A valve-actuator for a hydraulic valve includes a valve chamber, ports spaced mutually and opening into the chamber, a spool axially located in the chamber for opening and closing hydraulic connections between at least two of the ports as the spool moves axially in the chamber. An actuator includes a housing having mutually spaced surfaces, and a piezoelectric element located in the housing between the surfaces, the element expanding and contracting in response to an electric signal applied to the element. A temperature compensation and motion damping circuit comprising feedback resistors and a thermistor. The spool moves axially in the chamber in response to expansion and contraction of the element.

The preferred embodiment relates generally to an apparatus for actuating a hydraulic valve spool that moves in a chamber to control a hydraulic function produced by the valve. More particularly, it pertains to regulating the magnitude of fluid pressure at an outlet port of the valve using piezoelectric actuation of the valve spool and stabilizing the valve with an electrical feedback circuit.
Hydraulic valves include a chamber, a spool formed with control lands, which open and closed inlet and outlet ports that communicate mutually through the chamber as the spool moves. Various techniques are used to develop forces that are applied to the spool to determine its position in the chamber including forces produced by springs, hydraulic pressure on the lands, and forces produced by an electromechanical actuator acting on the spool.
In the hydraulic systems of automatic transmissions for motor vehicles, pressure regulating valves typically use magnetic solenoids to control the position of the valve spool in its control chamber. The electronic driver circuit receives an electrical command signal produced by a powertrain control unit. In response to the command signal, electric current is applied to the coil of the solenoid to force the spool to a desired position in its chamber where the desired valve function is produced. But the solenoids of this type require up to 1 Amp of electric current to hold a given hydraulic pressure in the system. This energy consumption causes heating in both the coil and driver circuit. In addition, magnetic solenoids are prone to oscillation, which can adversely affect the control function of the valve.
There is a need, therefore, for an actuator that avoids excessive energy consumption, unnecessary heating, and operates with acceptable stability.

Hydraulic valve actuated by piezoelectric effect


The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for mixing fluids in a manner that ranges from maintaining the integrity of fragile molecular and biological materials in the mixing vessel to homogenizing heavy aggregate material by supplying large amounts of energy. The variety in mixing manner is accomplished using an electronic controller to generate signals to a motor driver in order to control the frequency and the amplitude of the motor, which drives an agitator assembly. The motor may be a stepper motor, a linear motor or a DC continuous motor. By placing a sensor in the mixing vessel to provide feedback control to the mixing motor, the characteristics of agitation in the fluid can be adjusted to optimize the degree of mixing and produce the highest quality mixant, with consistent results.

This invention provides an apparatus and associated method for mixing materials, which afford exquisite control over mixing in a wide range of applications. The range extends from heavy duty agitation for preparation of concrete to delicate and precise mixing required for the pre for the preparation of pharmaceuticals and the processing of biological cultures in which living organisms must remain viable through the procedure.
The mixing of fluids involves the creation of fluid motion or agitation resulting in the uniform distribution of either heterogeneous or homogeneous starting materials that form an output product. Mixing processes are called upon to effect the uniform distribution of: miscible fluids such as ink in water; immiscible fluids such as the emulsification of oil in water; of particulate matter such as the suspension of pigment particles in a carrier fluid; mixtures of dry materials with fluids such as sand, cement and water; the chemical ingredients of oral-dosage-form pharmaceuticals; and biological specimens, such as bacteria, while growing in a nurturing media without incurring physical damage.
Mixing may be done in a variety of ways; either a rotating impeller(s) mounted onto a shaft immersed in the fluid mixture agitate(s) the fluid and/or solid materials to be mixed, or a translating perforated plate does the agitation, or the vessel itself containing the materials is agitated, shaken or vibrated. Mixing may be continuous (as when a rotating impeller is used or the containing vessel is vibrated) or intermittent as when the drive mechanism starts and stops in one or several directions.
With any conventional rotational motor, the frequency, generally measured in revolutions per minute (RPM), can be set at any value within a suitable range for different uses, but it is quite rare in fact that the RPM is varied rapidly during use. Mixers using conventional motors are set usually at one RPM, at which they run for the duration of the mixing. Sometimes the RPM may be varied during mixing, but it is either continuously changed slowly or incremented only a few times. The RPM is not usually incremented continuously or over a large number of RPM changes.
With a conventional vibrational mixer, the amplitude can be varied within very narrow limits, and the frequency is generally set at the frequency of the AC power source. Even when using a motor controller with frequency control, the vibrational frequency of a conventional vibrational mixer can be varied only within relatively narrow limits.
When biological tissue is cultivated, all cells must stay suspended in the nutrient broth; that is, the cells should not sediment to the bottom of the vessel in which they are cultivated. However, in agitating living cells so as to minimize sedimentation, the mechanical effect of the agitator should not compromise the integrity of the cells. In the case of rotating agitators, quite often the culture medium creates a turbulent vortex into which the cells are sucked. Under the turbulent vortex conditions, the cells are at greater risk of being mechanically damaged and the continuous supply of oxygen to the cells is not consistently assured.
The present invention provides a vibration mixer driven by an electronically controllable motor, adapted so as to allow virtually unlimited control of the mixing process. To accomplish this, the present invention builds on the developments of U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,321 issued to D. Gerson (the xe2x80x9cGerson Patentxe2x80x9d), hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The Gerson patent concerns an apparatus and method for measuring the degree or rate of mixing during the mixing process. The Gerson patent discloses a closed-loop feedback system for use with then available vibration mixers. The Gerson system comprises a sensor that detects certain physical or chemical parameters that indicate the degree of mixing, i.e., the degree of turbulence, which in turn provides a quantitative measure of the degree of homogeneity of the mixed fluid. Through a feedback loop of testing when the key parameters achieve certain values, the Gerson sensor aids in determining that the mixing has achieved a desired level of homogeneity. In developing the feedback system, the Gerson patent reveals that optimal mixing results are achieved by simultaneously adjusting both the amplitude and the frequency of the vibration mixing device. However, the heretofore available vibration mixers have not readily allowed the simultaneous and independent adjustment of both the amplitude and the frequency of vibration in order to take advantage of the Gerson technology. The heretofore available vibration mixers have been restricted to a narrow range of both frequencies and amplitudes. Thus, the present invention provides a vibration mixer that can take ready advantage of the Gerson technology.
In accordance with the present invention, a vibration mixer comprises a motor, controlled by an electronic controller, and an agitator, driven by the motor to agitate a fluid to be mixed; this fluid is sometimes hereinafter called the xe2x80x9cmixant.xe2x80x9d The mixant, which may be entirely liquid or may contain particulates with or without liquid, or foam, generally starts out heterogeneous and is intended to be made at least somewhat more homogeneous. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the mixant is a fluid that is to be agitated in order to maintain a desired state of homogeneity or to aerate or circulate nutrients in a biological fermenter, or the like.
The present invention permits independent and simultaneous adjustment of both the frequency and the amplitude of a vibrational mixer thereby allowing almost unlimited control of the mixing process. Additionally, this invention permits the adjustment of the vibrational rate from extremely low frequencies to frequencies in the order of 10 Hz or greater. Furthermore, this invention permits the adjustment of the amplitude of vibrational travel from micrometers to meters, depending on the size and scale of the mixer vessel. Additionally, this invention permits the adjustment of the waveform of the vibrational mixing to sinusoidal, pulsatile, square-wave, or to a complex waveform, any of which can be programmed into the control unit.
There are numerous alternative embodiments of the vibration mixer of the present invention, any and all of which can be selected depending on the user""s needs and the mixing process being performed. One embodiment is a configuration to provide up and down (or alternatively a horizontal back and forth) oscillatory motion of the agitator to bring about the desired mixing. In still another embodiment the mixer may be configured to provide discrete steps in rotational motion to effect the desired mixing.
Where the motor provides rotational motion, as by a stepper motor, the rotational velocity, or instantaneous RPM, may be caused to change rapidly many times during each revolution or up-and-down oscillation. In this invention, an operator may program the changes at will RPM so as to create any step-by-step pattern desired. In comparison to a conventional rotational mixer, the instantaneous RPM can be varied in very small intervals of time and rotation, such that one rotational step can be fast or slow, or forwards or backwards, within broad limits.
In accordance with the present invention, the motor may be a linear motor, a stepper motor or a DC continuous motor. Selection of the preferred motor may depend on the agitating profile which may include, for example, the speed, the direction, the continuity or intermittency of agitation, and the amount of energy required to agitate the mixant to the degree appropriate to the task.
The agitator may be, for example, an impeller driven in a circular motion, a perforated stirrer plate moved translationally, or some other means for agitating the mixant. As it relates to a vessel in which the mixant is contained, such an impeller or stirrer plate may have a diameter almost equal to that of the vessel or extend only a small percentage of the cross-sectional area of the vessel. Optionally, several vessels may be mounted on a common support and the mixants therein simultaneously agitated by agitators ganged by connecting bars driven by a single motor.
The vessel may have the diameter of a small glass beaker or a stainless steel vat large enough to accommodate substantial quantities of fluids, e.g. in industrial processes. In accordance with the present invention, the vessel may optionally be sealed, for example, in the event that a toxic material is being processed, or pressure or vacuum is desired during the mixing process.
The controller provides continuous control of the agitation of the mixant, keeping it constant or varying in time, depending on the desired result. The controller comprises an electronic control unit which generates low level control signals and a motor drive unit communicating therewith which provides high level energy to power the motor in accordance with the control signals. Also, the motor drive unit receives position information from the motor and communicates such information to the control unit. The rate of repetitive, i.e. vibrational, motion of the agitator, i.e. rotation or reciprocation, can be programmed within a wide range, e.g. in some embodiments from 0.01 to 10 Hz, or in other embodiments from 0.1 to 6 Hz.
The motion provided by the motor, as powered by the motor drive unit, provides the variations sought by the technician based upon experience or experiment.
In certain embodiments of the invention, a sensor is provided to the vibration mixer to sense a variable related to the degree of mixing of the mixant. As disclosed in the Gerson patent, the sensor sends a signal to a meter device, which in turn sends an input signal, derived from the pressure fluctuation spectra or other measured spectra, to the electronic controller. This input signal to the controller is indicative of fluid motion that is, of fluid turbulence, and provides a feedback loop mechanism by which to electronically vary the driving motor of the mixer, thereby promoting an optimum mixing result in the mixant. By providing a mixer that can continuously adjust to changes to the frequency and the amplitude of the mixing motion as directed by the input signal of the controller to the driving motor of the mixer, the present invention can obtain a desired mixing result in the mixant.
One embodiment of the invention provides agitation of a mixant in a vessel by an agitator. The agitator is electrically powered to produce reciprocating and/or rotational motion in controlled increments, thus generating mixing forces in the fluid contained in the vessel. The motor is adapted to move in steps and moves the agitator in a controlled, incremental manner. It may be a stepper motor, a linear motor, or a DC motor. The motor is directly connected to the agitator via a shaft that extends into the fluid to be mixed. In another embodiment, the agitator is indirectly coupled to the motor by a mechanical element that converts rotational movement to reciprocating movement, or vice versa.
A controller comprises a control unit providing frequency control and amplitude control and further comprises a motor drive unit. The controller drives the motor. The controller may be automatically adjusted by signals based upon feedback information from a sensor in the mixing vessel.
In one embodiment of the invention, the agitator comprises a stirrer plate with a plurality of frusto-conical orifices therein, the plate being perpendicularly attached to the shaft.
In some embodiments of the invention, a stepper motor having a rotating shaft, attached to a low-friction rotation-to-reciprocation converter, by means of a ball-bearing spindle, provides motion to a shaft connected to the agitator. The stepper motor may be synchronous or non-synchronous. Such embodiments are most effective for vessels of 2 to 30 liters.
In other embodiments, electrically powered means for reciprocating the shaft in a controlled manner comprises a linear motor. Such a motor provides reciprocating motion directly to the shaft on which the agitator is mounted, without requiring a ball-bearing spindle as mentioned above. Such embodiments are most effective for vessels of 2 to 300 liters. In still another embodiment, the electrically powered means comprises a DC continuous motor. Such embodiments are most effective for volumes greater than about 300 liters.
The present invention may further comprise a sensor located in the mixing vessel, providing input to a means for determining the degree of mixing of the fluid in the vessel. These elements generate a power spectrum signal indicative of certain physical parameters in the vessel, which is then processed by the control unit to provide adjustment to the frequency and amplitude of the agitation.
Where it is desired to hermetically seal the vessel, e.g. due to toxicity or dangerous emissions, the system may additionally comprise a sealing membrane secured to the shaft, comprising a bellows to prevent leakage around the mixing shaft. In any of these mechanical configurations wherein a stepper motor is used, it is envisioned that the stepper motor controller would be capable of providing appropriate signals to the stepper motor to independently adjust the frequency (e.g. in a range of 0.01 to 5 or even 10 Hz) and the amplitude of mixing within the desired range. The amplitude and the frequency may be desirably displayed digitally and provided in a manner to be recorded or read by a computer for subsequent review.
It is envisioned that the stepper motor controller is part of a feedback loop, such as described in the Gerson Patent to maintain a constant or varying mixing signal, to provide useful mixing in the mixant. Such devices are available from Rxc3xcitten Engineering, Stxc3xa4fa, Switzerland, as MIXMETER(trademark) systems.
Although, for smaller vessels, a stepper motor may effectuate the motion of the agitator; for larger sized vessels, other motors may be used to provide other motion and for a longer agitator. Such other motor be a linear motion motor. Alternatively a DC motor may be used when high power input is needed, for example, in large-scale applications. With electronic control of an appropriate motor, the motion can be driven in any desired cyclic waveform, for example having amplitudes in excess of 1200 mm and speed up to about 10 Hz (cycles per second) with vessel size being the sole limit.
The agitator element of the present invention may be any known impeller or plunger that would be expected to give useful results with the mixant in a vessel of the size to be used with the vibration mixer of the present invention. In the case of the stepper motor providing translational motion in the mixing vessel, a low-friction ball-bearing spindle is driven to provide the desired movement of the agitator.
The agitator, for example, may comprise a stirrer plate with frusto-conical holes, the holes having axes perpendicular to the direction of motion. The agitator disclosed hereinbelow is also an invention.
In certain embodiments using a stepper motor, the plate is moved up and down by the stepper motor in conjunction with a ball-bearing spindle. The conical holes can be arranged to taper from the bottom to the top, from top to bottom or both. One or several plates can be mounted on the agitator shaft, one above the other, movable or fixed in place.
The holes in the stirrer plate, no matter what their shape may have their edges rounded. For use with biological cultures, this is essential to preserve the integrity of the cell culture by reducing turbulence and avoiding rigorous forces on the cultures. The holes in the stirrer plate can have any of various characteristics of diameter, shape, and number, depending on the application. The diameter of the stirrer plate is preferably from 20% to 70% of the mixing vessel diameter but may be any size smaller than the diameter of the vessel, depending on the mixant to be mixed. Also, the amplitude of agitator motion may be from 1 mm to several hundred mm, depending on the container size. The amplitude of agitator motion may be adjustable over a wide range, limited only by the vessel dimension.
When used for sterile or poisonous or pathological media or under vacuum conditions, the vessel and mixer can be sealed. In sealed applications, for low amplitudes, less than 4-5 mm, a sealing membrane made of flexible material suitable to contain the mixant can be used. When high pressure is applicable in the mixing vessel, a counter pressure from outside the sealed application can be applied to provide pressure compensation on the sealing membrane. For agitator amplitudes larger than 4-5 mm, bellows are suitable. The bellows is designed to accommodate the pressure inside the mixing vessel, the amplitude and the frequency of motion of the agitator for long time periods without material failure due to fatigue, and for cleaning in place (xe2x80x9cCIPxe2x80x9d).
The use of a MIXMETER(trademark) system in the feedback loop provides an optimized application for stirring processes that have to run and be documented as batch processes with consistent results. Thus, the same results will be achieved for the same grade of turbulence under increasing or decreasing filling volume with the mixing vessel.
A further embodiment of the invention involves the mixing of the contents of two, three or more vessels at the same time by driving a single motor ganged to a plurality of shafts attached to agitators, in an oscillatory, rotational, or complex waveform, appropriate to the desired mixing. This embodiment provides uniform and optimal mixing to a number of separate batches or samples for experimental or small-batch production purposes.
A mixer of the present invention allows mixing with low shear forces, which is useful for cultivation of cell cultures in suspension, or because of the heavy mechanical requirements of viscous liquids.
In particular, the mixing of shear-sensitive materials, such as living animal, plant or microbial cells, e.g. with low shear forces promotes nutrient renewal at the cell surface without cell damage. Mixing with low shear forces may be achieved by use of a low-shear-inducing agitator, such as an axially driven translational agitator with frusto-conical holes therethrough, having a stroke amplitude in the range of 0.1 to 60 mm and a frequency in the range of 0.1 to 6 Hz, or optionally by a gentle, sinusoidal motion.
The invention allows for the mixing of highly viscous polymer fluids which may become either shear-thickening or shear-thinning: this is achieved by programming the controller to provide the optimal vibration frequencies and the amplitudes to minimize rising viscosity and to minimize polymer chain breakage, while still providing the desired degree of mixing for effective chemical reactions or formulations.
The invention also allows for the mixing of significantly heterogeneous formulations, such as concrete. This would be achieved by providing very large amplitude of motion to lift settled solids from deep within a mixture, and carry them to the surface to produce a homogeneous suspension.
Different from a conventional rotational mixer, embodiments of the invention that rotate the agitator can vary the instantaneous RPM in very small intervals of time and rotation such that one rotational step can be fast or slow, or forward or backwards, within broad limits. Embodiments of the invention that vibrate the agitator up and down or back and forth can vary the vibrational amplitude over a large range as well as the vibrational frequency over a large range. Frequency can vary from extremely low frequencies (Hz) to a maximum determined by the characteristics of the motor employed. Amplitude can range from as small as one step of the motor (as small as a few microns) to a maximum determined by the mechanics of the motor assembly (as large as tens of centimeters). No other mixer has this extremely wide dynamic range and high degree of programmability.
The present invention permits the use of the minimum input energy to achieve the desired result, more precise control of chemical reaction rates, and more precise control of particle size distributions and suspension homogeneity.


A wall-wash light fixture for providing substantially uniform wall illumination includes a light source mounted to direct emitted light to a substantially arcuate kick reflector. The substantially arcuate kick reflector directs the emitted light toward the wall.

Interior designers often use lighting to create visual effects within a room. One of the more popular dramatic effects includes illuminating a vertical surface such as a wall with light. The light fixtures designed to illuminate a wall are typically called wall-wash fixtures. If a wall-wash light fixture is mounted in a ceiling, it falls into a class of lighting fixtures known as down lights. If a wall-wash light fixture is positioned near the floor, it is called an up-light.
Ceiling mounted down light fixtures, particularly those whose bottom surface is substantially flush with a ceiling surface, typically include a housing which extends upwardly through a hole in a ceiling panel. The housing provides a mounting for the light source, electrical connections for the light source, and a mounting for the visible portion of the trim ring assembly. Ceiling mounted down light fixtures are used to provide illumination in many residential, commercial, and educational buildings.
Most ceiling mounted down light fixtures are used for direct room illumination; however, some ceiling mounted down light fixtures are used to create a wall-wash lighting effect. Such wall-wash lighting effect from ceiling mounted down lights is often created by directing the light rays from the light source at an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the ceiling. However, to properly direct the light toward the wall to be illuminated, it is often necessary to either enlarge the opening in the trim ring through which light passes or to move the light source to a position below the ceiling surface. Neither of these two solutions is generally acceptable to interior designers.
When floor mounted up-light fixtures are used to create wall-wash light, they are often tilted toward the walls to direct the light rays emitted by the light source. However, the result from tilting an up-light fixture toward a wall is strong illumination near the lighting fixture and the appearance of a parabolic-shaped lighting pattern.
Because of the continued desire of interior designers to obtain unique and dramatic lighting effects with wall-wash lighting fixtures, a variety of different wall-wash light products are now available. While presently available ceiling or floor mounted wall-wash light fixtures are able to illuminate wall surfaces, problems still remain. First, most of the commonly available wall-wash light products provide an illumination pattern which produces substantially different light intensities on substantially vertical wall surfaces. Second, most of the commonly available wall-wash light fixture products do not fully and uniformly direct light toward the surface to be illuminated. Specifically, the pattern of light on the wall to be illuminated includes noticeable dark areas either near the top or near the bottom of the wall. These dark areas extend into the corners where the wall joins either the ceiling or the floor. Third, wall-wash light fixture products with a large opening in the trim ring or with the light source extending outwardly from the wall-wash lighting product create an appearance unacceptable to most interior designers.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a wall-wash light fixture which provides a substantially uniform wall illumination pattern, illuminates a large portion of the wall, and minimizes the size of the dark areas where the wall intersects the ceiling or the floor, while at the same time presenting an unobtrusive appearance acceptable to room designers.


A system that monitors the health of a computer system is presented. During operation, the system receives a first-difference function for the variance of a time series for a monitored telemetry variable within the computer system. The system then determines whether the first-difference function indicates that the computer system is at the onset of degradation. If so, the system performs a remedial action.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to techniques for monitoring the health of a computer system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining whether a computer system is at the onset of degradation by monitoring a difference function for the variance of a monitored telemetry variable.
2. Related Art
An increasing number of businesses are using computer systems for mission-critical applications. In such applications, a component failure can have a devastating effect on the business. For example, the airline industry is critically dependent on computer systems that manage flight reservations, and would essentially cease to function if these systems failed. Hence, it is critically important to monitor the health of components within the computer system so that remedial actions can be performed on components that are at the onset of degradation.
One technique for monitoring the health of components within the computer system is to monitor telemetry variables generated within the computer system. These telemetry variables can include physical signals generated by transducers: such as temperature, voltage, current, and vibration, and can include software signals monitored by an operating system such as: hard disk activity, central processing unit (CPU) load, and memory usage. Existing health-monitoring techniques detect changes in the mean value of the monitored telemetry variables.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for monitoring the health of a computer system


An elevator includes a car follower associated with each of a pair of guide rails, and carrying electromagnets which are spaced from electromagnets on an elevator car. The electromagnets on the car and car follower create a repulsive force tending to center the car between the car follower electromagnets associated with the two guide rails. Preferably, the car follower electromagnets are interconnected into a single car follower such that they move together.

This application relates to an elevator car having lateral suspension provided by electromagnets mounted on the car and a car follower to create a repulsive magnetic force. Preferably, the car follower has a pair of electromagnets which are interconnected to move together.
Elevator cars are typically guided for movement upwardly and downwardly by passive suspension systems including spring biased rollers moving along rails. One challenge faced by elevator designers is the control of lateral vibration. Any vibrations that occur as the car moves laterally reduce the ride quality, which is undesirable.
One problem with addressing lateral vibrations is that the vibrations occur across a range of frequencies. Fully addressing these vibrations is not possible with typical passive suspension systems. In particular, to address low frequency vibration, a high spring stiffness for the passive suspension would be necessary. On the other hand, a high spring stiffness would not address the high frequency vibration, which would require a lower spring stiffness. Thus, passive suspension systems have not been able to address a wide band of vibration frequencies.
It has been proposed to utilize magnetic suspension members in combination with these passive suspensions. These combined systems have not always been fully acceptable either. Moreover, these systems have a resultant noise which would be undesirable.
Other suspensions rely solely upon magnetic suspension elements. These suspension elements have typically used an attractive magnetic force. That is, a steel rail is provided, and an electromagnet is provided on the car. The electromagnet is attracted to the steel rail. An electromagnet and guide rail are associated with each side of the car. Thus, in an idealized situation, two opposed attractive forces center the car between the two rails. However, in practice, this system would actually be unstable. Should the car move slightly toward either side, which would be the natural effect of an additional lateral force, then the system would become quickly unstable. In particular, the attractive force between the rail and the electromagnet is proportional to the inverse of the square of the distance. As the car moves closer to one of the two rails, the attractive force would also increase. Thus, should the car move closer to one rail, the attractive force pulling the car further toward that rail would also begin to overcome the attractive force pulling the car toward the other rail. One other problem with this type of system is poor controllability. There could be a good deal of power loss in the steel rail, and current saturation. Further, the shape of the rail would make controllability difficult.
A system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,925 would rely upon repulsive magnetic forces. A repulsive magnetic force would have the opposite correction to an attractive magnetic force, and would thus tend to center a car.
The system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,925 has a separate car follower associated with each of the two guide rails. These car followers are connected through springs to the car. Thus, the car followers are not free to move relative to the car, and are each independent of the other. These facts would make it more difficult to control the lateral vibration, and could, in fact, cause additional lateral and even vertical vibrations.

Elevator active suspension utilizing respulsive magnetic force


Companies provide a set of default personalized dynamic email addresses for both individuals and groups. The embodiments may be implemented as an extension to existing email servers, which are coupled to an existing enterprise information system. When receiving an email sent to a personalized dynamic email address, an address resolver component is used to access the definition of the email address, query for the respective recipient(s), and replace the recipient(s) in the email message. Users have the possibility to define further personalized dynamic email addresses using, for example, a web interface. The embodiments may be smoothly integrated into an existing communication infrastructure of companies without the need to change existing systems.

Email is an important means for communication within companies. While messages are frequently sent to people who know each other personally, many emails are intended to be received by a person having a specific role in a company. Examples include a direct manager, an HR business partner and a team assistant (who might change on a daily basis if the assistants are working part-time or are on sick leave, for instance). The names of the persons filling these roles are not always known and need to be looked up in some system or by asking other colleagues. Furthermore, the people executing these roles might change frequently and employees might not be informed about this.
Besides messages between two individuals, emails are frequently sent to distribution lists. Distribution lists exist in many companies, for instance, for all people in a certain team, at a certain location, of a certain cost center etc. However, these lists are typically static in nature. They need to be maintained manually, which is error-prone, or they are being generated automatically from data stored in some systems. The latter typically happens on a periodic basis and might therefore not reflect recent changes.

Personalised dynamic email addresses in enterprise environments


A device to investigate the flow movement in cylindrical components of reciprocating piston internal combustion engines, which flow movement is generated by a flow-guiding system located, as seen in the flow direction, upstream of the cylindrical component, has at least one rotatable measuring vane in the cylindrical component, the axis of rotation of which intersects the axis of the cylindrical component at an adjustable angle other than 0.degree.. A shaft supporting the measuring vane is connected to a device to evaluate the frequency of rotation and/or the position of the angle of the measuring vane in order to determine one or more parameters of the flow movement in the cylindrical component.

This invention relates to a device to investigate the flow movement in cylindrical components, as installed especially for reciprocating piston engines, in order to analyze the charge movement generated during the intake process within the cylinder.
The known methods of measurement relate to the investigation of the swirl flows, the axis of rotation of which being parallel to the axis of the cylinder. These swirl flows are usually found in reciprocating piston engines having one inlet valve per cylinder. With such engine designs these swirl flows are generated within the cylinder during the suction phase of the intake process due to the common tangential port configurations.
For conventional reciprocating piston engines with two inlet valves per cylinder, which are arranged parallel to the axis of the crankshaft, no swirl flow of this type is generated because of the symmetrically constructed inlet systems. With such reciprocating piston engines a shape of flow dominates, the axis of rotation thereof being arranged at right angles to the axis of the cylinder. The effect of such flow movement of the combustion of the engine differs in principle from that of the swirl flow.
For the swirl flow the rotary speed components, which in the ideal model are constant after conservation of angular momentum during the compression phase, bring about a stabilization of the vortex. For shapes of flow where the axis of rotation is vertical relative to the axis of the cylinder, the main swirl decomposes into increasingly small partial vortexes due to the movement of the piston. This decomposition process transforms the rotational energy into additional turbulence, thus generating high turbulent energy with these shapes of flow.
The different kinds of charge movements have an effect on the combustion by affecting the flame velocity as the sum of the burning rate and transport velocity. Intensive flows with the axis of rotation vertical to the axis of the cylinder lead to an increase in the turbulent burning velocity, owing to the severe increase in turbulence during the compression phase, the consequence of which is a definite flattening off of the flame surface.
For swirl flows, thus for flows whose axis of rotation is parallel to the axis of the cylinder, the production of turbulence is less intensive owing to the slower decay of the swirl. The resulting lower turbulent burning velocity is supported naturally by a more intensive transport movement, which leads to the kernel of the flame growing faster immediately following the introduction of ignition in externally ignited reciprocating piston engines.
Even though both shapes of flow, thus swirl flows with the axis of rotation parallel to the axis of the cylinder and vortexes with the axis of rotation vertical to the axis of the cylinder, lead to faster combustion, the working mechanism is totally different.

Device to investigate the flow movement in cylindrical components


A system that includes an electronic baton device with motion and capacitive sensors. The system includes a processor and non-tangible computer readable media having stored programming instructions thereon that, when executed, cause the processor to receive sensor data from the motion and capacitive sensors, and determine an exchange zone to exchange the baton device between an incoming runner and an outgoing runner of a relay, based on the sensor data. The processor determines relay race metrics for each athlete of the relay team, baton metrics associated with each athlete, a usage efficiency in the exchange zone, and a baton transition metrics. The processor selectively displays on a display device the relay race metrics for each athlete, the determined baton metrics, the determined usage efficiency in the exchange zone, and the determined baton transition metrics in one or more selected graphical user interfaces.

Embodiments relate to systems, method, and computer program product for smart relay race training with relay baton exchange tracking.
Track and field differs from most other sports because it is solely measured in meters and seconds. A fraction of a second can make all the difference in track. Because of that, the technology that records data from track and field races and events must be relevant, precise, and accurate as possible. Research finds that athletes can achieve consistently better performances by applying a better understanding of high-speed running.
Developing better runners requires coaches that are willing to learn scientific principles, as well as a method of communicating knowledge to the athlete. The most known and widely used technical running model comprises three phases: the Drive, the Swing, and the Lift. A more contemporary model of high-speed running is taught through the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Coaches Education and Certification System, which emphasizes six reference points: Body Position, Recovery Mechanics, Transition Phase, Ground Preparation Phase, Ground Phase, and Arm Action. The high-speed running models generally apply to all running events, including individual athletes participating in relay events. For example, proper arm movement continues to be a challenge for both young-developing runners and advanced runners, but especially is magnified when carrying a baton. "Biomechanists have contended that the arms balance the forces of the legs to maintain the body in the proper alignment. Coaches on the other hand have promoted that the arms control the legs and thus can positively impact performance." (Seagrave, Loren et al., Neuro-Biomechanics of Maximum Velocity Sprinting, 2009).
Current training consists of time-intensive training regimens, lacks fusion of kinetic data and sports analytics, limited immediate feedback, and often apply imprecise manual calculations. For example, daily hand-off drills must be done to ensure that runners are confident in performing exchanges at full-speed. The training method is time-consuming as runners must perform multiple run-throughs to identify all variables to execute the ideal exchange zone spot usually are done in progression from half-speed, then three-quarters-speed, to full-speed, and often repeated many times as necessary per the coach's observation. Moreover, athletes and coaches are required to determine the ideal exchange zone spot for the outgoing runner to receive the baton at top speed. Savvy coaches and athletes use the formula distance=speed×time (d=s×t), then convert meters to feet in order to determine the outgoing runner's acceleration starting/static mark on the track (i.e., placement of "Go" mark). This approach requires precise variables and often is miscalculated.

Systems, methods, and computer program product for smart relay race training with relay baton exchange tracking


A wrist phone with a single button includes a molded-plastic wristband and a wristband cap. A wireless transceiver module is mounted on a printed circuit board and is contained in a component cavity between the wristband and the wristband cap. A foil antenna is attached directly to the printed circuit board and extends between an outer layer and a wrist-facing layer of a flexible strap portion of the wristband. A microphone is located between the layers of the opposite flexible strap portion of the wristband at least two centimeters away from the wireless transceiver module. The single button is formed using the interleaved fingers of a landing pad on a surface beneath the inner surface of the wristband. The inner surface of the wristband is covered by a layer of conductive material that makes an electrical connection between the interleaved fingers when the outer surface of the wristband is pressed.

A portable communication device such as a cell phone communicates voice signals over a radio frequency channel via an antenna. The portable communication device incorporates a microphone and a speaker that are used for the voice communication. The portable communication device typically has a housing that includes the microphone and speaker, a display, a key pad, an antenna, and various analog, digital and radio frequency (RF) circuitry that facilitate the reception and transmission of the voice signals over an RF channel. The microphone converts the voice signal into a corresponding electrical signal that is processed by the device circuitry and then modulated for generating a communication signal for transmission via the antenna. The antenna also receives a voice modulated signal that is demodulated in the receiver to produce a voice signal that is applied to the speaker to make the voice signal audible.
The speaker and the microphone are typically disposed in the same housing on opposite ends of the portable communication device. For example, a cell phone is typically held with the speaker being near the user's ear while the user speaks into the microphone. With the miniaturization of electronics, it has now become possible to fit the components of a portable communication device onto a wristband to make a wrist phone. While a wrist phone is more convenient because it is smaller and weighs less, the smaller size can also in some ways be less convenient.
FIG. 1 (prior art) shows a wrist phone 10 attached to a wrist band 11 in which the keypad is implemented on a touch-screen display 12. The space saved by eliminating a physical keypad can be used to enlarge the display 12. Despite the larger virtual keypad, however, the numbers on the keypad are so small that the tip of the user's index finger is larger than a single key. The keys are best pressed using a stylus or the tip of a pen. It is inconvenient for the user to carry the stylus or a pen just to use the touch-screen display 12. In addition, the display is still so small that elderly people have difficulty reading the displayed characters. Moreover, the speaker of the wrist phone cannot be held near the user's ear while the user speaks into the microphone because the length of the wrist phone is typically much shorter than the distance from the user's ear to the user's mouth. Thus, a loudspeaker function is used so that the user can speak into the wrist phone as though the user were reading the time from a wrist watch. The speech quality generated by such a wrist phone is understandably poor as the voice signal output from the loudspeaker enters the microphone disposed in the same small housing. The person talking to the user of the wrist phone hears an echo of that person's own voice.
A method is sought for making a wrist phone that has superior voice quality and for which the user does not have difficulty seeing the display or pressing individual keys of a keypad.


A method of appropriately adjusting a bias signal of an optical modulator is provided. For an optical modulator provided with a first sub Mach-Zehnder waveguide, a second sub Mach-Zehnder waveguide and a main Mach-Zehnder waveguide, a predetermined signal is supplied to the main Mach-Zehnder waveguide, and bias signals supplied to the first and second Mach-Zehnder waveguides are adjusted so as to lower an amplitude of an output light of the main Mach-Zehnder waveguide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bias adjustment method and the like for an optical modulator.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a wavelength multiplexing optical communication system of the next generation, it is expected that a switch-over between wavelength channels is performed in a node. Therefore, a wavelength conversion apparatus is required in the wavelength multiplexing optical communication system. As a wavelength conversion apparatus, an optical single side-band (SSB) modulator is known. The optical SSB modulator is an optical modulator which can obtain an output light having shifted for a frequency of a modulating signal (e.g. as described in [S. Shimotsu, S. Oikawa, T. Saitou, N. Mitsugi, K. Kubodera, T. Kawanishi and M. Izutsu, "Single Side-Band Modulation Performance of a LiNbO3 Integrated Modulator Consisting of Four-Phase Modulator Waveguide," IEEE Photon. Tech. Lett., Vol. 13, 364-366 (2001)] and [Shimotsu Shinichi, Masayuki Izutsu, "LiNbO3 optical SSB modulator for next-generation communication", Optical Alliance, 2000.7. pp. 27-30]).
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a basic arrangement of an optical SSB modulator. As shown in FIG. 4, an optical SSB modulator 101 is provided with a first sub Mach-Zehnder waveguide (MZA) 102, a second sub Mach-Zehnder waveguide (MZB) 103 and a main Mach-Zehnder waveguide (MZC) 104.
In the optical SSB modulator 101, sinusoidal radio frequency (RF) signals (modulating signals) different from each other by a phase of 90° are inputted to four arms paralleled in MZA 102 and MZB 103. Also with respect to light, bias signals are inputted so that phase differences of the light in the four arms are respectively 90°. Then, a light whose frequency is shifted by the frequency of the modulating signal is outputted. The direction of frequency shifting, namely whether the frequency is increased or decreased, can be selected by controlling the bias signal provided to the MZC 104.
It is to be noted that the operation of the conventional optical SSB modulator is described in detail in, for example, [Tetsuya Kawanishi, Masayuki Izutsu, "Optical frequency shifter using optical SSB modulator", TECHNICAL REPORT OF IEICE, OCS2002-49, PS2002-33, OFT2002-30 (2002-08)] and [Higuma et al., "X-cut lithium niobium optical SSB modulator, Electron Letter, vol. 37, 515-516 (2001)].
In the conventional optical SSB modulator, the bias signal has been adjusted as follows in order to obtain a phase of light in the arm of each MZ waveguide described above. Namely, amplitudes (voltages) of the signals supplied to the MZA 102 and the MZB 103 are slightly adjusted so that the output from the MZC is minimized. Thereafter, modulation signals are impressed to the MZA 102 and MZB 103, and an amplitude of the bias signal supplied to the MZC is slightly adjusted so that unnecessary contents included in the output lights are minimized. Such operations were repeated.
However, in some cases the bias signal cannot be optimally adjusted due to an influence of an initial state of the MZC 104. Also, there are cases in which the output from the MZC 104 becomes 0 even when the optical phase in both arms of the MZA 102 and MZB 103 are not mutually different by 180°. Therefore, there has been a problem that the phase of light cannot always be appropriately adjusted with the conventional adjustment method. Also, when adjusting the bias signal supplied to the MZA 102 and MZB 103 in a state where a signal is not supplied to the MZC 104, there has been a problem that the bias signal cannot always be appropriately adjusted due to an influence of potentials or the like of the MZC 104, as described in Shimotsu Shinichi, Masayuki Izutsu, "LiNbO3 optical SSB modulator for next-generation communication", Optical Alliance, 2000.7. pp. 27-30.

Bias adjustment method for optical SSB modulator or optical FSK modulator

National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Incorporated Administrative Agency


A method for interactive attentiveness enhancement of a vehicle driver includes steps of determining that a driver assistance function for semiautomatic control of the motor vehicle is active, detecting a stimulus which may be experienced by the vehicle driver upon an observation of the surroundings of the motor vehicle, detecting an input of the vehicle driver in response to the stimulus, determining a game result based on the input and the stimulus, and outputting a notice concerning the game result.

A modern motor vehicle has a number of so-called driver assistance functions, in order to relieve a driver of the motor vehicle. Routine tasks during driving of the motor vehicle are automatically or semiautomatically carried out by a device or a system. Such a driver assistance system is frequently configured to return control over the motor vehicle to the driver as soon as a situation is detected which may not be handled by the system. For the longitudinal control of the vehicle, i.e., the movement and speed control in the travel direction, systems are known which may regulate the speed of the vehicle partially or completely automatically. For example, a predetermined target speed may be maintained, the speed of the vehicle being automatically reduced if it travels excessively close to a preceding. In some specific embodiments, the speed of the motor vehicle may be regulated down to a standstill, and under certain circumstances restarting of the motor vehicle may also be controlled if the person in front stops or drives away again ("ACC stop and go").
For the lateral control of the motor vehicle, i.e., the directional control to the right or left, systems are known which keep the motor vehicle between lane markings on the roadway, as long as the driver keeps his hands on the steering wheel.
While such systems relieve the vehicle driver of routine tasks, the vehicle driver may perceive his driving activity to be monotonous due to this relief, so that he possibly no longer generates the attentiveness required for safe control of the motor vehicle. In a known system for warning of decreased attentiveness, the vehicle driver is monitored with the aid of an interior camera and a driver assistance function is deactivated if the vehicle driver does not display the impression of sufficient concentration on an outside area of the motor vehicle.
The present invention is based on the object of providing a method, a computer program product, and a device, in order to increase the attentiveness of a vehicle driver while driving a motor vehicle having a semiautomatic driver assistance function.


Using dynamic learning techniques by a system controller to determine a subset of neighboring cell sites to which an activity transfer should be attempted. An activity transfer can be a handoff or registration. The neighboring cell sites that should be chosen for an activity transfer are specified for each cell site. The specified neighboring cell sites are determined by the dynamic learning process. In a first embodiment, the dynamic learning is accomplished by accumulating statistical data that defines the average call duration of each of the selected neighboring sites after an activity transfer to each. Advantageously, this average duration can include the total call duration for two subsequent activity transfers. In a second embodiment, the dynamic learning is accomplished by accumulating statistical data that defines the maximum transmission power from the base station to which a handset was transferred. In a third embodiment, the duration of the low power transmission level of the base station from which the handset had just been transferred is timed. If the duration is less than a predefined number, it is assumed that a null had occurred, and that fact is stored for that cell. This information is used to detect multipath fading and to prevent premature handoffs when multipath fading occurs. Subsequently, a transfer is delayed for a cell having a large average number of nulls.

In prior art wireless communication systems, the implementation for performing an activity transfer such as a handoff was as follows. When the cell-site receiver handling a call from a wireless telephone noticed that the received signal strength from the wireless telephone fell below a predetermined threshold value, the cell site asked a system controller controlling the overall wireless system to determine if a neighboring cell site was receiving the wireless telephone's signal at an adequate signal strength. The system controller in response to the current cell site inquiry sent messages to the neighboring cell sites with a handoff request. Each neighboring cell site scanned for the signal from the wireless telephone on the channel specified by the system controller. When one of the neighboring cell sites reported an adequate signal level to the system controller, the system controller implemented the handoff. This method of determining neighboring cell-sites performs well for conventional cellular systems in which the number of cell sites is reasonably small, and each cell site covers a large geographical region. Because each cell site covers a large geographical region, the number of handoffs that occur is reasonably low.
Whereas this technique of performing handoff has worked well for large cellular telephone systems, in large personal communication systems (PCS), the technique has not been as effective in all situations. The reason is that within a large PCS system, there are potentially hundreds of cell sites each having an extremely small geographical area. In addition, PCS system uses high transmission frequencies and low transmission power resulting in frequent handoffs. Another problem in certain large PCS systems is that they are in office buildings where there are many obstructions, also the physical destination of the wireless handset's user plays a important role in the handoff process. For example, if the handset is moving down a particular hallway in a given direction, then the handoff should be to the next cell site that can handle that hallway in that direction. Note, because of the power and transmission frequencies or obstructions this desired cell site may not be the closest geographical cell site to the hallway. Because of the need to do frequent handoffs for each individual active wireless telephone and the extremely large number of cell sites, the system controller experiences a large real time processing load from performing handoffs. In addition, the PCS system is distinguished from a cellular telephone system in that a cellular telephone system may have each cell site surrounded by only three other cell sites; whereas, the PCS system normally will have each cell site having seven to 32 possible neighbors that may be candidates for a handoff. Further, because of the large number of cell sites in a PCS system, it is very difficult for a system administrator to hand specify for each cell site what are the possible candidate cell sites for handoffs let alone determine the best candidate cell sites based on user traffic patterns. In addition, PCS systems are characterized by constant addition and removal of cell sites.
It is clear that a problem exists with the present method for doing handoffs in large PCS systems since requiring each of the neighboring cell sites to monitor the wireless handset and report back to the system controller places a large real time processing burden on the system controller.

Dynamic learning of neighboring wireless cells


The invention relates to a polishing device (1) for polishing a metal product (2), in particular a continuously cast slab, billet, or block. The aim of the invention is to achieve a high polishing rate when said metal products are polished. According to the invention, this is achieved in that the polishing device (1) has at least two polishing assemblies (3, 4), each polishing assembly (3, 4) having a mounting (5, 6) for a polishing unit (7, 8). A polishing unit has at least one polishing disk (9, 10) and a driving motor (11, 12) that drives the polishing disk (9, 10). The polishing disks (9, 10)arranged such that the rotational axes (A, B) of said disks run parallel to each other.

After continuous casting, continuously cast workpieces, slabs in particular, are generally given a surface treatment in order to achieve a sufficient level of quality during the subsequent processing of the workpiece. When the continuously cast slabs are ground, the slab is typically moved with a reciprocating motion back and forth longitudinally under a grinding apparatus (grinder). At the end of each stroke, the grinding apparatus is stepped transversely until the entire surface of the slab has been ground. The slab is supported on a grinding table resting lengthwise on its broad face.
EP 0 053 274 describes a generic apparatus as known in the prior art for grinding slabs.
In so-called HP grinding (high-pressure grinding) of the slab, a sufficient grinding removal rate must be achieved for reasons of economic efficiency. The material-removal rate can be increased here by increasing the width of the grinding wheel if the driving output of the motor is increased simultaneously (for example from 315 kW to 630 kW while doubling the width of the grinding wheel); this approach thus allows the specific motor output to be maintained as the same level relative to the width of the grinding wheel. However, the grinding wheel is limited by the strength of the binder of the grinding wheel; it is not possible in practice to use grinding wheels greater than 150 mm in width.
A known approach is therefore to employ, in particular, two grinding wheels side-by-side on a grinding spindle. The disadvantage of this approach, however, is the fact that the contact zone between grinding wheel and workpiece to be ground io wanders across the width of the grinding wheel, and in fact the contact zone wanders periodically back and forth from each outer edge of the grinding wheel to the center of the grinding wheel due to the reversing of the slab. Widening the contact zone and increasing the drive output thus do not necessarily produce the desired increase in the material removal rate, but may result merely in increasing the service life of the grinding wheel(s).
As a result, it cannot be assumed that using double grinding wheels on a drive spindle will also yield a doubling of the material removal rate.


A line transition device which intervenes between a non radiative dielectric waveguide and a hollow waveguide for example, includes a dielectric waveguide having a dielectric strip held by a pair of conductors which face each other, and a waveguide, wherein a part of the dielectric strip of the dielectric waveguide is adjacent to or inserted in the hollow waveguide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to high-frequency transmission-lines, and more particularly relates to a transmission-line having a line transition device between a dielectric waveguide and a waveguide. Moreover, the invention relates to a primary radiator, an oscillator, and a transmitter which use a line transition device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dielectric waveguides and waveguides. have been used as transmission lines for high frequencies, such as the microwave band, and the millimeter wave band. A typical example of a dielectric waveguide is a non-radiative dielectric (NRD) waveguide. A typical example of a waveguide is a hollow tube through which microwave electromagnetic radiation can be transmitted with relatively slight attenuation. Waveguides often have a rectangular cross section, but some have a circular cross section.
A line transition device between a dielectric waveguide and a waveguide is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 8-70205, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,013, in which the line transition device between the dielectric waveguide and the waveguide is constructed by tapering an edge of a dielectric strip of the dielectric waveguide and expanding an edge of the waveguide into a horn-shape. The cross-sectional shape of the waveguide used for a line transition is normally rectangular. Line transition devices using a waveguide having a circular cross section are used infrequently.
However, the end face of the dielectric strip, and metal parts of the dielectric waveguide and of the waveguide must be shaped into a special form to realize the above-described tapered or horn-shapes. Thus, the transition becomes large. Moreover, such a line transition device is not suitable for changing the propagating direction of a signal because a bend at the transition causes lowering of the transmission efficiency.
In a multi-layered circuit, a structure which causes a dielectric waveguide in each layer to be electromagnetically coupled is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 8-181502. In the application, a through-hole passing through a layer is provided, and an edge of the dielectric waveguide is disposed in proximity to an end of the through-hole, whereby both dielectric waveguides are electromagnetically coupled through the through-hole.
This structure requires a reflector or the like to shield the through-hole, apart from a connection part between the through-hole and the dielectric waveguide, so that a signal propagating from the dielectric waveguide to the through-hole does not leak, which results in a higher cost.
One example of an antenna device using a dielectric waveguide is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 8-316727. A dielectric resonator is disposed in the proximity of an edge of the dielectric strip so as to be electromagnetically coupled with the dielectric strip. A high-frequency signal propagating through the dielectric strip is radiated from the dielectric resonator. The dielectric waveguide and the dielectric resonator are disposed between a pair of conductive plates facing each other. A slit is provided in the upper conductive plate adjacent to the dielectric resonator. An electromagnetic wave is radiated from the slit.
However, because the dielectric resonator is used as a primary radiator, it is difficult to expand a frequency band of the antenna.
According to the present invention, a transition device between a dielectric waveguide and a waveguide is constructed by placing a part of a dielectric strip of the dielectric waveguide adjacent to the waveguide, for example, generally perpendicular to the propagating direction of an electromagnetic wave in the waveguide. For even greater electromagnetic coupling, the part of the dielectric strip can advantageously be inserted into the waveguide.
This construction does not employ a construction with radiation from the end of the dielectric strip in the direction of the axis, which prevents unnecessary radiation, and which enables line transition converting to be performed with low loss. In addition, since the propagating direction of electromagnetic wave in the dielectric waveguide is perpendicular to that in the waveguide, the degree of freedom in designing a circuit construction is increased and miniaturization of the entire transition device can be achieved.
The above dielectric waveguide may be located between a pair of conductive plates facing each other. By unifying a part of the pair of conductive plates and an end of the waveguide, it is easy to obtain matching between the dielectric waveguide and the waveguide. Alternatively, in the transition device between the dielectric waveguide and the waveguide, by locally changing the shape of a cross section of the waveguide, it is easy to obtain matching between both the dielectric waveguide and the waveguide.
By placing multiple dielectric waveguides inserted into or adjacent to the waveguide, the dielectric waveguides are electromagnetically coupled through the waveguide. By appropriately selecting location positions, a transmission signal can be transmitted in an arbitrary direction. By appropriately selecting the length of the waveguide, in a multiple layer circuit, dielectric waveguides in different layers can be mutually electromagnetically coupled.
In the above transition device, by opening one end of the waveguide, the waveguide having the opening at the end thereof functions as a primary radiator. A signal is propagated through the dielectric waveguide and is radiated through the waveguide. Since the waveguide is used as a radiator, a broadband antenna device can be realized.
An oscillator of the present invention includes an oscillating element in the waveguide and a coupling conductor. The oscillating output signal is transmitted from the oscillating element and is electromagnetically coupled with the coupling conductor in a resonance mode of the waveguide. This construction allows the oscillating output signal to be converted into a signal in the transmission mode of the dielectric waveguide through the resonance mode of the waveguide. These constructions enable the oscillating signal to be easily transmitted through the dielectric waveguide.
A transmitter of the present invention includes the dielectric waveguide, an antenna device having the primary radiator employing the waveguide, and an oscillator generating a transmission signal to the antenna device. Alternatively, the transmitter includes the dielectric waveguide, the oscillator employing the waveguide, and the antenna device transmitting the output signal from the oscillator. With above these constructions, the transmitter having small size, low loss, and a broad band can be obtained.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.

Line transition device between dielectric waveguide and waveguide, and oscillator, and transmitter using the same


An inventory item to be picked may be selected along with an inventory location (e.g., storage bin) storing a particular unit of the item among a units of heterogeneous items also stowed in the inventory location. One or more images of the inventory location may be obtained and analyzed to determine a position of the unit of the item. Instructions may be sent to direct a device to illuminate the determined position of the unit of the item, and pick instructions may be sent to the same or a different the device. A device may receive the position instructions from a control system, and illuminate the determined position of the unit of the item within the inventory location. The pick instructions may direct an agent or mobile storage bin to a particular location and direct the agent to pick the unit of the item from the illuminated position.

Retailers, wholesalers, and other product distributors (which may collectively be referred to as distributors) typically maintain an inventory of various items that may be ordered by clients or customers. Similarly, manufacturers may maintain an inventory of parts and/or materials for use in manufacturing processes. This inventory may be maintained and processed at a materials handling facility which may include, but is not limited to, one or more of: warehouses, distribution centers, cross-docking facilities, order fulfillment facilities, packaging facilities, shipping facilities, or other facilities or combinations of facilities for performing one or more functions of material (inventory) handling.
When a customer places an order, one or several inventory items specified in the order must be retrieved or "picked" from inventory and prepared for delivery to the customer. Traditionally, like items are stored together within inventory to facilitate inventory tracking and management. For example, items having a common Universal Product Code (UPC), Stock-Keeping Unit (SKU) code, or other designation (including proprietary designations) may be stored together within inventory. In an inventory environment that includes a large number of many different items, it may be highly inefficient for a single employee to physically locate and pick every item for a given order. For example, different items specified in a given order may be stored at mutually remote locations within the inventory facility, which would require a single picking agent to traverse a long path through the facility.
In order to make better use of inventory stocking space, it may be desirable to stock different items together in a single storage location or stocking area. While increasing the efficient use of inventory space, such co-location of different items may increase the difficulty, and thus the time, of identifying and picking a particular item. When picking items from inventory, the picking agent may generally need to examine some number of co-located items in order to determine the specific item to pick. This can be time consuming in situations where numerous similar items are stored together. Additionally, several similarly titled or described items may be stored in a single inventory area, increasing the difficulty of identifying any particular item. For instance, if several CDs are entitled "Greatest Hits" and stored together, a picking agent may have to read the full title for each item in turn to identify the correct item. The extra time this requires may be significant when multiplied across the large number of orders fulfilled by a typical facility. Similarly, in a facility handling items for rent or sale, there may be a large number of similar-looking items, such as DVDs, stored together. A picking agent may have difficulty identifying particular DVDs from among multiple DVDs in a single inventory. Again, any extra time required to correctly identify a DVD becomes significant, since each DVD may be stored and picked many times, as it is rented and returned.
Furthermore, items may be stored in packaging, such as shipping boxes, made of cardboard for example, that may not readily indicate what is contained in the packaging to a picking agent. For example, various large televisions may each be stored in packaging specifically designed to protect the television (and the television's retail product packaging as well) from damage while in transit and while being stored. This protective packaging may be comprised of plain cardboard packaging and the like that does not readily indicate the particular model, color, size or other identifying information that would be helpful to a picker in distinguishing the item from other televisions stored in the same area. While some protective packaging may indicate the manufacturer for example, the picker and facility may rely upon bar codes and the like which may require time-consuming scanning to particularly identify which of the many particular items of the manufacturer is contained within the shipping box. In other instances, product packaging for similar items may not readily identify the differences between the similar items, leading to confusion and mistakes during picking. While a picker may have an idea of what the item to be picked looks like, the plain packaging of shipping boxes and the like may prevent perception of the item by the picker because the picker is not familiar with the shipment packaging or because shipping packaging tends to look similar across multiple items, for example.
Some materials handling facilities include a pick-to-light system, in which lights mounted on shelves or racks in inventory are programmed to light up to indicate a bin or other storage area in which items having a given product identifier are stored. Such systems may include support for put-to-light operations, as well (e.g., lighting up a container in which items should be stored). However, such systems may not be suitable for use in facilities that store different items together in a single inventory area, or in facilities in which agents traverse multiple inventory areas during picking and stowing operations, or in facilities in which mobile drive units bring storage bins of inventory to the picker/stower at a station. Also, such technologies only identify an inventory location or bin generally, not individual positions or items within the inventory locating.
Various materials handling facilities include a laser-pointer system, in which a laser is mounted to a stationary position and is calibrated to point to a single, pre-determined position for each inventory location (e.g., storage bin) to indicate the entire inventory location. Such technologies do not identify the location of the item based on images of the item and do not identify the particular position of the unit of the item within the inventory location from a plurality of possible positions within the inventory location.
While embodiments are described herein by way of example for several embodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments are not limited to the embodiments or drawings described. It should be understood, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit embodiments to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words "include," "including," and "includes" mean including, but not limited to.

Item illumination based on image recognition


The invention relates to a coating composition for a metal substrate exhibiting a free outer surface consisting of a metal coating based on zinc or a zinc-based alloy, characterized in that it comprises: silicate(s) of sodium and/or potassium and/or lithium (3-35 wt. %), a tensioning agent (à.01-1 wt. %), the remainder being water in a quantity sufficient to arrive at 100 %.

The subject of the present invention is a coating composition for a metal substrate, based on an aqueous sodium and/or potassium and/or lithium silicate solution.
The present invention also relates to the methods of applying this composition to the said metal substrate and to the various uses of this coating composition.
According to the present invention, the coating composition is intended to be applied to a steel substrate having a free outer surface formed by a zinc or zinc-based alloy metal layer.
In one advantageous embodiment, the said metal layer may have been deposited on the said steel substrate electrolytically or by hot dipping.
As an example of metal substrates, mention may be made of:                electrogalvanized sheets: steel substrate coated with a zinc layer applied electrolytically;        hot-dipped galvanized sheets: steel substrate coated with a zinc layer applied by dipping the said sheet into a bath of molten zinc;        GALFAN: steel substrate coated with a layer of a zinc (95 wt %)/aluminium (5 wt %) alloy applied by dipping in a bath of molten zinc/aluminium alloy having the same proportions; and        GALVALUME®: steel substrate coated with a layer of an aluminium (55 wt %)/zinc (45 wt %) alloy applied by dipping in a bath of molten aluminium/zinc alloy having the same proportions.
The treatment of a metal surface is subject to many simultaneous constraints of a technical, economic and environmental type.
Coils of sheet are produced in steel plants by very rapid processes, the line speed of which may range from a few m/min up to 250 m/min. When it is desired to couple the production process to a surface treatment step, the surface treatment technologies must comply with these line speed constraints. Technical difficulties may therefore arise if it is desired to maintain good chemical reactivity between the substrate and the treatment products, but also as regards film formation if it is desired to obtain good flow and good homogeneity of the film coatings.
Anticorrosion treatment technologies usually make use of chromium-based products (the chromium being hexavalent or trivalent) that are applied as one or more layers. However, these products are environmentally harmful and have to be replaced with treatment products having no impact on the environment.
In addition, manufacturers at the present time are seeking to employ a technology that meets a minimum specification and is capable of being functionalized so as to meet stricter requirement levels and to increase the added value of the surface treatment.
As a complement to corrosion resistance, the functionalization of the treatments relates in particular to the following fields:                the surface properties such as the hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity of the surface, the anti-fingerprint character of the surface or else the modification of the free alkalinity of the surface;        the application properties, such as the flexibility and the lubrication of the coating for bending or drawing operations, but also the electrical conductivity in the case of joining by welding.
Manufacturers are also subject to economic constraints and thus seek compact treatments using formulations that are, on the one hand, prepared in aqueous medium (and that therefore do not require additional investment for the reprocessing of possible organic solvents) and that, on the other hand, allow application of a single layer with a single drying operation.
Finally, the on-line operating constraints also require products that are, on the one hand, one-component products (i.e. products that do not require the preparation of a mixture of several products prior to industrial application) and are, on the other hand, stable over time (i.e. have a lifetime of more than three weeks in order to accommodate campaign production runs).

Coating composition for a metal substrate


A specialized at least bilayered device similiformic with the fretboard/fingerboard/keyboard of an instrument is designed to be removingly disposed between the strings and fretboard or frets of the instrument and prevents or mitigates fret damages (from, for example, dimpling or string grooving) owing to string pressures—such as during transport and storage of the instrument in a case or other. Fret integrity and active or functional life is extended in an industrially efficient, economical and elegant way heretofore uncontemplated and/or commercially realized.

The present disclosure relates to apparatus, devices and processes for maintaining the ongoing structural and mechanical integrity of stringed musical instruments, and others which are fretted or have fretboards.
In particular, the instant disclosure relates to mechanisms for increasing the functional lives of stringed, fretted and fretless instruments, such as guitars, including the Americanized version known as the electric guitar, and all others for which the instant disclosure is helpful, be they banjos, cellos, upright bases, any classical instruments or later developed apparatus.


A holding apparatus includes a holding member that holds an electronic apparatus, a supporting member that is connected to the holding member and supports the holding member, and a first pushing member and a second pushing member which are disposed between the holding member and the supporting member. When the first pushing member is handled by the user, the first pushing member pushes the second pushing member in the first direction toward the holding member, and pushes the holding member in the second direction toward the supporting member and opposite to the first direction.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to a holding apparatus that holds an electronic apparatus, etc.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-152242 discloses a method for simultaneously fixing a first spherical body and a second spherical body by tightening a male screw member into a joint unit, the first spherical body being located close to a coupling device and the second spherical body being located close to a suction cup device.

Holding apparatus that holds electronic apparatus

Panasonic Intellectual Property Mangement Co., Ltd.


A method of charging an electric vehicle includes receiving data indicative of the power source system voltage during charging, determining a maximum voltage limit of the power source, and setting the maximum voltage limit as the limiting voltage of the power source. The maximum voltage limit may be the maximum permissible value of the system voltage during the charging.

In an electric vehicle, energy may be stored in an energy storage system (ESS), that includes one or more batteries. The ESS powers one or more electric motors used to propel the vehicle. When the energy stored in the ESS decreases, it may be charged (or recharged) by connecting the vehicle to an external power supply. In some cases, changes in load conditions at the vehicle or the charging system may result in a spike in voltage at the ESS. This sudden increase in voltage may, in some cases, cause the ESS to enter an undesirable operating region.
Embodiments of the current disclosure may alleviate the problem discussed above and/or other problems in the art. The scope of the current disclosure, however, is defined by the attached claims, and not by the ability to solve any specific problem.

Limiting voltage spikes during electric vehicle charging