A flashing assembly that incorporates a plurality of overlapping flashing sections that are each preferably formed from a sheet material. Each section includes opposite edge portions that are arranged about a generally V-shaped configuration. Joining the sections together is at least one clinch joint that is substantially formed and registered upon the overlapping edge portions of at least two different overlapping flashing sections. The clinch joint is adapted to releasably fasten the at least two sections. Various modifications include one or more additional clinch joints that are also substantially formed upon the same overlapping edge portions of the first clinch joint and the V-shaped configuration that forms an angle of approximately 90 degrees. In other variations of the preceding modifications, the clinch joint is a mechanical press fit interference joint or a welded, press fit, or adhesive joint, or some combination or permutation thereof. Each section may also incorporate one or more attachment holes and alignment indicia. The sheet material is preferably selected from a material such as, for example, powdered, machined, drawn, stamped, rolled, extruded, and forged metals and plastics, and alloys, and combinations, mixtures, compositions, hybrids, tempers, hardness modified, and heat treated variations thereof. More preferably, the sheet material is selected from the group of materials including weather and galvanic corrosion resistant materials including, for example, aluminum, tin, bronze, copper, lead, stainless steel, galvanized metals, weather proofed metals, plastic coated metals, and alloys, combinations, mixtures, compositions, hybrids, tempers, surface treated, hardness modified, and heat treated variations thereof.

In the construction industry, a wide variety of roofing applications in the commercial, industrial, and residential construction industries has led to the need to flashing devices and materials that are needed to protect such structures from the elements such as water, ice, and dust, and other weather and environment related problems that can create leaks in the roofs and damage to the structures. For example and with reference to FIG. 1, in nearly every roofing application, there is a need to seal the joint that is created between the generally planar roof "R" and any vertically extending structures such as dormers (not shown), chimneys C, and vertically projecting stories S that are elevated from any level of the roof R.
As a further example, the house H includes several intersections at such joints that are labeled generally by reference letter "I". In the past, various types of flashing devices have been used to form a water, ice, insect, and dust proof seal between whatever type of roofing material is used and the vertically projecting structure. With reference next generally to FIG. 2, such flashing devices typically are used to create a downwardly projecting channel wherein a vertically projecting portion of the flashing device is attached and sealed against the vertical projecting structure, such a chimney C, and the roofing material, such as shingles S that are attached to the generally planar roof R.
One such attempt at creating an improved flashing strip is described generally in U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,526 to Hartman. The Hartman '526 patent is limited to a flashing strip that includes a spacer that is positioned to create a space between flashing segments, which are permanently joined together for attachment to a roof. Another attempt at a new flashing strip is described by Hoffman in U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,862, which is restricted to a flashing strip that includes flashing cards that are permanently joined together by adhesive or staples. One of the various problems with these types of flashing strips is that when an end of the intersection is reached, the strip must be cut. This creates a significant amount of waste material since the unused portion may not be later used at another intersection on the roof. Additionally, these types of flashing strips incorporate a troublesome interstice within the vertical projecting portion of the individual flashing cards and segments that must either be sealed with an added sealant, such as tar or chalk, or else be subject to creating leaks in the roof and spaces for liquid water to accumulate, which can freeze and create unexpected separation of the individual cards and segments.
In all such applications, there has long been a need to provide the roofer with an easy to use, inexpensive, and convenient means for not only installing and handling such roofing materials, such as, for example, flashing, but also for employing the materials with a minimum of waste and the most possible flexibility in use. It has also been important for an improvement to be had that reduces if not eliminates the need to additional sealing materials to be used to seal the spaces between the individual pieces of flashing, such as the cards and segments described by Hoffman and Hartman. Moreover, what has been needed and heretofor unavailable is a flashing device that minimizes the waste otherwise attributable to use of devices similar to those described in the prior art.
In each of the noted applications and situations, cumbersome and time-consuming devices like those in the prior are generally undesirable. Some attempts have been made to address the need for an improved means for storing, handling, and installing roofing materials such as flashing, but none have been able to achieve the capabilities afforded by the present invention. What has been needed but heretofore unavailable, is an apparatus that not only easily accommodates a wide variety of roof flashing applications, but which can also be adapted without undue burden to facilitate reduced waste materials and a lessened need for application of post-flashing installation sealants.
The present invention meets these and other needs without adding any complexity, inefficiencies, or significant costs to roof flashing applications. The various embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein are readily adapted for ease of manufacture, low fabrication costs, and immediate compatibility with both the presently known roof flashing applications and building materials presently in use.


The present invention provides an integrated microfluidic electrospray chip system and analytical method thereof, characterized in which the proteinase reaction, solid-phase extraction mechanism, electrophoresis and mass spectrometry are integrated into one system. This system allows continuous, fast and on-line detection and identification of a sample, where the sample is firstly hydrolyzed and desalted, and then introduced into the microfluidic electrospray chip to undergo electrophoresis. Finally, the separated sample is introduced into a mass spectrometer by means of electrospray for continuous detection and identification. This system applies mainly in the identification of biochemical substances, such as proteins.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated microfluidic electrospray chip system and its analytical method for fast identification of proteins. This system integrates improved protein hydrolysis, solid-phase extraction mechanism, electrophoresis chip and mass spectrometry to provide a continuous protein identification process that produces highly accurate results.
2. Description of Related Art
Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a kind of widely used analytical technique owing to its advantages of fast separation, minute sample injection volume, high sensitivity and convenient operation [R. Kuhn, S. Hof. Kuhn, Capillary Electrophoresis: Principles and Practice, 1993, Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidellergg N. Y. (U.S.A.)]. Due to the rapid progression of biotechnology in recent years, analytical techniques developed from capillary electrophoresis have also been widely applied in DNA-based research [Roche, M. E.; Oda, R. P.; Landers, J. P. Biotechnology Progress, 1997, 13, 659-668]. As biochemical technology and semiconductor process technology advanced, Manz applied miniaturized capillary electrophoresis on microchip to undergo sample separation in 1992 [Manz. A.; Harrison, D. J.; Verpoorte, E. M. J.; Fettinger, J. C. I. Paulus, A.; Ludi, H.; Widmer, H. M. J. Chromatogr. 1992, 593, 253-258], and since then, pushed the electrophoretic separation technique to a field of higher technology—chip-based electrophoresis.
Chip-based electrophoresis is a highly efficient assay technique for trace amounts of species [K. Seiler, D. Jed Harrison, A. Manz. Analytical Chemistry 65 (1993), 1481]. There are, for example, reports about depositing purified samples (e.g. PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplified DNA sequence, enzyme and substrate, antibody and antigen) on the sample channels of biochips for assay [N.-H. Chiem, D. J. Harrison, Electrophoresis (1998), 3040]; [N.-H. Chiem, D. J. Harrison, Clinical Chemistry 44 (3) 591].
Protein identification process is widely applied in drug development and analysis as well as screening of patient specimens. Its primary purpose is to identify unknown protein molecules. For example, flatbed electrophoresis can separate thousands of protein molecules, but cannot identify the proteins from the separated signals. The protein identification process involves the use of proteinase to hydrolyze the protein in the gel into many peptide molecules, which are subject to mass spectrometry to detect the type and sequence of amino acids in the peptide, and then matched against the protein sequence database to decipher the type and source of the protein.
In protein identification process, the first step is to undergo protein hydrolysis. Conventionally it is done by adding proteinase (trypsin) to the protein solution to obtain products of protein digestion after 8-24 hours under 37° C. But for protein reacts with the immobilized proteinase, the protein digested fragments (peptides) and proteinase could be well separated by washing so that the hydrolysis product is free of trypsin to increase the accuracy of a subsequent identification step.
After hydrolysis, the solution contained protein digested fragments must be desalted to have the salt in the buffer removed before being fed to the mass spectrometer for analysis. Usually peptide separation may be achieved by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) before detection by mass spectrometry. But the whole process is time consuming and does not allow multianalysis of sample after one injection, which increases the sample consumption and reduces the analysis accuracy.

Microfluidic chip system integrated with nano-electrospray interface and method using thereof


A skirt access comprises a base operatively connected with the truck. A frame operatively connects with the skirt. The frame is pivotally connected with the base. An arm releasably fixes the base with the frame. A step is disposed on the skirt. A linkage operatively connects the step with the arm so that movement of the step causes movement of the arm thereby allowing movement of the skirt.

This disclosure generally relates to apparatus and to methods for accessing a chassis mounted skirt on a vehicle, such as a truck and the like.
A vehicle may have a chassis mounted skirt for many reasons, such as to enhance aerodynamics of the vehicle and the like. The skirt may cover portions, such as a battery box, fuel tank, emissions systems components and the like, of the vehicle to present a substantially smooth aerodynamic profile. At times, it may be necessary to access and/or to move the skirt to service the covered portions of the vehicle. It is desirable to provide an apparatus and a method for accessing the skirt.

International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC


Provided is an apparatus for detecting opening and closing of a door. The apparatus includes a sensor unit, which is installed at a location close to a first member and detects an opening and closing of a door, a loading unit coupled to the sensor unit and a folded unit, folded and rotated based on a center of the folded unit when a back set distance from a side surface of the door to a center line of an indoor unit is small, and led in an installation groove of an indoor unit, and a case coupled to the loading unit when the back set distance from the side surface of the door to the center line of the indoor unit is larger, and separated from the loading unit when the back set distance from the side surface of the door to the center line of the indoor unit is small.

Field
Embodiments of the inventive concept relate to a technique for detecting opening and closing of a door, and more particularly, to an apparatus for detecting opening and closing of a door in which, in a digital door lock including an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, which are installed facing each other at the inside and outside of the door, respectively, an installed location of a closed door sensor of the door lock is changed according to a back set distance from a side surface of the door to a center line of the indoor unit.
Description of Related Art
Generally, a digital door lock has a mortise lock including a latch bolt and a dead bolt within a door side, and is divided into a main key, in which an indoor unit and an outdoor unit, to which a handle is coupled, are installed so as to control operations of the latch bolt and the dead bolt of the mortise lock located on the inside and outside surfaces of the door, respectively, and a secondary key including the mortise lock which is installed on the inside surface of the door.
In this case, conventionally, various safety devices, which protect the mortise lock so that the door is prevented from being forcibly opened, are installed at the digital door lock or at the door side, and the safety devices prevent the door from being forcibly opened according to forced release of the mortise lock.
However, the above-described safety devices are merely limited to preventing a forced opening of the door. When the door is forcibly opened, a function capable of detecting the opening has not been provided.
That is, even though the safety devices for preventing the forced opening of the door are strongly installed, the safety devices may be released according to types of state-of-the-art devices, and thus there is only an effect that the forced opening of the door is delayed by a specific time.
Therefore, in addition to the function of preventing the forced opening of the door, if the closing or opening state of the door is detected and then the state is noticed, more stability may be provided in a security function. This applicant has filed the Korean Patent Registration No. 20-0465831 (filed on 2013 Mar. 12) to expect this effect and the inventive concept is to compensate for this prior patent application.
That is, in the prior patent application, an installation groove is installed in the indoor unit and then a rod-shaped magnetic sensor may be installed in the installation groove.
However, when the back set distance is very small, the magnetic sensor is very close to a magnet which is an opening and closing detection unit installed in the door and thus, there is a problem in that an error, the door is determined to be closed even when the door is open, occurs. According to the inventive concept, a disadvantage of the above-described patent application filed and registered by the same applicant is complemented by improving the detection error when the magnetic sensor is installed regardless of the back set distance.
Further, conventionally, as shown in accompanying FIGS. 1 to 3, in a state in which an installation groove 1a having a common depth is formed in an indoor unit 1, when there are different back set distances d1 (shown in FIG. 1), d2 (shown in FIG. 2), and d3 (shown in FIG. 3) (wherein, d1>d2>d3) from a side surface of the door 2 to a center line of the indoor unit 1, sensors 3a (shown in FIG. 1), 3b (shown in FIG. 2), and 3c (shown in FIG. 3) which are manufactured to have different sizes should be mounted. In the case, the sensors are not compatible with each other and economic losses occur due to manufacturing molds according to the sizes of the sensors.

Apparatus for detecting opening and closing of door


A stator for electric motors, includes a core having an upper and a lower portion and having teeth forming slots therebetween, first and second coil locking layers fixedly mounted on respective upper and lower portions of the core, and a plurality of preformed coil assemblies mounted on respective teeth of the core. Each coil wound carrier includes a winding section having an elongated opening configured to be adjusted around the corresponding tooth, and a first and a second winding carrier connected to opposite ends of the winding section. The first and second winding carriers include a projecting mating part, and the first and second coil locking rings include mating openings of complementary shape inside which are fitted the projecting mating part of respective first and second winding carriers of one of the preformed coil assemblies.

During the manufacturing process of stators for rotary electric motors, the various components of the stator, such as coils, coil support, cables, and sensors, if needed, are assembled and all electrical connections are performed. The assembly is then potted in a specially adapted leak-tight enclosure, a so-called potting mold, by injection of synthetic resin, such as epoxy, at ambient pressure or under vacuum.
Potting is an important operation as it protects cabling, guarantees a minimum distance between conductive parts and humans/machines in order to comply with CE standards, improves thermal dissipation performances, and solidifies and fixes together all components of the stator, particularly the coils.
In some cases, however, e.g., for motors for low ambient temperatures, such as those used in aircraft, potting cannot be used in the motor because cracks could appear after a few temperature cycles. In this instance, other solutions to fix the coils to the stator may be required.
Winding carriers may be utilized to center the coils on the teeth of the stator in order to provide electrical insulation, to guarantee minimum distances to respect CE standards, and to help with orthocyclic winding of the coils.
Other approaches for centering and securing the coils on the teeth of the stator exist. U.S. Pat. No. 9,455,606, for example, discloses a winding carrier for a coil, that is configured to be mounted on a tooth of a stator for an electrical machine. The winding carrier is made of an electrically insulating material and includes a winding section around which a coil is wound.
However, U.S. Pat. No. 9,455,606 is silent on how winding carriers are reliably secured on the stator teeth.

Stator for electric motors having coil wound carriers mounted thereon


In order to charge a pair of ferroelectric capacitors that constitute a memory cell, a voltage setting circuit sets a voltage difference between both ends of the ferroelectric capacitors to be lower than a coercive voltage in a read operation. A differential sense amplifier amplifies a voltage difference between bit lines generated in accordance with a difference in charging amounts of the ferroelectric capacitors. A voltage difference between both ends of the ferroelectric capacitor being charged is lower than the coercive voltage; accordingly, a polarization vector of the ferroelectric capacitor is inhibited from reversing. As a result, the ferroelectric material can be inhibited from deteriorating owing to the read operation, thereby eliminating the restriction on the number of times of read operations in the ferroelectric memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a ferroelectric memory having ferroelectric capacitors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ferroelectric memories can retain data without a power supply, by operating their ferroelectric capacitors made of ferroelectric material, which is insulated material, as variable capacitors and utilizing remanent dielectric polarization remaining even after the voltages applied to the ferroelectric capacitors are removed. This nonvolatility is utilized to achieve a nonvolatile memory with ferroelectric memory cells arranged in an array. For the ferroelectric capacitors, ferroelectric materials chiefly composed of PZT (lead zirconate titanate) or ferroelectric materials having a bismuth layer type perovskite structure such as SBT (strontium bismuth tantalate) are available.
In recent years, there has been a proposed technique to generate, in a read operation of a ferroelectric memory, a voltage in a bit line in accordance with a residual dielectric polarization value of the ferroelectric capacitor without driving a plate line. However, for instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-187990 (FIG. 18) describes a case where before a read operation, a bit line is precharged to 5 V and a plate line is reset at 0 V. In this case, when a word line is selected, a power supply voltage is applied to both ends of the ferroelectric capacitor, thereby reversing a polarized state of one of ferroelectric capacitors which holds logic 0 and logic 1. That is, data read from this kind of ferroelectric memories are destroyed, and a polarized state of the ferroelectric capacitors is reversed every time a read operation is carried out. The characteristics of the ferroelectric capacitor are deteriorated because of the reverse polarization by a read operation, which accordingly limits the number of read operations. Furthermore, the repetition of the reverse polarization in the read operation consumes electric power uselessly.


In the searchable encryption processing system, a data base server retaining data, a registration client which deposits the data into the data base server, and a search client which causes the data base server to search the data collaborate across a network, wherein the registration client, using a probabilistic encryption method which uses a mask using a homomorphic function and a hash value, deposits the encrypted data into the server, whereupon the search client, using probabilistic encryption which uses the mask which uses the homomorphic function for encryption of the search query, outputs the search query and non-corresponding data as search results without causing the data base server to unmask the mask and without allowing the frequency of occurrences of the data corresponding to the search to leak to the data base server.

In recent years, for the purpose of development effectiveness of the information system and operation control cost, an operation control system (so-called a cloud system), attracts lots of attention. This system uses an information system provided by another organization, without maintaining its own information system. In the cloud system, an organization which controls the information system differs from the organization which uses the information system. Thus, it is difficult for the organization itself to make a scheme to prevent information leakage, a scheme to investigate the cause of an accident occurrence, and a scheme to prevent recurrence. As a scheme for data leakage prevention, it is necessary to maintain data confidentiality with the utilization of the encryption technology.
In a known system using the encryption technology in the server/client model, while the client deposits data in the server, information leakage of the deposited data to the server is prevented. For example, Non-patent document 1 and Non-patent document 2 disclose a search processing system for searching for the deposited encrypted data without decrypting the encrypted data, in response to a client request. This search processing system uses a probabilistic encryption method in which plaintext and ciphertext have a complicated relationship of one-to-"m"correspondence to each other. This probabilistic encryption method is more secure than a deterministic encryption method in which plaintext and ciphertext have a simple relationship of one-to-one correspondence to each other. According to the proposed technology, the data deposited in the server can securely be searched, while preventing information leakage to the server administrator.


An EMI (Electrical Magnetic Interference) test system is provided. The system includes a testing table, a horizontal antenna, a vertical antenna and a processing unit. The testing table is used for supporting an Equipment Under Test (EUT). The horizontal antenna is positioned at a first location in an EMI chamber. The vertical antenna is positioned at a second location in the EMI chamber. The vertical antenna and the horizontal antenna are used for receiving the electromagnetic wave radiated from the EUT, and producing a vertical electric wave and a horizontal electric wave respectively. The processing unit is coupled to the vertical antenna and the horizontal antenna for transforming and analyzing the vertical electric wave and the horizontal electric wave.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrical magnetic interference (EMI) test system, and more particularly to an EMI test system which is disposed in the EMI chamber.
2. Description of the Related Art
The electronic products have become essential and omnipresent in the modern society. Most of the electronic products produce electromagnetic waves, and the electromagnetic waves stronger than regulated standard are harmful to human body. Therefore, before the electronic products are available in the market or exported, they should be tested by the EMI test system. Only those qualified products can obtain the permission to be marketed and exported.
Currently, the method of testing electromagnetic wave is to place the electronic products into the EMI chamber for testing. FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D respectively illustrate the first schematic diagram, the second schematic diagram, the third schematic diagram and the fourth schematic diagram of the conventional electric wave test system. As shown in FIG. 1A, when the equipment under test (EUT) 102 is placed on the testing table 101 for testing, the antenna 103 is adjusted to be horizontal and at a height of h1 for receiving the electromagnetic waves. Then the antenna 103 is positioned vertically to receive the electromagnetic waves from the EUT 102 and is still at the height of h1, as shown in FIG. 1B. As illustrated in FIG. 1C, the antenna 103 then is adjusted to be horizontal and at the height of h2 for testing the electromagnetic of the EUT 102. At last, in FIG. 1D, the antenna 103 is at the height of h2 and adjusted again to be vertical for re-testing so as to complete the test. Therefore, the conventional method for testing electromagnetic waves requires four phases of adjustments, including adjusting the antenna to be horizontal, adjusting the antenna to be vertical, adjusting the height of antenna, and arranging the direction of the antenna after its height is fixed. Thus, the conventional procedure for testing electromagnetic waves through the conventional EMI test system is not only complicated but also time-consuming and requires strenuous efforts.

Electrical magnetic interference test system


A time independent, data communication system via non-dedicated telephone transmission lines, to remotely notify a local computer to dial out to a data network is disclosed. The local computer dial out is initiated if the telephone connected to the local telephone transmission line is not in use at a predetermined time period, or time range after a predetermined time period, after a ring is detected. In a preferred embodiment, a retriggerable timer is activated by a ring detector circuit. After the timer tines out, if a hook detector circuit detects the telephone transmission line is in an on-hook condition, the local computer dial out is initiated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telephone data communication systems, and more particularly to time independent data communication systems via non-dedicated telephone transmission lines, to remotely notify a local computer to dial out to a data network.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various systems are presently known which provide remote notification to local computers or data sets via non-dedicated telephone transmission lines.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,292 to Leslar (1978) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,195 to Bartelink (1980), calls are automatically answered and tones are generated to indicate the condition of the local data set. In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,016 to Blouch (1975), U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,113 to Shelley (1982), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,210 to Sasso (1996), calls are automatically answered and tones are sensed to selectively activate devices or permit normal telephone operation. In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,438 to Skidmore (1978), calls are automatically answered and tones are sensed to selectively dial out to other numbers. In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,521 to Krikke (1990), calls are automatically answered by the local computer and the caller transmits an identification number. If the number is authorized, the line is released and the local computer dials back to the caller.
It is preferable that the call is not answered so that there is not an additional charge for the call.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,193 to Lee (1974), U.S. Pat. No. 3,876,836 to Langan (1975), U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,868 to Shelley (1987), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,109 to Arizumi (1991), predetermined sequences of rings are detected to selectively activate devices.
It is preferable to avoid dependence on counts of rings or sequences of rings because it is difficult to precisely determine when to hang up the remotely initiated call to cause a precise number of rings to occur on the local telephone transmission line, particularly if the mechanism is to be used with varied types of transmission line systems, such as geographically diverse public switched telephone networks.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,762 to Martin (1978), in one embodiment a predetermined time window is utilized. In another embodiment, sequential ringing signals, having a different time spacing than signals from a normal telephone call activate the local data set. In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,205 to Walker (1982), a coded signal is transmitted between the first and second ring. In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,296 to Reyes (1994), a modem is configured to sense distinctive ring types to perform selective processing of the call. In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,831 to Chewning (1995) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,980 to Lin (1997), a coded Analog Display Service Interface (ADSI) signal is sensed while the telephone is on-hook to selectively control devices.
It is preferable to avoid dependence on characteristics, such as alternative time-spacing of rings, distinctive ring types or signals sensed or transmitted while on-hook, that may not be available on all telephone transmission line systems, or may only be available at additional cost. It is also preferable that the local computer be accessible at all times, rather than only during a predetermined time window.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,534 to Shelley (1986), the data set is normally connected and the telephone is normally disconnected. The termination of the ringing signal after a predetermined number of ring bursts causes the data set to begin to communicate with the central computer. If additional ring bursts occur, a non-computer call is sensed and the data set is disconnected and the telephone connected to the telephone transmission line so that normal telephone usage is allowed.
It is preferable to connect the local computer and notification apparatus in parallel with other telephone devices to avoid the need for a particular configuration of telephone transmission line wiring.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,634 to Oliver (1993), if the number of rings counted on a particular call exceeds a predetermined number of rings, then the device is activated to seize the telephone transmission line, dial the predetermined telephone number and transmit collected data from the site over the telephone transmission line to the central host.
It is preferable to use the subscriber's existing telephone transmission line rather than install a separate dedicated line to provide access to the local device. It is preferable to avoid reliance on a maximum number of rings to avoid interfering with normal use of the subscriber's telephone. If the predetermined number of rings is small, normal telephone calls, as well as those for remote notification purpose, will trigger the device. If the predetermined number of rings is larger, and the subscriber is available, he is likely to answer a remotely initiated call intended only for notification of the local device, and his answering it may preclude the additional rings necessary for triggering the device. If the subscriber is not available but an automatic answering apparatus, such as a telephone answering machine or fax machine, is employed, it may automatically answer a remotely initiated call and preclude the additional rings necessary for triggering the device. It is also preferable to that the remotely initiated call is not answered so that there is not an additional charge for the call.
Accordingly, the need exists for a system that allows a remote notification to a local computer via non-dedicated telephone transmission lines at any time (i.e. no limitation to a time window). Furthermore, such a system should allow normal operation of the telephone. Furthermore, the remotely initiated calls and calls from outside callers should not be answered by the local computer or notification apparatus, to avoid additional charges for calls when the telephone is unanswered by the subscriber, for example. Furthermore, such a system should not rely on counts of rings or sequences of rings because it is difficult to precisely determine when to hang up the remotely initiated call to cause a precise number of rings to occur on the local telephone transmission lines, particularly if the mechanism is to be used with varied types of transmission line systems, such as geographically diverse public switched telephone networks. Furthermore, such a system should not rely on alternative time-spacing of rings, distinctive ring types or signals sensed or transmitted while on-hook, because these features may not be available to all subscribers or may only be provided at additional expense. Furthermore, the local computer and notification apparatus should connect in parallel with other telephone devices and there should be no requirement to modify the telephone transmission line wiring to the primary or secondary telephones.

Notification apparatus for outbound data communication system


A computer search involves expanding a user query with two synonym dictionaries—actions and object—and then validating the expanded queries by comparison with entries in a Subject-Action-Object Knowledge Database (SAO KB) in a discipline corresponding to the query. The latter is prepared from natural language texts and contains fields with subjects, actions, objects, and “main parts of objects” extracted from the object.

Usually computer-based document-search processors use keywords. The result of a keyword search is often an enormous amount of information, the majority of which is irrelevant to user's requirements.
The precision of a search can be increased, if the user formulates the query as a problem, for example, "produce aluminum layer", or "heat water", or "oxidize silicon wafer". But such formulations severely decrease the quantity of found information because the search will not find expressions such as "form Al layer" that are similar to "produce aluminum layer", or expressions such as "increase temperature of water" that are similar to "heat water", or expressions such as "perform oxidation of silicon substrate" that are similar to "oxidize silicon wafer".
It is possible to provide a complete and more exact search with help of a dictionary of search synonyms e.g. in the form of Al layer=produce aluminum layer . . . , etc. But estimates show that volume of entries in such a dictionary would be huge—more than 107 expressions to describe different problems in just technical fields. Expansion into other (nontechnical) disciplines will lead to multiple expansion of this dictionary (up to 1011 expressions).
An object of the invention is to improve search systems.

Synonym extension of search queries with validation


A baseball game apparatus arranged to simulate family participation in a baseball game and to reflect the interest and pitfalls of such attendance includes a game board having a first serpentine path of various awards and penalties directed to a stadium, wherein attendance and participation in a baseball game is effected with associated awards and penalties imparted by the use of game cards to direct awards and penalties as to whether the family or family members remain in place, with a second deck of cards provided as location cards to determine where the family is to proceed for that turn, with associated awards and penalties and a third deck of cards relative to problems associated in remaining at the stadium during play of that inning, with nine innings played to associate nine rounds of play relative to the selection of the cards. Return of the family subsequent to a completion of baseball simulation is effected through a second path from the stadium space to return to a home space, with associated awards and penalties with totals effecting status of the players among themselves relative to their dissatisfaction in attending a baseball game as a family unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to baseball game apparatus, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved baseball game apparatus wherein the same is arranged to reflect family attendance and participation at a baseball game simulation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Baseball games of various types have been utilized in the prior art and directed to the entertainment and amusement as well as education of individuals relative to baseball. Such game structure is indicated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,261,659; 4,179,123; and 3,972,530.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by focusing on the interplay and relative satisfaction in intense of baseball games by a family unit.


The present invention discloses a timer switch that uses an integrated circuit to control the time and a self-locking electromagnetic coil solenoid valve to drive the operation of a microswitch, which is particularly applicable to be installed on a wall as a timer switch. The switch device uses the electronic control of two 1.5V AA batteries to enter a set time through input keys, and a CPU will issue a pulse with very short timing of 30 ms to the solenoid to produce a magnetic field to drive a turning rod and open a primary switch in order to turn on or off a circuit.

In many occasions, an external accessory or a specific device is used in a regular manner, such as a lamp that provides illumination, a cooling system, an inspecting instrument or a ventilator is run at a fixed time. Therefore, such device can be turned on or off by a timer switch instead of being operated manually. On one hand, it can save the trouble of repeatedly operating the device manually or prevent human errors, and thus a timer switch has its value.
In general, a traditional timer switch comprises components such as a timer, a driving motor, and a switch; wherein the timer controls the time, and the driving motor mainly includes a motor and a transmission screw rod, and the switch connects or disconnects a control circuit, and the transmission screw rod is rotated by the motor to be turned on or off. Therefore the traditional timer switch has the shortcomings of noisy motor rotation, long delay, power consuming battery and inconvenient set time. Due to the structural factor, a traditional timer is controlled by two lines: a power supply fire wire and a ground wire, and thus the installation will be more troublesome.


The present invention discloses a strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with monomethylamine degradability and the application thereof. This strain, named Pseudomonas aeruginosa GDUTAN1, was deposited on May 24, 2017 in the China Center for Type Culture Collection in Wuhan University, Wuhan City, Hubei Province with a deposit number of CCTCC NO.: M 2017283. This Pseudomonas aeruginosa GDUTAN1 was Gram-negative and rod-like, and round, green and opaque in the colony morphology, having a diameter of 1-2 mm. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa GDUTAN1 of the present invention can be applied to environmental remediation, degrading monomethylamine in the environment at a high degradation efficiency. When it degrades monomethylamine for 96 h at a substrate concentration of 50-140 mg/L, the degradation efficiency can reach more than 99%.

Monomethylamine (MMA, CH3NH2) is a fatty amine malodorous compound with the simplest molecular structure. It has a low odor threshold and is difficult to be biodegraded. Its odor threshold is as low as 0.021 ppm, and its vapor pressure is 202.65 kPa at 25° C. It can produce strong irritating fish odor at low concentrations, and is easily absorbed by skin, respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract. It has strong irritating and corrosive effects on eyes, skin and respiratory mucosa, as well as a sympathomimetic effect on the whole body. Besides, monomethylamine is also an organic chemical raw material used in all walks of life in the national economy, such as pesticides, solvents, medicines and photographic materials. The discharge of monomethylamine-containing wastewater into environmental water causes the water to become black, smelly and eutrophic, which makes the environment worse and worse, seriously affecting people's physical and mental health. At present, the physical and chemical treatment methods for monomethylamine at home and abroad mainly include adsorption, oxidation, photocatalysis, and the like. Compared with these physical and chemical methods, the use of microbial methods to degrade malodorous pollutants has the advantages of low cost, complete degradation and no secondary pollution, and has therefore been the focus of researchers at home and abroad. It has been reported that researchers have studied the degradation of monomethylamine by inoculating methylotrophic bacteria or mixed strains. However, the literature on the degradation of monomethylamine by using a separately cultured new single strain is very limited. Therefore, screening out high-efficiency, low-cost monomethylamine-degrading bacteria is of great significance in the purification of malodorous organic nitrogenous wastewater and waste gas. Pseudomonas is a Gram-negative bacterium, and sometimes in the shape of a rod or a line; on the surface of a solid medium, this bacterium can form green, round, and neatly edged colonies. According to the literature research, so far there have been no reports and patents on the use of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to degrade monomethylamine.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa with monomethylamine degradability and application thereof


Disclosed are compounds inhibiting ErbBs (e.g., EGFR or Her 2), especially mutant forms of ErbBs, and BTK, pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates, solvates or stereoisomers thereof and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds. The compound and the pharmaceutical composition can effectively treat ErbBs (especially mutant forms of ErbBs) or BTK associated diseases, including cancer.

ErbB family receptor tyrosine kinases act to transmit signals from the outside of a cell to the inside by activating secondary messaging effectors via a phosphorylation event at their tyrosine phosphorylation residues. A variety of cellular processes are modulated by these signals, including proliferation, carbohydrate utilization, protein synthesis, angiogenesis, cell growth, and cell survival. Deregulation of ErbB family signalling modulates proliferation, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and tumour cell survival and may be associated with many human cancers, including those of the lung, head and neck and breast cancers. Detailed reviews of ErbB receptor signalling and its involvement in tumorigenesis are provided in New England Journal of Medicine, 2008, Vol. 358:1160-74 and Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2004, Vol. 319: 1-11.
EGFR has been found to be overexpressed and/or mutated in many cancers such as gliomas and non-small-cell lung carcinoma. Anticancer drugs targeting EGFR are now clinically available, including, for example, gefitinib (IRESSAT®), erlotinib (TARCEVA®), lapatinib (TYKERB®, TYVERB®), panitumumab (VECTIBIX), cetuximab (ERBITUX), osimertinib (TAGRISSO, AZD9291) and afatinib (GIOTRIF). In the majority of patients that relapse, acquired drug resistance, mutation of EGFR at the residue T790M has been detected in at least half of such clinically resistant patients. Moreover, T790M mutation may also be pre-existing, for example, there are patients with the L858R/T790M mutation who never received gefitinib treatment, and germline EGFR T790M mutations are linked with certain familial lung cancers, suggesting there may be an independent, oncogenic role for the T790M mutation. Current drugs in development, including second generation covalent inhibitors, such as BIBW2992, HKI-272 and PF-0299804, are effective against the T790M mutation resistant to existing drugs but exhibit dose-limiting toxicities due to concurrent inhibition of wild type (WT) EGFR. Adverse effects, such as skin rash and diarrhea, which are considered to be related to inhibition of WT EGFR signalling pathways in normal skin and gut cells, were also reported in >60% NSCLC patients treated with gefitinib or erlotinib (Zhou C C et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2011, Vol. 12: 735-42; Mok T S et al. New England Journal of Medicine, 2009, Vol. 361: 947-57).
EGFR exon 20 insertions were found in about 4-9.2% of EGFR mutant lung cancers (Mitsudomin and Yatabe FEBS J., 2010; 277 (2):301-8), most of which occur in the region encoding amino acids 767 through 774 of exon 20, within the loop that follows the C-helix of the kinase domain of EGFR (Yasuda et al. Lancet Oncol., 2012; 13(1): e23-31). Patients with lung cancer harboring typical EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations were reported as not responding to gefitinib or erlotinib or afatinib (Yasuda et al. Lancet Oncol., 2012, 13(1): e23-31; Yasuda et al. Sci Transl Med., 2013, 5(216):216ra177).
Her2 overexpression can occur in breast, ovarian, bladder, non-small-cell lung carcinoma, as well as several other tumor types. Clinically available anticancer drugs targeting Her2 include Trastuzumab (also known as Herceptin). Although two thirds of breast cancer patients respond well to herceptin, some Her2-positive breast cancer patients do not respond to the drug. It is possible that the non-responding group of patients may have a drug resistant mutation in Her2. A four amino acid YVMA insertion mutation occurs at codon 775 in exon 20 of Her2 was also found in around 2-4% non-smoking non-small cell lung cancer patients, and the patients having such Her2 YVMA mutation were found largely resistant to known EGFR inhibitors (Arcila et al. Clin Cancer Res., 2012, 18:4910-4918).
Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a member of the src-related Tec family of cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases, which are predominantly expressed in B cells, and distributed in the lymphatic system, hematopoietic and hematological systems. BTK plays a key role in the B-cell receptor signaling pathway of B-cells, which is required for the development, activation and survival of B-cells. BTK inhibitors have therefore been developed with the aim of treating B-cell malignancies that are dependent on BCR signaling, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). BTK has also been implicated in promotion of Toll-like receptor signaling, which regulates macrophage activation and production of proinflammatory cytokines. Several studies have demonstrated crosstalk between BTK and signaling pathways to mediate transactivation of downstream cascades. Furthermore, BTK is found to play a critical role in regulation of immunity. BTK has become an attractive target for the treatment of not only B-cell malignancies but also for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. (See Ping et al., Oncotarget, 2017, 8(24):39218-39229). Anticancer drugs targeting BTK are now clinically available, including Ibrutinib, which is an irreversible, small-molecule BTK inhibitor that has been approved for the treatment of CLL mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM).
Accordingly, there remains a need to develop novel ErbB (especially, EGFR or Her2) inhibitors, which have better selectivity to mutant EGFR over WT EGFR, or has better selectivity to mutant Her2 over WT Her2. There also remains a need to develop novel BTK inhibitors.

Dizal (Jiangsu) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.


A method for adjusting an operation bandwidth of an antenna is provided. The antenna includes a radiation element, and the radiation element includes a first adjusting portion having a first width and a second adjusting portion having a second width. The method includes steps of seeking an operation frequency of the antenna; and adjusting the operation bandwidth of the antenna by adjusting the second width based on the operation frequency.

Currently, various kinds of small-sized antennas are developed, to be applied to various kinds of hand-held electronic devices (e.g. the mobile phone or the notebook computer) or to the wireless transmission device (e.g. the AP). For example, the planar inverse-F antenna (PIFA) that has a light structure as well, as a good transmission efficiency and can be easily disposed on the inner wall of the hand-held electronic device, has, been widely used for various kinds of hand-held electronic devices, the notebook computer or the wireless communication device.
The current planar inverse-F antenna has a narrower bandwidth. Because the frequency of the PIFA will drift under different environments, the fine tuning for the frequency segment thereof needs to be performed under different environments. This will greatly influence the manufacturing process of the PIFA, i.e. greatly increasing the cost of the mold.
In order to overcome the drawbacks in the prior art, an antenna and the method for adjusting the operation bandwidth thereof are provided. The particular design in the present invention not only solves the problems described above, but also is easy to be implemented. Thus, the present invention has the utility for the industry.

Antenna and the method for adjusting the operation bandwidth thereof


An optical system includes a base, a plurality of optical fibers, and a plurality of optical components. The base has a fiber retention and alignment section and an optical coupling section. The fiber retention and alignment section have a plurality of alignment members, where each alignment member is configured to receive an optical fiber therein. The optical coupling section has an optical coupling block and includes a plurality of optical coupling elements, with each optical coupling element having an ellipsoidal reflecting surface defining a first focal point and a second focal point. The first focal surface is generally aligned with the first focal point. The second focal surface is generally aligned with the second focal point. Each optical fiber is positioned within one of the alignment members and adjacent one of the first focal surfaces. Each optical component is positioned adjacent one of the second focal surfaces.

Optical modules are commonly configured to transmit multi-mode signals for use in short reach applications such as with servers, data storage, and data management. Optical modules may also be configured to transmit single mode fiber signals for use in medium reach applications such as with remote antennas and data centers. Optical modules typically include a plurality of discrete components such as carrier structures, fiber holders, focusing optics, and turning mirrors or prisms. Optical components are often made from optically transparent materials like glass and polymers. The number of discrete components along each optical path may reduce performance as each optical interface increases the likelihood of reflections and misalignment. In addition, each component may require its own alignment step, resulting in a plurality of time consuming alignment steps during assembly and an increase in tolerance stackup.
In addition, a significant issue when using optical components made of polymer is the performance of the optical system over temperature. For example, optic components made from polymers have fundamental properties inherent to the material, such as, changes in refractive index with temperature (dn/dT) and coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE), that are typically ten times larger than glass or electronic substrates and glass filled polymers to which they are attached. These fundamental properties limit or complicate the use of polymer optical components in many optical applications.
In some applications, the large dn/dT and CTE properties may generate a change in focused light position that results in a degradation of performance of the optical connection over temperature. This degradation of performance limits and sometimes prevents the use of polymer optic components in many fiber optic applications. In some instances, single mode fiber based applications may be especially susceptible to degradation of performance due to the effects of changes in temperature.
Based upon the complexity of the assembly process of optical systems and the potential for diminished or reduced performance, systems having reduced complexity and improved manufacturability are desirable.
The foregoing background discussion is intended solely to aid the reader. It is not intended to limit the innovations described herein, nor to limit or expand the prior art discussed. Thus, the foregoing discussion should not be taken to indicate that any particular element of a prior system is unsuitable for use with the innovations described herein, nor is it intended to indicate that any element is essential in implementing the innovations described herein. The implementations and application of the innovations described herein are defined by the appended claims.


A method and system for multi-level power management in an optical network is provided. They include three levels of power management. The first level of power management dynamically changes equipment settings in each module of equipment so that required module setpoint values in each module are achieved. The second level of power management determines module setpoint values for each module of equipment within each node in the optical link so that required node setpoint values are achieved. The third level of power management determines node setpoint values at each node in the optical link so that the optical link meets predetermined power specifications. If any of the three levels cannot achieve the required setpoint values, an error signal is generated by that level of power management and sent to the level of power management above it, thus initiating a higher level of power management. As a result, a dynamic and automatic adjustment to changing operating conditions and configurations in the network is provided, which allows to maintain relatively stable network powers. Each level of power management is implemented such that sections of the network can operate independent of each other, thus increasing the survivability of the network.

Optical telecommunications networks are growing increasingly complex, developing beyond simple passive transport of signals to dynamic routing of the signals. A main objective of power management in these dynamic networks, for example metropolitan area networks (MANs), is the management of network power levels during adding and dropping of channels, network upgrades and reconfigurations. Several methods of such power monitoring and management in optical networks are currently available.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,304,347 to Beine et al. issued Oct. 16, 2001 and entitled "Optical power management in an optical network", discloses a method of managing power levels in a network by providing the nodes of the network with configurable parameters at each node. The input powers to each node are maintained at a constant level by adjustment of the node configuration parameters. Thus, this patent provides management of network power by strictly maintaining constant power levels at specific points in the network, preventing the network from adapting to changing conditions such as component degradation.
The U.S. Published Patent Application No. 20030053163 to Li et al. dated Mar. 20, 2003 and entitled "Analogous channel method for performance monitoring and equalization in optical networks", discloses a method of monitoring and equalizing dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical links by adjusting input power.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,400,479 to Zhou et al. issued Jun. 4, 2002 and entitled "Optical Power Balancer for Optical Amplified WDM Networks", discloses a method of managing power levels in a network by adjusting transmitted signal powers to achieve a desired optical signal-to-noise ratio.
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,040,933 to Khaleghi et al. issued Mar. 21, 2000 and entitled "Method and apparatus for channel equalization in wavelength division multiplexed systems", discloses a method of equalizing channel powers by adjusting transmitted signal powers so that a first channel power is equal to a second channel power at a predetermined location in the optical network.
The U.S. Published Patent Application No. 20030035170 to DeGrange et al. dated Feb. 20, 2003 and entitled "Method and System for Coordinating and Utilizing Channel Power Information in an Optical Communications Network", discloses a method of coordinating channel powers information and determining weighting values for each channel in order to control channel launch powers, and a system for controlling channel launch powers based on these weighting values.
The U.S. Published Patent Application No. 20020101637 to Khaleghi et al. issued Aug. 1, 2002 and entitled "Method for Channel Balance", discloses a method of balancing channel powers by calculating the required transmitter power change to optimize such network parameters as Optical Signal To Noise Ratio (OSNR), Bit Error Rate (BER), channel power, and power spectral shape.
The last five patent documents provide power management only through control of transmitted or input power, limiting the degree to which the network can compensate for power level fluctuations.
The U.S. Published Patent Application No. 20030133713 to Ng et al. filed Jul. 17, 2003 and entitled "Method and System for Multi-Level Power Management in an Pptical Network", discloses a method and system of managing power levels in a network through equalization of channel powers at specific points in the network. This patent application restricts the operation of the network to the extent of maintaining equalized power between channels, between bands, and between fibers, leaving other global network operating parameters such as OSNR or BER outside of the scope of this application.
Therefore, there is a need in industry for the development of an improved method for comprehensive and dynamic power management in an optical network.

System and method for power management in an optical network


A system for performing surgery by vibrational heating employs an ultrasonic transducer 80 for focusing a spherical ultrasound wave on a focal region. In one embodiment a refraction plate 410 having a spherical surface facing the transducer and a refracting surface with refracting pyramid elements 450 facing the subject causes the ultrasound beam to impinge on a plurality of overlapping focal regions and thereby expand the focal area of the transducer. In a second embodiment the refraction plate comprises a phased lens 600 having a constant thickness at any angular location but with its thickness varying linearly over 2.pi. radians or multiples thereof.

This invention relates to a system for performing surgery by vibrational heating and more particularly to a system for performing surgery with ultrasonic heating guided by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.
Conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) provides the radiologist with internal views of a subject's anatomy. MRI can produce excellent contrast between different tissues and is useful in planning surgical procedures. A tumor in a subject is much more visible in an MR image than as seen in actual surgery because a tumor and normal tissue often look similar in surgery. The actual tumor may also be obscured by blood during surgery. A view of the heated region is provided with the use of MR temperature sensitive pulse sequences. Known MR temperature sensitive pulse sequences are described, for example, in D. LeBihan et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,608 In-Vivo Method for Determining and Imaging Temperature of an Object/Subject from Diffusion Coefficients Obtained by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, issued Apr. 3, 1990. Experimentation has shown that a heated zone above a critical temperature destroys living tissue. This zone increases in size with time, as the heat is applied, to reach a steady state of both temperature and heat flow. If the maximum temperature is limited to 100.degree. C., then the heated zone, i.e., the area exceeding a critical temperature causing destruction of tissue, approaches 1 centimeter in diameter. It is difficult to predict the heated zone geometry because the heat flow depends on the perfusion of blood as well as the tissue thermal properties.
Tumors have been selectively destroyed in cancer subjects using focused ultrasound heating in the absence of MR imaging at the University of Arizona, as reported by B. E. Billard et al., "Effects of Physical Parameters on High Temperature Ultrasound Hyperthermia", Ultrasound in Med. & Biol. Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 409-420, 1990 and hereby incorporated by reference. Billard et al. disclose that the control of heat is improved by using short heating pulses where the effect of blood perfusion is negligible. However, since they do not image the temperature distribution, it is difficult to hit small, deep laying targets.
As indicated above, an ultrasound transducer produces a relatively small, intense focal region. Often the focal region of the ultrasound transducer is smaller than the tissue that requires treatment. Accordingly, the focal region must be moved across the morbid tissue to fully ablate the tumor. The focal region is moved by sweeping the treatable area with the focused ultrasound beam. Sweeping can be accomplished by mechanically moving the transducer relative to the patient, or vice versa, but such methods are cumbersome. An alternative method for sweeping the focal region relies upon phased array treatment wherein electronic circuitry drives an array of ultrasound transducers to sweep a phased array ultrasonic beam over the treatment area. However, phased array ultrasound devices are complex and hence expensive to fabricate and to operate.
Accordingly, a need exists for a relatively simple, efficient and economic apparatus for treating a larger volume of tissue without significantly changing the size of the transducer or requiring the complexity of a phased array transducer and phased array driving electronics.

Ultrasound transducer with focused ultrasound refraction plate


The start control is repeatedly performed for an oil pump that pressure feeds the flow of oil in a motor cooling system. This control is repeated for every specified rise in motor temperature (e.g., every 10° C.) from an initial starting temperature. This arrangement increases the potential for a successful start-up of the oil pump even when the oil has a high viscosity due to a relatively low outside air temperature. In the event of a failed start-up of the oil pump by repeated starting, the start control determines an abnormality exists in the oil pump or its power supply if an outside air temperature is greater than a reference temperature. This arrangement effectively eliminates incorrect detection of an abnormality in the oil pump or its power supply.

One proposed cooling device drives an electric oil pump to supply a flow of oil as a driving source of a transmission to a radiator and cool down the oil flow when the temperature of the oil flow reaches or exceeds a preset temperature level (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 2000-227150). In this prior art structure, the motor is arranged extremely near to a torque converter located with the transmission in one identical housing. Cooling the oil flow accordingly prevents a temperature rise of the motor.

Cooling device, control method of cooling device, and abnormality specification method


The invention is a novel system for monitoring a plurality of functions and conditions of a vehicle and providing a graphic presentation and recordation of torque and horsepower as well as other factors contributing to or depreciating a vehicle's performance as well as concurrently displaying manufacturers established parameters for on-board, live comparison of actual performance with expected design performance. Externally visible components of a display panel includes a group of separate analog and digital signal visual display means for indicating the approximate value of the operating parameters. All information is reported live and updated by the on-board computer. When the vehicle's accelerator is fully opened, a switch is engaged, and if other necessary conditions are met, the torque corresponding to the RPM is plotted concurrently with the manufacturers established parameters and remains graphically presented on the screen until cleared.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the vehicle monitoring arts and more particularly to a novel modular system for monitoring a plurality of functions and conditions of a vehicle and providing a graphic presentation of Manufacturer Established parameters (MFE) and recordation of torque and horsepower as well as other factors contributing to or depreciating a vehicle's performance.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Automobile manufacturers are constantly searching for means to improve their vehicles and for ways to prove that their vehicles are superior to their competitors. Also, drivers have reached a new level of sophistication, knowledge, experience, and understanding and are eager to go beyond existing performance reporting barriers and limitations. Drivers want to know how their vehicles perform, not only on a test track, but in day-to-day operations, under various loads, both internal and external, on the terrains they traverse and under the weather conditions they encounter. As drivers/owners are permitted the luxury of seeing performance and deteriorations of performance of their vehicles, they will be more likely to take corrective maintenance action. Today's drivers are eager to maintain the efficiency of their vehicles and are becoming conscious that a properly operating vehicle emits fewer pollutants and impacts the environment far less than otherwise.
In general, the fuel consumption of the motor vehicle varies to a considerable extent depending on not only the fuel consumption performance of an engine but also the driving manner of a driver. One prior art device uses a so-called economy meter for indicating an engine load by the intake vacuum, and a drive computer for calculating a fuel consumption per unit running distance or the like. Another prior art device, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,637 to Tomita et al provides an optimum shift timing indicating device for a vehicle, capable of giving a driver information regarding the optimum shift timing, taking into consideration of the fuel consumption performance and the running performance by the use of a small memory capacity, so that the fuel consumption can be effectively decreased.
Other prior art devices for monitoring vehicular performance may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,906,437 to Brandwein et al; 4,551,801 to Sokol; and 4,611,193 to Bruggemann. U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,437 discloses a "dynamic system" and claims refer to such integrated assemblages of machinery or material processing equipment. Such dynamic systems share in common the characteristic of having a large number of operating parameters, such as, temperatures, fluid flow rates, voltages and the like, the magnitude of which must be continuously monitored to successfully control the operation of the system. A dynamic system monitoring device is provided with a plurality of sensors each one of which is adapted to measure the magnitude of a specific operating parameter of the system and to generate a sensor signal voltage that varies directly with the magnitude of the operating parameter being measured. The sensor signal voltage from each sensor is "conditioned" and the conditioned signal voltage is transmitted to analog signal display means which display in analog form the approximate value of all the operating parameters being measured. The conditioned signal voltage is also optionally transmitted to an array of alpha-numeric units which display in numeric form the precise value of the operating parameter being measured. Each of the outputs are displayed individually and do not react with each other nor do they provide a combined output.
The shift timing indicating device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,637 includes a speed sensor for detecting a rotational speed of an engine or a running speed of the vehicle, a load sensor for detecting an engine load, a data processing device having a data map having a set shift-up region and/or shift-down region for emitting a shift-up or shift-down instruction signal so that instruction about the optimum shift timing can be given to the driver with the use of only a small memory capacity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,801 discloses a monitoring module for monitoring a plurality of functions and conditions of a vehicle including a plurality of sensors for producing sensor signals in response to a plurality of vehicle functions and conditions. The module includes processing means responsive to the sensor signals from the input means for producing display signals corresponding to the values of the associated functions and conditions. The processing means is responsive to the sensor identifying input signals for selecting from the memory means data and instructions for response to the particular sensors coupled to the input means. Each of the sensors and their corresponding processing means are displayed individually and do not react with each other nor do they provide a combined output.


When a purge control valve is in a supply state of supplying purge gas from a canister to an intake pipe and a pump is in operation, a concentration detector is configured to detect a concentration of the purge gas when the purge control valve is open in a case where a duty cycle of the purge control valve is not less than a predetermined value, and detect a concentration of the purge gas when the purge control valve is closed in a case where the duty cycle of the purge control valve is less than the predetermined value.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H6-101534 (hereinbelow termed Patent Document 1) describes an evaporated fuel processing device. The evaporated fuel processing device of Patent Document 1 is provided with a sensor for specifying a fluid density of air introduced to a canister and a sensor for specifying a fluid density of purge gas delivered from the canister to an engine. The sensor for specifying a fluid density of the purge gas is provided between the canister and an intake pipe of the engine. The evaporated fuel processing device uses the fluid density of the air and the fluid density of the purge gas specified respectively by the two sensors while the purge gas is supplied from the canister to the engine to calculate a concentration of the purge gas based on a ratio or a difference between these fluid densities.

Evaporated fuel processing device, purge gas concentration detection method, and control device for evaporated fuel processing device


An interlocking suspension support hanger for mounting strut members off of a vertical threaded rod includes a pair of support hanger having a rectangular support body with a pivoting pin hole and a fastening pin hole on the support body and a recess opening leading to a center thread configured to fit around the vertical threaded rod. Further, a process for utilizing the support hanger to suspend a strut rack assembly from the vertically threaded rod without passing the assembly over the ends of the rod or removing the existing strut rack is disclosed.

In architectural settings, it is often necessary to improve architectural structures by adding, changing or removing certain portions. Such architectural improvements and additions are constantly being made in commercial and industrial settings. More specifically, in many commercial and industrial settings, changes need to be made in modular, steel, aluminum, and fiberglass reinforced plastic framing products and accessories suitable for electrical, industrial, construction and other applications without welding or performing other permanent changes. One of the common problems encountered in changing the modular form of the architectural construction is the removal or addition of horizontal members to the existing threaded rod assemblies. To effectively add or remove horizontal members to existing threaded rod assemblies, such procedure requires the whole assembly to be removed and a new assembly to be installed. Then, the original assembly will be reinstalled, which is very labor intensive, and adds a substantial cost to a work project.
A strut system is a system of horizontally placed channeled strut members suspended from the ceiling on a plurality of vertical threaded rods. The channel strut member has a plurality of holes through which the vertical rods are received as the strut member is raised to the proper elevation. A washer and a threaded nut are run up on the rod to engage the bottom of the strut member or the top of the strut member and support the strut member on the rod. Pipes or electrical cables are supported horizontally on these pipe rack strut members and run horizontally overhead throughout the building.
When architectural improvements, additions or removals require new pipe or electrical hookups, or rerouting, the suspended pipes or electrical cables must be removed or replaced, or new ones added. This procedure often requires expensive periods of shutdowns while the pipe racks are disassembled. In some cases, a second layer or intermediate pipe rack may be installed above the existing one to allow placement of the new pipe or cable before the old ones are removed.
For instance, to install an intermediate pipe rack above an existing one, it is necessary to remove the old strut members from the vertical threaded rod, or to take off the nut and lower the strut members. The intermediate strut member must then be forced over the existing pipe and cable which often requires bending or cutting an existing support rod to allow the intermediate strut member to fit on the rods above the pipe and cable. Then the old lower strut member must be put back into position. This threading procedure alone takes many hours.
One solution has been to provide a split nut device, which can be assembled onsite to support strut members. Various split nut configurations, although not utilized to support strut members, are known in the art. Specifically, there are several patents which disclose various split nut configurations.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 663,208 to Wrensch discloses a pair of nut sections, each having a central threaded perforation, wherein the nut sections are hinged together at one side and joined together at other side by a screw. As can be seen, each nut section is not identical with the other. Further two different parts are required for the fastener and the hinge portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,146 to Uhlig discloses a swivel nut assembly formed from a pair of pivotally interconnected U-shaped disks, each disk forming a U-shaped recess. Two separate parts which are distinct from each other are required for the fastener and the hinge portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,958 to Kelso discloses an interlocking pipe rack assembly including two elongate separate strut members with a fastening means. However, the fastening means does not disclose any simple manufacturing part nor does it disclose an interchangeable hinge-fastening portion.
Thus, none of these references offer a simple to manufacture device which is easy to install on a threaded rod with existing strut members. Therefore, a need exists which overcomes all of the shortcomings of the prior art references known in the art.


Fixtureless self-alignment and orientation of components during an assembly process, and self-aligning/self-orienting components for assembly. Self-alignment and self-orientation are provided by integrating complementary spatially-modulated magnetic arrays into components requiring alignment and/or orientation during an assembly process. In addition to providing self-alignment/self-orientation, the spatially-modulated magnetic arrays also provide selective component placement and/or assembly order. Final assembly can involve permanent mechanical or adhesive fasteners.

Manufacturing of complex small mechanical sub-assemblies often requires special tooling and/or intensive hand labor for putting together the assembly's components. These and similar factors can increase the cost of manufacturing as well as the setup time necessary to go into production. There is thus a need for an efficient, versatile, and low-cost method of placing and maintaining the alignment of small components in specific predetermined positions and specific orders that reduces or eliminates the need for special alignment fixtures and skilled manual labor. This goal is met by the present invention.

Temporary attachment and alignment of light-weight components using spatially modulated magnetic fields technology


An audio playback apparatus that reproduces audio data stored in the form of an electronic file includes a hard disc drive for storing audio data and management data for managing the audio data; an external interface section for outputting the management data read from the hard disc drive, to an external editing apparatus and for receiving the management data edited by the external editing apparatus; and a control section for rewriting the management data stored in the hard disc drive to the management data edited by the external editing apparatus. By using the external editing apparatus to edit additional information for managing the audio data stored in the hard disc drive of large capacity, the labor in editing additional information can be saved.

One of the methods of recording music data is to record the music data recorded on a CD (Compact Disc) or the like, into a recording apparatus of large storage capacity, such as a hard disc drive, which can easily record additional data and easily rewrite data. Recording apparatuses having hard discs can be incorporated in to audio systems for use in cars. The car audio system is not user-friendly in that it is difficult for the user to replace the recording medium, such as a CD, with another while driving the car. However, if a hard disc is incorporated into the car audio system and music data are recorded on the hard disc and managed, the user can save time for exchanging the recording media.
The music data recorded on a recording apparatus of large storage capacity can be reproduced by means of car audio systems. The display device of the car audio system shows information, such as the titles of musical works, managed in any car audio system. The user can select any desired one of the musical works, the information about which is shown by the display device, and can thereby have the selected work reproduced.
The display device of the car audio system will be described, with reference to FIG. 1. FIGS. 1A and 1B show a part of the display section that is mounted on a car audio system. FIG. 1A depicts the display section of the front panel 100 of the car audio system. As seen from FIG. 1A, the display device 101 displays a list 102 of the musical works that are recorded in the large-capacity recording apparatus, such as a hard disc drive, incorporated in the car audio system. The information about the data file selected at present is reverse-displayed. In the instance illustrated in FIG. 1A, the data file selected is a music data file containing the information of "artist 2, title 2." The user may rotate the jog roller 103 in the direction of the arrow or in the opposite direction to select any other data file shown in the list 102. Thus, the user can have the music data reproduced.
In this car audio system, music data can be recorded on the hard disc from the CD and tuner (not shown) that is incorporated in the car audio system. The user can add information, e.g., the title and the like, to the music data recorded on the hard disc. The information thus added is recorded on the hard disc, too. A method of editing character data in the process of writing the additional information will be explained, with reference to FIG. 1B.
FIG. 1B is a diagram for explaining how the user operates the front panel 100 to edit the additional information. The display device 101 displays the information to be added, so that the user may edit the information. The user may rotate the jog roller 103 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, or in the opposite direction to have any desired character data displayed. The user may push the jog roller 103 to select the character data displayed by the display device 101. The user can thus edit the character data displayed by the display device 101 and generate information to be added to the music data, such as the title of the music data. The additional information so generated can be recorded on the hard disc, along with the music data file. The display device 101 shows the additional information as a list 102.
Display devices for use in ordinary car audio systems, such as the one shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, does not have a large display screen. Generally, audio systems do not have a large display screen. This is because the function of displaying information is nothing more than an additional one to any audio system whose main function is to reproduce audio data. Inevitably, the display screen is limited in terms of size. So is the amount of information about music data (e.g., the title, recording date and the like) that can be displayed on the screen. It is therefore difficult for the display device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B to display various data items such as the recording date, together with the tile of the musical work.
As pointed out above, the display device incorporated in the car audio system displays the information added to the music data to be reproduced, such as the title of the musical work. And the user edits this information, while looking at the information displayed by the display device. With such a conventional audio system it becomes more difficult for the user to select a desired music data file as more and more music data files of similar names (i.e., the tiles of the musical works, added to the music data files) are recorded. To make it easy to distinguish the music data files, one from another, the user edits the additional information to change the tiles of the musical works or alter the order in which the musical works are recorded.
The display device mounted on such an audio system as described above has but a small screen and can display but a small amount of information. It is therefore hard for the user to edit information on the display screen. Since the display device has a small screen and can display but a limited amount of information, the user cannot easily know which directory holds which music data file. This is particularly so, if the music data is managed in the form of data files stored in a file system with a large-capacity recording apparatus such as a hard disc drive.
To edit the information to change the tiles of the musical works or alter the order in which the musical works are recorded, the user must manipulate the jog roller 103 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, thereby to edit the character data items, one by one. This requires much time and labor.

Apparatus and method for managing audio data and recording apparatus


The present invention relates to a) a catalytic composite comprising a support structure and a catalytic species that is deposited on the support structure, b) a process for the selective oligomerization of lower alkenes and mixtures of alkenes, which process comprises contacting the lower alkenes with the catalytic composite in a catalytic distillation apparatus and under catalytic distillation conditions, and c) a process for producing high octane products, which process comprises hydrogenating one or more catalytic distillation apparatus and under catalytic distillation conditions.

Catalytic distillation (CD) combines catalytic reaction and separation in a single distillation unit. This idea was first implemented early in the 1920s for the production of esters (Backhaus, 1921) and has been applied to a number of chemical processes based on homogeneous catalysts. The advantages of combining reaction and separation were not fully appreciated until 1980, when Smith patented a new catalytic distillation technology using heterogeneous catalysts (Smith, 1980).
Conventional chemical processes that utilise a distillation process (non-catalytic) mainly consist of two separate unit operations. These include a unit hosting chemical reactions and another unit for separating the different components from the resulting reaction mixture. Under such circumstances, it is difficult to recycle the heat produced by the chemical reaction, and cooling is often needed to control the temperature in the reaction zone, thus resulting in ineffective energy utilization in the process. In addition, the productivity of a preferred compound is often limited by the conversion and selectivity in a chemical process due to equilibrium limitations. Since heat and mass transfer resistance are common problems in such a reaction unit, poor catalytic performance may occur together with a shorter catalyst lifetime.
In order to avoid the chemical equilibrium limitation and make full use of reaction heat, the simple combination of a chemical reaction unit with the separation unit in a traditional distillation column has provided a successful approach for a number of catalytic reaction processes. This combination was first utilized for homogeneous reaction systems. Because these systems involve both reaction and distillation, the name reactive distillation (RD) was coined for these processes. The traditional RD processes were mainly based on homogeneous reaction systems; thus, RD is also referred to as homogeneous catalytic distillation. Although RD processes often result in both high reaction rates and high selectivity to certain desired products, several disadvantages still prevail. These include separation of catalyst from the reaction products, recovery of catalyst, column fouling and corrosion. In addition, if the product purity with respect to the catalyst composition is strictly necessary, the products have to be intensively treated after reactive distillation to ensure a satisfactory level of catalyst removal, which can increase operating costs.
For gas and/or liquid reactions occurring on the surface of solid catalysts (heterogeneous systems), reaction products can be easily separated from the catalyst system. If a heterogeneous reaction can be managed within a distillation unit, the difficulty of separation encountered in homogeneous catalytic distillation can be overcome. However, another factor that must be addressed is to ensure that sufficient catalyst is placed into the column without significantly increasing the pressure drop. It was not until 1980 that Smith (1980) patented a method of suspending catalyst pellets inside a distillation column using fibreglass containment bags, which are known as Texas teabags. Use of these bags permits the use of heterogeneous catalysts without giving rise to large increases in pressure drop. In contrast to homogeneous catalytic distillation, heterogeneous catalytic distillation is preferentially termed catalytic distillation (CD).
In the CD process, the solid catalyst has to be packed in a suitable manner inside the distillation column so as to maximize contact between vapour and liquid phases, but to minimize column flooding. Indeed, various methods have been reported for supporting or containing catalysts [Crossland et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,890; Hearn, U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,546; Shelden, U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,938]. It should be noted that with all these methods, the catalyst is enclosed inside a device which can increase the mass transfer resistance of the liquid and gas phases in the column.
Since a catalytic distillation process combines heterogeneous reaction and separation in a single distillation column, the following advantages can often be obtained over conventional fixed bed reactors:
i) The capital and production costs are reduced because two operations are combined in a single unit.
ii) The energy consumption can be minimized as the heat of the reaction is used for the in-situ vaporization of the reactants.
iii) The conversion of the reactant can be enhanced through internal recycling.
iv) As the reaction products are continuously removed from the reaction site or the surface of catalyst as they are formed, the normal chemical equilibrium limitation does not apply, thus allowing a higher conversion to be achieved.
v) The selectivity for a desired product can also be improved by continuously removing of the product away from the reaction site or the catalyst surface as the product is formed.
vi) The heat generated by the reaction can be efficiently carried away by the liquid and vapour, thus eliminating or avoiding the formation of hot spots on or in the vicinity of the catalytic site. This movement of the flushing liquid or vapour has a flushing effect in that it removes the higher molecular weight oligomerization products down from the reaction zone, and thereby freeing the catalytic site for another reaction. The possible fouling and poisoning of the catalyst are greatly reduced.vi) The catalyst lifetime can also be improved because the catalyst bed is surrounded by hot or boiling liquid and vapour that constantly exert a flushing on the catalyst site. Such a flushing effect remove products and by products that can undergo further reaction which can lead to possible fouling and poising of the catalyst.
Although there are many advantages for CD technology over the conventional processes mentioned above, catalytic distillation is not suitable for use in all chemical reaction process. In order to achieve the benefits from a CD process, a chemical reaction system should preferably satisfy the following requirements:
i) The reaction should take place in the liquid phase.
ii) The catalyst should be heterogeneous and stable thermally as well as chemically and physically to retain its structural integrity for maintenance of a long lifetime.
iii) The reaction should be exothermic and in situations where the reaction is equilibrium limited, the CD process presented the option to shift that equilibrium more to the right to achieve higher conversion and higher productivity much more efficiently.
One chemical reaction that satisfies these requirements is the oligomerization of lower alkenes (alkene molecules having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms). Alkylation and oligomerization of lower alkenes was first disclosed by Huss and Kennedy (1990) and Smith et al. (1991). The oligomerization of lower alkenes is an important industrial reaction and represents a route to the production of intermediates used for the production of motor fuels, plasticizers, pharmaceuticals, dyes, resins, detergents, lubricants and additives (O'Connor and Kojima, 1990). With respect to butene oligomerization, the less branched dimer products, octenes, are particularly useful in the manufacture of plasticizers. If heavily branched, the mixture can be used as a gasoline blender.
Historically, the exploitation of all of the C4 fractions obtained as by-product from hydrocarbon fluid catalytic cracking and steam cracking to produce high value products (high octane value product) has been lacking. Butadiene, a component of the by-product is useful for rubber production and is extracted from the by-product, leaving the remaining C4 fractions as a mixture referred to as Raffinate I. The isobutene that is contained in Raffinate I was used as a source for production of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). The remaining components of the C4 fractions after the removal of isobutene, consisting mainly of linear C4 hydrocarbon (butenes), was mainly used as a gasoline blender, albeit a poor one. In certain cases, this product was simply disposed of by flaring. In Raffinate II, n-butene is present at an average content from 70% to 80% and in some cases can be in the ninety percentage ranges. Using this resource, smaller oligomers, particularly C8 and C12, are being produced by current catalytic oligomerization processes.
A variety of butene oligomerization processes have been proposed (Keim et al., 1979; Mathys, 1984; Beltrame et al., 1994) based on homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions. These processes are exclusively focused on the catalyst selection and process optimization so that a high oligomerization rate with a high selectivity to desired products, mainly short and less branched oligomers, can be obtained.
The use of catalytic distillation to enhance the oligomerization of alkenes was first disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,124 to Smith in 1991. This process utilized an acidic ion exchange resin placed inside a fibre glass bag.
Further research has been carried out in the field of alkene oligomerization, but in most cases, the oligomerization catalyst is contained within a second structure such as a cloth or mesh bag, and the reactants have to pass through this structure to access the catalyst. Likewise, the products have to pass through the structure to be removed away from the catalyst. In one such example, Podrebarac (1992) studied butene dimerization in a CD column using a nickel exchanged zeolite catalyst, where the zeolite was placed directly in fibreglass bags. The zeolite catalyst in this case was quickly deactivated by the production of undesirable long chain oligomers, which oligomers blocked the active sites on the catalyst. The system also displayed poor selectivity to octane due to the mass transfer resistance caused by the fibreglass bags.
Additional work has been carried out to find alternative methods of placing the catalyst directly in the reactive zone of the distillation column, without resorting to the containment of the catalyst in secondary structures such as cloth or mesh bags.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,291,719 B1 to Gao et al. discloses dual-functional catalyst structures having very specific shapes. These catalyst structures, which are formed from a resin catalyst, a metal oxide superacid catalyst or a molecular sieve catalyst, are shown to be suitable for etherification reactions, alkylation reactions, hydrogenation reactions and for the decomposition of MTBE. U.S. Pat. No. 6,291,719 B1 discloses catalyst structures which are limited to two very specific shapes, and the materials used also possess markedly low surface area values.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,929 to Gottlieb et al. also discloses moulded organic catalyst bodies made of strongly acid or basic ion exchange resins.

Composite catalyst for the selective oligomerization of lower alkenes and the production of high octane products