A differential amplifier can include input transistors for receiving a differential input signal and an inductor connected to the input transistors. The inductor can protect a voltage supply from radio frequency in the differential input signal. The accuracy of this differential amplifier can be significantly improved by including a bias network. This bias network advantageously allows a bias current in the input transistors to be set independently of a voltage drop across the inductor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transistor biasing, and in particular to transistor biasing independent of inductor voltage drop.
2. Related Art
Transistors are frequently used in radio frequency (RF) applications. Transistor biasing can advantageously facilitate amplification. A conventional amplifier can include various components to control its gain and distortion. For example, inductors can be used to provide a high impedance to alternating current, serving to "choke" off RF from DC supply lines in the amplifier. Such a high impedance inductive load may also serve to provide common mode rejection when used in the common node of a differential amplifier. Such an RF choke can be designed to have a high impedance over a wide range of frequencies. Unfortunately, biasing transistors with inductors in their source/emitter legs and using a replica current mirror circuit (a known implementation) can result in inaccurate biasing because of a voltage drop across one or more inductors.
One approach to solve this voltage drop problem is to create an equal voltage drop in the replica current mirror circuit using a metal resistor. This metal resistor must be large enough to match the inductor (or even larger if the replica current mirror circuit is a scaled, i.e. lower current, version for power saving). Unfortunately, this metal resistor may take up significant area on the integrated circuit.
Further, differential amplifiers have commonly used a constant voltage reference connected through resistors to produce a fixed voltage on the common current point which, when attached to a resistor to, for example, a ground potential, will produce a constant current equal to the sum of the currents in the output legs of the amplifier. This voltage drop across the resistor must necessarily be less than the total voltage drop across the differential amplifier, thereby limiting the amplifier's output voltage swing. Ever-decreasing feature sizes dictate ever-decreasing supply voltages, thus limiting the output voltage swing that may be achieved using existing biasing designs.
Therefore, a need arises for an amplifier that can accurately set its bias current independent of a voltage drop across an inductor. There is a further need for an amplifier circuit having a constant current design which maximizes the available voltage swing at its output for a given supply voltage.

Transistor biasing independent of inductor voltage drop


The candle wick snuffer is mounted on a baseplate which is at the bottom of the candle. The baseplate carries a swing arm which is released when the temperature rises to critical point in the bottom of the candle. The baseplate may also carry a wick retainer to maintain the correct relative position between the swing arm of the candle wick snuffer and the wick. When the swing arm is released, it pulls the remaining wick down to snuff the candle flame.

Candles have been around for thousands of years. First used fuels were animal fat or tallow and later bees wax, then came the paraffin and vegetable based wax, and now an even newer synthetic polymer type of fuel. For candle fuels to burn, capillary action is employed. A fibrous material or cotton wick draws the liquid fuel up to the flame. Candles have evolved over time, and many additions have been added, such as color, fragrance, oil and novelty objects. The reasons to burn candles other than just for providing light are vast in number. Popularity has increased usage and, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), candles contribute to a high incidence of fires, causing injuries and loss of life as well as property damage in the millions of dollars.
The Fire Analysis and Research Division of NFPA reports that home candle fires increased 15 percent from the year 2000 to 2001, and 34 percent of these fires have been shown to be caused by negligence due to unattended, abandoned or inadequately controlled candles. Forgetting to extinguish a burning candle is a problem important enough to be dealt with and seriously remedied. A flame needs fuel and oxygen to survive, and lack of either will extinguish the flame. The end stages of candle burning are the most critical. Typically, as a candle flame burns downward to the bottom of the candle, the fuel is depleted and the wick burns out. In a freestanding candle, where the structure itself is also its fuel, a problem arises when the remaining fuel bottom loses its structure and evolves into a hot molten pool. If not adequately placed on a non-combustible surface, the molten fuel can saturate and ignite the supporting structure, producing a fire. A candle in a container has a different problem due to the fact the fuel's heat is intensified. If the heat is high enough to substantially vaporize the fuel, an explosive phenomenon known as flashover can occur, whereby it no longer needs a wick to burn. Excessive heat alone can scorch the paint or labels off of metal containers and crack or break glass containers, spilling forth the remaining contents, presenting a fire hazard.
All-wax or freestanding candles are usually manufactured in molds with or without retracting center rods, for wicks to be placed after rod withdrawal. Another method of manufacturing is molding fluid fuel into long tubes. A ram device forces the hardening fuel wax out of the die. The rod is cut to length, then center-bored for receiving a wick. A sized wick is then placed in the wick hole and affixed at its bottom with sometimes only a label for holding. Wicks poured in place are still the larger manufacturing method. The difference between whether the wick is placed during or after molding is purely a manufacturing process and has no significant effect on how it burns. The fuel must be fluid when poured into the mold or extrusion tube. Paraffin fuel has a pour temperature of 130 to 150 degrees F. Gel polymer fuel materials have a pour temperature of 160 to 170 degrees F. Some candles are made without a wick anchor. That type of candle must always be placed on a non-combustible surface due to the physical make-up. A burning candle wick with an unsupported bottom can float freely and migrate to an outer wall of the candle when the candle is low. Migration to an outer wall causes burning through and spilling molten fuel and the lit wick, setting the stage for a fire. Wick clips are provided to anchor the bottom of the wick and are typically made of thin metal. They are center-punched and crimped to hold a wick in a vertical, upright position during the manufacturing process. The wick clip is usually attached to the candle by the wax fuel, but sometimes only a bottom label holds it in place. When the candle flame has pooled its remaining fuel at the candle's bottom, the molten fuel's heat releases the wick clip from a fixed position. The unrestricted burning wick and clip can move freely within the molten fuel. If the burning wick is adjacent to an outer wall, it becomes a fire hazard. The candle bottom which once had structure is reduced to a molten state, now presenting a potential for fire.
Container candles use the same or similar type of wick anchor or clip although some have a longer cylindrical hollow ferrule or neck that is center-formed during manufacture. This keeps the wick from tilting or falling over when the fuel becomes molten during its burn. Containers are made of many non-combustible materials, but metal or glass is usually employed. Thus, there is need for a way in which candle safety can be improved.


The invention relates to a bearing element (1) with a metallic support body (2), a bearing metal layer (3) arranged over the top and a polymer layer (4) arranged on the top of the latter, whereby the polymer layer (4) consists of a polyimide resin, molybdenum sulphide (MoS2) and graphite. The proportion of the polyimide resin in the polymer layer (4) is selected from a range with a lower limit of 60% and an upper limit of 80%, the proportion of MoS2 is selected from a range with a lower limit of 15% and an upper limit of 25% and the proportion of graphite is selected from a range with a lower limit of 5% and an upper limit of 15%.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a bearing element with a metallic support body, a bearing metal layer arranged on top and a polymer layer arranged over the latter, whereby the polymer layer comprises a polyimide resin, molybdenum sulphide (MoS2) and graphite, a motor with a shaft which is mounted by a bearing element, whereby the bearing element comprises at least one metal support body and a bearing metal layer arranged over the latter, as well as the use of a lubricating varnish made from a polymer.
2. Prior Art
Coatings of tribologically stressed components or surfaces need to satisfy various different requirements. On the one hand, a coating is required that as low friction as possible, that is relatively soft and which can therefore adapt well to wear-related abrasion and lubricating partners. On the other hand, it needs to have a sufficiently high degree of mechanical stability and strength in order to absorb the static and the dynamic vibrational loads and thus increase its fatigue strength and lifetime. Developments, for example in the motor industry, are moving towards greater specific performance, in order to increase effectiveness in particular with respect to ever stricter standards relating to exhaust gas, and thereby increase the profitability and ecofriendliness of internal combustion engines. A large number of components in an internal combustion engine are affected by this development, such as for example the radial lubricating bearings that are highly stressed by very high torques and the continually increasing ignition pressures for optimising the combustion process, for example in a direct injection turbo diesel engine. By means of the high-performance injection systems of these engines the components of the injection pumps and their measuring instruments are also subject to these high stresses, or other components such as rams, pins or rollers are affected by the high loads. Aluminium alloys are frequently used for these components, as thereby a good ratio can be achieved between the properties obtained and the required costs.
The most recent developments in this field increasingly show the use of so-called lubricating varnishes—even though their use has been known about in principle for several years.
Thus, e.g. DE 22 06 400 A describes a bonding material with a metallic support body and a frictional or lubricating layer bonded by adhesive to the support body made of thermally highly resistant plastics, which contains thermosetting polyimide resins and additives improving the running properties of the bearing, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, metallic bearing alloys or the like, whereby the friction and/or the lubricating layer contains the polyimide resins and the additives improving the running property as a mixture of fine-grained or fine-powdered material, and contains polyimide varnish as the binding agent, which bonds the fine-grained or fine-powdered mixture in the frictional and/or lubricating layer as well as the frictional or lubricating layer itself to the support body. The lubricating layer can in this case contain between 70 and 20 wt. % thermosetting polyimide resins and about 30 to 80 wt. % self-lubricating additives. Graphite, molybdenum and oxides are named as the self-lubricating additives.
From EP 0 939 106 A a lubricating coating material is known which as a matrix material contains PTFE or PTFE in combination with other fluorothermoplasts, the melting point of which lies above 260° C., whereby at least one powdered polyaramide is included, the proportion of which relative to the total amount of PTFE or the mixture of PTFE and other fluorothermoplasts and the polyaramide is 10 to 50 vol. %.
Also in EP 1 236 914 A a lubricating bearing is described which has a resin coating on a bearing metal layer, whereby the resin coating has a thermosetting resin with specific physical properties in an amount from 70 to 30 vol. % with self-lubricating additives in an amount from 30 to 70 vol. %, and whereby the Vickers hardness level is not greater than 20. The resin can for example be a polyamide imide resin. Molybdenum disulphide, graphite, boron nitride, tungsten disulphide, polytetrafluoroethylene, lead etc. are named as self-lubricating additives.
Polymers for use as coating materials of lubricating elements are described in the following documents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,246 A, JP 60-1424 A, EP 0 984 182 A, JP 04-83914 A, JP 07-247493 A, GB 2 337 306 A, JP 09-79262 A, JP 2001/173644 A, DE 20 00 632 A, DE 33 43 309 A, DE 32 21 785 A, WO 97/38046 A, EP 0 340 839 A, EP 0 044 577 A, EP 0 340 838 A, DE 24 15 327 A, EP 060 725 A, DE 198 14 756 A, U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,270 A, DE 25 04 833 A, FR 21 33 320 A, GB 2 384 033 B, JP-53-007780 A.


A register panel mounting structure includes: a retainer having a cylindrical shape and having a flow path formed therein to permit passage of air for air conditioning; and a register panel mounted at an edge portion of the retainer, the edge portion forming an opening at a downstream side. The register panel has a shape only covering, from a front side, one portion of the edge portion in a circumferential direction. The register panel includes: an inner panel disposed at a side at which the opening is located when viewed from the edge portion; and an outer panel disposed opposite to the side at which the opening is located when viewed from the edge portion. The inner panel and the outer panel sandwich one portion of the edge portion in the circumferential direction.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for mounting a register panel at the outer circumference of an opening of a register provided in an instrument panel.
Description of the Background Art
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-219595 and Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2003-072425, a structure for mounting a register panel at the outer circumference of an opening (air outlet) of a register provided in an instrument panel has been known. FIG. 10 shows a general mounting structure 10Z for a register panel 4 when viewed from a front side. FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view taken along a XI-XI line in FIG. 10.
With reference to FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, in the mounting structure 10Z for the register panel 4, the register panel 4 is mounted at an instrument panel 1. The register panel 4 is located adjacent to and at the left side of an indicator 3 (FIG. 10) provided in a center console, and has a lengthwise shape as a whole. Although not shown in the figures, the same mounting structure for the register panel 4 as that shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 is also employed to be located adjacent to and at the right side of the indicator 3.
With reference to FIG. 11, more specifically, a retainer 12 having a cylindrical shape is provided at the backside of the instrument panel 1 (register panel 4). In an inner side of the retainer 12, a flow path 13 (FIG. 11) configured to permit passage of air for air conditioning is formed. The register panel 4 is disposed to cover an edge portion 15 of the retainer 12 from the front side, the edge portion 15 forming an opening 14 at a downstream side.
In an inner side of the edge portion 15 of the retainer 12, a fin 2 is disposed to be pivotable. The register panel 4 has a clip portion 4T, which has a shape extending toward a forward side (upper side in the plane of sheet of FIG. 11) in a vehicle forward/rearward direction (upward/downward direction in the plane of sheet of FIG. 11).
The instrument panel 1 includes a base material portion 6 (FIG. 11) composed of a resin, in addition to a design portion of the instrument panel 1 exposed at the front side. The base material portion 6 is disposed at the forward side relative to the design portion in the vehicle forward/rearward direction (disposed behind the design portion). The base material portion 6 is provided with an opening 6H.
The clip portion 4T of the register panel 4 is inserted into the opening 6H of the base material portion 6, and is engaged with the outer circumferential portion of the opening 6H. By the engagement, the register panel 4 is positioned and is fixed to the instrument panel 1. It should be noted that the clip portion 4T is provided to extend in a vehicle width direction, and the design portion of the register panel 4 at the front side has a width having a substantially size L1 (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 2) in the vehicle width direction.


A wireless communication method and apparatus for scheduling data having different priorities for a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs), (i.e., users) is disclosed. The normalized average active throughput for each of the WTRUs is computed. Then, the normalized channel quality for each of the WTRUs is computed based on a reported channel quality indicator (CQI) and the respective normalized average active throughput. A sequence of WTRUs is arranged in an order of decreasing normalized channel quality for each data priority. As much of the data as possible is scheduled for the WTRUs in the order of decreasing normalized channel quality of WTRUs. The scheduling is performed until there are no more physical resources available. Several of the WTRUs can be scheduled in the same transmission timing interval (TTI) if there are enough physical resources.

The basic principle of high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) is that the Node-B can make more efficient decisions and manage downlink radio resources on a short-term basis better than the radio network controller (RNC). In the meantime, the RNC still retains coarse overall control of a cell so that it can perform functions such as call admission control (CAC) and congestion control.
With the implementation of HSDPA, fast scheduling via layer 1 signaling becomes possible, which is a key advantage of HSDPA. In order to fully utilize this advantage, a well-designed scheduling algorithm for HSDPA is required.
One scheduling algorithm that has been proposed for HSDPA is a maximum C/I (carrier to interference ratio) algorithm which always schedules the WTRU with the highest channel quality, (i.e., C/I). Although this algorithm takes advantage of instantaneous channel quality, it does not consider fairness between WTRU users.
Another scheduling algorithm that has been proposed for HSDPA is a round robin algorithm disclosed in a publication entitled "Network Performance of Transmit and Receive Antenna Diversity in HSDPA under Different Packet Scheduling Strategies," by J. Ramiro et al., VTC 2001, where each WTRU uses the same resources. Although fairness is achieved between WTRU users, this algorithm totally ignores channel quality in scheduling.
Yet another scheduling algorithm that has been proposed for HSDPA is a proportionally fair algorithm which schedules the WTRU with the highest normalized C/I, as disclosed in a publication entitled "Interaction of Transmit Diversity and Proportional Fair Scheduling," by L. Berger et al., VTC Fall 2002, and in another publication entitled "Design of Packet Transmission Scheduler for High Speed Downlink Packet Access System," by W. S. Jeon et al., VTC Spring 2002.
The normalized C/I of the WTRU is the C/I normalized by the WTRU's average throughput within a specific time window. This algorithm is a promising solution to the scheduling of HSDPA. It balances between instantaneous channel quality and overall fairness among WTRU users. However, it has at least three deficiencies.
The first deficiency is that only one WTRU with the best normalized channel quality is scheduled at a time, which may not have enough data to utilize all the physical resources reserved for HSDPA.
The second deficiency is that a WTRU's average throughput within a specific time window does not consider that different WTRUs may have different data rates, and thus it is not fair for WTRU users with higher data rates.
The third deficiency is that the bursty nature of data traffic is not considered. The average throughput during inactive time, (e.g., reading time), is meaningless. A WTRU that just transitions from an inactive state (reading time) into an active state (data bursts) will get unjustified preference in scheduling.

Wireless communication method and apparatus for scheduling prioritized data for a plurality of mobile station users


A multiple-way valve having a housing forming a chamber with which two spaced apart fluid ports communicate. An actuator is accommodated in the chamber and has two spaced apart closures which are operable to open and close the ports. The actuator is biased to a position in which one port is closed and the other port is open but the actuator may be rocked in response to energization of an electromagnet to a position in which the one port is closed and the other port open. In moving from either position to the other the actuator rocks first about one fulcrum and then about a second fulcrum. The two fulcrums are so located as to facilitate initial movement of the actuator from either of its positions thereby minimizing the power required to be applied by the electromagnet.

A multiple-way valve which is constructed as a solenoid valve is known from DE-A-44 05 657. It consists essentially of a valve housing in which a first and a second valve seat are constructed, and an actuating element which has a first and a second closure member each co-operating with one of the two valve seats and is pivotably mounted in such a way that in a first setting position the first closure member comes into contact with the first valve seat and in the second setting position the second closure member comes into contact with the second valve seat. In this case the actuating element is constructed as a tilting armature which can be pivoted between the two setting positions by control of an electromagnet and a restoring spring.
Depending upon the use of the valve and the prevailing pressure conditions, in certain circumstances a substantially higher force is necessary in the case of one closure member by comparison with the other closure member in order to lift it off its valve seat. In many applications, however, it is necessary for both closure members to be raised with approximately the same travel in order to keep the air venting times low.
Therefore with frequent switching of the electromagnet a relatively high power is necessary.
The object of the invention, therefore, is to improve the known multiple-way valve in such a way that the switching is facilitated with a lower power.


An efficient process is disclosed for producing the compound of formula I, which is the CETP inhibitor anacetrapib, which raises HDL-cholesterol and reduces LDL-cholesterol in human patients and may be effective for treating or reducing the risk of developing atherosclerosis:

Atherosclerosis and its clinical consequences, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and peripheral vascular disease, represent an enormous burden on the health care systems of the industrialized world. In the United States alone, greater than one half million deaths are attributed to CHD each year. This toll is expected to grow as the average age of the population increases and as an epidemic in obesity and diabetes continues to grow.
Inhibition of CETP is a promising but unproven approach to reducing the incidence of atherosclerosis. Statins have reduced the incidence of CHD by reducing LDL-cholesterol (the "bad cholesterol"), but are relatively ineffective at raising HDL-cholesterol ("the good cholesterol"). CETP inhibitors raise HDL-cholesterol, and may provide a potent new tool for reducing CHD and atherosclerosis in the general population. Torcetrapib was the first CETP inhibitor to be tested in human patients. The pivotal clinical trial of torcetrapib, an outcomes study, was terminated early because of higher mortality in the test group of patients who were taking the drug concomitantly with a statin compared with a group of patients who were taking a placebo and a statin. Subsequent research has suggested that the higher mortality in the test group was caused by off-target activity and was not related to CETP inhibition. Two newer drugs, anacetrapib and dalcetrapib, have also been in Phase III outcomes trials. The dalcetrapib trial was terminated early because an interim review found that there was no clinical benefit to the patients who were taking dalcetrapib, but that there were also no safety issues with the drug. Anacetrapib is currently being studied in an outcomes trial which will not be completed until about 2017. Data from an earlier non-outcomes trial of anacetrapib indicated that anacetrapib is unlikely to have the same kinds of safety issues that were observed with torcetrapib.
A process for making anacetrapib was previously disclosed in a published patent application (WO 2007/005572).

Process for synthesizing a CETP inhibitor


An exemplary door closer includes a housing defining a hydraulic chamber having a hydraulic fluid disposed therein. A pinion is rotatably mounted to the housing and extends into the hydraulic chamber. A piston is mounted for reciprocal movement within the housing, and defines a rack engaged with the pinion. The housing further defines an aperture in fluid communication with the hydraulic chamber. A regulating screw is rotatably mounted within the aperture such that rotation of the regulating screw in a first direction advances the regulating screw into the hydraulic chamber and such that rotation of the regulating screw in an opposite second direction withdraws the regulating screw away from the hydraulic chamber. A stop member is mounted in the aperture such that the stop member limits withdrawing movement of the regulating screw to thereby prevent leaking of the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic chamber via the aperture.

Door closers are commonly installed to swinging doors to bias the door towards a closed position. Many such door closers include a piston that reciprocates within a housing, which is filled with a hydraulic fluid that resists the movement of the piston. The housing defines a flow passage through which the fluid flows as the piston reciprocates, and an adjustable regulation valve controls the rate of fluid flow through the passage to modulate the speed of the piston. The valve is typically screwed into the housing, and can be rotated in opposite directions to advance and withdraw the screw valve. However, it has been found that certain closers of this type suffer from drawbacks and limitations, such as those related to ease of adjustment. For example, if the screw valve is backed out too far, the hydraulic fluid will begin to leak from the passage, thereby causing the closer to fail. For these reasons among others, there remains a need for further improvements in this technological field.


A distributed computing environment includes a client platform, plurality server platforms, plural applications distributed amongst the plural server platforms, a messaging system, a plurality of data files and a load balancing and failover software application. Maintained in the data file for each application is a list of each instance of the application, where it resides and a pre-determined time span assigned thereto. The time spans maintained in the data file are arranged in a self-repeating sequence, collectively comprise a first unit of time and respectively encompass a contiguous range of values for a second unit of time. For each message to be delivered to a distributed application, the load balancing and failover software application selects the server platform to receive the message. The load balancing and failover software application then determines if the selected server platform has failed and, if so, selects a substitute server platform.

In a computer network, plural computer systems are joined together to exchange information and share resources. Thus, a computer network is a distributed computing environment in which networked computer systems provide user with the capabilities of access to distributed resources, for example, remote files and databases or remote printers, and to distributed processing, for example, where an application is processed on two or more computer systems. In such a distributed computing environment, the components of an application may reside on different machines but work together. For example, each work station in a computer network often provides a user interface and local analysis and data processing, while larger, host computers, for example, a file server or mainframe, may maintain a large set of data files, coordinate access to large databases and perform larger scale data processing. In another distributed computing environment, an instance of an application is distributed to plural computers within the network. Such a network can more reliably perform a requested task by having a second instance of an application available to perform the task in the event that a first instance of the application is unavailable. Processes by which tasks are reassigned amongst plural instances of an application based upon availability of the instances shall hereafter be termed as "failover" processes. Similarly, by distributing requested tasks among plural instances of an application, any particular instance of the application will be less vulnerable to overloads. Processes by which tasks are distributed amongst plural instances of an application shall hereafter be termed as "load balancing" processes.
In distributed processing environments such as these, each application or process must be able to communicate and exchange information with other applications or processes in the environment. Currently, many inter-application or inter-process exchanges are performed using a messaging technique commonly referred to as message queuing. In message queuing, a first (or "client") process passes a message to request processing by a second (or "server") process. The messages are queued at the server process by a queue manager to await handling by the server process. In turn, the server process returns an alert when the results are ready. One message oriented middleware product which uses a message queuing messaging technique to enable processes to communicate and exchange information in a distributed computing environment is known as MQ Series messaging software and is commercially available through International Business Machines Corporation of Armonk, N.Y.
The MQ series provides certain functionality which may be used in support of failover and/or load balancing processes. More specifically, the MQ series supports these processes by the use of clustered queues. In an MQ series cluster, both a queue manager and an instance of the server process reside on each one of plural computer platforms. To enable clustering, however, the MQ series relies upon one or more repository queue managers that contain information about all queue managers and their components. Repository queue managers periodically send updates to each other to stay in synchronization. Typically, two or more, but not all, queue managers in a cluster are repository queue managers. The other queue managers in the cluster receive the information they need from the repository queue managers. Each of the queue managers in the cluster define a common transmission queue and common receiver channel. As a result, a message may be handled by any one of the queue managers.
When a cluster contains more than one instance of the same queue, MQ Series uses a workload management algorithm to determine the best queue manager to route a message to. The workload management algorithm selects the local queue manager as the destination wherever possible. If there is no instance of the queue on the local queue manager, the algorithm determines which destinations are suitable. Suitability is based on the state of the channel, including any priority assigned to the channel, and also the availability of the queue manager and queue. The algorithm then uses a round-robin approach to finalize its choice between the suitable queue managers.
It should be readily appreciated that, in its current implementation, MQ Series clustering has a number of limitations when used to support failover and/or load balancing in a distributed processing environment. For example, requiring plural repository queue managers which periodically update one another for implementing clustering would likely add considerable overhead to the delivery of messages within the distributed processing environment. Similarly, round-robin approaches are overhead intensive. Additionally, the workload management algorithm used in MQ Series clustering focuses on the queue itself and does not give sufficient weight to other considerations. For example, while MQ Series clustering will determine if a queue manager is unavailable, it while not determine if the instance of the application taking the message off the queue is working.
Accordingly, this invention seeks to provide load balancing and/or failover capabilities within distributed processing environments which use MQ Series or other messaging services for exchanges between platforms while avoiding the various shortcomings of current MQ Series functionality which supports load balancing and/or failover. In particular, the invention discloses load balancing and failover processes suitable for use in distributed processing environments without significant effect on overhead.

Distributed computer network having a rotating message delivery system suitable for use in load balancing and/or messaging failover


A two- or multi-stage mast-hydraulic cylinder construction (4, 5) for a truck mast, and method for manufacturing the intergrated structer (4, 5), are discloused. The fixed mast assembly has its substantially vertical beams (4, 5) and its cylinder liners (29) provide an integrated structure (4, 5), wherein the cylinder liners (29) are constituted by channels integrated inside the beams (4, 5), said integrated structures having their centre of mass at the centre of the cylinder liner (29) or in the immediate vicinity thereof, that the integrated structure (4, 5) is capable of being manufactured by hot extrusion or cold drawing, and that the integrated structure (4, 5) is provided with one flange (13), one side of which comprises a bearing surface (16) and the opposite side comprises a support surface (17), said surfaces (16, 17) lying in a plane transverse to the operating direction of a truck, and with at least one second flange (19) for locating the centre of mass at the centre of the cylinder liner (29) or in the immediate vicinity thereof.

The term mast truck refers to an industrial truck or forklift mobile on at least three wheels, comprising a mast structure which consists of a fixed mast assembly and a lift carrier. It may further include movable intermediate carriers for increasing the lifting height of a truck or forklift. Thus, there will be two or more stages to the truck. The truck mast connects in a fixed or articulated fashion to the body of a truck as designated in standard EN 1726-1 or EN 1726-2, e.g. FIG. 1. In the mast, such stages or sections are movable relative to each other under the propulsion of pistons in hydraulic separate cylinders, from which the drive and power transmits either directly or over chains or cables to a load-lifting carrier. The mast and its stages constitute a telescopic guide system, wherein the stress is transmitted from the load-lifting carrier over guide rollers to the body structure of a truck. A mast truck is used, among others, for carrying containers, boxes or other such articles e.g. onto storage racks or vice versa.
The mast and carriers of a truck are typically assembled by substantially vertically set sections, such as I-beams, which are connected to each other with cross-members, and said mast and carriers being set in contact with each other to enable the same to travel vertically relative to each other through the intermediary of guide wheel bearings. The outermost intermediate carrier is movable through the intermediary of guide wheel bearings along the sections of a fixed mast assembly in vertical direction. The inner intermediate carriers are respectively movable relative to the outer intermediate carriers and the lift carrier relative to the innermost intermediate carrier. This results in a telescopic structure for lifting goods. The telescopic structure is typically operated by means of hydraulic cylinders.
The intended use of a mast truck entails that the truck should provide as good a visibility as possible in every direction, but it is particularly important to have a field of vision as extensive and unobstructed as possible in the truck driving direction. Further requirements for the truck include a compact size and agility as operation often takes place in cramped storage facilities. The construction used in prior art mast trucks diminishes the driver's visual field in the most important observation direction because of a broad blind area created by a mast structure and lifting cylinders associated therewith. In these currently available mast trucks, the hydraulic cylinders comprise a separate cylinder liner construction and a piston construction and are preferably mounted either alongside or behind the mast construction.
However, the publication DE 32 00 287 A1 discloses a prior known construction, wherein a U-section beam is integrally fitted with a tubular cylinder assembly. It is suggested that the tubular assembly be connected either to the end of a U-section or in the middle of the web on the side facing away from the legs. Manufacturing this prior known structure is nevertheless laborious and expensive.
The solution disclosed in DE 32 00 287 A1 is implementable in practice, e.g. by welding a cylinder-forming tubular structure to a U-section beam. An integral structure manufactured this way will be expensive and the manufacturing requires a multitude of operations demanding accuracy and special skills. Other manufacturing techniques for producing an integral beam as set forth in the cited publication include e.g. casting or machining. However, none of the above manufacturing methods is an economically sound way of making an integral beam. Furthermore, if the cylinder structure is attached to the end of a U-section, the construction will be very long as viewed in the traveling direction of a truck, which in turn leads to poorer handling characteristics for the truck. The most preferred way of manufacturing an integral beam would be by hot extrusion or cold drawing.
A hot extrusible apertured profile is manufactured according to the following operations:                drilling the initial blank, having a diameter of e.g. 150 mm and a length of 600 mm, for a hole with a diameter of e.g. 50 mm        heating the initial blank to red heat        pushing an auxiliary tool through the hole in the initial blank (rod diameter 50 mm)        pushing the initial blank, along with the auxiliary tool, through a profile form.
If the hole is not in the centre of mass or in the immediate vicinity thereof, the auxiliary tool shall bend and break in the final operation. The same problem is encountered in the process of manufacturing a beam by cold drawing. Due to this requirement introduced by the manufacturing method, the manufacture of beams as disclosed in DE 32 00 287 A1 would have to be performed by adding "counterweight" for placing the centre of mass at the centre of the cylinder hole or in the vicinity thereof. Consequently, the integral beam will be heavy, its production consuming a lot of steel and its external dimensions increasing. On the other hand, the dimensionally increased mast structure obstructs too much of the visual field or has a negative effect on agility of the machine.


In some embodiments, a system comprises a host computing device and an audio device communicatively coupled to the host device and including at least one speaker and a plurality of light emitters. The host computing device can include a processor(s) and one or more machine-readable, non-transitory storage mediums with instructions configured to cause the processor(s) of the host computing device to perform operations including receiving user environment data by one or more sensors of the host computing device, receiving user selection data corresponding to a selected mode of operation of the audio device, determining a characterization profile of a surrounding environment of the user based on the user environment data, and sending the characterization profile to the audio device, the characterization profile configured to cause the audio device to control the plurality of light emitters based on the characterization profile and the selected mode of operation.

Headphones typically include a pair of small loudspeaker drivers worn on or around the head and over a user's ears. They include electroacoustic transducers (e.g., speakers) configured to convert an electrical signal to a corresponding sound (e.g., music, voice, sound, etc.). Earbuds may have similar features including a speaker and are typically secured within a user's ear canal. Headphones and earbuds can be referred to generally as "audio devices." Audio devices can be driven by a number of different sources, including mobile computing devices such as smart phones, media player devices, etc., which can referred to more generally as "host computing devices."
Early versions of audio devices were typically hardwired to their corresponding host computing devices. Wireless audio devices brought many new advantages including greater range, no cumbersome wires to untangle, and convenience. However, wireless audio devices often suffer from limited processing bandwidth and battery life. As mobile technologies have continued to mature, wireless audio devices have become increasingly popular and are often used during recreation and in office and social environments. Sometimes, users may operate audio devices at a high enough volume that can obscure or "drown out" ambient sounds including alerts, dangers, or other nearby occurrences that may be important for the user to be aware of. Improvements in audio device technology are needed to help keep users more safe and better engaged with their surrounding environment.


A method for creating an inner thread in an opening of a body, using a thread cutter, including the following steps:                a) the thread cutter having an axial lengthwise cutout adjacent to which there are blades that project radially outwards and that have cutting edges, is inserted into the opening, whereby several cutting edges arranged one after the other in the longitudinal direction are provided on the lengthwise cutout, which are offset with respect to each other in the circumferential direction, and which are pushed into the groove when the thread cutter is being inserted,        b) the cutting tool is rotated by a maximum of 360° in order to create the entire inner thread in at least one projection next to the groove, whereby the cutting edges penetrate into the projection one after the other as the thread cutter turns, and        c) the thread cutter is moved axially out of the opening.

The invention relates to a method for using a thread cutter in order to create an inner thread in an essentially cylindrical opening of a body having a center axis, whereby the cylindrical opening has at least one groove that runs essentially in the longitudinal direction, whose depth is equal to or greater than the outer radius of the thread cutter as measured from the center axis, whereby a projection that extends radially inwards and axially is provided in the body after the groove as seen in the circumferential direction. Moreover, the invention relates to a combination of a thread cutter and a body having a cylindrical opening with at least one groove that runs essentially in the longitudinal direction.
Various production methods are known for purposes of creating an inner thread in the opening of a body, for example, a concrete anchor. Normally, such threads are made using a thread cutter that is screwed into the opening and that cuts the thread during the screwing procedure. In this process, the thread cutter can only cut one thread track for each rotation of the thread cutter, in other words, a thread section that encircles 360°. Consequently, many rotations of the thread cutter are needed in order to create a long thread. By the same token, after the thread has been completed, such a thread-cutting tool then has to be unscrewed from the entire length of the thread.
In order to accelerate this procedure, European patent application EP 2 218 536 A1 discloses a thread cutter that has several radially projecting cutting edges arranged one after the other in the axial direction, whereby the number of cutting edges matches the desired number of thread tracks. The workpiece that is to be processed has an opening with at least one groove that runs in the longitudinal direction and that corresponds to the cutting edges. The thread cutter can be pushed into the opening, during which process the cutting edges of the thread cutter are inserted into the groove.
In order to cut the thread, the thread cutter is subsequently rotated around its longitudinal axis. In this process, starting at the groove, each cutting edge cuts a complete thread track until the cutting edges end up in the groove once again after a rotation by 360°. Subsequently, the thread cutter can be pulled back out of the opening in the axial direction. Therefore, the entire length of the thread is cut with a single rotation of the thread cutter. This makes it possible to create a thread much more quickly. A problematic aspect of this production technique is that it requires a great deal of force in order to cut the thread.

Method for creating an inner thread as well as a combination of a thread cutter and a body having a cutout


Disclosed are power systems, and power machines employing the power systems, having dual in-line pumps configured to supply hydraulic fluid to respective left and right side travel motors of the power machine. In some exemplary embodiments, pump pintle arm controls and a single centering mechanism for the pintle arm controls are provided. The single centering mechanism is configured to center the pintle arms for each of the two pumps. Also in some exemplary embodiments, a mechanical control linkage configuration allows the separate pump pintle arm controls to be positioned on a side of the pump substantially one behind the other. This allows hydraulic connections to the pumps to be placed on top of the pump assembly, improving the routing of hydraulic hoses in the power machine.

This disclosure is directed toward power machines. More particularly, this disclosure is directed toward mechanical drive control for power machines. Power machines, for the purposes of this disclosure, include any type of machine that generates power for accomplishing a particular task or a variety of tasks. One type of power machine is a work vehicle. Work vehicles are generally self-propelled vehicles that have a work device, such as a lift arm (although some work vehicles can have other work devices) that can be manipulated to perform a work function. Work vehicles include loaders, excavators, utility vehicles, tractors, and trenchers, to name a few examples.
Some work vehicles and other power machines have dual hydraulic pumps which are controlled by mechanical drive controls, such as operator levers in a cab of the power machine, to provide hydraulic fluid to separate left and right side travel motors. The dual hydraulic pumps can be formed in-line with one another in a single pump assembly or package. Each of the dual pumps must be separately controllable by a corresponding left or right side drive control mechanism, and each pump must be configured to return to a centered position. In a dual in-line pump package, the mechanical drive control connections to the pump and the centering mechanisms must fit within a limited amount of space.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.


The present disclosure provides a method for implementing usage monitoring control, comprising: a PCRF makes a usage monitoring policy for each IP-CAN session or service data flow that shares a total allowanced usage according to the obtained total allowanced usage shared by multiple users, and the PCRF sends the usage monitoring policy to a PCEF (200); the PCEF performs a usage monitoring according to the usage monitoring policy sent by the PCRF, and reports a usage to the PCRF (201); the PCRF deducts a consumed usage from the total allowanced usage shared by the multiple users after the PCRF receives the usage reported by the PCEF (202). The present disclosure also provides a system for implementing usage monitoring control. Through the solution of the present disclosure, when multiple users share a total allowanced usage, PCRF simultaneously monitors the usage on the multiple users according to the total allowanced usage, thereby avoiding conflicts in policy and charging controls.

Since the release of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project Release 7 (3GPP Release 7), policy and charging function is achieved by Policy and Charging Control (PCC) frame. PCC architecture is a functional frame that can be applied to multiple access technologies, for example, PCC architecture can be applied to Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Global system for Mobile Communication (GSM)/Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution (EDGE) radio access network, Interworking-Wireless Local Area Network (I-WLAN) and Evolved Packet System (EPS).
PCC mainly achieves two functions of policy control and charging. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of existing PCC, and each logic functional entity in the PCC architecture as shown in FIG. 1 and the interface functions thereof are described below. As shown in FIG. 1,
Application Function (AF) is used to provide an access point for the service applications, and the network resources used by these service applications require a dynamic policy control. When performing a parameter negotiation on a service panel, AF transmits related service information to a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) entity. If the service information accords with the policy of the PCRF, the PCRF accepts the negotiation; otherwise, the PCRF refuses the negotiation and gives service parameters that are acceptable by the PCRF in the feedback. Then, the AF may return these parameters to a User Equipment (UE). Wherein the interface between the AF and the PCRF is a Rx interface.
PCRF, which is the core of PCC, is responsible for making policy and charging rule. The PCRF provides network control rules based on service data flows, these network controls include: the detection of the service data flow, Gating Control, Quality of Service (QoS) control and charging rules based on data flows. The PCRF transmits the made policy and charging rules to a Policy and Control Enforcement Function (PCEF) entity to be implemented; meanwhile, the PCRF is also required to guarantee that theses rules are in accordance with the subscription information of the user. Wherein the policy and charging rules made by the PCRF comprise: service-related information obtained from the AF; user policy and charging control subscription information related to the policy control and charging obtained from a Subscription Profile Repository (SPR); information related to a bearer network obtained from the PCEF via a Gx interface.
The PCEF generally locates within a Gateway (GW), and implements the policy and charging rules made by the PCRF on a bearing panel. The PCEF detects service data flows according to a service data flow filter contained in the rule transmitted from the PCRF, so as to perform the policy and charging rules made by the RCRF on the service data flows; when establishing a bearer, the PCEF allocates resources according to the rules transmitted by the PCRF, and performs gating control according to information provided by the AF; meanwhile, the PCEF triggers reporting of an event occurred on the bearer network according to the events subscribed by the PCRF; according to the charging rules transmitted from the PCRF, PCEF performs charging operation for corresponding service data flows, wherein the charging may be online or offline. In the case of an online charging, it is necessary that the PCEF performs a credit management together with an Online Charging System (OCS); and in the case of an offline charging, the PCEF exchanges related charging information with an Offline Charging System (OFCS). Wherein the interface between the PCEF and the PCRF is a Gx interface, and the interface between the PCEF and the OCS is a Gy interface, and the interface between the PCEF and the OFCS is a Gz interface. The PCEF generally locates on the gateway of a network, for example, Packet Data Network-Gate Way (PDN-GW) of EPS, Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN) of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Packet Data Gateway (PDG) of Interworking WLAN (I-WLAN).
Bearer Binding and Event Reporting Function (BBERF) entity generally locates within an access network gateway. For instance, if a user equipment accesses an EPS via an E-UTRAN and Proxy Mobile Internet Protocol version 6 (PMIPv6) is employed between the S-GW and the P-GW, then the BBERF exists in the S-GW. If a user equipment accesses via a creditable non-3GPP access network, then the BBERF also exists in the creditable non-3GPP access gateway.
The Subscription Profile Repository (SPR) stores user policy charging control subscription information related to the policy control and charging. The interface between the SPR and the PCRF is a Sp interface.
The OCS and the PCEF jointly complete the control and management of the user credit in the case of online charging.
The OFCS and the PCEF jointly complete the charging operation in the case of offline charging.
In the prior art, PCC supports dynamic usage monitoring control for performing a dynamic policy decision based on a total amount of the network resource usage in real-time. Usage monitoring can be applied to a single service data flow, a group of service data flows or all of the service flows of an IP-Connectivity Access Network (IP-CAN) session. Presently, usage refers to the data service of user panel. In the prior art, an instance required to be usage monitored is identified by a Monitoring Key, for example: if the PCRF allocates a Monitoring Key and corresponding threshold for all of the service flows of an IP-CAN session, then the PCEF monitors the traffic of all the service flows of the IP-CAN according to the threshold and identifies a reported usage with the Monitoring Key. If the PCRF allocates a monitoring key and corresponding threshold for one service data flow or a group of service flows, then the PCRF carries the Monitoring Key in a PCC rule corresponding to the service data flow or the group of service data flows, and monitors the traffic of the service data flows corresponding to the PCC rules having the same Monitoring Key, and identifies a reported usage with the Monitoring Key.
Meanwhile, a total allowanced usage of a certain PDN of a user may also be stored in an SPR, i.e. a total allowanced usage for all of the service flows of one IP-CAN session, which may also be referred to as a total allowanced usage per PDN per user. SPR may also stores a total allowanced usage for certain specific services of a PDN of a user, i.e. the total allowanced usage for one service data flow or a group of service data flows, which can also be identified with the Monitoring Key.
After the user establishes an IP-CAN session to a certain PDN, the SPR distributes the total allowanced usage to the PCRF. When PCRF performs a usage monitoring control, the PCRF subscribes a Usage_Report event trigger from the PCEF. After the Monitoring Key contained in the PCC rule is distributed, PCC rules having the same Monitoring Key share a threshold corresponding to the Monitoring Key. When the Monitoring Key is not contained in any PCC rule, all of the service data flows of the IP-CAN session share a threshold corresponding to the Monitoring Key. When it is monitored by PCEF that the usage reaches a threshold, an IP-CAN session terminates, all of the PCC rules containing a certain Monitoring Key are deleted or the PCRF explicitly requests a usage report, PCEF will reports the usage consumption of a related monitoring key since the last report to the PCRF. After the PCRF receives the usage report from the PCEF, the PCRF deducts the reported usage from the total allowanced usage. If the PCEF reports the usage of a certain monitoring key and a further monitoring is required, the PCRF will allocate a new threshold to the PCEF; and if no further monitoring is required, the PCRF will not allocates a new threshold to the PCEF. After the last IP-CAN session of an APN of the user terminates, the PCRF stores, in the SPR, the remaining allowanced usage comprising the total allowanced usage of the PDN or the total allowanced usage of some specific services of the PDN.
It can be seen from existing usage monitoring control scheme that existing usage monitoring control is performed for a certain PDN of a user or certain specific service flows of a certain PDN. Having some limitations, existing usage monitoring control cannot be applied in some cases, for example: for a family package, multiple users participated in this family package share a a total allowanced usage of a certain PDN or a total subscription allowanced usage of certain specific service flows of a certain PDN. In this case, the PCRF should simultaneously perform a usage monitoring on multiple IP-CAN sessions to the same PDN established for multiple users participated in this family package or certain specific service flows to the same PDN.
In the prior art, when multiple users share a total allowanced usage, there is provided no solution that a PCRF simultaneously performs usage monitoring on multiple users according to a total allowanced usage. If still using existing usage monitoring control method for implementing a monitoring control on the user equipments sharing the same subscription information, then it will definitely lead to conflicts in policy and charging controls.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for implementing usage monitoring control


A data transfer circuit has a first data transmission unit and two or more second shift registers. The first data transmission unit has a first shift register which has a plurality of first flip flop circuits which store data, shifts the data of the plurality of first flip flop circuits, and transmits data of two or more output terminals out of output terminals of the plurality of first flip flop circuits to the two or more second shift registers. The two or more second shift registers each shift data inputted from the two or more output terminals out of the output terminals of the plurality of first flip flop circuits.

There is known an inter-device interface method between a first device operating at timings of a first clock and a second device operating at timings of a second clock which is a cycle of 1/n times the first clock (see, for example, Patent Document 1). A first switching means in the first device converts parallel data with a predetermined bit length which are transmitted from the first device to the second device into serial data by every m-bit unit where m≦n. A serial data interface line for every m-bit unit transmits the serial data converted by the first switching means to the second device. A second switching means in the second device receives at a timing of the second clock the serial data transmitted by the serial data interface line and converts the data into parallel data with a predetermined bit length. A data conversion control means in the second device executes a data switching instruction for the first switching means and a data switching instruction for the second switching means at a timing of the second clock. A data switching instruction line transmits the data switching instruction for the first switching means by the data conversion control means to the first device. In one cycle of the first clock, parallel data with a predetermined bit length are divided into serial data in m-bit units, and are transmitted from the first device to the second device at a timing of the second clock.
Further, there is known a memory device which has a plurality of redundancy memories each having pluralities of ordinary memory cell blocks and spare memory cell blocks and a plurality of flip flops each connected in series, each storing a numeric value, and respectively outputting numeric values to the plurality of redundancy memories (see, for example, Patent Document 2). A non-volatile memory stores a seed value. A pseudo-random number generating circuit generates reproducible pseudo-random numbers based on the seed value stored in the non-volatile memory, and serially outputs pseudo-random numbers to the plurality of flip flops. The plurality of flip flops serially transfer, in synchronization with a clock signal, the pseudo-random numbers outputted by the pseudo-random number generating circuit. Each of the plurality of redundancy memories switch one of the plurality of ordinary memory cell blocks to a spare memory cell block according to numeric values stored in the plurality of flip flops.
Further, there is known a serial interface circuit which has a shift register generating an address signal and a second data signal based on a first data signal and a clock signal, and a register generating unit writing the second data signal in a register specified by an address decoder (see, for example, Patent Document 3). An address control circuit outputs a first address value specifying a register to the address decoder based on the address signal. A control circuit outputs to the address control circuit a control signal allowing outputting the first address value and writing the second data signal in the register or not allowing outputting the first address value based on the clock signal and a standby signal.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 5-250316
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2013-122800
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-266856
In every type of semiconductor chip, the number of shift registers and/or the shift register length is different. Therefore, the data transmission unit transmitting data to the shift registers have a different configuration in every type of semiconductor chip and is difficult to be commonized.


A communication module of a communication terminal is configured not to output to a control module, service information provided from a second server whose server ID is not registered in a first server. The communication module is configured to receive an authentication code from the first server, and to transmit ID information and terminal identification information to the second server. When the terminal identification information received from the communication module matches the terminal identification information received from the first server, the second server is configured to reply the authentication code and the service information to the communication module. When the authentication code received from the first server matches the authentication code received from the second server, the communication module is configured to output the service information to the control module.

Recently, a visible light communication system (a visible light ID system) is proposed, which is configured to modulate visible light (illumination light) emitted from a lighting apparatus (a transmitter) to transmit unique ID information or the like to the lighting fixture, and to demodulate the ID information with a receiver receiving the visible light. Examples of a utilization form of the visible light communication system include course guidance (navigation) in a facility, introduction of exhibits in a gallery and a museum and the like (referring Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. 2010-117301, hereinafter referred to as "documents 1", and Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. 2011-244141, hereinafter referred to as "document 2").
In the conventional examples described in the documents 1 and 2, the receiver holds (stores) the information about the navigation or the introduction of the exhibits. On the other hand, a system is also proposed, in which a server holds (stores) the information about the navigation or the introduction of the exhibits, and a receiver receives ID information by visible light communication and transmits the ID information to the server by wireless communication, and the server replies the information corresponding to the ID information to the receiver.
By the way, as the above-mentioned utilization form, various information is made to correspond to multiple pieces of ID information, respectively, and thereby it is possible to provide various services. Here, in the above-mentioned visible light communication system, it is supposed that a service-provider providing the various services to a user who possesses the receiver is different from a manager managing the transmitter (the lighting fixture).
The user receives the ID information from the manager by the visible light communication, and notifies the service-provider of the ID information by wireless communication, and then receives information (service information) corresponding to the ID information from the service-provider. Therefore, the user can utilize the various services. In this case, the user will pay money to the service-provider for the provided service, and the service-provider will pay money to the manager for use of the ID information.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the manager does not participate in the notice of the ID information from the user to the service-provider and the reply of the service information from the service-provider to the user. Therefore, there is a fear that the service-provider not performing an agreement (a contract) to the manager about the use of the ID information provides the service without permission, and the service-provider will not pay money to the manager for use of the ID information.

Visible light communication system, communication terminal and server

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


A component assembly for a motor vehicle includes a housing and an actuating element that is rotatable about an axis. The assembly also includes an actuator which is configured to cause a rotation of the actuating element. The assembly further includes a rotatable shaft which extends along a shaft axis and is disposed between the actuating element and the actuator and which is coupled to the actuating element and the actuator. The shaft is guided through a first through opening in the housing. A sealing system is provided in a radial direction perpendicular to the shaft axis so as to be between the shaft and a first internal wall of the first through opening. The sealing system has a sealing element support having a first side and a second side that faces away from the first side. The sealing element support is fastened in the first through opening. The sealing element support has a second through opening having a second internal wall. The shaft is guided through the second through opening. A first sealing element is fastened in a locationally fixed manner to the sealing element support on the first side of the sealing element support. The first sealing element has a third through opening through which the shaft is guided. The first sealing element by way of a third internal wall of the third through opening bears in an encircling manner on the shaft. And the first sealing element is designed from felt.

The disclosure relates to a component assembly for a motor vehicle.
Component assemblies for motor vehicles which have an actuator (for example a motor), a shaft, and a, for example rotatable, actuating element that is coupled to the shaft are known from the prior art. The component assembly can be, for example, a throttle flap module or a so-called general-purpose actuator. The actuating element herein can be, for example, a (throttle) flap or a roller which is mounted on a lever and actuates, for example, an air flap in the intake or exhaust duct of a motor vehicle. The actuating element and/or the actuator herein are/is often disposed in a housing. The actuating element and the actuator herein can be spatially separated from one another by a wall of the housing. The shaft herein penetrates a through opening in the wall, for example. A sealing system which is to prevent or minimize the passage of, for example, water from one side of the wall to the other side of the wall can be provided in the through opening.
Such a component assembly is known from DE 10 2018 103 720 A1.


A method to fabricate a tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) read transducer is disclosed. An insulative layer is deposited on a wafer substrate, and a bottom lead is deposited over the insulative layer. A laminated TMR layer, having a plurality of laminates, is deposited over the bottom lead. A TMR sensor having a stripe height is defined in the TMR layer, and a parallel resistor and first and second shunt resistors are also defined in the TMR layer. A top lead is deposited over the TMR sensor. The parallel resistor is electrically connected to the bottom lead and to the top lead. The first shunt resistor is electrically connected to the bottom lead and the wafer substrate, and the second shunt resistor is electrically connected to the top lead and the wafer substrate.

The typical hard disk drive includes a head disk assembly (HDA) and a printed circuit board (PCB) attached to a disk drive base of the HDA. The head disk assembly includes at least one disk, a spindle motor for rotating the disk, and a head stack assembly (HSA). The printed circuit board assembly includes electronics and firmware for controlling the rotation of the spindle motor and for controlling the position of the HSA, and for providing a data transfer channel between the disk drive and its host.
The spindle motor typically includes a rotor including one or more rotor magnets and a rotating hub on which disks mounted and clamped, and a stator. If more than one disk is mounted on the hub, the disks are typically separated by spacer rings that are mounted on the hub between the disks. Various coils of the stator are selectively energized to form an electromagnetic field that pulls/pushes on the rotor magnet(s), thereby rotating the hub. Rotation of the spindle motor hub results in rotation of the mounted disks.
The head stack assembly typically includes an actuator, at least one head gimbal assembly (HGA), and a flex cable assembly. During operation of the disk drive, the actuator must rotate to position the HGAs adjacent desired information tracks on the disk. The actuator includes a pivot-bearing cartridge to facilitate such rotational positioning. The pivot-bearing cartridge fits into a bore in the body of the actuator. One or more actuator arms extend from the actuator body. An actuator coil is supported by the actuator body, and is disposed opposite the actuator arms. The actuator coil is configured to interact with one or more fixed magnets in the HDA, typically a pair, to form a voice coil motor. The printed circuit board assembly provides and controls an electrical current that passes through the actuator coil and results in a torque being applied to the actuator.
Each HGA includes a head for reading and writing data from and to the disk. In magnetic recording applications, the head typically includes an air bearing slider and a magnetic transducer that comprises a writer and a read element. For example, FIG. 1 depicts a distal portion of a typical HGA 100 that includes magnetic recording head 102. Head 102 comprises air bearing slider 104 and magnetic transducer 106. The magnetic transducer's writer may be of a longitudinal or perpendicular design, and the read element of the magnetic transducer is typically magnetoresistive (MR). The head 102 is adhered to a gimbal 112 of a suspension assembly 110. Suspension assembly 110 also includes a load beam 114, a bend region (not shown), and a swage plate (not shown). The suspension assembly 110 acts to preload the air bearing slider against the surface of the disk. Electrical communication with the magnetic transducer is accomplished via gimbal traces 116, which are electrically connected to bond pads on the head by solder balls 120.
MR read elements of all types are easily damaged by electrostatic discharge (ESD), and tunneling MR read sensors (a.k.a. "TMR" read sensors) in particular are very easily damaged by ESD even at comparatively lower voltages. Prior art methods for protecting MR read sensors from damage due to ESD have had limited success for various reasons. For example, some prior art methods have undesirably and/or excessively complicated wafer-processing steps during manufacture of the magnetic recording heads. Other prior art methods offer insufficient ESD protection and/or do not afford protection early enough in the manufacturing process. For example, TMR read sensors are particularly vulnerable to ESD damage during the manufacturing process before the bond pads of the head are electrically connected to HGA gimbal traces (which may themselves connect to some protective circuitry). Thus, there is a need in the art for an improved method to fabricate a read transducer including a TMR read sensor.

Method to fabricate an ESD resistant tunneling magnetoresistive read transducer


A conventional tufting machine is provided with front and rear juxtaposed, laterally shiftable, needle bars positioned on a common needle bar support. A first series of needles having a first take-off hand, in a first gauge, are embedded in a first needle gauge block mounted on the front needle bar. A second series of needles of an opposite take-off hand, in a second gauge, are embedded in a second needle gauge block fastened to the rear needle bar. The needles of the first and second series of needles, respectively, combine together to form a third series of needles of a desired gauge of the machine, the gauge of the machine being narrower than the gauge of either the first or second series of needles, respectively. A looper gauge block is positioned with respect to the needle gauge blocks, the looper gauge block having a first and a second series of spaced and parallel loopers embedded therein, each looper of the second series of loopers being paired with an adjacent one of the loopers of the first series of loopers to form spaced pairs of loopers extending along the length of the looper gauge block. The loopers within each pair of loopers have a take-off hand corresponding to that of the needle the looper will engage, and the take-off hands within each pair of loopers are opposed to one another. The loopers within each pair of loopers are spaced apart a first distance, and each of the pairs of loopers are spaced apart from one another a second distance greater than the first distance.

The use of tufting machines to create tufted articles, for example tufted carpet, is well known in the art. Conventional tufting machines use a reciprocating needle bar carrying a plurality of aligned needles thereon, the needles being arranged into a row, or rows of needles carried on the needle bar, the needles being constructed and arranged to reciprocally penetrate a backing material passing transversely underneath the needle bar and passing over an adjustable bed plate. The bed plate may be adjusted with respect to the needles for increasing or decreasing the height of the tufted piles so created. As the needles penetrate the backing material, they carry a filament of yarn therethrough, whereupon the yarn is caught either by a looper positioned with respect to the needle to create a looped pile of yarn, or by a hook moving in timed relationship with a knife to create a cut pile of yarn. It is by these well known processes, for example, that loop pile and cut pile tufted carpeting is made.
Early tufting machines typically used a single row of aligned and spaced needles mounted on a single needle bar, in conjunction with either a single looper or a hook/knife combination for each such needle, to create either a loop pile or cut pile tufted article. As known to those of skill in the art, the needles used in tufting machines have a take-off hand which is formed by a target and an adjacent yarn pickup area defined on one side of the needle. It is against the target and the yarn pickup area that the bill of a looper, or hook, will slidingly pass, above the eye of the needle, to catch the yarn in the throat of the looper or hook, respectively, such that when the needles are withdrawn backward through the backing material on a backstitch, a loop of yarn, a tuft, is retained with respect to the backing material. The looper or hook which engages the appropriate target and/or pickup area, will have a corresponding take-off hand. Therefore, if the needle has a right take-off hand, the looper will be provided with a bias point having a right take-off hand such that the left leading edge of the looper will strike the target area on the right side of the needle and slide up over the target area and onto the pickup area to hook or loop the tuft of yarn prior to the needle moving upward and back through the backing material on the backstitch.
In a large majority of tufting machines, all of the needles will have a common take-off hand as will the loopers. Due to the fact that the loopers engage, i.e. strike, the take-off areas of their respective needles, the loopers will tend to deflect in that direction so that a right hand take-off looper striking a right hand take-off needle will tend to be deflected to the right of the needle due to the mechanical interaction of the looper as it goes through a rocking motion with respect to the needle at its bottom dead center position.
Also, and as well known, tufted articles may be produced in a range of gauges, the gauge being equal to a number of gauging elements, for example, needles, loopers, hooks/knives, or even reeds, extending along a predetermined gauging length, the gauging length being a predetermined unit of length, for example divisions of an inch, extending across a portion of the width of the tufted article being produced. An eighth gauge machine, therefore, would have eight gauging elements, for example, needles, extending along the width of a single gauge distance, i.e. eight needles per inch.
Tufting machines having a gauge of one tenth of an inch or less are considered to be "close" or "narrow" gauge machines, in that the gauging elements are, of necessity, fit closely with respect to one another within the predetermined gauge distance. For example, and in contrast to an eighth gauge machine, a sixteenth gauge machine will have sixteen gauging elements, twice the number of gauging elements of an eighth gauge machine, extending along the same predetermined gauge length of a gauging block or bar, for example. This results in a very close spacing of the gauging elements with respect to one another, and oftentimes requires that these gauging elements be made much smaller than are larger gauge needles and loopers, or hooks/knives, so that the requisite spacing exists between gauging elements to allow the loopers and yarns to freely pass between the needles during tufting. However, in close gauge machines, not only are the gauging elements themselves constructed to be finer, but the yarns themselves must also be finer, i.e., of smaller diameter, all of which costs more money to manufacture due to the more exacting tolerances and relatively minute size of each of these gauging elements, and yarns, respectively. Smaller diameter yarns also tend to be more fragile, and thus are more prone to being accidentally cut.
On the other hand, an eighth gauge machine provides twice the spacing of a sixteenth gauge machine within the same gauge distance, thus allowing for the use of larger needles which are easier to manufacture and which cost less to make, and the use of larger yarns, which also cost less to manufacture, as well as the use of larger loopers and/or hooks/knives, which are also easier to manufacture and also cost less. Another advantage of larger gauge machines is that a lower number of stitches are required per unit length of the tufted article in order to provide an adequate face weight of the tufted article, whereas a close gauge machine requires a greater number of stitches in order to provide the same weight of yarn along the same unit length of the tufted article. For example, in order to achieve a desired weight, an eighth gauge machine may only require six stitches per inch, whereas a sixteenth gauge machine may require somewhere in the range of from twelve to fourteen stitches per inch to provide the same face weight of the finished tufted article.
Moreover, during the tufting process, as the yarns are passed by the needles through the backing material, in conjunction with whether the respective yarns are being fed to the needles by either a front or a rear yarn feed device, the yarns tend to take on a yarn twist such that the penetration of the needles and yarns through the backing material, and the withdrawal of the needles backward through the backing material on the backstitch as the yarn is held in position by a hook or loop, tends to impart a discernible twist to the yarns in the face of the tufted article. Accordingly, when right hand take-off needles and loopers are used, the yarns will have a tendency to twist in a common direction. This is not a significant problem in large gauge tufting machines as the yarns are relatively large, and tend to bloom up to fill the space between the adjacent rows of the yarns such that a uniform finished surface appearance of the tufted article is provided. However, when close gauge machines are used, the use of finer yarns results in the likelihood that a gap between rows of tufted material may be present due to the yarn twist.
As tufting machines have evolved, the use of dual needle bar machines, in which each needle bar laterally shifts with respect to the other, known as a "graphics" type of tufting machine, has developed. An example of such a machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,761 to Card, issued Jan. 4, 1983. These tufting machines use a needle for shifting device for each needle bar to shift the needle bars, with respect to one another, for example in opposite directions, or in timed relationship with respect to one another to form a graphic pattern or design in the face of the tufted article. An example of a needle shift device used with this kind of machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,102, to Card et al., issued Apr. 3, 1984.
In these dual needle bar machines, a first series of gauging elements, for example a first, front row of needles, will be mounted on the first needle bar, each of the gauging elements having a first gauge, for example, an eighth gauge spacing of the needles. The second needle bar will be provided with a second, rear series of needles, which may be of the same, or a differing gauge with respect to the first series of needles. Both series of needles, however, may be of the same take-off hand, such that if each needle had a right take-off hand, the yarns tufted by each row of needles will tend to lean to the right with the result that the yarns that are taken off from the front row of needles will lean to the right, whereas the yarns taken off of the rear row of needles will tend to lean to the left if a right hand take-off needle is used on both the front and rear series of needles. In larger gauge machines, for example anything greater than tenth gauge, this problem is minimized due to the size of the yarns. However, with close gauge machines, this use of the same hand tufting gauge elements on both the front and rear needle bars tends to accentuate the yarn twists such that any gap between the yarns may become more apparent.
Also, even though a pair of shifting needle bars may be used, a close gauge dual shifting needle bar machine still requires more stitches per inch in order to achieve the same face weight of the tufted article as does a dual needle bar machine having larger gauge needles using larger diameter yarns. Additionally, when using finer yarns in close gauge machines, these yarns tend not only to be more expensive to produce, but also are more likely to break or cut if pinched during the tufting process, and will not bloom after tufting to the extent a larger diameter yarn will.
One approach to obtaining a higher quality tufted article on dual shifting needle for machines has been to use gauging elements of an opposite hand on each respective needle bar, so that, for example, the front needle bar will have needles of a right take-off hand, and the rear needle bar will have needles of a left take-off hand. When the tufting operation is being performed, therefore, the yarns of the first and second series of needles will tend to lean in the same direction, thus minimizing the problems of gaps between adjacent rows of tufts due to yarn twist. Again, this problem is less pronounced when using larger diameter yarns than it is when using smaller diameter yarns. Another approach which is known in the art is to use a "semi-modular" looper block assembly in a non-casted arrangement having two series of loopers which are manually mounted and aligned, and with each series having opposite takeoffs with respect to one another. This looper assembly comprised a rectangular steel block with slots for individual loopers to be manually inserted, with detents holding the loopers in place. A square channel was broached through the semi-modular block, which itself was mounted to a staff that was located into a looper guide bar. These loopers were designed to cooperate with needles of opposite takeoffs. This arrangement, however, nevertheless relied upon a configuration including loopers held in place by detents, which necessarily included the inherent problems of a non-casted module.
It has also been known in the use of tufting machines to position and set each gauging element separately within the appropriate gauge bar, and to hold the elements in position with set screws or the like. Due to the difficulty inherent in positioning each respective needle or looper by hand within the appropriate gauge bar, for example a needle bar or a looper gauge bar, however, and then securing the gauging element with a set screw, the use of cast gauging modules or blocks has been developed in which a cast modular gauge block is produced having a sufficient number of gauging elements, be they needles or loopers, embedded therein. These modular gauge blocks offer the advantages of uniform and consistent gauging element spacing, and are easier to remove and replace than are the gauging elements themselves, when done separately in accordance with past practice. An example of this type of gauging module is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,295,450, and 5,400,727, issued to Neely on Mar. 22, 1994, and Mar. 28, 1995, respectively.
One problem that arises with the use of close or narrow gauge gauging elements on a dual shifting needle bar machine, where all of the gauging elements are of a common take-off hand, either a right or a left hand take-off, is that as a higher number of gauging elements is present along the predetermined gauge length, for example sixteen needles in a sixteenth gauge machine, which requires a looper block having at a minimum sixteen loopers along its length, the bills of the loopers are rocked toward and into engagement with the respective needle with which each such looper is associated, the loopers will tend to deflect in a common direction, between the needles to the right side, for example, which oftentimes can result in binding between the needles and loopers, or pinching the yarns therebetween due to this deflection, especially if the gauging elements are "oversized." If larger diameter yarns are used, the loopers will likely break or cut the yarns passing between the needles during the tufting process. This may also result in damage to the gauging elements themselves, whereupon the tufting machine must be shut down and the damaged gauging elements repaired or replaced, or yarns rethreaded and tied off, all of which greatly slows production rates and increases production costs. Even with the use of gauging modules, this problem still persists.
What is needed, therefore, is an improved tufting machine gauging element configuration in which larger gauge and easier to manufacture gauging elements of a gauge larger than the machine gauge, may be used in a close gauge machine. In particular, there is a need for an improved gauging element configuration in which the larger gauge needles of the front row of needles, for example, can be passed between the individual loopers of the rear series of loopers within a close gauge machine without binding or interfering with each other, and without otherwise cutting or breaking the yarns. There is also a need for an improved gauging element configuration in which the results of using larger gauging elements and larger diameter yarns can be attained, and which provide the benefits of a close gauge machine and the patterns and designs unique to close gauge machines in conventional tufting machines using larger diameter yarns at increased stitch rates and at increased production rates.
What would be desirable, therefore, but remains unattainable in the known art, is a dual shifting needle bar tufting machine using opposite hand gauging elements, for example needles and loopers, of a large gauge combined together into a close gauge, such that larger gauge gauging elements and larger diameter yarns can be used in a close gauge machine. What is also needed, but unavailable in the art, is a close gauge tufting machine using opposite hand gauging elements of a larger gauge on a dual shifting needle bar tufting machine in which the gauging elements, and in particular the loopers, will allow the large gauge needles of the front row of needles to penetrate the rear row of loopers without binding or interfering with one another, and which will also not tear or cut the large diameter yarns used in such a tufting operation.

Tufting machine gauging element configuration


The present invention relates to oral solid dosage forms containing a very low dose of estradiol. The dosage forms are formulated in a manner so as to avoid degradation of the estradiol and to minimise the content of polyvinylpyrrolidone, while still achieving similar fast dissolution of the estradiol. The dosage forms are useful in preventing or treating a physical condition in a woman caused by insufficient endogenous levels of estradiol.

Pharmaceutical dosage forms containing naturally or synthetically derived steroidal hormones often contain a low dose of these active ingredients. In the present invention the dose of estradiol is significantly lower than what has so far been administered orally in the treatment of physical conditions associated with insufficient endogenous levels of estrogens in women.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,868 (Cummings et al.), the risk of bone fractures in postmenopausal women was reduced by administering transdermally about 20 μg of estradiol, or even less than about 20 μg of estradiol, per day. Transdermal administration resulted in effective serum levels in the range between 5 and 20 pg/ml, which remained within that range for an extended period of time. Cummings et al. also suggested to administer the exogenous estrogen by other suitable routes, for example by oral or parenteral administration, but Cummings et al. further stated that "the estrogen should be administered parenterally or transdermally rather than orally. The former routes of administration are preferred over oral administration because oral administration of estrogen may lead to increased levels of sex hormone binding globulin. Sex hormone binding globulin may diminish the beneficial effects of administering estrogen to postmenopausal subjects, particularly subjects exhibiting signs of osteoporosis or loss of bone mineral density". Thus, oral administration of low doses of estrogens, such as estradiol, are considered problematic for the reason mentioned by Cumming et al.
Furthermore, it is generally considered problematic to apply oral administration of a low dose of an active agent in order to ensure constant and low serum levels in an individual for an extended period of time of up to 18 to 24 hours and to achieve this in a reproducible manner within a large population of women. In particular, it is considered problematic when administering the estrogen, estradiol, which, despite the fact that it is provided in micronised form, exhibits extremely low bioavailability. Thus, the bioavailability of micronised estradiol is only about 3-5% following daily oral administration of 1 to 3 mg of estradiol. This low bioavailability is mainly attributed to an extensive metabolism in the gut and in the liver. For that reason, it is to be expected that oral administration of a lower dose of estradiol results in an even greater loss of estradiol through this extensive metabolism since the ratio of metabolic enzymes to estradiol is considerably higher. Therefore, the skilled person would not expect that the correct low dose of estradiol, giving rise to constant serum levels in the range of 5-30 pg/ml, could be successfully determined by performing linear extrapolation of known serum levels resulting from daily oral administration of 1-3 mg estradiol.
When formulating a solid oral dosage form intended for immediate release of a low dose of a highly hydrophobic active ingredient, such as estradiol, the person skilled in pharmaceutical science would consider i) increasing the disintegration of the oral dosage form into smaller fragments, ii) increasing the release of the active ingredient into the gastric fluid, and iii) increasing the dissolution rate of the active ingredient in the gastric fluid so as to prevent that the active ingredient enters the lower intestinal tract before being absorbed in the upper intestinal tract, which is the primary site of absorption for large molecules.
In order to do so, the person skilled in pharmaceutical science would, as his primary option, choose to formulate the solid dosage form using micronised material of the active ingredient to provide a high surface area. The high surface area will then allow for a rapid dissolution.
As a second option, the scientist would formulate the solid dosage form using excipients promoting disintegration in combination with excipients promoting the wetting/solubilising of the active ingredient in water or in gastric fluid. Normally, the scientist would select polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), which is an excipient exhibiting solubilising effect (improving the wettability), but also binding capacity making this excipient a "first choice" option, in particularly, when formulating oral solid dosage forms of highly hydrophobic drugs. The solubilising effect of polyvinylpyrrolidone is well described in the literature. For example, polyvinylpyrrolidone has been shown to improve the solubility and dissolution rate of atenolol (Moneghini et al. Int J Pharm 175; 1998; 177-183) and to increase the dissolution of prednisolone, nitrofurantoine and nitrofural considerably from gels containing 1-10% w/w of polyvinylpyrrolidone (Voigt et al. Pharmazie 35; 1980:311-312).
WO 01/52857 describes manufacturing of oral dosage forms containing 1 to 3 mg of estradiol with polyvinylpyrrolidone 25000.
However, the present inventors have found that when a lower dose of estradiol is applied in a tablet formulation similar to those described in example 1 of WO 01/52857, a significant loss of estradiol during storage is detected, i.e. the estradiol is no longer chemically stable.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide stable, oral solid dosage forms containing a low dose of estradiol without compromising rapid release and dissolution of estradiol in the gastric fluid so as to achieve reliable and sufficient low serum levels of estradiol for an extended period of time of about at least 18 to 24 hours following one single administration of said dosage form to a woman.
In other words, the object of the present invention is to provide oral solid dosage forms which comprise estradiol in a low dose and, at the same time, meet the following requirements:                Immediate release of estradiol in the gastric fluid following oral administration in order for estradiol to be absorbed in a highly bioavailable manner        Chemically and physically stable, in particular with respect to estradiol        Reliable and sufficient absorption of estradiol so as to achieve serum levels of estradiol that constantly remains in the range between about 5 and 20 pg/ml        High content uniformity        Preferably, the dose of estradiol is lower than previously applied in the treatment of postmenopausal women
Prior art documents describing polyvinylpyrrolidone-free pharmaceutical compositions containing estrogens in low doses are described below.
WO 02/47692 describes a vaginal tablet composition containing 10-30 μg of estradiol. The vaginal tablets disclosed in WO 02/47692 are not suitable for oral use and the skilled person will immediately realise that estradiol will be slowly released from such vaginal tablet compositions.
WO 97/12600 (equivalent to U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,077) relates to vaginal capsules containing 2.5-15 μg of 17β-estradiol. Again, such vaginal compositions are not suitable for oral administration.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,366 broadly describes oral dosage forms comprising a mixture of from 0.2 to 5 mg of an estrogen, such as estradiol, and isoflavone. However, in the working examples, 0.625 mg of the estrogen is administered. The oral solid dosage forms of the present do preferably not contain isoflavone.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,318,925 describes pharmaceutical compositions comprising 7α-methyl estrone and 7α-methyl estrone 3-methyl ether in an amount of 50 μg.

Oral solid dosage forms containing a low dose of estradiol

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