A gas cylinder valve assembly has an outside portion positioned outside the gas cylinder and an inside portion positioned inside the gas cylinder. A canal for conducting gas passes through the inside and outside portions. The canal communicates with the inside of the cylinder through orifices in the inside portion. The canal further communicates with the inside of the gas cylinder through an opening, gas flow through which is controlled by a check valve. The check valve normally closes the opening. Gas in the cylinder flows to the outside through the orifices. During the filling operation, gas is supplied from outside under pressure. The gas under pressure opens the check valve, and gas flows both through the orifices and through the opening.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to valve structures, and more particularly to valve structures for use with storage devices for pressurized gases or liquids.
2. Description of Related Art
Valve assemblies are used with storage devices for storing gas or liquid under pressure. Valve assemblies regulate the flow of gas or liquid in and out of the storage device. Many valve assemblies have safety features that minimize risk to the valve assembly operator in case of damage to the assembly. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a gas cylinder 10 and a prior art valve assembly 40. Gas cylinder 10 normally stores gas under pressure. Valve assembly 40 has a canal 70 for releasing gas from cylinder 10 and for filling cylinder 10. Canal 70 is opened and closed by an angle globe valve 64. An operator operates valve 64 by turning handwheel 62.
Nozzle 50 of valve assembly 40 has protrusion 54 which defines a relatively narrow orifice 56 limiting the flow area through canal 70. Even if valve 64 is fully open, orifice 56 restricts the gas flow and thus makes the valve assembly operation safer for the operator.
Valve assembly 40 has certain shortcomings. If the relatively narrow orifice 56 gets plugged, gas cannot be released from gas cylinder 10. Furthermore, gas cylinder 10 is purged before being replaced. If orifice 56 is plugged, gas gets trapped inside cylinder 10. The trapped gas makes gas cylinder changing dangerous.
To refill gas cylinder 10, valve 64 is opened and gas is supplied under pressure from outside through canal 70. Orifice 56 restricts the gas flow and so makes filling several times longer.
Also, if valve assembly 40 is accidentally sheared off cylinder 10, the gas is released from cylinder 10 at a high rate thus placing the operator at risk.
It is desirable to provide a safe and fully functional valve assembly without the foregoing shortcomings.


The present invention features a chain of serially connected, universal links. The chain is movable in one direction, but restricted in movement in the opposite direction. The chain consists of a number of substantially identical links. Each of the links has an elongated body portion with abutments at distal ends thereof. The abutments engage respective abutments of neighboring links. Connected to the body portion of each link are two leg portions. The two leg portions each have an aperture for receiving a pin. At least one of the leg portions may be bifurcated into two, substantially parallel sides. The two sides of one of the bifurcated leg portions are spaced apart from one another so as to contain the other leg portion of a neighboring link. This other leg portion may be solid. Each leg extends beyond the distal ends of the body portion, so that, when the links are connected to one another, the aperture of one of the legs is aligned with the aperture of a neighboring leg. Thus, a single pin can be inserted through two apertures for pivotally connecting the leg portions of respective links to one another, thereby connecting the links themselves together, serially. A flexible cable can be attached to the body portion of each link to provide rigidity when the chain is extended.

For transporting items substantially horizontally, conveyor belts and other mechanisms typically require support structure on both ends of the conveying means. Unfortunately, the support scheme often requires additional floor space and/or complexity of apparatus. Moreover, due to the nature of such supported conveying means, the overall length is generally fixed. The foregoing constraints limit the flexibility of such conveying systems.
While the use of chains provides flexibility, there has been a long sought need to develop a chain that need not be supported on both ends.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,013, issued to Schneider, discloses a chain that, when unwound, forms a rigid, linear structure, but which can bend and be wound into a coil onto its take-up reel in the opposite direction. The chain consists of main links and pivot links, alternating with each other. Each link has abutments that restrict movement of its neighboring links in one direction, preventing them from progressing beyond the plane of operation.
A flexible chain and rigid bar combination is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,907, issued to Pappanikolaou. This chain bar requires separate locking mechanisms and a plurality of moving parts, which are susceptible to failure under load.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,004,575, issued to Jones, also addresses the support problem by providing hook prominences. Unfortunately, such prominences tend to catch on fabric and other extraneous objects. Moreover, no provision is made to accommodate the drive sprocket teeth which are normally expected to drive the chain when in use by engaging slots in the chain placed in line at regular intervals.
U.S. Pat. No. 553,650, issued to Kingsland, discloses a lock chain which is rigid only when first laid straight and then compressed end-to-end. Such a procedure is not conducive to modern material handling operations.
It would be advantageous to provide a conveying mechanism, such as a chain, which is self-supporting and locking in all but one direction, so that it may be wound when not in use.
It would also be advantageous to provide a chain that can be extended from a spool and that can remain rigid in one direction for purposes of deploying loads, maintaining the position of same, and/or doing useful work at a distance from the operator.
It would further be advantageous to provide a chain of serially connected, universal links, the chain being movable in one direction, but restricted in movement in the opposite direction.
It would also be advantageous to provide a universal link itself, engageable with neighboring links to form a chain of serially connected, universal links, so that the chain can be movable in one direction, for winding up and storing, but restricted in movement in the opposite direction.

Restricted movement chain and universal link therefor


A pump for supplying gasoline to the fuel injectors of an automotive engine includes a pump case, and upper and lower pump housings mounted within the case and forming an annular pumping channel. The pumping channel includes a vapor channel extending along an axially enlarged section of the bottom portion of the pumping channel from the pump's inlet to a purge orifice which extends axially through the lower pump housing from a radially inward portion of the pumping channel.

The present invention relates to an automotive fuel pump for use with a gasoline fuel injection system. In order to achieve proper performance of a fuel injection system, it is necessary that the pump supply only liquid fuel, not vapor-contaminated fuel, to the fuel injectors. A pump according to the present invention will easily rid itself of vapor so as to furnish good quality liquid fuel to the fuel injectors, with high efficiency unimpaired by excessive pumping losses resulting from turbulence.

Automotive fuel pump with regenerative turbine and long curved vapor channel


A process including mixing a slurry of HOGaPc Type I polymorph, under low shear and high flow, in an organic solvent, wherein there results a HOGaPc Type V polymorph with superior electrophotographic imaging properties.

The present invention is generally directed to processes for the preparation of hydroxygallium phthalocyanine (HOGaPc) compounds and to imaging articles and imaging processes thereof. More specifically, the present invention is directed to processes for transforming hydroxygallium phthalocyanine a Type I polymorph into a Type V polymorph, to imaging articles containing the Type V polymorph, such as a photoreceptor, and to imaging processes and apparatus using the imaging articles.
Problems associated with prior art polymorph interconversions include: (1) scalability limitations of roll-milling processes that are manifested in the inability to manufacture and handle milling vessels at sizes, for example, of and above about 50 to about 100 gallons; and (2) production of Type V hydroxygallium phthalocyanine that possesses photosensitivity properties inferior to those of material transformed to the Type V polymorph by the roll-milling process. Other operational and logistical problems include: potential operator exposure to solvent vapors during bead separation and slurry transfer sequences of the conventional roll-milling process.
The aforementioned problems are unsatisfactory and are overcome in the present invention.
The processes and articles containing the product of the processes of the present invention are useful in many electrostatographic applications, for example, in xerographic printers and copiers, and especially in color xerographic systems.

Processes for the preparation of hydroxygallium phthalocyanine


A caisson system having an attachment plate fastened to ceiling joists; compressible spacers to allow for the attachment plate to be perfectly straight; caisson frames consisting of a combination of a pair of length planks and a pair of width planks to create a generally rectangular structure; length cover planks and width cover planks, along with tiles to finish the caisson frames.

Caisson ceiling, also referred to as coffer ceilings are square or polygonal ornamental sunken panel used in a series as decoration for a ceiling or vault. Caisson ceilings are often found in luxury homes. Because they require expert craftsmanship and takes a lot of time to assemble, they are very costly and that is why they are only found in luxury homes. There exist a variety of modular systems borrowing their features and method of installation from suspended tile ceilings such as those found in office buildings. There are other systems using cheap lightweight molded plastic or metal modules that are glued or mechanically fastened to the ceiling.
However, none of those systems use real wood that is easily assembled on site so as to provide for a quick installation.


In a vehicle occupant restraint system for restraining a lower part of a vehicle occupant, an arrangement for moving a restraining member from a retracted position to a deployed position upon detection and/or prediction of a vehicle crash by a crash sensor is adapted in such a manner that the restraining member cannot be made to move from the deployed position to the retracted position by an external force applied to the restraining member but can be made to move from the retracted position to the deployed position and from the deployed position back to the retracted position by a force transmitted from a power actuator to the restraining member via a power transmitting member. Thus, while the restraining member is capable of withstanding the load of restraining the vehicle occupant, even when the restraining member is deployed, it can be brought back to the retracted position so that the restraining system can be used repeatedly. This is particularly significant when the crash sensor includes a crash prediction sensor because the prediction could be wrong and the restraining member may have to be deployed a number of times even when a vehicle crash has never occurred.

Passenger vehicles are commonly equipped with restraint systems, typically in the form of seat belts, for restraining primarily an upper part of the vehicle occupant in case of a frontal crash. However, it is known that the vehicle occupant may submarine or slip forward under the seat belt at the time of a vehicle crash. This can occur if the seat belt fails to restrain the pelvic part of the vehicle occupant for various reasons, and severely impairs the capability of the scat belt to restrain the vehicle occupant. Also, it is important to restrain the vehicle occupant at an early time point as possible to ensure the safety of the vehicle occupant at the time of a vehicle crash. Air bags are another form of such restraining systems for restraining an upper part of the vehicle occupant.
Restraint systems for restraining a lower part of the vehicle occupant have been proposed in various forms. Such an example is illustrated in FIG. 8. A laterally extending restraining pipe member 32 is pivotally supported on either lateral end thereof with respect to a seat frame 33 by arm members 34, and a power actuator 35 for vertically upwardly moving the corresponding arm member 34 provided on one of the side walls of the seat frame 33. The restraining pipe member 32 is normally situated under a front part of a seat bottom cushion 31. The power actuator 35 is incorporated with a pyrotechnical actuator for driving the restraining pipe member 32 upward along with the corresponding part of the seat bottom cushion 31. The lower part of the vehicle occupant can be thus engaged by the restraining pipe member 32 which is raised at the time of a crash, and the vehicle occupant is thereby prevented from submarining.
However, according to this previous proposal, owing to the use of a pyrotechnical actuator, once the restraint system is actuated, it is not possible to restore the restraint system back to the original state. Therefore, once the restraint system is actuated, the vehicle seat becomes unfit for any subsequent use although the seat may be otherwise in a prime condition.
In recent years, vehicle occupant restraint systems based on prediction of an occurrence of a vehicle crash have been proposed. In such a system, the restraint system needs to be actuated when a vehicle crash is likely to happen, but it is also possible that the prediction turns out to be wrong. In other words, it is very possible that the restraint system is actuated a number of times without experiencing any actual vehicle crash. Therefore, the restraint system of this kind is desired to be suited for repeated actuation. At the same time, the restraint system is capable of withstanding the load of restraining the vehicle occupant at the time of a vehicle crash.


A seat belt apparatus to be installed in a vehicle is structured such that a motor for rotating a spool of a seat belt retractor is controlled to drive in the belt winding direction to apply a first tension on a seat belt before a vehicle collision and the motor is controlled to drive in the belt winding direction to apply a second tension on the seat belt during the vehicle collision.

The present invention relates to a seat belt apparatus to be installed in a vehicle.
Conventionally, seat belt apparatuses of various forms for restraining a vehicle occupant are known for vehicles such as automobiles. In such a seat belt apparatus, it is required to increase tension on a seat belt (webbing) before and/or during a vehicle collision. Specifically, it is required to increase tension on the seat belt in order to inform a vehicle occupant of danger when a vehicle collision is predicted before the vehicle collision. Further, it is required to increase tension on the seat belt in order to improve occupant restraint when a vehicle collision is unavoidable before the vehicle collision. Furthermore, it is required to increase tension on the seat belt in order to improve occupant restraint during the vehicle collision.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H6-286581 ("JP Pub. No. '581"), which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, discloses a seat belt apparatus capable of increasing tension on a seat belt before and/or during a vehicle collision. In the technology described in JP Pub. No. '581, a first tension is developed on the seat belt before the vehicle collision by a reversible mechanism such as an electric motor which is disposed on a buckle side, while a second tension is developed on the seat belt during the vehicle collision by a non-reversible mechanism such as pyrotechnics, which is disposed on a retractor side.
In the seat belt apparatus as described in JP Pub. No. '581, the first mechanism for increasing the seat belt tension before a vehicle collision is disposed on the buckle side and the second mechanism for increasing the seat belt tension during the vehicle collision is disposed on the retractor side. In addition, since the first and second mechanisms are composed of different mechanisms, there is a limit to achieve reduction of the apparatus size and weight and reduction of the apparatus cost.


An example method includes obtaining data associated with a plurality of process workflows, performing an automated workflow analysis of the data at least by (i) evaluating workflow structures to identify at least one similarity between one or more portions of the process workflows, wherein the workflow structures are modeled from the process workflow data and, (ii) responsive to evaluating the workflow structures, clustering, based on the at least one similarity, the portions of the process workflows into at least one common process group that is shared between the process workflows, identifying, based on the at least one common process group shared between the process workflows, at least one process improvement that is associated with at least one of the process workflows, and outputting, by the computing system, a recommendation associated with the at least one process improvement.

In many instances, customers may use one or more computing devices to interact with servers or other systems that provide products and/or services. For example, a customer may use a computing device (e.g., smartphone, personal computer) to access a server that is configured to provide various products and/or services (e.g., online banking or financial products/services). The server and/or an agent device used by an agent may interact with the customer's computing device and utilize one or more process workflows to execute business processes and to assist with the acquisition or management of offered products and/or services.

Computing system for automated evaluation of process workflows


A method of forming a phase change material layer includes preparing a substrate having an insulator and a conductor, loading the substrate into a process housing, injecting a deposition gas into the process housing to selectively form a phase change material layer on an exposed surface of the conductor, and unloading the substrate from the process housing, wherein a lifetime of the deposition gas in the process housing is shorter than a time the deposition gas takes to react by thermal energy.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of present invention relate to a method of forming a phase change material layer, a method of forming a phase change memory device using the same, and a phase change memory device so formed. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of forming a phase change material layer, a method of forming a phase change memory device using the same, and a phase change memory device so formed that may reduce or eliminate the formation of voids or seams in a phase change material layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among semiconductor devices, a phase change memory device has a nonvolatile characteristic, such that stored data are not lost even if a supply of power is interrupted. The phase change memory device may employ a phase change material layer that may exhibit two stable states for storing data. The phase change material layer may be transformed into amorphous state or crystalline state according to a heating temperature and duration. Typically, the phase change material layer in an amorphous state has a higher resistivity than the phase change material layer in a crystalline state. Thus, using the change of the resistivity according to the state of the phase change material layer, it is possible to store data of logic "1" or "0" in a unit cell of the phase change memory device.
Joule heating may be used as the means of heating the phase change material layer to change the state thereof. For example, Joule heating may be generated around the phase change material layer by applying a current to electrodes connected to the phase change material layer. By adjusting the amount and/or duration of applied current to control the temperature and/or duration of the generated Joule heating, it is possible to perform a program or erase operation, i.e., to transform the phase change material layer into an amorphous or crystalline state.
Generally, a high temperature is required for transforming the state of the phase change material layer. For instance, it may be necessary to apply a temperature of about 630° C., near the melting temperature, for a Ge—Sb—Te (GST) layer to transform the GST layer into the amorphous state. A significant amount of current may be required to generate this much heat. Accordingly, the phase change memory device may exhibit a large power consumption. In addition, it may be difficult to highly integrate the phase change memory device, because a channel width of a MOS transistor in the phase change memory device may need to be increased in order to control the high current.
The amount of current used in a program and/or erase operation may be reduced by reducing the size of a contact area between the phase change material layer and an electrode connected thereto. By reducing the size of the contact area, a density of current flowing through the contact area may be increased, which may allow the amount of current used in the program and/or erase operation to be reduced. As the phase change material layer may be formed by depositing the phase change material layer in a hole that exposes the electrode, it will be appreciated that reducing the size of the contact area may require reducing a diameter of the hole, which may result in an aspect ratio of the hole being increased.
If the phase change material layer is deposited in the hole by blanketing the phase change material on the entire surface of the substrate, an overhang may develop at an upper portion of the hole, leading to a void in the phase change material below the overhang. Further, a seam may be formed where phase change material deposited on one sidewall of the hole contacts phase change material deposited on an opposite sidewall.
Voids and seams may degrade the operational characteristics of the phase change material layer. For example, a portion of the phase change material layer where the void or seam is formed may have a very high resistance, which may make detecting changes in resistance due to transformations between the crystalline and amorphous states difficult or impossible to sense accurately. Thus, a sensing margin of the phase change memory device may decrease. In addition, voids and seams may reduce the uniformity of unit cells in a phase change memory device, such that programming resistances, erasing resistances, the amount of program and erase current, etc., may be non-uniform, degrading the operation of the phase change memory device.

Method of forming a phase change material layer, method of forming a phase change memory device using the same, and a phase change memory device so formed


The view angle-restricting sheet according to the present invention includes an optically functional layer which includes: a plurality of first light transmission sections that are rectangular in cross section and arranged in a multi-stripe fashion; and at least one second light transmission section that is/are rectangular in cross section and arranged between the first light transmission sections, at least one of the lateral face of the first light transmission section and the lateral face of the second light transmission section that face each other being provided as a light-scattering surface having a microstructure including fine protrusions. The arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) of the light-scattering surface is preferably no less than 1.5 μm and no greater than 4 μm. The ratio (Rz/Ra) of the ten-point mean roughness (Rz) to the arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) of the light-scattering surface is preferably no less than 1 and no greater than 20.

Flat panel displays are intensively used as information display devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistances (PDAs), personal computers, televisions, and the like.
As far as the mobile phones and the personal digital assistances are concerned, for example, the flat panel displays provide advantages that: they enable necessary information to be obtained wherever the information is desired; and the like. However, in some places, an image displayed on the mobile phones or the personal digital assistances is highly likely to be subjected to peeking by person(s) around a user, which causes an issue of privacy such as leakage of personal information.
In addition, some flat panel displays include a touchscreen in order to improve ease of operation for users, speedy operability, and the like. Such flat panel displays that include the touchscreen are employed in ATMs (automated teller machines) installed in banks, for example; however, if a security code or personal information is subjected to peeking by person(s) around a user when the user inputs the security code or personal information through the touchscreen, such information may be used for improper purposes.
In view of such problems, in these days, a view angle-restricting sheet has been proposed that can prevent peeking by person(s) around a user by restricting a view angle (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2010-223996).
The view angle-restricting sheet (which may be referred to as "view angle-controlling optical sheet") includes a first region that yields a narrow view angle on a display screen, and a second region that yields a wide view angle on the display screen. The view angle-controlling optical sheet is characterized in that the first region is formed by alternately arranging: light transmission sections that contain an optically transparent material; and light-absorbing sections that contain a light-absorbing material. The view angle-controlling optical sheet can extract rays of light rays of light having an incident angle falling within a certain range of angle, predominantly including those perpendicularly oriented, and absorb rays of light obliquely oriented on the light-absorbing section, and therefore the peeking by the person(s) around the user from the oblique direction can be prevented. However, in the view angle-controlling optical sheet, the light-absorbing sections are arranged at a constant interval, and therefore the view angle-controlling optical sheet has a disadvantage that a reduction in front face luminance is likely to be caused.

View angle-restricting sheet and flat panel display


Fatty acid sanitizer concentrates and diluted final solutions are provided which include individual amounts of germicidally effective fatty acid, hydrotrope, strong acid sufficient to lower the pH of the final solutions to about 1-5, and a concentrate stabilizing weak acid component selected from the group consisting of propionic, butyric and valeric acids and mixtures thereof. The concentrate stabilizing component enhances the room and low temperature phase stability of the concentrates, even when used at very low levels typically ranging from 2.5%-15% by weight. Preferably, the fatty acid is a mixture of nonanoic and decanoic acids, whereas the strong acid is selected from the group consisting of orthophosphoric, sulfuric and mixtures thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with improved fatty acid sanitizer compositions in both concentrate and diluted forms which include a relatively low-cost stabilizing component therein giving the compositions enhanced stability, particularly at low temperatures. More particularly, the invention is concerned with such concentrates and diluted solutions which include an effective amount of a weak acid selected from the group consisting of propionic, butyric and valeric acids and mixtures thereof; use of such stabilizing components at relatively moderate levels materially increases the room and low temperature stability of the compositions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of different sanitizing compositions have been proposed in the past for the control of potentially harmful microbial species such as gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, e.g., E. coli and S. aureus. For example, compositions of this type may be used in the dairy industry for sanitizing milk-handling equipment and lines. As can be appreciated, such equipment must be routinely cleaned and sanitized to avoid the buildup of bacteria thereon which would contaminate the milk product.
Representative and effectively equivalent prior sanitizing compositions have included iodine (U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,965), or fatty acids (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,867,300 and 4,404,040) as the primary bactericidal agents therein. Moreover, these compositions are generally sold to end users as concentrates, and are then diluted with a relatively large fraction of water to form final cleaning solutions.
A problem with certain of these prior compositions, and particularly the fatty acid-type sanitizers, stems from the fact that they have poor phase stability unless significant amounts of relatively expensive additives (e.g., citric acid) are employed. This in turn means that the cost of the sanitizers is increased, not in order to provide more effective germicidal activity, but simply to insure that the concentrates do not undergo phase separation at room or low temperatures.


An image forming apparatus including: image forming sections, each image forming section forming an image of a color component among plural color components under a predetermined condition, and forming a pattern of each color component for adjusting the condition; a detecting section that reads the formed patterns so as to perform a temporary detection and a main detection of a deviation from a reference under the condition; and a correction control section that determines whether the deviation of the temporary detection exceeds a predetermined threshold value or not, and when the deviation exceeds the threshold value, executes the main detection to fully detect the deviation so as to correct the condition, wherein the correction control section controls to form the pattern for the temporary detection, the number of the color components for the temporary detection being fewer than those of the patterns to be used for the main detection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that can correct a condition for forming an image, and a correction method of an image forming condition.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been known a color image forming apparatus that forms images of a plurality of color components, superimposes these images, and outputs the resultant image. In a color image forming apparatus described above, it is important, in order to obtain an excellent image quality, to form images of the respective color components under a predetermined condition. For example, a positional deviation (color misregistration) upon superimposing images of the respective color components corresponds to the image quality. Alternatively, keeping the density of each image of each color component to be a predetermined density corresponds to the image quality. Color misregistration is inherent to a color image. A great color misregistration might be evaluated as a poor image quality. When there is unevenness in the density of each color component, a sense of congruity occurs in a hue. In order to keep the image quality to be in a predetermined state, a technique has been performed in which a pattern is formed after a lapse of predetermined time, and this pattern is read to detect a misregistration amount from a reference for correcting a condition for forming an image. In order to make the misregistration amount small, it is preferable that the correction for the misregistration amount is carried out in a short interval. However, it takes much time to detect the misregistration amount, since the misregistration amount is detected by forming a pattern. Further, toner or ink, which is used to form an image, is consumed for forming a pattern. Even if a consumption amount of toner is small in one correction, the consumption amount reaches a non-negligible amount when the correction of the misregistration amount is frequently repeated. In the case of a user who mostly forms a monochrome image, for example, a color toner or the like is consumed although he/she rarely forms a color image. This situation is unreasonable. In particular, cost for a color toner is more expensive than the cost for a black toner used for monochrome image formation in most cases. A problem of who is to pay the toner expense used for the pattern formation is likely to arise.
As one technique for reducing the unreasonableness described above, a technique has been proposed in which a preliminary check is executed for confirming a degree of color misregistration, when the time for correcting color misregistration has come, and when the color misregistration is great, the correction described above is executed (e.g., see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 2005-202110)
As described above, a technique for shortening a time taken for the correction of the image quality has conventionally been discussed. On the other hand, a demand for the image quality of a color image has more and more increased. The detection of the misregistration amount and the correction are inevitable. A technique capable of reducing a processing time taken for the correction and a consumption amount of toner or the like without reducing a frequency for performing a correction of a misregistration amount has been demanded.
On the other hand, a color image forming apparatus generally forms a color image by using four color components of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. Some apparatuses provide an extended color reproduction area or satisfactory halftone capability with the use of more color components. In either case, a pattern should be formed for each color component so as to detect the misregistration amount from a reference, in order to correct an image quality.
Considering the consumption amount of each color component, the toners exclusively used for a color image formation, such as yellow, magenta, cyan, or the like, tend to be consumed uniformly compared to a black toner used also for a monochrome image formation. It is found from a commercial distribution manner of a color toner that each of the colors is frequently available as one set. However, since the composition ratio of each color component is different depending upon an image, the consumption amount is not always the same. Even so, if any one of the colors of the color components is consumed, the color image formation cannot help being inhibited. From this viewpoint, toners exclusively used for the color image formation are preferably consumed equally.

Image forming apparatus and correction method of image forming condition


A method and apparatus report or identify channel quality information. The method for reporting includes selecting one or more beams for channel quality reporting. The method also includes mapping, by the UE, indices of the one or more selected beams to one or more channel quality values. Additionally, the method includes sending channel quality information for the one or more selected beams according to the mapping. The method for identifying includes receiving an indication of indices of one or more beams selected for reporting. The method also includes receiving channel quality information for the one or more selected beams. The method further includes identifying a mapping of the indices of the one or more selected beams to one or more channel quality values. Additionally, the method includes identifying a channel quality value for each of the one or more selected beams according to the mapping.

In recent years, the number of subscribers to mobile communication services has exceeded five billion and is growing quickly. Mobile communication technologies have been developed to attempt to satisfy the increasing demand and to provide more and better mobile communication applications and services. As more people use mobile communication systems and more services are provided over these systems, there is an increasing need for mobile communication systems with larger capacity, higher throughput, lower latency, and better reliability.
Conventionally, millimeter waves refer to radio waves with wavelength in the range of 1 mm to 10 mm, which correspond to radio frequencies of 30 GHz to 300 GHz. These radio waves exhibit unique propagation characteristics. For example, compared with lower frequency radio waves, they suffer higher propagation loss, have poorer ability to penetrate objects, such as buildings, walls, foliage, and are more susceptible to atmosphere absorption, deflection and diffraction due to particles (e.g., rain drops) in the air. On the other hand, because of their smaller wave lengths, more antennas placed into a relative small area, thus enabling high-gain antenna in a small form factor. In addition, due to the aforementioned deemed disadvantages, these radio waves have been less utilized than lower frequency radio waves. Additionally, higher frequencies in the super high frequency (SHF) band (e.g., 3 GHz to 30 GHz) also exhibit similar behavior as radio waves in the extremely high frequency (EHF) band (i.e., millimeter waves), such as large propagation loss and the possibility of implementing high-gain antennas in small form factors.
Vast amount of spectrum are available in the millimeter wave band. For example, the frequencies around 60 GHz, which are typically referred to as 60 GHz band, are available as unlicensed spectrum in most of the countries. Recently, many engineering and business efforts have been invested to utilize the millimeter waves for short-range wireless communication.
Therefore, there is a need for improved wireless communication systems and, more specifically, to reporting channel quality information for beams used in a wireless communication system.

Channel quality information and beam index reporting


The present disclosure, in embodiments, provides a compound of the formula

Gas chromatography equipment is known and can be used, for example, in chemical analysis or diagnostics, to separate and identify chemical compounds in mixtures or in isolation. Certain chemical compounds are known which can be used, for example, to deactivate fused silica capillary columns or like articles used in gas chromatography equipment.

Polyhydrosiloxane compounds and articles and use thereof

Abstract: where R1, R2, R3, n, and m are as defined in the specification. The disclosure also provides an article including: a fused silica capillary column treated with a compound of the formula (I), and optionally coated with a stationary phase. The disclosure also provides a separation method, including chromatographing a mixture of compounds on the article.


A secondary battery module includes a unit battery aggregate having a plurality of unit batteries arranged spaced from each other; a housing adapted to receive the unit battery aggregate; and a communicating member installed inside the housing, the communicating member adapted to supply a cooling medium flowing into the housing between a plurality of the unit batteries. The housing includes an inlet for flowing temperature control air into the unit battery aggregate, an outlet for flowing out the air passing through the unit battery, and a communicating member arranged perpendicular to the direction of inflow and outflow of the air with respect to the inlet and the outlet to communicate with a flowing channel between unit batteries, respectively.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a secondary battery, and more particularly, to a cooling structure for a secondary battery module having a plurality of unit batteries.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Unlike a primary battery, a secondary battery may be recharged. Lower power batteries are used for various portable electronic devices such as cellular phones, laptop computers, and camcorders. Bulk size batteries are used as the power source for motor drive, such as in hybrid electric vehicles.
Depending on their external shape, secondary batteries may be classified into different types, for example, prismatic and cylindrical batteries. When they are used for machines requiring a high power source such as the hybrid electric vehicles, secondary batteries may be in the form of a high power secondary battery module.
A secondary battery module is formed by serially connecting several secondary batteries ("unit battery"). Each of the unit batteries includes an electrode assembly in which a separator is interposed between a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The electrode assembly is inserted into a container, and a cap assembly is assembled with the container to seal the container. If the unit battery is a prismatic type battery, the cap assembly includes a positive terminal and a negative terminal extending from the inside to the outside of the container and electrically connected to a positive electrode and a negative electrode, respectively.
In addition, the positive and negative terminals of one unit battery are arranged to alternate with the positive and negative terminals of an adjacent unit battery. The unit cells are electrically connected to each other to form the secondary battery module by fastening a conductive adaptor to the negative and positive terminals with screw threads on their outer surface.
Since the secondary battery module connects several to tens of unit batteries to form one battery module, there is a need to efficiently dissipate heat generated from each unit battery. In particular, when the secondary battery module is used for vehicles such as electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles, the heat dissipation is of significant importance.
If the heat dissipation does not occur properly, the temperature of the secondary battery module may excessively increase due to the heat generated from each unit battery. Accordingly, the secondary battery module and the unit driven by the secondary battery module may malfunction.
In addition, if the secondary battery module includes prismatic type unit batteries, it is more likely to generate excessive heat due to the structural characteristics of the prismatic type.
Accordingly, a cell barrier may be disposed between unit batteries. The space formed between unit batteries by the cell barrier is used not only for cooling unit batteries but also for preventing distortion due to heat expansion of the unit batteries.
However, such a cooling mechanism for secondary battery modules may cause an uneven temperature difference between unit batteries since the amount of cooling air supplied to the space between unit batteries may vary.
Accordingly, the secondary battery module is not able to maximize its characteristics such as charge-discharge characteristic, decreasing the efficiency of the modules.


A vehicle control method executed by a processor capable of making a subject vehicle change a lane includes: acquiring surrounding information of the subject vehicle by a sensor provided in the subject vehicle; determining whether a distractive factor for a driver of another vehicle is present when the subject vehicle enters the front of the other vehicle traveling on the second lane for changing lanes from a first lane to a second lane adjacent to the first lane; setting a lane change time required for the subject vehicle to change lanes longer than when determining none of the distractive factor to be present when determining distractive the factor to be present; and controlling a traveling position of the subject vehicle on the first lane within the lane change time.

A vehicle control system for changing a lane of a vehicle from a traveling lane to an adjacent lane is known. Such control system sets a lane change time required for the lane change longer as the vehicle speed is smaller when the vehicle speed is smaller than a first predetermined value. Additionally, such control system sets the lane change time longer as the vehicle speed is longer when the vehicle speed is bigger than a second predetermined value (JP2017-140857A).

Vehicle control method and vehicle control device


Systems and methods for controlling an irrigation flow rate during a lithotripsy procedure are provided. The system includes a laser configured for lithotripsy procedure, a lithotripsy irrigation system, and a temperature sensor configured to provide input to enable control of a flow of the lithotripsy irrigation system in response to a change in temperature from the operation of the laser.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
Lithotripsy is a common method for fragmenting stones, or calculi, in the urinary tract, kidneys, and/or bladder. Most lithotripsy devices use ultrasound, laser, shockwave, or pneumatic energy sources to fragment such stones. Traditionally, the lithotripter includes a shaft connected to an electrically controlled driver or a pneumatic actuator. The shaft is inserted into the patient's anatomy to a location near the stone, and a waveform is sent through the shaft to impact the stone with the shaft to create a jackhammer or drilling effect on the stone, thus fragmenting the stone into smaller elements to be removed. Fragments are then removed, for example, by irrigation or basket. Recently, laser energy is replacing the use of ultrasound in lithotripsy as the smaller diameter laser fibers, compared to large diameter of the shaft, are less invasive.
In lithotripsy, irrigation may be used to clear the field of view to support an efficient stone management procedure. However, too much irrigation can create a retropulsion effect on stone fragments which makes it harder to target them with lithotripters and therefore reduces procedural efficiency. Further, in laser lithotripsy, irrigation may be used to remove the fragments from a patient's body. Using current laser lithotripsy systems, the operator controls the irrigation by controlling an irrigation pump system. These systems require that the operator continuously modulate the irrigation flow rate to balance the procedural needs of clear field of view and low fragment retropulsion.
Accordingly, there exists a need for more effective, simpler, and automated laser lithotripsy system.


The improved actuator for rear-view mirrors includes a single pulling mechanism and a locking mechanism. The pulling mechanism includes a linear cylinder and a stop dispose next to a free end of the body of the linear cylinder. The locking mechanism has matching first and second locking elements, where at least one of the locking elements is integral with the pulling mechanism.

The improved actuator for rear-view mirrors is applicable to all types of industry, though it is particularly suited for large vehicles and even more specifically for use on large vehicles formed by the joining of several units, e.g. urban or suburban trams or trains in which it is necessary to watch the movement or access of people around the vehicle. It could also be used on buses, trucks, trolleybuses or other similar vehicles.
These rear view mirrors for large vehicles usually consist of a case which holds the mirror and is articulated at one side to a support which anchors it to the bodywork of the vehicle, while the other side can be folded against the bodywork in the habitual closed position until it is forced away from it by the actuator.
The action of the wind or of other factors may move the rear view mirror from the closed position to the open position at undesired moments. Such would be the case, for example, of the suction produced by the air when moving at speed through a tunnel, or of the rear view mirror being caught in the washing mechanism. For these reasons it seems advisable to be able to lock the case in position on the support.
The current state of technology applied to this type of rear-view mirror can be seen in Model ES U9500741, by the same applicants, which describes a movable rear-view mirror for large vehicles which can be turned automatically to place it parallel or perpendicular to the side of the vehicle, coinciding with the mirror's positions of closed or opened respectively, and which is made up of a case which holds the mirror, solidly articulated to a support fixed to the corresponding side of the vehicle. Furthermore the rear-view mirror has a rotating device fixed to the support, the axis of which is situated in the direction of the rotation axis of the case, which when actuated automatically causes the rear-view mirror to turn, opening or unfolding from the side of the vehicle; the device is turned in the opposite direction for the rear-view mirror to be once more folded against the side, the position normally adopted when the vehicle is in motion. It also has a fixing mechanism which ensures the said folded position of the mirror with respect to the support and the side of the vehicle to which it is attached. The system designed in this way is expensive to manufacture and the turning device used even more so.
The same applicants perfect and simplify the rear-view mirrors of the type described and make them more economical with the use of a linear pneumatic cylinder, of single or double action, and therefore submit for registration, with number U9902742, a rear-view mirror which includes a case which holds the mirror, and which is articulated to the support which can be fixed to the corresponding side of the vehicle, the case and the support being connected by a pneumatic cylinder, the action of which automatically causes the case to turn on its support, from a closed or folded position against the same to an unfolded position, which coincides with open, or vice versa, and the essential characteristic of which lies in the fact that one end of the pneumatic cylinder is anchored in an articulated manner to the case, while the free end of the piston is articulated to a projection on the support. The piston of the pneumatic cylinder has a prolongation directed towards the projection of the support upon which it is articulated. This arrangement achieves the swift and simple folding or unfolding of the rear view mirror although the locking mechanism continues to be pulled by means of an additional pneumatic cylinder.
At this stage of the technique it seems necessary to have a second pulling mechanism to force the locking mechanism, normally acting on a first locking element provided on the case carrying the mirror and part of the said locking mechanism against a second locking mechanism of said locking mechanism that is fixed to the support of the case, or vice versa. However, it is evident that this is expensive, as well as complex, because to the cost of a second cylinder must be added that of its valves, flow regulators or other elements necessary for its use.


A data processing system 118 is provided that supports execution of both native instructions using a processor core and non-native instructions that are interpreted using either a hardware translator 122 or a software interpreter. Separate explicit return to non-native instructions and return to native instructions are provided for terminating subroutines whereby intercalling between native and non-native code may be achieved with reduced processing overhead. Veneer non-native subroutines may be used between native code and non-native main subroutines. The veneer non-native subroutines may be dynamically created within the stack memory region of the native mode system.

This invention relates to the field of data processing. More particularly, this invention relates to data processing systems supporting both native instructions and interpreted non-native instructions and within which it is desired to make subroutine calls from native code to a non-native subroutine.
It is a well known computer programming technique to utilise subroutine calls within a program structure. Such subroutine calls allow frequently used code segments to be re-used from different points within a computer program. When a computer program reaches a point at which it is desired to start execution of a subroutine, a call instruction will be executed to redirect processing to the start of the subroutine. At the end of the subroutine, a return instruction will be executed that returns processing control to the address within the program code immediately following the point from which the subroutine call was made.
It is known to provide computer program operations utilising a mix of native instructions that may be directly executed by a processor core and non-native instructions that require interpretation into the form of native instructions prior to execution. Typically, native instructions are more rapid to execute but have a lower code density and are more difficult to program than non-native instructions.
FIG. 14 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a known technique whereby a non-native caller routine may make a subroutine call to a non-native subroutine. The call is made by an invoke_static instruction that passes processing control to the start of the corresponding subroutine. At the end of the subroutine, a return instruction is executed that returns processing to the non-native instruction immediately following the invoke_static instruction.
FIG. 15 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a native caller program used to call a native subroutine. In this example, the caller native program and the subroutine native program are written in ARM object code form (using the native instructions of an ARM processor as produced by ARM Limited of Cambridge, England). The caller program issues a native call instruction BL<address> that passes control to the start of the native subroutine program. The BL<address> also stores a return address in a register of the processor core (in this example the link register lr) that points to the address following the subroutine call instruction. At the end of the native subroutine, a return instruction in the form of a MOVS pc lr native instruction serves to move the stored return address from the link register lr into the program counter register pc thereby directing processing to resume at the native instruction following the original calling instruction.
FIG. 16 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a common non-native subroutine that may be called by either native calling code or non-native calling code. Since the non-native subroutine is executed in a non-native mode, when the subroutine has completed, it is required to determine whether a return is being made to a non-native calling program, in which case a mode change is not required, or alternative to a native calling program, in which case a mode change is required. In order to achieve this, the return instruction at the end of the non-native subroutine has to test to determine whether or not a return is being made to a native calling program or a non-native calling program before the return is actually made. This slows down processing. Given below is an example of some ARM object code instructions that may be interpreted from the non-native return instruction at the end of the subroutine of FIG. 16 in order to carry out the appropriate determination and return to the native calling program or the non-native calling program as necessary:                do_return                    LDR Rtmp, [Rframe, #previous_frame]            CMP Rtmp, #0            BEQ return_to_native                        return_to_java                    Code to perform return to non-native Java code                        return_to_native                    Code to perform return to native ARM or Thumb codeIn this example code the return instruction is a Java bytecode that has been interpreted by a Java software interpreter into ARM object code that serves to determine whether or not the previous frame value from which the call was made was #0. If the previous frame value was #0, then this indicates that the calling program was a native program and a return to a native program mode (i.e. ARM object code) is made. If the previous frame value is not #0, then the calling program was a non-native program and a return to a non-native mode (i.e. Java) is made.
It will be appreciated that the extra processing needed each time a return is made to determine whether or not the calling program was a native calling program or a non-native calling program is a performance disadvantage. This is particularly the case since in a large majority of cases non-native subroutines are called from non-native calling programs and native subroutines are called from native calling programs with comparatively little intercalling between native and non-native routines. Thus, the checking in an overwhelming majority of cases produces a result indicating the mode is uncharged but must nevertheless take place on each return instruction in order to cater for the relatively rare cases of an intercall between native and non-native code.
FIG. 17 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a known system whereby a non-native veneer subroutine is called from calling native code as an indirect technique for triggering execution of a main non-native subroutine. The use of such veneer subroutines is a known technique for efficient programming.
Examples of known systems for translation between instruction sets and other background information may be found in the following: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,805,895; 3,955,180; 5,970,242; 5,619,665; 5,826,089; 5,925,123; 5,875,336; 5,937,193; 5,953,520; 6,021,469; 5,568,646; 5,758,115; and 5,367,685; IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, March 1988, pp 308–309, "System/370 Emulator Assist Processor For a Reduced Instruction Set Computer"; IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, July 1986, pp 548–549, "Full Function Series/1 Instruction Set Emulator"; IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, March 1994, pp 605–606, "Real-Time CISC Architecture HW Emulator On A RISC Processor"; IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, March 1998, p 272, "Performance Improvement Using An EMULATION Control Block"; IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, January 1995, pp 537–540, "Fast Instruction Decode For Code Emulation on Reduced Instruction Set Computer/Cycles Systems"; IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, February 1993, pp 231–234, "High Performance Dual Architecture Processor"; IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, August 1989, pp 40–43, "System/370 I/O Channel Program Channel Command Word Prefetch"; IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, June 1985, pp 305–306, "Fully Microcode-Controlled Emulation Architecture"; IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, March 1972, pp 3074–3076, "Op Code and Status Handling For Emulation"; IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, August 1982, pp 954–956, "On-Chip Microcoding of a Microprocessor With Most Frequently Used Instructions of Large System and Primitives Suitable for Coding Remaining Instructions"; IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, April 1983, pp 5576–5577, "Emulation Instruction"; the book ARM System Architecture by S Furber; the book Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach by Hennessy and Patterson; and the book The Java Virtual Machine Specification by Tim Lindholm and Frank Yellin 1st and 2nd editions.

Intercalling between native and non-native instruction sets


A support apparatus for a component is provided and includes a periphery entirely disposable within a footprint of the component on a surface of a substrate, a first portion having a first surface adhesively connectable to the component, a second portion having a second surface disposable to contact the surface of the substrate in discrete sectors and defining an aperture through which leads are extendable from the component and through the substrate, and vents extending between the discrete sectors from the aperture to the periphery, and bosses disposed to protrude from the second surface and into through-holes defined in the substrate.

The present invention relates to a component support, and, more specifically, to a component or capacitor support for a densely populated circuit board.
Recent trends in antenna array configurations point toward the use of increasingly complex circuit boards that are tightly packed with densely populated components. At the same time, the trends indicate that the real estate made available for strain relief of the components (i.e., capacitors) with off the shelf clamps will be reduced. Thus, current circuit board design programs presently have and will continue to have a need for compact capacitor support that efficiently uses available circuit board space to provide for strain relief.
Typically, capacitor support is provided by vertical mounting brackets. These clamps are adjustable to multiple sizes of capacitors, are extremely cheap and can be repeatedly deployed when adequate space is allocated to accommodate them. However, as noted above, circuit board densities are becoming critical and there is rarely additional space available for the wide flange on these clamps. Other options include clamps that are often used in automotive applications. These clamps are also relatively inexpensive and repeatedly deployable by press-fittings into their circuit boards so as to not require any additional solder operations. The right angle design of these clamps uses considerable real estate, however, and therefore they are not ideal for applications where dense packaging is necessary. Yet another option includes bonding of capacitors to circuit boards directly but the adhesives that can be used are limited and rework is challenging.

Component support for dense circuit board


An anti-rolling motion control system for an automotive vehicle is provided. This control system comprises shock absorbers each being variable of a damping coefficient within a range from softer to harder damping characteristics, a steering sensor for monitoring a steered angle of a steering wheel, and a rolling motion control unit. The rolling motion control unit is operable to derive steered angular velocity based on the steered angle of the steering wheel. The rolling motion control unit controls the shock absorbers so that the damping coefficients are modified to exhibit the harder damping characteristics when the steered angular velocity and the steered angle are greater than preselected first and second threshold values respectively for suppressing rolling motion of a vehicle body effectively while securing traveling stability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a suspension control system for an automotive vehicle. More particularly, the invention is directed to a suspension control system which is operable to vary damping coefficients of shock absorbers for suppressing rolling motion of a vehicle body when turning.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Japanese Patent First Publication No. 61-184114 discloses an anti-rolling motion control suspension system for an automotive vehicle. This suspension system is operable to detect steered angular velocity and controls shock absorbers to exhibit high damping coefficients when the detected steered angular velocity is greater than a preselected threshold value for suppressing rolling motion of a vehicle body.
However, such a prior art suspension system encounters a drawback in that when a threshold value of a steered angular velocity is set to a relatively small value for enhancing sensitivity of anti-rolling motion control, a shock absorber tends to be modified to assume a high damping coefficient even when a steered angle is a small value which does not require the anti-rolling motion control, resulting in vehicle riding comfort being degraded. Alternatively, a greater threshold value of the steered angular velocity causes the sensitivity of the anti-rolling motion control to be reduced, inducing a control response rate to be delayed when quick and/or additional steering operations are made.

Automotive suspension system for anti-rolling control


Storage systems and methods for distributed support ticket processing are disclosed. An exemplary method may include accessing at least one storage device in a storage system by an interface manager to retrieve raw support ticket data from the at least one storage device. The method may also include analyzing the raw support ticket data at the interface manager to generate a support ticket for the storage system. The method may also include decoding the support ticket to an intermediate format at a management station. The method may also include presenting the converted support ticket to a user at the management station.

Computer storage systems may be provided for handling large volumes of computer-readable data on removable storage media, such as magnetic tape cartridges and optical storage media, to name only a few examples (generally referred to herein as "storage cartridges"). Such storage systems may be provided as automated storage systems including one or more storage locations for a plurality of storage cartridges and a robotic picker assembly (or "picker") to handle the storage cartridges. One or more tape drives may be included for read/write operations on the storage cartridge. The picker and tape drives are generally be referred to as "storage devices."
Generating and archiving support tickets for troubleshooting storage systems, while conceptually simple, can prove challenging because of the large amount of data that needs to be collected, processed and presented to the user, which translates into crippling CPU bandwidth, physical memory, and persistent storage requirements.
Even when these factors don't prevent support ticket generation altogether, the time required for such operation can impact usability and device availability. Users who want to generate a support ticket for all of the storage system components have to sequentially generate tickets for each tape drive, interface controllers, the interface manager and the picker. Generating a tape drive support ticket can take up to ten minutes for a tape drive, sixty minutes for a library changer, thirty minutes for the interface manager, and a few minutes for each of the interface controllers (IFC). In a fully configured storage system, this process can take hours during which backup jobs are interrupted. This also increases the time a support team has to stay on-site to troubleshoot device issues.
There are other reporting strategies used for different types of storage devices ranging from network switches to storage arrays. However, tape libraries are architecturally and functionally different from these other device types, and reporting solutions is typically via in-band access that results in device down time as described above.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A feed-forward operational amplifier including a dedicated summer circuit for summing a signal generated by a first amplifier stage of a feed-forward amplifier and a signal received from an external source to generate a sum signal and a second amplifier stage coupled to the summer circuit and receiving the sum signal. The second amplifier stage realizes a pole-zero doublet to decrease a unity gain frequency of the feed-forward operational amplifier.

Precision instrumentation systems typically require operational amplifiers (opamps) characterized by low noise, low offset, low offset drift, and low distortion in a frequency band of interest. One particular opamp design that meets these requirements is the multipath feed-forward opamp. This design provides high loop gain in a given frequency band and a very low corresponding unity gain crossover frequency. In particular, the high open loop gain minimizes distortion in the output signal. Furthermore, using relatively simple amplifier stages, conditionally stable multipath feed-forward amplifiers can be constructed which support high current loads (capacitive or resistive) while still maintaining stability and high output linearity.
The typical multipath feed-forward opamp is based on a cascade of integrator stages, all of which contribute to the open loop gain at low frequencies. At high frequencies, only the last stage, which is designed to have the highest bandwidth, remains in the signal path. During the transition from low to high frequencies, the integrator stages are bypassed, one at a time, until only the final stage is driving the output.
Depending on the particular multipath feed-forward opamp design, certain integrator stages in the cascade receive multiple input signals. These input signals may come, for example, from one or more prior stages in the cascade, or directly from the opamp external input. Those integrator stages that receive multiple input signals then internally sum the received signals with an integral summer circuit.
One significant problem found in present multipath feed-forward opamps comes from variations in the common mode voltage at the opamp external input. Specifically, inputs of those integrator stages that are directly coupled to the opamp external input are exposed to any variations in common mode voltage. The result is increased complexity in the design and/or reduced input voltage swing. Additionally, an increase in power consumption may result.
In multipath feed-forward amplifiers used in precision applications, such as instrumentation systems, minimal output signal distortion is a critical operational characteristic. For a given power consumption level, a maximum signal to distortion ratio in the frequency band of interest is a highly desired feature. To this end, the problem of minimizing the effects of variations in the common mode voltage at the inputs to the integrator stages must be addressed.

Feed-forward operational amplifiers and methods of using the same


Liquid oral compositions comprising a liquid carrier and one or more deterpenated and fractionated flavor oil(s) have improved taste and clarity.

Liquid oral compositions, such as a mouthwash, mouth rinse, oral spray, cough syrups and the like, typically contain flavor oils for imparting acceptable taste and mouthfeel characteristics. These compositions typically comprise a water, alcohol or water-alcohol carrier into which the flavor oils are dissolved or emulsified. The flavor oils normally include essential oils, such as peppermint oil, spearmint oil, eucalyptus oil, etc . . . as well as other flavor ingredients such as thymol, menthol, eucalyptol, methyl salicylate, and the like which are difficult to dissolve or emulsify in the aqueous/alcoholic carrier without the use of surfactants. Moreover, these flavor oils can impart turbidity and bitterness to the liquid oral composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,524 describes oral antiseptic compositions comprising an aqueous alcoholic solution containing menthol, methyl salicylate, thymol and eucalyptol. These compositions further comprise benzoic acid, boric acid and 2,2-thiobis-(4,6-dichlorophenol). Although having highly effective antiseptic properties, these compositions are known to have a relatively unpleasant bitter and biting taste.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,087 describes compositions containing thymol in which the unpleasant or harsh taste of thymol has been masked by the presence of a sugar alcohol and an effective amount of anethole. These compositions can also contain eucalyptol, menthol, benzoic acid, methyl salicylate and other optional ingredients.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,262 discloses a process for the preparation of terpeneless essential oils whereby the oil is distilled to remove non-volatile materials. The volatile components are adsorbed onto a solid alumina adsorbant which has been pre-treated with ethyl acetate to alter the relative affinity of the adsorbant for the terpenes and for the oxygenated components of the oil. The terpenes are separated from the desired constituents of the oil by elution of the adsorbant with a terpenephilic solvent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,459 describes chewing gum compositions which contain a deterpenated and fractionated flavor oil for better flavor impact, greater sustained flavor release and improved taste. These compositions are solid chewing gum compositions and do not inlcude liquid oral compositions such as mouthwashes and cough syrups.
Because of the problems of turbidity and bitterness associated with the incorporation of flavor oils in liquid oral products, a need exists for flavor oils which have improved taste and a reduction or elimination of turbidity. It is an object of the present invention to provide liquid oral composition comprising flavor oil having improved taste and turbidity characteristics. It is a further object of this invention to provide liquid oral compositions, such as mouthwashes, sprays, rinses, cough syrups and the like, which have incorporated therein deterpenated and fractionated flavor oils. It is an even further object of the present invention to provide liquid oral compositions containing deterpenated and fractionated flavor oils which are non-bitter and non turbid. More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide improved liquid oral compositions containing deterpenated and fractionated flavor oils wherein the monoterpenes and sesquiterpenses have been removed.

Liquid oral compositions comprising deterpenated and fractionated flavor oils


A control device that controls a heating device having a plurality of heating zones, has a monitoring unit configured to monitor a temperature of at least a first heating zone in the plurality of heating zones, and a control unit configured to perform heat-up starting control, in which heat-up of at least a second heating zone is started in the plurality of heating zones, based on the temperature of the first heating zone.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to control of a heating device including a plurality of heating zones.
Related Art
Conventionally, in a reflow device that is used in soldering when an electronic component is mounted on a surface of a printed circuit board, in order to heat the printed circuit board with a predetermined temperature profile, the printed circuit board is conveyed through a plurality of series-connected heating zones having different temperatures using a conveyer. A temperature controller performs on/off control of a heater provided in each heating zone, thereby adjusting the temperature of each heating zone.
In the reflow device, generally the heaters and the temperature controllers of all the heating zones are simultaneously powered on to separately heat up the heating zones to different setting temperatures. Therefore, until the temperature of the heating zone having the higher setting temperature is stabilized, powers of other heating zones are wasted for the purpose of temperature control.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for reducing a total current of the heaters during a heat-up process by shifting a heat-up starting time of the heater in each heating zone. In the technology, the temperature to which the heating zone can be heated up in a predetermined time is previously measured in each heater, and the heat-up starting time of each heater is set by the measured value.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 2885047 (issued Apr. 19, 1999)

Control device, heating device control system, control method, program, and recording medium


A method for gathering data may include receiving query information in a first format related to a query, identifying a format-independent portion of the query information and a format-dependent portion of the query information, and translating the format-dependent portion of the query data for rendition in a second format. A computer program product may include instructions to cause a processor to identify a first platform that a responder intends to use to respond to a first query in a data gathering tool, format the first query for rendition at the first platform, identify a second platform that the responder intends to use to respond to a second query in the data gathering tool, and format the second query for rendition at the second platform. The computer program product may be tangibly stored on machine readable media.

This disclosure relates to gathering data.
Many surveys, questionnaires, forms, and other data gathering tools have a format for gathering data using a single particular platform. For example, questionnaires that include both questions and potential replies can be drafted using word processing programs, printed on paper, and distributed to responders. Once a responder has completed the questionnaire, the responses can be converted into an electronic format using optical character recognition software. Likewise, surveys can be created in HTTP format and rendered on a computer screen using a Web browser.


The present invention relates to a method for producing halftone dots in the field of image hard copying, more particularly to a method for frequency-modulation screening using error diffusion based on dual-feedback. In the known frequency-modulation and amplitude-modulation screening technology, it is hard to output a halftone image with high quality using an output equipment with a low resolution (600 dpi) and the satisfactory effect of representing the gradations of the original image in detail and holding the smoothness of the original image can not be achieved. By using the dual-feedback technology based on a basic algorithm of the error distribution, the method in the present invention realizes the organic combination of the conventional frequency-modulation and amplitude-modulation screens and achieves the effect of mixed screening. The method in the present invention can effectively solve the problem of losing gradations of dots in an output equipment with low resolution and can reduce the moire caused by the random distribution characteristic so as to output halftone images with high quality and full gradations.

The image hard copying generally relates to the screening and plate-making technology of printers and advanced printing and plate-making equipments. The screening technology used for image hard copying is also called the technology of digital image halftone. The technology of digital image halftone comprises amplitude-modulation screening and frequency-modulation screening. The technology of amplitude-modulation screening is also called ordered dithering of gathered dots, characterizing in that produced colored dots in a halftone image are pairwise gathered geometrically so as to form clusters of colored regions called dots. Since the technology is to control the area of the dots to represent the gray level of the original image, the dots is called amplitude-modulation dots.
On the other hand, the frequency-modulation halftone image avoids the geometrical gather of the colored dots in the process of production of the image. The technology represents the gray level of the original image by controlling the number of the colored dots in a unit area. Since the colored dots in the frequency-modulation halftone image are not distributed in the form of gathering, different gray levels in the original image are corresponding to different average distances among the dots. According to the view of digital image processing, the frequency of the image is variable. Thus, the technology is called frequency-modulation screening.
In the field of printing, the technologies of amplitude-modulation and frequency-modulation have respective advantages and disadvantages for the process of image hard copying. Since the amplitude-modulation dots have certain dimensions (i.e. the halftone count) and specific regular angles (i.e. the halftone angle) for arrangement of the dots, the represented tone of the image is very regular during the practical process of a halftone image, without generating any texture. Thus, the object bearing the printed content looks "clear". However, in the practical process, when halftone images with different angles and slightly different counts are overlapped, the optical interference phenomenon is generally generated due to the characteristics of the counts and angles. The phenomenon is called "moire" in the printing field. Furthermore, the amplitude-modulation halftone dots also have the characteristic of shape of the dots. Therefore, the shape of the dots will be changed with the change of the size of the dots during the change of continuous tone gradations so as to generate a phenomenon of jump and loss of the continuous tone gradations. The familiar "moire" and phenomenon of jump of gradations should be avoided or inhibited in practical use so that the process is needed to be improved. The conventional amplitude-modulation screening is disclosed in a reference: Screen Techniques: Moire in Four Color Printing, Paul A. Delabastita, TAGA Proceedings, 1992, 1:44-66.
To the contrary, the size of the frequency-modulation halftone dots is changeless (the size generally equals to that of a pixel of the output equipment and the count does not exist) and the distribution of the dots has the characteristic of random dithering (the angle does not exist). Therefore, the "moire" and jump of gradations in the amplitude-modulation dots are avoided completely. However, other problems occur due to the characteristic of distribution of random dots. Since the distribution of the frequency-modulation halftone dots is random absolutely and sharpens the image, the texture due to the random effect generally occurs in those medium gradations of the continuous tone image and "worm" texture generally occurs in light and deep gradations. The texture is hard to be avoided because of the random characteristic. Furthermore, the size of the frequency-modulation halftone dots generally equals to that of a single dot of a physical equipment. Thus, some of the dots are generally lost if the status of the physical output equipment is not good. Further, frequency-modulation screening generally loses gradations especially in the light and deep gradations during the process so that the image cannot be represented with high quality. The conventional error distribution algorithm is disclosed in a reference: Printer Models and Error Diffusion, T. N. Pappas and D. L. Neuho, IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, vol. 4, pp. 66-79, January 1995.
In the field of printing and plate-making, the output equipment used for image hard copying is generally a laser phototypesetting machine, a laser printer, a laser inkjet printer, and the like. Since the two types of halftone dots are limited by the process, the amplitude-modulation dots is mostly used in the field of laser phototypesetting with back-end printing and the frequency-modulation dots is mostly used for equipments in the field of desktop office such as a laser printer, an inkjet printer, and the like. As a whole, the application scope of the frequency-modulation halftone dots is not wider than that of the amplitude-modulation halftone dots because the size of the frequency-modulation halftone dots is changeless and too small. Thus, if the precision of the physical output equipment and the adsorbability of the ink and the object bearing the printed content are not satisfied requirements, the effect of the represented image produced by the frequency-modulation halftone dots is far away from that produced by the amplitude-modulation halftone dots. The reason is that the size of the amplitude-modulation halftone dots is changed in different gradations so as to ensure enough ink is adsorbed on the object bearing the printed content.
Although the effect of the frequency-modulation halftone dots based on the error distribution technology is better than that of amplitude-modulation halftone dots in detail. However, the application of the amplitude-modulation halftone dots is limited because of the above-mentioned disadvantages and it should be improved.

Method for frequency-modulation screening using error diffusion based on dual-feedback

Peking University Founder Group Co., Ltd.


A medical device such as a stent, surgical staple, bone anchoring device or bone fixation device, intended to be deployed within the body, composes a shape memory alloy (SMA) portion with an austenitic and unaustenitic state with different memorized configurations in each of these states. The SMA which is initially in an initial configuration in which it can be placed into position within the body, can be mechanically deformed into an operational configuration in which it remains deployed within the body.

Implantable medical devices, such as stents, heart valves, bone plates, staples, intrauterine contraceptive devices and the like must meet many requirements to be useful and safe for their intended purpose. For example, they must be chemically and biologically inert to living tissue and to be able to stay in position over extended periods of time. Furthermore, devices of the kind mentioned above must have the ability to expand from a contracted state, which facilitates insertion into body conduits or cavity, to a useful expanded diameter. This expansion is either accomplished by a forced expansion, such as in the case of certain kinds of stent by the action of a balloon-ended catheter, or by self-expansion such as by shape-memory effects.
There are many alloys which display a shape memory effect (SME), known generically as shape memory alloys (SMAs). A widely used metal alloy, particularly for metal applications, is the nickel-titanium alloy, known as "nitinol". Under certain conditions, SMAs can be highly elastic such that they are able to undergo extensive deformation and yet return to their original shape. Furthermore, SMAs possess shape memory properties such that they can "remember" a specific shape imposed during a particular heat treatment and can return to that imposed shape under certain conditions.
The shape memory effect of SMAs results from metallurgical phase transformations. Certain SMAs are characterized by a transition temperature or transition temperature range, above which the predominant metallurgical phase is termed "austenite" and below which the predominant metallurgical phase is termed "martensite". The transformation from austenite (or austenitic state) to martensite (or martensitic state) is termed "martensitic transformation"; the reverse transformation from martensite to austenite is termed as "austenitic transformation". The transformations in fact occur over a range of temperatures and are commonly discussed with reference to M.sub.s and M.sub.f, the start and finish temperatures of the martensitic transformation, respectively, and A.sub.s and A.sub.f, the start and finish temperatures of the austenitic transformation, respectively. Transformation between these two phases is reversible such that the alloys may be treated to assume different shapes or configurations in the two phases and can reversibly switch between one shape to another when transformed from one phase to the other. Occasionally, SMAs display an intermediate phase, between the austenitic and martensitic states, known as the "R phase". Transformation from austenite to the R phase can also be temperature induced, occur at a temperature referred to as "T.sub.R ". The R phase alone does not impart a significant SME (its recoverable strain does not exceed 1%), in contrast to the austenite and martensite states, but rather is a phase strongly affecting the mechanical properties of the alloy and the SME.
Implantable medical devices made of SMA have been known in the art. Sec for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,786,806, 4,485,816 and 5,037,427. U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,451 discloses a stent employing a unidirectional SME to conform into an operational shape, from an original basic shape of a smaller diameter. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,641, a two-way SME is employed such that the austenitic transformation temperature is above body temperature and the martensitic transformation temperature is below body temperature, whereby the device retains its last conditioned state (e.g. austenite or martensite) at body temperature. U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,210 discloses a stent which is mechanically deformable while in a martensitic state into an operational configuration assumed by it when it is deployed in a tubular organ. The stent of U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,210 exhibits, in its operational configuration, a strain which is on the horizontal plateau of the stress-strain curve of the SMA. U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,508 disclosed a method for the manufacture of shape memory alloy (SMA) device with defined transformation temperature.
The use of stress-induced martensite principle, rather than temperature-induced martensite, has likewise been employed in SMA-based medical devices, e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,906. In such devices, austenitic nitinol is deformed to form stress-induced martensite and held in its deformed configuration and martensitic state by a restraining member. The device is introduced into the body in the deformed configuration, where it is released from the restraining member to return to its austenitic state and configuration without any temperature change.

High strength medical devices of shape memory alloy


A method and an apparatus for scaling demodulated data symbols contained in a packet to generate scaled log-likelihood ratios for Turbo decoding are disclosed. A packet consists of one or more subpackets depending on the type of packet. Each subpacket is identified by a subpacket identification number. The payload size of the packet and the subpacket identification number may be determined by decoding a reverse rate indicator (RRI) channel. A scale factor which is associated with a specific subpacket identification number and a specific payload size results in a performance measure that is closest to an expected performance measure. The scale factor is used for scaling the demodulated data symbols to generate scaled log-likelihood ratios for Turbo decoding.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications, and more specifically, to wireless communications.
2. Background
In an enhanced reverse link scheme, four different types of packets may be transmitted from a mobile station or an access terminal (AT) to a base station. The packets transmitted through the reverse link may have different physical layer packet lengths, for example, four slots, eight slots, twelve slots or sixteen slots, depending on the type of the packet. An access terminal may desire to transmit a packet shorter than sixteen slots while still achieving the same packet error rate (PER) as that of a sixteen-slot packet. For example, it may be desirable to achieve a PER of 1% regardless of the number of slots in the transmitted packet.
When an AT transmits a packet that has a length of less than four subpackets, each of the subpackets consisting of four slots, the AT boosts the traffic-to-pilot (T2P) ratio of the transmitted subpackets to overcome the loss of ratio of bit energy to noise power spectral density (Eb/N0), coding gain and time diversity. The T2P ratio is conventionally defined as the ratio of the chip energy of the data channel (Ec, data) to the chip energy of the pilot (Ecp).
The base station may be able to estimate the physical layer payload size by decoding a reverse rate indicator (RRI) channel in a conventional manner known to a person skilled in the art. However, the base station does not know a priori whether the received subpacket is boosted in power by the AT. The lack of a priori knowledge by the base station may cause a problem in Turbo decoding because unlike a conventional Viterbi convolutional decoder, a Turbo decoder requires knowledge of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) information in computing a log-likelihood ratio (LLR). Hence, some mechanism is needed for properly computing the LLR for the Turbo decoder.
The LLR required for Turbo decoding is typically proportional to the SNR of demodulated data received by the base station, which may be expressed as the ratio of chip energy of the data (Ec, data) to the effective noise power spectral density (Nt) at the base station antenna. Because demodulated data obtained by maximal ratio combining (MRC) are proportional to (Ecp/Nt)·sqrt(T2P), the demodulated data symbol needs to be scaled by the square root of T2P in a conventional scheme of LLR computation. A typical approach of obtaining the LLR for the Turbo decoder is to calculate the estimated T2P ratio from the ratio of SNR of the data symbols to that of the pilot symbols every time a subpacket is received by the base station and then to map the estimated T2P ratio to one of the four choices of packet lengths. However, this approach entails setting decision boundaries which may vary according to the type of physical channel and may be computationally inefficient.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a more efficient but near-optimal approach to LLR computation for the Turbo decoder.

Method and apparatus for near-optimal scaling of log-likelihood ratio (LLR) computation in turbo decoding for hybrid automatic repeat request (ARQ)


Apparatus for detecting failure of an isolation device includes a current sensor to sense current through the isolation device and a circuit responsive to the current sensor output signal and to an enable signal that controls the isolation device for providing an Early Failure Warning (EFW) signal indicative of whether the isolation device has failed. The enable signal is at a first logic level when the isolation device is on and is brought to a second logic level to disable and test the isolation device. Also described is a method of detecting a failure of an isolation device including disabling the isolation device, sensing a current through the isolation device, and providing an EFW signal indicating that the isolation device has failed if the current through the isolation device is greater than a predetermined level when the isolation device is disabled.

Various types of power systems use a switch, such as a Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET), to isolate circuit nodes or elements, for example to isolate a voltage bus from a load, in the event of fault, such as a short circuit or overload condition. In a typical configuration of this type, the switch is coupled in series between the bus and the load. The switch is normally on and, in the event of a short circuit or overload condition, the switch turns off to isolate the circuit nodes. The isolation device and associated circuitry may be designed to protect against a short circuit on the bus and/or in the load or various other types of fault conditions. The bus may be provided by a power supply or converter, a plurality of parallel converters, a motor driver, or a UPS, as just a few examples.
One such power system is described in a U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,146 entitled "Failure Detection of an Isolation Device with PFA Signal Generation in a Redundant Power Supply System" to Malik et al., in which a MOSFET isolation device is coupled in series within a power supply of a redundant power supply system. When a short circuit occurs on a voltage input line of the power supply, Vin, the switch is turned off to isolate the power supply from the bus.
In the '146 circuit, a predictive failure analysis (PFA) signal is generated when the isolation device fails, thereby advantageously signaling the presence of a failure of the isolation device. More particularly, if the gate, drain and source of the switch all short together, then the voltage on the gate, VMONITOR, will be at the same value as the Vout voltage, causing the PFA signal to go low, thereby indicating a failure of the switch.

Methods and apparatus for detecting failure of an isolation device