A connecting device of a vehicle drive-train, located outside a variable-speed transmission, for rotationally coupling a shaft to a drive-train element. A sliding sleeve is rotationally fixed on the shaft but slides axially between first and second positions. In the first position, the shaft is rotationally disengaged from the drive-train element and, in the second position, they are rotationally coupled. An actuator displaces the sliding sleeve between the first and second positions, with a shift groove along a peripheral contour of the sliding sleeve and engagement members for engaging in the groove. The sliding sleeve can rotate and move axially relative to the engagement members and the groove is shaped as a curved guiding such that, when the engagement members engage in the groove and the sliding sleeve rotates relative to the engagement member, the sliding sleeve moves axially between the first and second positions by virtue of the groove.

From DE 600 01 023 T2 a shifting device of a geared variable-speed transmission is known, in which sliding sleeves can be displaced axially by actuating means in the form of gearshift forks associated therewith, in order by virtue of the axial movement concerned to select an associated transmission ratio of the geared variable-speed transmission in a controlled manner. In this context it is generally known that the sliding sleeves are in each case arranged in a rotationally fixed and axially movable manner on a transmission shaft which, in addition, supports a loose wheel at least on one side close to the sliding sleeve concerned. In this case these loose wheels are fitted to rotate freely on the transmission shaft and mesh permanently with pinions of a further transmission shaft arranged as a countershaft or as a parallel input or output shaft. The gear ratios of the geared variable-speed transmission that can be engaged are then defined in accordance with the tooth number ratios of the gearwheels that mesh with one another in each case. When any particular sliding sleeve moves from a neutral position toward an engaging position in the direction of the loose wheel concerned, when the engaging position is reached the loose wheel is coupled by the sliding sleeve to the transmission shaft and thereby the rotational speeds and torques defined in each case are transmitted from the one transmission shaft to the other transmission shaft.
In DE 600 01 023 T2 the shift forks of the individual sliding sleeves are designed to be axially displaceable on a common control shaft, which by virtue of a pinion arranged at its end can be rotated selectively by an electric control element. In addition a cylinder is positioned on the control shaft and firmly connected thereto, which cylinder has on an outer diameter a groove that is curved in the axial direction. Furthermore, on the cylinder is fitted a sleeve which engages with a pin formed on its inside diameter in the groove of the cylinder, so that when the control shaft is rotated the sleeve moves axially along the cylinder in accordance with the shape of the cylinder groove. On its outside diameter the sleeve has shift fingers which, depending on the angular position of the sleeve, come in contact with one of the shift forks and accordingly transmit the axial movement of the sleeve to the fork concerned. During this, in order to adjust the particular angular position of the sleeve, the sleeve is connected by gearing to an intermediate shaft which, in turn, is in contact with the control shaft by way of a gearwheel.
When the control shaft is rotated by the electric control element the sleeve is moved in the axial direction in accordance with the rotation of the cylinder and thereby carries one of the shift forks with it, so that ultimately a movement of the sliding sleeve concerned and thus the engagement of an associated gear ratio takes place. In accordance with the gear ratio between the control shaft and the intermediate shaft, when the control shaft turns, the intermediate shaft also rotates the sleeve relative thereto, so that in accordance with the shifting sequence of the transmission the shift fingers come into contact with the individual shift forks. Thus, when the electric control element is actuated a sequential upshift or downshift can be carried out.
The previously unpublished DE 10 2009 054 942 by the present applicant proposes an internal shifting device for a geared variable-speed transmission, for engaging one of several shiftable gear ratios of the geared variable-speed transmission, which has a shift sleeve arranged in a rotationally fixed manner but axially movably on a transmission shaft. In this case when the shifting device is actuated, actuating means engage in at least one shift groove provided on a peripheral contour of the shift sleeve, which groove has a curved shape, so that when the transmission shaft is rotated the shift sleeve is moved axially in accordance with the shape of the shift groove. This couples the transmission shaft to a loose wheel positioned near it. Since the shifting device proposed in DE 10 2009 054 942 is explicitly intended for a geared variable-speed transmission for engaging one of several shiftable gear ratios of the transmission and for this purpose a loose wheel is necessarily presupposed, the device is not suitable just as it is for applications outside a geared variable-speed transmission, for example in a one-stage transfer box of a vehicle drive-train.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Connecting device for outside a variable-speed transmission


A hands-free system for connecting and disconnecting a tool from an adjustable length extension pole. The system includes first and second slidably interconnected elongated members, a tool-holding assembly releasably coupled to the second elongated member, and a locking assembly disposed between the first and second elongated members. The relative sliding of the first and second elongated members can be selectively restrained by rotating the first and second elongated members relative to one another. The tool-holding assembly can be disconnected from the second elongated member by sliding the first and second elongated members together.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to adjustable extension poles. The invention further concerns adjustable extension poles which provide hands-free tool connection and disconnection.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Extension poles are useful for a variety of purposes including, for example, painting, cleaning, and changing light bulbs. Typically a working tool is attached to the distal end of the pole and extended to a working location which is unreachable without extension. Because working locations may be of varying distances from the worker, it is typically necessary to either provide multiple extension poles of different lengths or a single extension pole of adjustable length. Further, it may be necessary to change from one type of working tool to another type of working tool while performing a single operation. For example, in painting applications it is often desirable to alternate working tools between a corner paint pad assembly and a wall roller.
Many conventional extension poles include a pair of telescoping tubes which can be selectively slid and locked relative to one another to provide length adjustability. However, these extension poles typically do not include a means for hands-free tool connection and disconnection. Further, one or more of the telescoping tubes of conventional extension poles generally includes openings to allow for proper functioning of the locking mechanism. Such openings in the telescoping tubes are disadvantageous because they allow debris to enter the tube where it may inhibit sliding and/or locking of the tubes.

On-the-go adjustable extension pole providing hands-free tool connection and disconnection


A surgical instrument including housing having a shaft extending distally therefrom, an outer sleeve disposed about the shaft and selectively translatable relative to the shaft, a first drive shaft disposed within the shaft and translatable relative to the shaft independently of the outer sleeve, a second drive shaft disposed within the first drive shaft and coupled to the outer sleeve to translate in conjunction with the outer sleeve, and a rotatable nose wheel. The rotatable nose wheel is mounted about a distal end of the housing and is rotatably coupled to each of the outer sleeve, the shaft, the first drive shaft, and the second drive shaft such that rotation of the rotatable nose wheel effects corresponding rotation of the outer sleeve, the shaft, the first drive shaft, and the second drive shaft in conjunction with one another and relative to the housing.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to surgical instruments and, more particularly, to multi-function surgical instruments for treating tissue.
Background of Related Art
Many surgical instruments include one or more movable handles, levers, actuators, triggers, etc. for actuating and/or manipulating one or more functional components of the surgical instrument. For example, a surgical forceps may include a movable handle that is selectively compressible relative to a stationary handle for moving first and second jaw members of the forceps between spaced-apart and approximated positions for grasping tissue therebetween. Such a forceps may further include a trigger for selectively deploying a knife between the jaw members to cut tissue grasped therebetween and a rotation wheel for rotating the end effector assembly about a longitudinal axis.
In general, each functional component provided with a surgical instrument requires a corresponding actuating mechanism for actuating that particular component, e.g., a movable handle, trigger, or rotation wheel. As the number of functional components increases, the arrangement, organization, and interplay between the various actuating mechanisms becomes increasingly important.


An interconnect structure in a semiconductor device has a metal layer of an Au type formed at a contact hole region on an electrode or a resistor element containing tungsten (W) and an interconnect connected with the electrode or the resistor element through the metal layer. Since the metal layer of a compound such as Au which has selectivity in terms of etching rate is formed as an etching-stop layer in the contact hole region of such as WSiN or WSi which has no etching selectivity with respect to an interlayer insulating film of SiO.sub.2, it is possible to form contact holes on the resistor elements of WSiN or the electrodes of WSi simultaneously with those on other electrodes containing Au and to prevent the resistor elements of WSiN or the electrodes of WSi from being etched through.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to interconnect structures in a semiconductor device and a method for making the same, and more particularly to interconnect structures on electrodes or resistor elements of a semiconductor device formed by a compound semiconductor of gallium arsenide (GaAs) and a method for making such interconnect structures.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an N-type semiconductor layer with ionic impurities being implanted is used as resistor elements of a semiconductor integrated circuit device constituted by a semiconductor of compounds such as GaAs. However, the N-type semiconductor layer has problems in its linearity as a resistor element and stability for high frequencies. Thus, in order to replace this, a thin film such as that of tungsten silicon nitride (WSiN) is used as a resistor element. Also, for the gate electrode of a field effect transistor of GaAs, the tungsten silicon (WSi) which has a high heat resistance is generally used.
The conventional steps of forming interconnects on a thin film resistor element and electrodes are explained with reference to FIGS. 1A through 1D showing the process steps involved.
First, as shown in FIG. 1A, a film of silicon dioxide SiO.sub.2 which is a protective film 5 is deposited over an entire surface of a substrate wherein an active layer 1 and electrodes 2 and 3 are formed. Next, as shown in FIG. 1B, on the resultant surface, a film of tungsten silicon nitride (WSiN) is deposited by a sputtering process and a resistor element 6 is then formed by a patterning and a dry etching process. Then, as shown in FIG. 1C, a film of SiO.sub.2 is again deposited and flattened and, thereafter, contact holes 7a, 7b are opened on each of the electrodes 2, 3 and the resistor element 6, respectively, by selectively removing the SiO.sub.2 on the respective contact regions. Finally, as shown in FIG. 1D, the interconnects 9 are formed through the contact holes 7a, 7b by using Ti/Pt/Au and Au metal plating.
In the above described conventional technique of forming interconnects on a resistor element of WSiN, the contact hole is formed by a dry etching process using usually a CF.sub.4 gas. However, as can be appreciated from the graph of FIG. 2 which shows etching rates for dry etching performed using CF.sub.4 gas with respect to various metals, no problem will be caused by any slight over-etching when a contact hole is to be formed on an electrode of Au. However, in the case where a contact hole is to be formed on resistor elements or electrodes of WSiN or WSi, there will be an over-etching problem since there is only small difference in the etching rate between the SiO.sub.2 and the WSiN or WSi. Further, in the conventional interconnect structure described above, since the level of electrodes 2, 3 of WSi is below that of the resistor element 6 of WSiN, if the contact holes on both of them are formed simultaneously, the resistor element of WSiN will be etched through by the over-etching. These are problems to be solved by the present invention, in the conventional technique for forming interconnects in the semiconductor device.

Interconnect structure in semiconductor device and method for making the same


Methods and systems are provided for an exhaust catalyst heating strategy that uses spark retard to increase an amount of heat output by an engine without a combustion stability limit. In one example, a method may include, during an engine cold start, applying an ignition spark at a timing that produces substantially zero combustion torque while maintaining an engine speed greater than a threshold speed via electric motor torque. Furthermore, an amount of heat output by the engine may be controlled by adjusting an airflow through the engine, such as by adjusting one or more of a throttle position and the engine speed.

Vehicles include emission control devices, such as exhaust catalysts, to reduce emissions generated through combustion. However, the effectiveness of such emission control devices varies with operating temperature. Typically, a "light-off" temperature is used to signify a temperature above which a high catalyst efficiency is achieved, enabling the catalyst to effectively decrease vehicle emissions. Therefore, during engine cold start conditions, various control strategies may be employed to expedite catalyst heating. As one example, spark timing may be retarded to increase exhaust heat, thereby increasing the catalyst temperature at a faster rate. However, as the spark timing is retarded further (to obtain more heat), combustion stability (e.g., a consistency of an amount of combustion torque produced from combustion event to combustion event) decreases. This inconsistency in combustion torque leads to inconsistent engine speeds, which causes engine vibrations that may degrade customer satisfaction. Further, such vibrations may also degrade engine idle speed control and lead to engine stalling. Therefore, the amount of exhaust heat generated through retarded spark timing is limited by combustion stability.
Other attempts to address combustion stability due to retarded spark timing during catalyst heating include using torque from an electric motor to compensate for reduced ignition efficiency (e.g., an ability to produce torque through combustion). One example approach is shown by Kim et al. in U.S. 2008/0066457 A1. Therein, spark is retarded to a timing within a range from 50% to 70% of a maximum ignition efficiency, and electric motor torque is used to compensate for the reduced ignition efficiency and maintain a stable no-load operating state of the engine.
However, the inventors herein have recognized potential issues with such systems. As one example, providing spark at a timing within the 50% to 70% ignition efficiency range may produce highly variable combustion torque. The highly variable combustion torque may result in variable engine speeds, which may result in noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) issues that degrade customer satisfaction.
In one example, the issues described above may be addressed by a method, comprising: during a cold start of an engine, applying an ignition spark to combust fuel and a portion of air entering the engine at an ignition timing set to produce substantially zero combustion torque while rotating the engine with an electric motor and maintaining an engine speed greater than a threshold speed via electric motor torque; and adjusting the amount of air entering the engine based on a desired engine exhaust heat. In this way, engine speed may be kept substantially constant during catalyst heating, reducing engine vibrations and increasing customer satisfaction.
As one example, the timing that produces substantially zero combustion torque corresponds to a timing region that minimizes an indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) within engine cylinders and has minimal variability. With minimal IMEP variability, cycle-to-cycle variations in combustion torque, and thus cycle-to-cycle variations in engine speed, are reduced. Instead of combustion torque spinning the engine, the engine is rotated at a substantially constant speed via an electric machine. Furthermore, the engine airflow rate may be adjusted by increasing an opening of an intake air throttle as the desired engine exhaust heat increases. If additional exhaust heat (e.g., engine heat output) is desired at wide-open throttle, the engine speed may be increased, such as by increasing the electric motor torque, to further increase the engine airflow rate. By first adjusting the opening of the intake air throttle to provide the desired engine exhaust heat, engine speed variations may be further decreased. In this way, an amount of heat output by the engine may be controlled independently of combustion stability and without engine speed variations that may be felt negatively by customers.
In another example, a method comprises: in response to a cold start condition of an engine included in a vehicle, providing spark to ignite fuel and a portion of air entering the engine at an ignition timing retarded from a timing for maximum break torque, the retarded ignition timing determined based on an occupancy of the vehicle and provided while providing electric motor torque to the engine via an electric machine to maintain a speed of the engine above a threshold speed; and adjusting one or more of a position of a throttle coupled to an air intake passage of the engine and the engine speed, maintained by the electric machine, based on a temperature of a catalyst coupled to an exhaust passage of the engine and the occupancy of the vehicle. For example, spark may be further retarded (e.g., to a region that produces substantially zero combustion torque) when the vehicle is occupied, and spark may be less retarded (e.g., to a region with low combustion stability) when the vehicle is unoccupied (e.g., such as when the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle), thereby reducing an amount of electric motor torque provided by the electric machine. In this way, engine speed variations may be minimized when occupants are present, increasing occupant satisfaction, and energy consumption may be reduced when the vehicle is unoccupied.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Systems and methods for catalyst heating


An axle suspension for a vehicle includes a spring assembly with a leaf spring and a connecting arm, wherein the leaf spring supports a vehicle axle and, on an end side, is pivotably connected to a vehicle structure and pivotably connected to the connecting arm. In order to provide an optimized axle suspension with two-stage suspension, the spring assembly in a region of the connecting arm has a first stop element and the vehicle structure has a second stop element, which stop elements under normal load of the vehicle are spaced apart from one another and, when a limit load is exceeded, contact one another, whereby at least one stop element is elastically deformable.

In a wheel suspension of modern motor vehicles different types of springs is used, an actual vehicle structure being connected thereby to wheels of a vehicle. In this case, in addition to spiral springs, leaf springs are also used, amongst others, in particular in the case of rigid axles. Such a leaf spring extends along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and generally has a concave shape, for example in the manner of a parabola. In addition to leaf springs made of spring steel, leaf springs made of composite material, for example fiber-reinforced plastic, are sometimes also used. Individual springs or even spring assemblies consisting of two or more springs may be used. At least one spring is normally connected in a central region via a clamping device, for example by spring clips, to the axle to be sprung.
Often in the case of a sprung axle it is desirable to produce two different spring constants or rates. Up to a specific limit load, the axle is intended to be sprung with a lower spring constant and/or stiffness. This corresponds to smaller spring movements that arise during normal operation of the vehicle. In this case it is generally advantageous if a reaction of the suspension is not too firm. A higher spring constant or rate is intended to be provided above a limit load. This also corresponds to a longer suspension deflection that is not generally reached, for example, during normal operation of the vehicle, but is only reached in individual situations such as for example traveling over a pothole or the like. In this case, it is advantageous if the reaction of the suspension is firmer (compared with during normal operation) in order to prevent, for example, parts from bottoming out, i.e. parts colliding with one another. In the case of the parts bottoming out in this manner, for example, the sprung axle could collide with a part of a vehicle structure, whereby in the worst case, parts of the vehicle could be damaged. Spring systems that, as described above, react with two different spring constants according to the load are also denoted as two-stage springs or dual-rate suspensions.
One possibility for implementing two different spring rates as known from the prior art consists in that two (or more) leaf springs are arranged in the form of a spring assembly, wherein a primary spring serves for attachment to the vehicle structure and thus continuously contributes to the suspension. A secondary spring is connected to the primary spring, but due to its shape is only subjected to deformation in the event of greater deformation of the primary spring. In other words, the secondary spring produces a restoring force only in the case of greater deformation, i.e. in the case of a larger (dynamic) axle load. This system functions satisfactorily in principle but is associated with drawbacks. Firstly, a mass of the spring assembly is increased by the secondary spring and a required means for connecting to the primary spring. The secondary spring in this case has to take account of the unsprung mass, which is generally intended to be kept as low as possible. Moreover, by an arrangement of a plurality of springs one above the other, a larger constructional space is required than in the case of an individual leaf spring. It is not possible to compensate for this by a thinner design of the primary spring, or only to a limited extent, since below a limit load, this primary spring undertakes a support function of the axle alone, for which it requires a certain material strength.
GB 915,402 A discloses a spring arrangement with a semi-elliptical spring, which at a front end is connected by a first pivot pin to a vehicle structure and at a rear end is supported at two points on a connecting element that in turn is connected by a second pivot pin to the vehicle structure. The connecting element bears against a rubber element, which is fastened to the vehicle structure and cooperates therewith. In the case of compression of the suspension, a connecting element is rotated, which is associated with a deformation of the rubber element.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,348 A discloses a spring arrangement with a leaf spring assembly, a front end thereof being connected by a pivot pin fastened in a stationary manner to a vehicle structure. A rear end is pivotably connected to a first connecting arm, which in turn is connected to a second connecting arm. When pivoting the connecting arms relative to one another, a restoring force is produced via torsion of an interposed rubber element. The second connecting arm is pivotably mounted on the vehicle structure. On the end side, the second connecting arm has an elastomer stopper element, which in the case of significant compression of the suspension cooperates with an upper face of the leaf spring assembly.
A leaf spring structure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,080 A, said leaf spring structure comprising a leaf spring, which consists of fiber-reinforced resin and supports a vehicle axle, a connecting device for connecting spring ends to a vehicle chassis and a elastic bumper. Said elastic bumper has an upper end connected to a vehicle chassis and is arranged such that under load conditions, the elastic bumper comes into engagement with the upper surface of the leaf spring, wherein the bumper is tapered downwardly and its upper end has a greater longitudinal dimension than a lower end.
GB 1 212 411 A1 discloses a leaf spring suspension with a leaf spring, which at one end is connected by a pivot pin to a vehicle structure through an eye. At the other end, the leaf spring is fixedly connected to a support arranged thereabove. In turn, two rubber elements are bonded onto this support, said rubber elements, on the other hand, being bonded onto two further supports that are fixedly connected to the vehicle structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,478 B1 discloses a rear axle suspension for a motor vehicle in which an axle is sprung via a leaf spring assembly. The leaf spring assembly is mounted at a front end via a pivot pin fixed to the vehicle structure. At a rear end the leaf spring assembly is clamped in a spring carrier, which on the vehicle side is fastened via two adjacent rubber blocks of a shear spring. In the case of one of the rubber blocks being broken off, a rubber cushion is fastened on the vehicle side above the spring carrier, said rubber cushion damping the impact of the leaf spring assembly on the vehicle structure.
In view of the prior art set forth, the provision of a two-stage suspension with optimized constructional space and optimized dynamics leaves further room for improvement.

Dual-rate leaf spring suspension for a vehicle


In the low power consumption data transfer bus of the present invention, the mode of division of a bus is associated with a specific layout on an actual LSI chip or an actual LSI-mounted board, and access frequency between functional blocks connected to the bus and therefore the effect of the bus division can be obtained to the maximum degree for the object of achievement of the low power consumption. Further, the operation speed of the bus (that is, data transfer speed) can be improved as compared to the case where the bus is not divided. The data transfer bus includes a bus switch circuit connected so that one data transfer bus provided between a plurality of functional blocks within an LSI is divided into three or more divisional buses, and a decoder circuit for decoding an order signal which requires two of the plurality of divisional buses during an operation of the data transfer bus, and controlling the bus switch circuit so that only the two divisional buses are connected to each other in reply to a decode output.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data transfer bus provided between a plurality of functional blocks inside an LSI such as a logic LSI (large-scale integrated circuit) or a VLSI (Very large-scale integrated circuit), or between a plurality of LSIs, and more specifically, to a low power consumption data transfer bus, to which a low power consumption technique was applied, for example, such a data transfer bus that is used in a micro-processor, a micro-controller or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the introduction of an LSI to a portable device is becoming very popular, and at the same time, there has been a problem of heat generation of an LSI, particularly, of a high performance type. Under these circumstances, there is an increasing demand for the development of an LSI or a VLSI of a low power consumption type.
An example of effective techniques of achieving a low power consumption is to decrease the power-supply voltage. In general, the power consumption of an LSI or the like is proportional to a square of the power-supply voltage. Therefore, for example, if the power-supply voltage is changed from 5V, which is most widely used at present time, to 3V, which is recently becoming popular, the power consumption decreases to 36% by itself.
However, if the competition between LSI vendors is taken into consideration, the lowering of the power-supply voltage is only the first step of the low power consumption. In order to meet the demand for the low power consumption, all of the levels of design, from the architecture, functions, circuit technique, to the processing technique, must be satisfied. At each level, effective measurements are, for example, to avoid operating a circuit when it is not necessary (to avoid wasting currents) and to avoid an excessive driving force (proportional to the size of a transistor) for the performance regarding the operation speed.
Generally, an LSI of a micro-processor, a micro-controller or the like, has a bus capable of transferring data between a plurality of functional blocks. The bus is connected to a number of functional blocks, and in many cases, drawn around in a wide area inside an LSI chip. Thus, the lowering of the power consumption of the bus greatly contributes to the achievement of the low power consumption of the LSI as a whole.
A conventional example of the low power consumption technique for a bus is a bus dividing method. In this method, one bus is divided into sections by a bus switch circuit, and the bus is operated only when it is needed. As a result, the average load capacitance driven can be decreased, and the power consumption can be lowered.
However, the mode of the above-described division of the bus is not considered in connection with a specific layout on an LSI chip, and therefore the achievement of the low power consumption is not completely realized. As the worst case, it is necessary to drive all the load on the bus. In this case, the load components situated on another side of the bus switch circuit as viewed from the buffer to drive the load, have to be driven via the bus switch circuit, and therefore the operation speed (data transfer speed) of the bus is decreased as compared to the case where the bus is not divided.

Data transfer bus including divisional buses connectable by bus switch circuit


One embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a circuit. The circuit includes a digital to analog converter (DAC) configured to convert a time-varying, multi-bit digital value to a corresponding time-varying output current. The circuit also includes a mixer module downstream of the DAC and comprising a plurality of mixers. A control block is configured to selectively steer output current from the DAC to different mixers of the mixer module. Other techniques are also described.

Wireless communication may be used to transfer information over many distances, ranging from short distances (a few meters as in television remote control) to long distances (thousands or millions of kilometers for radio communications). Wireless communication encompasses various types of fixed, mobile, and portable two-way radios, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and wireless networking. Typical wireless devices communicate according to predetermined communication protocols, such as IEEE communication standards or other telecommunications standards, for example. Although there are many different communication standards, any given standard specifies precise rules for communication, thereby helping to ensure that wireless devices from different manufacturers communicate effectively with one another.
Modern wireless communication devices are integrating more and more communication functions into a single device. For example, a single conventional mobile phone can transmit and receive data using multiple communication standards, such as 2G and 3G telecommunication standards. These standards can require different transmission powers, different modulation techniques, different transmission frequencies, and the like.
In order to allow a single wireless device to transmit according to different communication standards, conventional wireless communication devices include multiple transmission paths and/or reception paths. For example, FIG. 1 shows a portion of a conventional wireless transceiver 100 that includes a first transmission path 102 on which a 3G signal is transmitted and a second transmission path 104 on which a 2G signal is transmitted. Both transmission paths 102, 104 include digital to analog converters (DACs) 106 and mixers 108, wherein low-pass filters 110 are disposed between the DACs 106 and their corresponding mixers 108.
For a reasonable current consumption, a 3G vector modulator is weak in noise performance, so inter-stage surface acoustical wave (SAW) filters 112 are required for each transmission band, as shown in FIG. 2. These SAW filters 112 are coupled between the output of transmission path 102 (which supports multiple transmission bands, e.g., TX—3G_H, TX—3G_L, TX—3G_M1), and corresponding power amplifiers (PA) 114 used for transmission over the corresponding bands. The need for the different SAW filters 112 increases the pin count of the transceiver 100, as well as the size of the printed circuit board (PCB), and the overall bill of materials (BOM).
In view of these conventional communication devices, the inventors have appreciated that it would be helpful from a cost and power perspective to provide a single, flexible transmission path that is shared for multiple communication standards rather than using separate transmission paths for each communication standard. Also, it would be beneficial to eliminate the need for SAW filters to reduce the pin count of the transceiver, the size of the printed circuit board (PCB), and the overall bill of materials (BOM) used for the transceiver.

RF DAC with configurable DAC mixer interface and configurable mixer


The present disclosure provides for methods and systems for indicating a frequency for reporting a GERAN CGI. These include the relaxation of the single measurement object per frequency principle; an indication of ARFCN for CGI reading; measurement interruption avoidance; implicit indications of ARFCN for CGI reading; the use of a different object than a measurement object to report the cell for which to report the CGI; the use of a measurement configuration report to indicate the CGI cell or the selection of an ARFCN using to find rules at the UE.

A UE may be required to report certain information to a network in accordance with a measurement configuration provided by the network. For example, in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) environment, a measurement configuration may be provided by the E-UTRAN, and may use dedicated signaling such as an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message when the UE is in an RRC_CONNECTED state. The measurement information may be provided to facilitate handover when the UE is approaching a cell boundary or may be used for other functionality including automatic neighbor relations functions.
Using Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) E-UTRAN specifications, the measurement information may be provided based on measurement objects. Measurement objects are objects on which the UE performs measurements and, in some embodiments, are restricted such that only one measurement object exists for a particular frequency.
For measurement of LTE and Universal Mobile Terrestrial System (UMTS) systems, only one frequency is assigned per measurement object. However, for measurement of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) EDGE Radio Access Network (GERAN), a plurality of frequencies may be assigned to a single measurement object. In some embodiments up to 32 frequencies may be assigned to a single measurement object for GERAN networks.
The use of a plurality of frequencies for GERAN may be problematic in cases where the network requires specific information for a specific frequency. For example, if a GERAN network has a measurement object which measures 3 frequencies and finds a new cell, as reported through a Physical Cell Identity (PCI), the network may require the Cell Global Identity (CGI) for the new cell. However, if the network utilizes the measurement object, ambiguity may occur since the measurement object relates to 3 frequencies in the above example. If the PCI is reused between these various frequencies then the request for a CGI related to a PCI may be ambiguous at the UE.
In order to remove the ambiguity, the measurement object may be reconfigured. However, this causes significant overhead with regard to signaling, and complexity with regard to both the network and the UE. Further, the reconfiguring of a measurement object may cause the discarding of certain information required by the UE with regard to the measurement object, such as a list of cells which have triggered a certain measurement report, which may lead to degraded system performance.

Method and system for indicating frequency for reporting a GERAN CGI


In vehicles designed to pick up and process crops, drive units affect the ground drive, which is an all-wheel drive, which acts on all of the wheels and/or track roller unit in contact with the ground, electronic controls and actuators perform the control and regulation of the drive units, and control units that control the drive torque at the wheels are used to obtain good traction and minimal slippage of the wheels on the ground. To control the drive torques, sensors are used at particular points, the signals and data of which are processed by the control device in order to predetermine a torque or intake volume requirement. The preselection of torque in the control results in the intake volume of the hydraulic drive motor being regulated. By specifying the intake volume required, it is possible to obtain optimal traction at one or more drive wheels, and to prevent undesired slippage of any one drive wheel in advance.

The present invention is based, in general, on the field of agriculture and the processing of harvested crops. Vehicles designed to pick up and process crops—self-propelled agricultural harvesting machines in particular—are used for this purpose. The self-propelled agricultural harvesting machines are typically combine harvesters, forage harvesters, and all types of lifters that are equipped with electronic control devices for drive units. Some of the drive units act on the ground drive, which is composed of an all-wheel drive that acts on all of the wheels, and/or a track roller unit in contact with the ground.
The front wheels of a harvesting machine may be composed of a track roller unit with two large guide wheels. The wheels are driven by a main engine, which is designed, e.g., as an internal combustion engine, by a hydraulic pump, and at least one hydraulic motor, which is connected with the hydraulic pump, converts the hydraulic energy into mechanical work, and drives at least one wheel that is engaged with the ground. Electronic controls and actuators are used to control and regulate the hydraulic motors, which, as drive units, drive front and rear wheels using a hydrodynamic transfer of force. Control units that control the drive torque at the wheels are used to obtain good traction and minimize the slippage of the wheels on the ground. Sensors that process the signals from the control devices are used at particular points in the self-propelled harvesting machine to control the drive torques.
Various systems are known from the related art for increasing the traction of vehicles and reducing the tire slip between the drive wheel and the ground.
One such system is an all-wheel drive, with which—in complete contrast to front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive—the engine force of a vehicle acts on all wheels in contact with the ground, in order to ensure that the vehicle may travel across rough terrain at all. All-wheel drive increases traction by distributing the drive torques and improving driving stability, and it is adequately known from the related art. With vehicles with permanent all-wheel drive, engine power is transferred constantly to all four wheels, and differentials ensure that the rotational speed is fully equalized and that power is not lost. To prevent strain from occurring in the drive train, an additional central differential is installed between the front and rear axles. The disadvantage of this is that, if any single wheel or axle has inadequate traction or no traction, the amount of drive torque that may be transferred by this wheel or axle is limited. As a result, in the extreme case, the vehicle becomes unable to move under its own force.
Assistance in these cases is provided by a special transmission and an electronic control, referred to as VDC (vehicle dynamic control). The special transmission compensates for the unequal weight distribution between the axles of the agricultural machines by dividing the force between the front and rear axles at a ratio of, e.g., 35:65. The electronic control compares the wheel speeds and steering angle specified by the drive, to detect overcontrol or undercontrol and to modify the force distribution such that the vehicle retains a neutral self-steering effect.
Publication DE 199 21 856 A1 discloses a hydrostatic-mechanical all-wheel drive for multiple-axle vehicles that makes it possible to distribute the ground drive output to the driving axles with consideration for the traction that exists between the vehicle tires and the ground. The drive presented ensures automatic, stepless adjustment of the speed ratios, but it may also be supported via regulator intervention depending on the steering angle, thereby resulting in torque being distributed to the drive axles by changing the rotational speed ratios. Strain is thereby prevented, as described previously in the related art, even when driving through tight turns. Output is distributed such that wheel slip is kept the same between all driven wheels, even when the loads on the vehicle axles change.
The disadvantage of this drive system is that the control and regulating device measures only a few parameters of the vehicle. As a result, power distribution, which is carried out by adjusting the hydraulic motors, does not take place under all driving and harvesting conditions.
The aforementioned control and regulating device is referred to as ASR (anti-slip regulation) or TCS (traction control system), and is known from the related art. Anti-slip regulation ensures that the wheels do not spin when they are accelerated. When giving too much gas at start-up or if the terrain is poor and static friction is minimal—circumstances which occur very often in agriculture—one or more wheels may spin, and the vehicle becomes unstable. The spinning of one or more wheels on the ground is referred to as tire slip. To ensure a maximum transfer of friction force between the tires and the various ground conditions in fields, and in various weather conditions, ASR is used to prevent wheels from spinning and/or to prevent undercontrol and overcontrol of the vehicle. If there is a risk of serious slip of the drive wheels, the drive torque is regulated via targeted intervention by the braking system and/or engine management system.
The closed-loop control system, which receives its information, e.g., from the ABS wheel speed sensors, therefore ensures traction and driving stability during the acceleration phase on a straight path, even when driving around turns. ABS stands for "antilock braking system" and also improves the driving safety of agricultural vehicles. It functions mainly in certain situations of hard braking by regulating the braking pressure in short intervals to counteract the tendency of the wheels to lock up. ABS is also capable of controlling the braking behavior of each individual wheel in a nearly optimal manner. The ESP (electronic stability program) also prevents slip and the undercontrol or overcontrol of a vehicle using electronic sensors, the signals of which are evaluated and processed in a system, by braking individual wheels in a specific manner.
The system ascertains the driving behavior in this manner and intervenes when a deviation from the driver's information setting is determined. The change in steering angle is also taken into consideration. Hydraulic motors may be braked by changing the volumetric flow rate of the hydraulic fluid.
The ESP, ASR, and ABS control systems do not meet the requirements placed on drive wheels of motor vehicles, however, in particular on agricultural harvesting machines, for attaining optimal traction and limiting it such that tire slip may be adequately prevented under specific harvesting conditions.
Publication EP 1 350 658 B1 makes known a control device for an hydraulic all-wheel drive that controls actuators using signals generated by sensors (a speed sensor and a pressure sensor). The actuators influence two drivable axles or hydraulic motors assigned to the axles by changing the intake volume, in order to obtain optimal traction at the drive wheels. This type of control not only takes the aforementioned driving behavior into account, but also the load distribution on the front and rear axles when driving up or down hills, thereby making it possible to prevent the familiar "back-spin" effect. When the loads on the axles change when driving up or down hill, this is compensated for by changing the drive output at the wheels. The axle loads are not actually measured, however. Instead, the operating state of the hydraulic motor is ascertained via a pressure sensor, the signal of which contains information about the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet channels in the hydraulic motor, and via the speed sensor signal. Based on the signal from the pressure sensor, it may be determined whether the wheel is driving the vehicle, or whether the wheel is spinning. The disadvantage of this system is that the slip of one or more wheels is not detected at an early stage, and it cannot be counteracted until after slip has already occurred.
Publication EP 1 232 682 B1 describes an electronic engine control for an internal combustion engine. Performance curves for controlling the internal combustion engine are stored in the control. The performance curves contain information about engine output as a function of various parameters, e.g., engine speed, temperature, the drive of the attachments and devices, etc. According to the present invention, the control contains machine parameters of crop material-gathering devices. When a different crop material-gathering device is used, this is detected via sensors. A sensor may be a switch in the driver's cab, which the driver may operate. When a different crop material pick-up device is used, the performance curve of the internal combustion engine is changed in the engine control. The change to the performance curve results in the output of the internal combustion engine being regulated up or down. The performance of the internal combustion engine is therefore regulated depending on the front attachment that is used. The drive torque of the individual drive wheels at the hydraulic motors is not regulated, however.

Electronic control for the drive unit of a vehicle

CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH


A semiconductor chip carrier assembly which includes a flexible substrate having a metallicized path on one of its surfaces in electrical communication with a semiconductor chip. A stiffener is disposed adjacent to said flexible substrate and is bonded thereto by an adhesive composition. The adhesive composition which comprises a microporous film laden with a curable adhesive is disposed between the flexible substrate and the stiffener. A cover plate is adhesively bonded to the semiconductor chip and to the stiffener. A process of making the assembly involving disposition of the flexible substrate in a vacuum fixture upon which the adhesive composition and stiffener is placed followed by the application of heat and pressure to cure the curable adhesive is also described.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a semiconductor chip carrier assembly and a process for making that assembly. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a chip carrier assembly utilizing a microporous film adhesive to bond the flexible circuit and the stiffener members.
2. Field of the Prior Art
It is well known in the art to electrically connect a semiconductor chip to a circuit board by employing a carrier structure for the semiconductor chip. One well accepted chip carrier assembly design for providing this electrical connection is a tape ball grid array type assembly (TBGA). A TBGA assembly is electrically connected to a circuit board by means of solder balls. This electrical connection is accomplished by connecting the solder balls of the chip assembly to electrical connecting pads on the circuit board.
The aforementioned assembly requires the inclusion of a metal stiffener to provide adequate structural support for the very thin polyimide tape which constitutes the flexible circuit substrate.
A chip carrier assembly stiffener is bonded to the polyimide tape substrate by means of an adhesive. One commonly employed adhesive is fiberglass reinforced pressure sensitive acrylic that acts not only as an adhesive but also as an electric insulating barrier to prevent solder rivets from electrically communicating with the stiffener. Unfortunately, acrylic film adhesives, although somewhat conformable, do not entirely conform around the protruding solder rivets. As such, the use of acrylic film adhesives oftentimes result in the formation of pockets of air around the base of the rivets. Although this film adhesive is designed to overcome this problem, insofar as it is characterized by an embossed pattern to channel out air during assembly, air may still be entrapped between the flexible circuit and the adhesive.
The entrapment of air between the flexible circuit and the adhesive serves as a channel which permits the introduction of moisture. As those skilled in the art are aware, moisture causes corrosion failures and/or delamination during solder reflow. To avoid this, semiconductor chip assemblies that employ pressure sensitive acrylic film adhesives include the further processing step, prior to solder reflow, of baking the assembly.
There are additional detrimental aspects relating to the use of pressure sensitive film acrylic adhesives in chip carrier assemblies. Upon curing of the acrylic based adhesive, benzene vapor is produced as a by-product. This outgassing of benzene, a well-established carcinogen, represents an important health hazard.
Another adverse feature of commonly employed pressure sensitive film acrylic adhesives is the inclusion therein of metal oxide particles. The presence of metal oxide particles in acrylic adhesives represents a reliability hazard insofar as it can potentially lead to shorting out of the assembly.
Yet another detrimental result of employing pressure sensitive acrylic film adhesives is their tendency to oxidize upon exposure to long term temperature aging. Exposure of the assembly to this high temperature for this long duration leads to oxidation problems and has a long term detrimental effect upon the chip assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,360 describes a prepreg adhesive composite formed from a porous polymeric substrate providing good adhesion, low dielectric constant and low modulus. The composite comprises at least one layer of an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene having an initial void volume of at least 50% to 95% and containing between 15% and 40% by weight, based on the total weight of the composite, of adhesive to form an uncured prepreg that eliminates or substantially reduces adhesive on the exterior, outer surfaces of the expanded polymeric structure. The composite of this patent is employed to make printed circuit boards as well as microwave substrates.

International Business Machines Corporation


A device for filling vehicles on assembly lines with a plurality of different operating media, which are fed from filling stations via connecting lines and special adapters into the circuits and tanks of the vehicles. The device structurally integrates the terminals of all tanks and circuits of a vehicle which are to be filled with an operating medium in a common assembly, configured as a filling unit installed in the vehicle. The filling unit can be brought into operative connection with a filling tool for all of the terminals of all filling stations of different operating media. The terminals for the same operating medium at the filling unit of the vehicle and the filling tool to be brought into operative connection are configured with congruent contours.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
In the automobile industry, in the manufacturing process on the assembly lines, the filling of housings, circuits, reservoirs and similar assemblies of vehicles with different types of supplies is necessary. The media (fuel, brake fluid, hydraulic oil, coolant, refrigerant, windscreen cleaner, substances for exhaust gas purification, etc.) are fed from filling stations via connecting lines and special adapters into the circuits and tanks of the vehicles in mostly automated processes. The adapters are equipped with modules for process control to open or close media lines in the various process steps.
The filling is usually carried out by workers. The workers take the media adapters to the vehicle and attach them to the respective vehicle tanks. The basic principle of such assembly lines is known e.g. from US 2003 0164 200 A1.
Due to the design-induced arrangement of the modules, the terminals to be attached are often relatively far apart from each other, so that handling a plurality of separate adapters is laborious and time-consuming for the worker. Especially in vehicles with internal combustion engines, the respective tanks as the interface of the vehicle systems to be filled are currently arranged at various locations in the engine compartment. Thus, separate adapters are required for each medium, which need to be placed onto the tanks individually and successively by the worker for filling the tank and be removed again individually upon completion of the filling. Nonetheless, this variant of filling vehicles with internal combustion engines has proven successful.
However, in alternative vehicle concepts other criteria for the filling of supplies assume priority, so that demand for new development concepts is increasing in this regard.

Apparatus for filling vehicles on assembly lines in the automobile industry


An information processing apparatus includes a data analysis unit analyzing an overlap region where an image printed by a first image forming apparatus and an image printed by a second image forming apparatus overlap each other, first and second color patch generation units generating first and second color patches corresponding to colors of the overlap region, an adjustment unit adjusting color information with which an image is printed on a printed matter, based on a result of measurement of a color patch measured by a measurement unit, and an instruction output unit instructing the image forming apparatus to print the image based on the adjusted color information.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a control method for an information processing apparatus, and an image forming system.
Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses such as printer, copier, multi function peripheral (MFP) having the color printing capability have become widespread. In the case where this image forming apparatus is used to perform color printing, color management is important for accurately reproducing colors included in a job. Then, conventionally a color patch placed on an edge of a printed matter is measured by an inline sensor provided in an image forming apparatus, and an information processing apparatus which controls the image forming apparatus compares color information extracted from the job with the color information read by the inline sensor to thereby determine the color variation therebetween, and performs feedback at any time so that the color variation falls within a proper range.
Regarding such feedback control, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-318478 discloses a configuration for managing colors of an image forming apparatus, by placing color patches having different types of tone patterns on a peripheral margin of a sheet of paper alternately in a predetermined order and measuring the color patches.

Information processing apparatus, control method for information processing apparatus, and image forming system


An apparatus which stabilizes an operation of a disc driver in a mode conversion setting section includes a pickup which reads information from a disc that is inserted into the disc driver, a filter which performs a low-pass filtering of a servo error signal that is generated during an operation of the pickup, a selector which selects one of the servo error signal and the low-pass filtered servo error signal from the filter and outputs the selected servo error signal to drive the pickup using the selected servo error signal, and a control signal generator which generates a signal to control the selector to select the low-pass filtered servo error signal in a mode conversion setting section of the disc driver. Accordingly, a defocus and a detrack can be prevented in the mode conversion setting section of the disc driver.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of stabilizing an operation of a disc driver, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method of stabilizing an operation of a disc driver in a section to set a conversion between a read mode and a write mode of the disc driver.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in disc drivers, an output level of a laser diode is higher in a write mode than in a read mode because more power is necessary to drive the laser diode in the write mode than in the read mode. Accordingly, where servo error signals (i.e., a tracking error (TE) signal and a focusing error (FE) signal), which are generated from light reflected from a disc, are indiscriminately used in the write and read modes, an operation of the disc drivers is not stable.
To maintain levels of servo driving signals (i.e., tracking of drive (TOD) and focus of drive (FOD)) constant in both read and write modes, a gain of the servo error signal needs to be reduced and an offset needs to be adjusted where the read mode is converted into the write mode. Where the write mode is converted into the read mode, the gain and offset need to be restored to an original state. Accordingly, during a mode conversion, a section is required to set the gain and offset is required. This section is referred to as a mode conversion setting section.
However, where a pulse of the servo error signal generated during the mode conversion setting section changes remarkably due to a rapid change in a power level, a pickup jumps to another track and records data in a wrong section, or a defocus occurs, causing data to be lost or overwritten.

Apparatus and method for stabilizing operation of disc driver in section for setting mode conversion


A method for regulating a belt variator type transmission unit for motor vehicles, and which includes a belt variator, a reversing unit and a hydraulically controlled engine drive coupling that controls the reversing unit to provide forward and reverse drive connection between the engine and variator. The drive coupling comprises a forward coupling and a reverse coupling including fluid driven clutches which may be operated via a pressure regulating unit that provides an adjustable clutch actuating pressure. The clutch actuating pressure is hydraulically regulated both as a function of engine Pitot pressure which is representative of the engine speed, and as a function of a regulated pressure which is set by an electronically controlled valve.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a method for regulating a transmission unit for motor vehicles, as well as a transmission unit applying such a method.
In particular, the invention concerns a method for regulating clutch pressures of an engine drive coupling in transmission units which are provided with a belt variator.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, such a belt variator comprises: a primary pulley placed on an input shaft; a secondary pulley placed on a driven or output shaft; and an endless transmission element provided between both pulleys. Each pulley is formed of two conical pulley halves which may be moved in relation to one another such that the transmission ratio may be altered by pulling the pulley halves more or less apart. The mutual position of the pulley halves is set as a function of various data by hydraulic pressure cylinders which are controlled by regulating means.
The belt variator is coupled to the motor of a motor vehicle via a drive coupling including a reversing unit. The belt variator is connected to the wheels of the vehicle by the driven shaft, such that, by the drive coupling, which includes a forward clutch coupling and a reverse clutch coupling, either a driving connection between the motor and the belt variator may be broken, a connection may be made in the forward driving direction, or a connection may be made in the reverse driving direction.
The forward coupling and the reverse coupling comprise flexible disc clutch couplings which are driven or actuated by fluid pressure. The control of the clutches may be carried out according to known embodiments in a hydraulic or electronic manner.
With the known hydraulically controlled transmission units, the drive coupling is controlled by a clutch pressure which is mainly determined by the engine speed. This may be done via an engine Pitot pressure which, as is known, depends quadratically on the engine speed.
With known entirely electronically controlled transmission units, the clutch pressure is set as a function of various parameters which are processed in an electronic manner. To this end, rather expensive electronic hardware is required. Moreover, a hydraulic backup system must be provided which assumes a minimal number of functions in case the electronics fail. Thus, the hydraulic control unit is still very complex even though the control is carried out electronically.

Method for regulating clutch pressure in transmission unit using pitot pressures and transmission unit applying such method


Embodiments of methods and apparatus for providing a packet classification protocol associated with a broadband wireless access network are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

As wireless communication becomes more and more popular, the demand for broadband wireless access has dramatically increased. The 802.16 family of standards were developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) to provide for fixed, portable, and/or mobile broadband wireless access networks such as the IEEE standard (std.) 802.16-2004 (published Sep. 18, 2004), the IEEE std. 802.16e (published Feb. 28, 2006), the IEEE 802.16f (published Dec. 1, 2005), etc. The Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) Forum facilitates the deployment of broadband wireless networks based on the IEEE 802.16 standards. In particular, the WiMAX Forum ensures the compatibility and inter-operability of broadband wireless equipment. For convenience, the terms "802.16" and "WiMAX" may be used interchangeably throughout this disclosure to refer to the IEEE 802.16 suite of air interface standards.
WiMAX is a wireless technology to deliver last-mile broadband connectivity in a larger geographical area than other wireless technology such as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi). In particular, WiMAX technology may provide broadband or high-speed data connection to various geographical locations where wired transmission may be too costly, inconvenient, and/or unavailable. In one example, WiMAX technology may offer greater range and bandwidth to enable Ti-type service to businesses and/or cable/digital subscriber line (DSL)-equivalent access to homes.

Methods and apparatus for providing a packet classification protocol associated with a broadcast wireless access network


A spark plug which includes an end at its combustion chamber end, and an end at its connecting end, as well as a housing and an insulator situated in the housing. The insulator has a longitudinal bore having a longitudinal axis, a center electrode situated in the longitudinal bore of the insulator, a first ground electrode which extends into the region of the longitudinal axis of the insulator, and a second ground electrode which is situated at a distance from the longitudinal axis of the insulator laterally next to the center electrode. The insulator has a front section, facing the first ground electrode, which has an end face. The insulator has an outside diameter d and an inside diameter c, d−c, that is, the difference between outside diameter d and inside diameter c, in the front section of the insulator being not greater than 1.9 mm.

A spark plug is described in German Patent No. 2106 893 A1, for instance. The spark plug has a housing in which there is an insulator. A longitudinal bore has been put into the insulator in which a center electrode is situated. Three ground electrodes are fixed to the housing, one of the side electrodes being designed as a top electrode and the other two side electrodes as laterally placed electrodes. By the application of an ignition voltage, a spark gap forms between the center electrode and one of the side electrodes. The spark gap between the top electrode and the center electrode runs along a longitudinal axis of the longitudinal bore of the insulator (spark air gap). Between the laterally placed electrodes and the center electrode, a surface gap forms, which runs over the end face of the insulator facing the combustion chamber. The center electrode is situated fitting precisely into the longitudinal bore of the insulator, or has only a slight distance from the insulator. Such spark plugs, in which, because of the electrode geometry, both a spark air gap and a surface gap (or rather a surface air gap) are able to form, are used particularly in applications in which strong carbon fouling of the insulator may occur. This is the case, for example, during use in stratified-charge engines. Because of the spark discharge via the surface gap, the soot on the surface of the insulator is at least partially combusted.
What is disadvantageous about this is that soot deposits on the insulator at the start of the internal combustion engine, since the insulator is heated up only slowly during the starting process.
Because of a carbon-fouled surface of the insulator, a so-called sliding discharge, that is, a discharge between housing and insulator, is favored specifically in the starting phase, since, during the starting phase, particularly high ignition voltages are present because of a lower intake-manifold vacuum, later ignition and lower intake temperature. Such a sliding discharge may lead to problems during ignition of the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber and may also cause ignition misfiring.

Spark plug element having defined dimensional parameters for its insulator component


This invention provides a method and apparatus for processing video data containing a plurality of video tracks. According to an aspect of this invention, new modified data is generated by modifying part of the plurality of video tracks. After that, play list data to control the video data playback sequence to play back the generated modified data in place of data of the part is generated.

In recent years, devices such as digital VTRs and DVD players which process digital moving image signals have widely spread. Along with the advance of AV devices and computer devices, editing of moving images is becoming popular not only in studios but also at home. In some systems developed for editing of moving images, playback description data called a play list is created to switch between a plurality of moving images, or video effect processing is executed in real time during playback to largely shorten the time for moving image editing. As such a movie format, QuickTime available from Apple is known. QuickTime can handle a plurality of video and audio tracks. It can also set a video transition effect between tracks.
FIG. 15 is a view of track images when a transition effect of wipe is set for a multi-track play list as a real time effect in the playback mode.
MovieA.mpg is set from 0 to 4 sec in Video Track-1. MovieB.mpg is set from 3 to 7 sec in Video Track-2. The playback designation time of Video Track-2 leads the end time of Video Track-1 by 1 sec. This is because the transition effect by wipe is produced at this 1-sec overlap between Video Track-1 and Video Track-2.
Effect Track is data to control effect application to the two tracks. In this example, Effect Track is divided into three blocks. From 1 to 3 sec, Video Track-1 is played back without any effect. From 3 to 4 sec, the transition effect is applied between Video Track-1 and Video Track-2. From 4 to 7 sec, Video Track-2 is played back without any effect.
FIGS. 16A and 16B show the data tree structure of this play list.
Referring to FIG. 16A, reference numeral 300 denotes an overall play list; and 100, management information. The management information contains tracks 110, 120, and 140 which have track IDs 111, 121, and 141 and play list data 113, 123′, and 143′, respectively. Contents 115, 125, and 145 in the tracks have reference tables 116 and 126 as reference information to the actual movie take files or reference information 146 to the effect description file, and pieces of content data information 117, 127, and 147, respectively. The pieces of content data information contain content management data 118, 128, and 148″ containing detailed information of the contents, and block management data 119, 129, and 149′ which manage the playback times of data blocks in the contents.
Referring to FIG. 16B, an effect description file 200 contains processing description blocks 201, 202, and 203.
FIGS. 17A to 17D show the actual data structure of the play list.
FIG. 17A shows examples of the reference tables 116, 126, and 146 shown in FIG. 16A. MovieA.mpg is described in the reference table 116 of Video Track-1. MovieB.mpg is described in the reference table 126 of Video Track-2. An effect description file Effect.dcr is described in the reference table 146 of Effect Track.
FIG. 17B shows examples of the play list data 113, 123′, and 143′ shown in FIG. 16A. In Video Track-1, playback of 4 sec from the start is set. In Video Track-2, playback of 4 sec from the start is set after a blank of 3 sec. In Effect Track, playback of 7 sec from the start is set. With this setting, play list payback of 7 sec in total described with reference to FIG. 15 is done.
FIG. 17C shows examples of the content management data 118, 128, and 148″ shown in FIG. 16A. In the content management data 118 of Video Track-1, A-1 is set as the content ID, and Mpeg2 movie is set as the content. In the content management data 128 of Video Track-2, B-1 is set as the content ID, and Mpeg2 movie is set as the content. In the content management data 148″ of Effect Track, E-1 and E-2 are set as the content IDs.
E-1 indicates the Effect Track content corresponding to the no-effect portions of 0 to 3 sec and 4 to 7 sec described with reference to FIG. 15. Effect_Off is set as a flag for effect control. E-2 indicates the Effect Track content corresponding to the portion of 3 to 4 sec in FIG. 15. Effect_On is set for real-time effect processing.
FIG. 17D shows examples of the block management data 119, 129, and 149′ shown in FIG. 16A. In the block management data 119 of Video Track-1, a playback time table of data blocks 1 to 8 is set in correspondence with the content with the ID A-1. In the block management data 129 of Video Track-2, a playback time table of data blocks 1 to 8 is set in correspondence with the content with the ID B-1. For Effect Track, a playback time table of data blocks 1 and 3 is set in correspondence with the content with the ID E-1, and a playback time table of data block 2 is set in correspondence with the content with the ID E-2. This description indicates that, in FIG. 15, each of MovieA.mpg and MovieB.mpg contains eight blocks of 0.5 sec each, and Effect.dcr contains two data blocks of 0.5 sec each, which should sequentially be played back.
FIG. 18 shows an example of the effect description file 200. In block 1 of data blocks 1 to 3 of Effect Track, the effect type is No Effect, and the source is Video Track-1. In block 2, the effect type is Wipe, and Video Track-1 and Video Track-2 are set as the source. That is, the type of real-time effect is designated. In block 3, the effect type is No Effect, and the source is Video Track-2.
Such a video effect in playback requires a high player function. Especially, it is difficult to execute effect processing while playing back a plurality of video tracks, as in the transition effect. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-218385 proposes a description method, in which a moving image file prepared by rendering only the effect portion in advance is inserted during playback in a playback description language such as SMIL. With this method, playback with an advanced effect can be executed even by a player with a low processing power.
However, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-218385 is implemented on the basis of a data structure mainly composed of a single video track. This invention can hardly directly be applied to a moving image format such as QuickTime which has a plurality of video tracks.

Method and apparatus for processing video data containing a plurality of video tracks


An image processing device (10) includes: a representative pixel value storage unit (12) which selects one of plural sub-pixels as a representative sub-pixel, and store, into a representative pixel value storage area, a representative pixel value which is a pixel value of the representative sub-pixel; and a sub-pixel value storage unit (13) which stores, into a sub-pixel value storage area, pixel values of sub-pixels other than the representative sub-pixel, wherein the sub-pixel value storage area stores one or more sets corresponding to N number of pixels, the one or more sets each including a pixel position and a pixel value of each sub-pixel other than the representative sub-pixel of a pixel at the pixel position, N being a natural number smaller than a total number of the plural pixels in the unit of processing for an edge determination unit (11).

A digital image cannot be rendered in units smaller than pixel units, thus causing jaggies at the contour (edge) of a polygon. For example, when a polygon as shown in (A) of FIG. 16 is rendered, a scaled-up oblique contour of the polygon has stair-stepping (jagged) appearance as shown in (B) of FIG. 16. A technique of anti-aliasing is used to make such jaggies less prominent.

Image processing device, image processing method, program, and integrated circuit

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


To reduce show through, particularly for color pigments, a particulate negative metal oxide. Specifically in an anionic ink, tin oxide of primary particle size in the range of about 10 to 30 nm, is incorporated in inkjet inks in amount of less than 2 percent by weight of the total weight of the ink.

Color pigmented inks used in ink jet printing usually suffer from poor paper fiber show through properties when printed on plain paper. Paper fiber show through is a print quality defect arising because of incomplete wetting of the paper fibers when pigmented inks are laid down resulting in visible white spots on solid areas of the printed image.
To overcome the paper fiber show through problem the ink has to be formulated in such a way that the residence time of ink flow along the surface of the paper is higher, so that when the fluidity of pigment particles vanish due to the loss of the ink vehicle (mainly water and humectants) the pigment particles settle down on the top surface of the plain paper thus increasing the probability to stain the fibers on the surface of the paper and reducing paper fiber show through. The two main methods used to reduce fiber show through are 1). Increasing the viscosity of the ink by increasing the humectant loading to reduce penetration. 2) Reducing the surface tension thus in turn wetting all the fibers by enhancing the spreading rate. In the latter case the mobility of ink is reduced by the spreading rate. The ink spreading causes the ink film thickness to reduce drastically thus effecting reduced mobility and uniform staining of the paper fiber.
The drawbacks of adding higher amounts of high boiling humectants to increase viscosity are the slow drying rate of ink thus worsening the smear properties of ink on paper and poor jetting characteristics.
The drawbacks of reducing surface tension with pigmented ink are poor ink stability (shelf life) and poor jetting due to increased puddling of ink during jetting.


An apparatus for pulverizing solid particles including an impact-type pulverizing device, a mechanical-type pulverizing device and a piping system connected to the pulverizing devices such that the solid particles may be selectively pulverized in the impact-type pulverizing device and in the mechanical-type pulverizing device successively in this or reverse order.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pulverizing apparatus for the production of a powder material such as toner for use in electrophotography or electrostatic recording.
2. Description of Prior Art
JP-A-7-181,736 discloses an apparatus for pulverizing a raw toner material into a toner product having a small particle size and a good fluidity, including a high impact-type pulverizing device having inlet and outlet ports, and a low impact-type pulverizing device connected to the outlet port of the high impact-type pulverizing device, such that the raw toner material is successively pulverized in the high and low impact-type pulverizing devices in this order.
The known pulverizing apparatus has a problem because of lack of versatility. For example, with the known apparatus, it is difficult to obtain a toner product having a narrow particle size distribution.


A magnetic sensor elastometry device (MSED) and a method to perform the whole blood thromboelastography assay. It contains key components, including sample cuvette, detecting head, rotating disc, optical motion detector, and etc; and measures viscoelasticity of whole blood samples. The device optically monitors the physical motion of the magnetically driven rotating disc immersed in the blood sample. The thromboelastograph is recorded by the optical motion detector reading high pulse counts through a gated time window passing through the rotating disc. The device also includes a microcontroller and its embedded firmware to perform the functions of driving the rotating magnetic disc, generating high-frequency pulses, controlling the data pulse time window, as well as handling the user's interface, data analysis, and maintaining communication with an external computer.

An accurate assessment of the efficiency of blood coagulation (thromboelastography) is very important for treating hemorrhage, trauma, as well as for various anesthetic and surgical procedures.
Coagulation is the process whereby blood forms clots. Blood coagulation, i.e., thrombogenesis, is a result of a series of biochemical reactions through primary hemostasis and secondary hemostasis. Briefly, primary hemostasis involves platelets adhesion and aggregation; secondary hemostasis involves plasma factors reacting with each other and fibrinogen being converted into cross-linked polymeric fibrin through several enzymatic reactions. Blood coagulation is the cessation of blood loss from a damaged vessel, wherein a damaged blood vessel wall is covered by a platelet and fibrin-containing clot to stop bleeding and begin the repair of damaged vessel. Disorders of this coagulation can lead to an increased risk of bleeding (hemorrhage) or obstructive clotting (thrombosis).
The coagulation usually begins almost instantly after an injury to the blood vessel has damaged the endothelium lining the vessel. Exposure of the damaged vessel wall to the bare tissue in the wound led to initiation of coagulation by tissue factor expressed as an integral membrane protein. Tissue factor binds to plasma factor VIIa initiates enzymatic reactions of procoagulant plasma proteins that lead to the formation of thrombin resulting in platelet activation and subsequent assembly of procoagulant complexes on the platelet surface leading to the conversion of fibrinogen to cross-linked fibrin clots which strengthen the platelet plug. This coagulation cascade is regulated tightly by various endogenous anticoagulants that act at different steps in the pathway to maintain the balance between clotting and bleeding.
Conventional coagulation assays have poor predictive accuracy for surgical bleeding and coagulopathy caused by traumatic injury and hemorrhage. These assays are generally performed in vitro without platelets and other blood cells; and also not able to test hemostasis function for hypothermic patients. With these conventional approaches, the pathophysiology of bleeding associated with trauma coagulopathy and of massive intraoperative blood loss cannot be clearly differentiated, thus making substitution of blood products difficult. Trauma is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Hemorrhage is responsible for 40% of trauma caused deaths. Coagulopathy associated with severe injury complicates the control of bleeding and is linked to the increased morbidity and mortality in trauma patients. Rapid diagnosis and directed interventions may reduce preventable deaths after severe injury. The causes of coagulopathy in patients with severe trauma are multifactorial, including consumption and dilution of platelets and coagulation factors, as well as dysfunctions of platelets and the coagulation system. Hypothermia, acidosis, and dilution from standard resuscitation can worsen the presenting coagulopathy and perpetuate bleeding. Strategies to prevent significant coagulopathy and to effectively control critical bleeding in the presence of coagulopathy may reduce the requirement for blood transfusion, thereby improving clinical outcome of patients with major trauma.
In addition, the hemorrhage in traumatized casualties remains the major cause of death in combats. A rugged device to assess overall hemostasis function in forward combat areas is thus strongly desired. Also, perioperative diagnosis and monitoring of blood coagulation is critical to better understand the causes of hemorrhage, to guide hemostatic therapies, and to predict the risk of bleeding during the consecutive anesthetic or surgical procedures. For patients undergoing major surgery, or under urgent situations such as trauma, hemorrhage, stoke or sepsis, a timely informed blood coagulation assessment is critically needed in determining patient susceptibility to postoperative thrombotic complications or as indicator of early sepsis, particularly regarding the use of blood products and guiding treatment with haemostatic components.
Concerning the test of thromboelastography, usually a small sample of blood (typically 0.36 ml) is placed into a cuvette that is rotated gently through 4° 45′ (cycle time 6 min) to imitate sluggish venous flow and activate coagulation. When a sensor is inserted into the sample, a clot will form between the cuvette and the sensor. The speed and strength of the clot formation can be measured in various ways; and are dependent on the activity of the plasmatic coagulation system, platelet function, fibrinolysis and other factors which may be affected by illness, environment and medications. If there is suspicion that the blood has difficulty to clot due to either medication or disease, the blood sample would be exposed to a clot-inducing agent (such as kaolin) immediately prior to the test.
The first thromboelastography method was introduced by Hartert in 1948 and certain modifications have been made over the years to improve the technique. Hartert introduced a cylindrical member rigidly mounted in the solid frame and a beaker mounted on the upper end of a rod-like support that is mounted onto the solid frame by means of a circular resilient diaphragm. A coil arrangement at the lower end of the rod produces a rotating electro-magnet field and imparts to the rod an orbital movement. A further core above the diaphragm is used as the pick-up device to record trace of the change in amplitude of the elastic support upon clot formation. This allows more detailed and accurate recording of the clot formation process. Haemoscope Corporation further improves the technique and includes a torque sensing column and a drive ring disposed around a body of the column. The apparatus further includes a first guide shaft rigidly secured to the drive ring and a cup holder. This invention led to the current Haemoscope TEG device.
Advances in technology have led to certain developments of thromboelastography techniques. The TEG® device (Haemoscope Corporation, IL, USA) and ROTEM® device (Pentapharm Gmbh, Germany) both measure clot viscoelasticity and provide the rate, strength and stability of clot formation, as well as fibrinolysis process in patients at perioperative clinical settings to guide resuscitation particularly regarding to the use of blood products. However, current TEG® and ROTEM® technologies both use fragile moving parts (either a rotating pin or a rotating cup) and sophisticated mechanical assemblies which made the devices difficult to use at a point-of-care setting or in combat areas under war conditions. The detection signals used in the current TEG® and ROTEM® technology are obtained either by torsion wire or by light change reflected on a moving mirror. Disadvantages of the current TEG® or ROTEM® technology also include low precision, low sensitivity (signal-to-noise ratio), and interference from vibration, limited transportability and difficulty of handling whole blood samples.
Other techniques have also been developed to detect blood elasticity changes upon clot formation. Among them, the Sonoclot Analyzer (Sienco Inc., Arvada, Colo.) uses a hollow, open-ended disposable plastic probe mounted on a transducer head where the probe oscillates vertically during testing. The changes in impedance to movement imposed by the developing clot are recorded. However the Sonoclot test trace has been considered as rather qualitative in its clinical applications.
Moreover, the maximal clot firmness of these techniques is about 50 to 70 mm. Considering that a general sensitivity level is about 2 mm, higher test-to-test variations are almost unavoidable. This is a serious problem, especially in the case of measuring samples in thrombocyte inhibited tests for fibrinogen abnormality.
So far there is not a simple, reliable and rapid diagnostic test that allows clinicians to manage massively transfused blood accurately at the bedside, and to timely monitor hemostasis status, to effectively manage the associated bleeding and make correct diagnosis and optimal use of blood products.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a quick and easy device and method for performing blood thromboelastographic assay, particularly measuring blood clot formation, rate of clot formation, clot strength and degree of blood fibrinolysis.

Device and method for performing blood thromboelastographic assays by magnetic sensing


There is proposed an interface circuit for connecting an electronic ballast to a lighting arrangement, in which control of a coupling configuration of the interface circuit is dependent upon a frequency of the electronic ballast. In particular, a coupling configuration of the interface circuit is controlled by a control arrangement based on the ballast frequency.

Tube lighting arrangements are commonly used to light industrial or domestic buildings. Typically, such tube lighting arrangements comprise fluorescent tubes comprising mercury, where current flowing through the fluorescent tube causes the tube to emit light.
Some tube lighting arrangements comprise an electronic ballast adapted to provide an alternating current to the fluorescent tube. In particular, the electronic ballast regulates the current flowing through the fluorescent tube to ensure that a runaway current does not cause damage to the fluorescent lamp. Commonly, such electronic ballasts output a high-frequency alternating current, which increases the efficiency of the tube lighting arrangement.
Recently, it has been increasingly desirable to replace fluorescent tubes with an LED arrangement. This may be for reasons such as increased lifespan, greater efficiency and reduced used of potentially hazardous materials (such as mercury). Accordingly, there is a need for arrangements which may convert an output of the electronic ballast into a form suitable for the LED arrangement.
In the simplest case an LED string can be connected to the electronic ballast with the help of a diode bridge for converting high frequency AC power to DC and a capacitor for smoothing out the ripple current. If the LED string voltage is chosen substantially close to the burning voltage of the fluorescent tube, the LED string will receive a similar power and current as the fluorescent tube.
A further demand is dimming the LED arrangement. This is presently done by a shunt switch that bypasses the LED arrangement from the ballast. In particular, and to make the ballast work smoothly, this shunt switch short-circuits the output of the ballast for a period of time during each cycle of the alternating current provided by the ballast. By varying how long the shunt switch short-circuits the output of the ballast during each cycle, the duty cycle of the power supplied to the LED arrangement can be controlled, enabling control of the output intensity of the LED arrangements (i.e. dimming control).
US20150181667A1 discloses a driver circuit between fluorescent ballast and LED. It has a shunt switch 21, wherein a controller 31 takes care of a synchronization of the switching frequency of the switch 21 and the switching frequency of the fluorescent ballast.


A plastic injection mold which allows extracting the air from inside it during the injection process, and an extraction method, where the mold includes closing means, one or more injection cavities provided with at least one injection nozzle for introducing the hot material in a liquid state and at least one ejector device formed by a housing for an ejector pin responsible for extracting the part already molded, where an air duct connected to a vacuum pump or a suction device intercepts the housings of the ejector pins causing a suction of the air from inside the mold.

A thermoplastic injection mold is formed, among other components, by two shaping plates, one referred to as cavity plate and another referred to as die plate, as well as a set of ejector plates where several ejector pins are housed, which will serve for ejecting the injected part.
An injection mold can have one or several shaping cavities, wherein at the time of injection the duly melted plastic material is introduced under pressure through an injection nozzle or point, until completely filling of each of the cavities.
Each mold incorporates a refrigeration circuit made up of machined boreholes in the shaping plates which serve to cool the injected plastic and set the part.
The ejector pins located in through housings structurally configured in the die plate are activated through the ejector plates, being responsible for extracting the part from the cavity once the plastic has set.
This housing does not have a uniform diameter along its entire length, instead the ejector pins are really tightly fitted, with a very narrow clearance marked by standard regulation, in the portion nearest the cavity, whereas at rest the housing has a greater diameter to prevent unnecessary friction with the ejector pins.
During the injection process the mold is closed and therefore the cavity is full of air which is gradually compressed as the plastic material is injected, reducing its volume and increasing its pressure, which complicates filling it with the plastic material.
This entire process requires, in many cases, an increase in temperature of the plastic mass as well as a greater injection pressure so that the entire mold cavity can be filled, mainly in areas with a difficult configuration, which entails a longing cooling time before being able to demold the duly set part.
In many cases, due to the temperature and pressure excess applied to the plastic material to fill the cavity, internal stresses are produced in the part itself such that the dimensional stability is lost, negatively affecting the final quality of the product.
To solve these problems some solutions are known which allow the exit of air but at the same time prevent the exit of the injected material.
These solutions include the creation of air removal conduits located in the perimeter of the cavity, usually in the area furthest from the injection point. The air mass also escapes the cavity through the small clearance between the ejector pins and their housings.
The arrangement of a plugging element in the access opening of the ejector conduit, enabling the exit of air, preventing the exit of the injected material, is also known.
This plugging element is in some cases made up of an air permeable filter and in other cases by a cap or closing element which tends to remain in an open position by action of a spring. This closing element allows removing air and closes automatically when the pressure of the injected material overcomes the pushing of the spring, thus preventing the exit of said injected material through the removal conduit, although this solution is not applicable with all materials.
These molds have several drawbacks in relation to the air removal means, the most noteworthy being that the injected material acts as a plunger pushing the air through the removal conduit, which requires greater injection pressure; and that the injected material cools more readily since it is in contact with the air, and therefore it is necessary to inject said material at a greater temperature with the subsequent energy cost. In order to achieve a greater effectiveness in removing the air it is necessary for the plugging element be located at the end opposite the injection nozzle, the molten material reaching this area with less fluidity. It is necessary to invest more energy and production costs to obtain the part during the process.
Furthermore, these problems also affect the quality of the obtained part since air bubbles are trapped in the molded parts and clearances are formed in certain configurations. The inadequate extraction of air produces grooves in the outer faces of the injected parts and during the filling of the mold the injected material is subjected to stresses which cause imperfections and deformations in the obtained parts.

Plastic injection mould with inner air extraction and extraction method for extracting the air carried out with said mould