A serial data communication device of an air conditioner including: an outdoor microprocessor having data transmitting/receiving terminals which transmit/receive a predetermined data; an indoor microprocessor having data transmitting/receiving terminals which transmit/receive data to/from the outdoor microprocessor; a rectification part for converting an alternating current power to a predetermined level of a direct current power to thereby supply the direct current power to the indoor/outdoor microprocessors; an outdoor interface part connected between the data transmitting terminal of the outdoor microprocessor and a direct power output terminal of the rectification part, for isolating the rectification part and the outdoor microprocessor through a first insulation switching part and simultaneously for constituting a first communication line; and an indoor interface part for isolating the rectification part and the indoor microprocessor through a second insulation switching part and simultaneously for constituting a second communication line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to a serial data communication device of an air conditioner which is capable of executing a serial data communication by using an alternating current power line between an indoor microprocessor and an outdoor microprocessor.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Generally, an air conditioner is comprised of an indoor heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger. In the air conditioner, typically, an indoor device is occupied on the interior of space in which air conditioning and dehumidification are needed and an outdoor device is occupied on the outside of the above space. For example, in case of house or building, the area in which the air conditioner is to be installed is firstly divided into an indoor area in which a human body dwells and an outdoor area.
Such the air conditioner includes a compressor which serves to compress refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchange which expands the refrigerant within a passage, a capillary tube which functions to reduce the pressure of refrigerant within the compressor, and an indoor heat exchanger to which an indoor fan is attached, each of which is connected by a pipe line.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a serial data communication device of an air conditioner in the prior art. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional communication device connects an indoor microprocessor 50 with an outdoor microprocessor 10 by means of a connector CNT1, thus to achieve the communication between the indoor/outdoor microprocessors and to accomplish the supply of an alternating current power to the outdoor microprocessor 10.
In more detail, terminals C and D of the connector CNT1 serve to supply the alternating current power to the outdoor microprocessor 10, and terminals A and B of the connector CNT1 forms a communication line between the indoor microprocessor 50 and the outdoor microprocessor 10, to thereby achieve a serial data communication therebetween.
A data transmission process from the indoor microprocessor 50 to the outdoor microprocessor 10 will be firstly discussed.
In the case where data transmission of the indoor microprocessor 50 to the outdoor microprocessor 10 is performed, a data receiving terminal RXD1 of the indoor microprocessor 50 is in a disabled state, and then a data transmitting terminal TXD1 of the indoor microprocessor 50 outputs the data to be transmitted to the outdoor microprocessor 10.
Next, a first comparator COMP1 compares an output voltage waveform with a reference voltage waveform which is adjusted by resistors R2 and R3, to thereby output the compared result to the terminal A of the connector CNT1 through an output resistor R9 and a pull-up resistor R10.
Then, the transmission data on the data transmitting terminal TXD1 of the indoor microprocessor 50 is transmitted through a first photocoupler PC1. Thereafter, the transmission data is passed through a pull-up resistor R12 and a load resistor R13, to prevent the generation of noise therein, and is then transmitted to a data receiving terminal RXD2 of the outdoor microprocessor 10.
Secondly, in the case where data transmission of the outdoor microprocessor 10 to the indoor microprocessor 50 is performed, the data receiving terminal RXD2 of the outdoor microprocessor 10 is in a disabled state, and then a data transmitting terminal TXD2 of the outdoor microprocessor 10 outputs the data to be transmitted to the indoor microprocessor 50. Then, the data outputted from the data transmitting terminal TXD2 is transmitted through a second photocoupler PC2 and is finally applied to an input terminal of a second comparator COMP2 through resistors R14, R9 and R7 and a pull-up resistor R10.
Next, the second comparator COMP2 compares the output voltage level of the data transmitted from the outdoor microprocessor 10 with the reference voltage level to thereby output the compared result to the data receiving terminal RXD1 of the indoor microprocessor 50, thus to achieve a desired data communication between the indoor microprocessor 50 and the outdoor microprocessor 10.
A reference numeral R4 denotes a load resistor, R5 a pull-up resistor, each of R5 and R8 a divisional pressure resistor, and R16 a protection resistor of a light emitting diode LED1. Further, each of reference numerals C1, C2 and C3 represents a noise removing condenser.
However, the conventional serial data communication device in an air conditioner should require two power lines for supplying an alternating current power and two communication lines for exchanging data, such that there is a problem in that the disconnection between the alternating current power lines and the communication lines may be generated, which results in the damage of peripheral circuits thereof, unfortunately.
Moreover, the conventional serial data communication device in an air conditioner should have a single connector in which the alternating power lines and the communication lines are all formed, such that there is a problem in that noises in data during the data transmission may be generated.

Serial data communication device of air conditioner


An electric razor with round external cutting members and round internal cutting members with cutters at the end of uneven length arms. Each one of the external cutting members has concentric circular shaving sections obtained by concentric grooves, and the backs of the circular shaving sections are defined as tracks so that cutters of the internal cutting member are rotated in the tracks. The external cutting member is formed with slits which are substantially in a radial direction and uneven in the length.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric razor and more particularly to a multiple track electric razor with external cutting members that have hair-entry slits.
2. Prior Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication (Kokoku) No. 41-14339 is one example that discloses an external cutting member for an electric razor that has two concentric circular shaving sections.
In the external cutting member of this prior art, a partition groove that divides the shaving surface into inner and outer shaving sections is provided in the shaving surface. The edges of this partition groove are formed at a right angle. In other words, the partition groove shows an angled-U-shape cross section. The two shaving sections thus obtained by the partition groove are provided with many radial slits.
Since the partition groove for dividing the shaving surface of this external cutting member is simply concaved with sharp edges, pieces of hair and the oil that is secreted from the skin tend to accumulate easily in the partition groove, thus making it unsanitary. In addition, the process for making the angled-U-shaped groove is troublesome.
Furthermore, the hair that enters into the partition groove may bend when the hair comes in contact with the bottom of the groove. As a result, a smooth shaving is often hindered.
On the other hand, while the external cutting member as described above may be made by pressing, it is difficult to form the slits with high precision.


Novel connection between neurons of a neural network is provided.

Owing to development of information technology such as IoT (Internet of things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence), the amount of data to be processed tends to increase. A semiconductor device that can store a large amount of data is required in order that an electronic device utilizes information technology such as IoT and AI. Further, a semiconductor device that can perform processing at high speed is required for comfortable use of electronic devices.
Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration of a product-sum operation circuit in which the circuit scale is reduced depending on memory usage in a digital circuit that performs product-sum operation.
Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which multilevel data is retained by utilizing a difference in the threshold voltage of a transistor in a memory cell, which depends on the amount of charge accumulated in a node of the transistor.

Semiconductor neural network device including a synapse circuit comprising memory cells and an activation function circuit

Abstract: A perceptron included in the neural network includes a plurality of neurons; the neuron includes a synapse circuit and an activation function circuit; and the synapse circuit includes a plurality of memory cells. A bit line selected by address information for selecting a memory cell is shared by a plurality of perceptrons. The memory cell is supplied with a weight coefficient of an analog signal, and the synapse circuit is supplied with an input signal. The memory cell multiplies the input signal by the weight coefficient and converts the multiplied result into a first current. The synapse circuit generates a second current by adding a plurality of first currents and converts the second current into a first potential. The activation function circuit is a semiconductor device that converts the first potential into a second potential by a ramp function and supplies the second potential as an input signal of the synapse circuit included in the perceptron in a next stage.

SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.


Techniques and device for wireless communications are described. A wireless device may establish multiple connections with multiple transmission reception points (TRPs). The wireless device may receive downlink control information (DCI) messages from the multiple transmission points and may generate joint hybrid automatic repeat request feedback (HARQ) based on the received downlink control information messages. To support joint HARQ feedback, counter indices may be jointly assigned to the DCI messages generated by the multiple transmission reception points. The method for jointly assigning the DCI messages may be selected based on a level of interference detected in a communications channel. Also, to support joint HARQ feedback, a total counter index in an uplink DCI message may be configured to indicate a total number of DCI message transmitted from a first TRP and a second TRP during a time period.

Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include fourth generation (4G) systems such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) systems, or LTE-A Pro systems, and fifth generation (5G) systems which may be referred to as New Radio (NR) systems. These systems may employ technologies such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), or discrete Fourier transform spread orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DFT-S-OFDM). A wireless multiple-access communications system may include one or more base stations or one or more network access nodes, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UE).
In some cases, a UE may communicate with the network using multiple transmission reception points (TRPs). Communicating with the network may include reporting hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback for transport blocks received from the multiple TRPs.

Techniques for joint dynamic hybrid automatic repeat request for multiple transmission reception points


An SHG element has a semiconductor laser, and a laser resonator for exciting an oscillation line having a predetermined wavelength by making a light beam emitted from the semiconductor laser incident to the laser resonator. The laser resonator converts the wavelength on the oscillation line by a nonlinear optical crystal and emits SHG light having a converted wavelength. The laser resonator uses Nd:YVO.sub.4 as a laser medium for exciting the oscillation line having the predetermined wavelength. The semiconductor laser emits a light beam having power required to obtain the SHG light having predetermined power from the laser resonator when Nd:YVO.sub.4 is used as the laser medium of the laser resonator. A light source device has a semiconductor laser capable of directly modulating light; a wavelength converting section for emitting light having a short wavelength based on LD light from the semiconductor laser; and a device for superposing the LD light from the semiconductor laser on the light having a short wavelength to emit superposed light. An optical pickup uses this light source device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a second higher harmonic wave generating element (which is called an SHG element in the following description) used as a light source such as an optical pickup. The present invention also relates to a light source device for emitting a light beam and an optical pickup using this light source device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a compact and reliable blue light source having a long lifetime has been required. An SHG element attracts public attention as one approach to this requirement. This SHG element is provided by combining a semiconductor laser with a wavelength converting element.
For example, in a light source in an optical pickup for an optical disk, it is preferable to set the wavelength of an emitted light beam to be shorter so as to reduce the diameter of a converged light spot and increase a capacity of the optical disk. In the general SHG element, the light beam having a short wavelength of 473 nm is emitted as SHG light. Accordingly, the SHG element is considered to be suitable for a light source for the optical pickup. However, to increase the capacity of the optical disk, it is necessary to use an SHG element for emitting SHG light having a wavelength shorter than the wavelength of 473 nm.
The above general SHG element uses a Nd:YAG laser medium having an absorption band which is not so wide. Accordingly, it is necessary to strictly control temperature of the semiconductor laser by arranging a temperature controller to restrain a change in absorbing amount of the light beam and provide stable output characteristics of the semiconductor laser. Therefore, the SHG element is large-sized and cost thereof is increased.
In the general light source device, the semiconductor laser can directly emit LD light modulated at a high speed in the order of about several MH.sub.Z by modulating a driving electric current of the semiconductor laser in the order of about several MH.sub.Z at a high speed. However, a modulating frequency (or a modulating speed) of the Nd:YAG laser medium is limited and is of the order of about several KH.sub.Z by its fluorescence lifetime. Accordingly, no solid laser such as Nd:YAG is modulated at a high speed in the order of several MH.sub.Z even when the LD light modulated at a high speed in the order of several MH.sub.Z is incident to the Nd:YAG laser medium from the semiconductor laser. The SHG light finally emitted from a Nd:YAG laser resonator is not changed to a light beam modulated at a high speed in the order of about several MH.sub.Z, but is changed to a light beam modulated in the order of about several KH.sub.Z.
Therefore, in the general light source device, the diameter of a converged light spot can be reduced, but no light beam modulated at a high speed can be emitted from the light source device.

Light source device and optical pickup using light source device


A tunable semiconductor laser comprises a gain section having an MQW active region, a uniform pitch grating DFB region, and first waveguide. A composite reflector, including a second MQW region and a second waveguide, forms a cavity resonator with the DFB region. A tuning voltage applied to the composite reflector induces a quantum confined stark effect, thereby allowing the center wavelength to be altered. A pre-chirp signal applied the composite reflector reduces signal distortion in fiber optic systems.

In 1992 D. A. Fishman suggested that future fiber-optic transmission systems would likely take advantage of fiber amplifiers to increase the distance and capacity of unrepeatered fiber spans, and that they would employ externally modulated, narrow linewidth, tunable CW lasers capable of transmitting signals over long unrepeatered spans even in the presence of large levels of chromatic dispersion. He further indicated that technological advances would be focused on increasing span lengths and capacity by reducing dispersion penalties, improving the optical amplifiers, and addressing limitations due to fiber nonlinearities. See, Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 624-632 (1993), which is incorporated herein by reference.
Indeed, fiber nonlinearity and dispersion continue to impose limitations on the performance of fiber-optic transmission systems, particularly high bit rate digital systems. They introduce signal distortion which in turn produces intersymbol interference and reduces the maximum transmitted power, the signal-to-noise ratio, and the unrepeatered span length.
Theoretical analysis by Y. Kodama et al. has indicated that by properly pre-chirping (or pre-distorting) a non-return-to-zero (NRZ) digital signal certain nonlinearities of the fiber (e.g., self phase modulation) and the dispersion of the fiber (a linear effect) may both be canceled. The appropriate pre-distortion depends on the input power level, the type of fiber, and the average dispersion of the fiber link in question. See, OFC'96 Technical Digest, Paper Tul6, pp.48-49 (1996), which is incorporated herein by reference. However, Kodama et al. provided no actual transmitter design to verify their theory, and as a consequence disclosed no actual pre-chirp waveform which would accomplish the reduction in signal distortion. Others in the art have endeavored to address the linear (positive) dispersion problem by, for example, introducing negative wavelength chirp via a suitable bias voltage applied to an external electroabsorption (EA) modulator integrated with a DFB laser. The EA modulator in these designs served a dual function: to introduce into the transmitted signal both negative wavelength chirp and amplitude modulation. See, for example K. Morito et al., IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 431-433 (1996) and Y. K. Park et al., IEEE Photonics Letters, Vol. 8, No. 9, pp. 1255-1257 (1996), both of which are incorporated herein by reference. These devices are reported to have a chirped NRZ output signal in which the leading edge of the pulses was red-shifted (i.e., slightly increased in wavelength) whereas the trailing edge of the pulses was blue-shifted (i.e., slightly decreased in wavelength). Transmission at 10 Gb/s over 100 km and 130 km standard fiber without dispersion penalty was also reported. However, neither Morito et al. nor Park et al. address the problem of fiber nonlinearities. Moreover, the dual function EA modulator is disadvantageous because the pre-chirping and data encoding processes cannot both be optimized unless each function can be controlled independently. For example, the modulation waveform parameters (e.g., amplitude, voltage-offset and shape) for the highest extinction ratio encoding will typically not be optimized for pre-chirp dispersion compensation.
However, we believe further improvement in transmission, addressing both fiber nonlinearities and dispersion, is realizable if an arbitrary, tailored (e.g., optimized) pre-chirp waveform can be made to pre-distort the output signal of the laser transmitter.

Laser transmitter for reduced signal distortion


A diagnostic and control unit allows a field technician to unlock and monitor the operation of a power machine, perform diagnostics on the power machine or modify the operating parameters of the power machine without bringing the power machine to a service station or back to the factory. The diagnostic and control unit illustratively includes a remote start and control interface, and a controller. The remote start and control interface receives inputs for unlocking the operation of one or more the hydraulic functions on the power machine.

The following U.S. patent applications are hereby fully incorporated by reference:
Application Ser. No. 09/298,671, filed Apr. 23, 1999, entitled xe2x80x9cFEATURES OF MAIN CONTROL COMPUTER FOR A POWER MACHINExe2x80x9d; and
Application Ser. No. 29/103,252, filed Apr. 12, 1999, entitled xe2x80x9cDISPLAY PANEL FOR POWER MACHINExe2x80x9d;
Application Ser. No. 29/103,267, filed Apr. 12, 1999, entitled xe2x80x9cDISPLAY PANEL FOR POWER MACHINExe2x80x9d;
Application Ser. No. 29/103,256, filed Apr. 12, 1999, entitled xe2x80x9cDISPLAY PANEL FOR POWER MACHINExe2x80x9d; and
Application Ser. No. 09/326,108, filed Jun. 4, 1999, entitled xe2x80x9cUSER INTERFACE FUNCTIONALITY FOR POWER MACHINE CONTROL SYSTEM, all of which are assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.
The present invention generally relates to power machines. More specifically, the present invention relates to a diagnostic unit (or service tool) for use with a power machine.
Power machines, such as skid steer loaders, typically have a frame which supports a cab and a movable lift arm which, in turn, supports a work tool such as a bucket. The movable lift arm is pivotally coupled to the frame of the skid steer loader by power actuators which are commonly hydraulic cylinders. In addition, the tool is coupled to the lift arm by another power actuator which is also commonly a hydraulic cylinder. An operator manipulating the skid steer loader raises and lowers the lift arm, and manipulates the tool, by actuating the hydraulic cylinders coupled to the lift arm, and the hydraulic cylinder coupled to the tool. When the operator causes the hydraulic cylinders coupled to the lift arm to increase in length, the lift arm moves generally vertically upward. Conversely, when the operator causes the hydraulic cylinders coupled to the lift arm to decrease in length, the lift arm moves generally vertically downward. Similarly, the operator can manipulate the tool (e.g., tilt the bucket) by controlling the hydraulic cylinder coupled to the lift arm and the working tool to increase or decrease in length, as desired.
Skid steer loaders also commonly have an engine which drives a hydraulic pump to, in turn, power hydraulic traction motors which power movement of the skid steer loader. The traction motors are commonly coupled to the wheels through a drive mechanism such as a chain drive.
Typically, the hydraulic circuits that serve the lift arm, the tool and the traction mechanism are controlled by mechanical linkages to levers, pedals, and/or handgrips, all of which can be manipulated by an operator. More recently, the hydraulic circuits controlling the lift and tilt functions (e.g., the lift arm and tool) are controlled by an electronic controller as a function of inputs from an operator interface. The controller serves to control the flow of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic circuits as a function of the operator inputs. The controller is typically a microprocessor capable of being programmed to correlate the operator input (which is an electrical signal generated by an input mechanism such as from a switch, trigger, handgrip, or button) to the controller output. The controller output is an electrical signal provided, for example, to an electrically controlled solenoid or valve spool, to control hydraulic fluid flow through a valve associated with the solenoid or valve spool. Thus, the hydraulic circuits which control the lift arm and the tool (and possibly auxiliary or other couplers) operate as a function of the output of the controller. Accordingly, control of the various hydraulic implements on the power machine is a function of the operator input as defined by the software associated with the controller. The software loaded on the controller typically includes a set of operating parameters that are predetermined at the factory and loaded onto the controller.
If, after the power machine has left the factory and is used in the field, it is necessary or desirable to alter the performance of the power machine by, for example, adding an implement or attachment to the machine or change operational characteristics of the machine, it may be necessary to modify the software on the controller to change or improve performance of the reconfigured power machine. In addition, after a power machine has been in use for a period of time, it may be necessary or desirable to modify the software on the controller in order to recalibrate certain parameters or upgrade the software to a more current version. In particular, it may be desirable to upgrade the software to improve performance of the power machine and/or make it suitable for use with newly available attachments. To accommodate this reprogramming, it has been necessary with prior art power machines to completely replace components (such as the controller or memory associated therewith, or both). This can be costly and inefficient.
Similarly, testing or monitoring operation of a power machine, or diagnosing a problem on a power machine, can be difficult. For instance, when the power machine is of the type in which the hydraulic circuit is controlled by an electronic controller, performing diagnostics on such a system can be fairly complicated and time consuming.
The present invention provides a service tool for use with a power machine such as a skid steer loader. The service tool allows a field technician to do one or more of the following: monitor operation of the power machine, control the operation of the power machine, perform diagnostics on the power machine and/or modify the operating parameters of the power machine without replacing components. The ability to perform diagnostics in the field results in substantial cost and time savings. The ability to control and monitor the power machine during diagnostics allows the technician to test the machine""s performance and modify the operating parameters of the machine, if necessary.
In an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the service tool is designed for use with a power machine which includes a hydraulic drive circuit connected to a hydraulic drive motor, a hydraulic actuator circuit connected to a hydraulic actuator, and a controller connected to the hydraulic drive circuit and the hydraulic actuator circuit. The controller has an input, an output and a set of operating parameters which correlate the input to the output. At least one of the hydraulic functions of the power machine operate as a function of the output of the controller. An operator interface unit provides operator actuable inputs, is connected to the controller, and has an output which is a function of an operator interface input. The output of the operator interface unit provides the input to the controller such that the operator interface input controls the operation of the designated hydraulic function.
The service tool illustratively includes a remote start and control device and a computer. The remote start and control device controls the operation of an engine on the power machine and at least one hydraulic function. The diagnostic and control unit includes an interface for interfacing with the controller.
The remote start and control device illustratively includes an unlock input for unlocking the operator controls, a starter input for starting and stopping the power machine, and hydraulic control inputs for controlling or unlocking one or more of the hydraulic functions. The computer illustratively also includes a diagnostic mechanism for scanning the controller, for detecting the operating parameters of the controller, for collecting performance data of the power machine and/or for modifying the operating parameters of the controller.
Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention is a method of controlling, diagnosing and modifying the operation of a power machine using a diagnostic and control unit that includes a remote start and control device connected to a computer. The method illustratively includes the steps of connecting the diagnostic and control unit to the controller on the power machine, unlocking and operating a hydraulic function on the power machine, performing diagnostics on the power machine using the computer and modifying the operating parameters of the controller based on the diagnostics.
The diagnostic method illustratively includes the steps of scanning the controller for (or receiving an input indicative of) a current installed software version, comparing the current software version with an upgrade version, and automatically upgrading the installed software if the current version is different from the upgrade version. The software illustratively includes operating parameters. The diagnostic method may also include the steps of collecting operating performance data as at least one of the hydraulic functions are operated, comparing the data to desired performance specifications and modifying the operating parameters of the controller if the collected data is different from the desired or specified data.

Diagnostic and control unit for power machine


Method and system for real-time speech recognition is provided. The speech algorithm runs on a platform having an input-output processor and a plurality of processor units. The processor units operate substantially in parallel or sequentially to perform feature extraction and pattern matching. While the input-output processor creates a frame, the processor units execute the feature extraction and the pattern matching. Shared memory is provided for supporting the parallel operation.

Today, speech recognition technology relies on a standard set of algorithms that are known to produce good results. When implemented on computer systems, these algorithms require a certain amount of storage and involve a relatively large number of complex calculations. Because of these requirements, real-time speech recognition systems based on these algorithms have so far not been successfully deployed in low-resource environments (i.e. low power consumption, low memory usage, low computation load and complexity, low processing delay).
An effort is ongoing to find ways to design speech recognition systems with reduced resource requirements. For example, Deligne et al. describe a continuous speech recognition system suitable for processors running at a minimum of 50 MIPS and having at least 1 Mbytes of memory ("Low-Resource Speech Recognition of 500-Word Vocabularies", Proceedings of Eurospeech 2001, pp. 1820–1832), and Y. Gong and U. H. Kao describe a system running on a 30 MHz DSP with 64K words of memory ("Implementing a high accuracy speaker-independent continuous speech recognizer on a fixed DSP", Proceedings of the ICASSP 2000, pp. 3686–3689). J. Foks presents a voice command system running on a 2.5 MHz CR16B processor ("Implementation of Speech Recognition on CR16B CompactRisc", Proceedings of the ICSPAT 2000).
Some algorithms have been developed that require fewer resources and are better adapted for low-resource environments. However, these algorithms are simpler in scope and usually designed for very specific situations. In addition, the algorithms have only allowed marginal improvements in power consumption over the algorithms described above and are still not suitable for ultra-low resource environments.
Another problem concerns speech recognition in noisy environments. In these situations, special algorithms have to be applied. The algorithms perform voice activity detection, noise reduction or speech enhancement in order to improve recognition accuracy. These algorithms also require complex calculations and therefore add a lot of overhead to the system, making it even more difficult to deploy robust speech recognition in low-resource environments.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a speech recognition method and system to provide a high quality output, which can be deployed in low resource environments.


A method and an apparatus for managing call resources, which can contribute to an improvement in the performance and stability of systems to which the method and apparatus are applied. Call processors are connected to a shared library via a resource manager which is internally provided with a resource management table for storing permanent processor ID numbers of the call processors and resource allocation information. The call manager controls access to the shared library in association with requests of the call processors for an allocation or release of the resources in such a manner that the access is given for only the stored permanent process ID's. When a request is made to release call resources currently in use, the call manager determines whether or not the process ID of a call process associated with the request for the release coincides with the process ID of the call process currently using the stored call resources. When the process ID's do not coincide with each other, the call manager rejects the request for the release and notifies the operator of such a rejection.

There are many patents that deal with the allocation of resources in a telephone communication system. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,427 for a Telephone Resource Allocation method in a Communication System to Ekstrom, et al. discloses a telephone resource allocation method in a communication system. When a request for allocation comes in, communication resource allocator tries to find an available telephone resource for that particular call. If no resource is available, the allocator waits for a telephone resource to become available from either the primary or the secondary set of telephone resources. Additional examples occur in U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,909 for a Method For Allocating Telephone and Communication Resources to Ng, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,884 for a User Requested Communication Resource Allocation to Hesse, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,583,869 for a Method For Dynamically Allocating Wireless Communication Resources to Grube et al. Grube, et al. '869 re-allocates or releases telephone resources upon completion of a call.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,634 for a Resource Allocation to Non-Critical Users to Cizek discloses a telephone allocation system for both critical and non-critical users. The apparatus identifies user groups as either critical or non-critical. Based upon this classification, the apparatus either allocates or denies allocation of resources.
What is needed is a telephone allocation system and process that prevents one call from freeing up the resources allocated to another call in progress. Because such a scenario should not occur in the first place, what is also needed is a mechanism for notifying the operator whenever one call attempts to free up the resources allocated to another call in progress.

Method of and apparatus for managing call resources in switching system


Disclosed is a flat panel display device including a first substrate; an electron emitting region formed on the first substrate; a second substrate opposing the first substrate with a predetermined gap therebetween; a vacuum assembly being formed by the first and the second substrates; and a light emitting region including a phosphor layer with a predetermined pattern and emitting light by electrons emitted from the electron emitting region, and an anode formed on one side of the phosphor layer, wherein the projections and depressions are formed on the anode, or on the second substrate.

A flat panel display device generally includes a cathode that emits electrons and an anode that emits light by electrons emitted from the cathode, respectively aligned on two substrates to display an image.
Based on the structure of a flat panel display device, an electron emission display, one of the flat panel display devices, aligns with a cold cathode electron emission source on the cathode substrate, and an anode on which green, blue and red color phosphor layers have been formed is impinged by an electron beam, thereby producing a color display.
The phosphor layer is produced by preparing a phosphor slurry including a photo-resist resin of photosensitive polymers and other additives such as a photo cross-linking agent and a dispersing agent, and coating the slurry on a black layer pattern of a substrate followed by drying. Thereafter, the dried substrate is mounted with a mask and is exposed using a mercury lamp at a high pressure followed by washing with pure water to produce a phosphor layer.
Various attempts have been suggested in order to improve the adhesion between the phosphor layer and the substrate. Such attempts have included the use of chemical additives such as an acrylamide, a di-acetone acrylamide copolymer, or a diazo-photosensitive agent (Korean laid-open patent publication No. 99-12416), or an acryl emulsion (Korean laid-open patent publication No. 98-23556). However, such chemical additives may remain in the resulting phosphor layer after the subsequent sintering step, and can form a char which deteriorates the quality of the resulting flat panel display devices.
Other attempts have included providing a pre-coating solution before coating the phosphor layer, or surface-treating the phosphor with a material such as SiO2. However, these methods use still more chemical materials such that the foregoing problem cannot be fully overcome.


A method and computer program product are provided for monitoring integrity of a railroad train and determining passage of the train relative to a plurality of virtual blocks defined by wireless transmissions along a section of track over which the train travels. The virtual blocks provide safeguards for the travel of the train relative to other trains on the section of the track when there is a shared use of the section of track. In aspects thereof, the method allows collecting data useful for evaluating conditions that may affect train integrity from at least one sensing device at a end of train location. The method further allows collecting data at a head-of-train location, with the data collected at the head-of-train corresponding to the type of data collected at the end-of-train location. The data collected at the end-of-train and at the head-of train location is processed to determine whether the entire train has cleared a respective one of the virtual blocks. In the event this determination is unable to reach a clearance for the respective block, a cautionary status is associated with the virtual block. The cautionary status for the virtual block is automatically communicated to an offboard system, which is responsible for managing shared use of the track by other trains.

Traditional rail traffic signal systems have used an extensive array of wayside equipment to control railway traffic and maintain safe train separation distances. In these traditional systems railway control is achieved by detecting the presence of a train, determining a route availability for each train, conveying the route availability to a train's crew, and controlling the movement of the train in accordance with the route availability.
The presence of a train is typically detected directly through a sensor device, or track circuit, associated with a specific section of the rails, referred to as a block. The presence of a train causes an impedance change in a block's track circuit. In this manner, the occupancy of each block is determined. Vital decision logic is employed, utilizing the block occupancy information in conjunction with other information provided, such as track switch positions, to determine a clear route availability for trains. Traditional railway systems require the installation and maintenance of expensive apparatus on the wayside for communicating route availability to approaching trains. The wayside equipment physically displays signals, or aspects, that are interpreted by a crew on board a train approaching the signaling device. Thus, the interpretation of signal aspects can be subject to human error through confusion, inattention or inclement weather conditions.
An alternative to conventional track circuit-based signaling systems are communication-based train control (CBTC) systems. These train control systems generally include a computer at one or more fixed locations for determining the movement, authority and/or constraints applicable to each specific train. The computer then transmits this train-specific information in unique messages addressed or directed to each individual train.

Method and computer program product for monitoring integrity of railroad train


The invention relates to a portable luminous trap for flying or crawling insects. A fluorescent lamp in the center of an insect ingress zone attracts the insects. Transparent baffles radiating outwardly from the lamp act as walls and an insect hitting a baffle is stunned and drops downwardly, through a funnel opening into an entrapment container therebelow. The funnel also helps prevent escape of still-living insects from the container. An alkaline dry cell battery powers the lamp, test circuits for the battery and the lamp, and a clock circuit. A photocell is used to activate the trap at dusk and the setting for the clock circuit determines the length of time that the lamp is activated each night.

Insect traps are well known and many different varieties have been manufactured for many years. Insect traps generally are used for two purposes, to trap and kill large quantities of harmful and/or annoying insects such as mosquitoes, or to trap smaller quantities for entomological surveys to determine the presence, abundance and emergence of many useful or economically important insect species. Samples taken over a particular time period give trained observers an indication of insect populations and rates of growth or decline of such populations. Live samples are also sometimes required for research purposes. Insect traps can be used to control populations by trapping sexually active members of the insect population attracted to the trap by suitable lures or attractants, such as pheromones.
As indicated above there are many styles of insect traps, including those found in Belton's Canadian Patent No. 1.227,929 of Oct. 13, 1987; Brown's Canadian Patent No. 525,188 of May 22, 1956; Boisvert et al's U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,088 of Feb. 26, 1985; Jobin et al's U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,936 of Feb. 17, 1987; and Koike's U.S. Pat. No. 2,095,986 of Oct. 19, 1937. These traps illustrate many different features, including the use of light as an attractant, the use of restricted entrances to the trap, the use of restrictions to prevent escape, the use of protective covers, the use of pheromones as the attractant, the use of toxins to kill trapped insects, and the use of variable luminosity to attract different insects. While each of these traps adequately performs its desired functions it cannot be said that they are readily adaptable to trapping many varieties of insects, that they are readily controllable so that they can be left for long periods of time without attention, or that they are efficient in permitting easy access to the trap while preventing easy egress therefrom when it is desired to keep the trapped insects alive.


A portable computer system which includes a modified C-7 power cord socket, which can receive either an AC power cord with a standard C-7 connector or a DC power cord with a modified C-7 connector. (However, the modified C-7 connector cannot be inserted into a standard C-7 socket.) Microswitches in the modified power cord socket detect the presence of the DC connector, and automatically adjust the power conversion circuit accordingly.

The present invention relates to portable computer systems which can receive external power from both AC and DC sources.
A typical power cord interfaces to a wall outlet at one end, and interfaces to a standard C-7 type AC connector at the other. The C-7 type AC connector is a widely used standard, and is illustrated in prior art FIG. 1A. This is a non-polarized connector which is normally located on the back of a portable computer. (The C-7 standard is defined by IEC section 320.) C-7 is not the only AC input connector, but is the smallest size which is rated for the 50 W or more power levels normally required for portable computer input.
By attaching the appropriate cord to the C-7 connector, the computer can be configured to operate in the U.S., Japan, U.K., France, Switzerland, Australia, India, etc. Of course, the power supply itself must be able to tolerate the different voltages and frequencies of mains power in these different locations, but power supplies which can accept any AC voltage from 100 volts up through 240 volts are widely available. Thus, the ability to use different power cords with a C-7 connector is very advantageous.
However, the standard definition of a type C-7 connector does not permit it to be used for DC power inputs. Thus, while the capability to accept both DC and AC power inputs is very useful, a separate connector is normally provided on the chassis of computers which can accept such input. (The DC inputs are typically 12 volts, for recharging in a car.) This requires not only separate circuitry, but also separate connectors and cords. Since space on the exterior surface of the chassis is at a premium, this is undesirable.

AC/DC portable power connecting architecture


A process of forming a microperforated plastic film includes providing a post tool having multiple posts, bringing plastic into contact with the post tool such that the plastic conforms to the shape of the posts, and solidifying the plastic into a solidified plastic film having a plurality of microperforations in the shape of the posts. Another step in the process is displacing any skins formed over the holes after solidifying the plastic. The process may be used to form a film for sound absorption where the posts are shaped and arranged to provide microperforations that provide a particular sound absorption spectrum. In one embodiment, the microperforations each have a narrowest diameter of 20 mils, a narrowest diameter less than a film thickness, and a widest diameter greater than narrowest diameter. The widest diameter may be about 125% or more of the narrowest diameter in an embodiment.

Sound absorbers have been widely used in a number of different disciplines for absorbing sound. The most common sound absorbers are fiber-based and use fibrous materials such as fiberglass, open-cell polymeric foams, fibrous spray-on materials often derived from polyurethanes, and acoustic tile (an agglomerate of fibrous and/or particulate materials). Such fibrous-based sound absorbers rely on frictional dissipation of sound energy in interstitial spaces and can advantageously provide relatively broad-band sound absorption. Despite their advantages in broad-band absorption, fiber-based sound absorbers have significant inherent disadvantages. Such sound absorbers can readily release particulate matter and deleteriously degrade the air quality of the surrounding environment. Some fiber-based sound absorbers are also sensitive to heat or fire and/or require expensive treatment to provide heat/fire resistance. Consequently, fiber-based sound absorbers are of limited use in many environments.
Perforated sheets have also been used in sound absorbers. Typically, these sheets include relatively thick perforated material, such as metal, having relatively large hole diameters (e.g., greater than 1 mm hole diameters). The perforated sheets are commonly used in two manners. They are often used alone with a reflective surface to provide narrow band sound absorption for relatively tonal sounds. They are also used as facings for fibrous materials to provide sound absorption over a wider spectrum. In the later case, the perforated sheets typically serve as protection, with the fibrous materials providing the sound absorption. Microperforated, sheet-based sound absorbers have also been suggested for sound absorption. Conventional micro perforated sheet-based sound absorbers use either relatively thick (e.g., greater than 2 mm) and stiff perforated sheets of metal or glass or thinner perforated sheets which are provided externally supported or stiffened with reinforcing strips to eliminate vibration of the sheet when subject to incident sound waves.
Fuchs, U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,527, for example, teaches a sound absorber using relatively thick and stiff perforated sheets of 2-20 millimeter glass or synthetic glass. Fuchs suggests using thinner sheets (e.g., 0.2 mm thick) of relatively stiff synthetic glass provided the sheets are reinforced with thickening or glued on strips in such a manner that incident sound cannot exite the sheets to vibrate. In this case the thin, reinforced sheet is positioned 24 inches from an underlying reflective surface. Mnich, U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,386, teaches a method of repairing sound attenuation structures for aircraft engines. The sound attenuation structures commonly include an aluminum honeycomb core having an imperforate backing sheet on one side, a perforated sheet of aluminum (with aperture diameters of about 0.039 to 0.09 inches) adhered to the other side, and a porous wire cloth adhesively bonded to the perforated aluminum sheet. According to Mnich, the sound attenuation structure may be repaired by removing a damaged portion of the wire cloth and adhesively bonding a microperforated plastic sheet to the underlying perforated aluminum sheet. In this manner, the microperforated plastic sheet is externally supported by the perforated aluminum sheet to form a composite, laminated structure which provides similar sound absorption as the original wire cloth/perforated sheet laminated structure.
While these perforated sheet-based sound absorbers may overcome some of the inherent disadvantages of fiber-based sound absorbers, they are expensive and/or of limited use in many applications. For instance, the use of very thick and/or very stiff materials or use of thickening strips or external support for the perforated sheets limits the use of sound absorbers using such sheets. The necessary thickness/stiffness or strips/external support also makes the perforated sheets expensive to manufacture. Finally, the perforated sheets must be provided with expensive narrow diameter perforations or else used in limited situations involving tonal sound. For example, to achieve broad-band sound absorption, conventional perforated sheets must be provided with perforations having high aspect ratios (hole depth to hole diameter ratios). However, the punching, stamping or laser drilling techniques used to form such small hole diameters are very expensive. Accordingly, the sound absorption industry still seeks sound absorbers which are inexpensive and capable of wide use. The present invention solves these as well as other needs.

Process of forming a microperforated polymeric film for sound absorption


A content management system includes a content acquisition device that acquires content; and a management device. The content acquisition device performs the following operations including: transmitting the content; receiving a content ID for identifying the content and a plurality of keyword candidates associated with the content; displaying the keyword candidates; and transmitting a keyword candidate designated from among the displayed keyword candidates with the content ID. The management device performs the following operations including: receiving the content; generating the plurality of keyword candidates based on the content; associating the content with the generated keyword candidates, and generating the content ID for identifying the content; transmitting the content ID and the generated keyword candidates; receiving the designated keyword candidate and the content ID; and registering the designated keyword candidate as a search keyword in the search database in association with content identified by the received content ID.

Recently, various devices, such as a printer and a facsimile, are connected to a network. A printer acquires document data as a target of printing from a terminal. A facsimile acquires facsimile data. Alternatively, if the facsimile has a telephone function, the facsimile may acquire (record) a message of a party on the other end. Hereinafter, document data, facsimile data, and the like, are generically referred to as "content." Devices which acquire content, such as a printer and a facsimile, are generically referred to as "content acquisition device" or "network device".
Acquired content is managed by the network device itself or by a content management device communicably connected to the network device. The "content management device" is hereinafter referred to as a "management device." It is advantageous for the network device or the management device to be able to search for a desired content among a plurality of managed content. In order to search for a desired content, the network device or the management device stores content in association with a keyword for searching purpose. Herein, the keyword for searching purpose is referred to as a "search keyword." The user designates a search keyword in accordance with content.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-20256 describes a management device that is easy for the user to designate a search keyword. The management device is connected to an image reader (a kind of network device) through a network. The image reader generates a reduced-size image of received image data (image content) and transmits the image to the management device. The management device extracts a characteristic quantity from the received reduced-size image and extracts candidates for a keyword associated with the reduced-size image in accordance with the characteristic quantity. The thus-extracted candidates for the keyword are sent to the image reader. The image reader displays the keyword candidates. The image reader sends to the management device a candidate designated by the user from among the candidates and acquired image data. The management device stores the keyword candidate designated by the user and the image data in association with each other. That is, the management device stores the keyword candidate designated by the user as a search keyword.
According to the technique described in the Publication, inconvenience arises when assigning a search keyword for a second image data is started before assigning a search keyword for a first image data is completed. In order to maintain the association between the first and second image data and keywords for respective image data (keyword candidates or search keywords), both of image data and a keyword has to be exchanged between the image reader and the management device at all times. If not, the association between the image data and the keyword might be lost.
A desire exists for a content management system that manages a plurality of sets of image data by efficiently associating the sets of data with search keywords. A content management system that manages not only image data but also acquired content by efficiently associating search keywords to the content has been desired.

Content management system and content management method


Systems, apparatus and methods related to multiple-party communications between client computers and a server in a computer network are described. A described method includes receiving, at the server from at least first one of the clients, input messages containing user input of information representing cursor movements on the first client, information identifying a content entry position with respect to the meeting content displayed on the first client, or information identifying content input by a user of the first client for display at the content entry position; transmitting output messages that include information representing either of the content entry position or the content input by the user to each of the clients; and transmitting output messages that represent said cursor movements to ones of the clients to which all output messages that include information representing either of the content entry position or the content input by the user have been transmitted.

The specification of this application relates generally to network communications, and more particularly to multiple-party communications conducted between client computers in a computer network.
High bandwidth internet connections enjoyed by many computer users have facilitated new forms of online collaboration, allowing users to conduct multiple-party communications over an internet connection by sharing a common view of a displayed page in an internet browser window, for example. Users may post comments on the displayed page, which may be transmitted to all users, thus facilitating online discussion.
However, such communications suffer from a common problem due to delays in transmitting posted comments and other information between the parties. In some cases these delays reduce the usefulness of an online communication since the parties do not feel a presence of other participants in the communication.
Accordingly, there remains a need for communication systems and methods that improve a user's experience of such multiple-party communications in a computer network.

Method, apparatus, and system for supporting multi-party collaboration between a plurality of client computers in communication with a server


A seal for a bar mounted within a molded tub and surround. The seal includes a flexible flange and a tubular body extending therefrom. The seal provides a plurality of sealing surfaces which operate to engage the bar and aperture such that an effective redundant waterproof seal is provided. The flexible flange is generally perpendicular to the tubular body and is sized to cover any chips or cracks which may exist about the aperture and to accommodate a non-parallel, curved, and/or angled wall portion.

The present invention relates to a grommet which provides a waterproof seal for a towel bar which passes through a molded plastic tub surround portion.
Tub surrounds are positioned within a recess built around a bathtub or shower. It is well known to provide a modular tub/shower unit that includes a tub portion at the bottom and two or more wall portions. The whole structure is inserted into the wall recess to form a completely waterproof surround. The fully enclosed waterproof structure is highly advantageous in that it prevents the escape of water into the wall cavity despite the shower spraying water onto the surrounding walls.
One problem that has always arisen with products of this type is that of mounting a towel bar, handrail, or other member which must pierce the surround portions. Piercing the surround portion creates waterproofing difficulties and the potential for damage to the aesthetic surface.
Various styles of conventional grommets and interfaces are known. Each provides particular tradeoffs in complexity, aesthetics, expense, and sealing ability. One particular difficulty is the interface between a tubular part and the curved or angular surface common to the shower surround portions. Oftentimes, a particular waterproof interface must be manufactured for the particular shower surround surface. This may result in an undesirable cost increase to the shower surround or the desire for minimization of components which must pierce the aesthetic surface.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a waterproof seal for a molded plastic tub surround which is uncomplicated and aesthetically pleasing while assuring an effective watertight seal.

Water-proof seal for a towel bar which penetrates a tub surround portion


A selective bird feeder is provided. The selective bird feeder includes a selective housing having a side wall and a base. A cover supported by the side wall of the selected housing and a seed holder is contained within the selective housing. The selective housing restricts access of relatively large birds and predators, while allowing access of smaller birds, such as song birds, to the interior space in which the seed holder is disposed.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to a selective feeder and, in particular, to a selective bird feeder.
2. Related Art
A variety of selective feeders are known for selectively allowing entrance of animals of a selected size while restricting the entrance of animals that are larger than the selected size.
With respect to bird feeders, in particular, house finches and squirrels tend to dominate bird feeding or drinking areas, making it difficult, if not impossible for smaller, more timid birds such as the goldfinch and black-capped chickadee to participate. Thus, many attempts have been made to provide a bird feeder that allows relatively smaller birds, which are typically songbirds, access to a bird feeder, while restricting access to such feeders by relatively larger birds. In addition, due to the resourcefulness of squirrels in their attempts to access seed contained in feeders, many attempts have also been made to provide a "squirrel proof" bird feeder.
Attempts to deal with the problems of dominant or persistent birds and squirrels have not always been successful, and in some instances have resulted in other problems. For example, such feeders are generally larger and heavier than non-selective feeders. Such feeders may also be difficult to refill with seed, as they may require complicated disassembly and reassembly. For similar reasons, such feeders may be difficult to clean. The fact that such feeders are generally larger and heavier than non-selective feeders makes refilling and cleaning more cumbersome as well.
There remains a need in the art for an improved selective bird feeder.


Initial items can be partitioned into a plurality of partitions. The partitions can be stored in a partitioned list in computer storage. An index to the partitions can be generated. One or more initial items can be invalidated, and additional items can be appended to the partitioned list in a storage space previously occupied by the invalidated initial items. The index can be updated to omit references to the invalidated items, and to include references to the additional items. Also, a slice of an application call tree can be generated from a partition loaded into memory from a log. A representation of the slice can be displayed on a computer display, even before the entire application call tree is generated from the log.

Extremely large read-only data files, such as log files collected during application tracing, are often processed, such as to extract information in the log files and/or analyze the information in the log files. For example, log files can be used to generate call trees that represent calls made while a traced application is running.


The present invention includes methods for producing an extruded food particle by extruding through an extruder having a screw within a barrel, a composition containing nutritional food components, and gelatin in an amount sufficient to act as a binder when the composition exits the extruder, where the binder has essentially no starch. The present invention also includes extruded food particles that do not use starch as a binder.

The present invention generally relates to extrusion of feed and food products. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods of extruding feed and food products that uses gelatin rather than starch as a binder during extrusion. The present invention also includes extruded feed and food products that contain gelatin as the binder and little, if any starch.
Extrusion cooking devices have long been used in the manufacture of a wide variety of edible and other products such as human food and animal feeds. For example, large extruders have been used for many years for the production of dry chunk-type dog foods. Generally speaking, such equipment includes an extruder having an elongated, tubular barrel with one or two elongated, helically flighted, axially rotatable screws therein. A multiple-orifice die is normally attached to the outlet end of the extruder barrel and is the prime means for shaping the extrudate.
In use, a material to be processed is passed into and through the extruder barrel and is subjected to increasing levels of temperature, pressure and shear. As the material emerges from the extruder die, it is fully cooked and shaped and may typically be subdivided using a rotating knife assembly. Conventional extruders of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,763,569; 4,118,164 and 3,117,006.
Materials undergoing extrusion typically include a binder to improve internal cohesive strength so that the final product is less likely to fracture and create dust and wastage. Starch is a preferred binder for extruding food products since conditions during extrusion facilitate starch gelatinization that helps adhere each of the food components to one another in the final extruded product.
Unfortunately, quantities of starch are not always desired in food products, for many animals, such as gorillas, dogs, cats, horses, humans and the like. As a result, it is desired to produce a product containing virtually no starch.

Extruded animal feed with gelatin binder and low starch content and method of making


When dot-sequential data indicating a temporal variation in position, speed, or acceleration is stored in a memory in an automated guided vehicle as it is, the capacity of the memory is insufficient and thus needs to be increased. A pattern is mounted in a stacker crane 1; the pattern is drawn by dot-sequential data indicating a temporal variation in acceleration (FIG. 2C), and corresponds to an instruction value provided to an actuator installed in the stacker crane 1. In this case, a curve function corresponding to an approximate expression for the dot-sequential data is derived in a form of a Fourier series having a finite number of terms and using time as an independent variable and the position, speed, or acceleration as a dependent variable. Data identifying the Fourier series, having a finite number of terms, is stored in a memory 5 mounted in the stacker crane 1.

To controllably run (move) an automated guided vehicle such as an automated guided stacker crane, an instruction value for position, speed, or acceleration needs to be provided to a motor (actuator) installed in the automated guided vehicle; the instruction value depends on a temporal variation in position, speed, or acceleration.
For example, where an instruction value for the speed is provided to the motor to run the automated guided vehicle over a given section, the corresponding speed pattern is normally set to draw a trapezoidal curve. The trapezoidal curve consists of three portions, an accelerated running portion (hypotenuse) in which the automated guided vehicle runs at a uniform acceleration, a uniform-speed portion (top side), and a decelerated running portion (hypotenuse) in which the automated guided vehicle runs at a uniform acceleration.
The Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication (Tokkai) No. 2002-32124 discloses an automated guided vehicle (rail guided carriage) for which a speed pattern is set to draw a trapezoidal curve.
To reduce vibration in the automated guided vehicle, an optimum control problem for maximizing vibration controllability may be solved to obtain a curve function corresponding to the optimum solution and used as a speed pattern for the automated guided vehicle. It is known that vibration can be effectively controlled by using the thus derived speed pattern (hereinafter referred to as an optimum speed pattern) to control the speed of the automated guided vehicle. This optimum speed pattern draws a complicated curve instead of the normal trapezoidal curve.
Further, although depending on what is to be optimized in the optimum control problem, where it is difficult to derive the optimum solution in the form of a continuous function, an approximate solution may be found every period of time t, that is, at given time intervals t, to derive the optimum speed V every period of time t. This results in dot-sequential data composed of dots P (t, V) where the elements of each dot are time t and speed V. The dot-sequential data forms an optimum speed pattern that is a continuous curve.
Where the optimum speed pattern is expressed by dot-sequential data, the dot-sequential data needs to be stored in a memory in the automated guided vehicle in order to run the automated guided vehicle in accordance with the optimum speed pattern. However, such dot-sequential data occupies a large space in the memory in the automated guided vehicle, the capacity of which must thus be increased in order to achieve the proper storage. For example, when instructions are given to the actuator such as a motor at the rate of one instruction per 1/1,000 sec., 1,000 data for each second needs to be pre-stored in the memory.
Furthermore, the optimum speed pattern varies depending on the distance that the automated guided vehicle runs or the position of center of gravity of the automated guided vehicle. For example, for a stacker crane, the distance that the stacker crane runs to transfer an article varies depending on the positional relationship between the source and destination of the article. Thus, to allow the same automated guided vehicle to run different distances, many dot-sequential data the number of which depends on the running distances needs to be stored in the memory in the automated guided vehicle. This further increases the amount of data to be stored in the memory.
Thus, a problem to be solved by the present invention is that when dot-sequential data indicating a temporal variation in position, speed, or acceleration is stored in the memory in the automated guided vehicle as it is, the capacity of the memory is insufficient and thus needs to be increased.

Method for mounting pattern in actual machine


A rear bumper assembly and a tail trim cover are disclosed herein. The rear bumper cover comprises a rear bumper cover having an exhaust hole portion, a main tail trim mounted to the exhaust hole portion, and a tail trim cover coupled to the main tail trim. Bent portions defining a gradually decreasing diameter are formed in a joint region between the main tail trim and the tail trim cover.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rear bumper assembly and a tail trim cover for a vehicle through which the tail pipe of a muffler is inserted.
2. Description of Related Art
In a vehicle, a tail trim is mounted to a rear bumper cover such that the tail pipe of a muffler can be installed through the tail trim.
Referring to FIG. 1, a tail trim 10 composed of a main tail trim 16, a tail trim upper cover 12 and a tail trim lower cover 13 is assembled to a rear bumper cover 20 such that the tail trim 10 is matched to the exhaust hole of the rear bumper cover 20.
When the rear bumper cover 20 and the tail trim 10 are assembled together, the tail trim 10 is fastened to the rear bumper cover 20 by way of separate mounting brackets 11, and an insertion part 15 of the tail trim 10, through which the tail pipe of a muffler is inserted, is fastened to the rear bumper cover 20 through a welded mounting bracket 14.
Since the tail trim 10 is fastened to the rear bumper cover 20 by way of the separate mounting brackets 11, the manufacturing and material costs increase, and ease of assembly is degraded due to the addition of a welding process. Also, because welding parts are exposed to the outside, the outer appearance is likely to be deteriorated.
Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 2, the tail trim upper cover 12 and the tail trim lower cover 13 are locked in a surface matching type such that they are fitted around and then welded to the main tail trim 16. At this time, in the joint region A′ between the tail trim covers 12 and 13 and the main tail trim 16, a step or a gap (of about 5 mm) that is different from an original design comes at the distal end of the main tail trim 16. In this state, if exhaust gas is discharged through the tail trim 10 via the tail pipe of the muffler, exhaust gas discharge noise or flow-induced noise is generated in the joint region A′ due to the presence of the non-continuous portion, i.e., step or the gap, as a result of which vibration noise is generated in the tail trim 10.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

Rear bumper assembly and tail trim cover for vehicle


Upon distributing data from a first terminal apparatus to a second terminal apparatus, whether the data is to be distributed is determined in accordance with an access situation of a client to the first terminal apparatus, and, on the basis of a determined result, the data is distributed to the second terminal apparatus.

There is conventionally a system capable of observing an image sensed with a video camera from multiple remote points, which can not only observe the camera image but also remote-control the pan and tilt angles and zoom magnification of the camera. For example, as disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-42279, a system has been proposed, in which a computer-controllable camera is connected through a WWW (World Wide Web) server on the Internet, and not only a real-time image sensed with the camera is distributed to one or more personal computers (PCs) connected to the Internet but also the PCs are allowed to control the camera.
Such an image distribution system capable of controlling the camera and distributing an image to a plurality of PCs (clients) has as its primary object to provide a real-time image. Hence, an image at a specific timing in the past cannot be seen later. To see the image in the past later, the operator must operate to sense the image by the camera, convert the image into a predetermined format, and record it in a secondary storage device on the WWW server in advance. The image thus recorded can be seen later through the Internet using a Web browser.
Hence, to allow the WWW server to distribute an image in order to provide the image recorded in the past, an operation is necessary, in which the operator operates to sense the image by the camera, convert the sensed image data into compressed digital data browsable on the Internet, and store the data in the WWW server. This requires labor as well as operation skill of the camera operator.

Control of data distribution apparatus and data distribution system


A removable hitch attachment configured to couple a towable vehicle to the bucket of a piece of earth-moving equipment, the bucket having wall portions terminating in edges that define an opening of the bucket. The removable hitch attachment includes a hitch mount configured to permit mounting of a hitch onto the removable hitch attachment. The removable hitch attachment further includes an edge engaging structure configured to receive one of the edges of the bucket to secure the hitch mount to the bucket. The edge engaging structure is further configured to secure the removable hitch attachment to the bucket independent of engagement with the other edges of the bucket and free of any structural modification of the bucket.

The present invention relates to earth-moving equipment, and more particularly to a hitch attachment that is removably mountable on earth-moving equipment.
Operators of earth-moving equipment and other construction equipment often need to move trailers and similar non-powered towable vehicles around a job site. While these towable vehicles have hitch couplings for attachment to a drive vehicle such as a truck, most pieces of earth-moving equipment do not include the mating hitches to attach to the towable vehicles. As a result, it can be difficult to move the towable vehicle with the earth-moving equipment. Typically, an operator will attach the towable vehicle to the earth-moving equipment using a chain.
Prior attempts to provide a towing capability to earth-moving equipment have involved structural changes to the bucket of the earth-moving equipment which are often permanent, or have involved complex assemblies attached at multiple locations on the equipment.
The present invention provides a removable hitch attachment configured to operatively couple a towable vehicle with a bucket of a piece of earth-moving equipment, where the bucket has wall portions terminating in two or more generally linear edges that define an opening of the bucket. The removable hitch attachment includes a hitch mount configured to permit mounting of a hitch onto the removable hitch attachment and an edge engaging structure configured to secure the hitch mount to the bucket. The edge engaging structure is configured to receive one of the edges of the bucket to secure the removable hitch attachment to the bucket, and is further configured to secure the removable hitch attachment to the bucket independent of engagement with the other edges of the bucket and free of any structural modification of the bucket. In addition, the removable hitch attachment is configured to be easily installed onto and removed from the bucket to selectively accommodate towing operations and earth-moving operations.

Removable hitch attachment for earth-moving equipment


Embodiments of the present invention include a method of polymerizing olefins comprising contacting olefins with a catalyst composition made by the process of combining a hindered polyalicyclic alkyl catalyst precursor with a particulate inorganic oxide for a deposition time greater than 2 hours to form a catalyst composition. Embodiments of the present invention also include catalyst compositions comprising a hindered polyalicyclic alkyl catalyst precursor made by the process of combining the hindered polyalicyclic alkyl catalyst precursor with a particulate inorganic oxide for a deposition time greater than 2 hours to form the catalyst composition. In one embodiment, the hindered polyalicyclic alkyl catalyst precursor is formed by first combining an acid, a compound having the formula RX, and a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of Group 3 to Group 10 oxide compounds to produce a catalyst precursor; characterized in that R is selected from the group consisting of hindered polyalicyclic alkyls, and substituted derivatives thereof, and X is selected from the group consisting of any suitable leaving group.

It is known that hindered polyalicyclic alkyl catalyst precursors are useful in catalyst compositions for the production of polyethylene, especially high density polyethylenes useful in such products as films and blow molding products. The synthesis of such supported hindered polyalicyclic alkyl catalyst compositions is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,704,287 and 3,642,749. However, their use in a gas-phase process, where problems caused by the presence of reactor fines (small average particle size polymer particles) must be overcome to be commercially viable.
Furthermore, the synthesis of hindered polyalicyclic alkyl catalysts must be improved. The synthesis of such catalyst compositions as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,704,287 and 3,642,749 includes the use of diluents such as aromatic and/or halogenated hydrocarbons, both of which are undesirable diluents. The syntheses and use in polymerization processes of other chromate esters are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,612, U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,723 and EP 0 454 434 A2. Even in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,723, the use of hexane as a diluent is included in the synthesis of the catalyst. These synthesis mostly derive from W. M. B. Könst and J. Th. M. F. Maessen, in 10(12) SYNTHETIC COMMUNICATIONS 905-909 (1980). Another synthesis method of chromate esters, including polyalicyclic chromate esters, can be found in J.-C. Richer and J.-M. Hachey, 53 CAN. J. CHEM. 3087-3093 (1975). The findings of Richer and Hachey suggest that the use of aqueous diluents is not desirable in forming chromate esters. Thus, a practical and useful synthesis of hindered polyalicyclic alkyl catalyst precursors is still lacking in the art. What is further lacking is a useful synthesis method of supported catalyst compositions suitable for gas-phase polymerizations that include such hindered polyalicyclic alkyl catalyst precursors.

Hindered polyalicyclic alkyl catalysts and their use in a gas-phase polymerization reactor

{hacek over (S)}indeá{hacek over (r)} et et al.


A massaging device includes a main body, a massaging member rotatably and eccentrically mounted on the main body, and a covering member mounted on the main body to encompass the massaging member completely. Thus, the shade of the covering member encompasses the massaging member completely, so that the massaging member will not be exposed outward from the main body, thereby providing a better viewing effect to the user. In addition, the shade of the covering member encompasses the massaging member completely to prevent dirt or dust from entering the massaging member and the main body, thereby facilitating maintenance of the massaging device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a massaging device, and more particularly to an eccentric swivel type massaging device that can produce vibration eccentrically so as to provide a massaging effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional eccentric swivel type massaging device in accordance with the prior art shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 comprises a main body 30, and a massaging member 31 rotatably and eccentrically mounted on the main body 30. The massaging member 31 produces an eccentric rotation relative to the main body 30 by a drive motor (not shown) co-operating with a connecting member (not shown) mounted in the main body 30. In operation, when the massaging member 31 is rotated on the main body 30 eccentrically, the eccentric rotation of the massaging member 11 produces vibration, thereby providing a massaging effect to the user. However, the massaging member 31 is protruded and exposed outward from the main body 30, thereby providing an uncomfortable viewing effect to the user. In addition, the massaging member 31 is exposed outward from the main body 30, so that dirt or dust easily enters the gap between the massaging member 31 and the main body 30, thereby contaminating the massaging device.


Described are platforms, systems, and methods for resource fairness enforcement. In one aspect, a programmable input output (IO) device comprises a memory unit, the memory unit having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the programmable IO device, cause the programmable IO device to perform operations comprising: receiving an input from a logical interface (LIF); determining, by at least one meter, a metric regarding at least one resource used during a processing of the input through a programmable pipeline; and regulating additional input received from the LIF based on the metric and a threshold for the at least one resource.

In shared computing resource environments, including cloud deployments, a noisy neighbor problem occurs when one client in the shared infrastructure consumes a large amount of bandwidth, denying neighboring clients of their fair share. This noisy neighbor problem can become amplified when one client requires resource intensive features while neighbor clients use relatively few resources. For example, if one client is configured for stateful firewalls with Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) prevention services while another client is part of a local network which requires no additional services, traffic to and from the resource heavy client can slow traffic to and from its neighbor clients. If the resource heavy client is also receiving or sending a storm of small packets, the effect is further amplified. To ensure fairness between clients in these scenarios, network and other Input/Output (IO) device infrastructure can measure and meter access to shared resources. Metering can be evenly distributed or based on priority weights, metered resources can include table access, computation, packet buffering, or other shared structures in the IO device.

Resource fairness enforcement in shared IO interfaces


A magnetic head includes an elongate pole extending from an upper magnetic pole layer. The elongate pole has a tapered portion formed whose width is minimum width at the tip end of the pole. A ratio of the width of the narrowest section of the tapered portion to the width of the widest section (root) of the tapered portion is less than 1.0 but not less than 0.75.

Magnetic recording media such as magnetic disks have been extensively used, and efforts have been made to increase bit density on such magnetic media. Today, the bit density on a magnetic disk, for example, often exceeds 1 G bits/in.sup.2. In order to further increase the bit density on a magnetic medium, it seems necessary to provide an improved magnetic write/read head. The most promising one is an induction type magnetic head.
A typical induction type magnetic head utilizes a coil wound on a block of magnetic core. In order to minimize the dimensions of the head, however, many of recent induction type magnetic heads incorporate a thin film.
As shown in FIG. 1, a magnetic head incorporating a thin film has a spiral induction coil 101, part of which is configured to pass through in between a lower core layer 102 and an upper core layer 103. Since the lower core layer 102 and the upper core layer 103 are made of conductive magnetic materials such as NiFe, the induction coil 101 is electrically insulated from the core layers 102 and 103 by an insulating layer 104. This type of induction type magnetic heads has a face that faces a magnetic disk such that the face has a write/read gap g between the lower core layer 102 and the upper core layer 103 for performing write and read operations, as shown in FIG. 1A.
The upper core layer 103 has on the face thereof a section which has an elongate pole 103a, as shown in FIG. 1B. The elongate pole 103 is configured such that the magnetic flux density H through it becomes greatest at the tip thereof.
A well known technique to form such elongate pole 103 is a photo-lithography in which the upper layer 103 is etched using a photo-resist mask.
In order to increase bit density in magnetic recording, it is necessary to make the width W of the elongate pole 103a small, as shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D, which may be attained by forming the tip of the elongate pole 103a in the form of thin rectangle having a narrow tip (called elongate pole-tip) 103b, as described in IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS, Vol. 26, No. 5, September 1990 by James L. Su et al. According to this article, the maximum ratio of the width W2 of the elongate pole-tip 103b to the width W1 of the elongate pole 103a, W2/W1, is found to be 0.46, with W1 being 26 micrometers and W2 12 microns.
If a further increase in bit density is intended, the width W2 of the elongate pole-tip 103b must be further narrowed. However, it is difficult to form a elongate pole-tip having a width less than 2.5 microns in the photo-lithographic method, since the thickness of the upper core layer 103 is then of order of a few micron.
Furthermore, if the rectangular elongate pole-tip 103b is made about 2.5 micrometers wide, it is likely that the magnetic flux can saturate at the root section of the elongate pole 103b, and, should the magnetic flux saturate, change in magnetic field would not propagate beyond the saturated region, so that the tip of the elongate pole-tip 103b would become insensitive, thereby degrading over-write characteristic of the head.
Another related technology for providing a elongate pole configuration is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,519. This patent discloses a thin film magnetic head having three sections defined by a flare point and a zero throat height. The width of the intermediate section between the flare point and the zero throat height progressively increases toward the flare point, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 of the aforementioned patent. This increase in the elongate pole dimension is to equalize the flux density in the elongate pole. However, this patent does not teach any influence of the head configuration on the over-write characteristic.
There is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Laid Open No. 2-105308 another form of the pole tip in which the elongate pole changes its width towards the pole tip at a given angle. This prior art also fails to teach any influence of the angle of the elongate pole on the over-write characteristic.
It is an object of the invention to provide a magnetic head which has an enhanced magnetic flux density in the pole tip, even when the width of the pole tip is 2.5 microns or less.

Magnetic headwith specified tapered pole tip width ratio


A temporary packaging method and a resultant package are provided for comprising temporarily bonding containers on a flat base member to stabilize the containers for further packaging, the method comprising the steps of providing a base member, providing containers, temporarily bonding the containers to the base member with a hot melt adhesive, advancing the base member with containers through the packaging or handling system so that further processing of the containers may optionally be effected, encapsulating the base member and bonded containers with a plastic shrink film to complete the package, followed by release of the containers from the bond to base member within minutes after shrink wrapping, with the adhesive remaining bonded to the base member.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for package assembly, and more particularly to a method for briefly stabilizing containers on a flat base member by temporarily bonding the containers to the base member with a hot melt adhesive that releases the container from its bond to the base member soon after the handling and packaging process is complete, and a package which consists of a rigid base member, containers temporarily bonded with hot melt adhesive to the base member, and a plastic shrink film encapsulating the base member and containers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior art packaging methods and packages do not address the special need of stabilizing containers on a flat base member during the brief period of package assembly by forming a temporary adhesive bond between the containers and the base member.
Placement of a group or pack pattern of containers on a flat base member poses a stability problem as the base member with containers is transported through a packaging or handling process. This is particularly a problem for intermittent motion packaging or handling systems, but is also a concern for continuous motion equipment. Even the machine vibration on a continuous motion machine can result in movement of containers on the flat base member, which can negatively effect the completed package, or the effectiveness of the packaging or handling system.
To avoid this instability with containers on a flat base member, many packaging or handling systems use a corrugated box or tray with four side walls. The box or tray forms a containment boundary so that movement of the containers during the handling or packaging process minimizes the stability problem.
A need exists for a temporary packaging method and package so that containers are restricted from movement when placed on a flat base member during the packaging or handling process, yet upon completion of the packaging or handling, the containers are free of this movement restriction.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a temporary packaging method and package which briefly bonds a group or pack pattern of containers to a flat base member to stabilize the containers during the handling or packaging process, and these containers release from this adhesive bond soon after the handling or packaging process is completed by plastic shrink film encapsulation of the base member and containers. The method comprises the steps of providing a base member, providing adhesive to the base member, placement of containers to base member resulting in a temporary bond, advancing the base member with bonded containers through the handling or packaging process, encapsulation of base member and containers with plastic shrink film, and release of containers from bond to base member within minutes after the encapsulation by shrink film, with adhesive remaining bonded to base member.
The method of the present invention eliminates the instability of the containers on a flat base member during the handling or packaging process, thereby permitting a wide range of movement and handling to occur. The present invention; permits the group of containers which are bonded to the flat base member to be aggressively handled by inclines, declines, side transfers, abrupt starting and stopping, equipment vibration, stacking, etc.
The temporary bond effectively locks the containers in place during the handling or packaging process. This temporary bond is defined herein as a bond that releases by itself over time. It is required to hold the containers in place during the handling or packaging process, and within minutes after the base member and containers are encapsulated by film, the container releases from the base member with the adhesive residue remaining on the base member.
This novel packaging method dramatically simplifies the packaging and handling process for packaging containers on a flat base member. By temporarily stabilizing the group or pack pattern on the base member during the packaging or handling process, this invention offers an effective alternative to the traditional corrugated box or tray with four side walls.
This invention utilizes less packaging materials than boxes or trays, is more cost efficient, and because there is no need to form boxes or trays, which generate both corrugated dust and spores, it is more sanitary. This invention also offers greater efficiency than current methods of packaging containers on flat base members because of the increased stability of containers on the base member during package assembly.