Memory Cards containing Integrated Circuits and other electronic components (e.g. resistors) in a variety of form factors having high quality external surfaces of polycarbonate, synthetic paper (e.g. Teslin), or other suitable material (e.g. PVC) can be made through use of injection molded thermoplastic material or thermosetting material that becomes the core layer of said Memory Cards and similar devices. The object of the invention is to provide the following properties to Memory Cards: rapid production cycle, high volume manufacturing throughput, security, electronics protection, better tamper resistance, durability, and highly reliable complex electronics encapsulation, achieved through a process utilizing low temperature and low pressure.

In recent years, consumer electronic devices such as digital cameras, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), smart phones, and digital audio and video recorders have driven a strong market demand for removable data storage components. The electronics industry has responded to this demand with products known generically as "memory cards." A memory card usually contains one or more semiconductor memory chips within an industry-standard housing with dimensions that allow it to be used in conjunction with different devices from various manufacturers. Memory cards typically also have connectors on an external surface that allow electrical connections to the circuitry of consumer electronic devices. Examples of types of memory cards include PC Cards, MultiMedia Cards, CompactFlash Cards, and Secure Digital Cards. These devices are made in accordance with standards promulgated by trade associations such as the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association ("PCMCIA") and the MultiMedia Card Association ("MMCA").
An exemplary memory card, namely, a MultiMedia Card ("MMC") 10, is illustrated in top view, cross-sectional side view, and bottom view in FIGS. 1–3, respectively. The MMC illustrated has standardized dimensions of 32 mm long, 24 mm wide, 1.4 mm thick, and typically includes a memory capacity of between 2 and 256 megabytes ("MB") of memory, which is accessed through seven contacts 11 located on the bottom surface of the MMC using, e.g., a standard serial port interface ("SPI") interface. A simple chamfer 12 on one corner of the MMC prevents incorrect insertion of the MMC into a connector in a host device.
The exemplary prior art MMC shown in FIGS. 1–3 comprises a rectangular substrate 13, such as a printed circuit board ("PCB"), and one or more semiconductor memory dies 14 or "chips" mounted on and electrically connected thereto using, e.g., a layer of adhesive 15 and conventional wire bonds 16, respectively. Surface mounted passive components, e.g., resistors, may also be mounted on and connected to substrate 13. Contacts 11 are connected through substrate 13 to memory circuits defined by foregoing components and serve as input-output terminals of card 10.
When the components have been mounted on and connected to the substrate 13, prior art methods included a step in which chip 14 is protectively encapsulated by a "glob-topping" process. This step was necessary due to the high-pressure, high-temperature injection of thermoplastic material that would occur at a later stage. The high-pressure injection and high temperature can damage a microchip and other small electronic components, particularly wire bonds. In the glob-topping step a glob of a viscous encapsulant is dispensed onto the top surface of the chip and is allowed to flow over the chip's sides to the surface of the substrate. The encapsulant is cured to form a protective envelope 18 over the chip. An external cover or housing 19 (shown by the dotted outline in FIG. 1) of thin sheet metal or plastic is installed over the substrate 13 assembly by embedding the top surface of the assembly in a bed of adhesive contained in the housing 19.
Prior art methods for making memory cards are, to a large degree, concerned with properly positioning and fixing electronic components, modules or assemblies inside the memory card. This concern is due to the fact that if the electronic components are not properly affixed they will be moved to random positions during injection of the thermoplastic material into a card-forming cavity. This is a particular problem in the prior art processes because the injection occurs under the influence of rather high pressures. Prior methods for making memory cards included the use of relatively large, mechanical holding devices having hard, sharply defined bodies for holding the electronic components in place during injection of thermoplastic materials. The use of such holding devices can limit the positioning options for the electronic components in the memory card. The positioning limitation also may cut down on the size and number of electronic components that can be placed in such memory cards. This limitation in turn limits the amount of memory that can be put into an MMC.
Additionally, due to differences in the coefficients of expansion of the materials used to make these relatively large holding devices—relative to the coefficient of expansion of the other elements of such cards—deformations often appear on the external surfaces of finished cards that contain such electronic component holding devices. That is to say that surface deformations can result from the mere presence of such holding members in the body of the card as it experiences different temperatures and pressures during its manufacture. Such deformations are, at best, unsightly; at worst, they may prevent the card from lying completely flat in the card-receiving receptacles in certain card reading machines.
Some memory card manufacturers have dealt with this problem by reducing the size of such holding devices or by using glues to securely position their electronic components in card-forming cavities during the thermoplastic injection process. The use of glues to secure electronic components has, however, resulted in another set of problems. These problems are due to the fact that most commercially available, fast-curing glues that are used to fix such electronic components in place are often characterized by their high degree of shrinkage. Moreover, relatively large volumes of glue are needed to fix the electronic components. Use of relatively large volumes of high-shrinkage glue tend to wrinkle and otherwise deform the region of the plastic sheet or layer to which such glues are applied. This wrinkling can transmit through the thin body of the memory card and cause the outer surface of the card to take on a local wave-like character. Beyond certain tolerances, these wave-like bends are unacceptable in the memory card industry because a deformed memory card will be inoperable in certain devices.
One additional limitation, which was touched on above, in the manufacture of prior art memory cards is that they are typically produced with prior art processes that involve the injection of filled epoxy resin or high-temperature, high-pressure thermoplastic injection into molded forms. In addition to the fact that a high-pressure, high-temperature injected material may stress or damage the electronic components of the card, it also takes a relatively long time to set and cool in the mold. Epoxy resins undergo a chemical reaction following injection, which can damage the electronic components of the memory card. What is needed is a method for producing memory cards that does not require providing a "glob-top" for memory die assemblies, with a rapid cure time and rapid manufacturing cycle time, and without the use of internal holding measures that could damage the memory card electronics.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for making memory cards and similar devices using isotropic thermoset materials with high quality exterior surfaces


Techniques are disclosed for controlling the transmission of packets over a communication link in a network. The invention in accordance with one aspect thereof determines a number of packet transmission connections supportable for a given buffer size in a node of the network while maintaining one or more specified quality of service requirements for packet transmission. This determination in the case of homogeneous input sources utilizes a combined approximation of a maximum number of supportable connections for a range of buffer sizes, the combined approximation being generated as a combination of a first approximation for small buffer sizes and a second approximation for large buffer sizes. The invention can also be used to determine an optimal operating point on a buffer-capacity tradeoff curve for each of a number of different types of heterogenous input sources. Data packets from multiple input sources may be admitted to the node of the network, or otherwise processed within the node, based at least in part on the determined number of supportable connections.

A very important and challenging problem in the design of high-speed communication networks is that of providing Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees, usually specified in terms of loss probabilities or packet delays in the network. For example, the control of packet delays is often of crucial importance, particularly for real-time applications such as video delivery systems, wireless networks, multimedia networks, call centers, etc. A basic decision that has to be made in such contexts is that of connection admission control, i.e., one has to determine when a new user can be admitted to the system, while still fulfilling the QoS requirements of all users already in the system. Moreover, users already in the system have to be scheduled in the most efficient manner so as to maximize the number of users that can be admitted.
Exemplary admission control and scheduling techniques are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,663, issued Nov. 17, 1998 in the name of inventors A. Elwalid, D. Mitra and R. H. Wentworth and entitled "Method for Admission Control and Routing by Allocating Network Resources in Network Nodes," which is incorporated by reference herein. For example, this patent discloses a technique that may be utilized in an admission control element of a router, switch or other network processing element to determine the maximum number of connections that can be admitted, for a given buffer size, without introducing undue amounts of loss or delay in the network traffic. However, in certain circumstances it is possible that this technique may substantially underestimate the maximum number of admissible connections, e.g., in the case of large buffer sizes. A need therefore exists for improved techniques which can provide a better estimate of the maximum number of admissible connections.
In addition, with regard to the problem of resource allocation, it is well known that there is a tradeoff between bandwidth and buffer space. More particularly, an input that is fed to a network link having unlimited bandwidth capacity requires zero buffer space and vice versa. However, conventional techniques have been unable to determine in an efficient manner the optimum tradeoff between bandwidth and buffer space. It would therefore also be desirable if improved techniques were available for determining this tradeoff. Such techniques could be used, for example, in network configuration, in the above-noted admission control, as well as in the scheduling of users already admitted to a network.

Method and apparatus for processing of regulated connections in a communication network


Coating compositions comprising perfluoroalkyl metallo and non-metallo perfluoro-phthalocyanine compounds and associated coating methods are provided by the present invention. Perfluoroalkyl metallo and non-metallo perfluoro-phthalocyanine compounds are suitable for use as functional coatings and may be optionally combined with conductive polymers. The functional properties imparted generally include one or more of chemical resistance, thermal resistance, biological and chemical non-stick surface behavior, electrochromism, variable electromagnetic field signatures, and/or non-linear optical properties. Advantages of the disclosed perfluoroalkyl metallo and non-metallo perfluoro-phthalocyanine coatings include the fact that an inert uninterrupted fluorinated surface provides for improved hydrophobic properties at the periphery while exhibiting improved hydrophilicity at the center, which in turn results in one or more of the following properties: variable optical, electric and magnetic properties; enhanced durability; and enhanced resistance to chemical and biological surface contamination.

Redox processes occur whenever electrons enter or leave molecular frontier orbitals. Consequently, for a given molecule, the energy and intensity of absorption and emission of electromagnetic radiation, as well as its electrical and magnetic properties, vary when electrons are added or removed. The redox process is determined to a large extent by the type, number and arrangements of atoms, i.e., by the molecular structure. The kinetics of electron transfer, induced by an external source such as an electrode, while influenced by the particular molecular structure of a material, could be controlled by the rate of potential variation at the electrode. This principle is used, for example, in variable scan rate cyclic voltammetry, to add or remove electrons at rates that may exceed chemical transformations at the surface of electrodes.
Electrochromism refers to reversible changes in optical absorption induced by electron-transfer, changes that could occur in the ultraviolet, visible or infra-red spectral regions. Electrochromism results in both color and transparency changes. Simultaneous changes in electrical and magnetic properties may also occur. The changes could occur at time scales ranging from essentially infinite (static) for a one time switch to sub seconds (dynamic) for a modulated electron transfer range. Redox active molecules (transducers) are generally effective in supporting the noted modulated changes.
Phthalocyanines are highly conjugated macrocycles known in the art, and can be used as reversible electron acceptors. Phthalocyanines also undergo electrochromism. FIG. 1 is representative of a class of highly fluorinated phthalocyanine molecules exhibiting large molar extinction coefficients, ˜105, in the UV-visible range, high thermal and chemical stability, and reversible redox properties. The organic moieties of these molecules are diamagnetic, but the introduction of metal ions with open electronic shells renders them paramagnetic. The addition or removal of electrons changes the magnetic state depending upon the type of metal and number of electrons. The electrical properties, such as conductivity, dielectric constants, etc., also vary.
Based on their unique electrochemical, optical, chemical, and electrical properties, phthalocyanines find a broad range of uses from medicine to fuel cells to advanced materials. Literature discussions addressing the properties of phthalocyanines include "Phthalocyanines: Properties and Applications" Vols. 1-4 (Eds.: C. C. Leznoff, A. B. P. Lever), VCH Publishers, New York, 1990-1996, and "Phthalocyanine Materials: Synthesis, Structure and Function" N. B. McKeown, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1998. More particularly, phthalocyanines are used for their electrochemical properties in fuel cells and batteries, chemical properties in deodorants and catalysis, electrical properties in organic semiconductors and synthetic metals, and optical properties in pigments, optical disks, non-linear optics, high density memory, and photodynamic therapy of cancer. Moreover, phthalocyanines are used for their combined electrochemical and optical properties in electrochromic displays, combined optical and electrical properties in photocopier charge generators and solar cells, and combined chemical and electrical properties in chemical sensors.
Despite their favorable thermal and electronic properties, the presence of C—H bonds renders phthalocyanines chemically vulnerable. Another disadvantage of phthalocyanines is that they are sparingly soluble, which presents difficulties in processing in solution form. In particular, the poor solubility of phthalocyanines makes difficult coating of metal surfaces. Organic substituents or axial ligands that are equatorially coordinated by the macrocycle are known to enhance the compatibility of phthalocyanines with organic matrices, but at the expense of chemical stability.
Phthalocyanines can accommodate almost any metal ion at their center, thus providing opportunities for reversible electronic population of"d" and "f" orbitals. Regarding electronic properties, the orbital levels in general and the HOMO-LUMO gap in particular, are functions of both the nature of the metal center and organic moiety, thus offering prospects for rational color tuning. Fluorescence and luminescence are additional tunable optical properties, as well as the magnetic and electrical properties.
Phthalocyanines also exhibit nonlinearity of their optical properties. Phthalocyanines and their metal complexes exhibit favorable third-order nonlinear optical properties in the visible and near IR regions, which is of interest in civilian and military applications (optical limiters), as discussed in "Lead phthalocyanine reverse saturable absorption optical limiters," J. S Shirk et al., Pure Appl. Opt., 5, 701,1996. Nonlinear absorption is the main mechanism near the limiting threshold. The spectral window over which the limiter operates can be engineered by altering both the main ring (non-peripheral) and peripheral substitution of the molecules.
From an electronic perspective, for each well-defined orbital level set, i.e., well defined energy levels of phthalocyanines, the number of electrons may be varied by the application of a variable potential using electrodes. The voltages required for electron transfer are quite low, and are generally below 5 V. Modem electronic devices are able to generate voltage sign reversals with very high frequency.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,971 to S. M. Gorun discloses substituted phthalocyanine compounds including perfluoroalkyl metallo perfluoro-phthalocyanine compounds and methods of synthesizing these compounds. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising substituted phthalocyanine compounds and methods of using these compounds, for example for treatment of cancer, are also disclosed. U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,971 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Additional literature references of background interest for purposes of the present disclosure include: "Introduction of Bulky Perfluoroalkyl Groups at the Periphery of Zinc Perfluoro Phthalocyanine: Chemical, Structural, Electronic, and Preliminary Photophysical and Biological Effects," B. A. Bench, A. Beveridge, W. M. Sharman, G. J. Diebold, J. E. van Lier, S. M. Gorun, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 41, 748, 2002; "Effects of Peripheral Substituents and Axial Ligands on the Electronic Structure and Properties of Iron Phthalocyanine," M.-S. Liao, T. Kar, S. M. Gorun, S. Scheiner Inorg. Chem., 43, 7151, 2004; "Spectroscopy and Electronic Structure of Electron Deficient Zinc Phthalocyanines," S. P. Keizer, W. J. Han, J. Mack, B. A. Bench, S. M. Gorun, M. J. Stillman, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 125, 7067, 2003; "Synthesis and structural characterization of non-planar perfluoro phthalonitriles," S. M. Gorun, B. A. Bench, G. Carpenter, M. W. Beggs, J. T. Mague, H. E. Ensley, J. Fluorine Chem., 91, 37, 1998; "Synthesis and Structure of a Bi-concave Perfluoro Cobalt Phthalocyanine and its Catalysis of Novel Oxidative Carbon-Phosphorus Bonds Formation using Air," B. A. Bench, W. W. Brennessel, H.-J. Lee, S. M. Gorun, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Eng, 41, 751, 2002; and "Dome-distortion and fluorine-lined channels: synthesis, and molecular and crystal structure of a metal- and C—H bonds-free fluorophthalocyanine," H. Lee, W. Brennessel, J. Lessing, W. Brucker, V. Young Jr., S. M. Gorun, Chem. Commun., 1576, 2003.
Despite efforts and investigations to date, a need remains for phthalocyanines that offer enhanced properties and/or support desired applications. In addition, a need remains for coating compositions that offer one or more of the following enhanced properties to the coated substrate and/or coating system: chemical resistance, thermal resistance, biological and/or chemical non-stick surface effects, electrochromism, and non-linear optical properties. These and other needs are satisfied by the disclosed coating molecules, coating systems and coating applications.

Functional coating compositions of perfluoroalkyl perfluoro-phthalocyanine compounds


A method and an apparatus for a multibeam phased array antenna transmission based on heterodyning to produce the RF transmission signals with appropriate phase shift and thereby reducing the effect of certain space constraints in the confined area of the transmitter as higher and higher frequencies of transmission are employed. In the present invention, RF signals at an intermediate frequency, not the ultimate frequency of transmission, comprise the signal frequencies of a beam forming network which provides input to a multiplexed power divider. The power divider outputs the phase shifted signals to an input at each of a number of multiplexed combiners. The output of each combiner is fed to a mixing device which then shifts the input frequency to a higher frequency, using an appropriate local oscillator signal. The mixer outputs are coupled to separate power amplifiers, whose outputs are fed to the elemental radiators. The use of a lower primary frequency in the power divider and the combiner stages permits the use of conventionally sized components, rather than miniature elements normally associated with millimeter-wave circuitry.

Phased array antennas exhibit desirable properties for communications and radar systems, the most salient of which is the lack of any requirement for mechanically steering the transmission beam. This feature allows for very rapid beam scanning and the ability to bring high power to a target or a receiver while minimizing typical microwave power losses. The basis for directivity control in a phased array antenna systems is wave interference. By providing a large number of sources of radiation, such as a large number of equally spaced antenna elements fed from a combination of in phase currents, high directivity can be achieved. With multiple antenna elements configured as an array, it is therefore possible, with a fixed amount of power, to greatly reinforce radiation in a desired direction.
FIG. 1 depicts a conventional multi phased array antenna system having multiple microwave radiating horns 33 connected to a respective transmission system. The antenna radiator 33 transmits a pattern which has a mainbeam and a series of lobes focused at differing solid angles which contribute to transmitting radio frequencies in a given direction. The term RF employed herein is considered particularly with respect to the "millimeter-wave" region of the RF spectrum (frequencies above 20 GHz). By modifying the phase angle of the RF signal representing the electric field, a phased array antenna system can both transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation from different angles. Typical phased array systems transmit and receive at frequencies selected from a frequency band in the range of between 300 Megahertz to 40 Gigahertz.
New applications for phased array antenna systems constantly push the design envelope for increasingly higher transmission frequencies, however, increasing the frequency requires that the radiating elements and the components associated with the radiating elements be placed in increasingly closer and closer proximity to one another. It is found that as the frequency of transmission increases, the use of multibeam arrayed configurations of antenna system elements becomes limited by the physical space required to incorporate the system elements.
Multibeam phased arrays are typically comprised of a multiplicity of individual beam forming transmission elements. The phased arrays are processed by combining the voltages from a plurality of beam forming signals that are individually phased, amplified, filtered and impressed on antenna elements, such as the radiator horns 33 of the prior art system of FIG. 1, to produce multiple beams in different directions. As shown, an RF beam 10-1, having a primary frequency f.sub.1 is connected to a transmitting power divider 20-1, whose multiple outputs 24-1 through 24-n are connected to separate phase shift means 25. The outputs of the phase shift means 25 for different beams are combined in a combiner means 22, whose function is to combine properly phased signals for each beam which are assigned to particular radiating elements.
A second RF beam 10-2 of another frequency f.sub.2 is connected through similar circuit elements as RF beam 10-1 as shown in the prior art system of FIG. 1. Thus, typically the radio frequency beam phase and amplitude ultimately to be transmitted by the antenna are first delivered to the beam forming network that consists of a plurality of multiplexed power dividers such as divider 20 which provides a plurality of signals and couples a signal having a particular phase to one input of a multiplicity of inputs of a plurality of combiners such as combiner 22. Essentially each combiner receives signals at each transmission frequency, with appropriate phase angles from each of the plurality of power dividers, and combines these inputs to form a composite signal for the transmitted RF energy. In the prior art as shown in FIG. 1, the combined RF signals are coupled to the transmitting elements through power amplifiers 26, filters 30 and finally the radiator horns 33.
The use of phased array antenna systems that have a high degree of fidelity across all the radiators 33 is crucial to the success of most applications to which phased array systems are employed. This is accomplished through use advanced technologies in antenna design and processing circuitry. For example, phased array antennas constructed from MMIC chip technology at each antenna subsystem element(forming the so-called active array antenna) allow for very large effective-radiated-power levels and large system redundancy. As newer technologies emerge it becomes feasible to extend the transmission frequencies into the tens of gigahertz. However, existing fabrication and electronic designs do not permit the close proximity of elements required at such newer higher frequencies. For example, an 8-beam phased array having 100 elements in the array would require eight 100-way power dividers, 800 phase shifters, and 100 eight-way combiners, plus 100 power amplifiers, filters and radiating elements. So large a number of components in the aggregate cannot feasibly be accommodated in the small space required in and about the antenna section of the conventional system, especially with the myriad of waveguides required for the many interconnections.
Phased array antennas are extremely expensive to produce, in part, because of the large number of interconnections for the signal distribution and phase control. The problems of system cost are compounded in multibeam phased array applications. As transmission frequencies for multibeam phased array systems are pushed to new limits, new and novel electronic design techniques must follow. The present invention provides a system that allows increases in the frequency of transmission of a multibeam RF transmission antenna system without being limited by physical space requirements.


A method for controlling a peak current is provided. The method first uses a plurality of registers to encode a plurality of states of a circuit and generates an original state code. Then, the original state code is re-encoded to reduce the difference between the sum of charging current of the charged registers and the sum of discharging current of the discharged registers while the registers are switched among the charging/discharging states. Finally, a standard technology library is read and logic circuit synthesis is performed for the re-encoded state codes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling a peak current, and more particularly to a method for controlling a peak current generated by a plurality of registers in a circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
In current Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) Circuits, in order to propagate a clock signal to each clock register nearly at the same time, the most common method is to connect the clock buffers in a series, and this structure is generally called a clock tree. As for the operation of the clock tree, the clock signal periodically charges and discharges the capacitor at each output terminal of the clock tree, which is significantly different from the common combinational logic that changes the voltage level of the output terminal only according to the logic function.
As for a sequential circuit, the peak current may be divided into three parts, namely, synchronous logic, clock tree and combinational logic. Through a further analysis, the synchronous logic and the clock tree parts are both triggered and driven by a clock signal. In the design of zero clock skew circuit, the clock signal reaches each register simultaneously, such that the current generated by all the registers accumulate at the same time, thus causing a huge peak current. Particularly, along with the progress of the manufacturing process technology, the design complexity is raised, and the number of the registers is increased accordingly, thus, the peak current effect becomes more obvious. Conventionally, the common method for reducing the peak current on the chip is to use a clock tree structure with non-zero clock skew. This structure uses reaching times of different clock signals to properly adjust the triggering time of the synchronous logic, such that the current consumption of individual synchronous logics are staggered, thus reducing the peak current. Or otherwise, a clock tree structure for selectively enabling clock signals may be used, which mainly disables one part of clock signals that do not operate temporarily in the sequential circuit, so as to reduce the unnecessary dynamic power consumption, thus reducing the power consumption of the whole chip.

Method for controlling peak current of a circuit having a plurality of registers

Industrial Technology Research Institute


An open reusable clamp structure, especially of the earless type, with a clamping band having overlapping inner and outer band portions adapted to be detachably interconnected by mechanical connecting means; first tool-engaging surfaces are provided in the inner and outer band portions, preferably in the form of pressed-out cold-deformed embossments for tightening the clamping band about an object to be fastened thereby, and second tool-engaging surfaces are provided in the inner and outer band portions which are separate from the first tool-engaging surfaces and are again preferably in the form of pressed-out cold-deformed embossments for reopening the previously interconnected overlapping band portions. To prevent over-torquing during reopening, undulations or the like are provided in the outer band portion intermediate the first and second tool-engaging surfaces.

So-called earless clamp structures as disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,004, which are intended for low profile applications, have proved immensely successful. A modified earless clamp structure is disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,278, which entails certain advantages as described therein. As the earless clamp structures of the type described in my two aforementioned patents, contrary to clamps with so-called "Oetiker" ears, provide no elastic yielding to compensate for tolerances in the outside dimensions of the hoses, these earless clamp structures are designed to fit specified standard sizes of hoses so that the outwardly extending hook of the mechanical connection for the overlapping band portions engages in the opening of the outer band portion provided therefor when the clamp is tightened to assure predetermined tightness of the hose mounted over a nipple or the like. To provide some compensation for diametric tolerances of the hose, my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,651, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein, proposed the incorporation into the band of one or more sections adapted to impart elastic stretchability in the longitudinal direction of the clamping band. In all of these prior art arrangements over-torquing not only during tightening but also especially during reopening of the earless clamp structures to release the mechanical connection and disassemble the clamp structure entailed the drawback of possible damage to the clamp structure, thereby jeopardizing its subsequent reuse.

Hans Oetiker AG Maschinen- und Apparatefabrik


Systems and methods described herein provide a new mechanism of video exportation which ensures that the process is done faster and that a single video can be exported to two or more destination at the same time. This document explains the steps involved in the creation of the video, processes involved in encoding, rendering, transmission/exportation, and playing the video. Figures are used in explaining or illustrating the flow of processes and showing the different devices used in accomplishing various activities in the exporting processes. The application will receive commands to perform the exporting from the destination. Overall, the application will be able to facilitate faster exportation of a video, almost twice the basic speed of the known video exportation systems and to multiple destinations unlike in exportation by the basic applications in use today.

Technological advancement has resulted in advancement in photography and video creation. Videos have greatly increased in resolution, quality, and size. A 3-minute video can be of up to a size of 300 Mb (megabytes). Exporting such videos takes a considerable amount of time, and therefore, one objective that technology seeks to achieve—speed—fails automatically. There has been a great increase in the need for exchange of videos among video editing and video playing applications, which they require the exporting feature. Also, there has not been introduced or invented any framework that can facilitate sharing of videos to multiple destinations. With the need for exporting a video at a faster speed and to multiple destinations simultaneously, the patent disclosure introduces an innovative idea or framework that can facilitate sharing of videos at a faster speed and to multiple destinations.

Accelerated video exportation to multiple destinations


A method is described that entails printing a series of test patterns. Each test pattern has its own respective set of outer lines and set of inner lines. The series of test patterns have a different intended spacing between their respective inner lines and outer lines. The intended spacing of each test pattern is printed in a manner that correlates the intended spacing of each test pattern with its test pattern. Each of the outer lines are printed with a first print source and each of the inner lines printed with a second print source. Inner lines of a first set of the test patterns are shorter than inner lines of a second set of the test patterns to enhance resolution at which differences in the spacings between respective inner and outer lines of same test patterns are able to be detected across different test patterns.

Printers, such as ink-jet printers, include mechanical assemblies to affect the transfer of ink onto a moving sheet of paper. These mechanical assemblies can include multiple ink-jets or other ink transfer mechanics that need to work correctly in unison in order to correctly print images on the paper.
As an example, a color ink-jet printer typically includes both a black ink printhead and plumbing assembly and a colored ink printhead and plumbing assembly. Colored or even black-and-white printers may also include multiple print-heads to affect denser dots-per-inch (DPI) and/or faster printing capability. As is known in the art, the term "PEL" corresponds to the distance between neighboring dots (e.g., the distance of a PEL can be determined by taking the inverse of the DPI of the printer). In many cases the DPI of the printer may be different in each direction, having one DPI along the direction of the movement of the paper and a second DPI in an orthogonal direction between the nozzles of the printheads.
Whenever multiple print sources (e.g., multiple ink-jets, multiple print-heads, etc.) are incorporated into a single printer, the "alignment" of these image sources, in time and/or space, becomes an important determinant of the quality of the overall printed image.
For example, FIGS. 1a and 1b depict a problem when two different print sources are temporally misaligned (i.e., misaligned in time). In the example of FIG. 1a-b, two print sources are attempting to print a straight, vertical line 104 while a piece of paper 105 is moving vertically in the printable range of the print sources. Here, for simplicity, the print source used to print features 101 and 103 can be assumed to be of a first type (e.g., a black ink-jet assembly) while the print source used to print feature 102 is assumed to be of a second, different type (e.g., a colored ink-jet assembly).
To form the printed line, as the paper is moving in the print area of the two print sources, the first print source (e.g., the black ink jet) will first print feature 101. Then, the first print source will stop printing and the second print source (e.g., the color ink jet) will print feature 102. Then, the second print source will stop printing and the first print source will begin printing feature 103. Ink jet printers often operate on a drop wise basis. The ejection of droplets or "jetting", in some cases, drops different volumes to form the printed PELS on paper. The position of PELs along the direction of web movement is controlled by the timing of drop jetting while the location of the PELS perpendicular to the web movement direction is controlled by the spatial placement of jetting nozzles.
Given that the ideal arrangement of these features creates a "dashed" line with centered/equi-distant dashes having alternating color and black "dashes" the printed line should not have exhibit any overlap of the features 101, 102, 103 that were printed by the different print sources. To correctly draw such a line in the direction that the paper is moving, the different print sources need to synchronously jet drops of ink at the correct moment in time. Specifically, the source that prints feature 101 needs to stop jetting PELs approximately when the source that prints the PELs of feature 102 starts to jet, to produce properly positioned segments of the dashed line. Likewise, the source that prints feature 102 needs to stop jetting PELS approximately when source that prints feature 103 starts to jet PELs, to produce properly positioned segments of the lower portion of the dashed line.
Because the print sources are electromechanical and/or fluidic machines, there can be variability between the jetting of ink drops that produces PEL misplacements on the printed output even if the timing of the electronic signal that triggers the jetting is very consistent. For example in the case of an ink-jet, the various tolerances of printhead nozzles locations, pressure, spacing etc. all lend themselves to drop misplacements relative to an ideal uniformly spaced printer grid.
As such, the printed line may appear as in FIG. 1b where the feature 102 undesirably overlaps with feature 101. That is, the source that printed feature 102 jetted drops too soon and/or the source that printed feature 101 jetted drops too late.
Moreover, whereas FIGS. 1a-b pertain to temporal mis-alignment between two different colors, FIG. 2 pertains to an example of temporal mis-alignment of interleaved printheads having the same color. Inset 210 shows an interleaved print head approach that attempts to increase the resolution of the printed image by deliberately offsetting the alignment of two print heads 201, 202. Here, for example, if both print heads 201, 202 correspond to a 600 DPI print-head, a printed image resolution of 1200 DPI can be achieved by off-setting the lateral alignment between them by one half of the PEL distance 203 of each print head.
In a typical interleaved print-head solution, one of the print heads is used to print odd number columns and the other print head is used to print even numbered columns. Here, the entire printed image is viewed as a matrix of rows and columns where each element of the matrix corresponds to a printed image "dot" (which is also frequently referred to as a PEL). Thus, "left" print head 201 is configured to print the odd numbered columns and "right" print head 202 is configured to print the even numbered columns.
FIG. 2 demonstrates that a printing error like the printing error of FIG. 1b can result if the vertical spacing 204 between the print heads is misaligned. Here, an attempt is made to print a vertical "line" where the line consists of alternating odd and even columned dashes. Because of the intentional lateral alignment 203 between the dual print-heads, note that features 205, 207 printed with print head 201 in an odd column are offset and not horizontally aligned with the feature 206 printed with print head 202 in an even column (the pattern is printed with the first print head 201 printing feature 205, then the second print head 202 printing feature 206, then the first print head printing feature 207).
As observed in FIG. 2, if the vertical spacing 204 between the print heads 201, 202 is smaller than the nominal value and the printing between 205, 206 and 207 is nominal, the even column printed feature 206 can overlap or nearly overlap with the odd column printed image data.
The printing error of FIG. 2 results from a temporal alignment between the two print heads 201, 202 as discussed above with respect to FIGS. 1a and 1b, which must account for variations in spacing 204 between the interleaved printheads.
FIG. 3 shows a prior art test pattern that can be used to detect either temporal or mechanical mis-alignments in a printer having interleaved multiple print sources. The web movement direction is vertical and therefore the timing between the jetting of each printhead influences the vertical position of the lines. Each line is dashed so that a line is printed only by the nozzles of its respective interleaved printhead. Generally, the position of horizontal middle lines 301 is observed between an arrangement of horizontal outer line pairs 302. Misalignments are detected by observing when a horizontal middle line 301 becomes too close to a horizontal outer line 302. Unfortunately determination of the amount of misalignment, and therefore the necessary alignment compensation, cannot be easily determined from the detected misalignment.
In one implementation of the prior art pattern of FIG. 3, the pattern depicted in FIG. 3 is repeated multiple times with different colors. The outer lines 302 or inner lines 301 would be printed with a single color so as to permit one to gauge the printing misalignment from a reference color.

Test patterns for print heads having two image sources


Methods and kits for determining susceptibility of a patient to mood disorders are described. The method involves analyzing a sample comprising nucleic acids from a patient for a polymorphism in the promoter region of the BDNF gene.

Bipolar Disorder (BP) is a severe psychiatric disease that afflicts about 1% of the general population worldwide (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). BP is characterized by recurrent episodes of mania and depression. Family, adoption and twin studies (Craddock and Jones, 1999) have shown that the disorder has a strong genetic component, and a non-mendelian mode of inheritance with more than one gene involved. (Gershon, 1990; McGuffin and Katz, 1989).
Findings suggest that Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) plays a major contribution in neuroplasticity, in other words the way that the brain adapts to the environment through various modes of learning. These learning styles and predispositions are involved as a potential long-term mediators in mood stabilization (Smith M A et al, 1995; Nibuya et al., 1999). Animal studies have shown that BDNF is implicated in stress exposure and antidepressant response. Depressive states in animal models show a short and long term decrement in levels of BDNF in the hippocampus (Smith et al., 1995; Nibuya et al., 1995).
Recent reports indicate that antidepressant treatments including electroconvulsive therapy induce the expression of brain neurotrophins (Post et al; Duman et al; and Vaidya, 1998) suggesting that neurotrophin production in the brain in depressed patients may be deficient. Further evidence for the involvement of neurotrophins and particularly for BDNF in depression, comes from studies in rats. BDNF was reported to promote the function and growth of serotonin- (5-HT) containing neurons in the brain (Mamounas L A, 1995) and infusion of BDNF in the adult rat brain induce sprouting of 5-HT nerve terminals. (Siuciak et al., 1994; 1996). This is of particular relevance because in major depression there is observed a decrease in brain 5-HT turnover in tissue and ventricular fluids. BDNF being lipophobic and a relatively large protein does not cross the blood brain barrier. Therefore, 5-HT receptors, phosphodiesterase inhibition and β-adrenoceptors appear to be implicated in the production of BDNF in some brain areas. (Nibuya et al. 1995, Duman et al, 1997). Given that the principal treatment of depressive states in mood disorders consists of pharmacotherapy with select serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the biological relationship of BDNF to serotonin system development could be considered an important rationale for examination of BDNF as a candidate gene in mood disorders.
The BDNF gene (BDNF) was first reported by Mainsonpierre et al, (1991); Ozcelik et al., (1991), to be localized on the long arm of chromosome 11 (11p13) and later mapped by Hanson et al, (1992) at the boundary of 11p13 and 11p14. One of the approaches in the study of a disease with a complex mode of inheritance is the study of linkage disequilibrium (Risch and Merikangas, 1996) where a particular locus is tested in parent-proband triads to detect association between the locus and the disease in presence of linkage. (Knapp, 1999). Two such studies have found a negative correlation between the presence of certain single nucleotide polymorphisms in the protein encoding region of the BDNF gene and the incidence of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as bipolar disorder (Sklar, et al., 2002 and Lander, et al., 2001).
There remains a need for further genetic markers that can be used to study diseases, such as neuropsychiatric disorders, that have a complex mode of inheritance, in order to effectively distinguish between the disorders and to allow the design and administration of effective therapeutics.

Involvement of the BDNF gene in mood disorders


A satellite communication framework includes a satellite system controller; at least one satellite transponder; and a plurality of remote terminals, each including a modem, a router, and a terminal agent. The terminal agent is configured to, based on a current allowable data rate and measurements of a current router queue size and a current router packet arrival rate, use a delayed uplink resource assignment for each modem and an MCV-based flow-control policy to forecast a future router queue size and a future router packet arrival rate and further update the delayed uplink resource request for a time after an uplink allocation delay. The modem is configured to communicate with the router and also with the satellite system controller through the satellite transponder, perform modulation and demodulation, and manage packet loss and delay according to the future router queue size and the future router packet arrival rate.

Learning can be considered as a bridge between experience and knowledge. Concerning satellite communication (SATCOM) engineering, the term of knowledge includes a hub-spoke satellite communication architecture with a satellite ground hub, connected through a satellite transponder to remote SATCOM terminals together with bi-directional Internet-Protocol (IP) connections with a round trip propagation delay of 500 milliseconds, traffic demand types, and control messages. Experience derives from recurring terminal assignments, previous uplink terminal reports and downlink mode change requests, and traffic demand variations. Learning-based techniques are showing great success in application areas, e.g., speech recognition, natural language processing, image recognition, etc. But their applications on SATCOM to aid in reviewing terminal flexibility requesting waivers or exempts from existing SATCOM regulations have not been well explored.
The currently challenging requirements on provisioning a terminal just enough resources (e.g., non-overlapping time and frequency slots together with supportable communication modes) when needed and freeing up excess resources to accommodate others are a complex undertaking. They are constrained by tight integrations of remote terminals and the satellite ground hub, interactions among terminal routers and modems, variable data transfer requirements, messaging overheads, etc. Dynamic resource allocation attempts to predict the overall difficulty and likely decision outcome for each uplink resource assignment, thereby helping SATCOM resource pool managers or operators to triage incoming requests.
Simply adding more automation on dynamic resource allocation to the satellite ground hub and terminal modems results in new challenges. More automation will not solve those challenges arising with queue backlogs in terminal routers or traffic demand increases at terminal routers. The available literature regarding dynamic resource allocation driven by demands in the presence of flow control is not so wide. As alluded to before, the iterative learning nature of exploiting repetitive information deriving from iterations can be applied to remote terminals and satellite ground hubs. Remote terminals are often equipped with repetitive router and modem units, and iterative learning control can be adapted to those routers that have repetitive interactions, in order to learn instantaneous modem data rates and perform quality of service and load balancing. Therefore, learning routers together with flow control mechanisms can be considered as intelligent terminal agents cooperating with simple one-way feedback messages from terminal modems to achieve robust uplink allocation performance.
The present disclosure describes a framework equipped with distributed terminal agents for providing decision support to SATCOM network operation centers by identifying and highlighting key decision features that relate to demand-driven dynamic resource allocation in the presence of flow control, which must be addressed for future regulatory approval of terminal flexibility. Rather than using a traditional paradigm for reporting router queue backlogs and traffic demands to modems, interest in rate-based flow control mechanism as proposed herein is clearly attested by the simplicity of one-way message feedback from modems to routers for their available data rates. Furthermore, a control-theoretical approach enabled by Minimal-Cost-Variance (MCV) control theory for robustly regulating source and service rates that should be used to allow routers full quality of service (QoS) control, is provided.

Satellite communication framework and control method thereof


A process for forming a composite piston of at least two materials, preferably a rigid material and an elastic material, the materials being chemically fused in a modular mold, and the plunger formed thereby. The process comprising injection molding one of the rigid material and elastic material in a mold to form a first piston part; forming a cavity in the mold adjacent the first piston part; injection molding the other of the rigid material and plastic material in the cavity to form a second piston part in contact with the first piston part; and removing the piston having a rigid part and an elastic part from said mold. Upon opening of the mold, complete, finished pistons are presented. The material for forming the elastic part preferably includes a lubricant. The process reduces assembly costs, quality control concerns, and contamination due to human contact.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a modular molding process for forming a composite piston for a hypodermic syringe wherein thermoplastic rubber and plastic parts of the piston are integrally formed in the same mold in a multi-phase, or modular, injection molding process, and wherein the composite piston is thereafter ready to be seated on the piston end of a conventionally made syringe shaft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hypodermic syringes are comprised of a barrel, which receives a fluid to be injected, and a plunger, which transmits force via a piston rod to a piston for either drawing in or dispensing the fluid. The plunger is conventionally comprised of a rigid plastic thumb press, a flexible rubber piston for sealingly engaging the walls of the barrel, and a shaft for transmission of force between the thumb press and piston. Conventionally, plungers are constructed in three separate steps: a step of manufacturing a rigid plunger shaft, a step of manufacturing an elastic rubber piston, and a step of assembling the rubber piston onto the rigid plunger shaft using a variety of techniques including mechanical interlock, adhesive, ultrasonic welding, heat fusion or the like.
The pistons are conventionally comprised wholly of a resilient, thermoplastically processable rubber mixture, consisting predominantly of a block polymer, and can contain a quantity of a polyolefin. Such a composition is necessary to provide good resilience, while presenting minimal relaxation phenomenon in the course of use, thus insuring a fluid-tight seal between the piston and the inner surface of the syringe barrel. Further, such a composition is resistant to the most common medical agents. Unfortunately, such rubber mixtures are much more expensive, on a weight basis, than the materials used to construct the other portions of the syringe.
The rubber pistons are typically mass produced in at least four separate steps: a step of heat-impression stamping a rubber sheet around core pins, tumbling the rubber pistons to debur them, and to eliminate any flash created during the stamping process, washing the pistons to eliminate the dust and debris created in the tumbling process, and lubricating the finished piston.
In terms of time and efficiency, this multi-step piston-manufacturing process is costly and requires quality control. Further, when the rubber sheet is heat-impression stamped around core pins, latent variations in rubber density are created in the piston. These density variations may be attributed either to unavoidable folding of the rubber sheet around the core pins or to variations of density in the rubber sheet itself. These density variations (1) allow the plunger rods to pull out of the pistons thereby resulting in a 5-7% failure rate in the syringe and (2) interfere with the fluid-tightness of the seal between the piston and the syringe barrel, allowing failure in operation such as in an emergency room.
There is also a problem of balancing the softness properties of the rubber-if the rubber is too hard, the seal forming properties are impaired, and if the rubber is too soft, the piston will come unseated from the plunger shaft during drawing in of fluids. In a hospital emergency room, speed and reliability are a precious commodity. Accordingly, it is absolutely critical that hypodermic needles meet a high standard of reliability and performance, and any feature that will contribute to reliability of the syringe would be advantageous.
If these reliability considerations could be met, then it would be desirable to have a process for producing a syringe plunger piston with significantly lowered production costs.


The present invention introduces systems, as well as methods of operating such systems, within a communication device for evaluating movement of a body relative to an environment. According to an exemplary embodiment, the system comprises a sensor and a processor. The sensor, which is associable with the body, is operable to repeatedly sense accelerative phenomena of the body. The processor, which is associated with the sensor, is operable to process the sensed accelerative phenomena as a function of at least one accelerative event characteristic. The system, and, more particularly, the processor generates state indicia relative the environment, and determines whether the evaluated body movement is within environmental tolerance. In a preferred embodiment, the processor communicates various state indicia to a monitoring controller, preferably using at least one of a wired network and a wireless network. The monitoring controller cooperates with the processor to remotely monitor the body.

The present invention relates generally to means for detecting body movement, and, more particularly, relates to systems, and methods of operation thereof, within a communication device for evaluating movement of a body relative to an environment.
Methods for determining specific movements of a body that use a variety of devices, apparatus and systems are, generally speaking, known. The term xe2x80x9cbodyxe2x80x9d is defined broadly hereafter and includes both organic and inorganic objects.
In point of fact, many methods are known for sensing body movement, or non-movement (i.e., sensed dynamic accelerations, including cessation of movement), as well as, for sensing body movement over time, which is commonly used to determine comparative levels of activity of a monitored body (See, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,110,741, 4,292,630, 5,045,839, and 5,523,742). These methodologies, however, merely report various levels of body activity, and, simply stated, fail to recognize possible causes for any increased or decreased level of body activity.
In contrast, other methodologies have developed over time for the detection of falls (See also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,829,285, 5,477,211, 5,554,975, and 5,751,214). These methodologies are largely based upon the utilization of one or more mechanical switches (e.g., mercury switches) that determine when a body has attained a horizontal position. These methods however fail to discern xe2x80x9cnormal,xe2x80x9d or acceptable, changes in levels of body activity. Stated another way, the foregoing fall detection methodologies provide no position change analysis and, therefore, cannot determine whether a change in position, once attained, is acceptable or unacceptable.
Various training methods have been conceived for sensing relative tilt of a body (See, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,300,921 and 5,430,435), and some such methodologies have employed two-axis accelerometers. The output of these devices, however, have reported only static acceleration of the body (i.e., the position of a body relative to earth within broad limits). It should be appreciated that static acceleration, or gravity, is not the same as a lack of dynamic acceleration (i.e., vibration, body movement, and the like), but is instead a gauge of position. While accelerometers that measure both static and dynamic acceleration are known, their primary use has heretofore been substantially confined to applications directed to measuring one or the other, but not both.
Thus, it may be seen that the various conventional detectors fall into one of two varieties, those that gauge movement of the body and those that gauge a body""s position by various means, with neither type capable of evaluating body movement to determine whether the same is normal or abnormal; and if abnormal, whether such movement is so abnormal to be beyond tolerance, for instance, to be damaging, destructive, crippling, harmful, injurious, or otherwise alarming or, possibly, distressing to the body. None of the methodologies heretofore known have provided a suitable means to evaluate body movement over time and to determine whether such movement is tolerable. Further improvement could thus be utilized.
The general use of communication devices has greatly increased over the last few years. Communication devices comprise cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, hand held computers, laptops, computers, wireless Internet access devices, and other similar types of communications equipment. The number of such communication devices in use is steadily increasing.
It would be very useful to have a communications device that is capable of evaluating movement of a body relative to an environment. For example, when a communications device detects a body movement that signifies the occurrence of a potentially dangerous event (e.g., a fall), the communication device can immediately send an alarm to call for assistance.
To address the above-introduced deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention introduces systems, as well as methods of operating such systems, within a communication device for evaluating movement of a body relative to an environment. For the purposes hereof, the term xe2x80x9cbodyxe2x80x9d is defined broadly, meaning any organic or inorganic object whose movement or position may suitably be evaluated relative its environment in accordance with the principles hereof; and where the term xe2x80x9cenvironmentxe2x80x9d is defined broadly as the conditions and the influences that determine the behavior of the physical system in which the body is located. The term xe2x80x9ccommunication devicexe2x80x9d is defined broadly to include, without limitation, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, hand held computers, laptops, computers, wireless Internet access devices, and other similar types of communications equipment.
An advantageous embodiment of a system that evaluates movement of a body relative to an environment in accordance herewith includes both a sensor and a processor. In operation, the sensor is associated with the body and operates to repeatedly sense accelerative phenomena of the body. The processor, which is associated with the sensor, processes the sensed accelerative phenomena as a function of at least one accelerative event characteristic to determine whether the evaluated body movement is within environmental tolerance. The processor also preferably generates state indicia while processing the sensed accelerative phenomena, which represents the state of the body within the environment over time.
For the purposes hereof, the term xe2x80x9csensorxe2x80x9d is defined broadly, meaning a device that senses one or more absolute values, changes in value, or some combination of the same, of at least the sensed accelerative phenomena. According to a preferred embodiment, described in detail hereafter, the sensor may be a plural-axis sensor that senses accelerative phenomena and generates an output signal to the processor indicative of measurements of both dynamic and static acceleration of the body in plural axes.
According to this embodiment, the processor receives and processes the output signal. The processor is preferably programmed to distinguish between normal and abnormal accelerative events, and, when an abnormal event is identified, to indicate whether the abnormal event is tolerable, or within tolerance. In further embodiments, the processor may be programmed to distinguish other physical characteristics, including temperature, pressure, force, sound, light, relative position, and the like.
It should be noted that the relevant environment may be statically or dynamically represented. The sophistication of any such representation may be as complex or as uncomplicated as needed by a given application (e.g., disability, injury, infirmity, relative position, or other organic assistance monitoring; cargo or other transport monitoring; military, paramilitary, or other tactical maneuver monitoring; etc.). It should further be noted that any representation may initially be set to, or reset to, a default, including, for instance, a physically empty space, or vacuum.
Regardless, the principles of the preferred exemplary embodiment discussed heretofore require at least one accelerative event characteristic to be represented to enable the processor to determine whether the evaluated body movement is within environmental tolerance, which is again advantageously based upon both dynamic and static acceleration measurements.
According to a related embodiment, the processor is further operable, in response to processing the sensed accelerative phenomena, to generate state indicia, which includes tolerance indicia, generated in response to determining whether the evaluated body movement is within environmental tolerance. Preferably, such tolerance indicia is compared with at least one threshold, likely associated with the accelerative event characteristic. In response to such comparison, the processor controls a suitable indicating means to initiate an alarm event; to communicate such tolerance indicia to a monitoring controller; to generate statistics; or the like.
According to a related preferred embodiment, the system may be associated with other components or sensing systems. For instance, in an assistance monitoring application, the sensor may repeatedly sense dynamic and static acceleration of the body in the plural axes and generate output signals indicative of the measurements. The processor continuously processes the output signals to distinguish between selected accelerative and non-selected accelerative events (described in detail hereafter) based upon both the dynamic and the static acceleration of the body, and generates state indicia, including tolerance indicia, that is communicated to a remote monitoring controller. The tolerance indicia is communicated to the monitoring controller for record keeping/statistical purposes, as well as to provide xe2x80x9clivexe2x80x9d monitoring of the individual subscriber.
Communication between the processor and the controller may be by a wireless network, a wired network, or some suitable combination of the same, and may include the Internet. Preferably, the system generates an alert whenever the monitored subscriber is in xe2x80x9cjeopardy,xe2x80x9d as determined by the system, such as in response to a debilitating fall by the subscriber. In a further embodiment, the processor is operable to repeatedly generate xe2x80x9cheartbeatxe2x80x9d indicia that indicates that the system is in an operable state, whereby absence of the same informs the monitoring controller that some other part of the system is malfunctioning.
In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the sensor and the processor may both be located within a communications device. The communications device may communicate by a wireless network, a wired network, or some suitable combination of the same, and may include the Internet.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION that follows. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and specific embodiments disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.
Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms xe2x80x9cincludexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccomprise,xe2x80x9d as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term xe2x80x9cor,xe2x80x9d is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases xe2x80x9cassociated withxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cassociated therewith,xe2x80x9d as well as derivatives thereof, and the term xe2x80x9cassociablexe2x80x9d may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like; and the terms xe2x80x9ccontrollerxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cprocessorxe2x80x9d mean any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware or software, or some suitable combination of at least two of the same. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller/processor may be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases.

Systems within a communication device for evaluating movement of a body and methods of operating the same


In a video signal recording/reproducing apparatus for emphasizing an input video signal, recording by adding an additional signal necessary for recording, and de-emphasizing when reproducing, the emphasis processing is stopped on the time axis in a period in which the additional signal is to be added. Besides, by adding an additional signal before emphasis processing, the waveform deterioration in the end portion of the effective period occurring due to the addition of additional signal after emphasis processing is decreased, and a favorable waveform reproduction is realized over the entire period of the effective portions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video signal recording and reproducing apparatus for recording a video signal after adding thereto a specific signal necessary for recording the video signal on a recording medium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a video tape recorder or the like for recording and reproducing video signals, in order to alleviate the so-called triangular noise characteristic of FM transmission line noise in a frequency modulation and demodulation system, the signal level is raised in the medium and high frequency regions in the recording system by an emphasis processing, and lowered in the medium and high frequency regions in the reproducing system by de-emphasis processing.
Recently, moreover, in order to record a wideband video signal, a time axis compression multiplexing and multi-channel recording of the luminance signal and chrominance signal is employed. In this recording, generally, only an effective period containing a luminance signal (Y) and a chrominance signal (C) of an input video signal is taken out, and added to a specific signal which is necessary for recording the video signal, such as a synchronous signal and a Y/C guard signal.
FIG. 5 shows a conventional processing circuit. FIG. 6 is a waveform diagram showing signals at some portions in FIG. 5. In this example, the emphasis is a phase linear emphasis, but it may be a phase nonlinear emphasis.
In FIG. 5, element 1 is a luminance signal input terminal element 2 is a chrominance signal input terminal element 3 is a time-division multiplex (TDM) encoding circuit for time-compressing and multiplexing the luminance signal and chrominance signal to obtain a TDM signal; element 21 is an emphasis circuit; element 6 is a signal addition circuit for adding a specific signal necessary for recording; element 7 is a recording processing circuit for converting the TDM signal into a recordable signal suited to recording; element 8a is a recording head, for recording the recordable signal on a magnetic tape 9; element 8b is a reproducing head for reproducing the recorded signal from the magnetic tape 9; element 10 is a reproduction processing circuit for processing a reproduced signal from the head 8b to obtain the TDM signal; element 22 is a de-emphasis circuit; element 13 is a TDM decoding circuit for separating the TDM signal from the de-emphasis circuit 22 into the luminance signal and chrominance signal; element 14 is a synchronous signal addition circuit for adding a synchronous signal to the reproduced video signal (each of the luminance and chrominance signal); element 15 is a luminance signal output terminal, and; element 16 is a chrominance signal output terminal.
When recording, luminance and chrominance signals of a colorless and black level video signal, for example, as shown in waveform diagrams a and b in FIG. 6 are fed to the luminance signal input terminal 1 and chrominance signal input terminal 2, respectively. Here, t4 is the effective period of the luminance signal, and t2 is the effective period of the chrominance signal. The luminance signal and chrominance signal are compressed and multiplexed on the time axis in the TDM encoding circuit 3 to become a TDM signal as shown in c in FIG. 6. Here t1 is the synchronous signal period, t2 is the effective period of the chrominance signal, t3 is the Y/C guard period, and t4 is the effective period of the luminance signal. Usually black level signals are inserted in t1 and t3. The TDM signal becomes a waveform increased in the medium and high frequency regions as shown in d in FIG. 6 after passing through the emphasis circuit 21. In the recording signal addition circuit 6, the TDM signal is added to a synchronous signal in t1 and a Y/C guard signal in t3 to be the waveform as shown in e in FIG. 6. This signal is converted into a recordable signal suited to recording in the recording processing circuit 7, and then recorded on the magnetic tape 9 by the recording head 8a.
When reproducing, the signal reproduced by the reproducing head 8b is converted into the TDM signal by the reproduction processing circuit 10. The reproduced TDM signal is entered in the de-emphasis circuit 22, and decreased in level in the medium and high frequency regions decreased as shown in waveform f in FIG. 6. In the TDM decoding circuit 13, from the TDM signal f in FIG. 6, the signals in the effective period t4 of the luminance signal and the effective period t2 of the chrominance signal are separated, and expanded on the time axis. Then after adding a synchronous signal to each of the reparated luminance and chrominance signals in the synchronous signal addition circuit 14, the luminance signal g shown in FIG. 6 is ourputted from the luminance signal output terminal 15, and the chrominance signal h shown in FIG. 6 is outputted from the chrominance signal output terminal 16.
During recording, the specific signals necessary for recording, i.e., the synchronous signal and Y/C guard signal, are added to the signals in the periods t1 and t3 in FIG. 6d which contain the impulse responses due to emphasis processing of the chrominance signal and luminance signal in the effective periods t2 and 4t. When reproducing, the de-emphasis processing is done while the synchronous signal and Y/C guard signal are being added. Accordingly, there is a problem in that the waveform as in FIG. 6h has a deteriorated end portion of the effective period t2 of the chrominance signal. It may be considered advisable to insert a colorless signal level into the synchronous signal period t1 and Y/C guard signal period t3 of the signal in FIG. 6c before the emphasis processing in during recording, but in such a case the waveform deteriorates in the end portion of the effective period t4 of the luminance signal.

Video signal recording and reproducing apparatus using an added specific signal during recording

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


My invention is a portable filtration and treatment apparatus, comprising a tank, a filtering mechanism immersed in the tank (holding cooking oil), a treating mechanism preferably situated external to the tank, a pump, and a discharge. The pump draws liquid (cooking oil) from the tank through the filtering mechanism, through the treating mechanism, and back into the tank or into a cooking fryer by way of the discharge. The tank includes a moving device which allows for the portability of the apparatus. The filtering mechanism comprises a wire mesh envelope, including at least one wire mesh filter screen for filtering the cooking oil, an insert disposed within the wire mesh envelope supporting the wire mesh envelope and providing fluid communication therethrough, and a frame which holds the wire mesh envelope and the insert together. The treating mechanism is a container and is provided with an inlet and an outlet, a selectively removably attached top, and a flow baffle. The container top is sealingly attached to the container in order to effectuate a vacuum within the container upon the activation of the pump. Treating material is disposed in pouches within the treating mechanism. Cooking oil is pumped through the treating mechanism thereby contacting the treating material disposed within the treating mechanism. Treating material comprises any material, such as activated carbon, which upon contact with the cooking oil can extend the usable life of the cooking oil.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices and systems capable of filtering and treating liquids. More specifically, the present invention relates to such devices and systems which are portable and which independently filter and treat cooking oil in fryers after the cooking process is interrupted.
Fryers are extensively used in the food industry to cook various comestibles. A common type of fryer includes a relatively deep container with the comestible to be cooked immersed in cooking oil in the container. The food industry utilizes substantial quantities of cooking oil in cooking fryers. Extending the usable life of cooking oil would substantially reduce the amount of money spent by the food industry on oil and would thus provide the industry a substantial economic benefit.
However, the cooking and heating processes continually alter and degrade the physical and chemical properties of cooking oil thereby reducing the useful life of the oil. Examples of contributors to the alteration and degradation of the cooking oil are food particles that become dislodged from the food during the cooking process and thereafter remain in the oil, water and fats that are extracted from the food during the cooking process and also remain in the oil thereafter, and free fatty acids that form when heat, water, and oxygen act upon and chemically alter the cooking oil and the comestibles (collectively referred to as "the contributors").
Food particles, if not removed from the cooking oil, will eventually become charred and will impart unwanted tastes, odors, and dark color to the oil. Free fatty acids contribute to the degradation of the cooking oil in that as the percentage of free fatty acids in the cooking oil increases, the smoke, flash, and fire points of the cooking oil are reduced. A large reduction in the smoke, flash, and fire points of the cooking oil may result in a fire hazard and/or may cause excessive smoke emissions. The presence of any of these contributors may, by itself, be cause to replace degraded, used oil with new oil.
In order to prolong the usable life of cooking oil, it is thus productive to neutralize and limit the presence and effects of the contributors by filtering the oil to remove the charred food particles and treating the oil to neutralize some of the chemical alterations generated by the contributors.
2. Related Art
In prior art systems, cooking oil is cleaned by pumping it through a filter assembly often containing filter paper or other disposable filter media. A filter powder is normally applied to the filter media by dispersal in the cooking oil. Filter powders commonly consist of diatomaceous earth, perlite or magnesium silicate. In the filtration process, filter powders form a coating on the surface of filter media and thereby mechanically strain suspended solids from liquids.
Such prior art filter powders may also include blends which treat the cooking oil upon contact. However, in order for the blends in the filter powder to sufficiently treat the cooking oil, a specific amount of filter powder and blend (per volume of cooking oil) must be introduced into the cooking oil. If an operator introduces an incorrect amount of filter powder and blend into the cooking oil, then the cooking oil will not be treated adequately.
Thus, the success of cooking oil treatment by such prior art methods depends at least in part on the measuring accuracy of the operator who introduces the filter powder into the cooking oil. It would therefore be a benefit to the industry to design an apparatus which provides adequate treatment of cooking oil in every instance by removing the potential of an operator measuring error. It would also be a benefit to the industry to design such an apparatus so that it is portable from one fryer to another.
In addition, in the majority of prior art systems, filtration takes place only after the cooking process is interrupted. This type of filtration is commonly known in the art as "intermittent" or "batch" filtration and is distinguished from continuous filtration which takes place while the cooking process is actuated. Generally, continuous filtration requires a specially designed fryer and filtration system. On the other hand, batch/intermittent filtration systems are normally capable of filtering the cooking oil in most fryers. It would thus be a benefit to the industry to design an apparatus as heretofore described which is capable of filtering the cooking oil in most fryers by batch/intermittent filtration.
This Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,107 discloses a filtering and treating device including an external wire mesh filter screen, an inner, rigid, support or insert, and a centrally-disposed spool, the spool including fluid channels connectable to a suction pump. The shell and the interior walls define compartments to retain treating materials, such as activated carbon, which extend the usable life of the cooking oil. The suction pump draws liquid from outside the wire mesh envelope, through the support/insert, through the compartments and treating material and, through the central spool. Thus, the claimed device is capable of continuously and concurrently filtering and treating cooking oil during the cooking operation without the need for filter powders. However, the claimed devices are not portable and may not be used as a batch or intermittent filtration system capable of filtering the cooking oil in most existing fryers.
This Applicant's co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/784,371, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,731,024 discloses a continuous and concurrent closed filtering and treating device, comprising a filtering mechanism immersed in a tank of liquid (fryer), a treating mechanism situated external to said tank, and a suction pump which draws liquid (cooking oil) from the reservoir through the filtering mechanism, through the treating mechanism, and pumps it back into the tank. The treating mechanism is a vessel in one embodiment and a container in another embodiment and is provided with an inlet and an outlet and a selectively removably attached top. Treating material is disposed within the treating mechanism. Cooking oil is pumped through the treating mechanism thereby contacting the treating material disposed within the treating mechanism. Treating material comprises any material, such as activated carbon, which upon contact with the cooking oil can extend the usable life of the cooking oil. Although the device eliminates the use of filter powders, the claimed device is not portable and cannot be used as a batch or intermittent filtration system capable of filtering the cooking oil in most fryers.
The prior art does not disclose a portable device which provides filtration and treatment of the cooking oil, eliminates the need for filter powder, and can be used as a batch or intermittent filtration system capable of filtering the cooking oil in most fryers.

Portable filtration and treatment apparatus


A heat shield panel arrangement for use in a combustor of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. In various embodiments, the heat shield panel arrangement includes a first panel having a first rail, the first rail having a first distal tip and a first angled outer wall, the first distal tip having a first distal tip length; and a second panel having a second rail, the second rail having a second distal tip and a second angled outer wall, the second distal tip having a second distal tip length. The first distal tip length is less than the second distal tip length and the first angled outer wall is substantially parallel to the second angled outer wall with a gap formed therebetween.

Gas turbine engines, such as those that power modern commercial and military aircraft, include a fan section to propel the aircraft, a compressor section to pressurize a supply of air from the fan section, a combustor section to burn a hydrocarbon fuel in the presence of the pressurized air, and a turbine section to extract energy from the resultant combustion gases in order to power the compressor and fan sections.
The combustor section typically includes a bulkhead assembly, an inner liner assembly and an outer liner assembly. The bulkhead assembly extends radially between the inner liner assembly and the outer liner assembly to define a combustion chamber. Each liner assembly can be formed from one or more shells and one or more panels attached to the shells. Cooling cavities reside between the panels and the shells and fluidly couple impingement apertures extending through the shells with effusion apertures extending through the panels. Rails extending about the periphery of the panels offset the interior of the panels from the shells to form the cooling cavities.


Stimulating power line carrier injection with reactive oscillation comprises exciting a tank circuit to oscillate at the carrier frequency by sinking pulses of current between one node of a capacitor in the tank circuit and the other node of the capacitor. A power transformer is connected to a distribution system to inject a power line carrier onto the power line. An excitation circuit sinks short pulses of current between one node of a capacitor and the other node of the capacitor that is connected in a tank circuit arrangement with an inductor and the secondary winding of the power transformer. The tank circuit oscillates at the frequency of the excitation pulses if the resonant frequency of the tank circuit is close to the frequency of excitation. The oscillating current is coupled onto the power line system through the power transformer. The phase of the power line carrier signal is shifted by shifting the phase of the excitation pulses.

Injecting power line carrier signals onto power lines for the purpose of communicating digital data from one location to another is used in the field of power distribution. Typically, a power line carrier signal is generated by supplying a sinusoidal signal at the input of an amplifier. The signal is amplified and then injected onto the power line by injecting it into the secondary winding of a power transformer that is connected to the power line or injecting it directly onto the power line through high voltage capacitors. In the case of the transformer type injection, the signal that is injected into the secondary winding of the transformer induces a signal on the primary winding of the transformer which is connected to the power line. Digital data is communicated by modulating the phase of the carrier signal that is induced onto the power line.
For conventional power line carrier infrastructure, large capacitors may be used to couple the carrier signal onto the distribution lines. These large capacitors can be a safety concern as they are at distribution line potential (7.5 to 25 kV) and can store an electrical charge for a long period of time.
Another disadvantage of conventional power line carrier injecting systems is the complexity of the circuitry in such systems. The complexity of the circuitry can lead to higher manufacturing and maintenance costs.
Accordingly, a need exists within the art for a power line carrier injection device that can reduce or eliminate the use of large coupling capacitors and/or complex circuitry, that can increase the safety of the device, and/or that can allow for the device to be installed in a smaller enclosure.

Method and apparatus for stimulating power line carrier injection with reactive oscillation


A method and apparatus for forming structural members from a substrate heats a middle portion of the substrate in combination with edge guide rolls for laterally displacing mass of the substrate. Top and bottom rolls shape the structural member into the desired shape. The entire substrate is annealed. Thereafter, additional roll passes can be used for improving the shape of the substrate to the desired shape.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming structural members from strips or bars of metal in which heating of the center section of the strip or bar in combination with a precision guide die and roll assembly precisely forms the desired shape.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional methods for forming structural members in steel include hot rolling techniques. A typical mill receives billets for rolling into shapes at a temperature above 1800 F. and heats them to a temperature of about 2250 F. A structural member having an angle shape can be produced in a roll mill in a nine roll pass by the flat and edging method. This method has the disadvantage of causing significant heat loss in the rolling of thin and narrow structural sections. Structural angles and other shapes in stainless steel below about 1/4 inch in thickness and six inches in width are extremely difficult to produce using conventional technology. Production of structural angles and other shapes in stainless steel below about 1/4 inch in thickness and six inches in width is uneconomical and inefficient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,162 describes a zone heating device for heating the sides of a metal plate during formation of a thickened edge along the edge of the metal plate. An activating means moves a first and second burner relative to the first and second sides of the plate. A forming roll has an axis of rotation transverse to the plate sides for forming the thickened edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,888 describes a method of warm forming a high strength steel structural member using a starting material of a blank having a tensile strength of at least about 120,000 psi. The high strength steel is formed of carbon and manganese. The stock is warm formed to a temperature of about 800 F. through a tapered die.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,565 describes a method for manufacture of a metal profile member by continuously feeding a band along hot shaping and cold shaping procedures. The heating system has the form of a medium frequency induction installation for heating a cross-sectional width of the band at opposite longitudinal edges of the band. The band is passed between pairs of discs disposed on opposite sides of the heated portion. The angle of the discs relative to the band of material is adjusted to cause the heated softened area to be stretched or compacted.
Of general interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,838,062; 4,906,809 and 5,228,324.

Method and apparatus for forming structural members


A degradation assembly may comprise at least one sensor mounted on a pick; the pick comprising a first conductor in communication with the sensor. The assembly may also comprise a receiving element including a bore comprising a second conductor. The first and second conductors may combine to create a connection as the pick is inserted into the bore of the receiving element.

Degradation assemblies may be used in mining, trenching, and road milling operations to degrade natural and man-made formations. The present invention relates to degradation assemblies and especially to degradation assemblies comprising sensors. The following references disclose degradation assemblies comprising sensors that measure various occurrences during a degradation process.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,741,468 to Alspaugh, discloses a thermocouple mounted in an outer tooth of a boring machine. The thermocouple is electrically connected to a remote control point and thereby conveys temperature readings to a meter at that point. Electrical connections from the thermocouple are carried through an arm assembly to slip rings by means of cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,360 to Wilson, discloses a mineral mining machine comprising a rotary cutter head with a sensor to detect a cutting horizon of the cutter head relative to a boundary of a mineral seam and to derive a signal indicative of changes in the cutting horizon.
It is known to mount sensor means on a cutter tool, on a cutter tool holder, and directly on a cutter head itself. However, as sensors are disposed closer to the point of degradation, it may become necessary to quickly replace a sensor at the same time worn cutters are replaced. It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for such quick replacement.


Disclosed is a vehicle hood structure disposed in a front region of a vehicle body and supported in an openable and closable manner, which comprises a link member swingably supported in a pivoted manner by a pivot member located on the vehicle body, and a restriction mechanism adapted to couple the link member to a rear end of a hood so as to restrict the link member from being separated away from the hood. The restriction mechanism includes a restricting element located in either one of the link member and the hood, and a restricted element located in the remaining one of the link member and the hood. The vehicle hood structure of the present invention makes it possible to release a coupled state between the link member and the hood according to need, and, facilitate an operation of re-coupling the link member and the hood.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle hood structure disposed in a front region of a vehicle body and supported by the vehicle body in an openable and closable manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, there has been known a vehicle hood structure for a hood disposed in a front region of a vehicle body and a stationary portion of the vehicle body, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-059799. The vehicle hood structure comprises a link member, a first stopper portion, a second stopper portion, and lifting means. The link member is vertically swingably supported in a pivoted manner by a first lateral shaft provided in the stationary portion of the vehicle body, and disposed to extend frontward, The link member has a front end which is connected to and swingably supported in a pivoted manner by a second lateral shaft located on a bottom surface of a rear end of the hood. The first stopper portion is adapted to stop a swing movement of the link member about the second lateral shaft and in a direction toward the bottom surface of the rear end of the hood. The second stopper portion is adapted to stop a swing movement of the link member about the second lateral shaft and in a direction away from to the bottom surface of the rear end of the hood. The link member is designed to be selectively opened and closed about the first lateral shaft. The lifting means is operable, in response to a collision between the vehicle and an obstacle, to forcibly lift the rear end of the hood while breaking the second stopper portion. The second stopper portion is designed to have a strength less than that of the first stopper portion.
In the vehicle hood structure disclosed in the above patent publication, during an operation for opening or closing the hood, the link member and the hood are integrally coupled to each other through the second stopper portion, such as a connection member, and the hood is swingingly displaced about the second lateral shaft in a pivoted manner. Thus, the hood can be smoothly opened or closed, and can be stably kept in its full closed position. Further, in the event that the vehicle during running collides with an obstacle, the second stopper portion, such as the connection member, is broken according to a biasing force of the lifting means to permit the link member to be swingingly displaced upward about the first lateral shaft in a pivoted manner. Further, along with a swing movement of the link member about the second lateral shaft, the link member is displaced away from the bottom surface of the rear end of the hood, and the hood is forcibly lifted. Thus, this vehicle hood structure has the advantage that, an amount of downward displacement of the hood required when an obstacle hits against a top surface of the hood can be sufficiently ensured to effectively absorb a shock.
As above, in the event of a collision between the vehicle and an obstacle, the second stopper portion, such as the connection member, is broken according to a biasing force of the lifting means, and the connection member for integrally coupling the link member to the hood is dropped off. Thus, unless the link member and the hood is integrally coupled to each other using a new connection member when the hood is moved downward to run the vehicle again after action of the lifting means, the rear end of the hood will be inevitably moved up and down due to vibration during running of the vehicle, to cause a problem about occurrence of abnormal noise.