The invention is a novel cultivar of Elaeagnus. The leaf color is golden yellow on the upper side surface and greyed yellow on the underside surface. The mature leaves curl inwardly on the upper surface leaving the underside of the leaf as the predominant visible surface and color of the bush. The small flowers are funnel-shaped, yellowish white fragrant and 1/2 inch long. The flowers are borne clustered in groups. The plant is an ornamental shrub which may be used as a color accent in landscaping.

The Elaeagnus plant is of the family elaeagneae. A patented Elaeagnus is disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,750 which claims a new variety of olive with a distinctive growth habit. The parent of the novel cultivar in this application is a variegated Elaeagnus scrub with dark green centered leaves bordered by a yellow edge. The parent is 5 to 6 feet high and 5 to 6 feet wide. The leaves are alternate, simple and entire. The leaf shape is elliptic to oblong ovate and varies from 1 to 2 inches in length.


A pilot arc circuit for a plasma torch establishes a pilot arc current in the channel between the torch electrode and torch tip at a first target level which is greater than a predetermined minimum current sufficient to maintain a stable pilot arc. After a period of time following pilot arc initiation, the pilot arc current is reduced to a second target level which is greater than or equal to the predetermined minimum current so that damage to the torch is reduced by minimizing wear on the parts. The pilot arc current is established and maintained as a function of a pilot arc reference signal. Pulsing the pilot arc current assists in main arc transfer and enhances pilot arc stability.

The present invention relates generally to plasma torches and, in particular, to a pilot arc circuit which provides improved pilot arc stability and reduced parts wear.
Plasma torches, also known as electric arc torches, are commonly used for cutting and welding metal workpieces by directing a plasma consisting of ionized gas particles toward the workpiece. A typical plasma torch has a torch tip spaced apart from and surrounding an electrode to define a channel or gap into which a plasma gas is supplied.
As is well known in the art, a pilot arc is initiated inside the torch head by applying a sufficiently high voltage across the channel when a stream of gas is flowing therethrough in the direction of an orifice in the torch tip. The torch tip constitutes a relatively positive potential anode, and the electrode, which has a relatively negative potential, operates as a cathode. The high voltage causes a spark to jump the gap between the electrode and the torch tip, thereby creating an electrically charged low impedance path in the plasma gas stream. Thus, the spark heats the gas, causes it to ionize and establishes a pilot arc current between the electrode and the inner surface of the torch tip.
The high voltage which initiates the spark may be generated by either a DC pulse (e.g., capacitive discharge circuits), an AC pulse (e.g., spark gap circuits) or a steady state DC supply, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,162 to Nourbakhsh. Alternatively, the high voltage spark circuit may be eliminated in favor of a contact start method wherein the electrode and torch tip are brought in contact to initiate current flow and then separated to create the pilot arc.
The pilot arc may also be characterized by the nature and duration of the pilot arc current as follows: (1) a steady DC current of approximately constant level; (2) a DC current pulsing between a higher "pulse" level and a lower "background" level of longer duration; (3) a "blown out pilot" wherein a cycle of initiating the pilot arc for a short duration, extinguishing it and immediately reinitiating it for another short duration is repeated until the cutting arc is established or the start signal is removed; and (4) a single pulse similar to the "blown out pilot" except it does not repeat until the start signal is reapplied. U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,297 to Luo et al. is directed to this latter type of pilot arc, which is generally limited to mechanized cutting applications. Some plasma torch systems limit the duration of the pilot arc by shutting it off after a predetermined time if the cutting arc has not been established.
Once the pilot arc is established between the electrode and the inner surface of the torch tip, the force of the plasma gas flowing through the channel moves the pilot arc toward the tip orifice until it extends from the electrode to the outer surface of the torch tip through the orifice. As soon as the pilot arc has been blown through the tip orifice, the torch is ready to perform a cutting or welding operation. Since the impedance of the workpiece to ground is lower than the impedance of the torch tip to ground, the pilot arc will transfer from the torch tip to the workpiece when the torch is brought sufficiently close to the workpiece. Accordingly, the pilot arc jumps or transfers from the tip to the workpiece so that the workpiece becomes the anode, and the "transferred arc" performs the cutting or welding operation. The transferred arc, which is also commonly referred to as the "main" or "cutting" arc, generally continues until the start signal is removed or the torch is moved away from the workpiece.
Conventional plasma torches include circuitry for controlling the operation of the torch. Examples of such circuitry are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,170,030 to Solley et al. and 5,530,220 to Tatham, both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and specifically incorporated herein by reference. Typically, the torch circuitry will include a pilot arc circuit in which the electrode and tip are coupled with a power source and a main arc circuit in which the electrode, tip and workpiece are coupled with a power source. The pilot arc circuit is usually disconnected upon establishment of the main arc. Sometimes, the same power source is used for both the pilot arc circuit and the main arc circuit. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,220 discloses a current regulated power circuit which supplies power for pilot arc initiation, pilot arc transfer and arc maintenance during operation on the workpiece.
There are a number of well-known problems and challenges associated with pilot arc initiation and transfer in plasma torches. One such problem is maintaining the pilot arc current at a level sufficient to initiate and maintain a stable pilot arc without causing excessive damage to the tip and electrode. Because the load voltage changes rapidly from about 10-40 volts (when the pilot arc is formed inside the torch head) to about 100-200 volts (after the pilot arc has been blown through the tip orifice), the current regulator cannot keep up and the pilot arc current level therefore droops to some extent below its peak level. If the pilot arc current droops below a minimum current sufficient to maintain the pilot arc, the arc will be unstable, resulting in a sputtering pilot which may go out, which may be discontinuous and/or which may be difficult to transfer. If the pilot arc goes out, the arc must be reinitiated which causes further damage to the torch. On the other hand, if the peak level of the pilot arc current is too high, the torch will sustain unnecessary damage since the wear on the tip and electrode increases as the level of the pilot arc current increases. Existing plasma torches that maintain the pilot arc current at a level high enough to avoid a noncontinuous or "sputtering" pilot arc suffer from excessive parts wear as a result of their relatively high average pilot arc current.


A bound materials core measuring device includes a tubular body to accommodate a core sample of road or pathway surfacing bound material. The tubular body has a plurality of graduated scales extending therealong at spaced intervals therearound to enable the core sample to be measured from a plurality of angles by reading from each of the plurality of graduated scales. The tubular body has, located therein, a supporting element for supporting the core sample with the supporting element being mounted for longitudinal movement relative to the tubular body. The tubular body also includes therein a device for effecting the longitudinal movement.

The quality and depth of road and footway surfacing plays an important role in safety for the road and pathway users. Partial subsidence or rucking of the surfacing material may trip a pedestrian on a footway or deflect the tyres of a road vehicle risking loss of control by the motorist.
Highways legislation covering the mandatory requirements for road and pavement quality and particularly depth of surfacing layers has tightened up considerably over recent years. Under the New Roads and Street Works Act, 1991 the allowed tolerance for thickness of upper surfacing layer or "wearing course" is to be within +10 mm to −5 mm of a specified thickness for a given material—most commonly 40 mm. Very substantial penalties are exacted for failure to meet this requirement.
Through safety consciousness and the impact of the stringent legal obligations, those whose work entails excavating roads and pathways are obliged to take great care when reinstating those roads or pathways and are subject to official inspection of their reinstatement work. In the case, for example, of cable television engineers who routinely channel through hundreds of miles of roads and footways to provide cable access to millions of consumers there is a very major budgetary burden to ensure that the roads and footways are properly reinstated and failure to meet the statutory requirement for surfacing layer thickness on inspection can greatly increase their operating costs. Accordingly, it is very important to them to have a demonstrably precise and reliable gauge for measuring the thickness of core samples taken for inspection.
Conventionally, the core samples for inspection are extracted from the site as vertical cylinders of the bound material generally between 100 mm and 150 mm in diameter and up to 300 mm in depth although generally the most important portion to be measured, the wearing course, constitutes only the first 40 mm or so. The core samples are sent to a government laboratory for measurement, taking days and weeks to process and removing any opportunity for witnessing or validation of the results. GB-A-2326722 discloses a bound materials core measuring device comprising a free-standing, rigid, transparent or apertured tubular body adapted to accommodate a core sample of road or pathway surfacing bound material and having a plurality of graduated scales extending therealong at spaced intervals therearound so as to enable the sample to be viewed through the body and the depth of the relevant one or more layers of the core sample to be measured from a plurality of angles by reading from each of the plurality of graduated scales.
The device disclosed in GB-A-2326722 has a plurality of fins extending across the tubular body which support any core sample held within the tubular body. The use of fin supports enable debris to drop away from beneath the core sample resting at the bottom of the tubular body to eliminate associated measurement errors. The fins serve also as support legs for the tubular body which extend from within the tubular body to the exterior thereof.
The baseline zero of the graduated scales is at the level on the tubular body at which a core sample comes to rest when placed in the tubular body. The fin legs are suitably adjustable to ensure that they are level with the baseline zero level before measuring commences.


A nanostructure semiconductor light emitting device may include a base layer having first and second regions and formed of a first conductivity-type semiconductor material; a plurality of light emitting nanostructures disposed on the base layer, each of which including a nanocore formed of a first conductivity-type semiconductor material, and an active layer and a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer sequentially disposed on the nanocore; a contact electrode disposed on the light emitting nanostructures to be connected to the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer; a first electrode connected to the base layer; and a second electrode covering a portion of the contact electrode disposed on at least one of light emitting nanostructures disposed in the second region among the plurality of light emitting nanostructures, wherein light emitting nanostructures disposed in the second region and light emitting nanostructures disposed in the first region among the plurality of light emitting nanostructures have different shapes.

A semiconductor light emitting device such as a light emitting diode (LED) is a device including a material that emits light, in which energy generated through electron-hole recombination is converted into light to be emitted therefrom. LEDs are commonly used as light sources in lighting devices, display devices, and the like, and the development of LEDs has thus been accelerated.
In recent years, semiconductor light emitting devices using nanostructures and technologies for manufacturing the same have been proposed to improve crystallinity and/or luminous efficiency. In such a semiconductor light emitting device using nanostructures, the generation of heat may be relatively reduced or prevented a surface area may be increased due to the use of nanostructures and/or a light emitting area may be increased to enhance luminous efficiency. In addition, an active layer may be obtained from a non-polar plane or a semi-polar plane, whereby luminous efficiency resulting from polarization may be reduced or prevented and efficiency droop characteristics may be improved.
However, such nanostructures may be formed as long nanorods, and may be easily broken in the manufacturing process of the semiconductor light emitting device. In a case in which the nanostructures are broken, leakage current may be increased, resulting in an increased operating voltage of the semiconductor light emitting device.

Nanostructure semiconductor light emitting device


A parking information sensing device is disclosed. Each parking space in a parking lot is disposed with a parking information sensing device, detecting whether a car on the parking space. By means of a driving control circuit, the sensing device drives a light emitting unit to emit a light and a reflecting element of the parking space is on a pathway of the light. Light is reflected by the reflecting element and then passes light sensing unit that detects the reflected light and generates a first sensing signal sent to the driving control circuit. Thus the driving control circuit judges if there is no vehicle on the parking space. On the other hand, it judges if there is a car on the parking space according to another sensing signal. The sensing device further includes a first transmitting/receiving unit that forms a wireless mesh network among parking information sensing devices.

The present invention relates to a sensing device, especially to a parking information sensing device and a providing method thereof.
Cars or motorbikes are the most common kinds of transportation. But it's getting difficult to find out a parking space in a parking lot, especially in a parking lot of shopping malls, department stores or other places. Most users of the parking lot now uses tickets to record status of the parking space. Users only know the number of available parking space through a display panel on an entry of the parking lot. However, they can't get precise location of the available parking space immediately and users can only find out the empty parking space in sight. Once there are only few cars in the parking lot, it's easy to get a parking space. If there is a lot of cars occupied the parking space, it's getting difficult to find out available space.
In order to solve above problems, a parking information system is disclosed. Referring to U.S. Pat. No. 6,147,624, Method and apparatus for parking management system for locating available parking space, a parking management system is provided so that users learn available parking space quickly and park their car easily. However, a sensing device being used is infrared sensor and the infrared sensor itself has low detection sensitivity. It can only detect there is a car on the parking space roughly.
Thus there is a need to develop a parking information sensing device and a providing method thereof that improves precision of checking of parking space status by more sensitive way with lower cost and maintenance fee. Thus people know available parking space easily and precisely.

Parking information sensing device and providing method thereof

Chun Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Araments Bureau, M.N.D.


An integrated circuit may include memory interface circuitry that interfaces with memory. The integrated circuit may include calibration circuitry and storage circuitry. The calibration circuitry may have a first configuration in which the calibration circuitry is formed from a first set of programmable logic regions that configure the calibration circuitry to generate and store calibration data at the storage circuitry. The calibration data may include strobe signal phase settings and read enable control signal timing settings. The calibration circuitry may have a second configuration in which the calibration circuitry is formed from a second set of programmable logic regions that configure the calibration circuitry to load the calibration data from the storage circuitry and to interface with the memory based on the calibration data. The calibration circuitry may occupy fewer programmable logic regions on the integrated circuit in the second configuration than in the first configuration.

Programmable integrated circuits are a type of integrated circuit that can be configured by a user to implement custom logic functions. In a typical scenario, a logic designer uses computer-aided design (CAD) tools to design a custom logic circuit. When the design process is complete, the CAD tools generate configuration data. The configuration data is loaded into a programmable integrated circuit to configure the device to perform desired logic functions.
In a typical system, a programmable integrated circuit, memory devices, and other electronic components are mounted on a printed circuit board. The programmable integrated circuit includes memory interface circuitry that is used to relay data back and forth between the programmable integrated circuit and the memory devices (i.e., the memory interface circuitry is used to read data from and write data into the memory devices).
Conventional memory interface circuitry typically requires clock calibration operations to be performed at each device boot-up in order to align memory controller operations with external memory operations. For example, memory interface clock signals may be calibrated to match data signals received from the memory devices. Performing calibration operations can lead to excessive delay during device power-up. In addition, calibration circuitry may occupy a disproportionately large amount of valuable circuit area on the programmable integrated circuit.
It may therefore be desirable to provide integrated circuits with improved memory interface calibration capabilities.

Integrated circuits with improved memory interface calibration capabilities


A terminal block is disclosed which includes at least one or more connectors for electrical conductors or plugs and a plurality of busbars connecting the conductor or plug connections to one another in an electrically conductive fashion. A freely configurable, pluggable transverse connector can be provided for the electrically conductive connection of at least two or more of the busbars disposed in various planes. The connector being designed as a connector pin having conductive and non-conductive sections in the axial direction.

Terminal blocks are known in various forms.
By plugging connectors or introducing them into plug-in slots that are provided for them, it is possible to connect busbars of two or more terminal blocks conductively to one another in an arrangement direction, in order to provide cross-distribution of one or more potentials in the arrangement direction.
In this case, it is known for the cross-connectors to be provided with plugs which can be disconnected at weak points. As a result it is possible to conductively connect specific terminal blocks arranged in a row to one another.


A method and apparatus are provided to indicate battery capacity status. Different blinking frequencies of an LED correspond to different battery states of charge. Furthermore, the present invention provides a smooth visual brightness change of the LED by providing the appropriate LED current according to human eye characteristics.

A natural shortcoming of electronic devices that use batteries as a power source is battery capacity limitations. Unexpected power loss can cause data loss and other unexpected malfunctions. To avoid this, some electronic devices provide battery status indications (e.g. full battery status, empty battery status, or the level of available battery capacity in use) to inform users of battery status so that the users can take some action, such as saving data, before the battery depletes its energy and shuts down the system. Normally, one or more LEDs are used as an indicator to inform customers of the battery status.
It should be noted that the battery status herein refers to battery status, battery charging status or battery state of charge. In one embodiment, the battery capacity status is representative of a remaining battery capacity level.
There are some conventional methods or devices for indicating the battery status of an electronic device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,459,242 provides a pulse number method for indicating battery charge status by relating the number of pulses that occur in a predetermined time period with a certain battery status. By counting the blinking times in the predetermined time period, customers are able to know the corresponding battery status. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,629,605 and 5,099,210 disclose a duty cycle method to indicate the charge status. In this approach, the amount of ON time exhibited by an LED over a predetermined period corresponds to battery status. However, a drawback of these methods is that the brightness of the indicator changes sharply due to the sudden change between ON and OFF states of the LED, which can cause visual discomfort to users. Another problem is that an extended period of time is needed to read the pulse number or sense the amount of ON time of the LED over a certain period.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,956,478 introduces a method using multiple LEDs with different colors. These different colors represent different charging states. The problem with this method is that some users are color-blind and are not able to distinguish between different colors. In addition, using multiple LEDs can increase cost.
Multiple LED scale methodologies are also commonly used in indicating battery status. In such approaches, the number of LEDs in an ON state represents a corresponding battery status. The multiple LEDs may be coupled to a controller either in parallel or in series. U.S. Pat. No. 6,950,030 discloses a multiple LED scale method that uses a series LED connection. However, in addition to multiple LEDs, a special high-voltage drive device and a high-voltage power source are also required. Multiple LED scale methods with independent LED control can also be found in conventional systems. The multiple LEDs are coupled in parallel to a controller and drive device. However, in addition to multiple LEDs, associated multiple pins for LED control are required, which is not cost effective.
Therefore, it is to a convenient, reliable, and cost effective battery status indication method or device that the present invention is primarily directed.

Systems and methods for battery status indication


A sealing arrangement is provided for a product weigh scale for a food processing apparatus the weigh scale including a support for supporting a product, a member that carries the support, and a weight sensor that senses vertical load on the member. The sealing arrangement includes a seal surrounding the member beneath the support, the seal having a first sealing surface configured to be sealed against a cabinet, and a second sealing surface. The seal is movable between an inactive position wherein the second sealing surface is out of contact with the support and a sealing position wherein the second sealing surface seals against the support. The seal includes a stationary part having the first sealing surface and a sliding part having the second sealing surface. A plurality of springs urge the sliding part toward the sealing position and a source of pressurized fluid is injected between the sliding part and the stationary part to urge the sliding part toward the inactive position. The pressurized fluid has a sufficient pressure to overcome the urging of the springs and maintains the sliding part in the inactive position during normal operation of the scale, wherein upon loss of the supply of pressurized fluid, the springs cause the sliding part to assume the sealing position.

Food loaves come in a variety of shapes (round, square, rectangular, oval, etc.), cross-sections, and lengths. Such loaves are made from various comestibles, such as meat, cheese, etc. Most loaves are provided to an intermediate processor who slices and packages the products in groups for retail. The groups are precisely weighed before packaging.
A variety of machines have been developed to slice such loaves. Such machines include the FX180™ and the FX Plus™ available from Formax, Inc., of Mokena, Ill., USA. The aforementioned machines are high speed food loaf slicing machines that slice one, two, or more food loaves simultaneously using one cyclically driven slicing blade.
In the aforementioned machines, the food loaf slices are received in groups of predetermined weight on a receiving conveyor that is disposed adjacent the slicing blade. The receiving conveyor receives the slices as they are cut by the slicing blade. In many instances, neatly aligned stacked groups are preferred and, as such, the sliced product is stacked on the receiving conveyor. In other instances, the groups are shingled so that a purchaser can see a part of every slice through a transparent package. In these other instances, conveyor belts of the receiving conveyor are gradually moved during the slicing process to separate the slices. The stacked or shingled slices are transferred from the receiving conveyor onto a deceleration conveyor, and then transferred onto a weigh scale conveyor.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art food loaf slicing machine 50 in detail. The slicing machine can be a high speed slicing machine such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,484,615; 5,628,237; 5,649,463; 5,704,265; 5,724,874; herein incorporated by reference.
Slicing machine 50 comprises a base 51 that is mounted upon four fixed pedestals or feet 52 (three of the feet 52 appear in FIG. 1) and has a housing or enclosure 53 surmounted by a top base 58. Base 51 typically affords an enclosure for a computer 54, a low voltage supply 55, a high voltage supply 56, and at least one scale mechanism 57. Base enclosure 53 may also include a pneumatic supply or a hydraulic supply, or both (not shown).
The slicing machine 50 may include a conveyor drive 61 utilized to drive an output conveyor/classifier system 64.
The slicing machine 50 of the illustrated embodiment further includes a computer display touch screen 69 in a cabinet 67 that is pivotally mounted on and supported by a support 68. Support 68 is affixed to and projects outwardly from a member 74 that constitutes a front part of the housing of slicing station 66.
Referring first to conveyor/classifier system 64 at the left-hand (output) end of slicing machine 50, the system 64 includes an inner stacking or receiving conveyor (not shown) located immediately below slicing station 66. The receiving conveyor is sometimes called a "jump" conveyor. From the jump conveyor groups of food loaf slices, stacked or shingled, are transferred to a decelerating conveyor 131 and then to a weighing or scale conveyor 132. From the scale conveyor 132 groups of food loaf slices move on to an outer classifier conveyor 134. On the far side of slicing machine 50 the sequence is substantially the same.
Machine 50 produces a series of stacks 92 of food loaf slices that are fed outwardly of the machine, in the direction of the arrow A, by conveyor classifier system 64. For a dual loaf slicing machine, the machine 50 also produces a series of stacks 93 of food loaf slices that move outwardly of the machine on its output conveyor system 64 in the direction of arrow A.
A loaf feed mechanism 75 drives the loaves into the slicing station 66 where they are sliced by a rotating knife blade. The thickness and total weight of the slices are controlled by the computer 54 which actuates various mechanical components associated with the slicing operation. The slicing thickness and total weight for each sliced group are programmed though the touch screen 67 which interfaces with the computer 54. As the blade slices the loaves, the slices are deposited on the jump conveyor where the proper numbers of slices are either stacked or shingled. The jump conveyor then drives the slice groups to the deceleration conveyor 131.
FIG. 2 shows a weigh scale arrangement 57 of the prior art. For the machine 50 described in FIG. 1, two scale arrangements 57, side-by-side would be used, one for each series of stacks 92, 93. The operation of the scale arrangement and a conveyor/classifier system for a high speed slicing machine is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,265, herein incorporated by reference.
The scale includes a plurality of grids or fins 206 that are arranged in parallel with each one interspersed between adjacent belts 208 of the conveyor 212. The grids 206 are connected to a plate 232 which is connected to a rod 238 by a fastener 237 extending through the rod 238 and threaded into a threaded bore 239 of the rod 238. Alignment pins 207 are used to ensure a single reattachment orientation of the plate 232 to the rod 238. The rod 238 is connected to a load cell 242 by a long fastener 244 countersunk in the bore 239. The load cell 242 is located beneath the top base 58 of the slicing machine cabinetry. Once a stack or draft of cuts slices 218 is positioned above the grids 206, the conveyor 212 is lowered (as shown for example in FIG. 4) by a pneumatic actuator 226 wherein the grids 206 extend upwardly of the belts 208 and assumed support of the draft 218. The weight of the draft 218 is transferred through the grids 206 and rod 238 to the load cell 242. A weight measurement signal is sent by the load cell to machine control.
It is important that food material not enter into the machine cabinetry beneath the top panel. The machinery inside the cabinetry is not routinely sanitized and is more difficult to sanitize. The rod penetrates through the top base 58 of the machine cabinetry. An effective seal between the rod 238 and the top base 58 is required. However, to ensure accurate weight measurements, the rod 238, and parts connected to the rod, cannot touch the slicing machine cabinetry and thus cannot be sealed in a contacting manner to the top base 58, i.e., the rod 238 must have zero friction vertical movement.
Between the plate 232 and the rod 238 is a shroud 240 that over fits a cover 241. The cover 241 is drawn tightly against the top base 58 by a lock ring 253 threaded onto an open bottom end of the cover 241.
Within the cover 241 is an annular cap 255 mounted to the rod 238 that extends over an opening 257 of a drip pan 259. The drip pan 259 is mounted to an underside of the top base 58. Any liquid collected in the drip pan 259 is directed to a drain outlet 261 and thereafter by tubing to a drain outside of the machine cabinetry.
Thus, to provide a sealing of the penetration of the rod 238 through the top base 58, the shroud 240 helps to prevent spray from entering the cover 241. The cap 255 helps to prevent any spray that enters the cover 241 from entering the central opening 257 of the drip pan 259. Any spray deflected by the cap 255 is intended to collect in the drip pan 259 and be removed to a drain. The shroud 240 and cap 255 move vertically with the rod 238 but do not touch the cover 241 or the drip pan 259 which are fixed to the top base 58 of the slicing machine cabinetry.
In the meat slicing facility, portions of the slicing machine 50 above the top base 58 that are exposed to meat and spray are typically dismantled for a thorough cleaning and sanitizing with water and sanitizer every day (or sometimes more often during the day). Often times the slicing machine will also be cleaned or rinsed off during daily production between thorough cleanings and sanitizing.
FIG. 3 shows the scale arrangement configured for the thorough cleanings. The grids 206 and plate 232 are removed for separate cleaning, by removal of the fastener 237. A temporary closure 260 is threaded onto the rod 238 using a hand screw 264. The closure 260 includes a seal element 266 that seals against the scale cover 241. Once in place, the temporary closure is effective in preventing any wash water, food particles and sanitizer from penetrating beneath the top base 58.
However, it is possible that a sanitizing worker forgets, or disregards putting the temporary closure 260 in place for the thorough cleaning. Also, for mid-day rinsing or cleaning, between thorough cleanings, no temporary closure is usually installed. As can be seen, without the temporary closure in place, water, sanitizer and potentially meat products have a direct path "P" into the slicing machine cabinet beneath the top base 58. Alternatively, without the temporary closure in place water, sanitizer and potentially meat products have a direct path "Q" into the slicing machine cabinet beneath the top base 58 by overflowing the drip pan 259.
The present inventors have recognized that it would be desirable to improve the operability, cost and sanitation of weigh scales for food product production.

Automatic sealing arrangement for weigh scale for food processing apparatus


A ceramic composite material consisting of two or more crystal phases of different components, each crystal phase having a non-regular shape, said crystal phases having three dimensional continuous structures intertwined with each other, at least one crystal phase thereof being a single crystal. Further, by removing at least one crystal phase from this ceramic composite material, there is provided a porous ceramic material consisting of at least one crystal phase and pores, said crystal phase and pores having non-regular shapes and being three dimensionally continuous and intertwined with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ceramic composite material which has a high mechanical strength and an excellent thermal stability of the microstructure in a wide range of temperatures from room temperature to a high temperature so that it can be suitably used as a structural material and a functional material exposed to a high temperature; it also relates to a porous ceramic material which has a high mechanical strength and an excellent thermal stability of the microstructure in a wide range of temperature from room temperatures to a high temperature so that it can be suitably used as a structural material and, a filter material, a reinforcing material for a metal or ceramics, a catalyst carrier, a thermal insulating material and other functional materials to be exposed to a high temperature.
2. Description of the Related Art
(I) SiC or Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 has been investigated to develop ceramic materials to be used at high temperatures but is not sufficient in high temperature properties. As an alternative material thereof, SiC/SiC composite materials produced by chemical vapor deposition, provided by Societe Europeene de Propulsion, have attracted attention and, at present are considered to be the best high temperature structural materials, and have been investigated and developed. The temperature range at which they can be used is reported to be 1400.degree. C. or lower.
A powder sintering method is the most popular method for producing ceramic materials. By improving the characteristics of powders, for example, by making the powder finer and purer, and controlling the conditions of sintering, a ZrO.sub.2 ceramic material having a strength as high as 3.0 GPa at room temperature has been produced. Further, in the powder sintering method, nano-dispersion of foreign ceramic particles in a ceramic composite material has been made possible and improvements in the strength, toughness, thermal conductivity, thermal shock resistance and other properties of the ceramic material are being sought.
Generally, it has been considered that oxide ceramic materials are not suitable for high temperature structural materials since they are easily deformed at a high temperature. However, oxide ceramic materials have oxidation resistance and corrosion resistance superior to any other ceramics. Accordingly, if the mechanical properties of the oxide ceramic materials could be improved, the oxide ceramic materials could be used in a wide range of applications as high temperature materials. In this respect, metal oxides having a melting point higher than 2000.degree. C., for example, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, ZrO.sub.2, MgO, BaO, BeO, CaO, Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 and rare earth element oxides such as Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, La.sub.2 O.sub.3, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3, Sm.sub.2 O.sub.3, Gd.sub.2 O.sub.3, Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Er.sub.2 O.sub.3 are considered to be good candidates as high temperature ceramics.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 5-85821, published in 1993, discloses a sintered body comprising a rare earth element oxide (or oxides of a mixture of rare earth elements) and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and a process for producing the same. In this process, a rare earth element oxide(s) and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 are mixed and formed into a shape, which is then sintered at an appropriate sintering temperature and for an appropriate sintering time period so as to control the crystal grain size of the shape to be less than 30 .mu.m and prevent extraordinary grain growth and pores, to thereby provide a rare earth element oxide/alumina ceramic sintered body having a high strength and toughness which is reliable.
However, the room temperature strength may be significantly improved by controlling the production conditions and improving the starting powders, but the high temperature mechanical properties of ceramic composite materials are greatly influenced by the structure of the interface (grain boundary) between the particles of the component materials as well as by the interface (grain boundary) between and the crystal characteristics of the matrix and reinforcing phase. Further, at a high temperature, as the structure is finer, the more the superplastic property appears. Thus coexistence of the finer structure and the high temperature strength is difficult to attain.
Accordingly, a new method for producing a composite ceramic material which allows precise control of the above factors as well as a new composite ceramic material which has a novel structure and interface or grain boundary structure, are in demand.
The present inventors, considering the above problems of the prior art, have made investigation in order to provide a ceramic composite material which has unexpectedly improved high temperature properties.
As a result, the present inventors have invented novel composite materials, which consist of single crystal/single crystal, single crystal/polycrystal and polycrystal/polycrystal phases of an .alpha.-alumina phase and a YAG phase, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 7-149597 (published in 1995), 8-81257 (published in 1996) and 7-187893 (published in 1995).
The first purpose of the present invention is to provide, following the above composite materials consisting of an .alpha.-alumina phase and a YAG phase, novel ceramic composite materials, consisting of two or more crystals of different components or substances, the crystals having continuous three dimensional networks intertwined with each other, which composite material have excellent mechanical strength and structure thermal stability from room temperature to a high temperature, particularly greatly improved properties at a high temperature.
(II) In another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided novel porous ceramic materials, which are obtained from the above novel ceramic composite materials.
In comparison with metal and organic materials, the ceramics have such characteristics as (1) thermal characteristics of a high melting point, a small thermal expansion coefficient and a low thermal conduction, (2) mechanical properties of a high strength at high temperatures, a high hardness and a brittleness, and (3) electrical properties of a small electroconductivity, a large temperature dependency of electric resistance and a large dielectric constant. For example, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 is chemically stable and hard and has a relatively high strength and an excellent electrical insulation and, therefore, it is widely used in various applications including insulating materials, abrasives, cutting tool materials, IC circuit boards, laser emitting materials, catalyst carriers and biomaterials.
Production of ceramics is currently being done mainly by the powder sintering method and, as a result, pores are necessarily included in the produced ceramics in grater or lesser degree. The powder sintering method is characterized in that the porosity, pore diameter and pore size distribution may be controlled by the control of the particle size and particle size distribution of starting powders and pressing pressure for shaping.
The porous ceramics having a certain level of porosity may exhibit a low density, a high specific surface area and other functions resulting from the penetrating pores, in addition to the characteristics inherent to the material of the ceramics. For example, a thermal insulator, an adsorber, a filter and so on.
Recently, vigorous investigation has been made to utilize ceramics having excellent thermal resistance, chemical resistance and mechanical properties by improving the functions thereof to an extreme level. Among them, ceramic filters, due to their excellent thermal, mechanical and chemical properties, are used as filters not only for filtering high temperature gases, chemicals, food and corrosive liquids but also for removal of metal oxides from molten metals and collection and removal of radioactive wastes.
Conventional methods for producing porous ceramics include (1) a process comprising forming a ceramic powder composition with an inorganic or organic binder, the particle size distribution of which is controlled, followed by sintering, (2) a process comprising mixing a ceramic powder with a pore-forming agent such as a polymer powder, an organic fiber and a carbon powder, forming the composition into a shape, and heating the shape to burn the combustible material and produce a ceramic with pores remaining therein, (3) a process comprising impregnating a foamed polymer body with a ceramic slurry, followed by heat treating it to burn the foamed polymer, (4) a process comprising heat treating a molten glass comprising two phases soluble and insoluble to a reagent at a temperature to form the two phases, followed by dissolving the soluble phase to form pores, and so on. However, in order to precisely control the pore size and distribution, provision of a porous crystal in which the pore is a part of the crystal, is required.
Recent diversity of the technology in various industrial fields makes applications and required properties of porous materials diverse. Particularly required properties of porous materials are uniform distribution of pores with a uniform pore size distribution, and a high porosity and high mechanical strength. However, satisfactory high porosity and high mechanical strength are difficult to obtain by the conventional methods.
For example, a conventional sintered silicon carbide consists of coarse plate crystals with less bonding between the crystals and, therefore, the mechanical strength is extremely low and the plate crystals may be peeled or the filter is fractured by shaking during handling. A porous ceramics produced by the sintering method comprises a glass flux or a clay material as a binder to bond the respective ceramic particles and, therefore, the ceramic material has low thermal and chemical resistances and a low flexural strength of not more than about 200 kg/cm.sup.2. Further, upon heating the binder is softened so that the porosity and pore size easily change and the mechanical strength may be significantly lowered as the bonding between the particles is weak. Moreover, a woven material and a felt- or block-like shape of a heat resistant inorganic fiber are used as a thermal insulator, a high temperature catalyst carrier, a filter, and a reinforcing member for various matrixes of resins, metals, glass and ceramics. However, since the bonding between the inorganic fibers is weak, the inorganic fibers may fly and disperse into the air (environment pollution problems), and since the mechanical strength is low, a honeycomb structure with a complex shape cannot be produced.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 3-232779 published in 1991 discloses a process for producing a porous silicon carbide sintered body excellent in an air permeability and mechanical properties. The starting silicon carbide particles used have a carbonaceous substance on the surface of the particles so that the grain growth of the silicon carbide is controlled to an appropriate level to form a porous body having a crystal structure in which relatively fine particulate crystals and relatively coarse plate-shape crystals co-exist and bonding between the crystals is increased. As a result, the mechanical strength is improved.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 4-31375 published in 1992 discloses a process for producing a porous heat resistant member of a high purity mullite. A heat resistant inorganic fiber, an aluminum salt and a silicic acid sol are mixed and dispersed in water, and hydrolysis is conducted to form a co-precipitated sol of an aluminum silicate in the mixture. As a result, the heat resistant inorganic fiber and an aluminum silicate, which is highly active and excellent in sinterability, can be uniformly mixed and dispersed, so that a sheet-like shaped body with a high bonding between fibers can be obtained and the mechanical strength of the sheet is also improved. Therefore, it may be formed into a honeycomb.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 4-65327 published in 1992 discloses a process for producing a high strength porous ceramics comprising a mullite whisker. It is described that the mullite whisker (1) contains less of gloss-forming alkali impurities, (2) is heat resistant and stable in shape in air up to about 1700.degree. C., and (3) has a relatively low thermal expansion coefficient. When the whisker crystals are three dimensionally intertwined to each other in sintering, continuous voids are formed in the sintered body. Using the mullite whisker or needle crystal, a ceramic material having a high strength and excellent pore-related properties such as the porosity and pore distribution can be produced by a simple process such as a process in which only the whisker is formed into a shape, or it is first mixed with a combustible substance such as a polymer or carbon powder followed by burning the combustible substance in air. Particularly, only a needle-like mullite crystal having a length of 1 to 20 .mu.m and a diameter of 0.1 to 3 .mu.m is formed into a pipe or a honeycomb by a mold pressing or other method, followed by heating in air at 1500 to 1700.degree. C. for 1 to 5 hours, by which it is mentioned that the porous property can be desirably controlled. Also, it is described that since the Al or Si component in the mullite inter-diffuses through the surface of respective crystals at 1500 to 1700.degree. C., sintering is accelerated and a sintering agent is unnecessary, so that the strength of the porous body increases. The porosity and the pore size can be desirable controlled by the size and amount of the mixed combustible substance. As a result, the obtained porous body had a porosity of 24.5% and the flexural strength of the porous body was as high as 980 kg/cm.sup.2 at 1700.degree. C. The properties of the porous body hardly changed after heating at 1000 to 1650.degree. C. for some tens of hours.
However, this means that the thermal stability of the porous body is only the level of some tens hours at 1650.degree. C. at the most.
Thus, in the sintering method, although the room temperature strength may be significantly improved by controlling the production conditions or selecting the starting powders, the mechanical property of a ceramics at a high temperature is greatly influenced by the structure of the crystal grain boundary and the crystallographic property of the constituting materials and the mechanical property of a ceramics at a high temperature is not stable or excellent as long as it is produced by the sintering method.
Therefore, a novel method for producing a porous ceramic material which allows precise control of the above-mentioned factors, and a porous ceramic material having such a novel microstructure resulting therefrom, are desired.
The purpose of this second aspect of the present invention is to provide a porous ceramic material which has both an excellent mechanical strength and an excellent thermal stability of the microstructure from room temperature to high temperatures, particularly these properties which are significantly improved at high temperature.

Ceramic composite material and porous ceramic material


A Passive Optical Network (PON)-based system and method for providing handover between Optical Network Terminals (ONTs) are provided. The PON-based system may include an Optical Line Terminal (OLT), and an ONT to relay communication between the OLT and a mobile terminal. When the mobile terminal is connected to the ONT, the ONT may transmit a WiFi location update alarm message to the OLT, and the OLT may update a Look-Up Table (LUT) in response to the WiFi location update alarm message.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handover technology that may be applied to a fusion-type Optical Network Terminal (ONT) equipped with a wireless module in a Passive Optical Network (PON)-based system, and more particularly, to a mobility technology for seamlessly supporting data services even when a mobile terminal, such as a notebook computer, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), or a smartphone, moves between ONTs.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Passive Optical Network (PON)-based system has a structure in which a single Optical Line Terminal (OLT) controls a plurality of Optical Network Terminals (ONTs), unlike an Ethernet network technology.
Additionally, since the OLT transmits data to all of the ONTs every 125 us, it is advantageous to facilitate broadcasting and multicasting.
However, due to a broadcasting characteristic of the PON-based system, the OLT needs to set a unique number of a specific ONT and to transmit downstream traffic to the specific ONT, so that the specific ONT may receive the downstream traffic. Additionally, to verify a terminal connected to the ONT, the OLT needs to manage a Look-Up Table (LUT) in which a source Media Access Control (MAC) address of the terminal and a unique number of the ONT are mapped. The OLT may update and add the LUT, only when the terminal connected to the ONT transmits data upstream.
For example, when a mobile terminal is included in the PON-based system, the OLT may not instantly update the LUT due to uncertain time in which the mobile terminal transmits upstream data. Accordingly, the mobile terminal may not determine which ONT is connected to the mobile terminal. As a result, the mobile terminal may fail to receive data.
When the mobile terminal performs handover between ONTs, a data service may be interrupted.

Passive optical network (PON)-based system and method for providing handover among optical network terminals (ONTs)

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


An improved structure of inflatable bed includes: an inflatable mattress having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a lateral side structure that has upper and lower edges respectively connected to edges of the upper and lower surfaces so that the inflatable mattress is formed with an air charging space, the lateral side structure including a first charging valve in communication with the air charging space, the air charging space being provided therein with a Drop-stitching construction fabric having upper and lower ends respectively connected to the upper and lower surfaces; and an inflatable frame including at least one inflatable tubular body and outer layer cloth covering the inflatable tubular body. The inflatable tubular body includes a second charging valve. The inflatable frame is positioned on a bottom side of the inflatable mattress. The inflatable frame includes elastic braided bands to prevent undesired outward expansion of the inflatable frame after inflation.

Modern people, who suffer significant living stress caused by extreme fast pace of modern living, seek for better relaxation both physically and mentally through relief of pressure with good quality of sleeping. Thus, mattresses that could comfort users and helps improve quality of sleeping are commonly purchased and widely used.
Commonly, a mattress is placed on a bed frame or a bed base to allow a user to lie down on the mattress for sleeping and to provide support to the back of the user. However, mattresses that are provided for use with a twin-size bed or a bed of an even larger size are not good for shipping and transportation. Further, to improve comfortability, a mattress is commonly made up of multiple independent spring coils arranged inside the mattress so as to only form an effect of bearing a longitudinally downward-pressing force for a user lying on the mattress, but this increases a great amount of weight to the mattress, resulting in an even greater burden for shipping and transportation.
In view of the above, this invention aims to provide an improved structure of an inflatable bed that helps overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and improve industrial utilization.


A method and apparatus for imparting oscillatory motion on a test sample is disclosed in which oscillators, preferably in tubular form, are surrounded by housings. An actuator causes deforming of the housings, and the deforming movement is linked to the oscillators.

This invention relates to devices to oscillate a test sample, and more specifically, to a device that oscillates a test sample for use in determining the density of fluids using a hollow oscillator filled with the sample under test. The method and apparatus hereof can be used to impart and maintain
Devices to measure the density of a fluid mixture by oscillating the mixture within a container (i.e.; oscillator) and observing the period of oscillation are known. These devices typically include four main parts: an oscillator, an actuator, a support, and a countermass. The actuator powers the oscillation of the oscillator, which is typically filled with the fluid to be tested. A support holds the oscillator for oscillation, and a countermass provides a stable surface with respect to which the oscillator is oscillated. An example of such a device is shown in Stabinger, et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,726, discussed more fully below.
Several techniques of accomplishing the above are taught in the prior art. A magnet may be attached to the oscillator and driven by nearby fixed coils as taught, for example, by Janssen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,728,893. Alternately, the coil wire may be mounted on the oscillator and the magnet fixed as taught by Albert, et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,075. The oscillator itself may be made of a conducting material so as to serve as a single turn coil driven by a fixed magnet as disclosed by Herrero-Alvarez in Rev. Sci. Instrum. 68 (10), October 1997.
In these techniques the actuator or a part of the actuator is mounted directly on the oscillating element. This can have number of practical disadvantages:
First, heat generated in the actuator is readily transmitted to the sample under test. Because the density of the sample under test is generally a function of temperature, an error is introduced.
Second, the mass of the portion of the actuator attached to the oscillator adds to the oscillating mass of the system. Increasing the total oscillating mass relative to the mass of the sample under test within reduces the sensitivity of the device. Additionally, as taught by Kratky et al in U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,101, non-linearity in the relation of density to the square of the period grows with the ratio of oscillating mass to counter mass. Physically, this happens when motion induced into the counter mass moves the nodes that define the volume of the sample under test.
It is common practice to calibrate density measuring instruments with two known samples, often dry air and water. With only two calibration points any non-linearity compromises the accuracy of the measurement of densities that differ from the calibration points. Consequently an increase in the total oscillating mass requires either a much greater increase in the counter mass of the system to preserve accuracy or a further means of compensating for insufficient counter mass as disclosed, for example, by Kratky.
Third, it is advantageous to control the environment surrounding the oscillator by enclosing it within a hermetically sealed housing. Having actuator components within the housing complicates manufacture and repair.
One possible means to avoid the practical disadvantages listed above is to impart the vibratory motion not to the oscillator itself, but rather to a member to which the oscillator is attached. An example of this was disclosed by Muramoto in U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,110 in which a piezoelectric actuator introduces motion into a member attaching the ends of two parallel oscillating tubes. Beneficially, the mass of the actuator does not contribute to the mass of the oscillators. However, mounting the actuator on connector between the oscillators still creates a short thermal path into the sample under test. Also of interest in this device is the fact that the two oscillators move in opposition thereby eliminating the need for a counter mass.
A later example of introducing the vibratory motion through a member to which the oscillator attaches is taught in Stabinger, et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,726. Two embodiments are disclosed. In the first, the actuator is mounted between the counter mass and a thermostatically controlled housing within which the oscillator is supported. In the second embodiment the housing is eliminated and the actuator acts directly on the support of the oscillator. As in Muramoto, connecting the actuator to the support of the oscillator creates a path for heat from the actuator to flow readily into the sample under test unless further temperature control means are employed.
Although the first embodiment of Stabinger does prevent heat generated in the actuator from reaching the sample under test, another aspect of the apparatus is consequently compromised. The mass driven relative to the counter mass, consisting of the housing, temperature control means, and the oscillator supported within, is very large. For a bench top installation, where the total mass must be limited, a high ratio of oscillating mass to counter mass cannot be achieved. Consequently, the entire apparatus is in motion and provides no convenient mounting points which can be fixed without risk of influencing the oscillation. Mechanical suspensions or other further means to control and compensate for the resulting motion of the counter mass are then required.
Stabinger teaches that the temperature control means, which in his preferred embodiments are Peltier devices, are to be placed between the actuator and the oscillator. To function effectively, Peltier devices, which essentially are heat pumps, must be in intimate thermal contact with a large thermal reservoir such as the counter mass. Mounting the Peltier devices between the oscillator and actuator isolates the devices from the counter mass. Heat must then be pumped through the actuators. Piezoelectric actuators are constructed of ceramic materials and have a low thermal conductivity. Consequently, the thermal performance of this configuration is compromised.
A further disadvantage of both embodiments of Stabinger is that the entrance and exit ports of the oscillating tube translate with the actuation of the oscillator. This requires that any ancillary equipment connected to the ports be sufficiently compliant so as not to influence or restrict the action of the actuator. Vibratory motion imparted to equipment connected to the moving ports can also excite parasitic resonant vibration into the attached equipment. Parasitic resonance is a known source of error in the art.
In light of the disadvantages of the prior art, there exists a need for a density measuring apparatus that is free from temperature induced error, that is inherently linear in measurement, that can be effectively temperature controlled and that can be conveniently mounted to fixed objects such as benching, piping or other accessory equipment.

Method and apparatus for oscillating a test sample


A document preview system provides previews of a native document to client devices. The previews include comments associated with native objects in the native document. The document preview system identifies bounding areas in the preview associated with the native objects, which may be identified by the rendering markers applied to the native document prior to rendering. Using the bounding areas, the document preview system identifies comments for the native document and determines the location to display the comment using native objects associated with the comment. When a new comment is received from a user for a preview of a native document, the document preview system determines native objects for the new comment that match a user's selection for placing the new comment. The new comment is inserted with the native objects in the native document.

This disclosure relates generally to previewing documents, and in particular to viewing and editing comments in a document from a document preview.
Users store documents online where they may be accessible by many different users and by different devices. When users browse to view these documents, it is typically difficult to review or comment on a document unless the user downloads and accesses the document using a native application on the user's device. As examples, these native documents may include word processing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and source code, which are typically modified by dedicated, full-service applications on a client device. In addition, when systems provide previews to a user of a document, the preview may often omit important aspects of the document, such as comments or other supplemental data about the document that are typically not directly reflected in the text or other content of the document.

Modifying native document comments in a preview


It is presented a method for enabling allocation of resources for a plurality of hosts. The method is performed by a server (1) and comprises identifying (S100) a service running on one or more of the plurality of hosts, determining (S140) a stretch factor for a recurring load pattern for the service running on the one or more of the plurality of hosts, and storing (S150) the identified service together with the determined stretch factor. It is also presented a server, a computer program and a computer program product.

Cloud computing refers to a way of managing hardware equipment, making it easy to segment hosts, storage areas and network links. All the segmentations available for each of those technologies are not directly dependent on the cloud but they are heavily used in cloud environments in order to get the maximum utilization rate. Increased resource-usage efficiency and re-usability of available hardware makes cloud computing a very attractive solution for many companies nowadays. Therefore, cloud computing can be thought of as a way of managing hardware equipment to aggregate capacity and segment it in order to give service to multiple users.
There are three main resources required to achieve cloud computing: compute resources, networking resources and storage resources.
The compute resources represent the computing power available in the cloud. The compute resources give the user the ability to define the number of resources needed to fulfil his/her query in terms of Central Processing Unit (CPU) and Random Access Memory (RAM).
The networking resources represent the networking side in a deployment. The networking resources are currently developing rapidly and it allows cloud administrators to configure not only the virtual networking deployment but also the physical networking deployment. Software Defined Networking (SDN) may be used for networking deployment.
The storage resources represent the storage part in the running resources, i.e. virtual machines. The storage part in the running resources correspond to the disk and/or memory blocks used by the virtual machines or any kind of managed object using the persistent storage in the cloud. The storage resources can usually be configured to perform redundancy or distributed storage across different hosts.
Cloud computing components usually make use of different drivers, such as hypervisors and virtual switches, installed on hosts. A hypervisor or virtual machine monitor (VMM) is a piece of computer software, firmware or hardware that creates and runs Virtual Machines (VMs). A virtual switch is a logical switching fabric built into a VM infrastructure so that the Virtual Machines (VMs) can be networked wherever you need them.
Even though the majority of cloud deployments use virtualization of resources, virtualization is not strictly necessary and hence, cloud computing and virtualization can be de-coupled. Cloud computing can run in bare-metal in some occasions in order to avoid virtualization overheads and achieve better performance using other kinds of isolation systems like containers. Virtualization can also be used in other contexts than cloud computing.
Both mechanisms, containers and hypervisors, are different methods for achieving segmentation and better resource usage efficiency in the cloud infrastructure. Both containers and hypervisors are mainly used to achieve segmentation in order to divide the resources and achieve much higher usage-efficiency of the available physical resources, and also to achieve isolation of compute, networking and storage resources so these resources can be seen as treated as completely independent machines even though they are sharing the physical resources underneath.
Resource scheduling is a known problem in cloud computing. Resource schedulers are a part in the infrastructure that is aware of the available resources and responsible for deciding where to assign new processes or virtual services or VMs upon request.
The cloud computing paradigm has become a cornerstone for networks and services in which computing, networking and storage resources are hosted in interconnected and federated data centres. The infrastructure is made available on demand to operators, users and their applications.
FIG. 1 presents how various cloud levels typically are found in a data centre. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) utilizes the lowest four layers, Platform as a service (PaaS) utilizes all but the highest layer and Software as a service (SaaS) utilizes all eighth layers.

Allocation of resources for a plurality of hosts


A method and system for use in identifying customer premises equipment (CPE) in a distributed network are presented. The method utilizes a unique identifier provided by a CPE device to a host server during the discovery stage of PPPoE communications in a distributed network. The server receives the unique identifier and stores the identifier for use in identifying and managing CPE devices attached to a service provider's network. The host server is configured to receive an active discovery packet from a communications device. The active discovery packet has a tag comprising a device identifier field. The device identifier includes chipset and firmware information regarding remote DSL CPE.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to identifying characteristics of customer premise equipment using point-to-point-over-Ethernet (PPPoE) service.
2. Description of the Related Art
Broadband service providers for distributed computing network services such as digital subscriber line (DSL) service typically require the end user, e.g., the home or business DSL subscriber, to employ a router, switch, or other customer premises equipment (CPE) to terminate the DSL connection at the residence or business location. The router or other CPE serves to terminate the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) connection, and generally utilizes point-to-point-over-Ethernet (PPPoE) enabled software to complete the user authentication process.
When a DSL subscriber encounters a problem with their DSL connection, the DSL service provider has no way to automatically determine the specific make and/or model of a particular CPE device being utilized by the DSL subscriber. In this situation, telephone inquiries to the subscriber are made to attempt to discover what type of equipment is being utilized at the CPE location, or a service technician is dispatched to "eyeball" the equipment when the customer does not know what type of CPE device is at their location. Consider a typical case of tens of thousands (or even millions, in some cases) of DSL subscribers and their respective CPE devices, and the support problems presented to the DSL service provider become evident.
In addition, when a service provider wishes to upgrade DSL transport services in their service area(s), e.g., the provision of Point to Point Protocol Termination and Aggregation (PTA), it may be difficult to cost-effectively deploy the new service plan if the service provider does not know what types of CPE devices are currently deployed. For example, if a new transport service is scheduled for deployment in a specific geographic region, but it is determined that a large number of CPE devices may not support the new service, delays in deployment result. Such delays lead to increased provider costs, which are typically passed along to the subscribers, resulting in higher rates.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system or method which is capable of automatically identifying CPE devices and their equipment type in a service provider's service area.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method to identify customer premise equipment devices


A thermoplastic elastomer powder for powder molding, comprising an elastomer composition of an ethylene-.alpha.-olefin copolymer rubber and a polyolefin resin, wherein said elastomer composition has a complex dynamic viscosity .eta.*(1) as measured at frequency of 1 radian/sec. in dynamic viscoelasticity measurement at 250.degree. C., of 1.5.times.10.sup.5 poise or less, a Newtonian viscosity index n calculated from the following formula by using the complex dynamic viscosity .eta.*(1) at a frequency of 1 radian/sec. and the complex dynamic viscosity .eta.*(100) at a frequency of 100 radian/sec. of 0.67 or less, and a hardness (shore D) of 45 or less: EQU n={log.eta.*(1)-log.eta.*(100)}/2.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an olefin type thermoplastic elastomer powder for powder molding and a powder molding method using the same and a molded article thereof. More specifically, it relates to a thermoplastic elastomer powder for a powder molding process such as a powder rotational molding, and suitable for use, in particular, as covering materials and housings for molded articles in various fields, regardless of the backing material used, a powder molding method using the same and a molded article thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
With regard to covering materials used as interior decorative materials of automobiles, there is an increasing demand for those which have a light weight and a good and soft feeling, and which can be given an embossed pattern or stitch pattern to increase the value of molded articles. Also, during the scrapping of cars, acidic substances are generated by a combustion of such interior decorative materials to cause a contamination of the air, and thus create serious social problems such as acid rain, etc., and therefore, there is a strong demand for non-polluting materials.
Known covering materials of the prior art are vacuum molded olefin type thermoplastic elastomer (hereinafter called TPO) sheets and vacuum formed sheets composed mainly of vinyl chloride resins and ABS resins, or rotation molded or slush molded sols composed mainly of vinyl chloride resins for paste and plasticizers (hereinafter called sol molding).
Vacuum formed TPO sheets attain the objects to provide a light weight and non-polluting material, but it is difficult to impart complicated shapes thereto.
Also, vacuum formed sheets contain a high residual molding stress caused during the forming process, and thus have a drawback in that cracks will appear after long term usage.
Vacuum formed sheets composed mainly of vinyl chloride resins and ABS resins have drawbacks similar to those of vacuum formed TPO sheets, in that it is difficult to impart complicated shapes thereto, and further that, compared with TPO sheets, they have the drawback of heavier weight and cause pollution.
Sol moldings composed mainly of vinyl chloride resins for paste and plasticizers give a soft feeling, and complicated shapes can be imparted thereto. However since the gellation temperature is low, they meltrapidly while being molded, and thus many drawbacks arise, for example, problems in the processing such as flow marks, lip or the sol fiber-forming phenomenon, the inherent problems of vinyl chloride such as a heavier weight and pollution, and further problems in that the inner window glass of the automobiles produced from said sol molding suffers from hazy appearance due to the use of a large amount of plasticizers.
Due to these drawbacks and problems of the known molding methods, powder molding methods have recently attracted attention.
Powder molding methods include, in general, a flow dipping method, an electrostatic coating method, a flame spray coating method, and a powder rotational molding method, and particularly for producing interior decorative materials for automobiles, the powder rotational molding method is suitable.
A partially crosslinked TPO composition is known from Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications (Kokai) Nos. 48-26838, 53-149240, but the known molding methods currently used for the partially crosslinked TPO are:
a) injection molding (shear rate during processing: .gamma..gtoreq.10.sup.3 sec.sup.-1); PA1 b) extrusion molding (10.sup.1 .ltoreq..gamma..ltoreq.10.sup.2 sec.sup.- 1); PA1 c) calendering (10.sup.2 .ltoreq..gamma..ltoreq.10.sup.3 sec.sup.-1); PA1 d) compression molding of the primarily processed product in b. or c.; and PA1 e) vacuum forming of the primarily processed product in b. or c.,
but all of these methods require the molding temperatures are higher or equal to the softening point, and the molding pressures must be varied depending on the viscosities and the shear rates corresponding to the respective processing conditions.
Nevertheless, in the molding method such as a powder molding at a shear rate of 10.sup.0 sec.sup.-1 or less or under an approximately stationary state of the polymer, at a vibration frequency of 1 radian/sec., and with no application of a pressure or under a very low pressure (.ltoreq.1 kg/cm.sup.2), the flowability becomes extremely poor, and accordingly, the molding becomes very difficult. Further, even if a molding is possible, the poor flowability in the low shear rate region cause an incomplete thermal fusion between the powder particles, and only molded articles with a low mechanical strength can be obtained.
For this reason, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2-57309 discloses the following inventions:
"1) An embossed thermoplastic elastomer molding, having an emboss pattern formed on the surface by melting a thermoplastic elastomer powder comprising a polyolefin resin and an ethylene-.alpha.-olefin copolymer rubber into a flowing plasticized state in a roating and heated mold with an emboss pattern.
2) A method of preparing a thermoplastic elastomer molding, which comprises introducing a thermoplastic elastomer powder comprising a polyolefin resin and an ethylene-.alpha.-olefin copolymer rubber into a mold with an emboss pattern, followed by sealing the mold, then melting the thermoplastic elastomer powder by roating and heating the mold into a flowing plasticized state, and subsequently cooling the mold to obtain a thermoplastic elastomer molding having an emboss pattern on the surface." Namely, this is an example of how to obtain a TPO molding by a powder rotational molding, in which TPO with a low flowability in the low shear rate region is melted and adhered, while in a flowing plasticized state, to the inner surface of the mold which is rotated and heated.
According to this method, however, the flowability of TPO powder in the low shear rate region is still poor, and therefore, the thermal fusion strength between powder particles is too low, causing a problem that pinholes, etc. may be formed, and a molding having a fully satisfactory appearance and physical properties, etc., has not been obtained.

Thermoplastic elastomer powder for powder molding, powder molding method using the same and molded article thereof


Systems and methods for transit-rider-status determination and communication where a rider, via their rider communication device may provide their status to one or more transit agencies or transit networks to avail themselves of communication services that are catered to them and to their status.

Transit agencies have long sought to provide information about transit services to transit riders. This started as signs at bus stops, to schedules as bus stops and then to schedules and arrival times (estimated and schedules) that were available at bus stops, online, and on mobile computing devices. Transit riders have truly benefited from greater access to transit agency data.
What has remained unsolved is transit agencies benefiting from greater access to transit rider data. Transit agencies do not know the rider-status of their riders—are the riders at home, walking to a bus stop, in a new city, at a bus stop, on a bus, waiting for a transfer, etc. Sometimes a transit agency may know a trip that a transit rider is planning (although often this trip planning is anonymous) but they do not know specific progress throughout the trip or any status for trips that are not planned via trip planning technologies.
There thus remains a need for rider-status information to be obtained by transit agencies—and further to facilitate new and improved communication and exchange of transit data between transit agencies and transit riders.

Systems and methods for transit-rider-status identification and communication


Described is a method for detecting a glow plug replacement of an engine, wherein a first value of a temperature-dependent variable is measured at a first glow plug of the engine and, simultaneously, a second value of the temperature-dependent variable is measured at a second glow plug of the engine. The first value of the temperature-dependent variable is compared with a stored reference value of the first glow plug and a glow plug replacement is detected if the difference of the first value from the reference value exceeds a threshold value. According to this disclosure, it is provided that the reference value is a value which, in an earlier measurement, was measured at the first glow plug simultaneously with the measurement of a value at the second glow plug which corresponds to the second value within a predefined tolerance.

The present invention is based on a method for detecting a glow plug replacement.
DE 10 2010 040 682 A1 discloses a known method for detecting the replacement of glow plugs, in which at least one electrical parameter of a glow plug is determined and compared with a stored value during a driving cycle, said stored value having been measured under the same conditions in an earlier driving cycle. If the two values differ from each other by more than an allowed threshold value, it is concluded that a glow plug replacement had taken place. A similar method is known from DE 10 2008 007 398 A1.
The automatic detection of a glow plug replacement is essential because modern glow plug control units adjust the temperature of a glow plug using a set of plug-specific control parameters. If the plug-specific control parameters are used unchanged after a glow plug replacement, there is the risk that the glow plug is operated at temperatures that are too low, resulting in suboptimal combustion of the fuel, or at temperatures that are too high, resulting in damage to the glow plug.
If a glow plug replacement is detected, a reminder to enter new control parameters may be put out or the glow plug control unit may automatically determine new control parameters by heating up the glow plug under controlled conditions. Such a determination is relatively complicated. To achieve this, a glow plug is typically operated for about one minute with a defined heating output while the vehicle is parking. For this reason, it is not practicable to determine new control parameters or subject the control parameters to an extensive check whenever the vehicle is started.

Method for detecting a glow plug replacement


An ink cartridge used in a color printer, comprises at the surface, a convexity or convexities (identifying section) that correspond to a color of an ink, and that can be identified by tactile sense. A cartridge setting section of the color printer comprises at the surface, a convexity or convexities (identifying section) that correspond to the color of the ink of the ink cartridge that is to be set, and that can be identified by tactile sense. The user can identify the color of the ink of the ink cartridge, by touching the ink cartridge with his/her hand, and obtain information of the position where that ink cartridge should be set, by touching the cartridge setting section with his/her hand.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronics device, a replacement part for the electronics device, and a package of the replacement part, and especially to an electronics device, a replacement part for the electronics device, a package of the replacement part each comprising an identifying section for specifying/determining information on the content, etc., and a method for arranging identifying section.
2. Description of the Related Art
In Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H6-336030, a color inkjet printer or a color copying machine comprising a structure where an ink cartridge can be attached or moved to/from a storing unit, is disclosed. At the outer packaging box of these ink cartridges, information indicating the content, for example, information indicating what color of ink that ink cartridge stores, is written by a visual method, such as a number or note of the color, etc.
As described above, information on the content is written on the outer packaging box of the ink cartridge, only by a visual method. Therefore, for example, it is difficult for a visually impaired person to obtain information on the content, from an un-opened outer packaging box. Also, in such a case that an ink cartridge should be replaced at a dark place, it is difficult for even a person not visually impaired to adequately select the ink cartridge required for the replacement.
Further, in many cases, in addition to the outer packaging box, the ink cartridge is wrapped by a plastic inner packaging etc., for keeping the high air-tightness for the cartridge and protecting the cartridge as content. Therefore, it is convenient if the information on the content can be obtained without opening the inner packaging.
Also, as to a case where replacement parts similar in their shapes or the like are handled, for example, a case where ink cartridges different in the colors of their contained inks are to be put on their carriages, the person who handles these replacement parts sometimes cannot decide the relation between each of the parts and each of the setting positions corresponding to each of the parts. And in such cases, it is inconvenient to handle the replacement part.

Electronic device, replacement part thereof, package of replacement part, and method for arranging identifying section


A combined position and information code, which could be applied on a base, comprises a position code, which comprises a plurality of coding marks and which codes a plurality of positions. Each position in the position code is coded by a predetermined number of coding marks. Groups of coding marks are defined in the position code. The number of coding marks in each group is larger than the predetermined number of coding marks. At least some of the coding marks in each group are used for coding an information item. When decoding the combined code, part areas of the combined code are imaged. A position is decoded from each imaged part area, whereas the information item has to be decoded from at least two part areas.

Information management systems for managing handwritten information are known; see e.g. US 2003/0061188, US 2003/046256 and US 2002/0091711. In these systems an electronic pen records pen strokes made on a base provided with a position code which codes a plurality of absolute positions on the base. The pen records the pen strokes by imaging the position code at the tip of the pen and decoding the coded positions so that a sequence of positions reflecting the pen movement is obtained.
The position code on each base is a subset of a much larger abstract position code. Thus, different bases may be provided with different subsets of the overall position code. Also, different processing rules may be associated with different subsets of the position code, thereby creating an information management system where the processing of the recorded information depends on which base the information is recorded from.
The position code proposed in the above information management systems comprises a very large number of simple symbols of substantially similar appearance. The position code does not include any information about the processing of the recorded pen strokes. It exclusively codes position information. From a flexibility and printability perspective, this approach is highly beneficial. However, it may require that other units in the system possess processing and routing information related to the different subsets of the overall position code and that these units are available when needed. Alternatively, a user may need to provide processing and routing information.
In an information management system of the above-referenced type, the pen may store information about the subdivision of the overall position code and processing rules associated with different subsets of the position code. Furthermore, an intermediary server, to which information recorded by the pen is transmitted, may have a database linking subsets of the position code with addresses to different application servers which may be the intended recipients of the pen strokes recorded from different bases. Finally, the different application servers may store information about the different bases enabling them to process the received information in the intended way.
In some situations it would be preferable if the processing and/or routing information could be embedded in the base so that other parts of the system do not need to store this information.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,864,880 discloses a product having a writing area which is provided with a position-coding pattern for recording handwritten information and an address area which is provided with an address-coding pattern which codes an address to which the handwritten information is to be sent.
US 2003/0066896 discloses that further information can be coded in a position code, which comprises a plurality of marks having a first parameter which varies for the coding of position information, by varying a second independent parameter of the marks for coding of the further information. The first parameter could for instance be the location of the mark and the second parameter the size of the mark. The position code is divided into cells for coding of the further information. Each cell comprises a predetermined number of marks. The suggested cell size is 2*2 marks. With this cell size, the pen will always see at least one complete cell within its field of view. However, this cell size may not be sufficient to code e.g. explicit processing and/or routing information. For instance, the Internet Protocol version 4 uses a 32 bit addressing scheme. Another drawback may be that the system requires addition of an algorithm for detection of the second independent parameter used for coding the further information.

Coding and decoding methods and apparatuses


A mounting platform attached to a vehicle through an existing opening. A base portion having a clamp is placed through a brake light assembly opening, after the brake light assembly has been removed, and is securely held to the roof of a vehicle. A platform portion is attached to the base portion. The mounting platform is used to mount accessories such as light bars, emergency lights, antennas, or any other accessory desired to be mounted to the vehicle. The mounting platform may be easily installed and removed from the vehicle without any damage or modification to the vehicle and without drilling any additional holes in the vehicle.

There are many situations where an accessory is desired to be attached to a vehicle. It is often desired to attach light bars, emergency lights, antennas or other accessories to a vehicle and, in particular, to the roof of a vehicle. Often, in order to attach these accessories, holes must be drilled in the vehicle, such as in the roof, so as to mount the accessory. The mounting of the accessory by drilling holes damages the surface of the vehicle and lowers the resale value. Additionally, it is often difficult to return the vehicle to the original condition due to the damage caused by mounting the accessory. In many situations, the accessory is only needed for a short period of time. Therefore, it is often desirable to mount and then remove the accessory without modifying or permanently altering or damaging the vehicle. This is particularly applicable to volunteer emergency personnel who may volunteer for a period of time using their own vehicles that must be modified to mount emergency lights.
While there have been techniques to temporarily mount emergency lights with magnets and suction cups, they often do not hold sufficiently and therefore often become detached unintentionally. Therefore, there is a need for the mounting of accessories on a vehicle that is secure and that yet will not damage the vehicle or require permanent alteration, such as the drilling of additional holes in the vehicle.

Vehicle mounting platform using existing opening


An apparatus for adjustably affixing a support bracket to a part of a machine frame includes an adjustment screw to adjust the height of the support bracket on the frame and a pair of oppositely movable clamp elements having oblique surfaces for wedging the support bracket in place following adjustment. Wedging is accomplished by turning a setting screw to move the clamp elements in mutually opposite directions. The setting screw is parallel to the adjustment screw, allowing equal access to both the adjustment and setting screws.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an apparatus for adjustably affixing a support bracket or the like to a part of a machine frame, and in particular concerns an apparatus for adjustably affixing a support bracket bearing a warp deflecting roller to a lateral part of the frame of a weaving machine, the apparatus including an adjustment screw for adjusting the position of the support bracket and means for clamping the support bracket in its set position to the lateral part of the frame of the weaving machine.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known with respect to weaving machines to mount machine components, in particular a support bracket holding the support mechanism of a warp deflecting system, in a height-adjustable manner to the frame of the weaving machine by means of adjusting screws. The support bracket is secured to the machine frame by additional fasteners after positioning so as to hold it in place during weaving.
It is further known to use screw means which must be tightened very hard for the additional fastening. These screw means include several screws, which makes it difficult to operate the screw means. Moreover, the screws are frequently located in positions on the machine frame which preclude easy access.

Wedge clamp for adjustably affixing a support bracket to a weaving machine


An actuator includes: a substrate; a fixed electrode provided on a major surface of the substrate; a first dielectric film provided on the fixed electrode, and made of crystalline material; a movable beam opposed to the major surface, and held above the substrate with a gap thereto; a movable electrode; and a second dielectric film. The movable electrode is provided on a surface of the movable beam facing the fixed electrode, and has an alternate voltage applied between the fixed electrode and the movable electrode. The second dielectric film is provided on a surface of the movable beam facing the fixed electrode, and is made of crystalline material.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a MEMS (Micro-electro-mechanical System) actuator based on piezoelectric actuation such as a microswitch and a variable capacitor or the like.
2. Background Art
MEMS (Micro-electronic-mechanical System) actuators based on electrostatic actuation and piezoelectric actuation have a large variable capacitance ratio, a high Q-value and essentially high linearity, hence particularly they have a potential for RF (high frequency) device field and are highly expected for application to a high frequency switch and a variable capacitance capacitor.
However, this MEMS actuator has a problem called 'stiction'. A movable beam of the electrostatic and piezoelectric MEMS actuator has a relatively small spring constant, hence when a charge is injected into a part of dielectric material constituting a MEMS structure body, electrostatic force derived from the injected charge is generated and the movable beam becomes easy to be stuck together with a fixed portion. This phenomenon is called stiction.
The electrostatic MEMS actuator includes an electrostatic actuation mechanism made of a movable electrode formed on the movable beam, a fixed electrode fixed on a substrate, and a dielectric film formed on a surface of the movable electrode or fixed electrode. By application of actuation voltage between the movable electrode (actuation electrode) and the fixed electrode, both electrodes are sucked in by electrostatic force to be actuated. However, when actuated, actuation voltage of a few tens volts is applied to the dielectric film with a normal thickness of about 0.1 μm to 1 μm, thus the dielectric film is subjected to a high electric field and charges are injected/trapped at interface or inside of the dielectric film in accordance with actuation time.
The injected charge exerts an effect similar to the externally applied actuation voltage on the electrostatic actuation mechanism, and hence significantly shifts the threshold voltage (pull-in voltage) for attaching the movable electrode to the fixed electrode and the threshold voltage (pull-out voltage) for releasing them. In more significant cases, the phenomenon called stiction occurs in which, even if the actuation voltage is reduced to zero, the electrodes remain stuck together and become inoperable, and is a serious problem in practice.
On the other hand, in the piezoelectric MEMS actuator, the movable beam includes the actuation mechanism made of the piezoelectric film sandwiched between electrodes and is actuated by relatively low voltage, and hence is less-sensitive to the charge injection into the piezoelectric film. However, the piezoelectric MEMS actuator also includes the movable electrode formed on the movable beam, the fixed electrode fixed on the substrate and the dielectric film formed on the surfaces of the movable electrode or the fixed electrode. When both electrodes are in contact with across the dielectric film, application of RF voltage having a large amplitude causes charge injection and trapping into the dielectric film, and in significant cases, the stiction phenomenon occurs in which, even if the piezoelectric actuation voltage is reduced to zero, the electrodes remain stuck together and become inoperable, causing a serious problem in practice.
JP-A 2006-140271(Kokai) discloses a structure provided with a dielectric film on both a movable electrode and a fixed electrode in a MEMS actuator.