An analog-to-digital converter includes a plurality of analog stages. Each stage produces, in response to analog input, a digital output that corresponds to a most significant bit of the stage's input and an analog output that corresponds to the remainder of the input. The input of each stage except the first stage is the analog output of the preceding stage.

The present invention relates to Data Acquisition and, more particularly, to Analog to Digital Converter (ADC).
Analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) refers to the transformation of real world physical data—which is analog in nature, namely continuous and of infinite resolution—into digital, or binary format where the size of each variable is expressed as a binary word of a prescribed length. The need for this transformation comes from the fact that any further processing of said data is commonly done digitally. The analog-to-digital transformation generally takes two stages. In the first stage the physical data is measured by an appropriate sensor that commonly translates it into a certain voltage through a given scale factor. At this stage the data is within the level of the voltage, therefore is still in the analog form. The second stage is the actual transformation of the sensor's output voltage into a digital word. This is independently done by the analog-to-digital-converter.
For example, in digital cameras, the scenery light is commonly focused by lenses on a plane inside the camera, where it is being translated into a matrix of voltages by a matrix of photo-detectors that comprises the image sensor and is appropriately placed in the camera's focal plane. The output voltages of said image sensor matrix cells or "pixels" are then sequentially sampled and inputted into the ADC that transforms the data into a matrix of digital words, that are then ready to undergo further digital image processing. In digital video cameras, as in other real-time on-line applications (e.g., flight control) the most important merits of performance of ADC are speed of conversion, stability, and accuracy—which is the ADC signal to noise ratio. In on-line real-time applications the ADC process is commonly done in hardware (HW).
HW ADC devices are therefore the subject of a quite intensive development for over quarter century now. Most of the existing ADC devices however consist of mixtures of analog and intensive, sometimes iterative, digital computations. This mixed technology approach results in rather expensive devices with inherent speed and accuracy limits, required input sample-hold with cumbersome input-synchronization, and with possible tendency to instability. Another disadvantage of mixed technology ADC is great hazard of digital to analog cross-talk that causes electronic noise which further jeopardizes the conversion accuracy.
There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have, an only-analog ADC that does not need input sample-hold and synchronization, whose signal flow is strictly unidirectional, with no digital-to-analog cross-talk, and thereby with no room for configuration-induced instability, or configuration-induced speed and accuracy limitations.

Asynchronous analog to digital converter


A holding section (2) holds a probe card (1). Transport mechanisms (3a to 3d) have the function of transporting the probe card (1) from the holding section (2). A lock mechanism (4) is provided for the transport mechanism (3d). When the probe card cassette is placed in prober equipment, the lock mechanism (4) is released to allow the probe card (1) to be transported from the holding section (2) by the transport mechanisms (3a to 3d). When the probe card cassette is not placed in the prober equipment, the lock mechanism (4) operates to fix the probe card (1) in the holding section (2).

Tests on semiconductor integrated circuits are broadly divided into tests (hereinafter referred to as "probe tests") which are performed on semiconductor integrated circuits in wafer form after completion of diffusion process and tests which are conducted on semiconductor integrated circuits as packaged products after completion of assembly process.
A probe test is performed by placing a probe card in prober equipment and bringing the probe needles of the probe card into contact with electrode pads on IC chips which are connected with an LSI tester and arranged regularly on a wafer.
FIG. 10 is a view illustrating the structure of a typical probe card. In FIG. 10, the reference numeral 101 refers to a probe card substrate, and the reference numerals 102a, 102b, . . . refer to probe needles. The numerous probe needles 102a, 102b, . . . are connected at their base ends to the probe card substrate 101, while their tip ends protrude obliquely downward. The base ends of the probe needles 102a, 102b, . . . are electrically connected to an LSI tester via the probe card substrate 101. The tip end of each of the probe needles 102a, 102b, . . . corresponds to the approximate center of an electrode pad of a semiconductor integrated circuit.
Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which the positions and levels of all probe needles with respect to electrode pads are automatically recognized by aligning a reference position for LSI chips with a reference position in probe needle information.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-150224


A shoe insole (111) for diabetics is provided with a sole base body (136), a sole covering layer (137) and with a number of cushion-like layers (112, 113, 114, 115, 116) distributed over the surface of the sole. The cushion-like layers consist of at least one first cushion-like layer (112) in the forefoot joint area, a second cushion-like layer (113) in the midfoot/tarsus transition area, and of a third cushion-like layer (114) in the midfoot/heal transition area. These cushion-like layers serving to assist venous blood draining are each subdivided into individual plateau-like areas (118 to 127) that are adjacent in the transversal direction of the sole surface (117) while being separated from one another. The top side of the cushion-like layers also covered by the sole covering layer (137) is raised relative to the level of the top side of the sole base body (136). The aim of the invention is to provide a shoe insole of the aforementioned type that, while providing a lasting assistance of arterial inflow into the foot or foot sole area, has a continuing positive influence on the foot or foot sole areas endangered by a diabetic metabolic condition. To this end, at least one indentation (161, 162) is provided between the first cushion-like layer (112) in the forefoot joint area and the second cushion-like layer (113) in the midfoot/tarsus transition area. Said indentation serves to relieve the pressure on the midfoot bone capitulum(s) and emanates from the top side of the sole base body (136).

On average, one out of every five persons between the ages of 20 and 70 requires treatment for some venous problem, and even one out of three experiences pathological venous changes that although not yet requiring invasive treatment nevertheless cause problems and can require treatment later on. This is due in general to an often hereditary weakness in connective tissue that causes slackening of the walls of the veins, leading to an inadequate capability of the valves in the veins to close. The result is a reduction in the venous return flow from the legs into the trunk. A shoe insole for such persons is known from European Patent Disclosure EP 0 971 606 B1. By synergistically reinforcing muscular contraction during motion of the ankle joints, such shoe insoles considerably improve the venous return from the foot through the legs into the trunk. Because the cushion-like or cushion layers are not raised in solitary fashion but instead are placed in plateau-like or plateau form in certain areas of the foot and are subdivided in a targeted way into separate fields, suitable abutment areas are created that positively affects contraction of the musculature in the foot. Not only when the foot is in motion, but also to a large extent while the person is standing, these discrete abutment points press mechanically and homogeneously on the venous and lymphatic vascular system because of the inducement and stimulation of muscular contraction, leading to the aforementioned increase in venous return from the legs toward the trunk. This characteristic reinforcing motion promotes the activity of the so-called muscular pump of the foot and calf.
Moreover, in Germany, there are about 5,000,000 diabetic, in whom what is called a "diabetic foot" can occur in a more or less severe form. This means ulcerated wounds on the sole of the forefoot, which can become infected and not infrequently lead to the necessity of amputation of the foot (approximately 25,000 instances per year in Germany). The causes of the diabetic foot are found in the fact that because of the diabetic metabolism situation in the arterial vascular system, constrictions and sometimes closure of major arteries (macroangiopathy) and smaller arteries and capillaries (microangiopathy) occur. As a result, the tissue and in particular the skin is no longer adequately supplied with oxygen and partly breaks down (forming an ulcerated place). Because of the reduced function particularly of the arterial capillaries, the nerves of the skin are no longer adequately nourished, and diabetic polyneuropathy occurs. This means that sensitivity and hence the perception of pain decrease markedly in the patient in the area of skin that is no longer adequately nourished, and hence anatomically dictated pressure points are no longer felt, and the skin can be damaged "painlessly" as a result, leading to an ulcerated place in the skin in this area.


Mobility in a wireless ATM network is accomplished by use of hand-off control protocols. A mobile terminal signals a first base station that a hand-off is to occur. In a first preferred embodiment the first base station signals a second base station requesting a hand-off. After the second base station signals the first base station that a datapath link is available from a hand-off switch to the second base station, the hand-off switch causes the datapath to change from the first base station to the second base station and the first base station signals the mobile terminal to commence communication with the second base station. In a second preferred embodiment, the mobile terminal signals a first base station that a hand-off is to occur. The first base station signals a second base station requesting a hand-off. At the same time a datapath link is established between the first and second base stations. When the second base station signals the first base station that the datapath link is available, the first base station signals the mobile terminal to change to the second base station and data is sent from the first base station to the second base station via the available established datapath link.

ATM technology is playing an increasingly important role in future broadband networks and it is expected that there will be an emergence of "wireless ATM" networks enabling multimedia access for mobile end systems. Consequently, mobility support in an ATM network assumes increasing importance.
Wireless personal communication services (PCS) and broadband networking for delivery of multimedia information represent two well-established trends in telecommunications. While technologies for PCS and broadband communications have historically been developed somewhat independently, harmonization into a single architectural framework is motivated by an emerging need to extend multimedia services to portable terminals, as well as by service integration and operational efficiency considerations. Now that ATM is viewed as a universal base technology for broadband networks, it is reasonable to consider extension of standard ATM services into next-generation microcellular wireless/PCS scenarios. D. Raychaudhuri and N. D. Wilson, in an article entitled "ATM-Based Transport Architecture for Multiservices Wireless Personal Communication Networks," IEEE Journal on Selected Areas of Communications, vol. 12, no. 8, 1994, pp.1401-1414 and in an article entitled "Multimedia Transport in Next Generation Personal Communication Networks," Proc. of ICC, May 1994, pp. 858-862, propose an architecture for "wireless ATM" in which broadband services are extended over shared radio channels via incorporation of suitable medium access control (MAC) and data link control (DLC) layers into the standard ATM protocol stack. Medium access control is the subject of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/495,164 entitled "Multiservices Medium Access Control Protocol for Wireless ATM System" and data link control is the subject of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/553,168 entitled "Data Link Control Protocols for Wireless ATM Access Channels," both assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, and both incorporated herein by reference. The present invention concerns the related signaling, syntax and protocols required to support mobility in such a wireless ATM system. While some early work on the handoff aspects has been reported by A. Acampora and M. Nahshineh in an article entitled "An Architecture and Methodology for Mobile-Executed Handoff in Cellular ATM Networks," IEEE Journal on Selected Areas of Communications, vol. 12, no. 8, pp. 1365-1375, 1994 and by L. V. Hauwemeiren et al in an article entitled "Requirements for Mobility Support in ATM," Proc. of Globecom, 1994, pp. 1691-1694, further conceptual development is required to define a complete framework for handoff control in ATM.
Once a connection has been established between a source and a terminal, current protocols assume that the connection paths does not change during the period of a communication lifetime. This assumption is invalid when the terminal is a mobile terminal. In such cases, special handoff protocols are required.
The key issues in the design of efficient handoff protocols are:
1. During the re-routing of active connections, it is necessary to insure that minimal cells are lost. PA1 2. Determination of an optional cross-over joint (from where to re-route an existing connection to the new mobile terminal) is crucial to the quality of the re-routed connection. PA1 3. Before a mobile terminal can change, it is necessary to determine that the quality of service (QOS) contacts for the existing connection can be met at the new terminal, i.e. the call admission control (CAC) module is ready to accept the re-routed connection. PA1 4. A mobile terminal may have multiple active connections to one or more terminals where it is handed off. The connection can either be re-routed indirectly or may be re-routed/extended as a group.
The present invention provides efficient handoff techniques to support mobility within an ATM network. As an ATM signal is handed off from a first mobile terminal to a second mobile terminal, there is either a partial path re-routing of the signal from a source to the second mobile terminal or there is a path extension to the second mobile terminal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,065 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Supporting Mobile Communications in Asynchronous Transfer Mode Based Networks" describes an ATM based network where the handoff is distributed, as contrasted with centralized. A communication route is determined which includes a connection from a base station via a switching node. A connection tree is determined to include potential connection from other base stations to the switching node. When the mobile user moves from one cell to another, corresponding to a change in base stations within the connection tree, the call is automatically handed over or rerouted to another route within the connection tree. The present invention does not require the creation of a static connection tree, and instead, dynamically extends or re-routes to an existing connection as the mobile endpoint changes its location.

Handoff-control technique for wireless ATM


Aspects of the present disclosure include methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media for receiving a plurality of beams from a base station (BS), measuring a value of a parameter associated with each of the plurality of beams, generating a report including at least the values of the parameter associated with the plurality of beams and/or an indication to implement soft-combining, transmitting the report to the BS, in response to transmitting the report: receiving a first beam including first redundant information and a second beam including second redundant information, and generating combined information based on the first redundant information and the second redundant information.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to wireless communication networks, and more particularly, to apparatus and methods for implementing multi-beam transmissions between a base station (BS) and a user equipment (UE).
Wireless communication networks 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 multiple-access systems 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 code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, and single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems.
These multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunication standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless devices to communicate on a municipal, national, regional, and even global level. For example, a fifth generation (5G) wireless communications technology (which may be referred to as new radio (NR)) is envisaged to expand and support diverse usage scenarios and applications with respect to current mobile network generations. In an aspect, 5G communications technology may include: enhanced mobile broadband addressing human-centric use cases for access to multimedia content, services and data; ultra-reliable-low latency communications (URLLC) with certain specifications for latency and reliability; and massive machine type communications, which may allow a very large number of connected devices and transmission of a relatively low volume of non-delay-sensitive information. As the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase, however, further improvements in NR communications technology and beyond may be desired.
In a communication network, the BS may transmit redundant information using multiple beams. The UE may select one of the multiple beams and extract the information from the selected beam. However, the rate of information transfer is limited to the rate of selected beam (i.e., the rate of information transfer does not exceed the highest rate of any individual beam). While the UE may combine multiple beams for information transfer, the process may be resource intensive for the UE and not always yield an increase in the rate of transfer. Therefore, improvements in multi-beam transmissions may be desired.

Methods and apparatus for dynamic soft combining for multi-beam transmissions


System and method for applying a reverse energy flow for measuring one or more electrical characteristics of a DC power source, such as a solar panel. Applying reverse current and voltage to a DC power source and measuring selected resultant current and voltage enables monitoring of electrical characteristics of the source, and when done periodically, enables monitoring of the performance of the source over time, including whether performance has become affected by a hardware failure or damage, or whether the source has become disconnected due to a faulty or failed connector or theft.

The present invention relates to power generation systems, such as solar panel systems, and in particular, to power generation systems in which reverse energy flows are used to measure characteristics of the energy source.
A typical DC power generation system employs a power converter to interface to the AC grid, battery array, etc. An example would be a solar power system, which uses an inverter to convert DC power from solar panels to AC and/or batteries. As shown in FIG. 1, in such a system energy flows from the power source (101), through the converter (102), out to the load (103).

Reverse energy flow in solar and other power generation systems for theft detection, panel identification and diagnostic purposes


In an embodiment, a data processing method comprises detecting an approval of a change to an electronic configuration document that symbolically identifies one or more configurations of users, groups, and/or permissions relating to access to computer program artifacts that are stored in a first repository of a geographically distributed, replicated artifact repository system; the artifact repository system comprising one or more second repositories that are geographically remote with respect to the first repository and which replicate the first repository; in response to the detecting: obtaining the electronic configuration document and deriving, based on the electronic configuration document, a plurality of regional repository settings values for users, groups, and/or permissions relating to access to the computer program artifacts and for the one or more second repositories; transmitting the one or more settings values to the one or more second repositories and causing injection of the one or more settings values into one or more repository configuration settings of the second repositories.

The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
The professional software development ecosystem now includes source code version control systems, build tools, continuous integration (CI) managers, binary repositories, containerization tools and deployment tools. Development of complex software involves creating executables and installers, often organized as distributions, and sometimes termed "artifacts" in relation to the computer program source code from which they are derived. Binary repositories have become the preferred management tool for artifacts; JFrog Artifactory is a commercial example.
Executables and installers are frequently downloaded by large numbers of end users. For example, the executable version of a popular computer program application could be downloaded millions of times by computers located around the world. Therefore, artifact storage may be organized as a geographically distributed datastore having multiple regional mirror sites or clusters. With such a system, consistent management and deployment of file permissions, groups, and user credentials is a recurring problem. Changes to permissions or group membership in one cluster need to be propagated to all other clusters in an efficient manner, but current approaches use manual entry of these details.
Furthermore, artifact storage may be organized in internal and external deployments that are intended for user groups inside and outside an enterprise, respectively. Internal repositories mirror other internal repositories and external repositories may mirror third-party external sources. Requests directed to external artifact storage are proxied and subject to visibility constraints based upon contract terms applying to deployments. Thus, the division of internal and external deployments adds a layer of complexity that requires correct resolution.
While each of the figures illustrates a particular embodiment for purposes of illustrating a clear example, other embodiments may omit, add to, reorder, and/or modify any of the elements shown in the figures.

Automatic derivation of repository access data based on symbolic configuration


This application provides photoinduced electron transfer (PET) nucleic acid molecules that can be used detect and amplify nucleic acid molecules, such as target nucleic acid molecules. These PET tags can be attached to the 5′-end of a target sequence-specific primer, thereby generating a PET primer. In particular examples, a PET tag includes a 5′-labeled nucleotide that can be quenched by at least two consecutive Gs within the tag sequence, and is unquenched when the PET tag hybridizes with its complementary nucleic acid molecule. Also disclosed are methods of using PET primers in nucleic acid amplification, such as real-time PCR.

The real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is currently used as a diagnostic tool in clinical applications, and can be used to obtain quantitative results. The chemistry of real-time PCR is based on monitoring fluorescence at every cycle at a set temperature that facilitates calculating the kinetics of the product formed and performing melting curve analysis to identify formation of the specific product. Fluorescence is usually monitored using an optical device to collect the data at specific excitation and emission wavelengths for the particular fluorophore present in the sample.
One method used to monitor nucleic acid amplification is the addition of intercalating dyes, such as SYBR Green I dye (Ririe et al., Anal. Biochem. 245:154-60, 1997) and LCGreen (Wittwer et al., Clin. Chem. 49:853-60, 2003) during PCR. During amplification, these dyes are excited with the appropriate wavelength of light, inducing fluorescence when the dye intercalates into a DNA double helix. However, this method does not allow for multiplex reactions.
Specificity can be increased by using a labeled sequence-specific probe. Several of such methods are currently available for performing real-time PCR, such as TagMan® probes (Lee et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 21:3761-6, 1993); molecular beacons (Tyagi and Kramer, Nat. Biotechnol. 14:303-8, 1996); self-probing amplicons (scorpions) (Whitcombe et al., Nat. Biotechnol. 17:804-7, 1999); Amplisensor (Chen et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64:4210-6, 1998); Amplifluor (Nazarenko et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 25:2516-21, 1997 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,635); displacement hybridization probes (Li et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 30:E5, 2002); DzyNA-PCR (Todd et al., Clin. Chem. 46:625-30, 2000); fluorescent restriction enzyme detection (Cairns et al. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 318:684-90, 2004); and adjacent hybridization probes (Wittwer et al., Biotechniques 22:130-1, 134-8, 1997).
Some currently available labeled primers can have a secondary structure that is complex and in some instances must be synthesized using specialized procedures. For example, LUX™ primers (Invitrogen Corp.) are fluorescently labeled on the 3′-end and have a stem-loop structure that must be denatured for the primer to work efficiently (especially for reverse transcription). The design of the LUX™ primer is also a time-consuming step, which requires specific software.
Several publications disclose probes that contain only one fluorophore for use in detecting the presence of a particular nucleic acid [for example see U.S. Pat. No. 6,699,661; U.S. Pat. No. 6,495,326; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,492,121 (all to Kurane et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,635,427 (Wittwer et al.); Kurata et al. (Nucl. Acids Res. 29:E34, 2001); Torimura et al. (Analyt. Sci. 17:155-60, 2001); and Crockett et al. (Analyt. Biochem. 290:89-97, 2001)]. In these examples, the fluorescent signal is either enhanced or quenched in the presence of the target nucleic acid sequence, depending on the particular design of the probe. In most cases, the labeled primer specifically hybridizes to the target nucleic acid sequence. Similarly, Tam-Chang (Analyt. Biochem. 366:126-130, 2007) discloses a multi-probe universal reporter system containing a signal that is enhanced only after sequence-specific hybridization of one of the probes. Guo and Milewicz (Biotech. Lett. 25:2079-83, 2003) disclose universal fluorescent tag primers labeled on the 5′ end that are not sequence specific. The labeled fluorescent tag universal primer, in combination with two sequence-specific primers, are use to amplify a target nucleic acid sequence.
Yamane (Nucl. Acids Res. 30:E97, 2002) discloses a MagniProbe that has an internal fluorophore and an internal intercalator. The fluorescence is quenched by the intercalator in the absence of a target sequence. Upon hybridization with the target sequence, the probe emits fluorescence due to the interference in quenching by intercalation.
Nazarenko et al. (Nucl. Acids Res. 30:E37, 2002) disclose a probe with a single fluorophore near the 3′ end (but no quencher), and addition of 5-7 base pairs to the 5′ end of the sequence-specific probe, wherein the signal from the fluorophore is increased in the presence of the target sequence.

Photoinduced electron transfer (PET) primer for nucleic acid amplification

The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


An address decoder with low power consumption of feedthrough current, leakage current, etc. Address bits AY0.sub.0 -AY0.sub.7 are respectively supplied to n-type gate terminals of CMOS transfer gates C.sub.0 -C.sub.7 and the gate terminals of PMOS transistors P.sub.0 -P.sub.7. Inverted address bits AY0.sub.0- -AY0.sub.7- are supplied to p-type gate terminals of the CMOS transfer gates C.sub.0 -C.sub.7. Enable signals AY3.sub.p, AY6.sub.q are respectively input to both input terminals of a NAND circuit 10. The output terminals of NAND circuit 10 are connected to the input terminals of CMOS transfer gates C.sub.0 -C.sub.7. The output terminals of CMOS transfer gates C.sub.0 -C.sub.7 are connected to the input terminals of the drivers D.sub.0 -D.sub.7 and the drain terminals of the PMOS transistors P.sub.0 -P.sub.7 via a node F.sub.0 -F.sub.7. The source terminals of PMOS transistors P.sub.0 -P.sub.7 are connected to a power supply voltage V.sub.cc, for example of 3.3 V. The output terminals of drivers D.sub.0 -D.sub.7 are connected to Y-address lines YS.sub.0 -YS.sub.7.

A typical conventional dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) 5 is shown in FIG. 4, and each portion of the signals, the waveform of the data, and the timing during memory access in this DRAM are shown in FIG. 5.
When data is read from the DRAM, a row address strobe signal RAS.sub.-- and column address strobe signal CAS.sub.-- are supplied along with the memory address signal.
First, by enabling the RAS.sub.-- signal of FIG. 5(A), along with completing the precharge of each bit line in memory array 100, a slightly delayed row address signal BX.sub.i shown in FIG. 5(B) is read into an X-address decoder (not shown) of the row address system, and the designated row's word line WLi is activated by this row address signal as shown in FIG. 5(C). By activating word line WL.sub.i, the stored information (data) in each memory cell MC connected to this word line is read out on a corresponding bit line BL as shown in FIG. 5(D). Then the read data is input, together with complementary data on a complementary bit line BL.sub.--, to each bit line's sense amplifier SA and differentially amplified there.
On the other hand, when a column address signal BY.sub.j is input or latched in a Y-address buffer 102 at the prescribed timing shown in FIG. 5(E), an address transition detector (ATD) circuit 104 operates in response.
ATD circuit 104 houses circuits that generate an ATD pulse, an FY pulse, an MA pulse, and an MAEQ pulse. First, ATD circuit 104 generates, in an internal unit, an ATD pulse shown in FIG. 5(G) in response to a transition or change of the input column address signal BY.sub.j. Next, in response to the rise and fall of the ATD pulse, it outputs an FY pulse that determines the activation time of a Y-address line YS and the enable time of a sense amplifier SA.
The DRAM's column address decoder has a predecoder 116 and a Y-address decoder 118. In response to the FY pulse, predecoder 116 uses a column address signal BY.sub.j from the Y-address buffer 102 to form a predecoded column address signal AY.sub.j and applies it to Y-address decoder 118. Y-address decoder 118 decodes the column address signal BY.sub.j and activates the Y-address line YS.sub.j for the column indicated by signals BY.sub.j and AY.sub.j for an interval determined by the FY pulse.
Activating Y-address line YS.sub.j turns on an output transfer gate TR of the sense amplifier SA.sub.j connected to YS.sub.j, and the complementary readout data pair IO, IO.sub.-- that have been amplified by this sense amplifier SA.sub.j are respectively output to the data input/output lines IO and data input/output complementary line IO.sub.-- (FIG. 5(K)).
Also, an IO switch 120 of the memory array external unit that is connected to the sense amplifier SA.sub.j is also turned on, and the memory readout data IO, IO.sub.-- from sense amplifier SA.sub.j are sent to main amplifiers 122 via IO switch 120, memory array external data input/output line MIO and its complementary line MIO.sub.--, and a node EQ.
On the other hand, ATD circuit 104 responds to internal ATD pulse ATD by outputting an MA pulse shown in FIG. 5(J) to activate main amplifier 122 and an MAEQ pulse shown in FIG. 5(H) for blocking the amplification operation by equalizing (shorting) a prescribed node EQ within main amplifier 122.
When signal MAEQ falls, main amplifier 122 begins amplifying the data IO, IO.sub.-- read out by sense amp SA.sub.j and outputs corresponding readout data GIO, GIO.sub.-- at specified voltage levels as shown in FIG. 5(L). When the MA signal cuts off, main amplifier 122 is deactivated and the amplified memory readout data GIO, GIO.sub.-- is latched as the data signal DQ in an output buffer 124 as shown in FIG. 5(M).
In a write operation, the data to be written to the DRAM is sent to sense amplifiers SA from a prescribed data transmission circuit (not shown) via main amplifier 122, and from there is written to the desired memory cell MC through the bit line BL.
In FIG. 6, shows Y-address decoder 118 for the case in which memory array 100 has 512 Y-address lines. In this example, there are 64 column decoders DEC.sub.0 -DEC.sub.63 arranged in parallel and grouped into eight blocks BL.sub.0 -BL.sub.7. Each column decoder DEC.sub.n has its output terminals coupled to eight Y-address lines YS.
The column address signal AY from predecoder 116 comprises first, second, and third partial address signals AY0.sub.0-7, AY3.sub.0-7, and AY6.sub.0-7, each having 8 bits. In each of these partial address signals (AY0.sub.0-7, AY3.sub.0-7, AY6.sub.0-7), only one of the eight bits, for example, AY0.sub.3, AY3.sub.5, AY6.sub.1, is at a logic level of 1, and the remaining bits are 0. As a result, starting from the right, AY6.sub.1 indicates decoder block BL.sub.1, AY3.sub.5 the fifth column decoder DEC.sub.5 in block BL1, and AY0.sub.3 the third AY-address line YA3
The circuit construction of a conventional column decoder DEC is shown in FIG. 7. This column decoder is constructed of eight NMOS transistors K.sub.0 -K.sub.7, PMOS transistors U.sub.0 -U.sub.7, and inverter drivers D.sub.0 -D.sub.7, respectively, and the two NMOS transistors 130, 132.
The address bits AY0.sub.0 -AY0.sub.7 of the first partial address signals AY0.sub.0-7 are respectively applied to the gate terminals of NMOS transistors K.sub.0 -K.sub.7. The drain terminals of the NMOS transistors K.sub.0 -K.sub.7, along with being connected to the respective input terminals of the drivers D.sub.0 -D.sub.7, are connected to the power supply voltage V.sub.cc terminal of, for example, 3.3 V, through the respective PMOS transistors U.sub.0 -U.sub.7. The source terminals of NMOS transistors K.sub.0 -K.sub.7 are connected to the power supply voltage V.sub.ss terminal of, for example, 0 V, through the common NMOS transistors 130, 132.
The corresponding address bits AY3.sub.p (p=0-7) within the second partial address signal AY3.sub.0-7 are applied to the gate terminal of the NMOS transistor 130. The corresponding address bits AY6.sub.q (q=0-7) within the third partial address signal AY6.sub.0-7 are applied to the gate terminal of the NMOS transistor 132. These address bits AY3.sub.p, AY3.sub.q serve as enable signals for selecting this column decoder.
For the convenience of explanation, the eight Y-address lines that are respectively connected to the output terminals of the drivers D.sub.0 -D.sub.7 in this column decoder are called YS.sub.0 -YS.sub.7.
As for the PMOS transistors U.sub.0 -U.sub.7 in this column decoder, their respective gate terminals are connected to the power supply voltage V.sub.ss at the L level (0 V), and are always on.
In the interval in which the column address signal AY.sub.j is not applied, or even when a column address signal AY.sub.j is applied, to the extent that at least one of the enable signals (address bits) Ay3.sub.p, Ay6.sub.q is at a logic level of 0 (L level), in other words, to the extent that this column decoder is not selected, at least one of the common transistors 130, 132 is in off, and all of the nodes E.sub.0 -E.sub.7 between the drain terminals of NMOS transistors K.sub.0 -K.sub.7 and the drivers D.sub.0 -D.sub.7 are precharged to a logic level of 1 (H level). Therefore, the output voltage of all of the drivers D.sub.0 -D.sub.7 are at the L level, and all of the Y-address lines YS.sub.0 -YS.sub.7 are maintained in the disabled state.
In the event that the column address signal AY.sub.j is applied to the memory access, and both enable signals (address bits) AY3.sub.p, AY6.sub.q are at a logic level of 1 (H level), whichever one of the NMOS transistors K.sub.j that receives a bit AY.sub.j at a logic level of 1 (H level) within the address bits AY.sub.0 -AY.sub.7 of the first partial address signal AY0.sub.0-7 at its gate terminal turns on. All of the other NMOS transistors K.sub.0 -K.sub.j-1, K.sub.j+1 -K.sub.7 remain off.
When this is done, the node E.sub.j is discharged through the NMOS transistor K.sub.j that is on and the common transistors 130, 132; as a result, the potential of this node E.sub.j goes to the L level and the output voltage of the driver D.sub.j begins to rise to the H level, and in this way, the Y-address line YS.sub.j is enabled. Since the other nodes E.sub.0 -E.sub.j-1, E.sub.j +1 -E.sub.7 are maintained at the H level, the output voltages of the drivers D.sub.0 -D.sub.j-1, D.sub.j+1 -D.sub.7 that are connected to these nodes remain at the L level, and the Y-address lines other than the Y-address line YS.sub.j of YS.sub.0 -YS.sub.j-, YS.sub.j+1 -YS.sub.7 all remain disabled.
When this memory access is completed and the column address signal AY.sub.j is cut, the NMOS transistor K.sub.j and the common transistors 130, 132 that have thus for been on are turned back off, and node E.sub.j is precharged to the H level by means of the power supply voltage V.sub.cc through the PMOS transistor U.sub.j that is always on. When the node E.sub.j has been pulled up to the H level, the output voltage of the driver D.sub.j goes to the L level, and the Y-address line YS.sub.j is disabled.
In the conventional decoders, when the selected node E.sub.j is discharged, a discharge current flows so as to feed through the PMOS transistor U.sub.j, NMOS transistor K.sub.j, and the common transistors 130, 132 between the voltage power supply terminals V.sub.cc and V.sub.ss. Because this discharge feed through flows every time memory access is carried out, the power consumption of the entire DRAM markedly increases.
Also, because the voltage of the threshold components is lowered in the respective NMOS transistor K.sub.j and the common transistors 130, 132 as a result of this current feedthrough, there is also concern that the voltage of the selected node E.sub.j will not be pulled down completely below the threshold value of the L level, and as a result, there is also concern that the feedthrough current will flow within the driver D.sub.j.
A typical circuit construction of the driver D is shown in FIG. 8. In this CMOS inverter, the NMOS transistor NT constitutes a drive element, and the PMOS transistor PT constitutes a load element. When the input (node E) is at the H level, the NMOS transistor NT is on, the PMOS transistors PT is off, and the output (YS) goes to the L level. When the input (node E) is at the L level, the NMOS transistor NT is off, the PMOS transistors PT is on, and the output (YS) goes to the H level. In either case, since both transistors NT, PT are in a complementary (mutually opposite) state, it comes to be expected that current does not flow.
However, in the conventional column decoder, when the selected node E.sub.j is not sufficiently lowered to the L level, in addition to the PMOS transistor PT being almost on, the NMOS transistor NT is also almost on, and current flows through both the transistors NT, PT. When this type of feedthrough current flows within the driver D, there is concern that transistor elements NT, PT will deteriorate and break down.
In order to prevent this feedthrough current within the driver D, the method for sufficiently increasing the threshold voltage of the NMOS transistor NT has been considered. However, with this method when the node E.sub.j is restored from the L level to the H level after memory access is completed, the inversion of the output voltage at the driver D.sub.j is delayed, the returning of the Y-address line YS.sub.j to the disabled state is delayed, and there is concern that duplicate selection of another Y-address line YS immediately after being enabled may occur, it cannot be considered a suitable method.
For this reason, conventionally, there was no way to deal with this type of situation other than finely turning the width and length of the channel in the NMOS transistor NT, and the circuit design and semiconductor manufacturing processes had to be subjected to stringent conditions.
Our invention was developed taking the problems of the prior art into consideration, and its purpose is to offer an address decoder that solves the problems of feedsthrough current or leakage current at their root causes, and realizes a large reduction in the power consumption.


First and second anvil rolls (10A, 10B) are arranged so that in the welding of webs, the webs are transported to pass through a first gap (Δ1) between the first anvil roll (10A) and a first horn (21), a third gap (Δ3) between the second anvil roll (10B) and a third horn (23), a fourth gap (Δ4between the second anvil roll (10B) and the fourth horn (24) and a second gap (Δ2) between the first anvil roll (10A) and the second horn (22) in this order.

For example, a welding system is known in which in order to seal (weld) a continuous laminate for each unit of disposable pants, a pair of ultrasonic horns and a pair of anvils are provided (WO05/080065A1).
In this conventional art, continuous webs are reversed with a reverse roll, and an anvil roll is provided that has a pair of anvils which can make contact with the webs in both upstream and downstream sides with respect to the reverse roll. With the ultrasonic horn corresponding to each of the anvils, seal processing is performed on the webs before and after the webs pass the reverse roll.


A user dictionary, which is formed by storing pronunciations and notations of target recognition words designated by the user in correspondence with each other, input speech recognition data, and dictionary management data used to determine the recognition field of a recognition dictionary used in recognition of the speech recognition data are sent to a server via a communication module. In the server, a dictionary management unit looks up an identifier table to determine a recognition dictionary corresponding to the dictionary management information received from a client from a plurality of kinds of recognition dictionaries. A speech recognition module recognizes the speech recognition data using at least the determined recognition dictionary. The recognition result is sent to the client via a communication module.

In recent years, speech has been used as an input interface in addition to a keyboard, a mouse, and the like.
However, the recognition rate of speech recognition that recognizes input speech lowers and requires a longer processing time as the number of recognition words which are to undergo speech recognition becomes larger. For this reason, in an actual method, a plurality of recognition dictionaries or lexicons that register recognition words (e.g., pronunciations and notations) which are to undergo speech recognition are prepared, and are selectively used (a plurality of recognition dictionaries may be used at the same time).
Also, unregistered words cannot be recognized. As one of methods for solving this problem, a user dictionary or lexicon (prepared by the user to register recognition words which are to undergo speech recognition) may be used.
On the other hand, a client-server speech recognition system has been studied to implement speech recognition on a terminal with insufficient resources.
These three techniques are known to those who are skilled in the art, but a system that combines these three techniques has not been realized yet.

Speech recognition system, speech recognition server, speech recognition client, their control method, and computer readable memory


A radar sensor platform for clearance measurement in a vehicle has at least four radar sensors, an input being entered if necessary using an input device indicating that a width measurement of a parking space is desired and the four radar sensors then enlarging their horizontal beam angle and the arrangement for acoustic and/or visual output emitting a signal as a function of the measurement of the parking space width. This signal is, for example, the parking space width or a warning. The horizontal beam angle for the parking space measurement is at least 170°. The side clearances of the vehicle in the parking space may also be displayed. Furthermore, centered parking is possible using the acoustic and visual aids. The radar sensor platform may be installed either in the front and/or rear of the vehicle.

The present invention is directed to a radar sensor platform.
Radar sensor platforms using a 24 gigahertz pulse frequency may be used to detect objects at a short range, for precrash sensing, as a parking assistant for automatic proximity radar, for blind spot detection and for pedestrian recognition, as well as for measuring parking spaces while driving past the spaces.
German Published Patent Application No. 38 44 340 A1 describes a system which is suitable to measure a parking space. An output unit is provided which informs the driver concerning an optimally calculated path of the vehicle into the parking space and emits acoustic instructions for the new momentary steering maneuver or visual instructions. In addition, the output unit warns against collisions with parked motor vehicles on request. European Published Patent Application No. 936 471 describes an automatic changeover to a smaller observation subrange, i.e., a beam narrowing in a radar sensor platform. This occurs at roughly right angles to the side of the vehicle. British Published Patent Application No. 2309555 describes a switchover from a long-range radar having a narrow beam angle to a different sensor system, namely an ultrasonic system having a constant beam angle and short range. Furthermore, International Published Patent Application No. WO 91/09323 describes a radar system in which the beam divergence is changed as a function of speed. Moreover, German Published Patent Application No. 38 13 083 describes a calculation of data to control a parking operation.


When measurement by a 1 step sandwich method is performed, a signal corresponding to a quantity of labeled antibodies A is sampled, the labeled antibodies being constrained in the vicinity of a surface of an optical waveguide (D) by an antigen-antibody reaction. A differential value by time at the beginning of the measurement and a signal corresponding to an extent of an immunological reaction at a time at which the signal becomes nearly stable are obtained based upon the sampled signals. The extent of the immunological reaction is then uniquely determined based upon the differential value by time and the signal corresponding to the extent of the immunological reaction.

In the past, a method for measuring an extent of immunological reaction based upon an intensity of excited fluorescent light is proposed. The excited fluorescent light is obtained by previously fixing antigens or antibodies on a surface of a slab-type optical waveguide, by performing antigen-antibody reaction between antibodies or antigens in a test liquid for measurement and the fixed antigens or antibodies, by performing antigen-antibody reaction between labeled antigens or labeled antibodies labeled with fluorescence dye and the reacted antibodies or antigens, by introducing an exciting light into the slab-type optical waveguide which light propagates in the slab-type optical waveguide in a total reflection manner, so as to generate an evanescent wave component, and by exciting fluorescent dye by the generated evanescent wave component the dye being constrained in the vicinity of the surface of the slab-type optical waveguide. In this case, a so-called end-point method is generally employed which detects an intensity of the fluorescent light when an intensity of the fluorescent light becomes nearly stable and calculates an extent of immunological reaction based upon the detected intensity. Also, a measurement signal obtained by the method is referred to as an end-point signal.
Further, when a measurement is performed by employing the above method, a method is proposed which shortens a required time for measurement by previously performing the antigen-antibody reaction by mixing a test liquid for measurement and labeled antigens or labeled antibodies, i.e., by mixing the test liquid with the labeled antigens prior to performing the immunological measurement (hereinafter, this method is referred to as a 1 step sandwich method).
When an immunity measurement is performed using the former method, antigen-antibody reaction should be performed between the antigens or antibodies fixed on the surface of the slab-type optical waveguide and the antibodies or antigens included in the test liquid for measurement. The liquid for measurement should then be discharged, and the antigen-antibody reaction should be performed between the labeled antigens or labeled antibodies and the reacted antibodies or antigens. Therefore, time for performing the antigen-antibody reaction twice is needed and a time for discharging the test liquid is needed, so that a required measurement time in its entirety is lengthened. Further, when the test liquid is discharged, the test liquid should be discharged up to nearly 100% so that the liquid which includes labeled antigens or labeled antibodies is not diluted by remaining test liquid. When a vessel for housing the test liquid is small in size, a disadvantage arises in that the discharging operation becomes difficult. Of course, when the test liquid is imperfectly discharged, a concentration of the labeled antigens or labeled antibodies is diluted so that a quantity of antigens or antibodies which are constrained in the vicinity of the surface of the optical waveguide by the antigen-antibody reaction is lessened. Therefore, the accuracy of immunological measurement is lowered.
When an immunological measurement is performed using the latter method (1 step sandwich method), an operation for discharging the test liquid is not needed at all, and a required time for an immunological measurement is remarkably shortened by performing the antigen-antibody reaction in parallel to another processing, such as, for example, an immunological measurement processing based upon another test liquid for measurement, because the labeled antigens or labeled antibodies and the test liquid are previously mixed so that the antigen-antibody reaction is previously performed. Of course, a lower accuracy of the immunological measurement due to imperfect discharge of the test liquid is not realized at all.
A disadvantage arises in that the same intensity of fluorescent light is possibly detected when a concentration of antigens or antibodies in a test liquid is high and when a concentration of antigens or antibodies in a test liquid for measurement is low. The disadvantage cannot be ignored because a mistaken measurement result badly affects a human body by taking a condition into consideration which condition that measurement of an extent of immunological reaction is mostly performed on contradiction that medical treatment and the like is performed thereafter.
Occurrence of the above disadvantage is further described in detail.
In the 1 step sandwich method, an antigen-antibody reaction is performed between antigens in a test liquid for measurement and labeled antibodies, by previously mixing a reagent solution which includes labeled antibodies and the test liquid, for example. The labeled antibodies are obtained by labeling antibodies with fluorescent dye. A concentration of antigens in the test liquid is unknown. The mixed liquid is under a condition that the labeled antibodies excessively exist, or the antigens excessively exist, or the labeled antibodies and antigens exist in a nearly balanced condition, depending upon the concentration of the antigens. When the labeled antibodies excessively exist, many of the labeled antibodies exist in the mixed liquid which are not included in the antigen-antibody reaction. When the antigens excessively exist in the mixed liquid, many of the antigens exist in the mixed liquid which are not included in the antigen-antibody reaction. When the labeled antibodies and antigens exist in a nearly balanced condition, the labeled antibodies and the antigens scarcely exist in the mixed liquid which antibodies and which antigens are not included in the antigen-antibody reaction.
The above disadvantage does not occur when the labeled antibodies excessively exist or when the labeled antibodies and antigens exist in a nearly balanced condition. However, when the antigens excessively exist in the mixed liquid, not only the antigens which have already been included in the antigen-antibody reaction with the labeled antibodies, but also the antigens which have not been included in the antigen-antibody reaction with the labeled antibodies, are included in the antigen-antibody reaction with the antibodies which are fixed on the surface of the slab-type optical waveguide. When a quantity of the latter antigen-antibody reaction increased, a quantity of the labeled antibodies which are constrained in the vicinity of the surface of the slab-type optical waveguide is lessened. Therefore, the same intensity of fluorescent light is obtained in cases where the concentration of antigens in the test liquid is low and where the concentration of antigens in the test liquid is high. Consequently, it becomes impossible to determine a concentration of antigens in a test liquid for measurement uniquely.
To resolve such a disadvantage, it is necessary that another measurement be performed based upon the 1 step sandwich method again, after the test liquid for measurement is diluted, to judge whether already obtained measurement result is correct. Specifically, when signal values of 89 and 88 arbitrary units are obtained based upon intensities of fluorescent light in cases where the test liquids for measurement is not diluted, which liquids have concentrations of .beta.2-microglobulin of 10 .mu.g/ml and 300 .mu.g/ml, respectively, signal values of 11 and 131 respectively are obtained based upon intensities of fluorescent light when the test liquids for measurement are diluted by ten times. Therefore, concentrations of .beta.2-microglobulin are uniquely determined to be 10 .mu.g/ml and 300 .mu.g/ml, respectively. As a result, an extent of immunological reaction is fairly accurately measured. But, new disadvantages arise in that a required time for measurement is remarkably lengthened for the measurement's entirety and that a required quantity of labeled antibodies for measurement is increased. Of course, a required number of optical waveguides on which antibodies are previously fixed also is increased. Further, a disadvantage arises in that the accuracy in measurement of a degree of the antigen-antibody reaction is lowered because a measurement error is generated due to differences between measurement timings and between optical waveguides on which the antibodies are fixed, and the like.

Optical immunity measurement method and apparatus therefor


A communication apparatus in the present disclosure comprises an AID generator, a Trigger frame generator, and a wireless transmitter/receiver. When a Trigger Type in a trigger frame is an RA trigger, the AID generator (103) generates, as information for an AID12 subfield, information that is different from an AID. The Trigger frame generator (104) generates a RA variant Trigger frame when the Trigger Type in the trigger frame is an RA trigger, and sets, in the AID12 subfield included in the RA variant Trigger frame, the information output from the AID generator (103). The wireless transmitter/receiver (106) transmits the Trigger frame, generated by the Trigger frame generator (104), to a terminal (200).

The Task Group ax of IEEE (the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11 Working Group, formulation of a technical specification for IEEE 802.11ax (hereinafter referred to as "11 ax") is underway as a next standard of 802.11ac. 11ax specifies incorporation of random access (RA: Random Access) based on OFDMA (Orthogonal frequency-division multiple access).
An access point (also called a "base station") transmits, to a plurality of terminals (which may be referred to as "STAs (stations)" accommodated by the access point, a control signal (hereinafter referred to as a "Trigger frame") soliciting transmission of uplink OFDMA signals.
For the Trigger frames, a Common Info field including information that is common to a plurality of terminals whose transmission signals are multiplexed using OFDMA and User Info fields including pieces of information that are unique to respective terminals whose transmission signals are multiplexed using OFDMA are defined (NPL 1 and NPL 4).
A Trigger Type subfield included in the Common Info field indicates a Trigger Type that is a type of Trigger frame (the type of signal that the access point causes the terminals to transmit) (NPL 2 and NPL 3).
An AID12 subfield included in each User Info field notifies an Association ID (AID), which is a unique ID allocated to a terminal during association. Setting AID=0, which is one of unused AIDs, to thereby indicate, to each terminal, that a frequency resource (RU: Resource Unit) indicated by an RU Allocation subfield in the User Info field is an RU for RA has been agreed upon in 11ax.
In addition, incorporating a new Trigger frame (hereinafter referred to as a "RA variant Trigger frame") that is dedicated to RA has been newly agreed upon at a meeting for 11ax (NPL 5). When the RA variant Trigger frame is applied, all RUs indicated by the User Info field are RUs for RA. A terminal randomly selects one RU from the indicated plurality of RUs for RA and transmits a UL response signal (which may also be referred to as a "UL (Uplink) response frame") by using the selected RU.
Also, when the RA variant Trigger frame is applied, it is not necessary to use the AID12 subfield in the User Info field to indicate that an RU indicated by the User Info field is an RU for RA, and thus the AID12 subfield becomes a redundant field.

Communication apparatus, terminal, and communication method

Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America


A weighing system for medical applications may include a basin that has a base and a sloped sidewall that collectively form a bounded cavity with open top surface that receives and holds the material to be weighed. The basin may be free floating above the weighing device within a restricted range of travel. In some examples, the weighing system includes a thermal treatment device to adjust the temperature of the material in the basin. The rate at which heat is delivered to the basin may vary depending on the weight of the contents in the basin.

Surgical fluid is used during a variety of different medical procedures. For example, saline is often used during surgery to irrigate the site of operation. The saline can be poured on the site of surgery to flush the region of blood and other bodily matter, providing the clinician with a clear view of the region being operated upon and clean surfaces for performing the operation. As another example, surgical fluid may be frozen into a slush that is introduced into a particular region of the body. The slush can provide localized hypothermia therapy, cooling the region of the body or organ around which the slush is placed. This can be useful to temporarily reduce the amount of oxygenated blood needed by the body, such as in emergencies like cardiac arrest or severe head trauma.
Controlling the temperature of surgical fluid prior to introduction into the body can be useful to help ensure a safe and efficacious medical procedure. For example, in the case of surgical slush, the surgical fluid may be cooled to a temperature sufficient to provide a slush but not so low that the surgical slush reaches organ-damaging temperatures. As another example, in the case of liquid irrigation, the surgical fluid may be heated above room temperature before being introduced into the patient's body.
Anesthetized patients cannot regulate their body temperature. This is because the portion of the brain that regulates body temperature shuts down with anesthesia. If surgical irrigation fluid is not heated before being introduced into the patient, the surgical fluid can cool the patient's core body temperature. For procedures that take a longer amount of time or involve larger amounts of irrigation fluid, the cumulative cooling effect can increase the risk of unintended hypothermia. For this reason, the surgical fluid may be heated to a temperature around the patient's standard body temperature (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) before introducing the fluid into the patient. This can help minimize the risks of unintended hypothermia.
Independent of whether surgical fluid is heated or cooled before being introduced into a patient, a nurse or other clinician in charge of surgical fluid during the procedure may monitor the amount of fluid introduced into the patient. Typically, surgical fluid comes prepackaged in bottles of standard size, and the clinician may monitor the number of bottles used during a procedure to determine the amount of fluid introduced into the patient. The clinician may monitor the amount of fluid used to ensure that too much fluid is not introduced into the patient and/or that a proportional amount of fluid is withdrawn from the patient using a suction device.


Dye-donor element for use according to thermal dye sublimation transfer, said dye-donor element comprising a support having on one side a dye layer and on the other side a heat-resistant layer provided with a topcoat layer, wherein said heat-resistant layer comprises an organic polymeric binder and the topcoat layer is obtained by coating a solution of at least one silicone compound and a substance, capable of forming during the coating procedure a polymer having an inorganic backbone which is an oxide of a group IVa or IVb element.

Thermal dye sublimation transfer also called thermal dye diffusion transfer is a recording method in which a dye-donor element provided with a dye layer containing sublimable dyes having heat transferability is brought into contact with a receiver sheet and selectively, in accordance with a pattern information signal, heated with a thermal printing head provided with a plurality of juxtaposed heat-generating resistors, whereby dye from the selectively heated regions of the dye-donor element is transferred to the receiver sheet and forms a pattern thereon, the shape and density of which is in accordance with the pattern and intensity of heat applied to the dye-donor element.
A dye-donor element for use according to thermal dye sublimation transfer usually comprises a very thin support e.g. a polyester support, one side of which is covered with a dye layer, which contains the printing dyes. Usually an adhesive or subbing layer is provided between the support and the dye layer.
Due to the fact that the thin support softens when heated during the printing operation and then sticks to the thermal printing head thereby causing malfunctioning of the printing apparatus and reduction in image quality the backside of the support (side opposite to the dye layer) is typically provided with a heat-resistant layer to facilitate passage of the dye-donor element under the thermal printing head. An adhesive layer may be provided between the support and the heat-resistant layer.
The heat-resistant layer generally comprises a lubricating material and a binder. In the conventional heat-resistant layers the binder is either a cured binder (as described in, for example, EP 153880, EP 194106, EP 314348, EP 329117, JP 60/151096, JP 60/229787, JP 60/229792, JP 60/229795, JP 62/48589, JP 62/212192, JP 62/259889, JP 01/5884, JP 01/56587, JP 02/128899) or a polymeric thermoplast (as described in, for example, EP 267469, JP 58/187396, JP 63/191678, JP 63/191679, JP 01/234292, JP 02/70485).
These thermostable binders are usually mixed with lubricants such as silicones, fluorine-containing compounds and the like. When these lubricating agents are incorporated in the heat-resistant layer, only a small portion of the lubricating material is in direct contact with the thermal head leading to ineffective slipping relative to the thermal head during printing and occurrence of color drift. This problem can be solved by applying the lubricating material as a separate topcoat on top of the heat-resistant polymeric layer. Such an assembly of a heat-resistant layer and a separate lubricating topcoat on top of the heat-resistant layer is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,320.
Silicone-based lubricants, such as liquid silicone oils, and liquid silicone blockcopolymers (e.g. blockcopolymers of polysiloxane and polyether) can be used as separate topcoats on top of the heat-resistant layer. This improves the slipping properties of the donor element. However, dyes in the dye donor element tend to crystallize during storage of the dye-donor element in rolled form, due to the contact between the silicone compound contained in the topcoat of one wrapping and the dye donor layer of the underlying wrapping. This problem can be solved by using solid silicones or crosslinked silicones in the topcoat layer. However, the slipping properties of a donor element with such a topcoat are insufficient and color drift occurs during printing.
Inorganic polymers have been described as slipping layers in contact with the thermal head (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,496), however, without the addition of slipping agents such as silicones. These slipping layers tend to stick to the thermal head, causing malfunctioning of the printing apparatus.


A fluid dispensing oral care implement with fluid delivery system. The implement includes a storage member containing a fluid. A channel formed of one or more wicking or capillary members extends through at least a portion of the oral care implement to deliver fluid(s) through one or more fluid outlets via capillary action. In one embodiment, the fluid outlet is comprised of a wicking or capillary material and is disposed in the head of the implement. In some embodiments, the implement may include a valve and a specially configured storage cap. A variety of fluids can be administered for therapeutic, hygienic, and/or other benefits, such as fresh breath, tooth whitening, tooth sensitivity, plaque and/or tartar control, or producing sensations of heat, cool, or tingling.

Oral care implements, particularly toothbrushes, are typically used by applying toothpaste to a bristle section followed by brushing regions of the oral cavity, e.g., the teeth, tongue, and/or gums. Some toothbrushes have been equipped with fluid reservoirs and systems for delivering auxiliary oral care agents, such as whitening agents, breath freshening agents, and others. There is a continuing need, however, for improved oral care implements for dispensing auxiliary oral care agents from the implement.


A method and system for specifying the fit of garments and matching the fit of individual garments to individual consumers is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes categorizing human body shapes based on dimensional and demographic body measurement data sampled from the human population, and statistically analyzing the measurement data to determine the appropriate number of discrete body shapes, as well as the range of measurement values characteristic of each body shape. The method includes assigning to each body shape a shape code, which is a unique name and/or symbol and/or curve representing that shape. In one embodiment, a recommendation engine is employed to specify and match the fit of individual garments to individual consumers.

The present invention relates generally to the fields of apparel manufacture and sales, data processing, and in particular to a method and system for specifying the fit of garments for individuals.
A 1999 study by Kurt Salmon Associates reported that 62% of U.S. consumers are very dissatisfied with the fit of their apparel. III-fitting garments do not sell and are often returned when they do sell. Most of the 40% return rate for women's clothing sold in the U.S. is due to size and fit problems.
One cause of fit problems is a lack of standards. The U.S. Department of Commerce withdrew the commercial standard for the sizing of women's apparel on Jan. 20, 1983. Since then, clothing manufacturers and retailers have repeatedly redefined the previous standards or invented their own proprietary sizing schemes. The garment size for an individual often differs from one brand of apparel to another. This is commonly seen with women's clothing. A dress labeled 'size 10' from one manufacturer fits differently than a size 10 from another manufacturer. One may fit well, the other not at all. Consumers must try on each and every garment before buying. Even within a single size from a single manufacturer there can be fit problems because of the wide variation in consumers' body shapes.
Thus, the lack of sizing standards combined with unreliable labeling cause apparel fit problems, which in turn cause a very high rate of apparel returns, lost sales, brand dissatisfaction, time wasted in fitting rooms, and intense consumer frustration.
There is therefore a need for a method and system that is easy to use, and effective in helping individuals find apparel that fits their body shape and lifestyle.

Matching the fit of individual garments to individual consumers


A process for suppressing torque jumps during operation of an internal combustion engine prevents torque jumps when switching pilot injection (pre-injection) on and off in a diesel internal combustion engine by forming a difference between a predetermined total quantity of fuel to be injected and a pilot quantity to be injected by a pilot injector and acting upon the difference with a correction factor that produces torque balancing. A difference quantity which is corrected in this manner represents a main injection quantity.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for suppressing torque jumps during operation of an internal combustion engine, in which a calculated total injection quantity of fuel to be supplied to a cylinder of the internal combustion engine is metered as a function of an operating point of the internal combustion engine, either during a single injection process or by dividing into two injection processes per cylinder stroke, a pilot injection quantity is metered during a first injection process and a main injection quantity is metered during a second injection process.
In a diesel internal combustion engine, in particular in a direct injection diesel internal combustion engine, combustion noise can be considerably reduced if the fuel quantity is not injected once, but is divided into two injections per cylinder stroke. First, a small, so-called pilot quantity, and then, according to a spacing angle, a main quantity, is injected into the cylinder according to German Published, Non-Prosecuted Patent Application DE 39 35 937 A1. That achieves a reduction of a fuel chamber pressure gradient and consequently a slower buildup of pressure in the combustion chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,803 has disclosed a process for controlling the fuel injection for a fuel injection pump, with a high pressure chamber that can be connected to fuel injection nozzles of an internal combustion engine. The fuel is subjected to pressure in the high pressure chamber and the pressurized fuel is fed from there to fuel injection nozzles. The pump furthermore has a low pressure chamber, with a connecting path connected to the high pressure chamber and the low pressure chamber, and has a solenoid valve for selectively closing and opening the connecting path, wherein during the pressurization of fuel in the high pressure chamber, the solenoid valve is selectively closed and opened in such a way that a pilot injection and then a main injection are executed and a start time and end time of the pilot injection are defined as a function of working conditions of the machine.
The noise behavior must be improved, primarily at low or average speeds or rpms and up to average loads, while at high speeds and high loads, there is too little time for a pilot injection. Therefore, the pilot injection must be switched on and off depending upon the operating point.
At a transition from the pilot operation into the non-pilot operation and vice versa, torque jumps can occur that reveal themselves as a jerkiness in the vehicle driven by the internal combustion engine and excite vibrations in the vehicle. Therefore, a torque compensation must be established between the types of operation.
Transition functions, which gradually adapt the pilot quantity or the spacing of the injections, cannot be carried out for the following reasons:
The effective pilot quantities are very small and range along the lower limit of the minimally meterable injection quantities. A gradual increase from zero to the desired pilot quantity or a slow return is therefore not possible. PA1 A minimum spacing must exist between the pilot and the main injection time since otherwise the two combustions coincide and the combustion chamber pressure increases considerably.

Process for suppressing torque jumps during operation of an internal combustion engine


A stub-out cover for protecting the outer surface of a stub-out line. The stub-out cover includes a substantially rigid, molded tubular member open at one end and closed at the other end. A plurality of flexible tab members extend from the inner wall of the tubular member inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the tubular member. Each tab member has a height that is slightly greater than the distance between the inner wall of the tubular member and the outer surface of the stub-out to be protected. When placed onto a stub-out, the tab members bend to tightly engage the outer surface of the stub-out.

The present invention relates to a reusable stub-out cover.
In a typical plumbing installation of a sink or lavatory, the hot and cold water faucets are connected, respectively, to vertically disposed hot and cold water pipes running between studs behind the wall of the room in which the sink is installed. Either a T or a ninety-degree elbow provides a connection between the water pipe and a "stub-out" that extends horizontally outwardly through the wall. A small shut-off valve is installed on the end of the stub-out line, and a flex line is connected between the shut-off valve and the faucet.
During construction of a structure intended to include such a plumbing fixture, the water pipes and associated stub-out lines are installed prior to finish work. Finish work includes installation of walls, tile, hardwood floors or carpeting, and painting. Since the plumber must wait until such finish work is completed before installing and connecting the plumbing fixture to the stub outs, the outer ends of the stub-out lines are closed off to prevent water from passing therethrough. The stub-outs are either capped at one end in the plumber's shop, or are supplied with an integral conical seal on one end, such as stub-outs sold by Wirsbo.
During the finish work, plaster, paint, glue and other material is commonly deposited on the stub-outs. When the plumber returns to complete installation of the plumbing fixture, he/she must cut the stub-outs to the proper length to install the shut-off valves, and scrape and clean off the plaster, paint, etc. from the exposed outer surface of the stub-outs, which is laborious and time consuming.
In addition to deposits of plaster, paint, etc., stub-outs can also get scratched or dinged as work is conducted in their vicinity during finishing.
A further problem faced by the plumber installing a fixture is that it is often difficult to quickly determine which of the stub-outs is for cold water and which is for hot water, thereby slowing installation of the plumbing fixture.


A method is provided for specifying and altering the electrical properties of fibers and fabrics. This allows the prescription of filter media prepared from these constituents for consistently optimum or near optimum performance in the collection of particulate matter. The method may include the steps of determining the triboelectric properties of fabrics having other desirable filter media characteristics, modifying the triboelectric properties of these fabrics as needed to preferentially selected properties and utilizing, selectively, modified fabrics as the filter medium for optimally attracting gas entrained electrically charged particles to the surface of the filter. The modification of the triboelectric properties may be realized chemically or by dyeing the fibers and fabric. The selected fabric has triboelectric characteristics that provide maximum attraction for the dust to be filtered so that when possible, as is most common, agglomeration of the particles on the surface of the filter is promoted, and the density of the particulate on the surface of the filter is increased. Additionally, determination and modification techniques are proposed for fabrics utilized as filter media and the blending of the included fibers, filaments or yarns of selected fibers so modified. These are then combined into a medium for use in filtering particulate matter having particles of various electric charges.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the modification and manipulation of the triboelectric properties of filter material to provide fabrics having predictable triboelectric properties for use as filter media. More particularly, the invention relates to the modification or adjustment of filter fabric media according to predictably calibrated triboelectric properties for use in dust collection operations so as to optimize the performance of the filters in relation to the particulate matter to be filtered.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in 1970, originally set forth a National Ambient Quality standard for particulate matter. Since that time, U.S. industry has commenced practices which reduced the mass of particulates on an average by 20% by the early 1980's, despite increased industrial developments. In view of further industrial expansion and especially in view of the projected greater use of coal to generate electrical power, particulate pollutants will have a tendency to increase unless appropriate control measures are taken. As regulations became more stringent, especially in regard to particle size, control devices for removing particulate matter became more restricted. The most common methods in increasing order of apparent potential acceptability based on performance are: mechanical collectors, particulate wet scrubbers, electrostatic precipitators, and fabric filters. Fabric filtration is a process not greatly different in principle of operation from that of the common home vacuum cleaner. Particulate matter is removed from a dirty air (gas) stream by virtue of separation processes that occur at or near the fabric surface. Five such mechanisms are identified in the separation process: inertial deposition, brownian movement, direct interception, gravitational sedimentation and electrostatics. Except for the electrostatic involvement feature, each of these has been well described in the prior art. Because filtration is among the most reliable, efficient and economical methods for removing particulate matter from gases, baghouses are being applied more universally for controlling emissions. As an example, baghouses may be applied to coal-fired utility boilers, and are one of the few air pollution control techniques easily capable of meeting the more stringent anticipated emission standards.
Although fabric filters are well known as being capable of collecting very small particulates, a high level of removal from industrial process gases is not routinely achieved. One reason for this is that not all fibers used in constructing the filter perform in the same manner, even where the chemical composition of the fibers is presumably identical in a favorably constructed fabric. Additionally, it appears that natural electrical forces clearly influence the filtration process. In fact, it appears that substantially all industrial processes produce particulate matter with charges, positive and negative. Although considerable information on the mechanics of the filtration process for uncharged particles is available, very little has been provided with regard to natural electrical effects in fabric filtration. This is despite the fact that particulate matter reaching the fabric filter is rarely uncharged and the medium itself is rarely devoid of an electric field. Accordingly, particles entering conventional collectors are mostly charged, sometimes far more extensively than at other times, but usually of mixed polarity. The type of generating process determines the magnitude of the charge, with grinding and other energy intensive operations producing particulate matter with extremely high levels of charge.
It is generally accepted that electrostatic attraction draws particles from the gas stream to fibers if the two are oppositely charged. Even if only one of the particles or filtering fabric is charged, a naturally induced charge will be created on the other. This results in a polarizing force that causes attraction and particle movement from the gas stream to the oppositely charged fiber. However, although as stated above, the particulate matter and/or the fabric filter may have electrostatic charges thereon, the polarity, magnitude and durability of the triboelectrically induced charge depends upon the inherent properties of the materials, including their chemical make-up and the electrical resistivity.
Electrical augmentation, the practice of electrically charging the gas-entrained particles and/or applying an electric field to the collecting medium, can provide excellent filtration features. These artificial charging conditions are, however, applicable only to non-combustible, electrically chargeable particles. Another limitation is that they require special processing and collection facilities, electrodes, electrical circuits, and the like. The most commonly proposed electrical augmentation techniques utilize a corona discharge to impress a charge on the particulate matter and/or a high D.C. voltage on wire electrodes appropriately located on or near the surface of the collecting fabric. One of the more serious limitations of electrode systems proposed for such augmentation is the short life of the circuitry.
A very significant portion of the improved filtration performance gained by electrical augmentation or artificial charging may be achievable simply by balancing the natural charging properties of the fabric with those provided by the particulate matter. By utilizing natural charges, that is by using a fabric filter medium of appropriate inherent triboelectric properties relative to those of the particulate matter being collected, it is possible to deposit a low air-flow resistant cake without electrical augmentation. By suitably balancing the natural triboelectric properties of the medium in relation to those of the particles being collected, conditions are realized for approaching the ultimate level of filtration performance now attained only by electrical augmentation.
Practically all of the commercial fibers used for filtration fabrics respond to contact electrification and because of molecular variations, gain or lose electrons differently. Different fibers, therefore, become charged at different polarities. When listed in a downward order from electropositive to electronegative, a series may be developed, referred to as the triboelectric series (TE), and any material fabric or dust, may be included according to its electrostatic polarity relative to others in the list. Triboelectrification is the frictional process by which substances such as fabrics, particles, and the like, when abraded or rubbed by other substances and separated, develop electrostatic charges. Polarity of the acquired charge on the rubbed material to that on the rubbing substance depends upon the inherent character of the rubbed substance. The magnitude of the acquired charge depends upon various qualities of both the rubbed and the rubbing materials including the differences in their spacing in the triboelectric series, the roughness of their surfaces, the environment to which they are exposed and other parameters. Natural charging refers to the charging process that occurs naturally in the course of handling materials of all types. Particulate matter acquires electrostatic charges by contact with or rubbing against other substances such as the walls of ducting or during formation/production as generated at high temperatures, grinding, and the like. The triboelectric properties of fabrics generally are either not significant or have not been recognized to be critical or useful in their normal service applications.
In dry filtration, however, this characteristic of the medium appears to control the process and dictate its performance. An ideal balance between the electrostatic charges on the collecting filter medium provides optimal or near optimal filtration parameters in terms of pressure drop, efficiency, gas flow-through, fabric cleanability and other dependent variables. Although non-electrically augmented filtration operations presently are anticipated to be the most common collection methods, controlling the filter operation by balancing the electrostatic properties of the particles and of the filter medium has received little or no consideration.
The opportunity to utilize natural electrostatic effects fully has been restricted to some extent by non-availability of appropriate media and most seriously by the triboelectric limitations of commercially available fabrics. The most serious problems have included triboelectric non-uniformity among even supposedly identical fabrics, and the limitations of the inherent triboelectric properties of an otherwise suitable fabric. The fabrics marketed for filter media use presently do not always permit the choice of the desired triboelectric properties, neither are the fabrics constructed from blends of fibers having a selectable preferred balance of electropositive and electronegative fibers for filtering gas entrained particles of both charges, to optimize the process.

Triboelectric property modification and selection of fabrics for filtration applications


A plasma arc torch which has a cooling water passage for cooling both the electrode and the nozzle, and separate passages for a cutting gas and a shielding gas. The nozzle is centered and longitudinally held by an interengaging fit with a tubular member of the torch body, and the torch includes a heat shield assembly which retains and supports the nozzle of the torch on the tubular member. The heat shield assembly also defines a portion of the cooling water passage as well as a portion of the shielding gas passage, and it may be unthreaded and removed from the torch as a unit. When so removed, the water passage is opened which acts to disconnect the power to the torch.

The present invention relates to a plasma arc torch of the type commonly used to cut or weld a metal workpiece.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,952 discloses a plasma arc torch having a water cooled electrode, and a nozzle positioned to form a plasma gas passage between the electrode and the nozzle and leading to a nozzle discharge opening immediately below the electrode. The nozzle is mounted on a gas swirl baffle which is interposed between the electrode and the nozzle. Also, a nozzle cap covers the nozzle, and an outer shield surrounds the nozzle cap so as to define a shielding gas passage which exits about the discharge opening of the nozzle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved plasma arc torch of the described type, and wherein the nozzle is supported directly by the torch body so as to be accurately located, both concentrically and longitudinally with respect to the other torch components.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved plasma arc torch which avoids the use of a cutting gas swirl baffle or ring for mounting the nozzle, and whereby the nozzle may be more accurately seated and located with respect to the other torch components.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a plasma arc torch having a heat shield assembly surrounding the nozzle so as to define a shielding gas passage therebetween, and wherein the heat shield assembly also retains the nozzle, and defines a portion of a water cooling passage which cools the outside of the nozzle.


There is disclosed a printing band and method of making same. The printing band has printing characters and human readable characters. The human readable characters and the portion of the band adjacent thereto are coated with a first coating while masking off the printing characters. Thereafter, the outer surfaces of the human readable character are coated with a second coating which is darker than the first coating. The human readable characters are easy to read and are not easily degraded during use.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of printing bands and to method of making same.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The following U.S. patents are made of record: Des. Nos. 238,205; 4,337,698; 3,418,929; 3,977,321; 4,173,184; and 4,263,242. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,977,321 and 4,173,184 show typical environments in which printing bands have been used. It is known to highlight the outer surfaces of raised, embossing characters on credit cards.
The sleeve of molded connecting printing bands shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings of the present invention is also prior art. The sleeve was comprised of raised printing characters and raised human readable characters. The sleeve was molded of a dark, essentially black elastomeric material. The human readable characters were coated with a light colored, e.g. white, coating or paint, and thereafter the coating was scraped, sanded or buffed from the outer surfaces of the human readable characters, rendering the human readable characters readable. This process had the disadvantages of producing dust and debris, creating scrap printing bands; and abrading the printing characters and smearing the semi-hardened coating, i.e. paint, onto the printing characters, in instances where the human readable characters and the printing characters were in an alternating pattern. Because the printing characters were raised to a greater extent than the human readable characters, the alternating pattern made the removal of the coating from the outer surfaces of the human readable characters especially problemsome.


Riveted assemblies are provided that can include a substrate extending between two ends to define opposing substrate surfaces having a first opening extending between the opposing substrate surfaces; a metal-comprising substrate extending between two ends to define opposing metal-comprising substrate surfaces having a second opening extending between the opposing metal-comprising substrate surfaces. The riveted assemblies can further provide that the first and second openings complement one another when the substrate and metal-comprising substrate are engaged; and a rivet shaft extends through the openings and engages the substrate with the rivet head and the metal-comprising substrate with the rivet stop head, at least a portion of the stop head being mixed with, and forming a metallurgical bond with the metal-comprising substrate. Assemblies are provided that can include a rivet stop head mixed with, and metallurgically bonded with a metal-comprising substrate.

In recent decades, requirements to improve fuel efficiency in the transport industries have necessitated a higher usage of lightweight structural materials such as magnesium (Mg) and aluminum (Al) and their alloys since their densities are around 65% and 74% of that of common mild steel respectively.
There are large differences in physical and mechanical properties of materials to be joined such as Al to steel and/or Mg to carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP). These differences can make joining materials challenging when using various fusion-based welding techniques. With fusion based welding, rapid formation of brittle intermetallic compounds at the metal-metal interface and melting at the metal-CFRP interface can lead to interfacial fracture under mechanical loading.
Mechanical joining, such as conventional riveting, clinching and bolting have not formed a metallurgical bond between the fastener and metal sheet being fastened. For example, joints made with conventional rivets, threaded fasteners and bolted joints do not seal the interfaces between the rivet head and metal sheet against penetration of corrosive electrolyte. In addition, the lack of metallurgical bonding can introduce compliance which can lead to failure under shock and vibration loading. With various welding techniques including solid-state and fusion welding methods, brittle intermetallic compounds such as AlxMgy and AlxFex can form rapidly at the Mg/Al and Al/Steel interfaces respectively, which can facilitate a brittle joining interface. Additionally, large differences in physical, chemical, and mechanical properties between metals and polymers make joining Al or Mg to CFRP challenging by applying conventional welding methods.
Rivet materials used in the aerospace and automotive industries are typically alloys of Al or steel. High-strength 2XXX and 7XXX Al alloys in tempered conditions are preferred due to their high strength to weight ratio. However, with conventional impact riveting at room temperature, it is not possible to rivet tempered 2XXX and 7XXX Al alloys due to their low formability. This is also the case for Mg alloys. In practice, 2024 Al rivets must be stored below 0° C. immediately after annealing to stop the age hardening process and are referred to as "Ice Box" rivets. Furthermore, riveting of these 2024 rivets must be performed within 30 minutes after removal from cold storage or they become too brittle to deform during impact riveting thus complicating the manufacturing process. In addition, 7XXX is considered not able to be riveted at room temperature by conventional impact riveting due to low ductility and hot riveting of 7XXX results in dramatically decreased strength due to second phase coarsening. Mg alloys are only able to be riveted at elevated temperature.
The present disclosure provides techniques to join materials, embodiments of which can overcome the above stated challenges.

Assemblies, riveted assemblies, methods for affixing substrates, and methods for mixing materials to form a metallurgical bond

Abstract: Methods for affixing substrates to one another are also provided. The methods can include providing a substrate defining an opening configured to receive a rivet shaft; providing a metal-comprising substrate defining a complimentary opening; operatively engaging the substrates with the rivet shaft; and forming a stop head from the rivet shaft to affix the substrates. The method further includes that the stop head mixes with, and forms a metallurgical bond with the metal-comprising substrate. Methods for mixing materials to form a metallurgical bond are also provided. The methods can include forming a metallurgical bond between a stop head of a rivet and a metal-comprising substrate.