A sports equipment carrier that is woven or threads through one or more pieces of sports equipment, then attaches to itself and finally attaches to the handle of a sports stick. It is a quick, open and secure way to carry equipment on its own separately or attached to the handle of a sports stick. This allows the user to carry the stick and equipment with the stick slung in an over the shoulder fashion. The stick can rest on the users shoulder while the equipment hangs from the handle of the stick behind the user. It can also be carried in the users hand by their side. The stick is easily inserted or removed for play while holding the gear/equipment together. The stick is also protected from damage that can occur from direct contact with the equipment.

This invention concerns a device that is used as an equipment carrier for stick sports (lacrosse, hockey, field hockey, etc.). This device threads or is laced through the equipment, holding it together, then attaching the device and the equipment to the handle of a stick. This invention is used as a means to hold different pieces of equipment together, allowing the equipment to be carried as one. This device laces through each individual piece of equipment. The equipment is held together by the device and attaches to the handle of a stick, protecting the stick from direct contact with the equipment. This can be a three-step process. First, lacing the varying pieces of equipment onto the device, the handle prevents the equipment from sliding off the end. Secondly, the device handle can be placed through the large loop to hold the equipment in a bundle. It can then be carried at the user's side. Thirdly, sliding the stick handle through the handle of the device so it can be carried altogether over the shoulder or at the side.
Currently a player has only a couple of options for carrying his/her equipment. The first is using a large, expensive and body odor smelling equipment bag. The second option is to put each piece of equipment directly on the stick handle. This invention enables the player to have ready access to their stick while keeping their gloves, goggles, pads, helmet, etc. intertwined on the device. Once laced together on the device the equipment is free to air out from the perspiration gathered on it during play. Because the equipment is readily seen on the device there is no need for a bag search of equipment when entering into a stadium.
Several preferred embodiments are presented which are specifically designed to hold, protect, organize and carry various pieces of equipment for stick sports.

Equipment threader and carrier for stick sports


A method and apparatus for a multiband frequency distributed circuit apparatus with FSS. The apparatus includes a circuit, a first dielectric layer, a first FSS layer, a second layer and a ground plane. The first dielectric layer is operatively coupled to the circuit. The first FSS layer is operatively coupled to the first dielectric layer and is capable of passing a first frequency band. The second layer is operatively coupled to the first FSS layer and includes a dielectric material. The ground plane is operatively coupled to the second layer. A method for implementing a multiband frequency distributed circuit is also disclosed.

The present invention is generally in the field of communication systems. More specifically, the invention is in the field of multiband frequency distributed circuits with frequency selective surfaces.
Frequency distributed circuits such as microwave integrated circuits ("MICs") are widely used in communication systems. Modern communication systems typically operate using multiple frequency bands. To operate at multiple frequency bands, typical multiband frequency distributed circuits include separate devices, one device per frequency band, which are fabricated side-by-side (i.e., laterally with respect to a circuit board or substrate of a microchip). For example, a multiband frequency distributed circuit can comprise a device that operates at a high frequency band and a separate device that operates at a low frequency band. Typical multiband frequency distributed circuits disadvantageously require multiple, separate devices to operate at multiple frequency bands, which increases size, weight and footprint of these circuits.
Therefore, a need exists for multiband frequency distributed circuits that have reduced size, weight and footprint.

Method and apparatus for multiband frequency distributed circuit with FSS

United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A comb-structured shielding layer and a wireless charging transmitter thereof are provided. The wireless charging module is connected to a power source, has at least one wireless charging coil and at least one comb-structured shielding layer, and is configured to convert alternative current power from the power source to H-field electromagnetic radiations, and wirelessly charges an electronic device. The comb-structured shielding layer is disposed between the wireless charging module and the target electronic device and configured to allow the H-field electromagnetic radiations pass through. The comb-structured shielding layer includes a first area and a second area. The first area is electrically connected to a reference electric potential. The second area is electrically connected to the reference electric potential through the first area, and is configured to shield the E-field electromagnetic radiations but allow the H-field electromagnetic radiations pass through the comb-structured shielding layer.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a comb-structured shielding layer, and, particularly, relates to a wireless charging transmitter which has the comb-structured shielding layer disposed on at least one side of the wireless charging transmitter.
2. Related Art
The vehicle in the future may have a great amount of electronic guidance, which may help and control the vehicle. The additional sensors, actuators and wires disposed in the vehicle may greatly increase weight of the vehicle. This situation seems contradictory to fuel consumption reduction efforts. In order to avoid adding such weight to the vehicle, these electrical or electronic components/systems may rely more on wirelessly transmitting information between them. These wireless communicating devices in the vehicle may not come in a consolidated and organized manner. These wireless communicating devices may come step by step depending on the technology progress and the vendors designing the electrical or electronic components/systems. The wireless transmission generally involves with electromagnetic radiation which usually occur in a non-directed fashion, hence such electromagnetic radiation may probably interfere with/influence other electrical or electronic components/systems. Such interference may lead to a higher risk in operation failures or even leading to safety issue. Thus, the automotive industry manufacturers such as original equipment manufacturers (OEM) have set high and strict standards in EMC and EMI compliance.
On the other hand, wireless charging of portable electronic devices will become a common feature in the vehicles in future. The wireless charging technology in general charges the electronic devices by magnetic induction caused by quick alternating currents in the transmitter coils of the wireless charging transmitter (or module).
During the wireless charging process, the magnetic H-fields that charge the device only interfere in a limited very small distance with other electronic devices which is acceptable by the OEM's, but the H-Fields do generate an E-Fields. The E-Fields do radiate in frequencies and amplitudes that are not compliant to OEM's EMC and EMI specifications; and thus the E-Fields may interfere with other in-vehicle electronics and may lead to safety problem. The aforementioned problems may occur also in other areas outside the vehicle. A simple metal shielding sheet such as being provided on printed circuit (PCB)s, e.g., radios or automotive multimedia playback modules will not work properly because the metal shielding sheet prevents transmitter coils of the wireless charging transmitter from being inductive magnetic coupling to the electronic device which needs to be charged.

Comb-structured shielding layer and wireless charging transmitter thereof


An on-demand wing vortex control system includes a pair of retractable pas which extend forward through slots in the leading edges of the strake and main wing at their junction. When not in use, the device is retracted in a stowed position, thus having zero impact on the cruise efficiency and observability characteristics designed into the aircraft. The panels extend forward from the strake and wing, providing an added leading edge airfoil surface when in the deployed position. Both panels are slideably and rotatably affixed to the aircraft. A front panel is affixed to and supported within the strake, while a rear panel is affixed and supported within the main wing. The planform of each panel is symmetrically identical, and the movements of the panels are mechanically coordinated so that the exposed planform shape represented by the combined overlapping panels are symmetrical about a line which bisects the strake/wing junction angle. The panels may be deployed in a variety of positions which control the strength and location of the vortex and its burst point as it is shed over the wing, thereby altering the lift on the aircraft.

Airplane wings represent lifting surfaces in a flow field. Under normal operating conditions, the lift on such wings is due primarily to the large-bound vortices which appear on the low pressure side of the wing. The strength and size of the vortices depend upon their velocity, angle of attack, sweep angle, etc. The lift on the wing also depends on other characteristics of the vortex, including its trajectory, strength, and location of the vortex burst point (i.e. the point at which the vortex becomes unstable due to reaching certain critical limits of its characteristics). In lifting surfaces, it is desirable to control the lift of the surface. This will aid in, for example, the degree of maneuverability of a fighter plane. A number of devices have been proposed to control the lifting surfaces by altering the vortices to provide a vortex lift control system.
Essentially, vortex lift control systems involve stabilizing the vortex shed from the leading edge of the wing so as to direct the leading edge vorticity along the direction of the wing. Lift control is dependent upon the vortex burst point. At the location of the vortex burst, the wing lift is severely reduced. It is therefore desirable to delay vortex burst and thereby increase the wing lift.
A number of devices have been proposed to control the shedding of vortices at the leading edges of the wings. These include additional wings mounted on the aircraft fuselage ahead of the wing, and the use of tuned cavities on the leading edge of the wing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,769, issued to Ron F. Blackwelder et al. on Oct. 6, 1987, discloses the method and apparatus for controlling bound vortices in the vicinity of lifting surfaces. This patent discloses a piston and cylinder located in a slot of the leading edge of a delta wing in order to create a natural resonance similar to the shedding rate of the discrete vortices. Alternate embodiments disclosed in this document teach the use of audio speakers substituted for the piston, or the slot can be eliminated and a piezoelectric array embedded in the air flow to provide the disturbance. U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,494, issued to Sumio T. Sakata on Feb. 11, 1986, discloses a method for pitch control of swept wing aircraft which utilizes a fixed position vane mounted directly to the fuselage forwardly of the wings to enhance vortex formulation.
While these structures have been proposed, none have achieved a degree of active controllability that makes them practical. The permanent structures that have been proposed as passive vortex control systems adversely affect the other aspects of the aircraft's aerodynamic performance, since they are permanently deployed and may foul the air flow at different speeds.

Active vortex control for a high performance wing

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


Provided is an apparatus for software migration between devices in a mobile environment. The software migration apparatus may include a policy manager configured to select a migration method for target software according to a migration environment, and a migration manager configured to perform migration of the target software according to the migration method. In addition, provided herein is a software migration method which is performed in a mobile environment. The software migration method may involve analyzing a current migration environment, selecting a migration method according to the analyzed current migration environment, and performing the migration of the target software.

1. Field
The following description relates generally to a technique for software migration between a plurality of devices in a mobile environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
The development of software migration techniques between devices has mainly been aimed at techniques for saving energy in a server environment. However, with the recent popularization of personal mobile devices and the increasing accessibility to the Internet, a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) environment has been established and the interest in N-screen services is also increasing. In order to keep up with this trend, a new software migration technology that is capable of satisfying various migration conditions in a mobile environment is necessary. For software migration, conventionally, Post-Copy Migration and Pre-Copy Migration techniques have been used. With the Post-Copy Migration technique, in response to a software migration request, the software migration is performed in such a way as to stop the execution of software that is to be migrated; then, only the minimal necessary memory is copied and the software in a target device is resumed. Any additional required memory is copied whenever a page fault occurs. Accordingly, the Post-Copy Migration is characterized by low operating performance.
On the other hand, in response to a user's request for software migration, in the Pre-Copy Migration technique, the software migration is performed by copying the entire memory of the target software to a target device while a source device continues to execute the target software. However, with the Pre-Copy Migration technique, because a large amount of memory is copied without considering various migration environments such as the network state, the migration cost and the like, the required total migration time can be greatly increased; thus, the Pre-Copy Migration technique may result in an excessive data charge for the user due to an extended time of wireless network use.

Apparatus and method for software migration in mobile environment


A hyperflexion plate in the form of a hexagonal plate having a rail extending from the bottom surface of the plate for insertion within the track formed in a universal hip support plate for supporting a patient in the lateral decubitus position for surgery of the hip. The hyperflexion plate allows positioning of the anterior support at an angle substantially larger than the limited angle defined by the track formed in the universal hip support plate.

Medical apparatus for securing a patient in the lateral decubitus position during surgery of the hip are currently available. U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,550 entitled "Pelvic Support for Surgical Operations" describes one such support that is secured to an operating table or the like. The support includes a pair of anterior and posterior support braces for supporting a patient securely in the lateral decubitus position for surgeries of the hip. The anterior and posterior support braces are mounted on a support plate that allows the movement of the braces in the horizontal plane to compensate for the size and structure of the specific patient.
In surgical procedures such as hip arthroplasty and hip fracture, it is sometimes necessary to flex the hip beyond 90 degrees to check range of motion and stability of the hip joint. In a dislocation of the hip it is also necessary to flex the hip flex the hip beyond 90 degrees to reduce the dislocation. The unidirectional movement of the support plate described within the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,550 does not readily allow flexion of the hip beyond a limited angle of 90 degrees.
It would be desirable to utilize such a support plate for hip surgery and adapt the support plate for extended flexion of the hip when surgical hyperflexion procedures are required.
Accordingly, one purpose of the invention is to describe a hyperflexion plate that is readily adapted to pre-existing hip surgery support plates to allow the flexion required in such surgical procedures without requiring replacement or substantial modification to the existing support plate.


A method and apparatus are disclosed for preventing unauthorized access to a restricted item using a cellular telephone that has been previously associated with a user, for example, during a registration process. The user is initially identified, for example, by entering a password, and a one-time pseudo-random token is provided to the user using a first communication channel. The user is requested to dial a telephone number associated with an access control service using a cellular telephone that has been previously associated with the user and enter the assigned token. The user obtains access to the restricted item if the assigned token is entered from a cellular telephone having a serial number that has been previously associated with the particular user.

Computers and other devices, as well as secure facilities, services and financial accounts, often contain proprietary, personal and/or sensitive information, which could be compromised if accessed by unauthorized individuals. Thus, such devices, facilities, services and accounts (hereinafter, collectively referred to as "restricted items") often incorporate security techniques, such as database access control mechanisms, to prevent unauthorized users from accessing, obtaining or altering the proprietary, personal and/or sensitive information. Authentication techniques allow users to prove their identity and obtain authorized access to a given restricted item.
A number of authentication protocols have been developed to prevent the unauthorized access of restricted items. Historically, authentication techniques have been evaluated based on the number of independent items (or factors) that are required for the user to obtain access to the restricted item. An authentication technique is typically considered to provide "strong authentication" if the technique requires the user to provide two independent items (or factors), often referred to as a "two factor authentication." For example, a safe or vault that requires a combination (something the user knows) and a key (something the user has) provides two factor authentication. Typically, there is an inverse relationship between the level of security provided by a given authentication protocol and the corresponding impact the security measures have on the convenience to the user.
For example, a persistent cookie is often stored on a user's computer by a given server to identify the user upon a return visit to the same web-site. Persistent cookies offer the highest level of convenience for authentication behind a browser. A hacker, however, can typically easily obtain access to a user's computer, obtain the cookie and thereafter impersonate the user. Thus, persistent cookies are satisfactory only for applications requiring minimal security, such as a subscription to an online newspaper. Persistent cookies are considered a "one factor authentication," since they rely only on something that the user has (in the user's browser).
In another common variation, access control mechanisms typically utilize some variation of an alphanumeric personal identification number (PIN) or password, that is presumably known only to the authorized user. Upon attempting to access a given restricted item, the user enters the appropriate password, to establish his or her authority. Many users select a PIN or password that is easy to remember. Thus, there is a significant risk that such passwords may be guessed or otherwise compromised, in which case an attacker can access the given restricted item.
To minimize the risk that a password will be compromised, the number of login attempts that may be attempted are often limited, so that an attacker cannot keep trying different passwords until successful. In addition, users are often encouraged or required to change their password periodically. These conditions make passwords too inconvenient for most applications, such as Internet usage. Password-based access control techniques are considered a "one factor authentication," since they rely on something that the user knows.
One-time passwords have also been proposed to further increase security, where users are assigned a secret key that may be stored, for example, on a pocket token or a computer-readable card. Upon attempting to access a desired restricted item, a random value, referred to as a "challenge," is issued to the user. The pocket token or computer-readable card then generates a "response" to the challenge by encrypting the received challenge with the user's secret key. The user obtains access to the restricted item, provided the response is accurate. In order to ensure that the pocket token or computer-readable card is utilized by the associated authorized user, the user typically must also manually enter a secret alphanumeric PIN or password. One-time passwords are generally considered very secure and provide a "two factor authentication," since they rely on something that the user has (the pocket token or computer-readable card) and something that the user knows (the password or PIN).
While such authentication tools reduce the unauthorized access to restricted items, they suffer from a number of limitations, which if overcome, could dramatically increase the utility and effectiveness of such tools. For example, the requirement that the user must carry the pocket token or computer-readable card may not be practical for widespread deployment. Thus, a number of security systems that do not rely on a pocket token or computer-readable card have been developed. For example, a number of access control mechanisms have secured access to devices or secure locations by evaluating biometric information, such as fingerprints, retinal scans or voice characteristics. Unfortunately, however, the transmission of biometric information over a network can be computationally expensive and consume significant network bandwidth. In addition, such biometric access control systems require some kind of biometric reader at the location of the user to capture the biometric information.
A need therefore exists for an improved access control mechanism that does not require the user to carry any additional device, such as a pocket token or computer-readable card, beyond what the user would normally carry. A further need exists for an access control mechanism that uses a telephone call placed to or from a particular cellular telephone associated with the user to verify the identity of a person who is requesting access to a restricted item. Yet another need exists for an access control mechanism that provides strong security without significantly impacting the convenience of the user.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and apparatus for restricting access of a user using a cellular telephone

International Business Machines Corporation


An image sensor and method, which includes a switching device for establishing a connection between at least one column line and one of at least two analog-to-digital converter blocks, where at least one of the at least two analog-to-digital converter blocks is connectable to at least two rows of a plurality of unit pixels. An image sensor and method, where, if a row line is odd, column outputs from odd column lines of an active pixel sensor array are connected to a first correlated double sampling block and column outputs from even column lines of the active pixel sensor array are connected to a second correlated double sampling block and if the row line is even, column outputs from odd column lines of the active pixel sensor array are connected to the second correlated double sampling block and column outputs from even column lines of the active pixel sensor array are connected to the first correlated double sampling block. An image sensor and method where a first subset of a plurality of unit pixels are connected to a first correlated double sampling block and a second subset of the plurality of unit pixels are connected to a second correlated double sampling block, where the first subset of the plurality of unit pixels are blue and red pixels and the second subset of the plurality of unit pixels are green pixels. A circuit and method for reducing fixed pattern noise.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a circuit and method for reducing fixed pattern noise. In particular, the present invention relates to a circuit and method for reducing fixed pattern noise in a CMOS image sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional CMOS image sensor 100 using a Bayer-type color filter array as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,065. A color pixel array using the Bayer type color filter array has three types of pixels, red 120, blue 150 and green 130, 140. GR 130 is a green pixel located in the same row as a red pixel 120, and GB 140 is a green pixel located in same row as a blue pixel 150.
Each color image signal from each pixel 120, 130, 140, 150 is converted to a digital signal by an analog to digital converter (ADC) 180. An ADC 180 is connected to each column of pixels. Each column has one ADC 180.
Image signals from a single row (each row includes pixels from plural columns) is selected by a row driver 110, held and sampled by a correlated double sampling block (CDS) 160, amplified by an amplifier 170 and converted to digital signals by the ADC 180 of each column. The digital signals from the ADC 180 are latched in a latch block 190 and outputted in series by a data selector 195, in accordance with a selection signal.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, each of the ADCs 180 are on the same side of the color filter array. Because the width of the CDS (or ADC) must be same to the pitch of the unit pixel, it is difficulty to lay out a high performance CDS(or ADC) in one column pitch.
Another design which permits high performance ADC within one column pitch is illustrated in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, odd/even column circuits are split between opposite sides of the color filter array, for example, the top and bottom of the color filter array.
Operation of the CMOS image sensor 200 in FIG. 2 is similar to that of the CMOS image sensor 100 of FIG. 1. Each electric signal from a red pixel 235, GR pixel 240, GB pixel 245 and blue pixel 250 is input to one of column ADC blocks 207, 208. As shown in FIG. 2, the signals from each pixel in an odd column of pixels are processed in a lower column ADC block 208 which is located under the pixel array. The ADC block 208 includes CDS blocks 232, amplifiers 227, ADCs 222, a latch block 217, and a data selector 210. The signals from each pixel in an even column of pixels are processed in the upper column ADC block 207 above the pixel array. The ADC block 207 also includes CDS blocks 230, amplifiers 225, ADCs 220, a latch block 215, and a data selector 212.
After a digital signal from the ADC 220 or 222 is latched in the latch block 215 or 217, the data selector 210 or 212 outputs the data to a multiplexer (MUX) 260. The MUX 260 arranges both data from the upper and lower column ADC blocks 207, 208 in series and outputs the serialized data to an image signal processor (not shown).
Due to the spatial difference between the upper column ADC block 207 and the lower column ADC block 208, fixed pattern noise (FPN) is generated. FPN, also called non-uniformity, is a spatial variation, due to device and interconnect parameter variations across the CMOS image sensor 200. FIG. 3 is a graph of which shows a difference in light sensitivity between GR and GB pixels, compared to an increasing quantity of received light intensity.
The slope of each curve indicates a gain of each color. The red and blue color pixels each have one slope. However, the green color has two slopes, one for the GR pixels processed by ADC block 207 and one for the GB pixels processed by ADC block 208.
FIG. 4A illustrates a conventional demosaic method for both the red 235 and blue 250 pixels. As shown in the illustration of FIG. 4A and the associated calculation, for the red 235 and blue 250 pixels in the color filter array, the difference between the green color gains GR and GB does not degrade the image. However, FIG. 4B illustrates a conventional demosaic method for both the GR 240 and GB 245 pixels. As shown in the illustration of FIG. 4B and the associated calculation, for the GR 240 and GB 245 pixels in the color filter array, the difference between the green color gains GR and GB does degrade the image. This difference is manifested as a "checker pattern" in the image and can result in significant image quality degradation. This undesirable "checker pattern" is illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B.

Circuit and method for reducing fixed pattern noise


An apparatus has a turbulence generator valve which is arranged in an intake air passage. The valve generates turbulence in a cylinder of an engine. The valve receives an intake flow torque TA by flow of intake air. The valve is driven by an electric motor in an electric actuator. Reverse transmission torque TB is necessary to rotate the electric motor in the electric actuator when the electric motor is not activated. A cancel spring is provided to apply a cancel torque TC to the valve. The torques are set to satisfy |TA+TC|<|TB|. As a result, it is possible to keep a valve opening degree of the valve while the electric actuator is not activated.

An apparatus for generating engine intake air turbulence is proposed. In order to suppress the pressure loss in the maximum valve opening degree, it is avoided to use a butterfly valve for a turbulence generator valve. Instead, a cantilever valve or a rotary valve is used as a turbulence generator valve. For example, JP4556864B (US2007144483A1) discloses one.
Since the butterfly valve usually has a rotatable shaft on a center of a movable valve member, it is possible to reduce rotating torque caused by an intake air flow. Hereinafter, the rotating torque caused by the intake air flow may be referred to as an intake flow torque TA. However, the rotary valve may receives larger intake flow torque TA, since the rotary valve is un rotating torque (intake flow torque TA is asymmetrical about a rotatable shaft.
As a concrete example, in a case of a cantilever valve, an intake flow torque TA becomes the maximum when the valve is fully closed, 0% of a valve opening degree (VD), and becomes the minimum when the valve is fully opened, 100% of VD. An example is shown in FIG. 2.

Apparatus for generating engine intake air turbulence


A sealing device is used in a flow control apparatus, the sealing device including a static seal and a protective seal or fluid restriction. The protective seal is formed between two members formed from resilient materials being substantially resistant to wear or failure when exposed to large pressure differentials and associated jetting action. The static seal is formed using a sealing element that includes a material that is at least partially deformable, such as an elastomer or the like. The protective seal is engaged prior to engaging or disengaging the static seal in order to prevent damage to the deformable material of the static seal.

Sliding sleeves, circulating valves, and other oilfield tools are used to selectively open and close communication between adjacent flow paths. Frequently, these tools are opened across high differential pressures, which often create a powerful jetting action. Such a jetting action can potentially destroy sealing elements, which are typically formed of an elastomer or similarly deformable material to create a sufficient sealing surface. Such elastomers are resilient to static differences in pressure but are susceptible to wear and/or failure in the presence of jetting action. Other, non-elastomer seals are more resilient to jetting action but are generally very expensive and prone to slow leakage. As such, the art welcomes sealing devices that improve seal durability and reliability.

Sealing device having high differential pressure opening capability


A pin (125) is moved down in a nozzle (121), the end of paste (101) protruded from the discharge opening (122) of the nozzle (121) to a target object (102) is brought into contact with the target object (102), and the pin (125) is moved away from the discharge opening (122) to divide the paste in contact with the target object.

In recent years, electronic equipment with a smaller size, a smaller thickness, and a higher density has been demanded. In order to manufacture electronic equipment satisfying such a demand, a method of mounting small electronic components on a substrate by flip-chip packaging has been used. As electronic components have been reduced in size, bumps have been also reduced in size with smaller pitches. Hence, it has been necessary to stably apply a small amount of solder paste to small bumps with small pitches.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-320795 discloses a discharge device for discharging small droplets having even particle diameters into a retained solution, though the device does not apply paste used for the mounting of electronic equipment.

Paste dispenser for applying paste containing fillers using nozzle with pin and application method using the same

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


The present invention provides a method and apparatus to efficiently switch heads in a disk drive. A disk drive comprises a plurality of recording surfaces and a plurality of heads and each head is opposed to a recording surface. The heads are used for reading data from or writing data to the plurality of recording surfaces. An offset quantity table stores an offset quantity for each of the plurality of heads. The offset quantity is a value representative of the distance of a head with respect to a reference head. A head sequence table stores a predetermined head switching sequence. Head switching operations use the head switching sequence stored in the head sequence table.

Typically, in hard disk drives, circular data tracks are formed concentrically on a magnetic disk. Information is read from or written to the disk after a seek operation is performed. That is, the disk is rotated and a magnetic head is moved radially over the disk to position the head over a desired data track. To position the head over the desired data track, the head reads prerecorded head position identification information and burst patterns from the disk.
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary disk suitable for practicing the present invention. Each track on the disk 18 is divided into data regions 52 and servo regions 50. The head recognizes the position on the disk 18 based on servo data recorded in the servo region 50. After positioning the head over the desired data track, data is read from or written to the disk 18.
The servo data comprises head position identification information including cylinder (CYL) and sector (SEC) position information which are recorded with a gray code and a binary code respectively. A burst pattern is also recorded in the servo data following the gray and binary codes. The burst pattern provides a signal, i.e., a fine-servo signal, which is used to make fine adjustments to position the head over the desired track. The head is positioned over the track by reading the blocks of servo data.
FIG. 2 shows a portion of the head position identification information and burst pattern regions recorded on the disk suitable for practicing the present invention. In FIG. 2, the disk rotates in the circumferential direction as indicated by arrow F. The head (not shown) moves radially across the disk as indicated by an arrow G. The disk has a plurality of concentric circular data tracks 100A, 100B, 100C, . . . where blocks of data are recorded. The head position identification information is recorded in a head position identification region 102 and the burst pattern is recorded in a burst pattern region 104. The head position identification information region 102 and burst pattern region 104 are located between adjacent data tracks.
To identify a particular data track, each data track is given a track address. A predetermined number of bits of identification information are recorded in the head position identification region 102. The cylinder address of the corresponding data track is encoded with a gray code, which is a cyclic binary code. The sector address is encoded with a binary code. A plurality of burst pattern strings 106A, 106B, 106C, and 106D are recorded in the burst pattern region 104. For example, in the shaded area of FIG. 4, four burst pattern strings 106A, 106B, 106C, and 106D are arranged radially along the disk.
The head outputs a read signal each time the head is disposed over the head position identification information region 102. To position the head with respect to the desired data track, the track address of the data track below the head is calculated based on the head position identification information contained in the read signal. When the head reaches the desired data track, signals obtained by reading the plurality of burst pattern strings are analyzed, and a position detection signal is generated. The amplitude of the position detection signal changes linearly depending on the position of the head with respect to the burst pattern signals. Based on the position detection signal, the center of the gap of the head is positioned over the centerline of the target data track.
In a disk drive having multiple heads, the heads are switched when sequential data is written to or read from a cylinder, which comprises different disk surfaces of the disk drive. For example, if a disk drive has two disks and four heads, numbered 0, 1, 2, and 3, then the heads are typically switched in the sequence of the head numbers 0, 1, 2, and 3 during a data read or write operation. That is, if a data write operation using head 0 reaches the end of track 2500 on the disk, then head 0 is switched to head 1 and the data write operation continues in the same cylinder at track number 2500 corresponding to head 1. Similarly, sequential data continues to be written to cylinder number 2500 using heads 2 and 3.
In disk drives having multiple disks, the heads are arranged in a fixed vertical or radial relationship with respect to one another. FIG. 3 shows the relative position between heads when the servo information is recorded on the disk. Generally, servo information on all disk surfaces is radially aligned. As a consequence, a seek operation following a head switch is not necessary. In other words, as shown in FIG. 3, when one head, 0, 1, 2 or 3, is positioned opposite a desired track n, the other heads are also positioned opposite the desired track n in the same cylinder.
However, when assembling heads and disks having the prerecorded servo information, a relative offset occurs between the heads radially along the disk, i.e. in the off-track direction. The radial or off-track offset is caused for example, by the inclination of the rotary shaft of the spindle motor, the inclination of the VCM for a head, or the distortion from clamping. More specifically, when writing servo data with a servo writer, the servo pattern is written at a position having no disk shift. However, distortion occurs when the servo writer is removed during the process to remove and attach the clamp, and in subsequent disk drive operation over time. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the heads have a relative radial or off-track offset .beta. in the assembled disk drive.
Assume that the aforementioned head switching operation is executed in a disk drive having heads positioned as shown in FIG. 4. Although FIG. 4 shows each head having a circumferential offset .alpha. with respect to the other heads, i.e, offset along the circumference of the disk, for easier understanding, in practice there is no circumferential offset between heads. When data is written to track n with head 0 and then to track n with head 1, head 1 is moved from its position opposite track n+1 to track n. Therefore, a one track seek operation is required. Therefore, if a disk drive has an off-track offset between heads, a seek operation becomes necessary to properly align the active head when heads are switched. If the amount of off-track offset increases, then, after switching heads, the distance to move the head to the desired track increases. Because the seek distance increases, the seek time also increases. When reading or writing a long stream of data, many seek operations need to be executed. Therefore, reduction of seek time is an important factor in improving disk drive performance.

Disk drive apparatus and head switching method in a disk drive apparatus

International Business Machines Corporation


An induction heating generator is disclosed. The generator controls the power delivered to a work coil via a plurality of resistor/bias control switches coupled in parallel and a controller, thereby eliminating the expensive and difficult to troubleshoot SCR control circuits associated with prior art generators. By sequentially switching the bias control switches, the controller can progressively lower the input voltage to a controlled switch to thereby alter its conducting state to provide stepped power increases to the work coil. The work coil is de-energized by opening the bias control switches in reverse sequential order.

As explained in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,501,943 and 4,523,068, which are hereby incorporated by reference, in the manufacture of lead acid storage batteries, it is customary to assemble the individual battery cells into a case with the terminal cells each having an upstanding lead terminal post located at opposed ends of the battery. It is also customary to then position a cover having cylindrical lead bushings fixed therein onto the battery case with the terminal posts extending through respective ones of the bushings, and to thereafter heat, melt, fuse, mold, cool, and freeze the upper ends of the bushings and posts to form the finished battery terminals. Since the case and cover in modern day batteries are commonly made of plastic, care must be taken in fusing the terminal posts and bushings so as not to melt or otherwise damage the immediately adjacent portions of the cover, which can either render the battery defective or sufficiently weaken the seal and support between the cover and bushings as to create leaks or other potentially dangerous conditions during use of the battery.
Prior to the inventions of the '943 and '068 Patents, it was common practice to fuse the terminal posts and bushings by melting the ends thereof by means of an acetylene torch which was manually held and operated. Not only did this procedure fail to lend itself to use in a fully automated battery production line, but the quality and depth of the fused areas of the terminal posts and bushings varied with the operator who performed the fusion process, and even between terminals of successive batteries fused by the same operator since there was no reliable means for controlling the degree of fusion that was effected. Moreover, it was not easily determinable whether minimum required fusion depths were obtained, i.e., generally considered to be between 1/8 and 3/16 inch as measured from the top of the finished terminal.
While, prior to the inventions of the '943 and '068 Patents, various proposals had been made for automatically fusing battery terminal posts and cover bushings by means of either acetylene torch heating, electrical resistance heating, or electrical induction heating, such proposals had all faced various drawbacks. For example, these proposals suffered from drawbacks such as the inability to obtain reliable fusion depths within the requisite processing time, undesirable melting of the cover about the bushings, and unacceptable appearance of the finished terminals. Since lead oxides contained within the lead bushings tend to float to the surface during melting, under some circumstances unsightly irregularities in the surfaces of the finished battery terminals had resulted.
The inventions of the '943 and '068 Patents overcame these problems by providing an induction heating apparatus and method for automatically fusing battery terminals. In practicing the inventions of the '943 and '068 Patents, high-power RF induction heating generators have typically been employed. These generators have often utilized a three-phase SCR power control circuit to control the power supplied to the induction coils by the generator. In practice, however, the SCR control circuits of these prior art generators have been prone to failure. Indeed, approximately 80%-90% of the downtime associated with the induction heating generators employing these SCR control circuits is attributable to failures in those SCR control circuits. Such failures have resulted in increased maintenance costs in terms of personnel time and additional economic losses in terms of decreased production due to machine downtime. Other drawbacks of these SCR control circuits include their cost (typically on the order of $3,500.00 per unit) and the inherent difficulty involved in troubleshooting these complicated devices.
On occasion, three phase thyratron tube networks have been used instead of SCR control circuits to control the power supplied to the work coils of the generator. However, these thyratron tube networks have suffered drawbacks similar to those described above. Specifically, such thyratron tube networks are expensive; are prone to failure; are difficult to troubleshoot; and require high maintenance.
Another prior art alternative to using SCR control circuits in induction heating generators is effected by switching the power supplied to the induction coils between fully on and fully off by selectively opening and closing the large, three phase, mechanical plate contactor provided in the induction heating generator. Although, due to its simplicity, this approach is relatively inexpensive and easy to troubleshoot, it suffers from certain other drawbacks. For example, since in order to implement this alternative the plate contactor must be opened and closed under full load, the plate contactor experiences considerable stress and wear, thus, requiring a high degree of maintenance. More significantly, as taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,501,943 and 4,523,068, when fusing battery terminals it is advantageous to provide a controlled de-energization of the induction heating coils over a predetermined time period in order to obtain a good surface appearance of the completed battery terminals. In such instances, it is also advantageous to provide a controlled energization of those coils over a predetermined time period in the form of a relatively linear ramped-up or stepped-up current supply. However, opening and closing the plate contactor to regulate power cannot provide either a controlled energization or a controlled de-energization. On the contrary, it has only two power states, namely, fully on and fully off, and the transitions therebetween are abrupt.

System and method for controlling the degree of heating experienced by a work coil in an induction heating generator


In exemplary embodiments, braking of an airplane is controlled during a rejected takeoff. A rejected takeoff of an airplane from a runway is initiated. Position of the airplane is determined, such as by inputting aircraft position from a global positioning system. Distance remaining on the runway is determined. Deceleration to stop the aircraft in the determined distance remaining on the runway is calculated, and the calculated deceleration is provided to an autobraking system of the airplane. When the aircraft can not be stopped in the determined distance remaining on the runway, a predetermined deceleration that correlates to maximum braking may be provided to the aircraft's autobraking system. The calculated deceleration may be provided to the autobraking system until a pilot takes command of the aircraft's brakes or the aircraft has stopped.

A takeoff of an aircraft from a runway may be rejected for a variety of reasons, such as engine failure, activation of a takeoff warning horn, direction from air traffic control, blown tires, system warnings, and the like. For takeoff, currently-known autobraking systems are placed in a rejected takeoff ("RTO") mode. With a currently-known autobraking system in the RTO mode, a pilot typically can initiate a rejected takeoff maneuver by returning throttles to the "idle" position or by engaging reverse thrust.
Currently-known autobraking systems for large aircraft provide maximum braking pressure when a rejected takeoff is initiated. Characteristic of all rejected takeoffs is the objective of stopping the airplane within the remaining runway. Maximum braking is applied, typically at speeds above 85 knots, independent of the amount of runway remaining or the amount of headwind or temperature. During maximum braking, aircraft brakes absorb the braking energy and can become very hot. Absorption of the braking energy can cause brake over-temperature, brake fires, fuse plug melting, tire destruction, and subsequent runway closures. These results of brake energy absorption can lead to increased costs, decreased safety, and other issues for airlines and controlling agencies.
The rejected takeoff function of currently-known autobraking systems applies maximum braking without controlling deceleration and without consideration to application of less than maximum braking pressure. Thus, some of the consequences of absorption of brake energy can be incurred unnecessarily in instances when a rejected takeoff is initiated but the aircraft can be stopped on the remaining runway with application of less than maximum brake pressure.
The foregoing examples of related art and limitations associated therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.

Method, system, and computer program product for performance monitored aircraft rejected takeoff braking


An autotrip plunger of a circuit breaker is disclosed for opening contacts of the circuit breaker to install and uninstall the circuit breaker from a current source. In an embodiment, the autotrip plunger includes a compression spring, a first body section and a second body section, the first body section including a contact surface for contacting a tripping element of the circuit breaker and the second body section including an arbor shaft for fitting in the compression spring. At the free end of the arbor shaft, the arbor shaft includes at least one radial protrusion for holding the compression spring. A circuit breaker with such an autotrip plunger is also disclosed.

A drawout is an electromechanical device to install and uninstall a molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) from a current source. For safety of the installer, a mechanical device called "autotrip plunger" must open the contacts of the MCCBs every time it is introduced or taken out from the current source. The autotrip plunger has a direct interaction with the MCCB mechanism via a tripping element, like a tripping lever, to open the contacts. The energy for doing this is provided by a compression spring called "autotrip plunger spring".
Nowadays, market requirements for molded case circuit breakers are set to preserve the performance requirements of a molded case circuit breaker and to withstand in less frame space. For achieving this, molded case circuit breakers mechanisms are designed to have big forces compromising the internal free space for other components in the molded case circuit breaker.
There are molded case circuit breakers with a plunger which has a slot in which an internal spring can be placed. The plunger is placed between the electronic trip unit (ETU) or the thermal magnetic trip unit (TMTU) and a frame inside the molded case circuit breaker.
Other plungers of molded case circuit breakers have an internal spring in which the outer diameter of the spring is the same as the outside envelope of the plunger. The plunger is installed inside the frame of the molded case circuit breaker.

Autotrip plunger within a removable circuit breaker and circuit breaker with autotrip plunger


The present disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for approximating a static head of a fluid transfer system including a fluid transfer device. The method can include determining a rotational speed and a power consumption of the fluid transfer device, determining a first set of data points, calculating a second set of data points on the basis of the first set of data points, determining a minimum rotational speed producing flow through the fluid transfer device on the basis of the second set of data points, and determining the static head on the basis of the minimum rotational speed.

Pumps, fans, and compressors can be used in industrial and municipal applications. As pump, fan, and compressor applications consume a notable amount of electrical energy, they also hold energy savings potential.
A variable which may have an effect on the savings potential in these applications is the static head of the system. The static head represents a pressure difference in the form of a vertical fluid column height which a fluid transfer device has to overcome in order to produce flow.
Information on the system static head can be used, for example, in energy audits, energy-efficiency-optimizing speed control of fluid transfer systems, and determination of rotational speed limits for the device.
The static head can be a parameter for defining a minimum possible energy consumption of a fluid transfer device, such as a pump, a fan, or a compressor. For example, a system-specific energy consumption Es (kWh/m3) of a fluid transfer system can be defined as follows:
                              E          s                =                              ρ                                                                          g                                                                                (                                                H                  st                                +                                  H                  dyn                                            )                                                          η              dt                                                  η              p                                                          (        1        )            where ρ is the fluid density, g is the acceleration due to gravity, Hst is the static head, Hdyn is a system dynamic head caused by flow losses, ηdt is the drive train efficiency, and ηp is the device efficiency. Equation 1 shows the direct effect that Hst can have on the system specific-energy consumption Es.
Energy efficiency of a fluid transfer system operation can be improved by driving the fluid transfer device of the fluid transfer system at a selected rotational speed with the smallest possible specific energy consumption, if allowed by the surrounding process. The static head can affect the feasibility of a speed control method for a fluid transfer device, since the static head in the system curve can set a practical limit for the minimum or selected applicable rotational speed.
The static head of a fluid transfer system can be determined by additional measurements. However, for example, sensors for the additional measurements may decrease cost-effectiveness of the system.
The static head of a fluid transfer system can also be determined without additional measurements by identifying the system curve parameters with a frequency converter. This method, however, can have relatively high computational needs since it uses the least squares method for determining the system curve parameters.

Method for approximating a static head of a fluid transfer system


A sharpening machine generally includes a grinding wheel having a perimeter that is rotatable about a first axis. The sharpening machine includes an adjustment device adapted to be coupled to a structure of the sharpening machine. A shaft, mounted to the adjustment device, defines a second axis that is generally parallel to the first axis when the adjustment device is coupled to the structure and is movable along a predetermined feed axis toward the grinding wheel. A carousel is rotatably connected to the shaft of the adjustment device. A contouring tool having a counter surface is rotatably connected to the carousel. Movement of the shaft of the adjustment device along the feed axis is configured to translate the carousel and move the contouring tool into and out of engagement with the grinding wheel to facilitate dressing of the perimeter of the grinding wheel to a grinding wheel contour.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
In winter sports such as ice skating and hockey, the blades of an ice skate are the point of contact for all of the forces generated in turns, spins, jumps, etc. Known ice skate blade profiles typically have a convex shape along a length of the skate blade known as a rocker radius (often along with a second portion near each edge having a second radius or entry radius). Known ice skate blade profiles also have a concave (circular) profile across the bottom of the blade, and this profile defines two edges along the length of the blade. A skater can use either of these two edges in executing maneuvers on the ice surface.
Skate blades for different uses differ from one pair to another. There are always competing requirements for different applications. The operator of a skate sharpening machine that makes a blade profile is required to first dress the grinding wheel to have the desired contour and then ensure that during the grinding process a centerline of the profile on the wheel coincides with a centerline of the blade along its full length. If this is not done, then an irregular groove will be created along the length of the blade, with one edge being higher/lower than the other.
The dressing of the skate sharpening grinding wheel is traditionally carried out using a single point diamond dresser that is swung in a circular arc across the surface of the spinning grinding wheel about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the grinding wheel to give the wheel a convex surface with a radius of between ¼ inch and two inches. This technique creates the circular arc profile on the grinding wheel for grinding a complimentary concave profile across the width of the skate blade.
Limiting the blade profile to a circular, concave shape restricts a range between the maximum depth of the concave, circular profile, h, and the included angle, θ measured between the vertical side edge and a line formed generally tracking the concave profile near a bottom of the side edge. These two variables, h and θ, are interconnected by the following equation for the edges even condition:
Where:                r—is the radius of the circular arc in the bottom of the skate blade,        w—is the width of the skate blade,        h—is the maximum depth of the circular arc,        θ—is the edge angle between the vertical side edge of the skate blade and a tangent line formed tracking the circular arc at the bottom of the side edge.h=r(1−cos {asin [w/2r]})  (1)θ=90°−asin(w/2r)  (2)
For a hockey skate blade, typically w=0.110 inches. Given this limitation on the width, and that the known profiles have a radius, a table can be developed with a list of corresponding r, h and θ values as set forth below.
radius, r depth, hedge angle, θ(in)(in)(degrees)0.2500.0061377.290.5000.0030383.680.7500.0020285.791.0000.0015186.851.2500.0012187.481.7500.0010187.902.0000.0007688.42
Smaller radii provide better turning ability along with slower glide speeds, while larger radii provide superior glide speeds along with poorer turning ability. However, with a circular blade profile, the range of edge angles, θ, and depths, h, is very limited. It would be desirable to provide an ice skate blade with profiles having greater variation.
Some alternative ice skate blade profiles are known. For example, Canadian Patent Publication 2,173,001 to Danese discloses an ice skate blade with multiple irregular angled edges along the bottom of the blade. Such an ice skate blade profile is impractical in that it will be very slow and provide poor turning ability. Canadian Patent Publication 1,179,696 to Redmond et al. discloses various ice skate blade profiles many of which impractically have a center portion of the bottom extending below the side edges. Below is understood here to refer to the direction towards the ice when a skater is wearing a skate with an ice skate blade. Such ice skate blade profiles can be very unstable and can provide questionable lateral control.

Ice skate blades and sharpening machines


A peroxide curable perfluoroelastomer comprising: recurring units derived from tetrafluoroethylene (TFE); and recurring units derived from perfluoromethylvinylether (MVE); such perfluoroelastomer possessing a Mooney Viscosity (ML2+9) at 121° C. of from 25 to 140 MU, when measured according to ASTM D1646 standard, and comprising such MVE recurring units in an amount of from 26 to 33% by moles with respect to total moles of TFE and MVE. A process for the manufacture of such perfluoroelastomer, and cured articles obtainable therefrom.

Fluoroelastomer are synthetic rubbers designed for demanding service applications in hostile environments, endowed with outstanding chemical and thermal resistance.
Perfluoroelastomers having fully fluorinated fluorinated backbones and typically based on copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and perfluoromethylvinylether (MVE), optionally comprising recurring units derived from cure-site containing monomers, represent in this domain top-edge class of materials, introduced into the market since late sixties.
Generally these TFE/MVE copolymers have roughly a 60/40 mol/mol to 65/35 composition, which enables achievement of required elastomeric behaviour; such copolymers generally also comprise recurring units derived from monomers comprising curing sites and/or end groups contemplating such cure sites. Typically, peroxide curing is preferred technique used for their vulcanization and moulding.
Despite their availability since over 30 years, there is still a continuous need for further improving performances of these materials. Thermal resistance at high temperatures is, among other, a continuous filed of endeavour in the development of novel perfluoroelastomers.


An automatic tuning apparatus for a filter includes a mode wherein a switching part is controlled so that a reference signal is inputted to the filter, a plural number of control signals are successively input to a control terminal of the filter, a tentative value of the control signal is determined based on respective amplitudes detected by an amplitude detection part as a “coarse tuning step”, a plural number of control signals are successively input in the vicinity of the tentatively determined value to a control terminal, and the value of the control signal is determined to be used in a mode as a “fine tuning step” based on respective phase differences detected by a phase comparator part”.

The present invention relates to an automatic tuning apparatus for filter for tuning the characteristic frequency of a filter having a tuning function to a target frequency and a communication instrument including the above. The present invention relates particularly to an automatic tuning apparatus for filter with low electric power consumption performing high-speed automatic tuning and a communication instrument including the above.
For the recent communication instrument (for example, mobile phones), efforts have been devoted on lowering the power consumption, weight saving and small sizing. On various electronic components, it is a general tendency that they are formed as an integrated circuit. On the filters, too, there is a similar tendency. In the past, they were discrete elements outside the integrated circuit. It is often the case that they are now included as gm-C filters in the integrated circuit. Here, the gm-C filter is a filter utilizing a transconductor (gm) and a capacitor (C) within it so that its frequency response can be changed and controlled by voltage or by current.
For example, for mobile phone, a narrow band BPF having about 5 percent band width with respect to its center frequency is needed. It is required to realize a filter having a center frequency of about 0.2 to 0.3 percent accuracy with respect to the target designed value.
In general, dispersions in the manufacturing process of the integrated circuit are ±10-odd percent for resistors, and also ±10-odd percent for capacitors. The characteristic frequency of a filter composed of a resistor and a capacitor produces dispersions of equal to or more than ±20 percent. A gm-C filter included in a communication instrument is constructed to be tunable from outside and tuned in high accuracy at factory.
The characteristic frequency for a band path filter (BPF) means the center frequency f0. For high pass filter (HPF) and low pass filter (LPF), it means cut-off frequency (frequency at the −3 dB point).
In a mobile phone having a gm-C filter within it, if the consumption current of the gm-C filter is large, duration of call of the mobile phone allowed by each battery charge becomes short. If making the battery size large for securing a longer duration of call, weight saving and small sizing of the mobile phone are not realized.
Under such condition, a gm-C filter is required to have as small power consumption as possible. Also, since the tuning time of the gm-C filter influences power consumption, it is important to attempt to lower the power consumption by shortening the tuning time.
A method for tuning the gm-C filter of a first prior art is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 9-83294. Method for tuning a gm-C filter of the first prior art is such that, inputting a reference signal to the gm-C filter, by observing the phase difference between the input signal to the filter and the output signal from it, tuning of the filter is processed.
In the gm-C filter (BPF) of the first prior art, the reference signal having a frequency identical to the tuning target value of the center frequency of the filter is inputted. In this case, when the characteristic frequency of the filter coincides with the target frequency, phase difference between filter output signal and filter input signal becomes 0.
If the characteristic frequency of the filter is higher than the target frequency, the phase of the filter output signal lags behind the phase of the input signal. If the characteristic frequency of the filter is lower than the target frequency, the phase of the filter output signal leads ahead the phase of the input signal. To utilize this principle, inputting the reference signal into the filter, the phase difference between the filter output signal and the reference signal is detected.
In the above-mentioned prior art, based on the above-mentioned result, a value of the updown counter is changed. The updown counter outputs its counter value as the control signal to control the filter. The gm-C filter is tuned appropriately according to the counter value.
In the tuning method of the gm-C filter of the first prior art, inputting the reference signal to the filter, the phase of the filter output signal and the phase of the reference signal are compared. The tuning method of the gm-C filter of the first prior art was that, upon the result of the above, judging is made whether the characteristic frequency of the filter is higher or lower than the target value, and then based on the above-mentioned result the tuning of the filter was achieved.
However, when, for example, the dispersion due to the manufacturing process is large, such case that the center frequency (characteristic frequency) of BPF deviates largely from the target value can happen. If the tuning of such BPF is attempted, because of this large deviation of the center frequency of the filter from the frequency of the reference signal, the reference signal is attenuated largely in the filter, and the amplitude of the filter output signal becomes very small. Therefore, the phase comparison between the filter output signal and the reference signal becomes difficult.
When Q value of the BPF is high, even because of a slight deviation of the characteristic frequency from the frequency of the reference signal, the reference signal is attenuated largely in the filter. Therefore, the amplitude of the filter output signal becomes very small.
When applying this method to a 4th order BPF, when the characteristic frequency deviates more than a certain amount to lower-frequency side, the phase of the filter output signal leads as much as 180° or more (delayed phase between 0°-180°) from the target phase value. When the characteristic frequency of the filter deviates more than a certain amount to higher-frequency side, the phase of the filter output signal lags as much as 180° or more (leading phase between 0°-180°) from the target phase value.
Therefore, when comparing the phase of the filter output signal and the phase of the reference signal, it can not be judged that the characteristic frequency deviates to lower frequency side than the target frequency based on the fact that the phase of the filter output signal leads ahead from the target phase value (leading phase between 0°-180°).
The Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 9-130206 discloses an automatic tuning apparatus for filter of a second prior art having variable Q value of a filter when tuning the filter by the phase comparison. In the automatic tuning apparatus for filter of the second prior art, detecting the level of the filter output signal, and based on this detected result, gain of the signal to be inputted to the filter is controlled. This automatic tuning apparatus for filter is for attempting to tune a filter by carrying out the phase comparison stably even when the Q value of the filter is high.
In the automatic tuning apparatus for filter of the second prior art, the output level of the band filter is detected and the input level of the band filter is changed appropriately. The method performs the filter tuning stably.
In the second prior art, a feedback circuit is newly provided in order to set the band filter input level appropriately. Thereby, in comparison with automatic tuning apparatus for filter of other prior arts, the characteristic frequency tuning apparatus of the second prior art requires longer time for the filter tuning as the feedback circuit requires the time for setting the band filter input level appropriately,
This art further provides a band pass filter for the tuning monitor use in addition to the active filter to be used actually, and the characteristic frequency of this band pass filter is tuned to the target value.
A relative error can exist between the active filter to be used actually and the band pass filter for the tuning monitor use. Therefore, even if the tunings made appropriately by the band filter, there will be a fear that the active filter to be used actually is not tuned accurately.
The present invention purposes to offer an automatic tuning apparatus for filter of small size and power saving type which enables an accurate tuning, and a communication instrument including the above.
The present invention purposes to offer an automatic tuning apparatus for filter which can tune the characteristic frequency of the filter appropriately even for a higher-order filter or a high-Q filter, as well as, to offer a communication instrument including the above.
The present invention purposes to offer an automatic tuning apparatus for filter of low power consumption and performing a high-speed tuning of the filter, and a communication instrument including the above.
The present invention purposes to offer an automatic tuning apparatus for filter with low possibility of erroneous tuning of the filter, and a communication instrument including the above.

Automatic tuning apparatus for filter and communication instrument

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Systems and methods of pasting a discontinuous selection from a first document are provided, comprising receiving, at a processor, the discontinuous selection modeling the selection as a data structure, and pasting each of the plurality of portions including contextual formatting for each portion. The discontinuous selection includes a plurality of portions of the first document and the portions are discontinuous. The portions may include one or more cells from a table, and pasting the one or more cells includes pasting at least borders of the cell, a background color of the cell, and text contained in the cell.

Copy and paste functions traditionally involved copying selected text and pasting text in another location. In some applications, discontinuous portions of text, i.e., portions of text from different locations in a single document, may be selected and copied, and pasted into another document or application. However, in traditional applications, discontinuous portions of selected text are simply appended to a text string. The context of the selected text is not copied, and information about the document from which it is pasted is also not copied. Thus, information that may be relevant to the selected portions of text is lost in the copy of the selected portions.

Method for creating a document model from discontinuous selections of an existing document


An improved rotary, gear within a gear transfer pump, including a pump housing having a circular pumping chamber communicating with a first port and a second port. An externally driven rotor is in meshing relationship with an internal idler gear. To enable the pump to handle an abrasive fluid medium or a non-homogenous pump fluid, an idler gear seal and a shaft seal are employed to contain pumped fluid within the pump chamber. A source of lubricating/flushing fluid is communicated to an idler gear bearing region and a shaft bearing. An idler gear seal includes a "flow resisting" side exposed to pump chamber fluid and a "flow passing" side exposed to lubricating/flushing fluid. The shaft seal includes a "flow resisting" side exposed to pump chamber pressure and a "flow-passing" side exposed to lubricating fluid. A cross-communicating fluid circuit maintains the "flow resisting " sides of both seals at substantially the same pressure. In an alternative embodiment, the flow resisting side of the idler gear seal and the flow resisting side of the shaft seal communicate with intake port pressure. By introducing the lubricating/flushing fluid at a pressure higher than the pressure to which the high-pressure sides of the seals are exposed, fluid leakage across the seal interfaces will occur from the "flow passing" sides to the "flow resisting" sides, thereby flushing the seal interfaces with the lubricating/flushing fluid. The flow of pump chamber fluid across the seal interfaces is substantially resisted.

Transfer pumps of the "gear within a gear" configuration are used in many applications to pump fluids at relatively high flow rates at relatively low pressures (less than 1000 psi) as compared to hydraulic system pumps which often operate at pressures well in excess of 1000 psi. This type of transfer pump, usually includes an internal crescent positioned between an outer, driven gear (alternately termed a "rotor") and a smaller, idler gear. The outer gear is connected to a shaft that extends through the housing and is attached directly or indirectly to a drive motor. The idler gear rotates about a fixed idler pin and is driven by the outer gear, as distinguished from a "gerotor" type of gear pump in which an "outer gear" includes inwardly directed teeth that mesh with, and are driven by, an internal drive gear.
A gear within a gear type of transfer pump is called upon to perform a wide variety of tasks in a wide variety of environments. In at least some applications, this type of gear transfer pump is used to pump fluids which contain abrasive material or fluids with particles in suspension. In conventional gear pumps, pumping these kinds of fluids often cause premature failure in one or more pump components. Pump constructions have been disclosed in the past which were intended to be used in applications involving fluids containing entrained solids. An example of such a pump is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 1,709,580. According to the disclosure in this patent, the illustrated pump is intended to pump pulp in solution such as paper or wood pulp. In the disclosed pump a shearing action is provided for preventing the rolling and jamming of the pulp between the casing and rotor. A flushing arrangement is also used for flushing the bearings of the idler pinion and rotor shaft to keep them free from accumulation of pulp. The pump disclosed in this patent is not believed to be readily adaptable to applications that involve a pumped fluid that contains entrained abrasives.

Gear transfer pump with lubrication and sealing of the driveshaft and idler pin


A torque converter including: a pump shell; a cover; and a backing plate for a torque converter clutch fixed by contact with the cover and the pump shell. In some aspects, the backing plate is fixed by axial pressure exerted by the cover and the pump against the backing plate. A torque converter including: a plurality of components axially disposed between a pump shell and a cover; and a pump hub fixedly secured to the pump shell. The position of the pump hub with respect to the pump shell is selected to establish respective axial distances between components in the plurality of components. A torque converter including: turbine shell; and a backing plate for a torque converter clutch, the backing plate rotationally connected to the turbine shell and forming a portion of a boundary between first and second pressure chambers.

FIG. 1 illustrates a general block diagram showing the relationship of the engine 7, torque converter 10, transmission 8, and differential/axle assembly 9 in a typical vehicle. It is well known that a torque converter is used to transmit torque from an engine to a transmission of a motor vehicle.
The three main components of the torque converter are the pump 37, turbine 38, and stator 39. The torque converter becomes a sealed chamber when the pump is welded to cover 11. The cover is connected to flexplate 41 which is, in turn, bolted to crankshaft 42 of engine 7. The cover can be connected to the flexplate using lugs or studs welded to the cover. The welded connection between the pump and cover transmits engine torque to the pump. Therefore, the pump always rotates at engine speed. The function of the pump is to use this rotational motion to propel the fluid radially outward and axially towards the turbine. Therefore, the pump is a centrifugal pump propelling fluid from a small radial inlet to a large radial outlet, increasing the energy in the fluid. Pressure to engage transmission clutches and the torque converter clutch is supplied by an additional pump in the transmission that is driven by the pump hub.
In torque converter 10 a fluid circuit is created by the pump (sometimes called an impeller), the turbine, and the stator (sometimes called a reactor). The fluid circuit allows the engine to continue rotating when the vehicle is stopped, and accelerate the vehicle when desired by a driver. The torque converter supplements engine torque through torque ratio, similar to a gear reduction. Torque ratio is the ratio of output torque to input torque. Torque ratio is highest at low or no turbine rotational speed (also called stall). Stall torque ratios are typically within a range of 1.8-2.2. This means that the output torque of the torque converter is 1.8-2.2 times greater than the input torque. Output speed, however, is much lower than input speed, because the turbine is connected to the output and it is not rotating, but the input is rotating at engine speed.
Turbine 38 uses the fluid energy it receives from pump 37 to propel the vehicle. Turbine shell 22 is connected to turbine hub 19. Turbine hub 19 uses a spline connection to transmit turbine torque to transmission input shaft 43. The input shaft is connected to the wheels of the vehicle through gears and shafts in transmission 8 and axle differential 9. The force of the fluid impacting the turbine blades is output from the turbine as torque. Axial thrust bearings 31 support the components from axial forces imparted by the fluid. When output torque is sufficient to overcome the inertia of the vehicle at rest, the vehicle begins to move.
After the fluid energy is converted to torque by the turbine, there is still some energy left in the fluid. The fluid exiting from small radial outlet 44 would ordinarily enter the pump in such a manner as to oppose the rotation of the pump. Stator 39 is used to redirect the fluid to help accelerate the pump, thereby increasing torque ratio. Stator 39 is connected to stator shaft 45 through one-way clutch 46. The stator shaft is connected to transmission housing 47 and does not rotate. One-way clutch 46 prevents stator 39 from rotating at low speed ratios (where the pump is spinning faster than the turbine). Fluid entering stator 39 from turbine outlet 44 is turned by stator blades 48 to enter pump 37 in the direction of rotation.
The blade inlet and exit angles, the pump and turbine shell shapes, and the overall diameter of the torque converter influence its performance. Design parameters include the torque ratio, efficiency, and ability of the torque converter to absorb engine torque without allowing the engine to "run away." This occurs if the torque converter is too small and the pump can't slow the engine.
At low speed ratios, the torque converter works well to allow the engine to rotate while the vehicle is stationary, and to supplement engine torque for increased performance. At speed ratios less than 1, the torque converter is less than 100% efficient. The torque ratio of the torque converter gradually reduces from a high of about 1.8 to 2.2, to a torque ratio of about 1 as the turbine rotational speed approaches the pump rotational speed. The speed ratio when the torque ratio reaches 1 is called the coupling point. At this point, the fluid entering the stator no longer needs redirected, and the one way clutch in the stator allows it to rotate in the same direction as the pump and turbine. Because the stator is not redirecting the fluid, torque output from the torque converter is the same as torque input. The entire fluid circuit will rotate as a unit.
Peak torque converter efficiency is limited to 92-93% based on losses in the fluid. Therefore torque converter clutch 49 is employed to mechanically connect the torque converter input to the output, improving efficiency to 100%. Clutch piston plate 17 is hydraulically applied when commanded by the transmission controller. Piston plate 17 is sealed to turbine hub 19 at its inner diameter by o-ring 18 and to cover 11 at its outer diameter by friction material ring 51. These seals create a pressure chamber and force piston plate 17 into engagement with cover 11. This mechanical connection bypasses the torque converter fluid circuit.
The mechanical connection of torque converter clutch 49 transmits many more engine torsional fluctuations to the drivetrain. As the drivetrain is basically a spring-mass system, torsional fluctuations from the engine can excite natural frequencies of the system. A damper is employed to shift the drivetrain natural frequencies out of the driving range. The damper includes springs 15 in series with engine 7 and transmission 8 to lower the effective spring rate of the system, thereby lowering the natural frequency.
Torque converter clutch 49 generally comprises four components: piston plate 17, cover plates 12 and 16, springs 15, and flange 13. Cover plates 12 and 16 transmit torque from piston plate 17 to compression springs 15. Cover plate wings 52 are formed around springs 15 for axial retention. Torque from piston plate 17 is transmitted to cover plates 12 and 16 through a riveted connection. Cover plates 12 and 16 impart torque to compression springs 15 by contact with an edge of a spring window. Both cover plates work in combination to support the spring on both sides of the spring center axis. Spring force is transmitted to flange 13 by contact with a flange spring window edge. Sometimes the flange also has a rotational tab or slot which engages a portion of the cover plate to prevent over-compression of the springs during high torque events. Torque from flange 13 is transmitted to turbine hub 19 and into transmission input shaft 43.
Energy absorption can be accomplished through friction, sometimes called hysteresis, if desired. Hysteresis includes friction from windup and unwinding of the damper plates, so it is twice the actual friction torque. The hysteresis package generally consists of diaphragm (or Belleville) spring 14 which is placed between flange 13 and one of cover plates 16 to urge flange 13 into contact with the other cover plate 12. By controlling the amount of force exerted by diaphragm spring 14, the amount of friction torque can also be controlled. Typical hysteresis values are in the range of 10-30 Nm.
In lock-up mode for the torque converter, there is little or no torque applied to turbine hub 19. At the same time, cover plates 16 are receiving engine torque through the damper. Thus, there is intermittent contact between cover plate 16 and the turbine hub at the at the spline connection between the plate and the hub, resulting in undesirable vibration and noise. Alternately stated, the cover plate 'bangs' against the turbine hub at the spline connection due to fluctuations in the engine torque, causing the vibration and noise noted above. Commonly-owned U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/816,932, filed Jun. 28, 2006 discloses a means for preventing the vibration and noise noted above during operation of a torque converter during torque converter mode. However, it would be desirable to further reduce drag in the torque converter clutch during the operation in torque converter mode.
Therefore, there is a long-felt to provide a torque converter with a means of preventing rattle and reducing drag in a torque converter clutch during operation in torque converter mode.

Torque converter with cooling fluid flow arrangement and arrangement for torque transfer to a damper


Provided is a method for producing a polythiol compound, comprising: a step for reacting 2-mercaptoethanol with a defined epihalohydrin compound at a temperature of 10° C. to 50° C. to obtain a defined polyalcohol compound; a step for reacting the polyalcohol compound thus obtained with thiourea in the presence of hydrogen chloride to obtain an isothiuronium salt; a step for adding, while maintaining a reaction solution containing the isothiuronium salt thus obtained at a temperature of 15° C. to 60° C., aqueous ammonia to the reaction solution within 80 minutes, thereby hydrolyzing the isothiuronium salt to obtain a defined polythiol compound; and a step for adding hydrochloric acid which is a concentration of 25% to 36% to the solution containing the polythiol compound thus obtained, washing the solution at a temperature of 10° C. to 50° C. to purify the polythiol compound.

Plastic lenses are lightweight, not easily breakable and tintable as compared with inorganic lenses. Therefore, in recent years, plastic lenses have rapidly been in wide use in optical devices such as spectacle lenses and camera lenses.
It has become necessary for resins for plastic lenses to have more enhanced performances, and there have been demands for an increase in the refractive index, an increase in the Abbe number, a decrease in specific gravity, an increase in heat resistance, and the like. Thus, a variety resin materials for lenses have been hitherto developed and used.
Among others, optical materials formed from polythiourethane-based resins have high refractive index and high Abbe numbers, and are excellent in impact resistance, tintability, processability, and the like. Polythiourethane-based resins are obtained by allowing polythiols to react with polyiso(thio)cyanate compounds and the like.
It is required that in the case of being used in plastic lenses, polythiourethane-based resins be less color, have excellent resin colors, and be transparent. If the quality of polythiol is poor, the quality of the resin thus obtainable may also be poor.
The method for producing a polythiol is exemplified in the following patent documents.
Patent Document 1 or 2 describes a method of obtaining a particular polythiol compound by reacting 2-mercaptoethanol with epichlorohydrin, reacting the compound thus obtained with thiourea to obtain an isothiuronium salt, and then hydrolyzing the isothiuronium salt.
Patent Document 3 describes a method for producing a polythiol compound, the method including adjusting the amount of particular impurities that are contained in 2-mercaptoethanol to a predetermined range.
Patent Document 4 describes a method for producing a polythiol compound, the method including adjusting the content of calcium that is contained in thiourea to a predetermined range.
Patent Document 5 describes a method for producing a polythiol compound, the method including adjusting the content of calcium that is contained in thiourea, and the amount of particular impurities that are contained in 2-mercaptoethanol, to predetermined ranges.

Method for producing polythiol compound, polymerizable composition for optical material, and uses thereof


A process for purifying a fluid stream contaminated with carbon dioxide is provided which comprises contacting, under conditions sufficient to substantially remove the contaminated carbon dioxide from the fluid stream which contains at least one C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 olefin such as ethylene or propylene, with a composition containing an oxygen-containing metal compound such as, for example, an alkaline earth metal hydroxide. The contacting is carried out in the presence of water.

Olefin is a class of industrial chemicals useful as, for example, monomers or comonomers for the synthesis of polyolefins. However, the olefin must be substantially pure when it is used for synthesizing polyolefin, especially when the polyolefin is prepared in the presence of a high activity catalyst because any appreciable concentration of impurities can be detrimental to the catalyst. One of the impurities is carbon dioxide, a well-known catalyst inhibitor.
Alumina is a well known adsorbent in many chemical processes such as the polymerization of olefins, e.g. ethylene, for the removal of water and small concentrations of methanol, carbonyl-containing compounds, and peroxides. However, the use of alumina has disadvantages that impair its effectiveness as an adsorbent. For example, alumina has a low capacity when used as an adsorbent for the removal of CO.sub.2 from an olefin fluid stream which contains CO.sub.2 at low level concentrations and alumina must be regenerated when it becomes saturated with CO.sub.2. Incurred regeneration costs over time dramatically impact the economics of its use.
Molecular sieves are frequently used as adsorbents for CO.sub.2, but are inefficient when used for the removal of CO.sub.2 from a fluid stream containing low molecular weight olefins such as ethylene.
Caustic scrubbers or bulk caustic scrubbers can also function as absorbents for CO.sub.2 from a gaseous stream but have the disadvantages of being hazardous, and subject to water attack with subsequent caking thus severely limiting their capacity. It is therefore an increasing need to develop a more efficient process which is capable of reducing the carbon dioxide concentration in a fluid which contains an olefin to such levels that the CO.sub.2 is not detrimental to catalyst activity in polymerization processes using the olefin.


A method comprises storing in a memory of a first processing device information relating to one or more historical events visible to the first processing device and a second processing device. The method further comprises, in an authentication sessions between the first processing device and the second processing device, transmitting an indicator derived from at least a portion of the stored information from the first processing device to the second processing device. The indicator permits the second processing device to determine authenticity of the first processing device.

Authentication devices typically use a secret or private key to authenticate to a verifying entity. If this key serves as the sole basis of authentication, an adversary that captures it can perfectly impersonate the device. An adversary who captures the secret or private key of an authentication device can simulate communications of the authentication device in a manner indistinguishable from communications of a valid authentication attempt originating from the authentication device. An adversary can obtain keys of an authentication device in a variety of ways, including compromising the authentication device or, in symmetric-key systems, through compromising the verifying entity.

Determining authenticity based on indicators derived from information relating to historical events


A dividing device in a disc accommodation section of a disc changer decreases the stroke of dividing the disc accommodation section, thereby making the disc changer small. The dividing device is configured by having three levers fitted to a rotation axis. A first lever can rotate by 45 degrees and 90 degrees only by a rotation mechanism. The first lever capable of holding a movable rack is fitted to this rotation axis. A second lever and a third lever are fitted to the rotation axis adjacently to the first lever, and slidably on the rotation axis. The second lever holds a movable rack that accommodates a disc of which content is to be reproduced. The third lever holds other movable racks. Based on this mechanism, the disc accommodation section is divided into three parts at the time of reproducing the content of a disc.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dividing section in a disc accommodation section in a disc changer. Particularly, the invention relates to a dividing device in a disc accommodation section in a disc changer that divides the accommodation section in the up and down directions in order to reproduce the content of a disc accommodated in the accommodation section and to exchange the disc, in the disc changer that has plural discs accommodated in the accommodation section and can exchange a content-reproduction disc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a cassette tape has been the mainstream medium recorded with music to provide music in a motor vehicle. However, a disc medium (hereinafter simply referred to as a disc) such as a compact disc (CD) and a mini disc (MD) is now mainly used in place of the cassette tape. Because the disc medium is thinner than the cassette tape, and particularly because an optical disc is not in a case, a disc changer that accommodates plural discs in a reproducing unit and reproduces the recorded content by changing the discs is popular. A disc changer is also being developed for a digital versatile disc (DVD) type of optical disc.
This disc changer of optical discs has a disc accommodation section capable of separately accommodating plural discs, one by one, inside a casing. A swing arm takes out a desired one of the discs from this disc accommodation section, and reproduces the content of the disc using an optical head. When the reproduction ends, the swing arm returns the disc to the disc accommodation section. In general, a turntable on which a disc is rotated and a clamper that fixes the disc onto the turntable are provided at the front end of the swing arm. An optical head moves in a radial direction of the optical disk, on a moving path formed on the swing arm, on the disc that rotates on the turntable, thereby reproducing the information recorded on the disc. Generally, the disc changer has the disc accommodation section movably arranged, in the up and down directions, to facilitate the taking out of a desired one disc from the disc accommodation section.
In order to draw out one disc and reproduce the content of this disc using the swing arm, the disc changer of the CD needs to have space above and below the disc to be drawn out from the accommodation section to allow the swing arm to enter the space at the time of drawing the disc. For this purpose, according to the conventional disc changer, discs located below the content-reproduced disc are moved, or the accommodation section is divided into several parts.
An early CD disc changer was large in size, and was accommodated in a trunk of a motor vehicle. However, due to an increasingly compact size of the disc changer in recent years, the disc drive unit that incorporates the disc changer can be accommodated in a center console of an instrument panel of the motor vehicle.
However, as a result of the small disc changer in the disc drive unit, there is little margin in the parts within the disc changer. Consequently, the operation of a dividing mechanism in the disc accommodation section becomes unstable at the time of drawing out a disc, of which content is to be reproduced, to the swing arm. Further, according to the conventional disc changer, after the disc accommodation section is divided into the upper and lower directions with a cam, a height of the stoppage of the accommodation section is selected, and a disc extraction device enters the space between laminated parts of the accommodation section. Therefore, the operation stroke at the time of dividing the accommodation section is long, and a total size of the disc drive unit becomes large.

Dividing device in disc accommodation section in disc changer