Embodiments of the present disclosure include one or more of a method, computing device, computer-readable medium, and system for providing an immersive GUI. According to an embodiment, this may include providing a view of G&G data within at least a substantial portion of the GUI, a first GUI element, wherein transparency of the first GUI element varies depending on a location of an input device with respect to the first GUI element, and a second GUI element, wherein the second GUI element is customized based on a context.

Some "Geology and/or Geophysics" (G&G) applications provide a "full-screen mode," which enables data views to use the entire screen to view the data. However, there are no examples in the prior art of a G&G application that allows a user to perform operations on the data and view the results of the operation on the data without switching back and forth between the full-screen and non-full-screen mode. This can be a tedious way of working, and can significantly reduce the value of a full-screen mode because it could draw a user's attention away from visualization of the data.
One purpose of a G&G software application is to allow users to visualize, manipulate, and/or perform operations on G&G data. As an example, a G&G application running on a workstation may include a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI may include one or more graphical data views coupled with support controls (e.g., toolbars, data trees and operation trees). The support controls may provide a way of performing operations on the data and selecting data to display in a data view.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a GUI 100 provided by the PETREL® software application, which is a product of Schlumberger (PETREL®). The GUI 100 may include a data view 110, and one or more support control 120a-f which surround the data views.
The support controls 120a-f may include one or more GUI elements that enable a user to activate functionality provided by the G&G application. The support controls 120a-f shown in GUI 100 are merely examples—other support controls are also possible. The GUI 100 may be referred to herein as a "non-immersive" GUI.
As shown in FIG. 1, the data view 110 of the non-immersive GUI occupy only a portion of the computer screen due to the presence of the support controls 120a-f. A non-immersive GUI can present one or more of the following disadvantages:
1. The support controls 120a-f occupy an increasing amount of screen space, which may direct user attention away from the data view 110. In certain use cases, the data view 110 is the most important part of the application.
2. The support controls 120a-f may be complicated with respect to navigation because of the number of buttons and options. This could increase the risk of the user acquiring repetitive strain injury (RSI) due to increased mouse usage. For example, these interfaces might involve a large number of mouse clicks to perform certain operations. Advanced workflows can further increase the risk of RSI, because advanced workflows may require adding more support controls 120a-f to the GUI 100.
3. A non-immersive GUI 100 might not be optimized for touch-screen based technologies. For example, the screen space allocated for each support control 120a-f may be comparatively small when reproduced on a touch-device. This may make it difficult to activate certain buttons (e.g., via touch). In addition, with a touch-based interface, the user's hand may block visibility of the data view 110.
4. A non-immersive GUI 100 might implement "non-interactive workflows," wherein the GUI 100 requires the user to manually trigger a data view 110 update when, for example, the user changes one or more parameters related to an algorithm performing a computation over the data. This can lead to decreased user productivity.
5. A non-immersive GUI 100 might use support controls 120a-f, such as non-transparent and/or "heavy-weight dialogs" for interactive workflows. Such non-transparent and/or "heavy-weight dialogs" support controls 120a-f could block users' views of the data view 110. The term "heavy-weight dialog" may refer to a dialog in which the data view is not automatically updated after changes are made (i.e., the user has to manually trigger an event to update the view, for instance, by pressing an "Apply" button or something similar).
6. A non-immersive GUI 100 might not differentiate between operations which are frequently performed versus operations which are seldom used. In addition, a non-immersive GUI 100 might use limited assumptions (e.g., no assumptions) as to what a user needs at a particular step in a workflow. Since no context information about what the user is used, or is being used in a limited way, a non-immersive GUI 100 might need to show all options at all times. This can lead to a complicated GUI 100.
Accordingly there is a need for an immersive interface which allows the user to work more efficiently by using as much screen estate as possible to show data, and thereby avoid blocking the data views as much as possible. Such an immersive interface may have a simple and intuitive interface which is far smarter than traditional interfaces about how the user works, thereby using interactive workflows to the largest extent possible, and supporting new touch-screen technologies.

Immersive interaction model interpretation


The present subject matter is directed to an axial retention assembly for combustor components of a gas turbine engine. The axial retention assembly may include a combustor having include a liner defining a liner aperture extending therethrough. Additionally, the combustor may further include a sleeve defining a sleeve aperture extending therethrough, with the sleeve positioned radially outward from and at least partially circumferentially positioned around the liner. Furthermore, the axial retention assembly may include a frame having a mounting projection positioned within the sleeve aperture. Moreover, the axial retention assembly may include a clamp plate adjustably coupled to the frame. In addition, the axial retention assembly may include a clamp plate adjustment rod extending through the liner aperture and threadingly engaging the clamp plate such that relative movement between the liner and the sleeve along the axial centerline is reduced.

A gas turbine engine generally includes a compressor, one or more combustors, a turbine, and an exhaust section. The compressor progressively increases the pressure of a working fluid (e.g., air) entering the gas turbine engine and supplies this compressed working fluid to the combustor(s). The compressed working fluid and a fuel (e.g., natural gas) mix and burn within the combustor(s) to generate combustion gases. The combustion gases, in turn, flow from each combustor into the turbine where they expand to produce work. For example, expansion of the combustion gases in the turbine section may rotate a rotor shaft connected to a generator to produce electricity. The combustion gases then exit the gas turbine via the exhaust section.
Each combustor typically includes a liner, a sleeve, and a combustor casing. More specifically, the liner defines a combustion chamber in which the mixture of compressed working fluid and fuel burns. The sleeve at least partially circumferentially surrounds the liner. In this respect, the sleeve and the liner define a flow passage through which the compressed air may flow before entering the combustion chamber. Furthermore, the combustor casing is coupled to the sleeve and defines a chamber positioned upstream of the combustion chamber. One or more fuel nozzles are positioned in the chamber defined by the combustor casing, with each fuel nozzle supplying the fuel to the combustion chamber.
When manufacturing a gas turbine engine, the various components of the combustor are generally pre-assembled or otherwise loosely coupled together before the combustor is installed into the engine. As such, the pre-assembled combustor must generally be transported within the factory to the final assembly location of the gas turbine engine. However, the liner and the casing of the pre-assembled combustor are typically not coupled together in a manner that prevents or minimizes the movement of such components along the axial centerline of the combustor. As such, the fuel lines of the combustor may be damaged during transportation, thereby necessitating expensive and time-consuming repairs.

Axial retention assembly for combustor components of a gas turbine engine


The presently disclosed technology discloses an unmanned aerial vehicle control method and apparatus. A device displays a map. The device detects a first movement path on a touch-sensitive surface of the device. The device overlays a trajectory on the map in accordance with the first movement path. The device automatically generates a number of waypoints along the trajectory. and the device displays the waypoints on the trajectory and sends instructions to an unmanned vehicle in accordance with the trajectory and the waypoints. The unmanned vehicle moves in accordance with trajectory by executing the instructions.

Currently, a commonly used technical means of controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle is manually setting a flight track for the unmanned aerial vehicle by a user, that is, a waypoint location across which the unmanned aerial vehicle needs to fly is set by manually inputting. Not only is the operation of manually setting location information of waypoint locations one by one complex for the user, but also a setting time period is relatively long when the flight track is relatively long. This greatly prolongs a flight track generation time period of the unmanned aerial vehicle, leading to reduced control efficiency due to that the unmanned aerial vehicle fails to obtain a flight track in time.

Unmanned aerial vehicle control method and apparatus

TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED


An engine starter including a motor, an electromagnetic switch, an auxiliary switch, a housing, and a mounting member for the auxiliary switch. The mounting member is disposed at the housing between the housing and the motor and electromagnetic switch. The mounting member includes a flange including a tab to mount the auxiliary switch.

Electric starter motors are commonly used to start internal combustion engines including gasoline and diesel powered engines. The electric starter includes a motor, an electromagnetic switch, and an auxiliary switch, and initiates rotation of a flywheel of the engine sufficient to enable the engine to run under the combustion power resulting from ignition of a gasoline or a diesel fuel.
The electric starter motor includes an electric motor which can be either a permanent-magnet or a series-parallel wound direct current electric motor which is electrically coupled to a vehicle battery through an electromagnetic switch, known as a starter solenoid. When current from the battery is applied to the electromagnetic switch either through turning of a key or by pressing a start button, current is applied to the electric motor. Upon energization, the solenoid engages a lever that pushes a drive pinion on a driveshaft of a starter driveshaft to engage the flywheel of the engine. Thus, rotational torque of the electric motor is transferred to the engine through the pinion to thereby start up the engine.
To smoothly start up the engine, a rotational torque of the electric motor is transferred to a drive pinion gear after the drive pinion gear engages the flywheel of the engine. In addition, once the engine has reached an operating speed, the pinion gear must be disengaged from the flywheel. Consequently, the operation of electric motor, and in particular the engagement of the pinion gear with the flywheel, should be synchronized with the engine to properly engage and disengage the flywheel.
To provide for proper synchronization, the engine starter also includes an auxiliary switch. Upon turning of the key or pressing of the starter button, the magnetic coil in the electromagnetic switch is energized. In response, a plunger is driven and the auxiliary switch is closed by the plunger. Consequently, a limited amount of current is supplied to the electric motor, thereby driving the electric motor to at a low number of revolutions per minute. The pinion gear then engages the flywheel. As the plunger is driven further, the electromagnetic switch is closed, and a larger amount of electric current is supplied to the electric motor to increase the number of revolutions per minute. The pinion gear engaging the flywheel is then driven by the electric motor to provide sufficient torque to turn the flywheel such that the engine starts and can continue operation from internal combustion in the engine.
Because the electric starter is mechanically and directly linked to the engine flywheel, the electric starter is placed in close proximity to the engine within the engine compartment. In addition, since the starter not only includes the motor, the electromagnetic switch, and the auxiliary switch, but also a housing to support the various components, the space requirements with respect to the arrangement of the various components should be considered. In particular, the amount of space available within an engine compartment is often limited. What is needed therefore is a system, mechanism, or structure by which the starter is configured to be properly located with respect to the engine to provide an electrical and mechanical advantage. In addition, because space is at a premium in an engine compartment, the location of the individual components of a starter should provide for the advantageous location of the starter within a variety of different sizes and shapes of engine compartments and also to provide for ease of access to the various components if one or more of the components requires a replacement or repair in case of a failure.

Starter motor with multiple position mounting device and method thereof


Sign mounting and tensioning apparatus, method and system for beadles signs comprises fired and floating rails adapted to removal y receive and hold elongated locks having sign edges wrapped around non-rotating inserts, and tensioning means for tensioning signs locked in the rails, which tensioning means may be a series of short levering mechanisms spaced along and connectable to the floating rails.

There is disclosed in published international patent application WO 03/060333A2, titled Sign and Awning Attachment System and Method of Use, an attachment and tensioning system for a planar structure, such as a vinyl sign or other flexible sheet, such as canvas. The edges of the sheet, which is generally rectangular, are provided with a sewn-in bead which cooperates with other members of an attachment and tensioning system that includes a fixed frame comprised of horizontal and vertical rails. The top horizontal bead and one vertical bead are inserted into fixed rails. The bottom horizontal bead and the remaining vertical bead are inserted into translatable or "floating" rails that in turn connect to adjacent fixed rails by levering means. All rails can be aluminum extrusions. The fixed rails can be attached to a vertical side or door of a truck intended to carry a sign. The system permits signs to be installed and removed without damage, so that a sign can be reused at a future date.
Large signs suitable for truck advertising may typically be in the order of eight feet (2.7 m) high and anywhere from 10 feet to 50 feet (3 to 18 m) wide, printed on vinyl sheets using large, one-pass or multiple-pass ink-jet printers such as the Ultra View 3360 printer (VUTek, Inc., Merideth, N.H., U.S.A.) Beading or "Keeder" is sewn into the edges to prepare the sign for mounting. This is a labor-intensive operation requiring care. The spacing of the opposing beading or "keeder" needs to be set for each signage sheet to within about one-half inch (1.2 cm) tolerance. Because large flexible sheets have a tendency to stretch by a variable amount during printing, sheets are individually beaded to stay within tolerance, which adds considerable cost. Also, beading mistakes are difficult, or in some cases not possible, to rectify.
An aspect of this invention is a beadless attachment and tensioning system employing the type of tensioning means disclosed in published patent application WO 03/06033A2.
Another aspect of this invention is a sign mounting and tensioning apparatus that includes for at least the top sign edge and one vertical sign edge, and preferably also for the bottom edge and remaining vertical edge, elongated flexible but cross sectionally shape-retaining inserts and cooperating elongated locks, whereby sign edges can be wrapped around the inserts, and the wrapped inserts can be removably inserted into the locks such that the inserts do not rotate and the sign edges are secured from slipping out of the locks when the sign is tensioned; fixed frame rails securable to a mounting surface into which the locks containing wrapped top sign edge and one vertical sign edge can be inserted such that the locks do not rotate; and tensioning means for connecting the bottom sign edge and remaining vertical sign edge to fixed mounting means, securable to the mounting surface, such that the sign can be tensioned and secured over the mounting surface, such as a side of a truck or trailer.
Another aspect of this invention is the inclusion in the foregoing apparatus of floating rails for the bottom and remaining vertical side of the sign into which locks containing wrapped sign edges, as described above, can be inserted such that the locks do not rotate, and a plurality of mounting-tensioning units each comprising a mounting portion securable to the mounting surface and a levering tensioning mechanism connectable thereto and to a floating rail.
Yet another aspect of this invention is a method for removably mounting a flexible signage sheet utilizing the above-described apparatus comprising the steps of wrapping the sign edges around inserts, reversibly locking the wrapped inserts into the elongated locks, removably inserting locks containing the wrapped sign edges into the top and vertical rails affixed to a surface and into the bottom and vertical floating rails, removably connecting the floating rails to mounting means affixed to the surface by tensioning means, preferably levering tensioning units, and reversibly tensioning the sign by means of the tensioning means.
Yet another aspect of this invention is a system comprising a flexible sheet sign mounted and tensioned in the apparatus described above.

International Consolidated Companies, Inc.


A vibrating screen assembly having a frame with a pair of opposed sides and a pair of opposed ends. The frame includes a planar surface and an upstanding lip extending vertically from the planar surface to form a rim enclosure. A leg extends downward vertically from the planar surface in a direction away from said lip. A ledge extends perpendicularly from the downward leg. A plurality of tubular cross supports rest on the ledge and are connected to the leg. A perforated plate with a plurality of screen cloths thereon is positioned within the rim enclosure and secured to the planar surface of the frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a screen assembly for vibrating screen machinery. In particular, the present invention is directed to a vibrating screen assembly for vibrating machinery wherein a plurality of screen layers are positioned on an improved frame and secured to the frame for improved efficiency, rigidity and durability.
2. Prior Art
Vibrating shakers utilize a screen assembly or assemblies to separate solid material from liquids and fine solid particles. The screen assembly is typically secured in and to the vibrating machinery through use of a frame. The frame is removably attached to the vibrating shaker. A mixture of materials is delivered or fed to the top of the screen assembly. The screen assembly is vibrated by a motor to vibrate the screen assembly at a high frequency.
The force of gravity separates the liquid and particles smaller than the pore size of the smallest screen layer. The screen assembly may be inclined so that the solids larger than the "cut point" will move across the screen where they are gathered and disposed of. At the same time, the liquid and particles smaller than the cut point will pass through the screen assembly and will also be collected.
The vibrating shaker machines are often used at remote locations, such as oil well drilling sites. The replacement screen assemblies must, thus, be transported great distances to these remote locations. A relatively lightweight screen assembly is, therefore, desirable.
Since the screen assembly must be transported and then installed in the field, any sharp edges on the screen assembly should be minimized.
There are various types of screen assemblies having various frames. In one configuration, a plurality of screen cloth layers are attached to a perforated plate which is, in turn, connected to the frame. The perforated plate has a large number of small openings to minimize the unsupported spans of screen cloth. It is important to achieve good adhesion between the perforated plate and the frame. Thus, the frame must have an adequate amount of planar surface to mate securely with the perforated plate.
The screen assembly is subject to tremendous stresses by virtue of the machinery vibrating it. Additionally, the screen assembly is subject to stresses from the weight of the material to be separated on the top layer of the screen. It is known that the screen assemblies will wear from usage and have a certain useful life, often in hours.
In order to balance screen life with through-put, it has been known to secure multiple layers of wire screen cloth to a perforated panel. The perforated panel is, in turn, secured to the frame. In the manufacturing process, the perforated panel and accompanying screens must be accurately aligned before adhesively bonding to the frame. It would be desirable to provide a self-alignment mechanism to align the perforated plate with the frame.
It is a principal object and purpose of the present invention to provide a vibrating screen assembly having a frame which will position the perforated panel thereon during the assembly process and discourage separation of the frame from the perforated panel.
It is an additional object and purpose of the present invention to provide a vibrating screen assembly with a blunt, safe edge around the perimeter to prevent personnel injury.
It is an additional object and purpose of the present invention to provide a vibrating screen assembly with good adhesion between the frame and the perforated plate.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide a vibrating screen assembly that will have a maximum useful life while being simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide a screen assembly having a strong frame which will provide strength from side to side and provide strength from end to end.

Vibrating screen assembly with improved frame


A personal care composition and methods for generating increased foam volume in the personal care composition are disclosed. The personal care composition may include a carrier and at least two hydrocolloids, wherein the at least two hydrocolloids are present in an effective amount to produce increased foam volume. The method may include contacting a carrier of the personal care composition with at least two hydrocolloids. The at least two hydrocolloids may include xanthan gum and carrageenan in a ratio of from about 1.5:1 to about 9:1.

Foaming and/or lather are crucial properties related to consumer acceptance of personal care compositions, such as body washes and toothpastes. For example, improved foaming and lather is often perceived by consumers as being directly related to improved cleaning. While conventional personal care compositions generally exhibit acceptable foaming and lather, the search for compositions and additives having improved foaming and lather is ongoing.
What is needed, then, are compositions exhibiting improved foaming and/or lather and methods for the same.

Personal care compositions and methods for the same


A bonding wire is provided containing a wire core made of a first material containing a metal and a wire jacket that envelopes the wire core and is made of a second material containing a metal. The wire core and the wire jacket are made of different metals and the bonding wire has an aspect ratio of no more than 0.8. The bonding wire efficiently prevents damage to bonding surfaces during the bonding process and short-circuiting during the use of corresponding sub-assemblies.

The present invention relates to a bonding wire, a sub-assembly comprising the bonding wire, and a method for producing the bonding wire.
Bonding wires are often used in microelectronics for electrical contacting of semiconductor chips to a support substrate, such as, for example, a wiring support.
It is customary to use round thin wires or thick wires differing in cross-section. The diameter of thin wires is in the range of 17-100 μm, whereas thick wires are characterized by diameters of 100-500 μm.
In recent years, it has become established that it may be of advantage, depending on the specific application, to use round bonding wires that may consist of multiple sheets or layers of different materials.
Accordingly, it is known, for example from DE 42 32 745, that the reliability of ultrasound bonding may be improved through the use of bonding wires made of gold or copper having a jacket made of aluminum for this purpose.
EP 1 279 491 proposes, for cost reasons, to reduce the amount of gold in bonding wires by providing gold-coated bonding wires made of copper, silver or palladium rather than pure gold wires.
According to JP 62-97360, bonding wires made of copper are protected from oxidation by coating them with a layer made of an oxidation-resistant material.
Although bonding wires having a round cross-section, as described above, are suitable for many applications, the use of so-called ribbon wires has also been established for many years. These wires are characterized in that they do not have a round cross-section, but rather have an elliptical or rectangular cross-section, and are used mainly for bonding in power components. The larger, but also flatter, geometry of ribbon wires has a practical advantage in that the processing is more rapid since only a small number of ribbon wires, rather than many thinner bonding wires, need to be bonded to attain contacting. Moreover, the surfaces to be contacted through the bonding wire (bond pads) are better covered by ribbon wires since there is hardly any widening at the base. Further, the flat geometry of ribbon wires allows lower loops to be generated. In addition, the heel damage at comparable loop geometry, i.e., the damage in the sensitive arc of the bonding material, is clearly less pronounced than with comparable thick wires. This allows unusually high steps to be bridged by short bonds and thus to implement densely packed geometries in housing bonding.
In order to combine the above-mentioned advantages associated with the use of bonding wires having multiple layers made of different materials and the advantages associated with the use of ribbon wires, it has been proposed to produce ribbon wires having a sandwich structure.
DE 10 2006 060 899 A1, for example, discloses a bonding wire that comprises a solderable coating on one side and a bondable coating on the opposite side.
DE 10 2006 025 870 A1 also describes a bonding wire with a sandwich structure and comprises at least three layers, namely two outer layers and at least one intervening layer. This bonding wire may be produced by hot rolling, which ensures that the different layers of the bonding wire are exclusively arranged to be parallel to each other, and thus are visible in a side view of the wire.
However, tests have shown that prior art bonding wires having a sandwich structure are associated with various disadvantages, in addition to the positive properties that have been achieved thus far. For example, it has been noted that the bonding of bonding wires having a sandwich structure is often associated with damage to the surfaces of the chips and/or supports (bonding surfaces) to be connected. Moreover, it has been evident that the risk of short-circuiting is markedly higher when sub-assemblies containing ribbon wires having a sandwich structure are used.


An optical transmission system includes an optical wavelength branching unit that shifts a wavelength transmission band in the short-wavelength or long-wavelength directions based on a branching filter operation temperature, and performs a branching operation on a wavelength-multiplexed signal. A reception transponder performs decoding on an error correction code. An error correction monitoring unit gathers an error correction amount upon which a branching filter temperature control unit sets the branching filter operation temperature. A transmission transponder performs encoding on an error correction code. An optical wavelength combining unit shifts the wavelength transmission band in the opposite direction from the shifting direction based on a combining filter operation temperature, to perform a combining operation on optical signals and output a wavelength-multiplexed optical signal. A combining filter temperature control unit sets the combining filter operation temperature based on the error correction amount sent from the optical reception device.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical transmission systems, and more particularly, to an optical transmission system that performs WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplex) optical transmission.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Optical communication network techniques form the core of multimedia communication, and there is an increasing demand for better service that covers a wider area. As the number of Internet users has drastically increased in recent years, the transmission capacity has also sharply increased. In a conventional transmission system that transmits an optical signal of one wavelength through a single fiber-optic cable, the transmission capacity is not large enough. With such an insufficient transmission capacity, data transmission involving video data takes a user a long time.
As a technique of utilizing already available fiber-optic cables, a WDM technique has been developed. In WDM transmission, lights of different wavelengths are multiplexed, and signals of a plurality of channels are simultaneously transmitted through a single fiber-optic cable.
FIG. 20 shows the structure of a WDM ring network. Nodes 301 through 304 that perform WDM transmission are connected to one another with a fiber-optic cable, and thus constitute a ring structure. A plurality of SONET/SDH transmission devices 301a through 301d are connected to the nodes 301 through 304, respectively, and perform OADM (Optical Add Drop Multiplex) control.
The nodes 301 through 304 each multiplexes a signal "Added" by each corresponding one of the transmission devices 301a through 301d, so as to transmit the signals through the single fiber-optic cable within the ring. Each of the nodes 301 through 304 also performs photodisintegration on signals transmitted within the ring, and then "Drops" the signals onto the transmission devices 301a through 301d.
FIG. 21 shows the structure of the nodes that perform OADM control. The node 301 includes an optical switch 301-1 and an AWG (Arrayed wave-guide Grating) device 301-2. The node 302 includes an optical switch 302-1 and an AWG device 302-2.
The optical switch 301-1 of the node 301 performs a switching operation on an optical signal transmitted within the ring and an optical signal to be "Added" or "Dropped" to the transmission device 301a. The AWG device 301-2 performs a combining operation on optical signals outputted from the optical switch 301-1 so as to generate a wavelength-multiplexed signal. The AWG device 301-2 then outputs the wavelength-multiplexed signal onto the fiber-optic cable.
The AWG 302-2 of the node 302 performs a branching operation on a received wavelength-multiplexed signal. The optical switch 302-1 performs a switching operation on a branched optical signal and an optical signal to be "Added" or "Dropped" to the transmission device 302a.
In the above manner, the WDM network performs OADM control on each node, and generates and transmits a wavelength-multiplexed signal with the AWG device that performs optical wavelength combining and branching operations. The WDM network thus performs optical communication.
The above described AWG devices are essential in construction of a WDM network. A conventional AWG device is formed by an optical circuit employing optical wave-guides of quartz glass (that are suitable for mass production, and therefore are often employed in WDM systems). Such a conventional AWG device divides optical signals of different wavelengths by the wavelength.
AWG devices can be classified into two types: one is a Gaussian type exhibiting a Gaussian waveform as the transmission characteristics (or the loss characteristics), and the other is a flat top type exhibiting a flat waveform. In general, flat top type AWG devices are employed in high-speed and large-capacity WDM networks.
However, each flat top type AWG does not have a completely flat optical spectrum, and causes small distortions in practice. Accordingly, distortions accumulate in an optical signal that has passed through a plurality of flat top type AWG devices via a plurality of nodes.
As a result, the flatness is lost at the center wavelength and in the vicinity of the center wavelength of the unit wavelength, and the transmission quality degrades. Accordingly, in each conventional WDM network employing flat top type AWG devices, the number of nodes to be provided is limited, so as to prevent transmission quality degradation (i.e., so as not to lose the flatness of the optical spectrum) Because of the limited number of nodes to be provided, an optical network having a high operation efficiency could not be constructed.
Meanwhile, the flatness of each AWG device can be improved by employing a large number of optical filters. However, this leads to a large loss, and requires an optical amplifier for compensating such a loss. Accordingly, employing a large number of optical filters results in higher production costs, as well as optical S/N degradation due to the accumulation of optical noise.
Furthermore, in a case where the flatness is measured by a spectrum analyzer on the reception end so as to perform a feedback control operation, it is necessary to prepare a wideband test light source, such as a white light source, and a spectrum analyzer on the transmission side.


This invention relates to a process for amplifying and detecting any desired specific nucleic acid sequence that exists in a nucleic acid or mixture thereof. The process comprises treating single strand RNA or separated complementary strands of DNA target with a molar excess of oligonucleotide complement pairs in which these oligonucleotide complement pairs have sequences complementary to the target, under hybridizing conditions. In one embodiment, the oligonucleotide complement pairs may have a gap of one or more bases which may be repaired (filled) by enzymes. The oligonucleotide complement pairs are joined together, forming joined, oligonucleotide product. The target/joined product hybrid nucleic acids are then denatured to single strands again, at which point both the target and the joined products can form hybrids with new oligonucleotide complement pairs. The steps of the reaction may be carried out stepwise or simultaneously and can be repeated as often as desired.

For diagnostic applications in particular, the target nucleic acid sequence may be only a minute portion of the total pool of DNA or RNA in a sample to be screened, so that it may be difficult to detect the presence of the target nucleic acid sequence using nonisotopically labeled or end-labeled oligonucleotide probes. Thus, diagnostic tests employing DNA probes to detect rare species of nucleic acids are often not sensitive enough to be practical for use outside of the research laboratory.
One attempt to overcome the sensitivity problem is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202 ("the '195 and '202 patents"). This method proceeds basically, as follows:
a) treating a sample suspected of containing the target nucleic acid sequence of interest with one oligonucleotide primer for each strand of the target nucleic acid sequence, under hybridizing conditions and in the presence of a polymerase, e.g., the Klenow fragments of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I, such that an extension product of each primer is synthesized if the target nucleic acid sequence is present; PA1 b) placing the sample after step (a) under denaturing conditions to separate any primer extension products that are synthesized from the templates on which they are synthesized to produce single-stranded molecules; PA1 c) treating the single-stranded molecules generated from step (b) with the primers of step (a) under the conditions of step (a), such that the new primer extension products are synthesized using both the original target sequences and the primer extension products produced in step (a) as templates, thus resulting in the amplification of the target nucleic acid sequence. PA1 a) Treating the sample with oligonucleotide complement pairs A,A' and B,B' under hybridizing and gap filling conditions. A is an oligonucleotide and A' is an oligonucleotide that is complementary to A. B is an oligonucleotide and B' is an oligonucleotide that is complementary to B. When the set of two pairs A,A' and B,B' are hybridized to nucleic acid target, A and B, which hybridize to one strand of the target forms a gap of one or more bases between them. Also, A' and B' form a gap of one or more bases between them. The gap is filled with labeled or unlabeled base(s) such that A and B become one strand with a continuous base sequence with one or more extra labeled or unlabeled bases, (A-Q-B), where Q is(are) the base(s) that fill the gap. Q could also be a base modified to be resistant to degradation caused by the 3'.fwdarw.5' exonuclease activity of polymerases used to fill the gap. Also, A' and B' are now one strand with a continuous base sequence with one or more extra labeled or unlabeled bases, (A'-Q'-B'), where Q' is(are) the base(s) that fill the gap. Similarly, Q' could also be one or more modified bases resistant to degradation caused by the 3', 5' exonuclease activity of polymerases. For any continuous base sequence A-Q-B or A'-Q'-B', Q or Q' can be composed of only one set of base pairs for any specific sequence, i.e., A-T, AU, G-C, or derivatives of these bases. A-Q-B and A'-Q'-B' are now joined, oligonucleotide products and can now serve as "target" sequences for other oligonucleotide complement pairs. When the joined, oligonucleotide product is formed by this gap-filling, ligated process it is termed an "oligonucleotide repair product." PA1 b) Treating the sample under denaturing conditions to separate the oligonucleotide repair products from their targets, if the nucleic acid target sequence(s) is(are) present. PA1 c) Treating the sample as in step (a) with oligonucleotide complement pairs A,A' and B,B' under hybridizing and gap-filling conditions such that an oligonucleotide repair product is obtained using each of the single strands produced in step (b), resulting in the amplification of the specific nucleic acid target sequence(s) if present.
Steps (a)-(c) may be conducted sequentially or simultaneously. In addition, steps (b) and (c) may be repeated until the desired level of sequence amplification is obtained. As discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202, the product of step (c) may be detected using probes.
The PCR method has a disadvantage in that it fails to completely overcome the sensitivity problem. The PCR method uses all four nucleotide bases to extend the primer fragments. Therefore, extension products may be created from other, non-target nucleic acid templates that may be present in the sample such as nicked, double-stranded DNA. The use of the PCR method results in considerable background of amplified DNA other than the target sequence(s).
As will be discussed in detail later, the present invention uses at least two oligonucleotides for each strand of target nucleic acid sequence and uses fewer than all four bases, thus reducing the problem of nonspecific, background amplification for a number of reasons. For example, when labeled nucleotides are used, the gap will be filled with labeled nucleotides if the nucleic acid target sequence exists in the sample and the irrelevant sequences will not be copied or labeled.
The polymerase chain reaction method also requires heat stable enzymes for the process to be automated, while the process of the present invention can be performed using heat-labile enzymes or without any enzymes, depending upon the particular embodiment. In addition, the detection of amplified nucleic acids produced in the PCR method often requires the use of gels or a capturing system, which are laborious detection methods. In contrast, the detection of the amplified sequences in the present invention is relatively simple. For example, a Sephadex column can be used to separate the joined, oligonucleotide products formed when the target sequence is present apart from the individual nucleotides.
Other methods, beside the PCR method, exist for producing nucleic acids in large amounts from initially small amounts. For example, there is the method of subcloning a nucleic acid in the appropriate host system, where the desired nucleic acid is inserted into an appropriate vector which is used to transform the host. When the host is cultured, the vector is replicated, and hence more copies of the desired nucleic acid are produced. For a brief description of subcloning nucleic acid fragments, see Maniatis, T., et al., Molecular Cloning; A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, pp. 390-401 (1982). See also the techniques described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,416,988 and 4,403,036.
Other methods for synthesizing nucleic acids include the organic synthesis of a nucleic acid from nucleotide derivatives such as the methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,270. Another example of the method for synthesizing nucleic acid is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,652, which is a hybrid of organic synthesis and molecular cloning. The discussion of these and other methods in the '195 and '202 patents, as well as the patents listed above, are incorporated herein by reference.

Repair-mediated process for amplifying and detecting nucleic acid sequences


The invention relates to a drive device for a vehicle rearview mirror, the positioning of which is achieved by means of a worm gear mounted by means of a coupling part in a single bearing, which is provided with an annular collar that engages in an upper annular slot of the coupling part. The intention is to improve the retaining force of the bearing. This is achieved according to the invention by providing that a cylindrical region provided with an upper and a lower guide surface adjoins the upper annular slot, the wall of the bearing surrounding the cylindrical region of the coupling part being disposed at a distance from the coupling part and guide surfaces corresponding to the guide surfaces of the coupling part being formed in the bearing, that the inside diameter of the annular collar is slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the cylindrical region of the coupling part, and that the angle that the inner face of the annular collar forms with the cross-sectional plane of the coupling part is in the range between 30.degree. and 60.degree..

The invention relates to a drive device for positioning a mirror-glass holder mounted pivotably in a mirror housing of a vehicle rear-view mirror, the drive device having at least one electric motor disposed in a housing consisting of upper and lower parts, the output shaft of the motor being drivingly engaged with a worm gear mounted rotatably and having limited tilting capability in the housing, the worm gear axially moving a nonrotatably supported positioning element, the free end of which is coupled flexibly with the mirror-glass holder, the worm gear being provided in the housing with only one single bearing, which elastically surrounds a coupling part seated at the center of the lower end face of the worm gear and engages positively with the said coupling part by means of an upper annular collar that is snapped into an upper annular slot of the coupling part.
Such a drive device is known from Manzoni U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,600. In this known device, the coupling part is constructed as a ball, which is molded integrally onto the worm-gear underside via a stalk-like nose. The bearing for holding the ball is a snap-in seat in the housing lower part, which consists of an annular wall provided on its upper inside face with a convexly protruding region, which overlaps the ball snapped into the bearing and supported against the bottom thereof, the overlap zone being a spherically annular surface.
In this known drive device, the retaining force of the bearing may not be sufficient in the presence of large pulling forces, as can occur if the positioning element is adjusted manually or encounters its end stop. The reason is that the inside diameter of the convexly protruding region is permitted to be only slightly smaller than the ball diameter of the coupling part, because otherwise its insertion into the bearing or release from the mold of the injection-molding die becomes impossible; the ball is therefore overlapped by the protruding region along a spherically annular surface located immediately above the ball equator. Consequently, the angle that the pulling direction on the one hand forms with the tangent at the point of the overlapped region located closest to the worm-gear axis on the other hand is necessarily predetermined and very acute, which means a small retaining force.

Drive device for a vehicle rear-view mirror


A communications terminal apparatus and display method thereof to make the user aware of the operational state of a portable telephone thus preventing the malfunctions of and damages caused by the user. In the present invention, when a manipulation key is continuously depressed for a predetermined duration or more, the apparatus is set into an operating state corresponding to the manipulation key, after images sequentially changing in accordance with the lapse of depressing time of the manipulation key are displayed on a display with corresponding sound effects. When the manipulation key is not continuously depressed for the predetermined duration or more, the apparatus is returned to the operating state prior to the depression of the manipulation key, after the images and corresponding sound effects having changed in accordance with the depressing time of the manipulation key are displayed on the display on the reverse order. Thereby, a communications terminal apparatus and display method thereof which make the user aware of a manipulated state of the manipulation key thus preventing malfunctions can be realized.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a communications terminal apparatus and display method thereof, and is applicable to portable telephones.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, portable telephones have been manufactured to increasingly reduce their size and weight. For this purpose, some portable telephones are provided with manipulation keys flush with the surface of a manipulation panel, manipulation keys arranged on a plane lower than a manipulation panel, or the like. Some of these keys (for example, a power key) are designed such that they do not respond unless they are continuously depressed for a certain duration, in order to prevent inadvertent manipulations thereon.
However, with a portable telephone having manipulation keys as mentioned above, since a manipulation key must be continuously depressed for operation, a user may continuously depress the manipulation key with rather excessive force for more than a necessary duration, thereby resulting in damaging the manipulation key.
In addition, the portable telephone of the type mentioned above has the problem that it may or may not operate as deseired. For example, although the user, after depressing a power key, assumes that the telephone is powered on, the telephone may not be actually powered on since the user did not continuously depress the power key for a necessary duration or longer. Conversely, although the user assumes that the portable telephone is powered off, it is not actually powered off since the user did not continuously depress the power key for the necessary period of time or longer.

Communications terminal apparatus and display method thereof


A cost efficient solution for supporting and deploying custom text analytics applications suited is to provide third party application developers a sand-boxed application development environment such as an appliance computer system, allowing users to leverage data integration, indexing and pre-existing mining platform capabilities for a domain-specific data. Thus, embodiments herein present a system, method, etc. for identifying and delivering domain specific unstructured content for advanced business analysis. The system generally comprises a cluster computer system, a gateway computer system and an appliance computer system.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments herein present a system, method, etc. for identifying and delivering domain specific unstructured content for advanced business analysis.
2. Description of the Related Art
In just a few years, the Internet made large amounts of unstructured information instantly and ubiquitously available and it has had a tremendous impact on society and business. Breakthrough technologies provide Web scale text mining and discovery platforms that contain very large, distributed repositories (i.e. cluster) with valuable metadata that is automatically extracted from billions of documents, including Web pages, Web logs, bulletin boards, newspapers, etc.
Despite such advances, Web scale repositories contain large amounts of unstructured information but no domain-specific context is associated with it. An automated process is desired to create and maintain a domain specific, contextual data repository of unstructured content for different business or logical domains. An "on-topic store" for a domain consists of Web pages and associated contextual metadata such as dates, geo locations and company names that is relevant to that domain. The on-topic store may be used as the starting point for running more complex analytics specific to that domain. The more topic-focused the store it is, the faster and more efficient the domain-specific analytics can be.
Furthermore, there is a high cost associated to custom text analytics application support and deployment. There are at least two situations where this occurs: first, in an application delivery model in which analytics applications access huge volumes of data by talking directly to the cluster, and second by using standard database or data feed of limited mined data that is application specific. There are no known solutions to these problems.

Automated process for identifying and delivering domain specific unstructured content for advanced business analysis

Innternational Business Machines Corporation


An automated sheet metal blanking apparatus includes a loading table having a conveyor horizontally moveable between a loading position wherein sheet metal pieces are loaded onto the conveyor and a destacking station wherein the conveyor transfers the sheet metal pieces onto the destacking station for subsequent processing. A qualifier receives and positions destacked sheet metal pieces. A steel rule die blanking press receives prepositioned sheet metal pieces from the qualifier. The lower die includes mechanical positioners for final positioning the sheet metal pieces. A feed manipulator including an elongated arm mounts a plurality of controllable vacuum pickups operable for transferring sheet metal pieces between the destacking station, qualifier and blanking press. The feed manipulator is moveable over the destacking station and qualifier and moveable in between the upper and lower dies. An unloading table adjacent a scrap station includes a conveyor horizontally moveable between an unloading position wherein sized blanks are unloaded from the conveyor and a stacking station wherein the conveyor picks up the sized blanks. A discharge manipulator including an elongated arm mounts at least two distinct pluralities of independently controllable vacuum pickups and is operable for transferring sheet metal scraps and sized blanks from between the upper and lower blanking dies and over the scrap station wherein scrap is deposited through the operation of one of the pluralities of vacuum pickups, and over the unloading table. A controller in communication with the operating components of the blanking apparatus automatically controls the operation of the blanking apparatus.

It is known in the art that steel rule dies offer significant cost advantages over conventional forged and ground dies.
One known manually actuated, semi automatic apparatus for blanking sheet steel utilizes a suction cup array mounted on an elevating frame carried by an overhead trolley to pick up sheet steel pieces and deposit them onto a low friction platform. This trolley arrangement replaces manually feeding the press, thereby reducing manual labor, yet does not enhance production speed over operations that utilize manually fed presses. The low production speed of the known semi automatic apparatus does not allow it to be considered by the automotive industry for the production of panels for vehicles in lieu of hard tooling.
The sheet steel pieces are then pushed across the surface of the low friction platform onto the lower die of a steel rule die set mounted in a blanking press.
The upper die in this apparatus utilizes an array of suction cups thereon to retain the scrap to be removed manually from in between the die set. An unload table is moved into the press t o receive the blank after blanking and another suction cup array mounted on an elevating frame is used to lift the blank off the unload table.
In use, sliding the sheet steel across the low friction platform or using a roller conveyor to transfer the sheet metal, degrades the sheet steel surface and can inhibit the proper application of paint. In addition, the apparatus does not provide for precise positioning of consecutive pieces of sheet steel stock and thereby tends to greater waste. Furthermore, the manual removal of scrap from the press is undesirable and can lead to down time.

Automated sheet metal blanking apparatus


A scraper structure for a vehicle includes a scraper for scraping material accumulated inside a disk wheel of a wheel. The scraper is detachably attached to a lower surface of a knuckle which rotatably supports the wheel. The scraper includes an extending portion and a bent portion. The extending portion extends inwardly in terms of a vehicle body and downwardly from the lower surface of the knuckle. The bent portion is formed by bending a lower end of the extending portion toward a front in terms of the vehicle body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scraper structure for a vehicle.
2. Discussion of the Background
Some of rough-terrain traveling vehicles include a scraper for scraping accumulated mud, snow, ice or the like because the mud, snow, ice or the like may be accumulated inside disk wheels of wheels when traveling on the rough terrain.
JP-A-2006-71042 discloses such a scraper structure for a vehicle. The scraper structure has a protruding portion on a brake caliper which constitutes a disk brake. The protruding portion is used as a scraper.
FIG. 3 and FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) in JP-A-2006-71042 will be described below.
In FIG. 3, a knuckle 88 is attached to a suspension arm attached to a vehicle body of a vehicle, a brake caliper 111 which constitutes a disk brake device is attached to the knuckle 88, and a protruding portion 131C as a scraper is formed at the upper end portion of a caliper bracket 131 provided on the brake caliper 111.
In FIGS.9(a) and 9(b), the protruding portion 131C is a part to scrape snow 201 or the like accumulated on the inner surface of rims 154a of a disk wheel 154.
Since the protruding portion 131C is provided at the end of the caliper bracket 131, it is supposed that even when the protruding portion 131C scrapes the snow 201, the scraped snow 201 falls on the inner surface of the lower rim 154a of the disk wheel 154 and is accumulated again.
Furthermore, when a large amount of snow 201 is accumulated inside the disk wheel 154, a structure to allow easy discharge of the snow 201 out of the disk wheel 154 is necessary as well as to simply scrape the snow 201.


A digital sampling oscilloscope (DSO) includes a housing, an analog measurement input interface arranged in a housing wall of the housing and a measurement acquisition system having a digitizer and an acquisition memory coupled to the digitizer. The measurement acquisition system is integrated into the housing and coupled to the analog measurement input interface. The DSO further includes a signal generator integrated into the housing. An operation mode control signal output interface is arranged in a housing wall of the housing. The signal generator is coupled to the operation mode control signal output interface and is configured to output an operation mode control signal to a device under test (DUT) connected to both the operation mode control signal output interface and the analog measurement input interface for controlling a test operation mode of the DUT.

Electronic equipment, such as a mobile communication device or a mobile computing device, is subject to various electronic tests after production. Such tests are generally necessary to ensure proper configuration, calibration and functionality of various elements of the devices under test (DUT). For testing purposes, specific testing devices are employed which simulate a testing environment under predefined testing conditions. For example, testing devices may employ one or more specific testing routines with predefined testing schedules. Those testing schedules regularly involve input of particular test signal sequences into the DUT and/or reception of responses to testing signals input to the DUT. Such responses may be evaluated for consistency, constancy, timeliness and other properties of an expected behaviour of the DUT.
For example, DUTs may employ serial data transmission such as under the universal serial bus protocol (USB). To that end, DUTs may have serial interfaces and corresponding data transmission modules operating according to serial data transmission standards.
Testing contemporary DUTs is currently very time-consuming: Given the high complexity of modern electronic equipment and its proliferation as mass product, testing each and every DUT suffers from potentially low throughput and high costs associated with the testing cycles, slowing down manufacturing processes and verification procedures. Thus, there is an increasing demand in solutions for testing electronic devices in a more efficient manner. In particular, solutions that improve testing speed, testing quality and testing costs of electronic equipment, particularly electronic equipment operating under serial data transmission standards, are highly sought after.
For example, document CN 108 828 286 A discloses integrated electronic test equipment.

Oscilloscope and method for testing a device under test


A novelty drinking straw assembly and its method of construction. The drinking straw assembly has a straw tube through which fluid is drawn. A first magnet is disposed within the straw tube. The first magnet is part of a rotor mechanism that rotates when fluid is drawn through the straw tube. A novelty object is disposed around a section of the straw tube. The novelty object has at least one second magnet. The magnets in the novelty object interact with the first magnet contained within the straw tube. This magnetic field interaction causes the novelty object to move about the straw tube whenever the straw is in use and the first magnet is rotating within the straw tube.

1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to novelty straws that are used to drink beverages. More particularly, the present invention is related to straws, where the flow of fluid through the straw is utilized to create mechanical motion of a secondary object.
2. Background Art
Drinking straws have been utilized by people throughout recorded history. In this long period of time there have been many inventions that relate to drinking straws. The prior art history is therefore replete with references that address different straw designs and styles.
Generally speaking, a straw is a tube having one end that can be placed in a beverage. A person brings the straw to their mouth and draws the beverage into their mouth through the structure of the straw. Since a straw allows a person to drink without having to lift a full cup, straws are often provided to children who have difficulty handling a cup or beverage can without spilling its contents. Since straws are particularly popular with children, straws have often been formed into unusual shapes in order to increase the novelty of the straw and its appeal to a child. For example, straws have commonly been made with multiple turns and loops. A child can then watch the progress of a fluid flowing through the turns of the straw while drinking through the straw.
In a few prior art straw designs, the flow of fluid through the straw is used to cause movement of decorative elements contained within a straw. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,273 to Karterman, entitled Amusement Drinking Straw, a straw is shown having an internal rotor. The rotor rotates within the straw as liquid flows past the rotor.
In other prior art straw patents, the flow of liquid through the straw is converted into mechanical energy that is used to move an object that is external to the straw. Such prior art straws are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,332,622 to Lombard, entitled Drinking Straw. With such prior art drinking straw designs, a rotor is positioned within the straw. The rotor turns a shaft that extends out through the side of the straw. The shaft then is used to turn an external object that is attached to the exterior of the straw.
A problem shared by all such prior art straws that have external moving elements, is that a hole must be formed through the structure of the straw in order for a rotating shaft to pass out of the straw. This hole may allow liquid to leak or even squirt out of the straw while the straw is being used. Furthermore, the thin wall structure of the straw is used as the support for the rotating shaft as it extends out of the straw. Consequently, if the external moving element is pushed, pulled, stopped or otherwise contacted, the force is received by the thin wall of the straw. Thus, even the smallest of forces received by the shaft can cause damage to the structure of the straw. The straw must therefore be manufactured with a reinforced wall or it should be expected that the novelty straw structure will only function for a short time before it breaks.
A need therefore exists for a new novelty straw design that has moving elements that are external to the straw, yet is structurally strong and highly resistant to damage. This need is met by the present invention as it is described and claimed below.

Novelty straw and associated method of operation


A method of reversible spatial mode selection and conversion between waveguides and free space is presented using a multiplexed volume Bragg grating (MVBG). The MVBG has an inherent angular selectivity, providing different losses for different transverse modes and converting a higher order mode in waveguide to a single fundamental mode in free space. Using the device in a resonator allows for a pure higher order mode to be guided and amplified in the gain medium, to increase the mode area, to extract accumulated excitation more efficiently, and, therefore, to increase gain of the amplifier. In the same resonator, the device is able to convert the higher order mode to a high brightness Gaussian beam in free space or to a fundamental mode in a waveguide.

Volume Bragg gratings (VBG) are diffractive optical elements. They are typically holographically recorded by exposing a photo-sensitive material to a two-beam interference pattern, creating a spatial sinusoidal refractive index modulation. An incident wave that satisfies the Bragg condition will be diffracted at an angle determined by a grating vector and a wave vector of an incident beam. Detuning from the Bragg condition in either angle or wavelength will reduce the diffraction efficiency, meaning the element typically has narrow spectral and angular selectivity. In the past, these features have been useful for spectral beam combining, spectral narrowing of laser output, spectral filtering, and transverse mode selection in laser resonators.
Another important feature of these gratings is that several holographic elements can be recorded within the photosensitive material, forming a multiplexed volume Bragg grating (MVBG). By designing such a holographic element to diffract two incident beams of a specific wavelength, which are incident at different angles, along a shared path, each grating will interact with one another, allowing multiple incident wavefronts to coherently interact.
In the past, these multiplexed gratings have been used as elements to coherently combine multiple outputs from separate laser resonators, allowing for the mode area to be increased by a factor equal to the number of gratings recorded in the photosensitive material.
An example of a recording medium for VBGs is photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) glass, which is a photosensitive glass with a high laser damage threshold, low absorption, and wide transparency region, making it a suitable substrate for high power systems. This glass is photosensitive in the near UV spectral region and it is transparent from 350 to 2700 nm. Recording of MVBGs has previously been demonstrated, allowing for the design and construction of coherently combined fiber lasers.
Recording VBGs in PTR glass has enabled the design of narrow band spectral and angular filters. The use of angular filters as a transverse mode selecting element has been demonstrated in several types of resonators. In both solid state and fiber lasers, single transmission VBGs have been used to angularly filter the higher order modes, allowing only the fundamental mode to oscillate in the resonator, improving the beam quality and brightness of the laser. In diode lasers, a tilted VBG was used to provide feedback for one of the lobes of a higher order mode. For this system, only half of the two lobed far field profile is diffracted providing feedback while the second lobe is transmitted as the output power. Although a higher order mode oscillates within the resonator, a single, diffraction limited beam is output from the system.
Creation of MVBGs, and their use to coherently combine several lasers, has been demonstrated in several publications. In these systems, multiple laser sources interfere on a single optical element, and depending on the relative phasing between the sources can constructively interfere to produce a single diffraction limited beam. Each laser source is in phase with each other, and N gratings are required to combine N laser sources, increasing the mode area by N times.
Previous methods of mode conversion depend on the use of binary phase plates, which consist of a number of π phase discontinuities proportional to the mode number being converted to. Such an element, when placed in the near field image of the mode profile, will either correct the it phase discontinuities of the higher order mode to convert it to a fundamental mode, or will add a number phase discontinuities to a fundamental mode to convert it to a higher order mode. However, such elements: (1) have the distinct disadvantage of not providing angular selectivity, meaning they cannot be used as an angular filter in a resonator and (2) can be difficult to manufacture due to the strict requirements on the slope of the π phase discontinuity.
Previous methods of transverse mode selection using angularly selective elements force the fundamental mode to oscillate within the gain medium, improving beam divergence while reducing the mode area. A previous method of higher order mode selection using a tilted VBG could select a single higher order mode, but did not provide the mode conversion outside of the gain medium.
Previous applications of a MVBG to coherently combine several laser systems required N gratings to be recorded in a single optical element to increase the mode area N times. This requirement places serious constraints on the minimum thickness of the MVBG, increasing heating when used in a high power system.
The inventors have recognized the benefits and advantages of systems and methods enabling mode selection and conversion that would allow the mode area of a single laser to be increased without requiring more than two gratings to be recorded within a single optical element. It would be particularly advantageous to allow the mode area to increase as a function of the angular selectivity of each grating and the angular difference between the incident wavevectors, allowing the mode area to increase independently of the number of gratings recorded in the MVBG. Mode conversion with a MVBG has the advantage of either providing both mode selection and mode conversion in a resonator, or mode conversion in a passive system.
These and other objects, benefits, and advantages provided by the solutions enabled by the embodied invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying figures and as set forth in the appended claims.

Optical system including multiplexed volume Bragg grating, methods, and applications

University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


A socket configured to electrically connect a first electric component and a second electric component, the socket including: a base part including a top surface and a bottom surface; a contact pin provided to extend through the base part and including a pin lower end exposed from the bottom surface; and an abutment part provided in the base part, and including an abutment lower end, the abutment lower end being exposed from the bottom surface to abut on the second electric component and configured to be movable in a vertical direction, the abutment part being configured such that the abutment lower end abuts on the second electric component approaching, in a process of attaching the second electric component, the base part from below to adjust a posture of the base part with respect to the second electric component.

In the related art, IC sockets have been known as sockets for electrically connecting electrical components such as so-called IC packages, which contain integrated circuits (ICs), to external electrical components. IC sockets are used, for example, to inspect the electrical characteristics of the electrical components in shipping inspection of the electrical components.
The IC socket includes, in the base, a contact pin for electrical connection between the electrical component and an external electrical component (e.g., a wiring board). The electrical component is placed on the top side of the base, and the wiring board is attached to the bottom side of the base (see PTL 1). The contact pin is extended through the base, and the lower end of the contact pin is exposed from the lower surface of the base for electrical connection with the wiring board. The wiring board also includes an electrode configured for electrical connection with the lower end of the contact pin and protruded from the surface of the substrate.


The apparatus includes an electrical circuit for producing a high voltage at a high frequency with very little current and an elongated and electrically insulated electrical conductive member coupled to the circuit for producing an electrical discharge when in close proximity to a metal object in the ground. The electrical circuit is capable of producing 50,000 volts and higher. In using the apparatus, the electrical conductive member may be moved to scan the ground over a metal object to obtain an image of the shape of the metal object.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the detection of buried land mines and metal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During acts of war, land mines are buried in the ground for the destruction of vehicles and/or personnel.
Currently there are many land mines buried in the ground throughout the world, their presence of which is unknown and which continue to render harm to vehicles and people.
A number of prior devices have been used in the detection of land mines. One such device is a magnetic coil. The magnetic coil can detect metal and can provide magnitude or intensity readings but it cannot provide configuration information and hence it cannot distinguish whether the metal detected is a land mine or some other form of metal.
Microwave devices have been used, however, the penetration of microwaves into the ground is very limited and these devices generally cannot detect deep mines or the new land mines which are mostly plastic.
Chemical resonance systems have been used to look for nitrogen in TNT, however, these systems are very bulky and heavy and their sweeping or scanning ability is limited.

Metal detection system and process using a high voltage to produce a visible electrical discharge


A process for preventing the formation of a solid phase from hydrocarbons and water in a fluid is disclosed. A physical disturbance is transmitted to the fluid intermittently in time to prevent the formation of crystalline bonds in the fluid.

The present invention relates to a process and to a system for inhibiting the formation of crystalline bonds and preventing the formation of a solid phase notably in a fluid comprising several phases of different natures, by subjecting the fluid to a physical disturbance.
The present invention notably applies fields where fluids evolve in time and form at least a solid phase and/or crystals as a function for example of external conditions to which they are subjected, such as temperature and pressure conditions.
The present invention can advantageously be applied to prevent the formation of hydrates, notably light hydrocarbon hydrates, such as natural gas hydrates, petroleum gas hydrates or hydrates of other gases in a fluid.

Process for preventing the formation of a solid phase from hydrocarbons in a fluid


A combination confocal and scanning probe microscope system permits accurate location of a sample within the field of view as the sample translates from one type of microscope to the other. Alternate embodiments permit both microscopes to view the same sample location at the same time. Further alternate embodiments include a confocal and a probe microscope integrated into a common optical path.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a scanning probe microscope in combination with a confocal microscope and method for operating the resulting combination microscope. This invention more specifically relates to the use of a confocal microscope for detecting features in a wider field of view than that of the probe of the scanning probe microscope and then employing the probe microscope to examine the detail of features identified by the confocal microscope. The present invention also relates to the field of scanning probe microscopes, including probe microscopes that use either interference of light beam detection schemes or reflected beam position detectors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following U.S. Patents are incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,550, issued 19 Jan. 1999, to David J. Ray for SCANNING FORCE MICROSCOPE
U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,669, issued 23 Feb. 1999, to David J. Ray for SCANNING FORCE MICROSCOPE WITH REMOVABLE PROBE ILLUMINATOR ASSEMBLY
U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,503, issued 31 Oct. 2000, to David J. Ray for SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPE SYSTEM INCLUDING REMOVABLE PROBE SENSOR ASSEMBLY
U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,373, issued 20 Feb. 2001, to David J. Ray for SCANNING FORCE MICROSCOPE AND METHOD FOR BEAM DETECTION AND ALIGNMENT
U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,654, issued 9 Jul. 2002, to David J. Ray for SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPE SYSTEM INCLUDING REMOVABLE PROBE SENSOR ASSEMBLY
U.S. Pat. No. 6,748,794, issued 15 Jun. 2004, to David James Ray for METHOD FOR REPLACING A PROBE SENSOR ASSEMBLY ON A SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPE
U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,368, issued 28 Jun. 2005, to David J. Ray for REMOVABLE
PROBE SENSOR ASSEMBLY AND SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPE U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,189,373, 6,415,654, 6,748,794, and 6,910,368 to Ray
Probe microscopes belong to a family of microscopes that use a small probe to detect and measure features in micrometer, nanometer and sub nanometer dimensions. Confocal microscopes, on the other hand, use apertures or a tightly focused laser beam in combination with an aperture or apertures for observing a sample surface. The present invention uses the advantages of each of these microscopes to obtain results that neither can individually obtain.
One type of probe microscope uses a light beam, often created by a laser, wherein the beam is directed at a reflecting surface on the free end of a cantilever. The cantilever surface opposing the reflecting surface includes a probe tip that senses some parameter of the sample surface. The combination of cantilever and probe are often referred to as a probe assembly. If the probe tip experiences a force, then the cantilever will bend or deflect. The deflection may be either toward the sample surface, if the force is attractive, or away from the surface, if the force is repulsive. The deflection may be measured by the beam of light is reflected from the reflecting surface of the cantilever. The position of the reflected beam may be determined by interposing an array of photo-detectors in the path of the reflected beam. Alternately the deflection of the cantilever may be detected by an interference detector that compares the light phase of the reflected beam with the light phase of the original beam. A probe microscope that exploits the phenomenon of a force exerted on the probe tip as a result of tip's proximity to another body is commonly known as a Scanning Force Microscope. In practice as the tip is moved in the X, Y plane the tip encounters different sample surface elevations. A computer is then used to display the cantilever deflection angle, or the positioning signal required to restore the cantilever to a specified deflection angle, as a function of the probe tip X, Y position. Using graphic techniques an image of the sample surface is recreated on the computer display.
If the forces detected are the inter-atomic forces between the atoms on the sample surface and the atoms of the probe tip then the probe tip is typically shaped like and acts in the fashion of a stylus as it is moved over the sample surface. A microscope that uses this phenomenon is typically referred to as an Atomic Force Microscope.
When used to image the topography of a sample, the scanning force microscope uses the finely pointed stylus to interact with a sample surface. Scanning force microscopes are typically used to measure the three dimensional topography of a sample surface. A scanning mechanism in the microscope creates relative motion between the stylus and the sample surface. Other classes of probe microscopes may use different types of probes to measure sample features other than topography. For example, the interaction of a magnetic probe with the sample may create an image of the magnetic domains of the sample. Scanning tunneling microscopes use a conductor with a sharp point and a small bias voltage to sense a sample surface which is then used to form an image of charge density.
Confocal microscopes operate by bringing, substantially, a point source of light to focus on a sample surface. An image of the point of light on the surface is then brought to focus at or near an aperture. The light then continues through the aperture on a path to a photo-detector that measures the intensity of the light. If the image of the approximate point source is in focus at the aperture, the aperture passes substantially all the light and the detector output is maximized. If the image is not in focus at the aperture the aperture vignettes a portion of the light and the detector output is less than if the aperture were located directly at the focus point of the light.
In modern confocal microscopes a disc containing a sequence of apertures may be used. By moving or rotating the disc, one aperture in the sequence passes light from a point on a specific location of the sample to the detector. When the disc is rotated the next aperture in the sequence of apertures passes light from different location on the sample to the detector. If the focus point of the light on the sample is above or below the actual surface of the sample then the detector will measure slightly less light passing through the aperture. The detector output at each aperture in the sequence can be processed by computer to create a data set that represents the relative intensity of the points on the sample. By changing the focus point of the light on the surface relative to the disc containing the apertures or by moving the disc to a slightly different Z position different planes of in focus light will be created at the apertures and a different set of surface data will result. The different data sets will essentially show all sample points that intersect the focus plane of any particular aperture as having greater intensity than sample points not in the focal plane of that aperture. A computer may be used to process the data sets to display a three dimensional image on the computer display device. The light source may be either a focused point source of white light or a focused source of laser or coherent light.
Each of these microscope types (confocal and probe) have advantages and disadvantages. Confocal microscopes can create images with very high resolution in the Z axis but typically have limited resolution in the X and Y axes to that of normal optical microscopes. Typically confocal microscopes have wider fields of view than probe microscopes. Probe microscopes on the other hand have greater resolution in the X, Y, and Z axes, but have fields of view that are restricted by the speed of the scan and the range of the scanning mechanisms.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,030,369, 6,339,217 and 6,515,277 to Kley address some aspects of the deficiencies of confocal and probe microscopes by describing an invention that directs light through a transparent probe or a portion of a transparent probe. In this case the light is recovered by a photo detector back through the probe. While this approach improves on the current art it does not completely solve the problems of scan speed and field of view. The apparatus described by Kley uses an X, Y translator to move the sample. As a consequence large samples pose technical problems in the form of the size and force that must be employed by the Kley sample translator in moving large samples at speeds that will result in acceptable scan times.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,082 to Hansma et. al. also describes an apparatus for combining a confocal and a probe microscope. Here again the sample moves while the scanning probe microscope and the confocal apparatus remain fixed in space. The same deficiencies as in the Kley patents are inherent in the Hansma et. al. microscope.
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the individual confocal and probe microscopes and leverages the advantages of both.

Integrated scanning probe microscope and confocal microscope


The objective of this invention is to provide a motor which can reduce occurrence of a torque reduction in the overload, and also lower the temperature of a motor main body immediately even in the case of a temperature rise in the motor main body.

FIG. 10 shows a stator structure that is incorporated in a conventional motor, and in this Figure, reference numeral 1 represents a stator main body, 2 represents a rotor, 4 represents a slot and 17 represents a tooth having a widened portion on its tip. Here, this Figure is a partial drawing that is ¼ divided, and actually, both the stator main body and the rotor have a 360-degree circumferential shape. Moreover, this Figure illustrates a winding specification per one phase.
In the stator structure shown in FIG. 10, the stator main body 1 has a plurality of slots 4 and teeth 17, and a coil (not shown) is wound on each of the teeth 17 in a concentrated winding system to finally form a stator. Further, a rotor 2 having a gear shape is maintained on the circumference of the stator main body 1 so as to freely rotate concentrically with the stator 1, in a manner so as to face the stator main body 1 through an air gap 19 formed on the inner circumferential side thereof.
The motor having a stator structure of this type is referred to as a reluctance motor, and, for example, the reluctance motor shown in FIG. 10, which has eighteen slots in the stator main body with twelve teeth of the rotor, is referred to as a 18/12 reluctance motor.
The reluctance motor is constituted by only laminated electromagnetic steel plates and coils, and the number of the teeth is eighteen that is the same as the number of the slots, and each of the teeth is individually provided with a coil in the concentrated winding system.
When a coil current is allowed to flow in a direction shown in FIG. 10 (symbol ∘ indicates a direction of current flowing from the rear side to the surface side of the Figure, and symbol ∘X indicates a direction of current flowing from the surface side to the rear side of the Figure), the rotor 2 is attracted by a magnetomotive force generated by the coil current of the stator main body 1 and, in the example of FIG. 10, a torque is generated clockwise so that it is allowed to continuously rotate by switching the phase of the current to be applied in accordance with the rotation position of the rotor. Formula (1) shows a torque formula of the reluctance torque.
                    T        =                              1            2                                          i            2                                                        ∂              L                                      ∂              θ                                                          (        1        )
In formula (1), "T" represents a torque, "i" represents a current, "L" represents a winding inductance and "θ" represents a rotation position. As clearly shown by formula (1), torque "T" is proportional to the square of current "i", and is also proportional to the rate of change of winding inductance "L" by rotor position "θ".
In the stator main body 1 of a conventional reluctance motor, with respect to the width of the tooth 17, a tooth width "W2" on the side facing the air gap 19 of the rotor 2 outside the main body is wider than a tooth width "W1" on the slot bottom face side.
The reason that the tooth width "W2" on the surface side facing the air gap 19 is made wider is because this structure prevents the coil wound inside the slot from jumping out of the slot 4 during the rotation of the motor, and also makes it possible to increase the amount of magnetic flux that enters the stator main body 1 from the rotor 2 through the air gap 19.
FIG. 11 shows a current-torque characteristic of the conventional reluctance motor having the stator structure shown in FIG. 10. In this FIG. 11, the theoretical value, calculated from formula (1), is indicated by a broken line, and the measured value is indicated by a solid line. Since the torque is proportional to the square of the current as shown in formula (1), the torque characteristic is represented by the theoretical value; however, actually, the torque increasing rate becomes lower as the current increases, resulting in a characteristic as indicated by the solid line.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional reluctance motor, as the current increases, the torque increasing rate becomes lower, with the result that the torque decreases in comparison with the theoretical value.
This is because when the current increases due to an excessive load, a magnetic saturation occurs in the rotor and stator to cause a reduction in inductance "L".
In recent years, along with growing consciousness for the global environment, various equipments that take this point into consideration have been proposed, and many products of this type have been supplied to the market. In the field of automobiles also, automobiles, which use motors and an internal combustion engine using conventional fossil fuel or use only motors, that is, so-called electric automobiles, have been developed and sold.
The major subject with such automobiles is how to improve the mileage, and with respect to the motor to be used therein, there have been strong demands for small size and light weight.
Therefore, with respect to motors to be used with short-time rating, for example, those used in ABS devices and the like, in the case of the motor that causes a torque reduction when an attempt is made to obtain a predetermined torque, it is necessary to increase the thickness of laminated layers or the like, and this causes an increase in the weight, and the subsequent increase in the weight of the automobile or the like to carry the motor. Consequently, the mileage is lowered.
Moreover, the motor has an abrupt temperature rise due to use with short-time rating, resulting in degradation in reliability of insulating materials and the like.

Abstract: This motor comprises: a stator 20 that is constituted by a stator main body 1 having a plurality of slots 4 formed on the circumference of the main body with equal intervals from each other and teeth 3 each of which is located between the slots 4, and extends outward along the radial direction from the slot bottom face of the slots 4 with the same width, and a coil bobbin 7 that is attached to each of the teeth 3 of the stator main body 1, and is formed by winding a wire 6 around a bobbin 5 that has been preliminarily made from an insulating material such as a resin, in a concentrated winding system; and a rotor 2 that is maintained on the circumference of the stator 20 concentrically with the stator main body 1, in a manner so as to face the stator main body 1 through a predetermined air gap 19.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A polishing pad having a polishing layer comprising a thermoset polyurethane foam, wherein the thermoset polyurethane foam contains, as raw material components, an isocyanate component, and active-hydrogen-containing compounds, and the active-hydrogen-containing compounds comprise one or more polyol compounds (each) having two or more functional groups, and a monool compound having one functional group.

In general, the mirror polishing of a semiconductor wafer such as a silicon wafer, a lens, a glass substrate, or some other is divided to rough polishing for a main purpose of adjusting the polished matter in flatness and in-plane evenness, and finish polishing for a main purpose of improving the matter in surface roughness, and removing scratches.
The finish polishing is usually attained by causing sueded artificial leather made of a soft foamed polyurethane to adhere onto a rotatable table, and rubbing a wafer against the leather while a polishing agent wherein colloidal silica is contained in an aqueous
s alkali-based solution is supplied thereonto (Patent Document 1).
However, when the polishing layer, which is made of the foamed polyurethane used for finish polishing, is low in flatness, there is caused a problem that tiny undulations are generated in the surface of the matter to be polished. The tiny undulations have been in particular considered to be a problem in the field of recent finish polishing. Thus, it has been intensely required in the market to supply a polishing pad capable of attaining a further decrease of tiny undulations.
Patent Document 2 listed up below describes a polishing cloth, for decreasing tiny undulations generated in the surface of a matter to be polished, wherein a polyurethane foam is arranged for a surface layer. However, this document never describes any specific formulation or composition of the polyurethane foam, or any matter related thereto. Furthermore, the cloth has a room for a further improvement from the viewpoint of the effect of decreasing the tiny undulations.    Patent Document 1: JP-A-2003-37089    Patent Document 2: JP-A-2004-136432

Polishing pad, manufacturing method therefor, and method for manufacturing a semiconductor device


An electronics assembly, for example for use as a network server, comprises a frame that encloses a number of components of the assembly, a facia panel that is attached to a surface of the frame, and is formed as an upper and a lower part that are retained together generally horizontally. The assembly includes a printed circuit board for providing information relating to the assembly, the printed circuit board being located within the facia panel between the two parts. The frame and the fascia panel have a locating element at each side of the fascia panel for ensuring correct positioning of the panel with respect to the frame.

The present invention relates to electronics assemblies, and is primarily concerned with racked assemblies. Many such assemblies will be located in racks for housing in for example nineteen inch cabinets, or other size cabinets such as twenty three inch cabinets or metric cabinets. The assemblies may for instance be employed as servers for a number of systems, for example in local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), telecommunications systems or other operations such as database management or as internet servers.
Such an assembly will typically comprise a supporting chassis or frame that houses a motherboard or backplane and a number of daughterboards or module cards that extend in planes generally perpendicular to the plane of the motherboard. One form of assembly includes so-called "RAS computers" that is to say, computers that need to provide a high degree of reliability, availability and serviceability, and which therefore need to maximise the length of time during which the computer is operational.
Where any parts of the computer need to be replaced, it is advantageous if they can be replaced without needing to switch the computer off. The serviceability, including typical time to replace parts and special tool requirements can also contribute to the system availability by affecting the probability of repair success.


A computerized image and document management system for tent-based retrieval integrating content-based retrieval support directly into the compressed files. The system minimizes a weighted sum of the expected size of the compressed files and the expected query response time. Object searching of documents stored by the system is possible on a scalable resolution basis. The system includes a novel object representation based on embedded prototypes that provides for high-quality browsing of retrieval images at low bit rates.

Sophisticated data management techniques are typically required for large image collections and databases, such as online digital libraries, digital art collections, biomedical imagery, merchandise catalogs, satellite imagery, and fingerprint and mug-shot imagery. The use of such image (data) management systems is necessary in order to efficiently store the image collection and provide content-based searching of the images. The systems assist users to retrieve relevant images based on their content (e.g., specific colors, textures, shapes, etc.).
Traditionally, data compression has been used to efficiently store the images, and a separate indexing structure has been used to permit retrieval of the images. That is, image management systems typically treat compression and indexing as separate entities. For example, the use of inverted files as a separate indexing entity is described in G. Salton, "Introduction to Modern Information Retrieval" (New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill, 1983). For further example, the use of signature files as a separate indexing entity is described in I.H. Witten, et al., "Managing Gigabytes: Compressing and Indexing Documents and Images" (New York, N.Y.: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1994).
The data management systems in which separate indexing entities are used are highly redundant and inefficient, which leads to excessive use of storage space and slow access times. Although compression efficiently represents the data, the separate indexing structure must also be stored. Since a separate indexing structure is redundant and requires additional storage space, the data management system is inefficient. Furthermore, a complete index may be as large as the compressed data, resulting in long search times.

Image and document management system for content-based retrieval