A modular tenter frame for guiding a pair of chains with pins through a predetermined path to transport an open width tubular knit web through a drying oven and/or a steaming station to a compressive treating station to improve quality of the open width tubular knit web. The frame includes a rail section. The rail section guides an associated chain with the pins through the predetermined path to transport the open width tubular knit web through the drying oven and/or the steaming station to the compressive treating station to improve the quality of the open width tubular knit web. The rail section has a pair of recessed tracks being longitudinal, facing in a same direction, being spaced-apart from each other by a space therebetween defined by a web, and receiving the chains.

A. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a tenter frame rail, and more particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a modular tenter frame rail.
B. Description of the Prior Art
In the process of finishing textile goods that are knit either completely or partially from synthetic materials, the goods are processed through a tenter frame where they are raised to a temperature sufficiently high to cause the material to be in a plastic state. The tenter hooks or pins on the frame fix the mechanical dimensions of the material and the process thus "sets" the material to that dimension.
Flexible sheet materials, such as lengths of fabric, are customarily dried or relaxed on these tenter frames. In a common form of these frames, the continuously advancing sheet is pressed by cylindrical brushes upon moving parallel rows of pins along each selvedge so that the sheet is held under lateral restraint as it is heated or subjected to other desired treatment as it is passed through the apparatus.
Conventional tenter frames are usually designed to dry and stretch a fabric web to its finished width, and include a pair of laterally spaced, elongate, and longitudinally movable first and second chains gripping the selvages or edges of the fabric web and advancing the web through a heating chamber. The chains slightly diverge during their advance through the heating chamber so as to apply lateral tension to the web as it advances therethrough.
Tenter frame chains with tentering clamp and needle combination links are used in horizontal hot air tentering frames. These chains also enable a further standardization of the guiding of the chains in single layer tenter frames. A typical tenter frame generally includes a plurality of tenter frame clips mounted on two endless chains guided by a pair of diverging tracks. The clips are adapted to shift from an open position to a closed position to grip the edges of a web of material, such as plastic film. As the web is moved in the machine direction being gripped by the clips that are moving on the diverging tracks, the web can be stretched transversely simultaneous with its longitudinal movement.
Tenter frame chains equipped with tentering clamp and needle combination links utilize so-called hammer-type tentering clamps for the clamping action, which have the drawback that their clamping action is limited and that an exact clamping width is not certain as is the case with the so-called roller probing tentering devices.
In the general operation of tenter frames, a web material enters the machine at one end where the web is engaged along its edges or selvages by a series of upwardly extending pins penetrating the web material. The pins are in turn secured to and supported by two endless tenter chains. The web material is thus held along its opposite edges by the upwardly extending pins for the full period of web travel through the tenter frame where it may be subjected to various and sundry treatments. For example, where the web material is a knitted or a woven fabric, it may simply be washed, shrunk, or stretched as desired and maintained in a desired dimensional state by the tenter chains as it dries. In any event, as web material moves through the tenter frame and reaches the exit end it becomes necessary to remove the web from the pins on the tenter chains for ultimate removal of the web from the tenter. At the same time in processing many web materials, it is necessary to trim the edges or selvages of the web material to remove the portion having been penetrated by the pins on the tenter chains. Otherwise a defect may be created in the web. Other webs, however, are unaffected by the pin holes and no trimming is necessary.
Numerous innovations for tenter frames and related devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described below, which are in chronological order to show advancement in the art, and which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they each differ in structure, and/or operation, and/or purpose from the embodiments of the present invention in that they do not teach a modular tenter frame rail.
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,425 to Swanson et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,425 issued to Swanson et al. on Jun. 8, 1976 in class 34 and subclass 447 teaches an automatic temperature control system for a textile tenter frame having an oven section for heating the fabric in order to "set" its fibers in an essentially non-shrinkable state. The system operates to maximize the speed of the tenter frame while maintaining optimum heat set conditions. Fabric temperature from within the oven and initial moisture content data are furnished to a computer and processed with time-at-temperature target inputs to provide tenter frame speed control output signals.
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,722 to Swanson.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,722 issued to Swanson on Apr. 12, 1977 in class 700 and subclass 130 teaches a method and an apparatus for controlling the yield of fabric material from a tenter frame having spaced apart belts driven by drive apparatus and an overfeed roll at its entry end. In a start-up or style change mode of operation, a predicted dry yield is computed from data signals received before the fabric enters the tenter frame and is then compared with a target value to produce a control signal to the overspeed roll. In the steady state mode of operation, actual yield is computed from data taken at the output end of the tenter frame and is then is compared with a target yield value and thereafter modified by a correction factor proportional to variations in predicted dry yield computed from inputs taken at the entry to the tenter frame. The modified control signal again is applied to the overspeed roll.
(3) U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,838 to Jungpeter et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,838 issued to Jungpeter et al. on Jan. 3, 1978 in class 26 and subclass 94 teaches a device for opening tenter frame clips mounted on an endless chain carried by a sprocket wheel including a clip opening wheel rotatable on a common axis with the sprocket wheel. The clip opening wheel has an elastomeric peripheral rim. The clips have apparatus including a clamping surface and a pivotable clamping arm for clamping a web of material therebetween. The clamping arm is connected to a clip opening arm for pivoting the clamping arm into its open position. The clip opening arm is adapted to contact the elastomeric peripheral rim of the clip opening wheel as the clips are moved by the chain to open the clips. The elastomeric rim is of a material, such as polyurethane rubber having a hardness of 95 Shore A, reducing impact force as the opening arm is moved into contact with the rim during the opening of the clip. The rim may be fixedly mounted on the periphery of the wheel. Alternatively, the rim may move freely with respect to the wheel or the wheel may be freely rotatable about the common axis independently of the sprocket to help spread wear around the full circumference of the wheel.
(4) U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,434 to Pfister.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,434 issued to Pfister on Nov. 11, 1980 in class 26 and subclass 86 teaches an apparatus for supplying and attaching stiff crimpable sheet material at its selvedges to pin chains of a tenter frame, including overfeed apparatus for squeezing the material at each selvedge into a wavy shape and a pinning brush having a peripheral surface corresponding to the wavy shape of the selvedge of the material. The pinning brush synchronously moves with the selvedge of the material so that the crests and valleys of the peripheral surface of the brush are maintained in alignment with valleys and crests, respectively, of the selvedge.
(5) U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,379 to Grafen.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,379 issued to Grafen on Sep. 13, 1983 in class 26 and subclass 95 teaches a chain for a tentering frame, including links carrying so-called tentering hooks and needles for holding a fabric web to a movable conveyor forming the tentering frame. Each link carries an intermediate support member holding at its free end a journal pin below the margin of a fabric web. The journal pin supports an arched bail in a tiltable manner for movement between a working position and a rest position. The bail carries at its upper free end a further journal pin supporting a tentering hook in a tiltable manner. The first journal pin further supports a needle bar being tiltable with its needles into a fabric penetrating position or into an inoperative position. The needle bar preferably has a flat surface cooperating with the tentering hooks as a counter-holder when the needles are in a rest position.
(6) U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,096 to Richter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,096 issued to Richter on Feb. 5, 1985 in class 26 and subclass 74 teaches a tenter frame drive wherein auxiliary power operated apparatus drives the sprockets at the entrance end of the chain runs, opposite the main drive at the exit end. The auxiliary drives remove the slack in the chains normally occurring at the exit end opposite the point of driving engagement of the sprockets in such a fashion as to avoid chattering of the chain and tenter clips while providing for a division of the forces so as to some extent reduce maximum tension in the chain and at the same time insure sufficient tension for proper gripping of the web at the entrance end of the tenter.
(7) U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,482 to Lechner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,482 issued to Lechner on Apr. 21, 1987 in class 26 and subclass 93 teaches a tenter frame clip wherein the metal-to-metal contact between the clamping arm and the clip body is cushioned by elastomeric material. The cushioning material can be located on the clip body at the point of contact with the arm or on a rocker member hinged to the arm and located beneath a strike plate attached to the body.
(8) U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,756 to Leitner, Sr.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,756 issued to Leitner, Sr. on Dec. 6, 1988 in class 26 and subclass 51.4 teaches an apparatus and a method for correcting bow distortions in a fabric web during a tentering operation, including tension applying apparatus at each of the entry and exit ends of the tenter frame so that a tension is applied at each of the respective opposite ends of the tenter, with the applied tensions being directed in opposite directions. A sensor is for detecting either a leading or a trailing bow in the advancing web, and a control system acts in response to a signal from the sensor to change the tension applied at one or both ends of the tenter frame and thereby straighten the bow.
(9) U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,820 to MacKinnon et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,820 issued to MacKinnon et al. on Nov. 28, 1989 in class 26 and subclass 93 teaches a tenter frame chain including a plurality of links, each link including upper and lower interconnected loadbearing plates, and a low friction slide block sandwich between the upper and lower interconnected plates. The slide block is formed of material having a lower coefficient of friction than the interconnected loadbearing plates and includes a vertically disposed bearing surface located laterally outwardly beyond the lateral extent of one side of the upper and lower interconnected loadbearing plates. The vertically disposed bearing surface of the slide block contacts the bearing surface of the guide rail to reduce the frictional rubbing movement of the tenter chain against the vertically disposed bearing surface of each of the tenter chain guide rails as the tenter chain moves therealong.
(10) U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,529 to Hosmer et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,529 issued to Hosmer et al. on May 22, 1990 in class 26 and subclass 89 teaches a tenter frame wherein a chain is fabricated by press fitting a pin-receiving bushing constructed of Vespel and the like into a steel bushing and then boring a pin-receiving opening therein and utilizing wear strips constructed of Vespel in a dovetail configuration opposite the tenter chain providing a lubrication free tenter wherein the chain may be tensioned without excessive stretching.
(11) U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,825 to Kwack.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,825 issued to Kwack on Jul. 10, 1990 in class 26 and subclass 93 teaches a tenter frame clip being at least partially constituted from a lightweight polymeric composite material. The clips are employed in tenter frames as components of clip-chain assemblies for grippingly engaging and advancing thermoplastic film webs, fabrics, or foils through the tenter frame as the web is concurrently transversely stretched, and for the most part, are generally constituted from either cast iron or cast steel depending upon the type and size of the tenter frame and which may each readily weigh as much as five pounds and even higher. Each clip is able to exert a gripping force of up to 1500 to 2500 pounds.
(12) U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,560 to Baum.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,560 issued to Baum on Nov. 27, 1990 in class 26 and subclass 96 teaches an apparatus for a tenter frame feeding a fabric web to the nip region of vertical pins and cooperating rollers of a pair of endless belt assemblies transporting the web through a drying chamber. The apparatus includes a guide member guiding the web into the nip at a relatively steep angle, preferably in the range of 30° to 60°. The guide member can be supported on a pair of swivel supports, each of the swivel supports being movably supported on one of the endless belt assemblies. Additionally, the guide member can be a roller rotatable about its axial length, which can be rotated in synchronization with the feed of the web.
(13) U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,225 to Hommes et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,225 issued to Hommes et al. on Sep. 24, 1991 in class 264 and subclass 288.4 teaches an apparatus and a method for producing a drawn film by propelling individual carriages along opposed loops from a first speed abutted in stacks in carriage collection sections to a second speed space apart in a drawing section of a tenter frame and to a third speed in stack forming sections where the carriages return to the first speed in the stacks. First primaries positioned adjacent one part of each loop develop electromagnetic waves for engaging synchronous secondaries attached to active carriages to provide controlled spacing of the carriages and second primaries adjacent another part of the loop develop other electromagnetic waves for engaging hysteresis secondaries attached to active and to passive carriages to provide controlled abutting of the carriages.
(14) U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,214 to Hosmer et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,214 issued to Hosmer et al. on Nov. 26, 1991 in class 26 and subclass 89 teaches a tenter frame wherein a chain is fabricated by press fitting a pin-receiving bushing constructed of Vespel and the like into a steel bushing and then boring a pin-receiving opening therein and utilizing wear strips constructed of Vespel in a dovetail configuration opposite the tenter chain providing a lubrication free tenter wherein the chain may be tensioned without excessive stretching. Also, are lubrication-free tenter-clip jaw pivot bushings.
(15) U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,493 to Hommes et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,493 issued to Hommes et al. on Dec. 17, 1991 in class 26 and subclass 72 teaches an apparatus and a method for producing a drawn film by propelling individual carriages along opposed loops from a first speed abutted in stacks in carriage collection sections to a second speed space apart in a drawing section of a tenter frame and to a third speed in stack forming sections where the carriages return to the first speed in the stacks. First primaries positioned adjacent one part of each loop develop electromagnetic waves for engaging synchronous secondaries attached to active carriages to provide controlled spacing of the carriages and second primaries adjacent another part of the loop develop other electromagnetic waves for engaging hysteresis secondaries attached to active and to passive carriages to provide controlled abutting of the carriages.
(16) U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,751 to Pettigrew.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,751 issued to Pettigrew on Jan. 21, 1992 in class 26 and subclass 91 teaches an apparatus for limiting movement of tenter frame rails in order to avoid damage, particularly to chains, resulting from excessive movement, including a spring-biased plunger valve carried by the rail on one side of a rail junction, while the other side of the junction carries a member having a predetermined surface for actuating a switch when the member moves to an extreme position where it can no longer support the plunger against the resilient force of the spring causing a switch to be activated to deactivate the motor imparting transverse movement to the rails.
(17) U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,613 to Young, Jr. et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,613 issued to Young, Jr. et al. on Dec. 20, 1994 in class 26 and subclass 96 teaches a tenter frame for treating web materials, such as woven or knitted fabrics, film, or the like, to apparatus for removing a web from a tenter while controlling the web, and to a process for removal of a web from a tenter. A pair of endless-opposed tenter chains having a plurality of pins thereon engage opposite edges of the web material for holding it as it is treated on the tenter frame. Pinned rolls are provided for engaging and transferring the web material from the pins of the tenter frame, with the web taken off of the tenter chains without loss of control over the web. A cutter unit is for trimming the edges from the web after it has been removed from the tenter chain and while the web remains under control of the pinned rolls, after which trimmed edges are automatically removed from the pins for discarding.
(18) U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,959 to Forrest, Jr.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,959 issued to Forrest, Jr. on May 23, 1995 in class 26 and subclass 73 teaches a tenter clip for gripping a web of thermoplastic film between the curved surface of a toggle arm and an anvil surface being tapered at each of its ends. The surface configurations of the toggle arm and anvil define effective surfaces for gripping the film while allowing the film to stretch under these surfaces. Beads are formed at the edges of the web during stretching. These beads wedge into substantially V-shaped gripping regions defined by the toggle arm and the anvil to assist in the stretching operation.
(19) U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,941 to Henz et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,941 issued to Henz et al. on Aug. 8, 1995 in class 112 and subclass 90 teaches an embroidery machine having horizontally parallel fabric shafts for a vertically arranged embroidery fabric. A plurality of upper and lower horizontal guides are distributed over the length of the machine. One upper and one lower horizontal guide are each connected to a horizontal guide element by vertical connection elements. The horizontal guide elements and the fabric shafts each are vertically adjustable by a positioning drive in guides mounted on the machine.
(20) U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,610 to Young, Jr. et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,610 issued to Young, Jr. et al. on Sep. 17, 1996 in class 26 and subclass 93 teaches a tenter frame for treating web materials, such as woven or knitted fabrics, film, or the like, to apparatus for removing a web from a tenter while controlling the web, and to a process for removal of a web from a tenter. A pair of endless-opposed tenter chains having a plurality of pins thereon engage opposite edges of the web material for holding it as it is treated on the tenter frame. Pinned rolls are provided for engaging and transferring the web material from the pins of the tenter frame, with the web taken off of the tenter chains without loss of control over the web. A cutter unit is for trimming the edges from the web after it has been removed from the tenter chain and while the web remains under control of the pinned rolls, after which trimmed edges are automatically removed from the pins for discarding.
(21) U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,172 to Hosmer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,172 issued to Hosmer on Aug. 25, 1998 in class 26 and subclass 89 teaches a tenter frame apparatus including an endless chain for carrying tenter clips on one side of a monorail or positioning a web for transport on a single pair of longitudinally aligned bearings carried in horizontal alignment with the web and for guidance on a stationary track by a wear strip first-opposed wear pads opposite the bearings and second-opposed wear pads at the top of the monorail. Since the bearings do not engage drive sprockets at turnarounds, impact and high loads are avoided. In some applications wear strips may be substituted for the bearings.
(22) U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,574 to Poterala.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,574 issued to Poterala on Jan. 26, 1999 in class 26 and subclass 89 teaches a tenter frame including low-profile rail assemblies for carrying an endless carrier. A series of attachment blocks of the endless carrier have tentering connectors for transporting a sheet material under widthwise tension in a longitudinal path through the tenter machine. Each rail assembly has guideways for supporting and carrying an endless carrier within the guideways. The tentering system uses a plurality of spherical bearing balls for transporting the endless carrier within slots of the guideways. The endless carrier includes an endless belt or endless chain connecting a series of attachment blocks for holding the bearing balls in a position so that they can freely rotate within the guideways. Tentering connectors are carried by the attachment blocks of the endless carrier for supporting spaced-apart edges of the sheet material. The endless carrier is driven by spaced drive wheels in a closed-loop path to carry the sheet material along the longitudinal path through the tenter machine. A transition guideway section, formed with a plurality of adjacent bending contour plates, provides for angular transitions when connecting together entry, stretch, intermediate, and delivery guideways of rail assemblies. And, a vertically operated closed-loop endless carrier is driven by vertical drive wheels.
(23) U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,237 to Cavanagh.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,237 issued to Cavanagh on Jul. 11, 2006 in class 26 and subclass 89 teaches a joint for articulately interconnecting the adjacent ends of rail assemblies in a tenter frame. The rail assemblies are arranged consecutively along a guide path and have parallel guide channels for the advancing and returning legs of continuous chains carrying the clamps gripping the edges of the webs being transversely stretched. The joint includes flexible bands arranged to define intermediate channels connecting the guide channels of the rail assemblies. The flexible bands are resiliently deflected in response to articulation of the rail assemblies to thereby arcuately configure the outer medicate channels.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for tenter frames and related devices have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the embodiments of the present invention as heretofore described, namely, a modular tenter frame rail.


Devices and methods for handling workpieces, in particular workpieces in the form of processing products of a metal sheet processing operation, are described. The devices include one or more retention members that are movably supported by a retention member bearing and a transverse guide device. If the transverse guide device is moved relative to the retention member along a lifting axis out of a non-operative lifting position into an operative lifting position or out of an operative lifting position into a non-operative lifting position on a fixed retention member bearing, the retention member is thereby moved from a non-operative position into an operative position or out of an operative position into a non-operative position. In the operative position, the retention member can engage behind an edge of a workpiece, but cannot do so in the non-operative position. By means of a drive motor, the retention member moved into the operative position can be moved with a lifting movement along the lifting axis together with the retention member bearing and the transverse guide device which is moved into the operative lifting position.

Prior art of the generic type is known from DE 20110628U1. That publication discloses a transport device having a carrier frame, to which is fitted a device for handling objects to be transported. The device includes a gripping hook that acts as a retention member and that engages behind an object to be transported in an operative position and supports it in the direction of gravitational force. The load acting on the gripping hook is dissipated into the carrier frame by means of a pin that is secured to the carrier frame and that engages in a slot-like opening in the gripping hook. If the gripping hook is in an operative position, an object supported on the gripping hook can be lifted by means of a corresponding movement of the carrier frame with a vertical lifting movement and can be transported away.
The gripping hook can be moved by means of a drive motor in the form of a pneumatic piston/cylinder unit into the operative position, in which it engages behind an object to be transported and also into a non-operative position, in which it is withdrawn relative to an object to be transported. During its movements, the gripping hook is guided by guide devices on the carrier frame of the transport device in such a manner that it describes a curved movement path. The gripping hook driven by the pneumatic piston/cylinder unit pivots with a two-axis movement into the operative position or the non-operative position along the curved movement path, which is produced by means of the mutual superimposition of a vertical and a horizontal gripping hook movement. So that the gripping hook can carry out curved movements into the operative position and the non-operative position, a correspondingly large movement space must be provided.

Device for handling workpieces, in particular processing products of a cutting metal sheet processing operation, and mechanical arrangements having such a device


A gaming device having a game that may be implemented in a primary or bonus game. More specifically, the present invention provides a processor controlled gaming device that enables the player to build a number of awards by selecting choices from one or more sets of choices and further enables the player to select a final award choice that randomly provides one of the awards when the player finishes building the awards.

Gaming devices provide enjoyment and excitement to players, in part, because they may ultimately lead to monetary awards for the players. Gaming devices also provide enjoyment and excitement to the players because they are fun to play. Bonus games, in particular, provide gaming device manufacturers with the opportunity to add enjoyment and excitement to that which is already expected from a base game of the gaming device. Bonus games provide extra awards to the player and enable the player to play a game that is different than the base game.
Gaming devices are typically games of luck, not skill. Primary games are set up to pay back a certain percentage of the amount of money inputted into the machine. The payout percentage in most primary games is set high enough that any player who plays a few hands or spins of the reels wins. That is, in most primary games it is not too difficult to experience some level of success.
Bonus games are typically set up for the player to succeed. The player usually wins an award in a bonus game. In bonus game play, the goal is often to maximize the possible award. Winning, at least on some level, is therefore a standard component in gaming devices. Moreover, the payout percentage of any gaming device is ultimately set by the relevant gaming jurisdiction and gaming establishment, not the game designer.
A continuing need therefore exists to provide gaming devices that issue awards in an exciting and enjoyable manner. In this respect, it is desirable to enable the player to have an impact on, or a hand in, determining their award. It is further desirable to increase the level of player interaction. Each of these features is desirable in a primary or secondary game.

Gaming device having multiple selectable changing awards


An espresso coffee machine wherein a conveyor disk, having a number of seats, each for receiving a respective wafer, is rotated in steps about an axis to successively feed the seats through a loading station for loading the wafers, an unloading station for unloading the used wafers, and a work station where each seat is interposed between a hot-water boiler and an outlet element for a coffee beverage, and is engaged by the boiler by virtue of pressurized cold water supplied to the boiler.

The present invention relates to an espresso coffee machine.
More specifically, the present invention relates to an espresso coffee machine loaded with ground coffee wafers.
Espresso coffee machines of this type normally pose two problems, the first of which involves unloading of the used wafers from the machine, and the second the adaptability of the machine, not only to the size of the wafers, which invariably differs slightly from one wafer to another, but also to wafers of different coffee dosages.


An improvement in a control for a DC link power converter includes a phase command signal generator responsive to DC power on a DC link wherein the phase command signal generator develops a phase command signal for a control of the power converter whereby a parameter the DC power is caused to approach a certain level.

There are numerous applications where it is necessary or desirable to disconnect one or more loads from one power supply and to connect the load(s) to another power supply with minimum disruption in the load current. In aircraft and aerospace applications, a load transfer may be required between power sources external to and on-board the aircraft or between separate on-board power sources. Prior on-board power sources have been typically of the constant speed type having a hydromechanical constant speed drive coupled to the engine of the aircraft which converts the variable-speed motive power produced by the engine into constant-frequency AC power for the loads. Such a system is sometimes referred to as an integrated drive generator (or IDG).
An alternative to the foregoing power source that does not use a constant speed drive is referred to as a DC link power generating system wherein DC power on a DC link is converted into constant-frequency AC power. One type of DC link power generating system is known as a variable-speed, constant-frequency (VSCF) generating system which includes a synchronous generator coupled directly to the aircraft engine and a power converter which converts the variable frequency output of the generator into constant frequency power for the loads. In multiple aircraft having engines each engine typically drives a separate VSCF system (sometimes referred to as a "channel") and the system outputs are coupled to a load bus through contactors. Interest in VSCF systems has increased of late owing to the push to design "all electric" aircraft in which the use of mechanical, hydromechanical and hydraulic components is minimized.
In a multiple-channel VSCF system of the above type, it may be necessary to change the source of power to the load bus from one channel to another or between an external AC source, such as a ground power cart, and one of the channels.
Recker, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,462 discloses a no-break power control for a VSCF power generating system. The system senses the deviation of a parameter of the power developed by an inverter of the VSCF system relative to a parameter of the power developed by an AC power source and controls the inverter in accordance With such deviation to cause the parameter of the power developed thereby to approach the parameter of the power developed by the AC power source. The inverter in the VSCF system and the AC power source are connected in parallel across one or more loads when the parameter deviation is within a certain range. Either the inverter or the AC power source is thereafter disconnected at a certain time after the two have connected in parallel to complete the power transfer.
The Recker, et al. control is effective to bring the inverter and the AC power source into synchronism so that parallel connection across a load is possible. However, during the time that the inverter and the AC power source are connected in parallel, (which may be, for example, up to 200 ms. for 400 a hz. power system) the inverter or the AC power source may drift in frequency and output voltage, resulting in increasing circulating current during the parallel time. Also, some initial voltage magnitude and phase errors may be experienced.
The possible voltage magnitude, frequency and phase errors between a pair of AC sources can result in undesirable circulating currents and power transfers. For example, voltage mismatches in the ten volt range can result in 53 amps of circulating reactive current while a phase mismatch of up to 30.degree. can result in up to 440 amps of real current being passed between the two sources. When a solid state source such as a VSCF generator system lags a further AC source in phase, the former receives real power which must be dissipated or stored. Dissipation requires an active suppressor which adds weight and complexity to the VSCF system. Stored energy may be handled to some extent by the DC link filter capacitor typically used in DC link systems. However, this capacitor is usually only sized to handle ripple current and must therefore be made much larger to store the required worst case real power resulting from phase errors. For the case where the VSCF system leads the external AC power source, currents developed by the VSCF system are delivered to the other source, leading to a sagging DC link voltage. If this sag becomes large enough high levels of reactive current can flow and damage the inverter and/or cause tripping of contractors. Another operational difficulty is the inaccurate measurement of output power parameter(s) due to distortion in the output waveform, frequency transients or the like.
Corey, U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,764 discloses a method and apparatus for transferring an electrical load from a utility AC power source to an inverter. The utility AC power source and the inverter are momentarily connected in parallel across the load and the inverter output voltage and phase are controlled to null the current provided by the AC source. Thereafter, the AC source is disconnected from the load to complete the power transfer.

Active no-break power transfer control for a VSCF power generating system


Provided are compositions and methods for treating multiple sclerosis (MS). One embodiment of the disclosed method entails orally administering to a MS patient a first amount of aspirin and a second amount of fumaric acid or an ester or a salt thereof. In some embodiments, the aspirin is administered at from about 80 mg to about 500 mg per day and the fumaric acid or ester or salt thereof is administered at about 360 mg per day.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common autoimmune disorder affecting the central nervous system. In 2013, about 2.3 million people were affected globally with rates varying widely in different regions and among different populations. About 20,000 people died from MS in 2013, up from 12,000 in 1990. The disease usually begins between the ages of 20 and 50 and is twice as common in women as in men.
Multiple sclerosis was first described in 1868 by Jean-Martin Charcot. The name multiple sclerosis refers to the numerous scars that develop on the white matter of the brain and spinal cord. MS is a demyelinating disease in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This damage disrupts the ability of parts of the nervous system to communicate, resulting in a range of signs and symptoms, including physical, mental, and sometimes psychiatric problems. Specific symptoms can include double vision, blindness in one eye, muscle weakness, trouble with sensation, or trouble with coordination. MS takes several forms, with new symptoms either occurring in isolated attacks (relapsing forms) or building up over time (progressive forms). Between attacks, symptoms may disappear completely; however, permanent neurological problems often remain, especially as the disease advances.
While the cause is not clear, the underlying mechanism is thought to be either destruction by the immune system or failure of the myelin-producing cells. Proposed causes for this include genetics and environmental factors such as being triggered by a viral infection. MS is usually diagnosed based on the presenting signs and symptoms and the results of supporting medical tests.
There is no known cure for multiple sclerosis. Treatments attempt to improve function after an attack and prevent new attacks. Medications used to treat MS, while modestly effective, can have side effects and be poorly tolerated. Physical therapy can help with a patient's ability to function.
It has been shown that dimethyl fumarate (DMF) and its metabolite, monomethyl fumarate (MMF), are effective treatments for relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis (RMMS). Both DMF and MMF activate the nuclear-factor-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) transcriptional pathway, which induces anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective modalities in RMMS patients. About 30% to 40% of treated individuals, however, suffer from cutaneous flush which is associated with both DMF and MMF. Such adverse effects, therefore, limit the use of DMF and MMF in treating MS.

Compositions and methods for treating multiple sclerosis


Systems and methods that utilize a terrain database to find the elevation of the ground in the area of ground-mapping illumination to optimize the tilt of a ground-mapping antenna. An exemplary system located on a host aircraft includes a memory that stores terrain elevation data and a component that provides height, position, and orientation information of the host aircraft. A processor receives the height, the position, and the orientation information; defines a desired terrain area to be mapped, based on the received information; retrieves terrain elevation data from the memory, based on the desired terrain area to be mapped; and calculates at least one tilt angle for a ground-mapping radar function based on the retrieved terrain height value and the aircraft's height, position, and orientation information. One or more actuators is commanded to move an antenna based on the calculated at least one tilt angle.

Ground-mapping radar involves user management of the tilt of the antenna to optimize the area of the ground illuminated by the radar beam. To reduce operator workload, automatic means of adjusting the tilt have been developed that utilize the aircraft's altitude and the range selection of the radar. This calculation assumes a flat earth referenced to aircraft altitude above terrain but does not consider the differences between the terrain below the aircraft and the terrain being mapped. Thus, over widely varying terrain, the radar beam is not optimally illuminating the desired surface.

Systems and methods for autotilting a ground-mapping radar


A scanning microscope with a light source which emits illumination light for illuminating a specimen, with at least a first detector for detecting the detection light proceeding from the specimen, and with an objective through which the specimen can be illuminated and detected, wherein the objective is arranged in an illumination beam path and in a detection beam path, and with a second detector for non-descanned detection of the detection light proceeding from the specimen, wherein a compact assembly is provided which comprises a housing which is attached to a microscope stand and which has at least one receptacle for a microscope objective for the illumination beam path and/or detection beam path of the scanning microscope, wherein at least the second detector is arranged in the housing and can be acted upon by specimen light.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a laser scanning microscope with at least one light source emitting illumination light for illuminating a specimen, at least a first detector for detecting the detection light proceeding from the specimen, and an objective through which the specimen can be illuminated and detected, the objective being arranged in an illumination beam path and in a detection beam path, and with an additional non-descanned detection beam path, particularly for detecting detection light originating from nonlinear excitation by means of pulsed laser light.
2. Description of Related Art
A microscope of the type mentioned above is described, for example, in DE 19702753 and is shown by way of example in FIG. 1 as prior art.
Non-descanned detectors are provided in an out-coupling between the objective and tube lens and on the side of the specimen located opposite the objective for transmission.
Non-descanned detection (NDD) has established itself as a standard method for nonlinear laser scanning microscopy. In this detection mode, the light emitted from the specimen is detected integrally by means of a large-area sensor rather than by the scanning optics or through a pinhole. Focusing optics can be provided in front of the detector.
A small specimen volume can be excited and imaged through the nonlinear processes during excitation also without confocal detection. Further, this integral detection mode uses a relatively large portion of the light emitted by the specimen.
The detection efficiency can be further increased when the NDD is situated as near to the microscope objective as possible. This was achieved by means of a lateral out-coupling in the vicinity of the objective exit pupil.
Arrangements of this type are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,437,913 B1 and DE 101 20 424 B4.
Since NDDs are used primarily in electrophysiological applications and in apparatus with objective turret focusing, the known type of out-coupling is difficult. One reason for this is that the out-coupling unit and the NDD assembly must be moved along with focusing; another reason is that the detectors which protrude at the sides limit the accessibility to specimens that is required for electrophysiological applications (manipulation, patch clamp). This additional weight load, which is also asymmetrical primarily because of the lateral out-coupling, dramatically reduces the positioning accuracy and the traveling speed of the focusing unit. An added difficulty arises in that it is also becoming increasingly important for applications using biological specimens that a plurality of wavelength regions be detected independently from one another. As a result of this, two or more NDD units are cascaded, which increases the moved mass twofold or more and this mass acts by way of a lever arm that increases in size in proportion to the cascading.

Laser scanning microscope and assembly for non-descanned detection


A piston ring exhibiting particles capable of wear resistance on its shoulder is produced by producing a melt of the base materials of a metal material, adding ceramic particles to the melt, pouring the melt into a prefabricated mold and cooling the melt. During cooling, the mold is aligned such that the ceramic particles gather on at least one of the piston ring shoulders.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method of producing a piston ring in which particles for the prevention of piston shoulder wear are embedded. The present invention further relates to a piston ring which has been produced using the method according to the invention.
2. Related Art
Piston rings in an internal combustion engine seal the gap existing between the piston head and the cylinder wall in relation to the combustion chamber. During the upward and downward movement of the piston, the piston ring on the one hand slides with its outer peripheral surface in constant resilient abutment with the cylinder wall, on the other hand the piston ring slides, due to the tilting movements of the piston, in an oscillating manner in its piston ring groove, wherein its shoulders alternately abut the upper or lower groove shoulder of the piston ring groove. Depending on the material used, a greater or lesser degree of wear occurs in the sliding partners running against one another in each case, said wear leading to fissures, scoring and ultimately to destruction of the engine in the case of dry running. In order to improve the sliding and wear performance of piston rings in relation to the cylinder wall, said rings were provided with coatings of different materials on their peripheral surface.
During dynamic engine running, piston rings are exposed to axial movement in the piston groove on account of gas, frictional and inertia forces. They are subject to continuous sliding wear due to their constant contact with the cylinder bore. This is manifested both as abrasive wear of the piston ring surface or its coating and also as the partial transfer of material from the cylinder running surface to the piston running surface and vice versa. This causes abrasive wear on the shoulders of the piston ring, which severely affects the functional performance of the piston ring. This shoulder wear has a direct effect on the engine's emission performance.
Cast iron materials or cast iron alloys are mainly used to produce piston rings. Piston rings, particularly compression rings, are subject to an increasing load in high-performance engines, including compression peak pressure, combustion temperature, EGR and lubricating film reduction, which have a crucial effect on the functional properties of said engines, such as wear, burn mark resistance, microwelding and corrosion-resistance. State-of-the-art cast iron materials exhibit a high fracture risk, however, which means that when the previous materials are used, ring fractures frequently occur. Increased mechanical-dynamic loads lead to shorter service lives among piston rings. There is also severe wear and corrosion on the running surface and the shoulder. Due to the greater mechanical and dynamic stresses on piston rings, ever more engine manufacturers are calling for piston rings and cylinder liners made from high-grade steel. In this case, ferrous materials with a carbon content below 2.08% by weight are referred to as steel. If the carbon content is higher, they are referred to as cast iron. Steel materials have better strength and toughness properties compared with cast iron, as there is no interference due to free graphite in the basic structure.
Today's piston ring materials based on cast iron or steel constitute a homogeneous material, which itself is insufficiently resistant to shoulder wear. In order to reduce shoulder wear in piston rings in engines, wear protection layers are applied to the piston ring shoulders. Piston rings with particle-reinforced hard-chrome coatings exhibit significantly improved abrasion resistance, for example, compared with uncoated or nitrated rings, but also compared with piston rings with conventional hard-chrome and plasma-injected layers on a molybdenum base. However, these coatings have also come close to the limits of their performance capability, due to the increasing pressure and temperature parameters in modern combustion engines. There was therefore a need for new coatings with even lower wear and greater adhesion resistance than had previously been the case. In order to satisfy this requirement, composite powders were applied to piston ring surfaces by means of thermal spraying, said powders containing a ceramic phase in a metal matrix. In this way, it is possible to combine the good tribological properties of ceramics with the good mechanical properties of metals. A tough, ductile fusion of the hard and in some cases brittle ceramic particles in the metallic matrix is guaranteed. The ceramic particles can then assume tribological functions with suitable exposure on the surface of the piston ring, while the metal matrix absorbs the mechanical loads and reduces stresses where required via deformations.
The production of piston rings coated in this manner is however costly, as a coating stage must be added on to the production of the piston ring. The problem addressed by the present invention is therefore that of creating a method of producing piston rings, which are provided with ceramic particles on their shoulders, without a coating step being required to introduce these ceramic particles.

Method of producing a piston ring having embedded particles


A transmit path limiting circuit that allows other equipment, such as a caller identification device, to more readily decipher information signals on a telephone line. The circuit includes a ring detector, register, and controller. The ring detector senses that a call is incoming to the telephone and responsively provides an initiation signal. The register normally transmits outgoing signals from the telephone to the telephone network. After receiving the initiation signal, however, the controller enables the register, for a predetermined interval, to transmit a quiet code in lieu of any signal being transmitted from the telephone. Consequently, reflected noise is lowered during the predetermined interval, so that the caller identification box may more easily interpret data on the telephone line.

The present invention relates generally to conditioning elements for telecommunications transmission facilities and, more particularly, to a transmit path limiting circuit for a caller identification device. The digital telecommunications transmission facilities include a central office which may transmit digital data signals over digital transmission lines, remote terminal channel units, and customer premises. Typically, the signals are sent over transmission lines differentially on two pairs of cables.
The Bell telephone system in the United States, for example, has widely utilized digital "D" multiplexing code modulation systems. A "D" channel bank, for example, commonly provides multiple DS-1 signals that are carried on a T-1 transmission system. One pair of cables is provided for each direction of transmission.
The central office provides a digital data signal transmitted on two pairs of cables. The digital signals are then transmitted to the remote terminal channel unit. The digital data is then converted to an analog signal and provided on a two-wire ("tip-ring" conductor pair) to the customer's premises. The remote terminal unit includes a hybrid circuit that interfaces a two-wire transmit signal and a two-wire receive signal (a four-wire circuit) to the tip-ring pair.
The customer's premises may include a caller identification box which interprets information sent by the central office regarding the party originating the call. Such information is normally found in the signal provided to the customer's telephone after the first ring of a telephone being initiated.
Some equipment, such as the caller identification box, may not provide a substantial load on the circuit. The analog signal provided to the telephone and caller identification box may be looped back along the tip ring conductor pair to the remote terminal channel unit. The reflected signal may then be processed by the transmission line system, much in the same way that any other analog telephone signal coming from the telephone would be processed.
The reflected signal may then be retransmitted back along the transmission facilities to, for example, the central office. The central office may then loop back the signal toward the customer's premises, treating it as a significant digital data signal, even though it is, in fact, only a reflection or "echo," of the signal sent to the customer premises. Such reflected signals impose noise on the transmission lines, which may interfere with a caller identification box's ability to interpret the telephone number data on the telephone lines. Such data is typically sent immediately following the first ring of a call.

Caller identification transmit path limiter


A low noise hood is provided having a housing with an air inlet and an air outlet. A first modular device in the form of an intake muffler with a first air duct passage extending therethrough is mounted within the housing near the air inlet. A second modular device in the form of a discharge muffler with a second air duct passage extending therethrough is mounted within the housing near the air outlet. The second air duct passage is shaped to prevent a straight unobstructed passage for air flow through the second passage. A third device comprising an air moving device is secured by a mounting arrangement within the housing. A first vibration isolator such as a plastic saddle is provided in the mounting arrangement for the air moving device for absorbing vibrations and a second vibration isolator in the form of a flexible connector is positioned between the air moving device and the second air duct passage. A third vibration isolator in a mounting arrangement for the discharge muffler may also be used.

The present invention relates to an exhaust hood and more particularly to an exhaust hood having a reduced noise level for use with a cooking appliance.
Exhaust hoods are used in a wide variety of environments including in kitchens to exhaust or filter cooking vapors and fumes, bathrooms, laboratories and other environments where various gases and vapors need to be exhausted from an enclosed space, or treated or filtered and returned to the enclosed space.
Typically the exhaust hoods include some type of air moving device, generally a fan or blower. Preferably the fan or blower will be sufficiently large so as to provide a desired rate of air flow through the hood in order to provide the desired level of exhausting or treating of the air within the enclosed space. However, oftentimes the operation of the air moving device, particularly at higher levels of air movement, creates a noise level which may range from irritating to disruptive.
Attempts have been made in the past to provide exhaust hoods with various features to reduce the noise level produced by operating the exhaust hood. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,274 discloses a vapor exhaust hood which includes sound absorbing material on various surfaces within the exhaust hood and an elastic mounting of the fan and/or fan motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,317 discloses an exhaust blower having a "soundproof" unit on the inlet side of the blower to reduce the level of noise generated by the blower which would otherwise be transmitted through the inlet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,106 discloses a noise attenuating assembly arranged at an exhaust opening of an air conditioner to deflect and absorb line-of-sight sound produced by the air conditioner fan.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,452,677 discloses the use of a baffle and various sound absorbing materials within an air outlet passage from an air conditioning system.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,330,047 and 2,704,504 disclose various sound-attenuating louvers and air passages to be used in conjunction with air flow from one space to another.


A multi-channel disc valve assembly including: a first inlet chamber having a first inlet port; a second inlet chamber having a second inlet port; a multi-channel mixing chamber body having at least one first chamber opening fluidly communicable with the first inlet chamber and at least one second chamber opening fluidly communicable with the second inlet chamber; a first disc valve sub-assembly positioned between the first inlet chamber and the multi-channel mixing chamber body, the first disc valve sub-assembly including a first movable disc; and a second disc valve sub-assembly positioned between the second inlet chamber and the multi-channel mixing chamber body, the second disc valve sub-assembly including a second movable disc; the first and second movable discs being rotatable to respectively alter fluid flow pathways from the first inlet chamber to the multi-channel mixing chamber body and from the second inlet chamber to the multi-channel mixing chamber body.

To provide multi-way valves for selectably controlling fluid flow around a system in a compact manner, there is currently a limited range of choices. Multi-way ball valves are available, but are also bulky and relatively expensive to manufacture due to the precision required to create a fluid-tight seal.
Such ball valve arrangements also typically require a plurality of actuators to control each ball individually, which further increases the complexity of manufacture of such an apparatus.
Furthermore, in order to provide suitable fluid-tightness, existing multi-way valves must be produced as a single unit. This limits the utility of multi-way valves, since a bespoke valve arrangement must be created for each different application.
As more complicated cooling arrangements are required, particularly in automotive contexts where hybrid vehicles are provided, which require additional cooling for batteries, for example, there is a greater need for cost-effective and simple multi-way valve arrangements to be provided.
The present invention seeks to provide a multi-channel disc valve assembly which overcomes these issues.


Before each content file is recorded first to a recording medium, a flag indicating a recording state of a content file is generated corresponding to a physical area where an index file can be continuously recorded. An index file is generated which associates attribute information with the generated flag added thereto with real data of each content file, and the generated index file is recorded to the recording medium. Since fragmentation of the physical area where the index file is recorded is restrained to a minimum level, a high-speed reading operation is realized.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recording apparatus and method for recording each content file to a recording medium, and particularly to a recording apparatus and method for generating an index file for each content file to be recorded to a recording medium, the index file associating attribute information allocated to each content file with real data of each content file, and recording this index file to the recording medium.
This application claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-054314, filed on Feb. 28, 2003, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer or PDA (personal digital assistant), a non-linearly accessible hard disk and various recording media such as an optical disc, magneto-optical disc and memory card are loaded and data is recorded to these media. There has also been proposed a recording/reproducing apparatus provided with functions of reproducing and editing recorded data by adding a display unit such as a liquid crystal display panel and an audio generator unit such as a speaker to such a recording apparatus.
In this recording/reproducing apparatus, a user can designate a desired file to select data to be an object of the above-described reproduction and editing. This designation of a file may also be realized on the basis of a file name inputted via a user interface. Recently, there has also been proposed a recording apparatus and recording method that enables, in the case of recording various files, output of excerpt information of each file and easy search for desired data based on this excerpt information (see, for example, Patent Reference 1).
In this recording apparatus and recording method, desired file search is realized by using Quick Time as application software, then generating, as the above-described excerpt information, an index file collectively holding parts of video data and/or audio data of plural files recorded on a disc-shaped recording medium, and recording the index file at a predetermined position on the disc-shaped recording medium. This index file can be prepared, for example, in the format of a Quick Time file.
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary index file prepared by using a Quick Time file. This index file includes a movie resource part in which data for reference to the time necessary for reproducing the file and real data is stored, and a movie data part in which real data such as video and audio data are stored. The movie resource part includes tracks corresponding to four types of data, that is, a property track 62, a text track 63, a thumbnail picture track 64, and an introduction music track 65. The movie data part includes four types of real data, that is, property, text, thumbnail picture, and introduction music.
The property track 62 is defined as a chunk according to property data corresponding to each content file. The text track 63 is provided for registering text data such as the title or the like of each content file to be an object of search. The registered text data is stored as real data in the movie data part, and the data length and start time of the title or the like of each content file are represented by this text track 63.
The thumbnail picture track 64 can register one thumbnail per content file to be an object of search. The registered thumbnail picture is stored as real data in the movie data part, and the data length and start position of the thumbnail picture of each content file are represented by this thumbnail picture track 64. The introduction music track 65 can register one introduction part of audio data per content file to be an object of search. The registered introduction music is stored as real data in the movie data part, and the data length and start position of the introduction music of each content file are represented by the introduction music track 65.
Patent Reference: JP-A-2001-84705
Meanwhile, in such an index file, the real data of property, text, thumbnail and introduction music are sequentially stored in an area called entry of the above-described movie data part.
However, in a recording medium on which this index file is recorded, as addition and deletion of entries themselves and addition and deletion of real data recorded in the individual entries are repeated, the physical area in which the index file is recorded is fragmented. Therefore, an optical pickup must be sequentially moved over such fragment areas and the seek time or the like increases. Moreover, as the number of entries increases, the reading time of the index time significantly increases. Particularly in a recording apparatus in which a recording medium of a low access speed is loaded, it is difficult to realize smooth reading operation.

Recording apparatus and method for generating an index file for a content file


A game apparatus having a roulette wheel with a plurality of wheel sections, a pointer for randomly selecting one of the wheel sections, and a playing surface adapted for placing wagers concerning the randomly selected wheel section. Each of the wheel sections has two separate number representations, such as the faces of a pair of dice, which are summed to represent a summation for the wheel section. The playing surface has a plurality of wager sections corresponding to the summations of the wheel sections on the roulette wheel. The roulette wheel can further include a second plurality of wheel sections having representations of the suits of a deck of playing cards thereon and the playing surface can further include one or more wager sections corresponding to the second plurality of wheel sections.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to casino roulette games. More specifically, the present invention relates to games of chance that use vertical or horizontal roulette wheels.
2. The Relevant Technology
The general concept of the roulette wheel having a large number of wheel sections has been known for some time. Each of the wheel sections typically corresponds to a unique number or other indicia. Various wheel sections can also correspond to different groupings, such as by color, odd or even numbering, or the like. Standard roulette game rules generally permit players to place wagers on one or more of the sections of the wheel, with various wagering combinations also being permitted based on the wheel section groupings.
After wagers have been placed, the wheel is spun and one of the wheel sections is randomly selected by an indicator. This is generally done in one of two ways, depending on the orientation of the wheel. For horizontally inclined wheels, a ball is introduced to the spinning wheel and randomly selects a pocket associated with one of the wheel sections. For vertically oriented wheels, a pointer is used to gradually slow down the wheel and randomly point to one of the wheel sections when the wheel comes to a stop.
Once a wheel section has been randomly selected, winnings are paid to the players that have correctly wagered on the selected wheel section or one of the groupings that includes the selected wheel section. All losing wagers are forfeited to the house and new wagers are then placed for the next spin of the wheel.


One aspect of the embodiments utilizes a system controller which has a broadcast transmitting and receiving unit that receives a memory access request from each of CPU and notifies to the other system controllers and a snoop control unit that judges when the memory access request from any of the CPUs for each of the cache memories in the CPU is received, whether object data conflicts with object data requested by a prior access request received earlier than the memory access request and whether the object data is present in any of the cache memories, selects the status of the cache memory of the CPU, notifies the other system controller of a snoop processing result in which the status selected and the cache memory are associated, and set a final status as the status of the system controller based on priority of each status of other system controllers.

1. Fields
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus of a multiprocessor configuration having cache memories, and, more particular to a snoop control method and an information processing apparatus for reducing time for processing a memory access request.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various technologies for quickly executing a memory access request in information processing apparatuses of a multiprocessor configuration having cache memories have been devised. For example, in the conventional technology described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 1999-328026, a local processor automatically updates an invalid data item, which is stored in cache memories in relation to an effective address tag, with valid data without issuing an explicit reading or writing request by adding anew, as states of cache memories, a hovering state indicating that an address tag is valid but a data item stored in a corresponding way of a data array is invalid and a recent state indicating which cache memory among a plurality of cache memories that store copies of data items has recently received shared data via a transaction on a mutual connection line in addition to a change state, an exclusive state, a shared state, and an invalid state of a normal cache protocol (an MESI protocol, etc.).
Consequently, data invalidated by an activity of a remote processor is refreshed before the data is accessed by the local processor. Therefore, it is unnecessary to retrieve data from a remote cache memory or a system memory and it is possible to reduce waiting time for access to the cache memory or the system memory.
It is assumed that, in an information processing apparatus of a multiprocessor configuration having shared memories including a plurality of processors, which have cache memories, a plurality of input/output devices, and a plurality of memory devices (main memories), the processors, the input/output devices, and the main memories are divided into a plurality of groups and a system controller that manages the processors, the input/output devices, and the main memories is provided for each of the groups.
When the system controller receives a memory access request from a processor managed by the system controller, the system controller notifies other system controllers of the memory access request. The respective system controllers execute snoop processing for detecting states of data stored in cache memories in processors managed by the system controllers and states of resources (control buses, address buses, and data buses for chip select signals, read/write control signals, and the like sent to the cache memories) used for data transfer and selecting statuses of the cache memories with respect to data (object data) requested by the memory access request.
Each of the system controllers notifies the other system controllers of the status of each of the cache memories selected by the snoop processing as a snoop processing result, merges statuses of all the cache memories in the apparatus to determine a final status, and executes memory access start processing for starting memory access processing for inter-memory data transfer among the cache memories or between the cache memories and the main memories based on the determined final status.
In such a conventional information processing apparatus, three statuses, i.e., "BUSY" indicating that data transfer of object data is impossible, "HIT" indicating that data transfer of object data is possible, and "MISS" indicating that object data is not present in cache memories are defined. The system controller selects "BUSY" as a status when the system controller detects that data requested by a memory access request set as an object of the snoop processing (an object memory access request) (object data) and object data of a memory access request set as an object of memory access start processing and memory access processing, i.e., a memory access request issued before the object memory access request and set as an object of the memory access start processing and the memory access processing (a prior memory access request) conflict with each other or resources for data transfer are exhausted.
The system controller selects "HIT" when the system controller detects that the object data is present in the cache memories of the processor, the object data does not conflict with the object data of the object memory access request, and the resources for data transfer are not exhausted. The system controller selects "MISS" when the system controller detects that the object data is not present in the cache memories of the processor and the resources for data transfer are not exhausted.
The system controller sets the final status as "BUSY" when "BUSY" is present in statuses of all the cache memories, sets the final status as "HIT" when "BUSY" is not present and "HIT" is present, and sets the final status as "MISS" when all the statuses are "MISS". In other words, the status "BUSY" has highest priority and the status "HIT" and the status "MISS" have lower priority in this order. The system controller sets a status having highest priority among all the statuses as the final status.
The system controller retries the snoop processing when the final status is "BUSY". When the final status is "HIT" and the memory access request is a shared fetch request for referring to the object data, the system controller starts memory access processing for requesting one of the cache memories, for which "HIT" is selected as a status, to perform data transfer. When the final status is "HIT" and the memory access request is an exclusive fetch request based on a premise that the object data is updated, the system controller starts memory access processing for requesting one of the cache memories, for which "HIT" is selected as a status, to perform data transfer and invalidating the other cache memories, for which "HIT" is selected as s status. When the final status is "HIT" and the memory access request is a store request for storing data, the system controller starts memory access processing for invalidating all the cache memories, for which "HIT" is selected as a status, and storing the object data in the main memories. When the final status is "MISS" and the memory access request is the shared fetch request or the exclusive fetch request, the system controller starts memory access processing for reading data from the main memories. When the final status is "MISS" and the memory access request is the store request, the system controller starts the memory access processing for storing the object data in the main memories.
It is assumed that a status of a certain cache memory is "BUSY" and a status of at least one of the other cache memories is "HIT". The system controller determines "BUSY" having the highest priority as the final status. As described above, "BUSY" is selected as a status when there is a conflict of the object data or the resources for data transfer are exhausted. When "BUSY" is selected because of the conflict of the object data, it is likely that data of the cache memories is changed by the memory access processing for the prior memory access request. Therefore, it is necessary to retry the snoop processing until the memory access processing for the prior memory access request is finished and states of the cache memories are fixed.
On the other hand, when there is no conflict of the object data and "BUSY" is selected as a status because the resources for data transfer are exhausted, access to the cache memories is impossible. However, because there is no conflict of the object data, even if the memory access processing for the prior memory access request is executed, data in areas of the cache memories that store the object data of the object memory access request is not updated. In other words, states of the cache memories in areas concerning the object data of the object memory access request are not changed. Therefore, it is possible to use data stored in the cache memories, for which "HIT" is selected as a status.
However, in the conventional information processing apparatus, there is a problem in that, when at least one cache memory, for which "BUSY" is selected as a status, is present in all the cache memories, the final status is "BUSY" and, even when usable data is actually present, retry of the snoop processing occurs, waiting time for access to the cache memories increases, and, as a result, processing time for a memory access request increases.

Method and apparatus for setting status of cache memory


A method and apparatus of a device that distinguishes multiplexed media and signaling data traffic is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the device receives, on a single port, a packet of the multiplexed data traffic, where the multiplexed data traffic includes a plurality of packets and each of the plurality of packets is one of a media packet and an encapsulated signaling packet. The device further examines an initial data element of a header of the received packet to determine if the received packet is one of a media packet and a signal packet. The device further forwards the packet to a corresponding module for further processing based on the examining.

Modern network connections between applications running on a pair of devices will use a port to communicate data between these pair of devices. A port is an endpoint in a bidirectional communication flow across a computer network. An application communicates with a remote device through one or more ports.
While some applications can use different ports to communicate packets of different protocols, there are advantages to transmitting and receiving packets over the same port for multiple network protocols. For example, a FaceTime video call uses a single port for various signaling and media packets of different protocols. Protocols used include Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to establish the call, Internet Connectivity Establishment (ICE) protocol to establish a session across firewall, and Real Time Protocol (RTP) to delivering real-time and encrypted media streams.
In order for different types of packets (e.g., SIP, ICE, and RTP packets) to be communicated across the same port, there is a need to differentiate the different types of packets so that a FaceTime client can appropriately process the different packet types.

Network stream identification for open FaceTime


A method and apparatus for recording data in a recording medium are disclosed. The method for recording data in a recording medium including a wobble-shaped test area includes the steps of a) determining a pre-used test area, b) searching for a current OPC start position of the test area by counting the number of wobbles at a wobble-count reference position, c) performing an Optimum Power Control (OPC) process to calculate an optimum write power at the OPC start position, and d) recording data in a data area using the calculated the optimum write power. Therefore, the recording medium can be applied to a method for manufacturing a BD, and a disc test process and data recording/reproducing operations can be effectively performed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for recording data in a recording medium, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for determining a start position of a test area when data is recorded in the recording medium, and recording information of the start position in the recording medium.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, there has been widely used an optical disc acting as a recording medium capable of recording a large amount of data therein. Particularly, there has recently been developed a high-density optical recording medium capable of recording/storing high-quality video data and high-quality audio data for a long period of time, for example, a Blu-ray Disc (BD).
The BD based on the next-generation recording medium technique has been considered to be the next-generation optical recording solution capable of storing much more data than a conventional DVD. In recent times, many developers have conducted intensive research into the international standard technical specification associated with the BD along with those of other digital devices.
However, a preferred data record method for use in the BD has not yet been established, such that many limitations and problems occur in developing a BD-based optical recording/reproducing device.

Recording medium, method and apparatus for recording data in the recording medium having a test area for an optimum power control


Pharmaceutical compositions and a method are disclosed for treating glaucoma and/or ocular hypertension in the mammalian eye by administering to the mammalian eye the pharmaceutical composition of the invention which contains as the active ingredient one or more compounds having calcium chelating activity. Examples of calcium chelating agents utilized in the pharmaceutical composition and method of treatment are: ##STR1## and lower alkyl and alkoxyalkyl esters thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to pharmaceutical compositions, and primarily to topically applied ophthalmic compositions comprising as the active ingredient one or more compounds having the ability to chelate calcium ions, e.g. intracellular calcium ions. The pharmaceutical compositions are useful for reducing intraocular pressure in animals of the mammalian species. In another aspect, the present invention is directed to administering such formulations and compositions to animals of the mammalian species (including humans) for reducing intraocular pressure in the eye.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Glaucoma is an optical neuropathy associated with elevated intraocular pressures which are too high for normal function of the eye, and results in irreversible loss of visual function. It is estimated in medical science that glaucoma afflicts approximately 2 per cent of the population over the age of forty years, and is therefore a serious health problem. Ocular hypertension, i.e. the condition of elevated intraocular pressure, which has not yet caused irreversible damage, is believed to represent the earliest phase of glaucoma. Many therapeutic agents have been devised and discovered in the prior art for the treatment or amelioration of glaucoma and of the condition of increased intraocular pressure which precedes glaucoma. Other compounds known to be useful in treating intraocular pressure are disclosed in the following patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,467,756 describes anti-glaucoma and intraocular hypotensive compositions which contain in an ophthalmic vehicle 10, 11-dihydro-5-(3-methylaminopropyl)-5, 10-epoxy-11-hydroxy-5H-dibenzo a,d!cycloheptene or related derivatives.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,301 describes ophthalmic compositions which contain 1-(4-amino-6,7-dimethoxy-2-quinazolinyl)-4-(2-furanylcarbonyl)piperazine, also known under the name "prazosin".
U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,821 describes a method of topically administering certain dopamine antagonists to reduce ocular hypertension and to treat glaucoma.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,815 describes a method for treating retinal edema by administration of dopaminergic antagonists to a patient suffering from such conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,664 describes 2-hydroxy-2-alkylphenylamino)-oxazolines and thiazolines as anti-glaucoma and vasoconstrictive agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,528 describe 6 or 7-(2-imino-2-imidazolidine)-1,4-benzoxazines as .alpha. adrenergic agents useful for treating glaucoma.
The foregoing and other anti-glaucoma and ocular hypotensive compounds and agents of the prior art do not provide such treatment or cure for glaucoma and ocular hypertension which is satisfactory in all respects. Therefore, the pharmacological and related arts and sciences continue searching for additional and better anti-glaucoma and ocular hypotensive agents.
1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA) is a specific Ca.sup.2+ chelator that has been used to clamp extracellular Ca.sup.2+ to desired levels. On the other hand, the acetoxymethyl ester of BAPTA (BAPTA-AM) the uncharged esterified form of the parent compound is used to clamp intracellular Ca.sup.2+ (Ca.sup.2+ i). BAPTA-AM penetrates biological cell membranes and is hydrolyzed by intracellular esterases yielding the original charged impermeable form of the compound once again capable of buffering/clamping Ca.sup.2+. (This is reported in Molecular Probes: Handbook of Fluorescent Probes and Research Chemicals; Richard P. Haugland 1992-1994; Section 20: Calcium Indicators, Chelators and Ionophores, pages 119-128.)

Method for reducing intraocular pressure in the mammalian eye by administration of calcium chelators


Improved methods and systems are provided to facilitate delivery services between a sending party and a receiving party while permitting a physical location of the receiving party to remain transparent to the sending party. For example, a system as disclosed herein can permit the receiving party to take delivery of mail, packages, or other articles through the use of a virtual address defined by the receiving party without requiring the receiving party to disclose its physical address to the sending party. In another example, articles may be routed to a temporary physical address of the receiving party through the use of a temporary forwarding path also defined by the receiving party.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the delivery of mail and packages and, more specifically, to the preservation of a receiving party's privacy in relation to a sending party.
2. Related Art
Modern postal systems use various addressing schemes to specify delivery destinations for mail, packages, and other articles dispatched from sending parties to receiving parties. For example, in the United States, destination addresses typically include separate fields identifying a receiving party's name, street number, street name, city, state, and ZIP+4 code. This format allows public and private delivery agents to readily determine physical delivery locations with ease.
In most cases, the delivery address identified in conventional postal addressing schemes corresponds to the actual physical address of a receiving party's place of business or residence. This can be problematic in several respects. In particular, the unauthorized disclosure of a receiving party's physical address can result in a loss of privacy for the receiving party. For example, it is common practice for newspaper and magazine publishers to offer subscriber lists for sale to direct mail marketers and advertisers. As a result, a receiving party's physical address may be provided to other entities not originally contemplated by the receiving party. Moreover, even where publishers may permit the receiving party to "opt-out" of such information sharing, it is typically incumbent on the receiving party to individually contact every publisher in order to utilize such options.
A receiving party's physical address may also be used as a proxy for determining the receiving party's social and economic status. For example, it is well known that addresses corresponding to particular communities are often associated with wealth or social status. In this regard, disclosure of the receiving party's physical address can inadvertently provide other persons with sufficient information to visit the receiving party's home or business for nefarious purposes, or engage in identity theft.
Another problem applicable to current addressing schemes arises when a receiving party's physical address changes temporarily or permanently. When the receiving party relocates to a new physical address, notifications must be provided to all potential sending parties from which the receiving party routinely, and even rarely, receives mail. If the number of sending parties is particularly large, this can be an overwhelmingly difficult, and sometimes impossible task. Moreover, even when sending parties are informed of the new address, propagation delays may result in some mail being lost or mis-delivered.
One approach to the various problems above involves the use of conventional post office boxes. Post office boxes are typically located at physical locations removed from a receiving party's physical address and therefore can prevent sending parties from visiting the receiving party's business or residence. Post office boxes also typically require keyed access and therefore provide some measure of security. In addition, if the receiving party's physical address changes, mail can be sent to the post office box without interruption.
Unfortunately, post office boxes still require the receiving party to travel to the actual location of the post office box in order to retrieve mail. Also, many private delivery agents may not provide delivery service to post office boxes. Moreover, if a receiving party's physical address changes to a location far away from the post office box, it may be necessary for the receiving party to obtain a new post office box and have all mail redirected to the new box. Such inconveniences can outweigh the privacy advantages of post office boxes for many individuals.
Another approach to handling address changes is the use of forwarding services provided by postal services, such as the United States Postal Service (USPS). However, such services are typically temporary in nature and can have varying degrees of reliability. Such forwarding services also typically do not inform sending parties of the receiving party's actual new address. As a result, the burden remains on the receiving party to inform all sending parties of the new address before the forwarding service expires.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved approach to addressing schemes that overcome the limitations of conventional systems identified above.

Methods and systems for providing address transparency


Embodiments relate to silicon optical line multiplexers. In an embodiment, an optical line multiplexer includes at least one microprism etched from a silicon substrate. Another embodiment includes a plurality of these microprisms forming an array. In use, a light beam is guided through the multiplexer device such that it impinges on a line of microprisms that, depending upon their orientation, either reflect/deflect or transmit the beam.

Optical networks rely on switches, modulators and data selectors in order to reliably distribute signals via extensive and ramified systems. Electrical switches, associated with conversion of the optical signal into an electrical signal and reconversion, require a not-inconsiderable amount of electronic hardware and are furthermore coupled with an appreciable power consumption. For switching optical data lines, micromechanical structures have been used for some time and enable signals to be distributed at a purely optical level. Modulation frequencies of about 1 Mb/s initially were achieved thereby, with these frequencies since increased through structural improvements.
Conventional optical modulators and multiplexers use an array of movable mirrors. Each individual mirror in such a conventional device reflects a light beam onto either an output channel or a dead channel, such as is depicted in FIG. 1. Disadvantages of such a device include production complexities, as technologies of this type typically require separate production processing that is remote from standard CMOS, and the practical impossibility for such systems to be manufactured jointly with a process for the control chip. Additionally, the housing and associated process are also cost-intensive in order to protect the micromirrors from external debris, such as moisture and dust.
Therefore, there is a need for improved optical switching devices.

Silicon optical line multiplexer devices


The present invention provides a satellite receiver comprising a base, a rotation stand, an adjusting mechanism, and a positioning device. The base has an axis aperture and a first slot. The rotation stand is rotatably attached to the base through the axis aperture. The adjusting mechanism has a connection end and an adjusting end. The connection end is coupled with the rotation stand and is movable together with the upper stand to generate displacement relative to the base. The positioning device is coupled with the adjusting end and passes through the first slot. When the upper stand rotates relatively to the base, the adjusting mechanism drives the positioning device to move along the first slot. The first slot limits the angular rotation of the rotation stand and the positioning device and selectively constrains the relative displacement between the connecting unit and the base.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless signal receiver; particularly, the present invention relates to a satellite receiver.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As technology advances, the technology level of wireless signal transmission and the depth of its application also reach a new level. As for the field of communication, the applications of wireless communication include personal mobile communication, broadcast, wireless network, satellite communication etc. In order to further enhance the technology development and the depth of application; the fidelity of transmitted and received wireless signal needs to be continuously improved. For instance, the reception side often needs to utilize satellite antenna as the reception device for satellite signal, and therefore the precise contraposition of antennae for improving the directivity of antenna signal has become a key factor in ensuring the quality of received signal.
FIG. 1 illustrates the perspective view of a conventional satellite antenna. As FIG. 1 shows, the conventional satellite antenna includes a satellite dish antenna 10, an elevation angle adjustor 30, an azimuth rotation stand 50 and a base 70. The dish antenna 10 is disposed above the elevation angle adjustor 30, and the elevation angle adjustor 30 couples with the azimuth rotation stand 50 and is capable of rotating in a vertical angle. The azimuth rotation stand 50 is disposed on the base 70 and is capable of rotating horizontally. The objective of the conventional satellite antenna is to adjust the orientation of elevation angle adjustor 30 and azimuth rotation stand 50, in order to locate the most effective angle for signal reception.
As the demand for improved sensitivity of directivity in satellite signal increases, the dish antenna 10 often needs to adapt fine-tune to reach the required angle. As FIG. 1 shows, the shown elevation angle adjustor 30, azimuth rotation stand 50 and the base 70 are often locked with bolts and screws which creates difficulty in the fine-tuning of angles and also degrades the overall precision of angle adjustment. Furthermore, antenna installation often requires the test for signal reception; in order to locate the range of angles which will not be interfered by other external signal sources. The conventional method of bolt/screw locking cannot offer rapid test required and also cannot offer quick recovery to the default angle setting.


A variator for a continuously-variable-ratio transmission (CVT) of the half-toroidal traction roller type in which a ratio change results when a roller exercises a first freedom of movement by rotating about a first or precession axis. In addition, the roller mounting has a further freedom of movement about a second or tilt axis. The precession axis is inclined at an angle ("the castor angle") to a plane lying normal to the axis of the races and each equilibrium value of the ratio angle correlates with a unique angular orientation of the roller about the tilt axis.

In known variators of the half-toroidal type it has been customary for the operator to change the transmitted ratio using what has become known in the art as "tangential shift". Each carriage and its associated roller has been mounted to rotate about its so-called precession axis, so changing the radii at which the roller makes contact with the input and output discs, and so changing the transmitted ratio. Each roller and its carriage has also been mounted so that it can be controlled to move bodily along the precession axis in a direction approximately tangential to the centre circle of the torus presented by the two discs. A rotation of a roller about its precession axis, resulting in a change of transmitted ratio, is thus effected by a tangential movement, the result of which is to introduce a steering angle between the roller and the disc at the point of contact so as to steer the roller to a new ratio. It is however well recognised in the art of half-toroidal CVT's that ratio change by tangential shift imposes design problems because of the large outward forces on the roller carriages which must be reacted in bearings permitting both linear and rotary motion with the minimum of friction.
Some alternatives to such tangential shift operation for CVT's of the half-toroidal type have however been proposed. One such proposal is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,008,337, in which the carriage of each of the rollers--three in number--spanning the toroidal cavity between the input and output discs is mounted to rotate not only about a precession axis as already described, but also about a second or "tilt" axis lying parallel to the common axis of the discs. Ratio change is effected by each roller carriage rotating about its tilt axis, so introducing a steering angle and causing rotation of the carriage about the precession axis.
This geometry makes possible a CVT of the so-called "torque-controlled" type in which the rollers tend to adopt a ratio angle at which the sum of the torques transmitted by the input and output discs matches the control force applied to the means to pivot each roller about its tilt axis. That force, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,008,337, is applied hydraulically.
It is will known in the art of toroidal-race CVT's generally, and half-toroidal designs particularly, that the CVT can be at equilibrium at a particular transmitted ratio only when the axis of rotation of each roller intersects the common axis of the discs. If this condition is not fulfilled, the rollers will have "steering angle" and must therefore be in the course of changing the transmitted ratio to a new value at which intersection is restored. The geometry of U.S. Pat. No. 3,008,337, and in particular the orientation of the precession and tilt axes, is such that equilibrium can only exist when the tilt of each roller about its tilt axis is at a mid position. In other words; any transition of the ratio angle of the rollers from one equilibrium value to another must be initiated by a departure of each roller from its mid tilt position, and can only conclude when that mid tilt position is restored as the new ratio value is attained. There is thus no unique correlation between each equilibrium ratio of the transmission and a particular orientation of each roller about its tilt axis, because every equilibrium ratio value must be accompanied by the same mid-value of tilt. This mode of operation may result in disappointing characteristics of response and especially stability.