite material used in the aforementioned document are preferably woven, the material being arranged so that the weft and warp directions form an angle of ±45° with the circumferential direction of the rim; alternatively, the structural fibers of said composite material can be unidirectional, wherein different layers are arranged so that the directions of the fibers form angles of opposite direction, and preferably of +45° and −45°, with the circumferential direction of the rim.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,313,155 also discloses a process for making holes in a rim during moulding, as well as a rim made of composite material comprising structural fibers made of a laminated thermoplastic or thermosetting material, wherein the fibers in different fiber plies can have different orientations so as to provide the rim with the desired features of strength and stiffness in the various directions. In particular, the document discloses that layers of unidirectional fiber extending substantially along the circumferential direction of the rim are responsible for the hoop strength, whereas fibers extending in a radial direction or at an acute angle relative to the circumferential direction add rigidity and structural integrity to the rim.
The Applicant observes that the radial direction of a rim extends from the center of the rim—namely from the axis of the hub of the wheel—to the periphery of the rim, crossing the most radially inner wall of the rim in the direction of the thickness thereof, and believes that the fibers extending in a radial direction are not particularly effective.
The technical problem at the basis of the invention consists of providing for a bicycle wheel rim that properly maintains the nominal geometry and is particularly strong.


A way of reducing channel interaction is provided in a multichannel neural implant that has the ability to stimulate multiple tissue or nerve sites simultaneously. Channel interaction is minimized through measuring or estimating what the channel interaction is or will likely be, and then using that measured or estimated channel interaction to adjust the intensity of the applied stimuli so that, with the channel interaction, the actual stimuli applied to the tissue or nerves is of a desired intensity level. In one embodiment, the measured or estimated channel interaction is collected or compiled and saved as a channel interaction matrix. The channel interaction matrix is created during a fitting procedure by stimulating one channel at a time while measuring the effects of the stimulation on the neighboring channels. The superposition principal is used, as needed, to determine all the terms of the channel interaction matrix. The channel interaction matrix, once obtained, provides all of the information needed to eliminate or minimize channel interaction.

The present invention relates to multi-channel neural stimulators, and more particularly to a multi-channel neural stimulator that includes the ability to minimize channel interaction.
A neural stimulator provides electrical stimulation pulses to selected body tissue or nerves through one or more electrodes for the purpose of providing a desired therapeutic effect, e.g., to relive pain, to treat urinary incontinence, to aid a profoundly deaf person to hear, to treat a disease, or the like. A multichannel neural stimulator provides the capability of stimulating multiple tissue sites simultaneously with different levels of stimulation, e.g., with different current pulse amplitudes, applied to each stimulation site.
Representative neural stimulation systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,400,590; 5,324,316; 5,571,148; 5,603,726; 5,824,022; 6,308,101; and in International Publication WO 02/09808 A1, which patents and publication are incorporated herein by reference.
When multiple electrodes are stimulated simultaneously, electrical interactions can arise. See, e.g., Stickney et al., "Channel Interaction and Speech Processing Strategies for Cochlear Implants", Univ. of Texas at Dallas, House Ear Institute and Insonus Medical, Inc. Joint Presentation Report (Poster Presentation); Stickney et al. "Electrode Interaction and Speech Intelligibility in Mutlichannel Cochlear Implants", UC Irvine Department of Otolaryngology (Poster Presentation); and Boex, et al., "Electrode interactions in Clarion Subjects", University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland (Poster Presentation), which poster presentations are incorporated herein by reference.
It is generally known that channel interaction can be reduced by decreasing the current levels delivered to each electrode, improving electrode positioning and design, or using signal processing strategies or approaches that stimulate electrodes sequentially. The present invention provides another approach for minimizing channel interaction in a multichannel neural stimulator, such as a cochlear implant.

Channel interaction cancellation within a multichannel neural stimulation system


The invention relates to a method of sample delivery for a sample analyser, which has a delivery device for samples which can be loaded with exchangeable liners, which are tubular at least at the inlet end and hold the sample, the liners, on which there is respectively fitted at the gas inlet end a transporting head which holds the liner by means of a seal hereby having a friction fit, being arranged such that they are inserted at predetermined locations in a magazine and/or in sample containers, a changing device, which is equipped with a gripper for the transporting heads of the liners, being used and on the basis of a predetermined program, the changing device gripping the respective liner at a predetermined place on its transporting head and inserting it into the delivery device in a sealing manner, the sample delivery being performed and, subsequently, the liner being removed from the delivery device by the changing device, by gripping its transporting head, and also to a liner handling system for this.

In gas chromatography, samples for sample analysis are introduced into the gas chromatograph by means of delivery devices, the samples being held by exchangeable tubular sample containers, known as liners, through which carrier gas can flow. Although customary liners can be specifically designed or equipped for holding the samples inside them, on the outside they are of a standardized cylindrical design—possibly apart from a constriction at the outlet end—and smooth and are generally in the form of glass or stainless steel tubes.
Since manual liner changing is time-consuming both as an operation in itself and with respect to prolonged uninterrupted operation, it is known to provide liners with special heads which permit automated changing. However, these special liners can then only be used together with specific delivery devices and changers. There is no interchangeability.
WO 00/50885 discloses a liner which is provided at its gas inlet end with a flange on which a septum is arranged, held on the flange by means of a closure cap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,686,656 discloses use of a liner made larger than standard dimensions together with a liner carrier having a handling flange. In this case, the liner carrier is held on the delivery device by a coupling element.

Method of sample delivery for a sample analyzer and liner handling system


An idle stop condition determination method of an engine includes: calculating and storing a fuel saving estimation amount in idle stop of an engine on the basis of traveling information; calculating the amount of fuel consumption in restarting for restarting, when an idle stop condition of the engine is satisfied; comparing the magnitudes of the fuel saving estimation amount with the amount of fuel consumption in restarting, and stopping the engine in accordance with the result of the comparing; and restarting the engine, when a restarting condition of the engine is satisfied.

Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an idle stop condition determination method of an engine which reduces fuel consumption and the amount of an exhaust gas by determining whether to stop an engine or keep the engine idling, when a vehicle is in stop and the engine is idling.
Description of Related Art
A technology of reducing fuel in idling of an engine for reducing fuel that is consumed by an engine has been studied.
In particular, the idle stop control of an engine, a method of stopping an engine by stopping fuel injection when a vehicle is in stop and the engine is idling, can reduce unnecessary fuel consumption and the amount of an exhaust gas in idling.
Further, it is possible to restart a vehicle by restarting an engine, by sensing the operation of a transmission, a brake, or a clutch. Further, a condition that the temperature of a coolant circulating through an engine is within a predetermined temperature range (for example, 50 to 60° C.) should be satisfied in order to stop an engine in idling.
Further, although the fuel is saved in idle stop of an engine, when the engine is stopped and restarted for a short time, the amount of fuel saved in idle stop is larger than the amount of fuel consumed for restarting the engine, such that the effect of saving fuel can be reduced.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

Idle stop condition determination method of engine


Apparatus and methods are disclosed for making masonry blocks with one or more surfaces having a roughened texture resembling that of a split block or natural stone. In one embodiment, a mold comprises a plurality of walls defining at least one mold cavity adapted to receive block-forming material. The mold defines an opening through which a formed, uncured block may be removed from the mold. At least one wall of the mold has a plurality of projections extending into the mold cavity so as to contact an adjacent surface of the uncured block in the mold cavity. The projections are positioned such that when the uncured block is removed from the mold, the projections texture the adjacent surface of the uncured block.

Masonry products, such as blocks or bricks for constructing walls, have been made for many years by molding processes. A typical molding process involves the use of what is commonly known as a static block-making machine. Pallets made from metal or wood are fed by a conveyor into the block-making machine, which generally comprises a mold, a stripping device, a vibration mechanism, and a device for filling the mold with a cementitious mix. After the pallet has been located, the mold is lowered onto the pallet to form a mold cavity defined by the upper surface of the pallet and the inside surfaces of the side walls of the mold. A cementitious mix is then introduced into the mold cavity through the open top of the mold while simultaneously vibrating the mold and/or pallet. A compression or compacting head is lowered onto the cementitious material in the mold to facilitate densification of the cementitious material. The molded cementitious material is then stripped from the mold by raising the mold while the compacting head remains stationary relative to the mold, thereby pushing the molded block through the open bottom of the mold.
It is common to split off a portion of the cured block, such as with a splitting machine or a hammer and chisel, so as to create a decorative face on a surface of the block that resembles the surface texture of natural stone. The face created by the splitting process is often referred to in the industry as "split face" or "rock face." The splitting of cured blocks, however, involves additional equipment and manufacturing steps and results in material wastage. In order to avoid the shortcomings of conventional splitting processes, there have been efforts to achieve the same "split face" texture without additional splitting steps.
There are a number of patents, which disclose methods and apparatuses for producing a roughened surface on an uncured block during the molding process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,953 to Haines is understood to disclose a method of forming a roughened block face in which cementitious material is placed in a mold cavity, with a grid-like series of elements being disposed in the cavity and suspended from a top plate. After the block material is compacted into the cavity, the side walls and top plate are drawn off the molded but uncured block. Upward movement of the top plate lifts the grid-like series of elements, and the block material between the elements and the lower plate is broken off from the lower block material in the mold, forming a roughened texture on the top face of the block. A drawback to this arrangement is that the pattern of the elements is cast in the top face of the block.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,229 to Hutton is understood to disclose a mold in which a small lip is formed on the inner, lower edge of a vertical wall of the mold. As the densified, composite material is stripped from the mold, the lip moves vertically up an adjacent side wall of the block, and tears some of the composite material away from the surface of the block. The lip temporarily retains this composite material in place against a portion of the mold wall as the mold is stripped. The retained material is thus dragged, or rolled, up the surface of the adjacent side wall of the block as the mold is stripped, creating a roughened texture on the side wall of the block.
The process of the '229 patent tends to produce a textured face having horizontal striations so as to provide what may be referred to as a "shingled" appearance. In addition, the textured face is slightly tapered or sloped, as a result of the lip retaining fill material as the mold is stripped from the block.
Another example of an alternative to splitting is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,078,940 and 5,217,630 to Sayles. These patents are understood to disclose a mold having a lower lip on a vertical wall of the mold, similar to that shown in the '229 patent. In addition, the mold employs a plurality of projections on the vertical wall above the lip, and a vertically oriented reinforcing mesh above the lip and spaced from the projections. When the mold is initially filled, the cementitious material fills in between the mesh and the wall, and around the projections. The combination of the lip, mesh and projections holds a large mass of compacted material against the mold as the mold is moved vertically upward to strip the uncured block from the mold. These patents appear to show the retained mass of material shearing from the rest of the material, and thus creating a roughened face on the molded block.
In the process of the '940 and '630 patents, the use of the projections holds a much larger mass of material against the mold side wall than is the case in the '229 process, and does this in a fashion so as to retain that material in the mold from cycle to cycle. Consequently, frequent stoppages in production may be required to clean the mold of material accumulated between the projections. Further, cleaning of the mold may be complicated by the presence of the screen.
Yet another apparatus for producing a block with a roughened surface is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,879,603 and 6,138,983 to Sievert. The '603 and '983 patents are understood to disclose a mold having generally parallel upper and lower lips on a vertical wall of the mold. As the mold is moved vertically to strip the uncured block from the mold, fill material is retained in the space between the upper and lower lips. Like the process of the '940 and the '630 patents, the retained material is sheared from the uncured block, thereby creating a roughened surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,848 to Bolles discloses an apparatus that is similar to the apparatus of the '603 and '983 patents. The '848 patent discloses a mold in which a lip is formed along the bottom edge of at least one wall of the mold, wherein a series of grooves are formed along the length of the lip.
Finally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,113,379 and 6,224,815 to LaCroix are understood to disclose a mold having two mold cavities separated by a metal grate. The grate has openings to permit fill material to flow through the openings and form a single molded article in the mold. When the molded article is discharged from the mold, the article is separated into two masonry units by the grate, with each masonry unit having a roughened surface where the units were previously joined.
Despite the foregoing processes, there exists a continuing need for new and improved methods and apparatus for producing a masonry block that does not involve splitting but which creates a textured surface that resembles the "split face" look that can be achieved with a conventional splitting process.

Apparatus and methods for making a masonry block with a roughened surface


A pervaporation process for selectively removing a component from a multicomponent aqueous solution which is practiced with an assembly comprising a feed chamber for holding and introducting the multicomponent aqueous solution to be treated therein, the feed chamber having a pressure, an exit chamber having a pressure, and located adjacent to the feed chamber and downstream thereof; at least one membrane composite located between the feed chamber and the exit chamber and adapted for fluid registry therewith, the membrane composite comprised of a porous membrane having a first and second surface, and a nonporous membrane permanently disposed on the second surface of the porous membrane, and having a permeability selective to the component, the membrane composite aligned such that the nonporous membrane is connected to the feed chamber; and a vacuum pump connected to the exit chamber for evacuating the component from the chamber. The process comprises the steps of introducing the multicomponent aqueous solution into the feed chamber, evacuating the component from the exit chamber, so that the pressure in the exit chamber is less than the pressure in the feed chamber, contacting the multicomponent aqueous solution with the first surface of the porous membrane.

In recent years, there has been an increased awareness of the potential contamination of groundwater with nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs), which include, but are not limited to nonvolatile oils, alcohols, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, xylene, perchloroethylene, and trichloroethylene. Many of these contaminants in groundwater supplies have originated from the excessive and widespread use of chlorinated hydrocarbons as degreasers, leaks from underground storage tanks, leachate from municipal and industrial landfill sites, or releases in industrial effluent streams. In light of the increasing amounts of contaminants, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established standards for the quality of drinking water. Moreover, methods have been developed to remove NAPLs and VOCs from underground water supplies before such supplies enter the water system. One such method is to pump the groundwater to the surface, treat it to remove from it any NAPLs, and then return the water to the aquifer. However, this method has met with only limited success.
An alternative method, Surfactant-Enhanced Aquifer Remediation (SEAR), is of increasing interest, especially where NAPLs are present in the ground water. In the SEAR process, an appropriately formulated aqueous solution of a suitable surfactant with or without alcohols or suitable polymers is pumped underground to mix with the contaminated groundwater. While underground, the surfactant solution forms micelles having a polar exterior and a hydrophobic interior, which trap VOCs, high boiling point oils, and polymers contaminating the groundwater. The micellar multicomponent aqueous solution is then collected and purified on the surface to recover the contaminants. Also, the micellar aqueous solution can then be used again to remove more VOCs from underground.
One of the principal methods used to purify the micellar aqueous solution is pervaporation, wherein the multicomponent aqueous solution to be purified is placed in contact with one side of a membrane, and the permeate is removed as a low pressure vapor from the other side of the membrane [Feng, X. And Huang, Y., Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 36(4):1048-1066 (1997)]. The membrane may be symmetric or asymmetric in structure. Moreover, the membrane may be made of only one material, or more than one material. If the membrane is made of more than one material, it may be referred to as a "membrane composite."
In a conventional pervaporation process, the membrane composite may be in the form of a hollow fiber made of porous material having a bore, an inner surface, and an outer surface, and nonporous membrane disposed on the outer surface. A vacuum or sweep gas is used to lower the partial pressure in the bore of the fiber. The ulticomponent aqueous solution is then permitted to make contact with the nonporous membrane disposed on the outer surface of the fiber. The permeate then diffuses first through the nonporous membrane disposed on the outer surface of the hollow fiber, then through the porous membrane into the bore of the hollow fiber, where the permeate can be collected in vapor form.
However, the above known method has certain inherent limitations. For example, the volume of the hollow fiber bore is typically extremely small. Hence, when the permeate in vapor form reaches the hollow fiber bore, a pressure buildup may result which can reduce the driving force for pervaporation. Moreover, if the multicomponent aqueous solution contains some high-boiling point oils, then under the pressure difference applied across the membrane composite, these oils can permeate through the nonporous membrane and appear as a liquid throughout the porous membrane. Hence, the oil may clog the pores of the porous membrane, as well as the hollow fiber bore itself, thereby creating a pressure drop and drastically reducing the efficiency of the pervaporation process.
Another problem experienced with the above known method was the collection of a large volume of water because water being volatile, could dissolve into the membrane composite and permeate therethrough.
In an effort to overcome these problems, attempts have been made at a tube-side feed mode of operation, wherein the multicomponent aqueous solution contacts the inner nonporous inner surface of the hollow fiber membrane composite, and wherein the permeate diffuses to the outer surface for collection in an exit chamber defined by a shell surrounding the hollow fiber membrane composite. With this arrangement, a possible pressure buildup which could result in decreased pervaporation efficiency is avoided because of the increased volume of the exit chamber as compared with that of the hollow fiber bore.
However, this arrangement possesses a limitation in that there is a permeate side pressure drop in the porous membrane.

Apparatus and process for selectively removing a component from a multicomponent aqueous solution by pervaporation


An optical fiber fusion splicer apparatus (20) comprises a laser power source that produces a laser beam (32) having a laser beam axis (26). The laser power source includes a laser (22), a shutter (28) that controllably blocks and passes the laser beam, and an optical system (30) that expands the diameter of the laser beam. A parabolic mirror (34) has its axis coincident with the laser beam axis (26) and a bore (48) therethrough coincident with the laser beam axis (26). Optical fiber clamps (42, 46) hold the two optical fibers (40, 44) with their axes coincident with the laser beam axis (26) and their ends (62, 64) at the focal point (38) of the parabolic mirror (34). A sensor (82) measures the power reaching the optical fiber ends (62, 64) at the focal point (38) of the parabolic mirror (34), and a controller (72) controls the power level of the laser (22) responsive to the power measured by the sensor. The alignment of the optical fibers (40, 44) is sensed, preferably by a reflective device (74) that measures their internal reflectance or a video camera (68) that images their peripheries, and the optical fiber ends (62, 64) are aligned responsively.

This invention relates to optical fibers, and, more particularly, to the splicing of two lengths of optical fibers to form a single spliced optical fiber.
Optical fibers are strands of glass fiber processed so that light beams transmitted through the glass fiber are subject to total internal reflection. A large fraction of the incident intensity of light directed into the fiber is received at the other end of the fiber, even though the fiber may be hundreds or thousands of meters long. Optical fibers have shown great promise in communications applications, because a high density of information may be carried along the fiber. Also, the quality of the signal is less subject to external interferences of various types than are electrical signals carried on metallic wires. Moreover, the glass fibers are light in weight and made from highly plentiful substances, such as silicon dioxide.
Glass fibers are typically fabricated by preparing a cylindrical preform of glasses of two different optical indices of refraction, with a core of one glass inside a casing of a glass of slightly lower refractive index, and then processing the preform to a fiber by drawing or extruding. The optical fiber is coated with a polymer layer termed a buffer to protect the glass from scratching or other damage. The optical fibers and the buffers may be made with varying dimensions, depending upon their intended use and the manufacturer. As an example of the dimensions, in one configuration the diameter of the glass optical fiber is about 0.002-0.005 inches, and the diameter of the optical fiber plus the buffer layer is about twice the optical fiber diameter.
For some applications the optical fiber must be many kilometers long and must have a high degree of optical perfection and strength over that entire length. Preparation of an optical fiber of that length having no defects is difficult. It is therefore desirable to have the capability to splice two shorter lengths of optical fiber together to form a longer optical fiber. The need to splice optical fibers also arises when it is necessary to use a length longer than can be made from a single preform, when an existing length of fiber breaks, or when apparatus such as an amplifier is to be incorporated into a length of fiber.
The optical fiber splice must be accomplished so that there is no significant increase in loss of light in the vicinity of the splice. The spliced fiber must also have a sufficiently high strength to withstand handling in operations such as winding under tension onto a bobbin, or unwinding from the bobbin at high rates. Additionally, it must be possible to restore the buffer layer initially on the fibers being spliced.
A number of techniques for splicing optical fibers are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,495 depicts the use of a laser to heat and fuse the ends of two opposed optical fibers. In this approach, the laser beam may be directed either perpendicular to the optical fibers, or parallel to the optical fibers and reflected to a focal point by a mirror. As such techniques were applied, they were observed to produce splices that were lacking in strength and reproducibility. As a response, automated optical fiber splicing control systems such as that of U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,971 were developed. The automated approach of U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,971 has significantly improved the ability to splice optical fibers in a reproducible manner. However, there remains the opportunity for improving the strength, optical characteristics, and reproducibility of optical fiber splices.
Therefore, there is a continuing need for an improved method for splicing optical fibers. The improved technique should produce spliced optical fibers of acceptable strength and optical performance, and have the ability to provide a continuous buffer coating over the spliced region. The splicing method should be amenable to accomplishing large numbers of splices in a reproducible manner. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.


A vehicle regenerative braking control system includes a brake pedal; a brake pedal angle sensor interfacing with the brake pedal; a vehicle braking system interfacing with the brake pedal angle sensor, the vehicle braking system adapted to implement friction braking and regenerative braking responsive to receiving a brake pedal angle input signal from the brake pedal angle sensor; and at least one of a brake pedal switch and a brake master cylinder pressure sensor interfacing with the brake pedal and the vehicle braking system. The vehicle braking system is further adapted to implement friction braking and regenerative braking responsive to input from the at least one of a brake pedal switch and a brake master cylinder pressure sensor in the event that the vehicle braking system does not receive the brake pedal angle input signal from the brake pedal angle sensor. A regenerative braking control method is also disclosed.

Automotive Brake-By-Wire (BBW) brake systems may rely on measuring the driver braking input to apportion friction braking and regenerative braking during a braking event. Driver braking input may be performed using a Brake Pedal Angle Sensor (BPAS), which measures the angle of the brake pedal as the operator of a vehicle applies the vehicle brakes. The brake system control module and powertrain control module may control friction braking and regenerative braking based on the brake pedal angle as reported by the BPAS.
In the event that the BPAS inadvertently does not report the brake pedal angle during the braking event, regenerative braking may not be carried out. Consequently, lower energy recovery and emission compliance issues may be compromised.
Accordingly, a regenerative braking control system and method which utilizes brake pedal switch and/or master cylinder pressure input as backup inputs to implement regenerative braking may be desirable.

Regenerative braking control system and method


A digital video signal is real-time converted from a high definition format, such as 1125 lines, 60 field/s, 2:1 interlace, with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 1920.times.1035 active pixels to a conventional definition format, such as 525 lines, 60 field/s, 2:1 interlace, with a 4:3 aspect ratio and 720.times.486 active pixels.. The image is compressed so that the active area extends across only part of an intermediate field/frame.. The pixels are written of the high definition fields to alternate field stores at the high definition format pixel rate.. The output frames are formed in the conventional definition format by reading, at the conventional definition pixel rate, pixels of at least part of the active portion from the field store which is not being written.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to conversion of digital video signals from a conventional format to a high-definition format and/or vice versa.
2. Description of the Prior Art
High definition digital video is becoming increasingly popular, and common formats for the video signals are:
SMPTE 240M format, which is characterised by 1125 lines, 60 field/s, 2:1 interlace, with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 1920.times.1035 active pixels per frame; and PA1 European HDTV format, which is characterised by 1250 lines, 50 field/s, 2:1 interlace, with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 1920.times.1152 active pixels per frame. PA1 CCIR 601 525-line format, which is characterized by 525 lines, 60 field/s, 2:1 interlace, with a 4:3 aspect ratio and 720.times.486 active pixels per frame; PA1 CCIR 601 625-line format, which is characterised by 625 lines, 50 field/s, 2:1 interlace, with a 4:3 aspect ratio and 720.times.576 active pixels per frame; PA1 4fsc 525 D2 format, which is characterised by 525 lines, 60 field/s, 2:1 interlace, with a 4:3 aspect ratio and 768.times.486 active pixels per frame; and PA1 4fsc 625 D2 format, which is characterised by 625 lines, 50 field/s, 2:1 interlace, with a 4:3 aspect ratio and 948.times.576 active pixels per frame.
More and more material is being originated in these formats for processing and/or distribution in them. However, there is obviously a great bulk of material which has been originated, or still needs to be originated, in conventional definition format, and there is a desirability to be able to up-convert such material to high definition format so that it can be distributed in high definition format. Furthermore, material which is now being originated in high definition that it can be integrated with other conventional definition material and/or so that it can be distributed in conventional definition format. Examples of conventional definition digital formats are:
(Although 60 field/s is mentioned above as the field rate for the 525-line formats, strictly the field rate should be 59.94 field/s. Nevertheless, for simplicity in this specificatin the value of 60 field/s is used.)


The present invention relates to an electrical machine 1, in particular an electric motor, with a housing 2 and covers 3, 4 that close the housing 2 and contain bearings 7, 8 that rotatably support a rotor 5. According to the present invention, spring elements 7.3, 8.3 are provided that act upon at least one bearing shell 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.2 each of bearings 7, 8 with a compression force acting in the axial direction, whereby the mounting of the bearing shell 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.2 that is acted upon by one of the spring elements 7.3, 8.3 is configured as a sliding fit.

The rotatably supported parts of an electrical machine, such as the rotor of an electric motor, are typically supported in ball bearings. When the direction of rotation of the rotor changes, bearings of this type can produce noises that are disruptive and negatively affect comfort. The disruptive noises are produced because the balls in the ball bearing start to travel when the direction of rotation of the rotor changes and strike the other race shoulder of the bearing shell of the ball bearing. The noise is amplified further by the fact that rotor oscillations occur when the direction of rotation of the rotor changes, the rotor oscillations then being transferred to the housing of the electrical machine.

Prestressed bearing for electrical machines


The in situ process for increasing the capacity of a municipal solid waste landfill involves disturbing the municipal solid waste present within a landfill site, adjusting the moisture content of the waste material, adding a lime reagent, stockpiling the waste material and allowing the temperature to increase so that aerobic biostabilization is facilitated and allowing the temperature of the municipal solid waste material to decrease to a stable point. The process can be practiced with the use of currently available types of earth moving and refuse handling equipment and involves the addition of no other substances to the municipal solid waste except lime and water.

The present invention relates generally to the field of garbage and refuse disposal. More particularly, it relates to increasing the capacity of currently existing landfills so as to allow these landfills to accommodate increased volumes of garbage, refuse, trash or other types of municipal solid waste without extending the physical limits of existing available landfills.
It has long been the practice to dispose of municipal solid waste and the like matter in landfills which are designed specifically for such a purpose. Presently, various municipalities have run across the problem of the lack of availability of suitable sites for Municipal Solid Waste landfills. Consequently, these municipalities have had to make do with their currently existing landfills. The problem is compounded with the fact that existing landfills have become overfilled or filled to near maximum capacity and a crisis situation has developed wherein there is presently a shortage of landfill space for the disposal of municipal solid waste.
In order to alleviate this problem, one approach would be to develop new landfill sites. Another approach is to maximize the usage of existing landfills by increasing their capacity. Presently, increasing the capacity of landfills has been conducted by compacting the municipal solid waste so as to increase the density of the solid waste within the landfill site. Such a technique is taught in Katz U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,733. However, the problem with this type of technique is that biostabilization of the existing municipal solid waste is not facilitated. In fact, compaction of the municipal solid waste by such a method impedes the biostabilization of the municipal solid waste because the more the waste is compacted, the less the probability that the waste will biostabilize. Therefore, compacting only increases the density of the municipal solid waste which is present within the landfill so the actual amount of solid waste material present within the landfill does not decrease.
The present invention provides a method by which the capacity of existing landfills can be increased dramatically through the biostabilization of the existing organic fraction of the municipal solid waste. The invention therefore actually reduces the amount of solid waste present within a landfill. It has been found that municipal solid waste excavated from lower substrate levels within existing landfills was not biostabilized. In fact, various organic material excavated from landfill sites are, remarkably, in almost their original non biodegraded state. The method according to the present invention creates a substantial increase in available airspace by converting this raw nonbiostabilized waste material to an inert state. Therefore, biostabilization of the organic portion of this municipal solid waste may be utilized to increase landfill capacity.

In situ process for increasing the capacity of a municipal solid waste landfill