A portable data storage device includes a main circuit board, a stack of memory circuit boards mounted on the main circuit board, and a USB port pivoted to one end of the main circuit board and adapted to electrically connect the main circuit board to, for example, the USB port of a personal computer at one of a series of angular positions.

The present invention relates to a portable data storage device and, more particularly, to a computer readable portable data storage device, which is comprised of a main circuit board, a memory circuit board coupled to the main circuit board, and a USB (universal serial bus) port pivoted to the main circuit board and adapted to electrically connected the main circuit board to the USB port of a personal computer.
A regular portable data storage device is readable to a computer, and can be connected to the USB port of a personal computer for enabling the user to transmit data between the personal computer and the portable data storage device. When connecting a portable data storage device to the USB port of a personal computer, the major part of the portable data storage device perpendicularly protrudes over the outside wall of the housing of the personal computer at a distance, and the protruded part of the portable data storage device tends to be impacted accidentally, causing a short circuit or a damage to the circuit.
The present invention has been accomplished to provide a computer readable portable data storage device, which eliminates the aforesaid problem. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a computer readable portable data storage device, which can be turned to an angular position close to the outside wall of the housing of the computer after its installation in the USB port of the computer, preventing an impact accident. According to the present invention, the computer readable portable data storage device comprises a main circuit board, a memory circuit board coupled to the main circuit board, and a USB (universal serial bus) port pivoted to the main circuit board and adapted to electrically connected the main circuit board to the USB port of a personal computer. The USB port of the computer readable portable data storage device can be turned relative to the main circuit board within a limited angle so that the main circuit board can be set in position close to the housing of the computer after connection of the USB port of the computer readable portable data storage device to the USB port of the computer.

Computer readable portable data storage device


A battery pack provided with a current cut-off device connected in series with batteries, a tamper detector to detect tampering and issue a tamper signal, and a control circuit connected to the tamper detector. If the tamper detector detects tampering with the battery pack, the control circuit switches the current cut-off device off to shut off current to the batteries, or it issues a tamper signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a battery pack that detects case disassembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
User disassembly of the case or modification of a battery pack containing batteries and protection circuitry compromises safety and its prevention is necessary. To implement this, a tamper-prevention feature has been developed that attaches an external label to the surface of the case, and evidence of tampering remains if that label (seal) is broken (see Japanese Patent Application Disclosures 2003-68267, 2002-311836, and 2003-195767). Since the external labels cited in these patent disclosures leave evidence of tampering, they are useful in determining the root cause when a failure or customer-claim develops. Further, as a result of prior knowledge that the external label will leave evidence of tampering if broken, the label has the effect of suppressing the user's initiative to tamper and thereby is linked to tamper-prevention.

Battery pack capable of detecting tampering


Systems and methods for displaying three-dimensional (3D) images are described. In particular, the systems can include a display block made from a transparent material with optical elements three-dimensional disposed therein. Each optical element becomes luminous when illuminated by a light ray. The systems can also include a computing device configured to generate two-dimensional (2D) images formatted to create 3D images when projected on the display block, by a video projector coupled to the computing device. The video projector is configured to project the 2D images on the block to create the 3D images by causing a set of the passive optical elements to become luminous. Various other systems and methods are described for displaying 3D images.

Systems for displaying images (for both static and video images) have become a ubiquitous part of our everyday lives. For example, televisions provide viewers with news and entertainment. Display monitors used in computers and cellular phones enable users to interact with a variety of devices and various forms of information via images displayed on the monitors. High quality digital display systems have also emerged as possible replacements for physical media such as photographs and paintings. Recently, home theater systems with large projection display systems allow viewers to enjoy theater-like experience in their homes.
Despite the advancement of technologies relating to display systems, most conventional display systems only display two-dimensional (2D) images. A viewer, however, perceives the world in three dimensions by perceiving depth in addition to the horizontal and vertical dimensions. Because 2D images do not contain depth information, they appear to be less realistic to a viewer. A system that can display static or dynamic 3D images in high resolution is therefore desirable over 2D display systems. Moreover, in some situations, it is also desirable that a 3D display system simultaneously provide different perspectives of a 3D scene to viewers who are located at different angles with respect to the 3D scene. Such a system also allows a viewer to move around the 3D scene and gain different perspectives of the scene.
Several approaches have been used or proposed to display 3D images. One approach is to project two different images on one screen. The two different images contain the same scene captured from two different angles. A viewer is required to wears glasses that separate the combined image into the two different images. In particular, the glasses cause each eye of the viewer to perceive one of the two different images. This separation is possible because each image uses a distinct color (e.g., red and blue) or polarization. However, this approach suffers from the drawback that viewers must wear glasses in order to have a 3D experience.
A second conventional approach is to combine multiple 2D images of a scene, captured from different angles, into a single 2D image. In this approach, a set of adjacent pixels in the combined 2D image plays the role of a single pixel. Each pixel in the set of pixels corresponds to the same point in a scene, but has different brightness and color corresponding to a different perspective. A pinhole or a slit is placed at some distance from the set of pixels. For each point in the scene to be displayed, the pinhole or slit passes different color and brightness in different angles. Therefore, the eyes of a viewer perceive images that correspond to two different perspectives of a 3D scene. As a viewer moves around, the viewer also obtains different perspectives of the 3D scene being displayed. Instead of a pinhole or a slit, sometimes a lens is used. However, this approach suffers from the drawback that spatial resolution is significantly reduced.
A third conventional approach is to trade-off brightness resolution for generating the needed directional variation in displayed colors or brightness. In this approach, a screen is rotated at a very high speed. The rotating screen covers a 3D region of space. Each point in the 3D region is illuminated only when the screen passes through that point. The screen completes at least one full rotation during the time the eye integrates a single image. Therefore, the two eyes perceive images that correspond to two different perspectives of a 3D scene. In this case, an enormous amount of light energy is needed for the scene to appear crisp and bright. In addition, it requires the continuous mechanical movement of an entire projection system. As a result, it is difficult to scale such an approach to cover reasonably large display spaces. Finally, this approach is limited because it does not adequately handle points that are hidden from the viewer. Because one does not know a priori where the viewer is located, all points in the 3D scene are lit. Hence, the points that should be hidden can be seen "through" other visible points.
Yet another conventional approach is to use a display block formed by a set of liquid crystal sheets stacked together. The cells of the sheets are of the "scattering" type. A high frame rate projector is used to illuminate the stack of sheets where each projected frame is scattered by a single liquid crystal sheet while the remaining sheets are fully transparent and hence let light pass through to the viewer. Because the integration time of the eye is greater than the time it takes to illuminate all the sheets, the viewer perceives a volume that is lit up at the appropriate locations. This approach also suffers from the drawback that an enormous amount of light energy is required to create a bright 3D scene. In addition, points that should be hidden are always visible to the viewer.
In other conventional volumetric display systems, the display blocks are made of materials that can locally respond to specific types of illumination. In one example, fluorescent materials are used that glow when illuminated with laser beams shone from multiple directions. Such displays do not create a four-dimensional light field because the directional radiance of each point cannot be controlled. As a result, the displayed image is a collection of translucent (ghost-like) glowing points of light that are visible from all directions. Finally, holographic methods have been suggested several times in the past as a possible alternative. Unfortunately, conventional holographic displays can only display low quality images.

Systems and methods for displaying three-dimensional images

The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York


A method for recognizing a pattern in a design of an integrated circuit (IC), comprising identifying a pattern correspondence element in a pattern instance. A pattern tree corresponding to the pattern instance is built. A list of candidate design correspondence elements in a design instance of the IC are built. Iteratively, for each design correspondence element in said list of candidate design correspondence elements each rank in a tree representation of said design instance built around said each design correspondence element is compared with corresponding rank in said pattern tree.

The design of most digital ICs is today a highly structured process based on a hardware description language (HDL) methodology. In an HDL method, the IC to be designed is first specified by a specification document. Then, the IC design is reduced to HDL code. This level of design abstraction is referred to as the register transfer level (RTL), and is typically implemented using an HDL language such as Verilog or VHDL. At the RTL abstraction, the IC design is specified by describing, in HDL code, the operations that are performed on data as it flows between circuit inputs, outputs, and clocked registers. The RTL description is referred to as the RTL code. The IC design, as expressed by the RTL code, is then synthesized to generate a gate-level description, or a netlist. The step of translating the architectural and functional descriptions of the design, represented by RTL code, to a lower level of representation of the design such as logic-level and gate-level descriptions is referred to as synthesis.
The IC design specification and the RTL code are technology independent. That is, the specification and the RTL code do not specify the exact gates or logic devices to be used to implement the design. However, the gate-level description of the IC design is generally technology dependent. This means that at this level the design is targeted to a specific manufacturing process. Generally, the design and manufacture of ICs is an expensive process. The expenses increase significantly towards the later stages of the design and manufacturing process. It is therefore necessary to provide tools that are capable of assisting the IC designer to detect design faults, also known as design "bugs", as early as possible in the design process. One such method is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/118,242, entitled "An Apparatus and Method for Handling of Multi-Level Circuit Design Data", assigned to the assignees of the present application, and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
In many instances it is useful to be able to recognize a certain type of pattern in a logic design description. Recognizing these patterns then allows more detailed analysis around them. Referring to FIG. 1, a portion of a circuit 100 containing a data synchronizer 110 is shown. The synchronizer is a structure used to ensure that data is faithfully passed between two asynchronous clock domains. The two clock domains represent two portions of a circuit that are capable of functioning independently, including but not limited to operating within different frequencies of operation, but which still need to maintain the capability of transferring data from one circuit to the other.
Though many techniques for implementing such a structure are known, most designers practically use only a few techniques. Mostly the techniques that are used are the ones that the designer has determined to be acceptable for a specific objective. Therefore, it would then be desirable to be able to check, as part of the verification process, that every instance of synchronization in the design uses only an approved technique.
Such a verification task, if done manually using visual aids, would of course be impractical for today's sophisticated ICs containing millions of transistors. In performing such verification at the RTL level, recognizing patterns from an RTL description is extremely complex. This is because circuits may be represented in functionally equivalent but syntactically different ways. It is further possible that some portion of the circuit may straddle hierarchy boundaries, or have other characteristics that make identification very difficult from the syntax description. Referring again to FIG. 1, the RTL representation of the synchronizer might appear (in Verilog) as:
always @(posedge CLK2) beginif ( sel ) sel_in <= ready;else sel <= sel_in;endor,always @(posedge CLK2) beginif ( sel ) out <= in;else out <= out;end
It should be noted that the above two examples are only a couple of the numerous ways that the same functionality could be shown using the syntax available for RTL description.

Pattern recognition in an integrated circuit design


The present invention relates to a cosmetic composition for wrinkle reduction comprising, as an active ingredient, a Gynostemma pentaphyllum gypenoside fraction and, more specifically, to a cosmetic composition for wrinkle reduction, wherein the Gynostemma pentaphyllum gypenoside fraction includes at least one gypenoside selected from the group consisting of gypenoside UL1, gypenoside UL2, gypenoside UL3, gypenoside UL4, gypenoside UL5, gypenoside UL6, and gypenoside UL7.

Collagen occupies most of an extracellular matrix (ECM), which is made in fibroblasts and secreted out of cells, accounts for about 75% of a dry weight of skin and about 90% of a dermal fibrous component, and maintains an elasticity of skin, while carrying out important functions such as playing a role as an intercellular matrix, functioning as a structural support, providing a tensile strength of skin, and the like. A synthesis and degradation of this collagen is appropriately adjusted in vivo. However, as aging progresses, such synthesis of collagen decreases and an expression of a matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs), an enzyme that degrades collagen, increases, thus creating a wrinkle.
There are many types of wrinkle. The wrinkle is divided into a static wrinkle and a dynamic wrinkle according to its characteristics, and also divided into a periorbital wrinkle, a nasolabial fold, etc., according to its locations. Furthermore, there is a transparent wrinkle, etc., which progresses inside the skin, though it is seemingly invisible.
To suppress such wrinkle from being formed, there may be effective methods for inhibiting a creation of the wrinkle, for example, by promoting a production of collagen or inhibiting an expression or activity of collagenase for degrading collagen, elastase for degrading elastin, or MMPs, a various matrix metalloproteinase enzyme. Out of these methods, there have been various ongoing researches on a method for using a substance for promoting the production of collagen.
Ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, retinol, super oxide dismutase (SOD), etc., have been used as a substance for reducing a skin wrinkle by promoting a production of collagen. However, their physical and chemical stability is remarkably low or their cost is high, so it has been a reality that they could not be used by such an effective amount as to show a substantial effect of reducing a skin wrinkle. Accordingly, there have been continuous research and development on using a natural plant material, which is comparatively inexpensive and has high stability, as a functional wrinkle-reducing cosmetic ingredient. Furthermore, wrinkle-reducing cosmetic ingredients derived from plant materials such as a noni fruit extract (Patent Registration KR 10-0844275), a forsythia fruit extract (Patent Registration KR 10-0825450), a green tea extract (Patent Registration KR 10-0757175), etc., have been developed, too. However, existing natural plant material extracts have a dark color or a strong scent, and happen to show a change in color or odor when being prepared as a cosmetic composition. Thus, there is a problem in that they are difficult to be actually applied to cosmetics.
Meanwhile, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, which is also called dolwoe or gyogoram, is a perennial vine of the family cucurbitaceae, growing wild in Korea's southern areas and islands such as Jeju Island, Ulleungdo Island, etc., as well as China and Japan. It naturally grows in forests of mountains or fields. It grows getting tangled by its rhizomes which extend to the side direction and have joints with white hair, or climbs by its tendrils. A tea obtained by drying Gynostemma pentaphyllum leaves is generally called a Gynostemma tea, which restores functions of internal organs, shows an anti-stress effect and anti-oxidant effect, and is also known to have an effect on asthma, bronchitis, ulcer, etc. Furthermore, Gynostemma pentaphyllum has been well-known for its skin care effect and it is also said that women in China and North Korea have drunk dolwoe tea (Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino) from old times to maintain a healthy skin.

Cosmetic composition for wrinkle reduction containing gypenoside isolated from


A resistor formed by a laminated structure having a resistance body interposed between two conductive plates, electrical connection members being connected to the conductive plates, and a method for manufacturing the resistor. The resistor includes a first connection portion formed on a first conductive plate by partially cutting off a laminate part of a second conductive plate and the resistance body, and a second connection portion formed on the second conductive plate by partially cutting off a laminate part of the first conductive plate and the resistance body. The method for manufacturing the resistor includes the steps of applying solder to one of the two conductive plates and the resistance body, thereafter passing the component through a high temperature oven and thereby melting the solder, and fixing the resistance body and the two conductive plates together in an electrically conductive state with the resistance body interposed between the two conductive plates, by solidifying the solder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to resistors, such as thermistors, and a resistor manufacturing method used to prevent an overcurrent from flowing when a motor is overloaded.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, in drive motors for power window devices of automobiles, positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistors are used to prevent an overcurrent from flowing when a motor is overloaded.
This type of thermistor has a three-layered laminated structure including a resistor material containing carbon in a resin material interposed between two conductive metal plates such as copper-plated iron plates or brass plates. Furthermore, the thermistor is installed in a motor, and electrical connection members such as lead wires are connected to the above described metal plates.
Such a thermistor has a laminated structure formed by interposing a resistor material between metal plates. Since electrical resistance increases as temperature rise, a pressure or a large current cannot be applied to the structure in the intact laminated state (or laminated shape). In other words, in a case in which electrical connection members such as lead wires are to be connected to the metal plates as described above, the presence of a resistor material prevents the connection of electrical connection members such as lead wires to the metal plates using spot or projection welding or the like while interposing the metal plates between electrodes. In addition, if connection is effected using these methods, pressure or heating deforms or melts the resin used as the binder of resistor material, and resistor characteristics are adversly affected. Furthermore, if lead wires or the like are connected to metal plates by soldering, adhesion strength becomes insufficient and endurance and reliability deteriorate.
FIGS. 15 and 16 show a conventional thermistor 110 of this type, having one pair of wire bound portions 112, 114 to which a terminal 22 and a brush pigtail 24 are connected and disposed in metal plates 116, 118 as shown. The wire bound portions 112, 114 are formed to project out from a main body portion 122 formed by the metal plates 116, 118 and a resistor material 120. Thereby, the brush pigtail 24 and the like are connected to the metal plates 116, 118 using spot or projection welding. As a result, the brush pigtail 24 and the like are connected to metal plates 116, 118 without adversely affecting resistance characteristics, and endurance and reliability can be assured.
The conventional thermistor 110 has a configuration in which the wire bound portions 112, 114 project out from the main body portion 122 including the metal plates 116, 118 and the resistor material 120, so drawbacks arise that involve numerous limitations on the direction in which the brush pigtail 24 and the like are connected, making components difficult to standardize and preventing the use of common manufacturing jigs.
In other words, the wire bound portions 112, 114 are disposed to project out from the main body portion 122, consequently reducing the disposition space within the motor of the application subject. Many limitations are thus placed on the connection space of the pigtail 24 and the like, and the degree of freedom in the connection space is low. In the thermistor 110, the forming positions of wire bound portions 112, 114 must therefore be varied with the motor type of the application subject, its installation position, or its installation direction. Connection portions are not, for example, always formed at the upper corners of the main body portion 122 as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, and they may have to be formed at lower corners of the main body portion or on the sides thereof. As a result, thermistors must be preset as dedicated components based on individual motors, and thermistors 110 so preset above require the wire bound portions to have different forming positions. Manufacturing jigs, as holding means (so-called pallets), must be preset as dedicated for individual thermistors 110 differing in overall shape. This results in factors adversely affecting cost and productivity.
Other preceding techniques known concerning PTCs, are PTCs improved in chip shape as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 62-254402, PTCs improved in electrode position as described in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (JP-U) No. 63-5601 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2-98113, and PTCs improved in electrode film as described in Japanese Patent Application Publication (JP-B) No. 59-24521.

Resistor and resistor manufacturing method


The present invention is one that is, in an exhaust gas analyzing apparatus used together with a CVS mechanism, adapted to be able to make an analysis with high accuracy, and an analyzing mechanism is provided with: a target component concentration meter that measures a moisture-influenced concentration related value that is a value related to concentration of a measuring target component in a state of being influenced by moisture; and a moisture concentration meter that measures a moisture concentration related value that is a value related to concentration of the moisture, and adapted to, on the basis of the moisture concentration related value, eliminate the influence of the moisture from the moisture-influenced concentration related value to calculate each of the first concentration related value and the second concentration related value.

As disclosed in JP-A2009-103689, this sort of exhaust gas analyzing apparatus is used together with a constant volume sampling (CVS) mechanism that is configured to sample a total amount of exhaust gas emitted from an internal combustion engine, mix diluent gas such as air with the exhaust gas to produce mixed gas, and make a flow rate of the mixed gas constant.
Specifically, this exhaust gas analyzing apparatus is one that is provided with: a mixed gas containing bag that samples and contains the mixed gas; a diluent gas containing bag that samples and contains the diluent gas; and an analyzing mechanism that analyzes the gases contained in the respective containing bags to measure, for example, concentrations of measuring target components contained in the gases, and by subtracting the concentration of the measuring target component contained in the diluent gas from the concentration of the measuring target component contained in the mixed gas, makes a background correction to calculate concentration of the measuring target component contained in the exhaust gas.
According to the above-described exhaust gas analyzing apparatus, by diluting the exhaust gas emitted from the internal combustion engine, the concentration of moisture contained in the mixed gas can be reduced. This makes it less likely to cause condensation of the moisture, and therefore makes it possible to suppress a measurement error due to a gas concentration change caused by water condensation or a dissolution loss of a water-soluble component.
Meanwhile, to measure a fuel consumption ratio of a vehicle, it is necessary to measure the concentration of CO2, and to do so, for example, a non-dispersive infrared absorption (NDIR) method is used.
However, in future, it is expected that measurement accuracy required for the fuel consumption ratio measurement is increased, but the conventional measurement method cannot respond to the expectation. This is because moisture contained in exhaust gas, which has been considered to have no problem in conventionally required measurement accuracy, may cause an adverse influence in terms of a CO2 measurement level required in future.
Generally, in order to suppress the influence of moisture, a technique such as condensing the moisture to drain it is also possible; however, as described above, the CVS mechanism is based on the major premise that dilution prevents moisture from being condensed, and therefore it is also not possible to employ such a technique.


The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for controlling/regulating photovoltaic systems (10b) which comprise a plurality of solar generators (14b) connected in series or/and connected in parallel. In order to prevent power loss of solar generators, which is based on the fact that not all solar generators are operated in the MPP thereof, each solar generator is associated with a variable energy bypass (68b) that is controlled/regulated in such a manner that each solar generator (14b) is operated continuously in its respective current specific MPP.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for controlling/regulating photovoltaic systems that comprise a plurality of solar generators connected in series and/or in parallel.
2. Description of Related Art
It is generally known that photovoltaic solar generators perform optimally only if the generator is operated at a specific operating point, i.e., the maximum power point, which is referred to as MPP in the following. With each generator, the MPP depends on the respective external operating conditions, in particular the current radiation intensity and the temperature as well as the condition of the generator itself, in particular as a condition of production tolerances, age, defects, contaminations, etc. For these reasons, each generator has a specific MPP current IMPP and/or a specific MPP voltage UMPP.
It is furthermore generally known that in photovoltaic systems, solar generators are connected in series to so-called strings so as to obtain specific output voltages. Depending on the desired output power, an appropriate number of strings are connected in parallel. The serial connection causes the current flowing through all of the solar generators of a string to be of the same strength. However, differences in the MPP currents of the individual solar generators of a string lead to a loss of performance of the photovoltaic system because not every solar generator can be operated in its optimal operating range.
The object to be attained by the invention is to reduce performance losses of solar generators connected in series and/or parallel.

Circuit arrangement for a photovoltaic system


A modular roof assembly adapted to be secured to a generally circular structure consisting of an essentially continuous upstanding wall to which the modular roof assembly may be fastened. The modular roof assembly comprises a predetermined number of roof panels to be positioned in a circular manner to form a generally conical configuration. A prime feature of the modular roof assembly is the uniquely configured, interlocking panel edges that virtually eliminate any concern for leakage through the panel joints or seams.

Buildings of the foregoing prior art patents are those having an upstanding vertical wall terminating in a roof along an upper edge thereof to enclose usuable space within the building. The walls include a lower, free standing edge spaced from a fixed foundation therewithin. Typically, the fixed foundation is defined by an outwardly facing wall spaced from the lower, free standing edge, where means are provided within the space to facilitate rotative movement between the fixed foundation and vertical wall.
While such buildings have gained success commercially, efforts to improve same have been directed primarily to the roller mechanism where binding was a concern. With that problem solved by the new roller assembly taught in (Atty Docket No. 175), attention has now shifted to the construction of the roof where leaks therein can present problems for the materials or products stored within the building. Experience has revealed other problems with modular type roof structures. For example, such roofs are often prone to rust or other premature deterioration or decay. Further, said roofs may have insufficient reinforcement to support the cumbersome weight of snow, ice or water. Additionally, as a result of the generally opaque character of the material used mi the manufacture of such roofs, interior lights must be used to view the contents of the particular structure. Finally, because the roofs are often of a single structure, damage to one part of the roof would typically require replacement of the entire roof, or even the entire building.
While the prior art patents noted above, to the inventor hereof, are directed primarily to the rotating mechanism, the commercial versions incorporating the teachings of the patents utilized a roofing structure consisting of a roof panel having an upturned edge angled at an acute angle toward the panel, and a C-configured channel overriding and slidably engaging a pair of such panel edges positioned side-by-side. One of the problems experienced occurred with ice and snow accumulation, and water leakage accompanying a thaw.
Other prior art roof structures are illustrated by the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,186, relates to a tree supported structure. The structure incorporates a first number member closely about the tree, and a larger lower annular member, where a number of cables extend therebetween to support a waterproof fabric for the roof,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,172, is directed to a dome-shaped shelter formed of a plurality of three sectioned, foldable panels. The panels are characterized by a U-shaped flange along one common edge of the panels, with the opposite common edge featuring a vertically oriented flange, where with adjacent panels the U-shaped flange slidably receives the vertically oriented flange. To further secure the panels together, a series of spring clips are used;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,540, is directed to a conical heat-retention shell formed of a series of trapezoidal panels joined together, around the bottom edge, by aluminum straps; and
U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,508, relates to a roofjoint for a pair of opposed sheet metal panels, where adjacent edges are U-shaped. To secure the respective edges together, the joint uses a tubular cap formed to present a T-shaped space therewithin.
None of the roof structures described in the above prior art, nor the commercial version employed by the inventor's rotatable buildings noted earlier, present a durable, yet waterproof modular roof as found in the present mention. The manner by which the improved modular roof of this invention achieves the desirable objectives will become more apparent in the specification which follows, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A device for establishing an access channel to a target location is presented. The device includes a plurality of cylindrical segments. A plurality of backbones each extends through a backbone channel of each segment to join the plurality of segments together. When joined together, the central bore of each of the plurality of cylindrical segments align to form an access channel. A distal segment is fixedly attached to each of the plurality of backbones such that an orientation of the distal segment can be adjusted by linear movement of one or more of the plurality of backbones through the plurality of cylindrical segments. Furthermore, when linear movement of the plurality of backbones is restricted, the shape of the access channel can be adjusted by external forces while maintaining the orientation of the distal segment.

Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is preferred over traditional open body surgery because the latter leaves scars, is prone to causing infection of access incision sites, and use of access incisions is associated with increased risk for hernia and formation of adhesions. In addition, natural orifice surgery is an improvement over minimally invasive surgery (MIS), which uses 3-5 access incisions with each incision associated with a scar, risk for infection, and risk for hernia. In natural orifice surgery, the operating site is reached via a natural opening. Also, in single port access surgery (SPAS) a single small incision is used to provide access to the anatomy.

Robotic device for establishing access channel


Described herein are systems, devices and methods for guiding placement of electrodes, and particularly ECG electrodes on a patient. A picture of the patient's body the patient can be analyzed to determine where on the patient's body to place electrodes according to a predetermined, conventional or standard placement pattern. The methods, devices and systems may then guide a user in positioning or correcting the position of electrodes on the patient. For example, an image of the patient may be provided showing the correct position of the electrodes, which may act as a patient-specific map or guide. The electrode placement positions can correspond to conventional or standard 12-lead ECG electrode positions.

Electrical measurement of biological activity, and particularly non-invasive electrical measurement, is increasingly important in medical therapy, diagnostics, and research. For example, electrodes of various types may be used to record electrocardiograms (ECGs), electroencephalograms (EEG), electromyogram (EMG), galvanic skin reflex (GSR), electrooculogram (EOG), bioimpedance (BI), and others, including invasive or implantable measurements. Accurate and reliable electrical measurements from patients may require precise or consistent placement of the electrodes used for measurement on the patient's body, which may require that the user placing the electrodes have a great deal of training and experience. The consequences of placing the electrodes outside of the predetermined, conventional, or standard locations on the body may result in inaccurate results.
For example electrocardiography is used to examine and monitor the electrical activity of the heart. ECGs are increasingly valuable tools for treating patients at risk for heart disorders. Electrocardiograms (ECG) can be recorded or taken using multiple electrodes placed on the skin of a patient, and electrical signals recorded between two electrodes may be referred to as leads. A variety of different lead patterns, including different numbers of electrodes, may be used to take an ECG. For example, an ECG may be taken with 3, 5, and 12 leads. For a standard 12-lead ECG, 10 electrode positions are typically used: six on the chest, and one on each of the patient's arms and legs.
The placement of the electrodes for the ECG is important. Despite the common use of ECGs within the medical profession, it is not uncommon for electrodes to be incorrectly placed on the patient by the nurse, medical technician, or physician. Incorrect placement of electrodes can adversely affect the ECG results and make comparison of the ECG results to standard ECG data difficult. Because of this sensitivity, the placement of leads is typically left to trained medical technicians (e.g., ECG technicians), as it is difficult for an untrained user to correctly place electrodes; it would be particularly difficult for an untrained user to correctly place leads on their own body. As mentioned, placing one or more of the electrodes used to measure an ECG outside of the accepted (standard or conventional) positions on the patient's body can affect the ECG, making it difficult to compare to a standard ECG and therefore difficult for a medical professional to interpret.
Electrodes are typically placed on a patient by a human, allowing an opportunity for human error to result in incorrect electrode placement. The methods, devices and systems disclosed herein can be used to improve guide the electrode placement on a patient. Accurate electrode placement can result in improved patient data (e.g., ECG data), better patient diagnosis and treatment, and improved patient health. Although attempts have been made to minimize the error introduced by varying electrode placement in ECG systems, including creating systems that are supposed to tolerate a greater variability in ECG measurement, these efforts have had limited success. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,440 describes methods for calculating and determining whether electrodes are in the standard ECG electrode placement, an alternative electrode placement, or an incorrect electrode placement based on an analysis of the ECG measurements resulting from electrode placement. Unfortunately, U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,440 does not provide a method for guiding the initial placement of electrodes or easily correcting incorrect measurements.
Different configurations for ECG electrode placement may be used on a patient. Common, customary or standard positions for these ten electrode positions have been determined for use in taking a 12-lead ECG. Measurement taken from ten (10) electrode positions on a patient may be used to produce a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG).
Thus, a standard or conventional 12-lead ECG configuration typically uses 10 electrode positions, which may mean the placement of ten separate electrodes in these positions. FIG. 1 illustrates placement of 10 electrodes that may be used for a 12-lead ECG, with 6 electrodes on the patient's chest and one electrode on each of the patient's arms and legs. The electrode placed on the right arm is typically referred to as RA. The electrode placed on the left arm is referred to as LA. The RA and LA electrodes are placed at approximately the same location on the left and right arms, preferably near the wrist. The leg electrodes can be referred to as RL for the right leg and LL for the left leg. The RL and LL electrodes are placed on the same location for the left and right legs, preferably near the ankle. In practice placement of the arm and leg electrodes is much less challenging than placement of the electrodes on the patient's chest. Further, ECG measurements may be more sensitive to variations in the placement of chest electrodes.
FIG. 2 illustrates standard placement positions of the six electrode positions on the chest, labeled V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, and V6. For a standard 12-lead ECG measurement, V1 is typically placed in the fourth intercostal space, for example between ribs 4 and 5, just to the right of the sternum. V2 is placed in the fourth intercostal space, for example between ribs 4 and 5, just to the left of the sternum. V3 is placed between electrodes V2 and V4. V4 is placed in the fifth intercostal space between ribs 5 and 6 in the mid-clavicular line. V5 is placed horizontally even with V4 in the left anterior axillary line. V6 is placed horizontally even with V4 and V5 in the mid-axillary line. Electrodes are also typically positioned on the patient's right and left arm and right and left leg. This arrangement of electrode positions, including the positions on arms and legs, may be referred to as standard or conventional 12-lead ECG electrode positions.
Based on measurements between these electrode positions, standard "lead" measurements may be taken. For example, lead I is the voltage between the left arm (LA) and right arm (RA), e.g. I=LA−RA. Lead II is the voltage between the left leg (LL) and right arm (RA), e.g. II=LL−RA. Lead III is the voltage between the left leg (LL) and left arm (LA), e.g. III=LL−LA. Wilson's central terminal (WCT or Vw) can be calculated by (RA+LA+LL)/3. Augmented limb leads can also be determined from RA, RL, LL, and LA. The augmented vector right (aVR) is equal to RA−(LA+LL)/2 or −(I+II)/2. The augmented vector left (aVL) is equal to LA−(RA+LL)/2 or I−II/2. The augmented vector foot (aVF) is equal to LL−(RA+LA)/2 or II−I/2. Leads I, II, III, aVR, aVL, and aVF can all be represented on a hexaxial system illustrated in FIG. 3. Incorrect or shifted electrode placement can shift the results of the ECG on the hexaxial system.
The signals from this 12-lead system may be used to examine the electrical signal resulting from cardiac activity. The 12-lead measurements have been accepted as providing medically relevant information about cardiac health. FIG. 4 illustrates a sample ECG annotated to show characteristic features used for analysis of cardiac function, in particular PQRST waves. Identification and measurement of the PQRST waves across the 12 leads is well accepted as providing relevant information about the health of a patient. For example, FIG. 5 illustrates data collected from a patient using a 12-lead standard configuration. The data can be analyzed to obtain representations of the PQRST waves for this patient. As mentioned, incorrect placement of the electrodes changes the measured values for the leads.
There may be multiple acceptable positions (or ranges of positions) for electrodes, including ECG electrodes. For example, FIGS. 6A and 6B show different configurations for the arm and leg electrodes that may be used in an ECG. The RA/LA electrodes may be placed near the wrist, as shown in FIG. 6A, or near the shoulder, as shown in FIG. 6B, and the RL/LL electrodes may be placed near the ankle (FIG. 6A) or near the pelvis (FIG. 6B). Positioning the arm electrodes near the wrist and the leg electrodes near the ankles as shown in FIG. 6A is widely accepted as a standard or conventional electrode configuration for the arm and leg electrodes in a 12-lead ECG. Alternatively, positioning the arm and leg electrodes adjacent to the thorax as shown in FIG. 6B may be referred to as the Mason-Likar system for electrode placement. The Mason-Likar system is often used to take an ECG during exercise because the arm and leg electrodes are positioned closer to the chest and torso and placed in areas of the body that move less during exercise. The electrode positioning differences between the standard configuration and the Mason-Likar system can result in differences in the ECG signals received, since the relative positioning of the arm electrodes affects the measured leads (see, e.g., "Resting 12-Lead ECG Electrode Placement and Associated Problems" by Macfarlane et al., SCST Update 1995).
Thus, it would be beneficial to provide improved methods for accurately placing electrodes on the body of a patient.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and systems for electrode placement


The emission frequencies (F(1) . . . F(2P)) used for simultaneous communications form a stack extending from a fixed based frequency (F(0)) to a top of stack frequency (F(2P-1), F(2-P)). At the beginning of each call, the emission frequency (F(2P-1)) used for the call is at the top of the stack. During the call, said emission frequency is maintained by being servo-controlled to a predetermined spectrum distance (DF) beyond a lower support frequency (F(2P-2)) providing such a frequency can be detected. When such a frequency cannot be detected, the emission frequency is shifted progressively towards the base frequency. The invention is particularly applicable to communications between the peripherals of computer systems.

A network of the invention may include certain items that are common, as to their functions mentioned below, with a first known network. These items include:
a plurality of terminals respectively associated with as many user peripherals between which messages are to be transmitted;
two optical fibers associated with each of said terminals to guide optical waves, said fibers comprising an emission fiber for guiding emission waves emitted at an emission frequency from the terminal and a reception fiber for guiding waves received by the terminal; and
a star coupler for receiving the optical waves that reach it via said emission fibers and for transmitting each of said optical waves to all of the other terminals via said reception fibers.
The emission frequencies of the various terminals vary over time. However, to avoid cross-talk, they must remain different and separated from one another by spectrum distances of not less than a frequency increment. The frequency increment is selected to reserve a message channel of sufficient bandwidth for each call in the spectrum range of the network. Thus starting from a base frequency, these frequencies form a sequence referred to below as a "stack" and which extends up to a stack top. Said sequence corresponds to a sequence of message channels which include said frequencies and also to a sequence of terminals which use said frequencies. In each of said frequencies, an item may be adjacent to another item, i.e. it may precede it or it may follow it. The top of the stack is constituted by one of the emission frequencies, or when a call is made over a plurality of frequencies by a group of such adjacent frequencies, with said frequency(ies) being furthest from the base frequency.
The various terminals may be identical to one another. That is why to facilitate the description of the operation of such a network one of the terminals is sometimes considered more particularly, which terminal may be constituted by any of the terminals and is referred to as the "terminal under consideration".
The said first known network is described in a first prior document constituted by European patent document EP-A-0 381 102 (F.degree.16761). That document explains how the emission frequency of the terminal under consideration is established while is it preparing to enter into communication. The frequency is established by means of a "support". Such a "support" consists in the terminal under consideration establishing its emission frequency relative to a support frequency in such a manner that the spectrum distance between said emission frequency and said support frequency is equal to said frequency increment. If possible, the support is bilateral, i.e. it is taken from two support frequencies constituted by two emission frequencies that are separated by twice the frequency increment. Both of these frequencies then become adjacent to the emission frequency of the terminal under consideration and respectively constitute lower and upper support frequencies which precede and follow said emission frequency. In the event of one of the support frequencies being absent, support is taken from the sole support frequency to be detected and which may equally well be the support frequency that is above or the support frequency that is below the terminal under consideration. The emission frequency of the terminal under consideration then remains unchanged, at least in theory, so long as said terminal is emitting, even when both adjacent terminals have ceased to emit. As a result, at any instant, only some of the message channels of the network are occupied by transmitting a message, with some other channels being unoccupied at the same instant, except when all channels are busy. The spectrum range of the network must have room for these unoccupied channels. The range may be large if the number of terminals is large and if the message spectrum width is large.
That prior document mentions that when both adjacent terminals cease to emit, the frequency of the terminal under consideration may drift until it comes to be supported by the frequency of another terminal which is then emitting, or on a fixed base frequency. Slow and controlled drift of the emission frequencies could then systematically push a stack formed by said frequencies towards a predetermined end of the frequency range of the network.
However no means have been proposed that are useful for achieving such drift.
In said first known network, the emission frequency of the terminal under consideration is established after the frequency range of the network has been scanned. Before beginning a call the terminal itself performs said scanning. This enables it to identify possible emission frequencies that are unoccupied and are therefore available for emitting the message to be transmitted. An emission frequency identified in this way is selected and is initially used for sending calling signalling which includes at least the address of the called terminal. The time taken for scanning increases the access time of terminals to the network, i.e. the time which elapses on average between the instant at which a terminal receives an instruction from the associated user peripheral to transmit a message and the instant at which said transmission begins.
A second known network is described in a second prior document constituted by an article "Protocols for very high-speed optical fiber local area networks using a passive star topology" (Isam M. I. Habbab, Mohsen Kavehrad, and Carl-Erik E. Sundberg, Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. LT-5, No. 12, December 1987, pp. 1782-1793).
The spectrum range of said second known network includes a plurality of message channels together with a signalling channel and it appears that the positions of the channels are predetermined. The signalling channel is reserved for transmitting signalling, in particular for enabling a calling terminal to indicate the message channel that is to be used for a call to the called terminal.
The present invention has the following objects in particular:
facilitating implementation and operation of an optical fiber communications network with frequency multiplexing;
limiting the size of the frequency range of such a network; and
limiting the access time of a terminal to the network.

Communication method and network using optical fibers with frequency multiplexing


A fluorine-containing optically active compound represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents a straight chain alkyl or alkoxy group having from 6 to 14 carbon atoms or a 4-alkylphenyl or 4-alkoxyphenyl group having from 8 to 12 carbon atoms; R.sub.2 represents a straight chain alkyl group having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; C.sup.* represents an asymmetric carbon atoms; and X represents a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom, provided that X represents a fluorine atom when R.sub.1 contains a phenyl group, and a liquid crystal composition containing the same are disclosed. The compound (I) has large spontaneous polarization and low viscosity to achieve a fast response time. In the N.sup.* phase of the compound (I), the helical pitch has small temperature dependence.

Liquid crystal displays have been used in various embodiments such as watches and desk calculators because of their flatness, lightness, and low electric power consumption. With the advancement of integrated circuits (IC), liquid crystal displays have been increasing the display size and extending their use in computers, liquid crystal TV sets, etc. in place of conventional cathode-ray tubes. However, nematic liquid crystals which have conventionally been used have a slow response time of from 10 to 50 milliseconds and undergo a reduction in display contrast according as the number of pixels increases.
In the state-of-the-art liquid crystal displays, the above-described disadvantage is coped with by fitting each pixel with a thin film transistor (TFT) to achieve so-called active matrix driving or by increasing the angle of twist of liquid crystal molecules sandwiched between a pair of substrates to 220.degree. to 270.degree. (super-twisted nematic: STN).
Mounting of TFT according to the former means not only entails very high cost but has a poor yield, resulting in an increased production cost. Cost reduction by introducing a large-scale production line having been studied, there is a limit due to essential involvement of many production steps. Further, ever since the appearance of high-definition televisions (HDTV), there has been an increasing demand of liquid crystal displays making a high-content display. In nature of TFT and nematic liquid crystals, it is nevertheless considered very difficult to increase display density.
On the other hand, although the STN mode exhibits an increased contrast ratio, it has a slower response time of from 100 to 200 milliseconds and is thus limited in application.
It has therefore been keenly demanded to develop a liquid crystal element which achieves high-density displaying at a high rate of response. Ferroelectric liquid crystal display elements form the nucleus of such expectations. Ever since the report of N. A. Clark, et al. on surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal devices (SSFLD) (refer to N. A. Clark, et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 36, p. 899 (1980), extensive studies have been directed to ferroelectric liquid crystals with the attention on their fast response time. However, ferroelectric liquid crystal display elements have not yet been put into practical use due to problems of response rate, molecular orientation, etc. still remaining unsolved. For example, the molecular orientation of ferroelectric liquid crystals proved more complicated than suggested by Clark, et al. That is, the director of liquid crystal molecules is apt to be twisted in smectic layers, under which a high contrast cannot be obtained. Further, the layers have been believed to be aligned upright and perpendicular to the upper and lower substrates (bookshelf structure) but, in fact, were found to have a bent structure (chevron structure). As a result, zigzag defects appear to reduce a contrast ratio. As an approach to solutions to these orientation problems, improved orientation methods have recently been proposed, such as use of an oblique SiO-deposited technique.
With respect to response time, it was believed in the early stage of studies that ferroelectric liquid crystal elements have a response in several microseconds. In fact, however, the highest of the so far reached response time is only several tens of microseconds. That is, in ferroelectric liquid crystal elements, since a response time of one pixel decides a refreshing time of a display unlike nematic liquid crystal elements, advantages of ferroelectric liquid crystals cannot be made full use of unless a fast response time of from 20 to 30 microseconds or less is reached. A response time is considered dependent on spontaneous polarization and rotational viscosity of liquid crystal materials and intensity of the applied electric field. Considering a limit of voltage which can be applied in practice with IC, a substantial improvement in response time must be realized through optimization of rotational viscosity and spontaneous polarization of liquid crystal materials. Under the present situation, sufficiently fast response time has not yet been obtained.
Hence, a search has been made preponderantly for compounds having large spontaneous polarization and liquid crystal compounds having low rotational viscosity. However, compounds exhibiting high spontaneous polarization generally have high viscosity, and few compounds satisfying both of these requirements have been discovered.
In general, a ferroelectric liquid crystal material comprises an achiral base liquid crystal composition showing a smectic C phase (Sc phase) to which an optically active compound called chiral dopants are added to form a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition. This is because, for one thing, performance requirements cannot be satisfied by a single material and, for another thing, it is aimed at to allot each of required performance properties to each compound so as to make a mixed system as simple as possible taking advantage of the fact that various physical properties including orientation vary depending on the structure of liquid crystal compounds used. Namely, in order to satisfy many physical properties required for ferroelectric liquid crystals, it is advantageous to divide the functions among components as simply as possible. In many cases, phenylpyrimidine type liquid crystal compounds having advantageous viscosity properties are utilized as an achiral base. In actual use, however, properties of the resulting ferroelectric composition, such as viscosity and response time, greatly vary depending on the properties of optically active compounds added thereto. Accordingly, an optically active compound to be added is required to exhibit moderate spontaneous polarization and low viscosity to provide a liquid crystal composition exhibiting a fast response time while giving no adverse influence on the performance of the achiral base, such as a temperature range.
Further, in order to obtain satisfactory orientation, ferroelectric liquid crystals are often required to have a smectic A phase in which orientation can be effected with relative ease and, if possible, a nematic phase in a higher temperature range. This being the case, when a chiral dopant is added to an achiral base having a phase sequence of isotropic, nematic, S.sub.A and Sc phase, the N and Sc phases become a chiral nematic phase (N.sup.* phase) and a chiral smectic phase (Sc.sup.* phase), respectively, in which a helical structure is induced as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.
In order that the ferroelectric liquid crystals show satisfactory orientation and satisfactory bistability for use as a ferroelectric liquid crystal optoelectronic element, the N.sup.* phase and Sc.sup.* phase should have a helical pitch several times longer than the cell thickness. To achieve this, addition of only one kind of a chiral dopant is not sufficient, and it is necessary to use a chiral dopant in combination with an optically active compound showing an opposite helical sense. Besides, every optically active compound has its own direction, positive or negative, in spontaneous polarization. The helical sense of the N.sup.* and Sc.sup.* phases and the direction of spontaneous polarization are decided by the structure of the optically active compound without being correlated to each other. Therefore, mixing of optically active compounds makes the problem more complicated.
Hence, it is required to control the helix in the N.sup.* and Sc.sup.* phases with optically active compounds of as small kinds as possible while obtaining effective spontaneous polarization.
The problem to be considered here is temperature dependence of the helical pitch in the N.sup.* and Sc.sup.* phases induced by a chiral dopant. As mentioned above, the helical pitch is required not only to be sufficiently longer over the cell thickness but to have small temperature dependence. Even with a sufficiently long helical pitch, large temperature dependence results in great variation of orientation.
The importance of temperature dependence of a helical pitch also applies to a chiral dopant to be added to nematic liquid crystals which are used in twisted nematic (TN) and also STN mode display elements. For example, if a chiral dopant to be used shows high positive dependence on temperature (i.e., the pitch is broadened with an increase in temperature), it must be mixed with a chiral dopant having an opposite tendency to offset the temperature dependence, which makes the chiral dopant mixing system more complicated.
Thus, optically active compounds and compositions thereof for use in ferroelectric liquid crystal elements are demanded to satisfy a variety of performance properties. Accordingly, an optically active compound which has a fast response time, which does not have great influences on the temperature range of an achiral base, and whose helical pitch has small temperature dependence is very important for advancement of ferroelectric liquid crystals. For the time being, only a few of such compounds have been reported.
Further, chiral dopants currently used for nematic liquid crystals comprise a mixture of at least 4 kinds of optically active compounds for the purpose of the control of helical pitch in the N.sup.* phase and reducing the temperature dependence of the helical pitch. Not a few of these optically active compounds exhibit no liquid crystalline properties and, when added to a nematic liquid crystal, cause a drop of the nematic phase-isotropic phase transition temperature.

Fluorine-containing optically active compound and liquid crystal composition containing the same


Provided is a welding method and electrodes (wires) with aluminum as a primary deoxidizer and a basic flux system for joining a workpieces with weld metal of comparable strengths and enhanced toughness. For instance, provided is a welding wire, comprising an aluminum content configured to act as a primary deoxidizer, and an overall composition configured to produce a weld deposit comprising a basic slag over a weld bead, wherein the aluminum content is configured to kill the oxygen in the weld pool, and wherein the oxygen comprises oxygen provided by a shielding gas or produced by heating of welding filler materials. Further provided is a welding method comprising arc welding a workpiece using an electrode having aluminum as a primary deoxidizer under a gas shield to produce a bead of weld deposit and a basic slag over the weld bead.

The invention relates generally to the field of welding systems, and more particularly to welding wires that improve characteristics of a weld.
Welding systems generally make use of electrodes configured to pass an arc between a torch and a workpiece, thereby heating the workpiece to create a weld. A number of forms of welding are known and are generally used in the art. In many systems, such as metal inert gas (MIG) systems, the wire electrode is advanced through a welding torch and is generally consumed by the heat of the arc. In such operations, the wire electrode may also be referred to as a "filler material" that becomes part of the weld. Although gas is used to shield the weld in many applications, certain types of welding wire do not require shielding gas, and with such wires it would be unusual or even not recommended to use a gas. These may be referred to as self-shielded welding wires.
The selection of the type of wire electrode used for a particular welding application may be based on several factors, including, the composition of the metals being welded, the joint design and the material surface conditions. In general, it is desirable that the wire electrode has mechanical properties similar to those of the base material and produces no discontinuities, such as porosity. Mechanical properties of the weld may be characterized, for example, by the yield strength and impact strength (i.e., toughness) of the weld joint. Generally it is desirable that the weld exhibit a yield strength greater than the yield strength of the workpiece. The impact toughness may also be considered as an index of the likelihood of failure of the resulting structure. Therefore, it is desired that the wire electrode include properties to provide a weld with the desired yield strength and toughness.
In addition, wire electrodes may be used in various welding processes. For example, certain applications may require welding on a flat surface while other applications may require welding vertically. The metallurgy of the wire electrode, along with other factors, such as the orientation of the metal parts being joined, may dictate the available and optimal welding positions. Wire electrodes that enable welding in multiple positions are often considered to provide an increased level of flexibility because they are suitable for use in a number of welding situations and environments. For example, a wire electrode that can be used vertically and overhead may enable the joining of pipes and construction members in structural construction.
Accordingly, there is a need for a welding wire that provides a weld including the desired strength and toughness, and that permits welding in various weld positions.


With no interrupt to a CPU, waveform data stored in a NAND-type flash memory are read out on a page-by-page basis to supply a buffer of a waveform memory with waveform sample data. A series of waveform data are prestored in successive pages of the intermediate buffer capable of high-speed page access thereto. Page number of a page to be read out first is set, and that page is read into a buffer in advance. Before completion of readout of the first page, another page to be read out next is loaded into the buffer. After that, the page number is incremented by one each time readout of one page is completed, and the waveform sample data of the page number continue to be reproduced while being read into the buffer.

The present invention relates generally to tone generation apparatus of a waveform memory type, and more particularly to a tone generation apparatus in which waveform data are prestored in a NAND-type flash memory and the thus-prestored waveform data are reproduced while being read out from a waveform memory via a buffer.
Heretofore, there have been known tone generation apparatus, in which waveform data are prestored in a hard disk (HD) and then read out for audible reproduction by being read out from a buffer to a waveform memory while being read out from the hard disk to the buffer. Examples of such tone generation apparatus are disclosed in Japanese Patent Nos. 2671747 and 4089687. In such tone generation apparatus, where the waveform data are read out, in response to a tone generation instruction, from the hard disk to the waveform memory via the buffer and audibly reproduced, there would occur a delay in tone generation start timing, and thus, an arrangement is employed for pre-reading (pre-loading) a leading portion of the waveform data to the waveform data at the time of powering-on of the tone generation apparatus. Reproduction, of the pre-loaded data of the leading portion thus stored in the waveform memory is started immediately in response to a tone generation instruction. During the reproduction of the leading portion of the waveform data, a next portion of the waveform data following the leading portion is read out from the hard disk to the waveform memory via the buffer. After the reproduction of the leading portion of the waveform data is completed, the waveform data having already been read out to the waveform memory are reproduced, during which time another next portion of the waveform data is read out from the hard disk to the waveform memory via the buffer. Such operations are repeated to continue reproducing the waveform data. In the aforementioned manner, tone generation can be started with no delay in response to the tone generation instruction.
According to the aforementioned conventionally-known technique, a transfer request interrupt is issued to a CPU each time the waveform data (waveform sample data) of one cluster have been read out to the waveform memory (namely, each time the buffer gets empty). In response to such a transfer request interrupt, the CPU specifies another cluster of the hard disk to be read out and instructs a transfer section to transfer the other cluster from the hard disk to the buffer. Therefore, with the conventionally-known technique, an interrupt process by the CPU is essential.
Further, waveform memory tone generators using burst transfers have been known, one example of which is disclosed in Japanese Patent No 3163984. In the waveform memory tone generator, waveform samples read out from a and tones are generated by necessary waveform samples being selectively read out from the buffer memory. The readout of the waveform samples from the waveform memory to the buffer memory is executed by bust-transferring the waveform samples in units or blocks of a plurality of samples. Burst transferring the waveform samples like this can shorten a necessary access time.
In recent years, the NAND-type flash memory has been increasing in capacity and decreasing in cost, and attempts have been made to use NAND-type flash memories, together with hard disks, in a variety of devices. Although the NAND-type flash memory would take time to make immediate access to a page (corresponding to a cluster of the hard disk), it can achieve a rapid data transfer speed once sample readout is started. Further, with the NAND-type flash memory, error correction based on error correction code is essential.
With the aforementioned tone generation apparatus using the hard disk, an access speed to the hard disk would become a bottleneck so that the number of channels capable of simultaneously reproducing waveform sample data (i.e., generating tones based on waveform sample data) is limited, although there is a need for the tone generation apparatus to maximize the number of channels capable of simultaneously generating tones. One conceivable approach for maximizing the number of channels capable of simultaneously generating tones is to use a NAND-type flash memory in place of the hard disk. Because the NAND-type flash memory is much higher in access speed than the hard disk, it can greatly reduce a size of a cluster (page) (that is a minimum unit of waveform sample data), for example, to one-tenth or smaller. In such a case, however, the frequency of transfer request interrupts would greatly increase, for example, to ten times or more; namely, a load on the CPU would greatly increase.
However, with the conventionally-known technique, where the access speed to the hard disk would become a bottleneck, replacing the hard disk as-is with the NAND-type flash memory cannot be said to achieve a well-balanced design.


A rotating electric machine comprises: a stator including a stator iron core having a plurality of slots and a stator winding incorporated in the plurality of slots; and a rotor rotatably disposed in the stator via a clearance; wherein a mold (i.e., a slot insulator) made of an insulating resin is brought into close contact with the surface of a projection (i.e., a tooth core) of the stator iron core, formed between the adjacent slots, the thickness of the mold at a portion of the projection wound with the stator winding being smaller than that of the mold at other portions. Thus, it is possible to provide the rotating electric machine in which thermal resistance generated between the stator winding and the stator iron core can be reduced, thermal transmittance of heat generated in the stator winding to the stator iron core can be enhanced, and the cooling efficiency of the stator winding can be enhanced.

The present invention relates to a rotating electric machine, a motor-driven vehicle which mounts the same thereon, and a method for inserting a resin into a stator iron core in a rotating electric machine.
There have been conventionally known rotating electric machines disclosed in, for example, Patent Literature 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-178259) and Patent Literature 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-341889). These Patent Literatures disclose a rotating electric machine provided with a stator including a yoke (or referred to as a core back or a yoke iron core) and a tooth (or referred to as a tooth iron core) which is formed separately from the yoke and disposed in the yoke with a winding wound in a concentric manner (for example, see page 6 and FIGS. 1 to 6 of Patent Literature 1 or page 4 and FIGS. 1, 4, 6 and 7 of Patent Literature 2).
Furthermore, Patent Literature 1 discloses a stator fabricating method in which a bobbin wound with a winding is compressed, thereby forming a coil mold, which is then fitted to the tooth, and then, the tooth is fitted to the core back (for example, see page 10, FIGS. 3, 7 and 15 of Patent Literature 1). Patent Literature 2 discloses that a winding frame is inserted into the tooth by the use of an insulating member, a winding conductor is wound around the tooth, and the tooth wound with the winding conductor is coupled to the yoke (for example, see page 4 and FIGS. 2 to 6 of Patent Literature 2).
In recent years, an environmentally friendly car such as an electric car or a hybrid car has been prevailed in order to reduce an adverse influence of exhaust gas, which is discharged from a car, on the terrestrial environment. The number of such cars has been increased year after year. In order to increase the percentage of the environmentally friendly car, it is preferable to provide an environmentally friendly car of excellent traveling performance at a low cost.
In view of this, a rotating electric machine used as a drive source for an environmentally friendly car need be reduced in size and weight and suitable for rotation at a high speed since the rotating electric machine must be mounted on a vehicle. Moreover, high efficiency is required for the rotating electric machine in such a manner as to secure a sufficient traveling distance by one electric charging with the capacity of batteries while the number of batteries to be mounted on the vehicle is limited. Additionally, a high output is required for the rotating electric machine in such a manner as to output a large torque in low and middle speed regions. In addition, cost reduction is required for the rotating electric machine in such a manner as to provide an environmentally friendly car at a low cost.
The rotating electric machine disclosed in Patent Literature 1 or 2 adopts a system in which the core constituting the stator is formed of the yoke and the tooth in separation, wherein the winding is wound around the tooth, which is then disposed in the yoke, that is, a concentrically winding system with the separate cores, as described above, thereby enhancing the winding density of the winding inside of a slot. Consequently, the turning number of the winding inside of the slot is increased so as to increase the current density of the winding inside of the slot in the rotating electric machine disclosed in Patent Literature 1 or 2, and therefore, it is possible to achieve the miniaturization, the light weight and the high output of the rotating electric machine. Furthermore, the reduced cost and high efficiency of the rotating electric machine can be achieved in the rotating electric machine which adopts the system of the concentric winding with the separate core, as disclosed in Patent Literature 1 or 2 and as described above.
However, a copper loss of the winding inside of the slot is increased to increase heat generation in the winding when the current density of the winding inside of the slot is increased by increasing the turning number of the winding inside of the slot. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance the cooling efficiency of the winding. The heat generated in the winding is transmitted to the core via a slot insulator between the winding and the slot (or referred to as a slot liner) and air present between the winding and the tooth, and then, is radiated to the air or cooling water as a cooling medium from the core. The slot insulator and the air are thermal resistances. Consequently, the thermal resistance such as the slot insulator and the air need be reduced so that the heat generated in the winding can be easily transmitted to the core in order to enhance the cooling efficiency of the winding.
With regard to this point, the winding has been previously wound around the bobbin to form a coil mold, and then, the coil mold is fitted to the tooth in the rotating electric machine disclosed in Patent Literature 1, as described above. In this system, it is general that the dimension of the inner diameter of the bobbin is made greater than that of the outer diameter of the tooth in such a manner that the coil mold can be readily fitted to the tooth. Consequently, since the adhesiveness between the coil mold and the tooth is weak even if the thickness of the bobbin can be reduced so as to reduce the thermal resistance in the rotating electric machine disclosed in Patent Literature 1, an air layer is liable to be formed between the coil mold and the tooth, thereby increasing the thermal resistance. To solve this problem, it is conceived that the dimensional precision is enhanced to strengthen the adhesiveness between the coil mold and the tooth in the rotating electric machine disclosed in Patent Literature 1. However, in turn, the productivity is reduced, thus increasing a production cost.
In the meantime, an insulating member is inserted into the tooth so as to form a winding frame, and then, the winding is wound around the winding frame in the rotating electric machine disclosed in Patent Literature 2, as described above. In this system, the insulating member is brought into close contact with the tooth, so that an air layer is hardly formed between the insulating member and the tooth. Thus, this configuration is advantageous in reducing the thermal resistance. However, upper and lower dies are used as the mold when the insulating member is inserted into the tooth in the rotating electric machine disclosed in Patent Literature 2, thereby preventing the achievement of the satisfactory thickness precision of the insulating member inserted into the tooth. From experiments carried out by the present inventors, it was found that it was difficult to uniformly reduce the thickness of the insulating member in the tooth to 0.5 mm or smaller in the insulating member inserting method by the use of the upper and lower dies, as in the rotating electric machine disclosed in Patent Literature 2.

Rotating electric machine, motor-driven vehicle and resin insert-molding method


An insert installation apparatus comprises a housing having a body section and a nose piece. The nosepiece comprises a forward end and a rearward end, where the rearward end of the nose piece is attached to the body section. The apparatus comprises a rotary power source and reciprocating means which are employed to set a threaded insert in a work piece. The rotary power source has an extension member which connects the rotary power source to the first end of a drive shaft which is received by the extension member. The second end of the drive shaft is operationally coupled to a partially threaded mandrel which extends out of the forward end of the nose piece. The apparatus further comprises mandrel shock absorbing means which allow the mandrel to reciprocate with respect to the nose piece from a first position to a second position, where the mandrel shock absorbing means operates independently from the reciprocating means which usually employed to set the threaded insert. The mandrel shock absorbing means allows the threaded shaft to “give” if the tip of the mandrel impacts the crests of the threads of the insert as the tip is inserted into the opening of the insert. While a small spring or other biasing means are used to bias the threaded shaft forward the threaded shaft may be partially pushed back into the nose piece upon contact with the threads of the insert, thus preventing impact damage to the root thread of the insert and preventing cross-threading.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for installing nut inserts to a workpiece, the workpiece having a first side and a second. Usually the first side is a visible side and the second side is a blind side, meaning there is no access to the second side. More particularly, this invention relates to a modified installation tool which reduces incidents of cross-threading of the nut insert and/or damage to the installation tool.
It is known to use threaded rivet nuts, threaded inserts, and threadable inserts (generally, "anchor devices") as anchors for threaded fasteners in a number of different applications, including thin wall applications, such as sheet metal, which may be too thin to be tapped with threads. In many such cases there is access only to one side of the workpiece. In general, the workpiece is drilled or punched and the anchor device is placed within the resulting hole. The anchor device is either threaded onto a threaded mandrel of the installation tool and placed within the hole by the installation tool, or the threaded mandrel is made up onto the threads of the anchor device after the anchor device has been placed in the hole. When the installation tool is activated, a portion of the anchor device on the blind side of the workpiece, such as a sleeve portion, is deformed to create an enlargement or bubble which prevents removal of the insert from the hole. After the installation tool is removed, a threaded fastener may be inserted into a threaded portion of the insert.
Installation tools for setting nut inserts, particularly in blind applications, are generally known. These tools generally comprise a tool body from which extends a mandrel having external threads. The mandrel typically extends through a nose piece which is connected to the front of the tool body. Rotational means are operationally connected to the rear of the mandrel for rotating the threaded mandrel to make up the threaded mandrel within the nut insert prior to deformation of the sleeve portion. The threads of the mandrel are made up into the threads of the nut insert until a flange on the end of the insert abuts the front end surface of the nose piece. If not already placed within an aperture of the work piece, the insert is thereafter placed within the aperture until the flange abuts the first side of the workpiece.
A linear force is applied to the mandrel by partially pulling the mandrel into the tool body with reciprocation means. The linear force applied to the insert causes the sleeve of the insert to plastically deform, such that the resulting enlargement or bubble is larger than the diameter of the aperture, preventing withdrawal of the insert from the aperture. Examples of such tools may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,070,889; 4,368,631; 4,612,793; 4,574,612; 5,605,070; and 6,272,899.
On occasion, the threads of the insert are cross-threaded as the male threaded mandrel is inserted into the female threaded insert. Cross-threading can occur with a threaded insert when the threaded mandrel is engaged with the female insert and the threads are not properly aligned when the threads of the mandrel and the threads of the insert first engage. If the threads of the mandrel and the threads of the insert are not properly aligned at the start, the external thread tends to cross over the crest of the internal thread which can produce deformation of the threads and can also cause binding of the mandrel and insert before the desired makeup of the mandrel into the insert is achieved. Unless the mandrel and nut insert are manually realigned at this point, the external thread will wedge against the internal thread and prevent the proper makeup of the mandrel into the nut insert and/or cause damage to the threads of either the insert or the mandrel.
It has been found by the inventor herein that in addition to improper alignment, another cause of cross-threading is that the threads of the insert adjacent to the opening, including the root thread, can be damaged by the tip of the mandrel as the mandrel is inserted into the opening of the insert by the operator or operating machinery. The tip of the mandrel may impact the crests of the threads of the insert as the tip is inserted into the opening of the insert. With the existing installation tools, there is little give by the mandrel, such that the resulting impact load is absorbed almost entirely by the threads of the insert.

Cross-threading prevention apparatus for installing nut inserts


A method of managing software use in a desired mode and with ease of handling upgrades or other changes includes a sales company or other software provider adding a password to software, inserting identification information into a dongle, and distributing the same to users. A secret key and an open key are prepared and the open key is transmitted to the user. When the user tries to obtain a license, the password is sent to the sales company. The sales company detects identification information based on the password, encodes the same by using the secret key, and sends the same to the user as encoded license information. The user decodes the encoded license information by the open key and matches the same against the identification information included in the dongle. If the information match, the software effectively starts up, while if not, the execution of the software is stopped.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of managing software that prevents illegal use of software such as computer programs and allows only appropriate users to use it and a system therefore.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is important to prevent illegal copying and illegal forging of software such as computer programs and to be able to distribute the software in a state where only appropriate users authorized to use it can use it. In the past, methods of using a password and methods of using a dongle or IC card have been adopted as countermeasures against such illegal use.
The former methods prevent the software from effectively operating without password input for the software at the start of operation of the software. This is realized by matching the input password against a pre-registered password in the software. Note that a secret key, e.g., is used as the password in many cases.
The latter methods distribute a dongle or IC card together with the software to match an identifier of the software with an identifier written in the dongle or IC card at the start of operation of the software. A secret key, e.g., is also normally used for the identifier. In this method, even if secret information in the software is deciphered, since it is impossible to use the software without the dongle or IC card, it can be said that it is a method of higher safety.
In the above method of using a password, the password (secret key) itself which is supposed to be managed so as not to be leaked may nonetheless be intentionally or accidentally divulged to someone other than the appropriate user, and the software may then be illegally used. In actuality, such illegal use often occurs.
Also, even in the method of using a dongle or IC card, forging and copying of the dongle or IC card may be possible in some circumstances. There is a possibility that the software will be illegally used by forging and copying. Also, in this method, the dongle or IC card has to be re-distributed in accordance with software upgrades or other modifications to the software. Thus, the method has the disadvantage that processing becomes troublesome and costly.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of managing software that can manage software use with a high level of safety, while enabling upgrades and changes to the software to be easily handled.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a software management system that can manage software use with a high level of safety, while enabling upgrades and changes to the software to be easily handled.

Method and apparatus for managing software use


A fundus camera is provided with a focus aid mark projection system (5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) that includes a focus aid mark focussing lens (10) and other optical components such that the focus aid mark focussing lens (10) is attached to the focussing lens (6) of the imaging system and moves with that lens, thereby maintaining the focal planes of the focus aid mark projection system and the imaging system co-planar. An associated alignment mark projection system (35, 34, 33, 32) includes optics that utilize part of the existing fundus camera illumination system (35) to project a plurality of alignment marks onto the iris of the subject eye.

To facilitate accurate focussing of the fundus camera, one or more marks may be projected onto the eye fundus and the image of these marks may then be observed though the fundus camera. Further, split prisms may be provided within the line projection system such that the image of the projected marks on the eye fundus appears as a split line if the camera is not correctly focussed, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,793. The optical components for such a system for projecting a mark to aid focussing may be separate from the illumination system and combined with an afocal lens system, such that the focus of the viewing system and the focal plane of the projected line system may be maintained coincident as the focus of the viewing system is adjusted as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,014. The afocal lens system required for this system has a disadvantage that the magnification of the image appearing at the camera imaging plane changes through a large range as the focus is adjusted and this varies the area of the fundus and the apparent brightness of the image through a large range. Alternatively, the optical components for such a system for projecting a line to aid focussing may be separate from all or part of the focussing and illumination systems and these optical components may be moved by cams or linkages or similar means such that the focus of the viewing system and the focal plane of the projected line system may be maintained coincident as the focus of the viewing system is adjusted as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,388. This alternative allows the use of a lens of reduced or negative power as the focussing lens with a result that the change in image magnification is reduced, but the required cams or linkages increase the mechanical complexity of the system.

Devices to facilitate alignment and focusing of a fundus camera