An encapsulated medium voltage vacuum circuit interrupter includes a line terminal, a load terminal, a vacuum interrupter, an operating mechanism and an elongated, insulated, generally cylindrical encapsulating housing. The vacuum interrupter includes a vacuum envelope containing a fixed contact assembly and a movable contact assembly movable between a closed circuit position in electrical communication with the fixed contact assembly and an open circuit position spaced apart from the fixed contact assembly. The fixed contact assembly is electrically interconnected with the line terminal. A flexible conductor electrically connects the movable contact assembly with the load terminal. The operating mechanism moves the movable contact assembly between the closed circuit position and the open circuit position. The housing includes a first end supporting the line terminal and an opposite second end supporting the load terminal. The housing encloses the vacuum interrupter, the flexible conductor and the operating mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to circuit interrupters and, more particularly, to medium voltage vacuum circuit breakers.
2. Background Information
Circuit interrupters, such as circuit breakers, provide protection for electrical systems from electrical fault conditions such as, for example, current overloads, short circuits and abnormal voltage conditions. Typically, circuit breakers include a spring powered operating mechanism, which opens electrical contacts to interrupt the current through the conductors of the electrical system in response to abnormal conditions.
Vacuum circuit breakers employ separable main contacts disposed within an insulating housing. Generally, one of the contacts is fixed relative to both the housing and to an external electrical conductor, which is interconnected with the protected circuit. The other contact is movable. The movable contact assembly usually comprises a stem of circular cross-section. At one end, the movable contact is enclosed within a vacuum chamber and, at the other end, a driving mechanism is external to the vacuum chamber. An operating rod assembly comprising a push rod, which is fastened to the end of the stem opposite the movable contact, and the driving mechanism provide the motive force to move the movable contact into or out of engagement with the fixed contact. The operating rod assembly is operatively connected to a latchable operating mechanism, which is responsive to an abnormal current condition. When an abnormal condition is reached, the latchable operating mechanism becomes unlatched, which causes the push rod to move to the open position.
Vacuum circuit interrupters are typically used, for instance, to reliably interrupt medium voltage AC currents and, also, high voltage AC currents of several thousands of amperes or more.
Medium voltage circuit interrupters operate at voltages of from about 1 to 38 kV. Such circuit interrupters, being relatively large and heavy, are mounted on trucks for insertion into and removal from metal enclosures or cabinets in which they are housed. As the circuit interrupter rolls fully into position within the enclosure, contact fingers engage stabs, which connect the circuit interrupter to line and load conductors. Withdrawal of the truck disconnects the circuit interrupter from all conductors, thereby assuring a safe condition for maintenance or removal.
Medium voltage circuit interrupters employing vacuum interrupters typically have a front low voltage portion just to the rear of a front panel, which typically includes the breaker controls. The low voltage portion is electrically insulated, through the use of standoffs, from high voltage portions, which include the vacuum interrupters. The standoffs permit sufficient spacing of the conducting components in order that air within the housing can be an effective insulator to isolate the low voltage portions from the high voltage portions. However, this spacing also contributes to the size of the units.
More recently, attempts have been made to reduce the size of these units by hermetically sealing them and filling them with a gaseous insulator having a higher dielectric capacity than air.
Interruption of a medium/high voltage circuit advantageously requires a current interruption device that rapidly brings the current to zero upon the occurrence of a line fault. A "high" voltage fuse is of a type employed in electrical power distribution circuits typically carrying voltages of about 1 to 38 kV. Line faults at these high energy levels can cause extensive damage to circuit components and devices connected to the circuit, or to conductors and various other portions of the electrical energy distribution system. To minimize potential damage, fuses are employed with the intent to interrupt current flow quickly, following the onset of fault conditions involving high current loading, such as a short circuit or overload faults.
There is room for improvement in medium voltage vacuum circuit interrupters.

Medium voltage vacuum circuit interrupter


According to some embodiments, a system includes a business data provider, collaboration platform, a user client device, and a web application server interfacing with the business data provider, the user client device, and the collaboration platform. In some embodiments, the user client device communicates with the web application using a markup language to request and receive business data and collaboration data from the business data provider and the collaboration platform, respectively.

A number of presently developed and developing computer systems are directed with providing a user access to large amounts of data. However, many such systems are directed to individuals working in an office environment having the luxury of time to search for an answer as assisted in their search by a powerful computing device. In contrast, many people find themselves increasingly in need of information wherever they may be. Many people may have a need for business related data notwithstanding whether they are in an office or not since business opportunities may happen suddenly and unexpectedly.
Likewise, there is an ever-growing amount of "unstructured" communication and related information. Such unstructured information may encompass emails, text messages, social networks, instant messages, informal "team" discussion groups, and other types of communications. While the data may be referred to as unstructured, the knowledge and information conveyed in some unstructured data is helpful, both socially as well as in business contexts since business communication does not happen in formal channels alone.
Accordingly, a method and mechanism for efficiently requesting and responding to requests for structured and unstructured data, in a relevant context and for a wide variety of platforms are provided by some embodiments herein.

Method and system for cross-platform real time decision making


A sheet separator including a separation roller and a separation pad having a separation surface facing an outer circumferential surface of the separation roller in a nip position between the separation surface and the outer circumferential surface, the separation surface including a first surface disposed upstream relative to the nip position in a first direction perpendicular to the axis, the first surface including a curved surface that is curved to become closer to the axis in a direction toward the nip position from an upstream end portion of the separation surface in the first direction, and a second surface disposed downstream relative to the nip position in the first direction, the second surface flatly extending along a second direction parallel to the axis.

1. Technical Field
The following description relates to aspects of a sheet separator and an image reader having the sheet separator.
2. Related Art
A sheet separator has been known that includes a separation roller and a separation pad. The separation roller is configured to rotate around an axis, and convey sheets downstream in a conveyance direction perpendicular to the axis, by bringing an outer circumferential surface of the separation roller into contact with the sheets. The separation pad has a separation surface that faces the outer circumferential surface of the separation roller. The separation pad is configured to separate the sheets on a sheet-by-sheet basis in cooperation with the separation roller.
In the known sheet separator, the separation surface flatly extends, along the conveyance direction, downstream from an upstream side relative to a nip position in the conveyance direction. It is noted that the nip position is a position where the sheets are pinched between the outer circumferential surface of the separation roller and the separation surface of the separation pad.

Sheet separator and image reader having the same


An improved lateral bipolar electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device (40) comprises a semiconductor (SC) substrate (42), an overlying epitaxial SC layer (44), emitter-collector regions (48, 50) laterally spaced apart by a first distance (52) in the SC layer, a base region (54) adjacent the emitter region (48) extending laterally toward and separated from the collector region (50) by a base-collector spacing (56) that is selected to set the desired trigger voltage Vt1. By providing a buried layer region (49) under the emitter region (48) Ohmically coupled thereto, but not providing a comparable buried layer region (51) under the collector region (50), an asymmetrical structure is obtained in which the DC trigger voltage (Vt1DC) and transient trigger voltage (Vt1TR) are closely matched so that |Vt1TR−Vt1DC|˜0. This close matching increases the design margin and provides a higher performance ESD device (40) that is less sensitive to process variations, thereby improving manufacturing yield and reducing cost.

FIG. 1 shows simplified plot 20 of transmission line pulse current (I) versus voltage (V) for a typical electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device. As the applied voltage is increased, very little current flows until triggering voltage 21 is reached at voltage Vt1. Once triggered into operation, the ESD device conducts and the current increases to holding point 22 with current Ih and voltage Vh. Depending upon the internal impedance of the voltage source, current and voltage may further increase to point 23 at current It2 and voltage Vt2, beyond which destructive failure may occur leading to further current increase accompanied by voltage decrease. Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices are intended to remain quiescent during normal operation of an associated semiconductor (SC) device(s) or non-SC device(s) or integrated circuit (IC), i.e., the "protected element(s)", having a normal operating voltage Vo, but turn on when excessive voltage arises, thereby preventing damage to the protected element(s). The triggering voltage Vt1 of the ESD device should exceed the maximum normal DC operating voltage Vo(MAX) of the protected elements, otherwise the ESD device will interfere with normal operation of the protected elements. Further, Vt1 should be less than, for example, a voltage VTR (usually a transient voltage) large enough to damage the protected element(s), hereafter referred to as the protected element break-down voltage, abbreviated as VTR(PEBD). Thus, the ESD device should be designed so that Vo(MAX)<Vt1<VTR(PEBD).
One of the difficulties of using bipolar transistors for ESD devices is that their turn-on voltages Vt1 for DC operation (i.e., Vt1DC) and transient operation (i.e., Vt1TR) are often different, i.e., Vt1DC is not equal to Vt1TR. This has the consequence of reducing the margin between the maximum DC operating voltage that can be applied to the circuit in normal operation without triggering the ESD device and the transient ESD voltage that can trigger the ESD device into operation to provide protection against excessive voltage. It is desirable to have the DC and transient trigger voltages of the ESD device be as nearly equal as possible. However, with current day devices, this is often difficult or impossible to achieve.
Thus, a need continues to exist for improved structures and methods for ESD protection devices in which the voltage margin of the ESD structures is improved by decreasing the difference (ΔV=|Vt1TR−Vt1DC|) between the transient ESD turn-on voltage Vt1TR and DC ESD turn-on voltage Vt1DC. This improvement has a further desirable consequence of improving the tolerance of the ESD protection devices to random process variations that can occur during SC device and/or IC manufacture, which might otherwise shift the DC ESD turn-on voltage Vt1DC below the maximum DC operating voltage of the protected element(s) Vo(MAX) or increase the transient ESD turn-on voltage Vt1TR above the maximum (no-damage) voltage tolerance of the protected element(s) VTR(PEBD). Either of such conditions can cause rejection of the finished devices, thereby lowering overall manufacturing yield and increasing overall manufacturing cost.

Buried asymmetric junction ESD protection device


A chaos spreading code c(n) is inputted to a spreading unit 32. Data D1 and c(n) are multiplied in the spreading unit 32. A chaos spreading code d(n) is inputted to a spreading unit 42. Data D2 and d(n) are multiplied in the spreading unit 42. The chaos spreading codes c(n) and d(n) orthogonally cross each other. Outputs of the spreading units 32 and 42 are added by an adder 35 and transmitted through a transmitting unit 36 to a transmission path 38. By making an initial value which is set in a chaos sequence generator having a construction of a digital circuit different, the chaos spreading codes which orthogonally cross can be formed. Since the chaos spreading codes c(n) and d(n) orthogonally cross, an orthogonal modulating unit having a construction of an analog circuit for amplitude-modulating carriers which orthogonally cross can be made unnecessary and the construction can be simplified.

The spread spectrum communication system for making communication by spreading an energy of a signal to a band width which is fairly wider than that of information has been known. According to the spread spectrum communication system, a spectrum of the signal is spread by using a spreading code. A pseudo-noise sequence (PN sequence) is used as a spreading code. There is an M sequence (Maximum-length linear shift-register sequence) as an example of the spreading code. A gold code obtained by arithmetically operating outputs of the two M sequences by the exclusive OR is used.
The CDMA system is a multiple accessing system using a function which can identify the user by the spreading code among the spread spectrum communication systems. Although the PN sequence such as an M sequence or the like has ordinarily been used as a spreading code hitherto, the CDMA using chaos spreading codes has been proposed. A technique of digitally forming the chaos spreading code has been disclosed in JP-A-2003-140885.
A point of realizing the communication of the spread spectrum communication system such as a CDMA by using the chaos spreading code has been disclosed in JP-B-3234202.
The chaos CDMA disclosed in the above Patent Document is a system which uses the chaos spreading code in place of the existing PN sequence such as an M sequence or the like and allocates one spreading code to one user. Therefore, it is considered to use orthogonal modulation in order to effectively use a channel. According to the conventional construction, however, there is such a problem that a modulator or a demodulator is necessary for orthogonal modulation and demodulation besides a spreading unit or an inverse spreading unit.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a communicating apparatus and a communicating method in which an increase in scale of hardware is suppressed and a communication channel can be effectively used.

Communicating apparatus and communicating method

National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Incorporated Administrative Agency


A fixing device includes an encircle element having lateral sides and two flap portions extending outwardly from the lateral sides and formed with a through hole; a positioning element fixed securely to the encircle element and having lateral sides extending parallel to the lateral sides of the encircle element so as to define restriction chambers, wherein one lateral side of the positioning element has a longitudinal length greater than the lateral sides of the encircle element and is formed with an upward notch; and a locking plate having a first end connected pivotally to the through hole in the encircle element and a second end formed with a downward notch such that the locking plate is pivotable relative to the encircle element between an unlocked position, in which the notches disengage relative to each other and a locking position, in which the notches engages relative to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a fixing device, and more particularly to a fixing device for chairs, especially for connecting and fixing an adjacent pairs of chairs or a row of chairs so that the row of chairs extends along a straight line.
2. The Prior Arts
In an assembly hall or a baseball stadium, pluralities of foldable chairs or seats are arranged in rows in order to permit seating of audience for watching a game or match. During the chair arrangement, after unfolding each independent chair, the adjacent pairs of chairs are coupled together via a connector or fixing device such that only a relatively small space is left between the adjacent pair of chairs. Under this condition, it may cause discomfort to the seated persons if at least one of them is fat or hefty. To eliminate the above drawback, the chairs should be arranged independently and individually so as to permit appropriate gap between adjacent two chairs, however this may lead to overall unevenness of the chairs.
Taiwan Patent No. M328232 discloses a chair spacer to be utilized between two adjacent chairs to provide an expansion space between the chairs. The chair spacer includes a frame body having a first engagement post and a fastening element with an engaging hole having a narrow hole section. One foldable chair has a front leg formed with a locking plate with a hole having a narrow hole section while another foldable chair has a second engagement post. For coupling the two chairs, the first engagement post is inserted through the locking plate deep into the narrow hole section of the hole, after which the fastening element is rotated in such a manner to so as to abut the other end tightly against the front leg of one chair. Then, the second engagement post of another chair is inserted through a hole in the frame body so as to abut against the narrow hole section of the hole, hence the two chairs are coupled together by the frame body and leaving an appropriate space between the chairs.
One drawback resulted from the use of the chair spacer disclosed according to the above patent, some locking plates with through hole having the narrow hole section must be welded on the sides of the chairs, thereby causing inconvenient to the user, and hence resulting in high manufacturing expense.


A bolt lock including a lock barrel having a central opening cylindrical about a central axis and extending between an open front end and a closed rear end. The lock barrel has bolt openings extending outwardly from opposite sides of the central opening adjacent the lock barrel rear end, with a pair of bolts received in opposite bolt openings. Each bolt has a head on one end, a leg on the other end with a rear side having a spring groove, and a front side with an axially extending shoulder. The bolt shoulders are planar and parallel to one another. The spring grooves are open at the end of the leg and parallel to and equidistant from a radius of the central axis. The bolts have their other ends in the central opening adjacent one another with the bolt legs substantially side by side when in a retracted position. A compression spring has one end disposed in one bolt spring groove and a second compression spring has one end disposed in the other bolt spring groove, where each spring extends from the open end of the groove and bears against the other bolt to bias the bolts apart. A lock plug in the barrel central opening has a pair of control lugs extending toward the barrel rear end. The lugs axially overlap with the bolt shoulders and the springs bias the bolts apart so that one shoulder engages one lug and the other shoulder engages the other lug.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed toward locks, and more particularly toward bolt locks for controlling access through an opening.
2. Background Art
Key locks are, of course, well known for use in many different applications.
In one application, such as commonly used with vending machines, the key locks are provided essentially to restrict access by blocking an opening. An authorized person with a key may remove the key lock from the opening, thereby unblocking the opening, allowing the authorized person access through the opening. Access may then be had, for example, to an internal switch, or to a screw which may be turned to permit opening of the unit (such as a vending machine).
Heretofore, key locks used for such applications have included a lock barrel received in the opening to be blocked, with a front bezel adapted to engage the surface around the opening and a retractable bolt spring biased from the other end of the barrel so as to secure the barrel in the opening by trapping the material around the barrel between the front bezel (or another shoulder defined about the barrel) and the rear bolt. While such bolt locks are adequate in many installations, they provide a somewhat skewed force holding them in, such that they might tend to twist due to the retaining force essentially coming at only one point around the annular surface. Such twisting could cause the front bezel to be skewed relative to the front surface around the blocked opening, thereby not only detracting from the appearance but also potentially creating a gap through which an intruder might attempt to manipulate the lock. If the installation has any imprecision or looseness allowing access between the lock barrel and the wall in which the opening is being covered, it can be relatively easy for a potential intruder to extend a tool though such a gap and manipulate the bolt into the barrel against the bias of the spring and then remove the lock to thereby gain access through the opening.
The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.


A mechanism and method for quiescing a SCSI bus by asserting the busy signal just prior to the SCSI signal pins making contact or decoupling during a hot modification. A hot modification is an insertion, removal or exchange of a device coupled to a SCSI interface bus while the system is operating (e.g., not powered down). By asserting the busy line for a predetermined and short period of time during the disturbance of the SCSI signal pins, glitches or noise introduced by the coupling or decoupling of the signal lines is isolated and prevented from causing transmission errors over the SCSI bus. According to the system described, any communication over the SCSI bus made just prior to the hot modification is allowed to complete before the signal pins are interrupted. For hot insertions, the system utilizes longer pins on the connector to assert the busy line just before coupling of the other pins of the connector. For removal, a special pair of short pins are placed on the connector to assert busy when decoupled. In either case, the busy line is then maintained as asserted for a predetermined period of time after the initial assertion to allow for communication over the SCSI bus to terminate before the hot modification.

(1). Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of information communication. More specifically, the present invention relates to reducing error in data transmissions over a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) bus.
(2). Prior Art
The SCSI interface is a popular communications interface for coupling computer systems and computer system peripherals together. Large networked computer systems using a complex set of peripherals, such as disk drives, printers, tape drives, etc., can be implemented using the SCSI bus as their communication platform. Often, it is required to modify the component makeup of such a computer system (e.g., for the addition or exchange of a disk drive, etc.) while the computer system is operating. These types of exchanges are referred to as "hot" modifications to the computer system because the computer system is operating during the modification. A "hot" modification can refer to the hot insertion, exchange or removal of a particular device from the computer system while operating.
During a "hot" modification of the devices coupled to a given SCSI interface bus, the possibility of data corruption exists. Single-ended SCSI interfaces have weak noise margins electrically and hot modifications reduce this noise margin even further since some slight glitching of signal and power busses can occur during the modification. Glitching is characterized in part as electrical interference or transient signals caused by the addition of variable inductance and capacitance levels when the SCSI signal pins contact during a hot modification. Glitching can readily cause errors in the transmission of data bytes over the SCSI interface. Importantly, these errors may not be detected by the SCSI parity mechanisms among other reasons because two bits may be in error and the corruption of each bit is not an independent event. Therefore, the probability of an undetectable double bit error is not negligible as a result of a hot insertion. An undetected error as a result of a hot insertion could also be from an glitch in a control signal causing clock errors that are not detected by parity checks. What is needed is a mechanism for allowing hot modifications of devices of a SCSI interface without causing transmission data errors between devices. The present invention offers such advantageous capability.
Two approaches are currently used to reduce the probability of data errors resulting from hot modifications of a computer system's devices in order to maintain data integrity. The first is the use of a differential SCSI interface which is a much more robust electrical design that is not susceptible to bit errors as described above. However, the use of differential SCSI interface electrical design significantly adds to the cost of a typical computer system and in many environments the use of a differential SCSI communication interface is not economically practical or viable. The use of differential SCSI interface electrical design also adds to the cost of the required SCSI controller hardware. This added cost is also unacceptable in high volume markets. What is needed is a mechanism for reducing or eliminating the errors associated with hot modifications without requiring or using such a costly alternative. The present invention offers such advantageous functionality.
A second approach is to reset the SCSI bus immediately after detection of a hot modification, so as to force the retransmission of any data transfer in progress during the hot modification. Although this approach does not add to the cost of the overall system, it requires third party controllers to be able to correctly react to a reset which they did not initiate. Those devices that are not programmed to respond to the reset will not perform the required retransmission and are therefore susceptible to data loss. Further, special firmware creates added product complexity and special devices are required, so products "off-the-shelf" are no longer compatible with the general computer system. Further, this approach causes an unwanted several-second delay in communication while the reset signal is interrogated, processed and the retransmissions are performed. What is needed is a mechanism for maintaining SCSI data integrity that does not require custom programming for the devices or retransmission of data in response to a reset. The present invention provides for such alternatives.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide data integrity over a single ended SCSI bus interface in response to hot modifications. It is an object of the present invention to provide the above using a mechanism and method that is cost effective and avoids the requirement of using a differential SCSI. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a mechanism and method that does not require custom firmware or programming for each device to respond to a reset signal and thereafter require the retransmission of suspected lost data. It is another object of the present invention to provide a solution to the hot modification problem that does not cause unreasonable delay within the SCSI interface in response to the hot modification. These and other objects of the present invention not specifically recited above will become clear within discussions of the present invention herein.

Method and mechanism for maintaining integrity within SCSI bus with hot insertion


The invention provides a method for converting a lactone of a diamondoid compound to the hydroxyketone of the diamondoid compound wherein the hydroxyl group and the carbonyl group are separated by at least one bridgehead carbon comprising reacting an anhydride containing from about 2 to about 20 carbon atoms with the lactone of the diamondoid compound in the presence of acid.

The hydroxyketones and diketones of diamondoid compounds are useful components in lubricants and traction fluids. Adamantane-2,4-dione, a diketone of the diamondoid compound adamantane, is useful not only as a component in lubricants and traction fluids, but also as an intermediate feedstock for synthesizing complex polymers. More recently, adamantane-2,4-dione has gained importance as a building block for both linear zig-zag polymers and cage structures as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,434 to Chapman, which is incorporated by reference as if set forth at length herein. The 2,4-dione has, in the past, been relatively difficult to synthesize, and this has made the 2,4-dione both costly and difficult to obtain.
The term "diamondoid compounds" is used herein in its usual sense, to designate a family of polycyclic alkanes including adamantane, diamantane, and triamantane, as well as the higher analogs and their substituted derivatives, examples of which include ethyl- and methyl-substituted diamondoids. For a survey of the chemistry of diamondoid molecules, see Fort, Raymond C., Adamantane, The Chemistry of Diamond Molecules (1976) as well as U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,660 to Chapman and Whitehurst and U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,434 to Chapman. Diamondoid feedstocks useful in the present invention may be synthesized or may be recovered from natural sources, for example, from certain natural gas deposits.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,952,747, 4,952,748, 4,952,749 and 4,982,049 teach methods for recovering diamondoid compounds from a natural gas stream containing the same. U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,665 teaches a method for concentrating diamondoids which are dissolved in a paraffinic solvent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,899 teaches a method for recovering diamondoid compounds from a natural gas stream to produce a diamondoid mixture which is substantially free of solvent contamination. The entire text of the patents cited above is incorporated herein by reference for details of diamondoid compound chemistry and production.
Previous methods for synthesizing the hydroxyketones and diketones of the diamondoid compounds (of which adamantane-2,4-dione is one example) required a rigorous intermediate product separation, for example, via column chromatography. See, for example, Gilbert, E.E. Syn. Commun., 1985, 15(1), 53-6, Faulkner, D., McKervey, M.A. J. Chem. Soc. (C) 1971, 3906-10, Henkel, J.G.; Spector, J.H.J. Org. Chem. 1983, 48, 3657-61, and Kaufmann, D.; de Meijere, A.; Luk, K.; Overton, K.; Stothers, J. Tetrahedron, 1982, 38(7), 977-989. While these techniques are effective on a bench scale, it would be desirable to avoid the intermediate product separation in general, and particularly to avoid commercial scale column chromatography. Thus the increasing demand for adamantane-2,4-dione in particular has highlighted the need for a facile, high-yield synthetic route to the diamondoid hydroxyketones and diketones which requires no column chromatography.


Disclosed is a method and apparatus for configuring an external device so that may communicate with and an implantable medical device in accordance with a desired telemetry protocols. The external device utilizes a telemetry module can be loaded with a protocol driver necessary for communicating with the implantable medical device. Once the desired protocol driver has been installed in the telemetry module, the telemetry module enables communication with the implantable medical device.

The medical device industry produces a wide variety of electronic and mechanical devices suitable for use outside and inside the body for treating patient disease conditions. Devices used outside the body are termed external while devices used inside the body are termed implantable medical devices and include devices such as neurostimulators, drug delivery devices, pacemakers, defibrillators, and cochlear implants. Clinicians use implantable medical devices alone or in combination with therapeutic substance therapies and surgery to treat patient medical conditions. For some medical conditions, implantable medical devices provide the best, and sometimes the only, therapy to restore an individual to a more healthful condition and a fuller life.
Implantable medical devices can be used to treat any number of conditions such as pain, cancer, incontinence, movement disorders such as epilepsy, spasticity, and Parkinson's disease, and sleep apnea. Additionally, use of implantable medical devices appears promising to treat a variety of physiological, psychological, and emotional conditions.
Implantable medical devices have important advantages over other forms of therapeutic substance administration. For example, oral administration is often not workable because the systemic dose of the substance needed to achieve the therapeutic dose at the target sight may be too large for the patient to tolerate without very adverse side effects. Also, some substances simply will not be absorbed in the gut adequately for a therapeutic dose to reach the target sight. Moreover, substances that are not lipid soluble may not cross the blood-brain barrier adequately if needed in the brain. In addition, infusion of substances from outside the body requires a transcutaneous catheter, which results in other risks such as infection or catheter dislodgement. Further, implantable medical devices avoid the problem of patient noncompliance, namely the patient failing to take the prescribed drug or therapy as instructed.
For example, one type of medical device is an Implantable Neuro Stimulator (INS). The INS is implanted at a predetermined location in the patient's body. The INS generates and delivers electrical stimulation signals at neurostimulation sites or areas to influence desired neural tissue, tissue areas, nervous system and organs to treat the ailment of concern. The stimulation sites can also include the spinal cord, brain, body muscles, peripheral nerves or any other site selected by a physician. For example, in the case of pain, electrical impulses may be directed to cover the specific sites where the patient is feeling pain. Neurostimulation can give patients effective pain relief and can reduce or eliminate the need for repeat surgeries and the need for pain medications.
Implantable medical devices are often used in conjunction with various computer and telecommunication systems and components. Information obtained by the implantable medical device may be stored and subsequently transmitted to a physician or patient caregiver or a database on demand or automatically. Many ways of using the information are known including decision making to provide optimum medical care to the person with the medical condition.
For example, an external device such as a physician programmer can be used to allow a physician to communicate with the implanted medical device. The physician programmer allows the physician to create and store stimulation therapy programs for the patient to be delivered by the implanted medical device. The physician programmers also serve to recharge a rechargeable power source in the implanted medical device.
Typically, the physician programmer communicates bi-directionally with the implanted medical device via RF telemetry signals. The bi-directional communication between the medical device and the physician or patient programmer is typically accomplished via a telemetry module. The physician programmer, the patient programmer and the medical device each have respective telemetry modules that allow for bi-directional communication between the medical device and the programmers. The bi-directional telemetry communication, between the medical device and the physician or patient programmers is typically conduced at frequencies in a range from about 150 KHz to 200 KHz using existing telemetry protocols. A telemetry protocol is generally an agreed-upon format for transmitting data between two devices. The protocol can be implemented in hardware and/or software. The protocol determines, for example, the type of error checking to be used, the data compression method, if any, how the sending device will indicate that it has finished sending a message, how the receiving device will indicate that it has received a message, etc. There are a variety of protocols, each having particular advantages and disadvantages; for example, some are simpler than others, some are more reliable, and some are faster. Ultimately, the external device must support the right protocol(s) in order to communicate with implanted device.
Commercially available systems, however, are limiting in that the physician programmer is configured to provide telemetric communication using one or more pre-specified communication protocols. Accordingly, the physician programmer is typically only capable of communicating with those implanted medical devices that utilize those protocols. For each of the varying types of implanted devices available, the physician would need to have separate physician programmers that were compatible with each of the devices. Similarly, if the patient had more than one implanted device, the physician would likely need more than one physician programmer, one for each implanted device.
It is therefore desirable to provide a physician programmer that may be operated using any number of protocol schemes so that it may communicate with any number of implanted devices.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Telemetry module with configurable data layer for use with an implantable medical device


Methods and apparatus are provided for virtual device context (VDC) integration for network services. VDC integration for network services generally includes mapping a virtual switch, physical ports on the network switch assigned to the virtual switch, a service node and a physical port on a service node to share a common VDC associated with a configuration of the virtual switch. In this manner, the VDC concept is extended to the service node and the network may be easily managed, with a network switch and associated service nodes configured through a single processing system on the network switch or service node.

A network enables data sharing among computing devices or hosts connected to that network. A network switch connects hosts to given network and can also connect one network segment to another. A network switch may inspect data packets as they are received. By inspecting a packet, a network switch may determine the source and destination of a packet and may forward the packet accordingly. In addition to routing and forwarding functions, a network switch may perform a variety of additional functions or tasks on the traffic forwarded by that switch. For example a network switch can provide a firewall or intrusion detection services on traffic processed by that switch.
Virtualization allows a computing device such as a network switch, service appliance, or computer server to do the job of multiple devices by sharing the resources of the single device across multiple virtualized environments rather than devoting the entire device to a single function. For example, a virtual machine (VM) provides a representation of a computing system, e.g., a virtualized processor, CPU or memory, allowing a host operating system and applications to execute on the virtualized hardware components. Running multiple VMs on a physical computing system typically increases the overall utilization system. A VM may run applications and may have a number of virtual ports—which may also be referred to as virtual interfaces—that are coupled to a virtual switch. That is, multiple VMs instantiated on a server may be connected to a virtualized network switch managed by the virtualization software. In turn, the virtualized network connections are connected to the physical ports on the computing system.

Virtual device context (VDC) integration for network services


Protective eyewear is described which includes a frame and a detachable lens. The frame has right and left temple flaps, each with at least one hole for locking the flaps onto corresponding detents molded into the temples of the frame. The lens may be molded in a ready-to-wear shape including temple portions, or it may be a flat shape for easy packaging. For the flat lens, a wearer can bend the lens appropriately to create the temple portions, thus forming a ready-to-wear shape. The lens is then secured to the frame by closing the flaps, thus sandwiching the temple portions of the lens between the flaps and the temples of the frame.

Protective eyewear has many uses. For example, athletes often wear protective eyewear while participating in sports. Doctors, dentists, and their assistants often wear protective eyewear while performing medical or dental procedures. Many industrial personnel also wear protective eyewear to guard the eyes and face from flying debris. And recreational swimmers wear protective eyewear to help keep water out of the eyes.
Protective eyewear is currently available in various styles that generally include at least one or more lenses for the wearer to see through, and a frame to hold the lens or lenses in place. Many methods of attaching the lens or lenses to the frame exist, some methods having certain advantages over others. The lenses, however, are preformed into their ultimate shape, and are usually fixed to the frame. Lenses that are detachable from the frame are generally not very secure when in place, and may be difficult to re-attach or replace once they have been removed from the frame.

Protective eyewear with frame and detachable lens


A medical headlamp assembly, including a headlamp subassembly and a headstrap subassembly, that has a headstrap having an interior surface that touches the user's head when the headstrap is being worn. Battery holders are supported by the headstrap away from the headstrap interior surface, so that batteries held by the battery holders have no interior surface that is closer than 2 mm away from the headstrap interior surface, and thereby, away from the user's head. Also, battery contacts are positioned to be contacted by batteries held in the battery holders. Finally, an electrical network is electrically connected to the battery contacts and a headlamp subassembly connector, physically connected to the headlamp subassembly and electrically connects the headlamp subassembly to the electrical network.

To a surgeon performing a lengthy operation, the comfort of a headlamp assembly can be a significant issue. Even a small area of discomfort can become increasingly unpleasant, as the hours pass.
Moreover, for headlamp assemblies which hold the batteries on the headband, it is necessary for the headband to include an electric network that permits a user to adjust the brightness of the headlamp, without wasting very much electric power. This function is typically performed by a DC-to-DC convertor, in the form of a switching regulator. The placement of a circuit card hosting this network has been problematic, adding to the potential for a hard pressure-spot on the side of the head.
Another problem encountered in the use of headbands is a tendency for the linkage to the headlamp to sway, as the wearer moves his head. This creates an irritating movement of the light spot.
Another issue that arises in the use of headlamp assemblies is diagnosing assembly failure. There has been an issue in models in which the electronics are buried in the headband, of finding where in the circuitry the failure has occurred. Simply isolating the failure to headlamp (sometimes referred to as "bezel"), or the circuitry held within the headband portion can prove daunting.


A method and an apparatus for dispensing liquid material to a substrate comprising a housing having a bore and an inlet for supplying liquid material from a material source to the bore. A nozzle communicates with the inlet and includes a discharge opening for dispensing the liquid material. A movable plunger is mounted for reciprocal movement between a closed and an open position. In the open position, liquid material is dispensed from the discharge opening and in the closed position, liquid material is prevented from being dispensed from the discharge opening. An actuator moves the plunger between the closed and the open position. The plunger has at least one slot extending from the outer periphery toward the center of the plunger.

Various fluid dispensers include movable valve elements, such as valve stems, for allowing and preventing fluid flow from the dispenser. Electromagnetically actuated dispensing apparatus, also known as electric guns, include a magnetic pole piece, a magnetic plunger or armature, a valve stem coupled for movement with the armature and an electromagnetic coil which is part of the actuation means for moving the plunger. The armature can be moved relative to the pole piece by selectively energizing and de-energizing the electromagnetic coil. The movement of the plunger or armature towards the pole piece disengages the valve stem from a valve seat and opens the dispensing module. When the electromagnetic coil is de-energized, a biasing means, preferably a return spring, forces the armature away from the pole piece. The valve stem is urged into contact with the valve seat to close the module. Such modules are known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,994,234 or EP 0908240, owned by the present applicant.
The frequency of the reciprocating movement of the plunger is referred to as cycle rate. The cycle rate has an influence on the shape of the material dispensed on a substrate. In order to improve the cycle rate, at least one flux guide element is conventionally employed in order to strengthen the magnetic field by improving the magnetic flux. These flux guide elements can be tubular structures surrounding the plunger, the electromagnetic coil and/or the pole piece and can be formed of the housing. During operation, eddy currents can be generated within the flux guide elements, which can decrease the cycle rate. Circumferential electrical currents retard the dissipation of the magnetic field. In order to reduce such eddy currents, U.S. Pat. No. 6,994,234 suggests a gap in a flux guide element which is formed by the housing.
However, there is a need to further improve the performance characteristics, in particular the cycle rate of a fluid dispensing apparatus capable of operating and high frequencies. Thus, it is the object of the invention to provide an improved liquid dispensing apparatus.

Apparatus for dispensing liquid material


Disclosed herein is a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes a main body including inner liners defining a freezer compartment and refrigerator compartment, doors rotatably coupled to the main body, gaskets installed at rears of the doors, each of the gaskets having a magnet provided therein, an intermediate partition wall formed by filling a space between the inner liners with an insulation material, an intermediate front plate disposed at a front of the intermediate partition wall to fix the inner liners, and a heat pipe installed at the front of the intermediate partition wall in a line to prevent dew from being formed on the intermediate front plate, wherein the intermediate front plate is formed in an asymmetric fashion so that the heat pipe installed at the front of the intermediate partition wall is fixed to a middle portion of the intermediate front plate in a tight contact fashion.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a refrigerator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a refrigerator is an appliance that stores foods in a frozen state or a refrigerated state using cool air generated by an evaporator constituting a refrigeration cycle.
The refrigerator includes a main body having a storage compartment to store foods and doors to open and close the storage compartment.
The doors are rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the main body to open and close the storage compartment.
The storage compartment includes a freezer compartment and refrigerator compartment. Inner liners defining the freezer compartment and refrigerator compartment are fixed by an intermediate front plate.
Between the inner liners defining the freezer compartment and refrigerator compartment is disposed an intermediate partition wall to partition the storage compartment into freezer compartment and refrigerator compartment.
A heat pipe is installed at the intermediate partition wall to prevent dew from being formed on the intermediate front plate due to temperature difference between the inside and outside of the storage compartment.
In a case in which the heat pipe installed at the intermediate partition wall is arranged in three lines, dew is effectively prevented from being formed on the intermediate front plate; however, heat is introduced into the storage compartment, thereby increasing energy consumption. On the other hand, in a case in which the heat pipe is arranged in a line, heat introduced into the storage compartment is reduced; however, contact between the heat pipe and intermediate front plate is low with the result that dew is formed on the intermediate front plate.
Consequently, there may be a necessity for a structure in which the heat pipe is arranged in a line with improved tight contact between the heat pipe and intermediate front plate.


Condensation on a member of a processing apparatus can be suppressed. A condensation suppressing method of suppressing condensation in a processing apparatus configured to perform a processing on a processing target object includes a first measurement process, a second measurement process and a first control process. In the first measurement process, a first surface temperature of a member of the processing apparatus, which is exposed within a closed space, is measured. In the second measurement process, a dew-point temperature of air within the closed space is measured. In the first control process, a supply amount of low-dew-point air, which has a dew-point temperature lower than a dew-point temperature of air outside the processing apparatus, into the closed space is controlled based on the first surface temperature and the dew-point temperature of the air within the closed space.

In a processing system configured to perform a preset processing on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, simply referred to as "wafer") by using plasma, the semiconductor wafer is regulated to have a predetermined temperature. Since the semiconductor wafer is heated by the plasma, the semiconductor wafer needs to be cooled to maintain the temperature of the semiconductor wafer at the predetermined temperature in the process using the plasma. For example, by allowing a coolant of a low temperature lower than a room temperature to be flown within a placing table on which the wafer is placed, the semiconductor wafer is cooled via the placing table.
Since, however, a temperature of the placing table falls below the room temperature due to the coolant flown therein, condensation may occur at a portion of the placing table which is in contact with exterior air. Further, even another component in contact with the placing table may be deprived of heat by the placing table and a temperature of that component may fall under the room temperature. This component may also suffer the condensation at a portion thereof which is in contact with the exterior air. If the condensation takes place in the processing system, an electrical component may break down due to moisture generated by the condensation.
To avoid this problem, there is known a technique of suppressing the condensation by protecting, with a thermal insulator, a surface of the component which might suffer from the condensation or through heating the component by a heating device such as a heater (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. H07-169737
If, however, the component the temperature of which falls below the room temperature is heated, the heat may be transferred to the coolant via the corresponding component, resulting in degradation of cooling performance by the coolant. Further, in case of suppressing the condensation by using the thermal insulator or the heating device, a space for accommodating the thermal insulator or the heating device is required. Thus, it may be difficult to achieve scale-down of a processing apparatus.

Condensation suppressing method and processing system


One-time programmable integrated circuit security is described. An example of a method of protecting memory assets in an integrated circuit includes sampling values of multiple OTP memory arrays and comparing the sampled value of each OTP memory array with the sampled value of each other OTP memory array and with an unprogrammed OTP memory array value. The method further includes determining if an integrated circuit performance fault has occurred based on the compared sampled values, booting the integrated circuit, and operating the integrated circuit with access to memory determined by the fault occurrence determination.

Electronic systems that include an integrated circuit (IC) often utilize secure memory, for example secure random access memory (RAM), of the IC to store provisioned data that a user desires or needs keep secret and protect from hacker attacks. In general, provisioned data can be any data stored in IC memory after manufacturing. The provisioned data stored in secure memory can include, for example but not limited to, codes, keys, passwords, account information, personal information, proprietary information, and contact information. Exemplary electronic systems, or end devices, include set-top boxes, personal computers, laptop computers, hand-held devices, tablets, and modems. Such provisioned data stored in secure memory can be vulnerable to hacker attacks designed to gain unauthorized access to the secure memory. In order to protect the provisioned data in secure memory, ICs, which can include system-on-chip (SoC) ICs, can incorporate a security system which can utilize hardware embedded security sequences to determine whether or not the IC has been the subject of a hacker attack. If the IC has been attacked, the security system can enable the IC to block or limit access to secure memory and the provisioned data stored therein.
Hardware embedded security sequences can be implemented using one-time programmable (OTP) memory. OTP memory includes at least one OTP memory device and any associated electronic circuitry, including but not limited to sampling and capturing circuitry to sample and capture the programmed state of the programmable device. Multiple OTP memory devices and associated electronic circuitry constitute an OTP memory array. An OTP memory device may be programmed one time and may not be reprogrammed. Examples of OTP memory devices are fuses and anti-fuses.
In an exemplary fuse OTP memory array, each fuse device in the array can exist in one of two states. In an initial unprogrammed state, a fuse device can function as a line of electrical connection permitting conduction of current. Upon application of a programming voltage or current, each fuse device can be converted to a programmed state in which the fuse device can function as an open circuit limiting conduction of current through the fuse. The programming voltage or current depends on the device constituting the fuse. For example, if the fuse is formed by a transistor, then the programming voltage can be a voltage slightly higher than the operating voltage of the transistor. The programming voltage can permanently alter the electrical properties of the fuse device and/or the constituent materials of the fuse device. A value can be programmed into a fuse OTP memory array by selectively programming, or "burning," individual fuse devices in the array.
During a readout, or sampling, of the state of the fuse devices in a fuse OTP memory array, each fuse can correspond to a logic value of "0" or "1" which can be sampled and captured by the associated electronic circuitry. For example, an unprogrammed fuse can correspond to logic value "0" and a programmed fuse can correspond to logic value "1". Taken together, the corresponding logic values of the programmed and unprogrammed fuse devices in the array can determine an array value. This array value can correspond to a hardware embedded security sequence.
When an IC including an OTP memory array is manufactured, the unprogrammed OTP memory array may include all unprogrammed devices. In general, an IC with an unprogrammed OTP memory array is referred to as a "virgin chip." The sampled state of all of the programmable elements in the unprogrammed OTP memory array can correspond to the same logic value. For example, if an unprogrammed OTP device can correspond to logic value "0", then the sampled state of each programmable device in the OTP memory array of a virgin chip can be "0". In this case, the unprogrammed, or virgin chip, OTP memory array value can be zero. In another example, if the unprogrammed OTP device can correspond to logic value "1", then the sampled state of each programmable device in the OTP memory array of a virgin chip can be "1". In this case, the unprogrammed, or virgin chip, OTP memory array value can be (2n−1) (e.g. two to nth exponential minus one) where the exponent n is a number of bits which equals a number of programmable devices in the OTP memory array; n can have value that is greater than or equal to one.
One type of hacker attack on an IC is known as a glitch attack. The glitch attack can be a physical disturbance of an IC operating parameter that can create a fault in the IC performance which can be exploited maliciously. The physical disturbance can be implemented, for example, with operating voltage variations, chip temperature changes, applied electric fields, and incident electromagnetic radiation. As an exemplary fault resulting from a glitch attack, a hardware embedded security sequence can be spoofed in an attempt to disable or bypass IC security systems designed to protect, for example, secure memory, processing routines, and/or any other functions, functional elements, or aspects of an IC.
In an exemplary glitch attack on an IC that includes an OTP memory array, a physical condition of the chip may be altered so that during sampling of the programmable device states, the logic value corresponding to the state of each programmable device cannot be unambiguously interpreted as "0" or "1". As an exemplary fault resulting from the glitch attack, a sampled OTP memory array value for an OTP memory array that has been programmed with a sequence, for example a security sequence, may not be equal to the programmed sequence but rather may be a spoofed value. In the above exemplary attack, the OTP memory array may be a fuse OTP memory array, an anti-fuse OTP memory array, or any other type of OTP memory array or device.
In an embodiment, an IC can protect provisioned data in secure memory by using the sampled OTP memory array value to determine if a fault in IC performance has occurred. If the fault is determined to have occurred, access to secure memory may be limited or blocked. As a result, the probability that the provisioned data in secure memory can be subsequently misused, by at least the hackers who initiated the glitch attack, can be reduced.


A method and a system for measuring the pore structure of tight sandstone are provided. The method comprises the following steps: carrying out the desorption experiment of a core sample saturated by a specific gas containing isotope element to obtain the pressure of the specific gas and the total isotope ratio at each sampling moment; acquiring a single isotope ratio of each pore diameter at each sampling moment according to a physical model containing pore diameter parameter and the pressure of the specific gas at each sampling moment; and obtaining the proportion of a pore of each pore diameter in the core sample. The method and the system for measuring the pore structure of the tight sandstone provided by the disclosure can quickly obtain the pore distribution of the tight sandstone without damaging a sample.

Tight gas refers to natural gas in tight sandstone formation with permeability less than 0.1 millidarcy, which is recognized as three unconventional natural gases in the world together with shale gas and coal bed gas. Tight sandstone is the reservoir space of natural gas and the pore sizes of the tight sandstone mainly develop into nano-scale. The pore structure of the core directly affects the later reservoir reconstruction effect and the ultimate recoverable reserves. Therefore, the characterization study of the pore structure of tight sandstone has been the most basic and important work in geological research. At present, the research methods of rock pore structure include the conventional mercury intrusion method, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption method and nuclear magnetic method, each of which has its application scope. The main advantage of the mercury intrusion method is that the mercury intrusion method can be used to characterize pores from larger than 50 nm to several hundred microns. But the mercury intrusion method is a destructive experiment, low temperature nitrogen adsorption and nuclear magnetic method are usually used in the case of a small sample amount. The low-temperature nitrogen adsorption method is mostly used to study pores from 2 nm to 50 nm. Carbon dioxide is used as the adsorption gas, which can theoretically study pores as small as 0.4 nm, but cannot characterize a pore structure with a large structure. Because the pores of tight sandstone are small, the study of tight sandstone by nuclear magnetic method requires a large saturation pressure to fill water into the core, and this process is very time consuming, so that the nuclear magnetic method is uncommonly used.

Method and system for measuring pore structure of tight sandstone

INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (IGGCAS)


Method and apparatus for transfer of signals from multiple antennas down to baseband over a common radio frequency (RF) chain. Antenna selection having greater flexibility and applicability to both uplink and downlink is obtained by giving priority to the antenna receiving a better/best quality signal. Measurements are taken by at least a channel estimator during each time slot to determine the weighting to be given to the antenna with the better/best quality signal. Techniques and apparatus are provided to take measurements over a range of intervals from time slots to single symbols, for example, to select the best signal. The techniques described herein may be used individually, and in some cases are combined to receive additional benefits in efficiency. For example, one or more of recent and/or current channel estimation, history, optimization may be employed, in addition to channel estimation, to determine signal quality.

Transmitters and receivers of wireless systems typically employ a single antenna which may be preferred from a cost viewpoint. However, multiple antenna arrays have also been employed which have been found to provide certain cost/benefit features. It is nevertheless highly desirable to provide a capability of selecting the antenna receiving (or in the alternative transmitting) the signal having the best quality.

Method and system for implementing smart antennas and diversity techniques


An electronic component unit includes an electronic component including an electronic component main body, a holding member with a plate-shaped base holding the electronic component main body, and a terminal electrically connected to the electronic component main body; a housing member including a housing space that houses the electronic component with a first housing chamber for housing the electronic component main body and a second housing chamber for housing the terminal of the electronic component; and a counterpart terminal fitted to the second housing chamber and electrically connected to the terminal when the electronic component is housed in the housing space. The terminal is disposed inside of a virtual space formed by projecting the base in the inserting direction of the electronic component toward the housing space. The base is used as a lid to cover an opening of the housing space to which the electronic component is inserted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic component unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an electronic component unit is constituted of an electronic component, a housing member, and a counterpart terminal fitted to the housing member. In the electronic component unit, a terminal of the electronic component is electrically connected to a counterpart terminal of the housing member, by housing the electronic component into a housing chamber of the housing member. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2014-082060 discloses a relay as an electronic component in which a terminal electrically connected to a relay main body in a case is exposed outside the case at the upper surface of the case, and the terminal is extended downward along the upper surface and the side surface of the case. An electronic component unit is configured by inserting the electronic component into a housing chamber of a housing member in the extending direction of the terminal.
Electronic component units are required to prevent foreign matters such as liquid and dust from entering therein, for example, to avoid a contact failure between the terminals. However, in the conventional electronic component units, not only a terminal of an electronic component, but also a connecting portion between the terminal and a counterpart terminal of a housing member are exposed outside. Accordingly, if foreign matters exist in the surroundings, there is a concern that a foreign matter may enter between the terminals.


A vehicular air conditioning control device that detects an outside air temperature, and calculates the time for the evaporator blower to continue to blow after the engine has been shut off, in an air conditioning system where the compressor is powered by the engine. After a given elapsed time, the control device restarts the blower fan, issues an engine startup request, and initiates refrigerant circulation by the compressor.

Technologies which, when a vehicle makes a stop, shut down the engine of the vehicle in order to control unnecessary exhaust gas emissions and fuel consumption caused by idling are known.
In such technologies, when the engine is shut down when the compressor and the blower fan are on in order to air-condition (e.g., cool) the cabin, the compressor, which is driven by the engine, is switched off so that air conditioning refrigerant compression and circulation is no longer performed. When air conditioning refrigerant compression and circulation is no longer performed, odor occurs and fogging of the windshield glass and so forth occurs because of the evaporation of liquid from the surface of the evaporator and the blowing out of damp air from the surface of the evaporator.
Patent citation 1 proposes a technology that suppresses unpleasant odor by monitoring the temperature at which condensate on the evaporator dries during engine shutdown and starting up the engine to thereby cause the compressor to operate before the condensate dries. Specifically, in the process of the evaporator outlet temperature increasing to the high temperature side at the time when the compressor is shut down, the technology determines a temporary drop in the evaporator outlet temperature, which arises just before the condensate on the surface of the evaporator completely dries, and restarts the compressor.

Vehicular air conditioning control device, vehicular air conditioning control method, vehicular air conditioning control program, and recording medium


A geared core winder with locking mechanism for use with core rolls for fabric, material, rugs, paper or other such products comprised of a shaft containing a geared section, a first and second donut-shaped pieces placed on the shaft on opposite sides of the gears, a plurality of geared rods running between the donut-shaped pieces, wherein there is secured to each geared rod a plate which extends from the surface of the geared rods, wherein the geared rods interactingly engage the geared section of the shaft and a locking mechanism to prevent axial rotation of the geared core winder when engaged with core rolls. The locking mechanism is comprised of a donut-shaped locking piece which fits onto the shaft of the geared core winder and contains a central opening, a plurality of key locking pins fitting in key locking pins openings in the donut-shaped locking piece and into openings in the first donut-shaped piece of the geared core winder, and a rotation limitations system secured within the central opening of the donut-shaped locking piece, which rotation limitations system permits rotation of the geared core winder only in one direction.

This invention is a locking mechanism used in combination with a geared core winder for securing core winders or chucks within a core roll which holds material, such as cloth, paper, rugs or other web-like products. More specifically, this device is a reversible locking mechanism used in combination with a geared core winder for restricting axial rotation in either direction of a geared core winder when placed within a core roll holding a cloth-like material. Devices for holding core rolls have been an important component of machines for winding or measuring cloth, paper, web-like products for many years. Generally these web-like products are wound onto hollow cores whose lengths frequently are in excess of 4 feet. Common cores are generally manufactured from a hollow thickened cardboard-like material with a thickness of ⅛ to about ¾ of an inch. The overall diameter of these cores may vary from an inch to several inches.
Conventional devices for holding these cores, sometimes called chucks or core winders, are frequently ribbed to provide a better grip on the cores. For example, one conventional core winder is a ribbed cone which is placed on a metal bar which runs within a core and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,244,865. U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,251 discloses a conventional machine for measuring the length of cloth which contains a pair of devices for holding cores for rolls of cloth. Each of these devices for holding a core contains two chucks, 9, each of which is ribbed and one of each pair of which is adjustable in a horizontal plane to permit the device to hold various lengths of cores. A similar type of device for use with asphalt coatings is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,854. This device uses core engaging splines, 32, on the roll supporting units to hold the cores in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,037,988 discloses a core chuck with a key, 3, which extends from the surface of a conical piece and which fits within a notch in the core roll to restrict the movement of the core roll on the core chuck.
Another device designed for prevention of movement of a core roll is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,231,140 which discloses a core plug containing spiraling threads, 12, of a diameter greater than the shaft, 8, of the core plug. These spiral threads tend to grab onto the inside of the core and restrict its movement.
A more sophisticated device for holding core rolls of paper is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,251. This device discloses a bearing for supporting the core of rolls of paper with extension devices, 7, which extend from the surface of the supporting device to grab the inner surface of the core. These extension devices are extended out by a combination of a pair of telescopically coupled elements impacted by an expansion spring. See also U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,701 which discloses another device for holding a core roll.
A number of radial and/or axial releasable, locking core chucks or supports for core chucks have been disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,007,268, 4,160,530, 4,158,446 and 4,058,268.
Another locking core chuck, which includes a threaded spindle with a drive for rotating the spindle, contains core chuck lugs which are free to rotate with the spindle until locked by an annular gear, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,057.
A torque-actuated, expandable shaft assembly for core rolls containing a directional core engagement mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,640.
Although each of these patents discloses a core winding device for controlling the movement of a core roll which holds paper, fabric or web-like products, there is still a need for improvements to these core winders. Specifically, current core winders tend to tear up the core rolls because of their ribbed surface structure. In addition, slippage is still a significant problem especially with large rolls of material. Further, current core winders have difficulty in adjusting to different sized core rolls and may require a number of different core winder devices to fit various sizes of cores.
One device designed to address these issues is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,180. This geared core winder holds a core roll for fabric or other materials securely in position on the shaft of the core winder. In use fins, 38, extend out from the geared rods, 32, and lock into position within the core containing the fabric or other materials. These fins, 38, prevent the movement of the core roll in relation to the core lock, but only in one direction. For example, the core lock system may be used to wind material in a clockwise rotation, and will restrict rotation of the core in a counter clockwise direction. However, the mechanism is not effective in preventing additional clockwise rotation of the core.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to produce a locking mechanism for use with a core winder utilized in the winding of fabric, rugs, paper, materials and other web-like products on cores.
Another object of the in invention is a reversible locking mechanism for use with core winders, particularly geared core winders, which can restrict clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the geared core winder while said core winder is present within a core.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from a review of the description and the appended claims.

Locking mechanism for geared core winder


A sliding weight rack for removably holding free weights provided on a weight lifting bench. The rack is movable, via linear bearings, horizontally relative to the weight lifting bench so that a weight lifter can pull the rack and the weights above the weight lifter's chest. The gas strut provided on the rack will automatically retract the rack to its original rearward position once the weights have been removed from the rack. In its rearward position, the rack is out of the way of the weight lifter but is still easily accessible when the weight lifter is ready to replace the weights onto the rack.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a movable rack for holding weight lifting equipment. More specifically, the present invention is a sliding weight rack that is provided on a weight lifting bench and is designed to hold free weights. The rack is movable horizontally relative to the weight lifting bench so that a weight lifter can pull the rack toward the weight lifter until it is vertically aligned above the weight lifter. From this position, the weights are directly above the weight lifter and properly aligned so that they can be lifted off of the rack. The rack will automatically retract itself to its original position once the weights have been removed from it so that the rack is out of the way of the weight lifter. The rack retracts to the original position so that it is easily accessible when the weight lifter is ready to replace the weights onto the rack.
2. Description of the Related Art
Working out with weights has become quite popular with the public. With the numerous athletic clubs and health facilities that are available to the public today, it is important that weight lifting equipment be as safe as possible to prevent injury to the many casual users that may be using the equipment.
One of the problems with weight lifting that causes frequent injury is when the weights are not properly positioned relative to the weight lifter when the weights are engaged and when the weights are released. If the weights and the weight lifter are improperly aligned as the weights are engaged, the weight lifter may strain his muscles when he makes the initial lift of the weights. The ideal position for the weights relative to the weight lifter on the initial engagement and lift is with the weights directly above the arms of the weight lifter. However, if a rack is placed above the weight lifter so that the weights are directly above him, once the weights are lifted, the rack is in the way and prevents him from raising the weights directly above his chest since to do so would cause the weights to bump into the rack.
Others have attempted to address this problem by providing racks that swing laterally away from the weight lifter when the weights are initially lifted. Although this type of rack configuration does move the racks out of the way of the weight lifter, the racks move into a position that makes replacing the weights onto the rack awkward, either because the weight lifter must twist his arms in an awkward way while holding the weights or because the weight lifter must use his legs to reposition the rack vertically above him. Either of these movements could cause the weight lifter to strain himself.
The present invention is designed to solve this problem. The present invention is a slidable rack that is attached to a weight lifting bench. The rack is located above the bench and is movable longitudinal relative to the bench. The rack is normally biased in a fully extended rearward position. The rack can be easily pulled, either by grasping the rack or by grasping weights that are resting on the rack, so that the rack and any weights supported thereon, move horizontally. By pulling on the rack or the weights supported thereon, the rack and weights are slid horizontally so that the weights are directly above the bench. When the pulling force is removed, such as when the weights are lifted off the rack, the rack immediately returns to its original, fully extended rearward position. In this position, the weight lifter can easily return the weights to the rack by holding the weights with his arms fully extended and then allowing the weights to move behind the weight lifter's head until the weights come to rest on the horizontal arms of the rack.


A modular portable device system and method allow extended user input. The system includes a first device and a second device, the devices being attachable via a plurality of magnetic attachment points (magnets or magnetically responsive attachment points) on each. In a first configuration, the devices are held together by all of the magnetic attachment points, and in this configuration an extended user input facility on the second device is not user-accessible. In a second configuration, the devices are connected by only a subset of the magnetic attachment points, and in this second configuration the extended user input facility is user-accessible. A Hall Effect sensor on the first device and sensor magnet on the second device are positioned to overlap when the devices are connected in the second configuration in order to alert the first device that the second device has been attached in the extended input mode.

While modern portable electronic devices are highly capable, the average user does not use all, or even most, of the capabilities of their device. Moreover, users continue to ask for lighter devices. Taking these observations together, a modular device approach may be seen as one solution to provide a customized device experience. In a modular approach, each user's device is customized via add on modules, to support the extended functions that the user does desire without unnecessarily complicating the base device.
In this model, a light and thin base cellular device is provided having certain basic functions such as phone, text, WiFi, email and basic sound and photo capabilities. Add-on modules can be docked to the base device to add more powerful features or sets of features. For example, a more professional camera module can be used to extend the basic photo abilities of the base module. Similarly, an audio module may be added to enable better sound quality as compared to the basic speaker system built into the base device.
However, even with a customized modular phone, it is still beneficial to use space and weight efficiently. Thus, a user desiring better user input options such as an enlarged keyboard would still not typically add an extension module that only provides improved input functionality. As such, even in a modular system, a user would typically still be limited to existing input options provided by the base device.
While the present disclosure is directed to a system that can eliminate certain shortcomings noted in this Background section, it should be appreciated that such a benefit is neither a limitation on the scope of the disclosed principles nor of the attached claims, except to the extent expressly noted in the claims. Additionally, the discussion of technology in this Background section is reflective of the inventors' own observations, considerations, and thoughts, and is in no way intended to accurately catalog or comprehensively summarize the art in the public domain. As such, the inventors expressly disclaim this section as admitted or assumed prior art with respect to the discussed details. Moreover, the identification herein of a desirable course of action reflects the inventors' own observations and ideas, and should not be assumed to indicate an art-recognized desirability.

Keyboard function in a modular portable electronic device


A vehicle control apparatus and method using private medical information, and a mobile terminal are provided. An optimized driving environment is provided by searching controllable vehicle control nodes in a vehicle, upon reception of a driver's private medical information; determining if there is vehicle control information for controlling the searched vehicle control node; and controlling the vehicle control nodes using vehicle control information that corresponds to the received driver's private medical information if there is the vehicle control information for controlling the searched control nodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a vehicle control apparatus and method, and more particularly, to a vehicle control apparatus and method and a related mobile terminal for offering optimized driving conditions by controlling the vehicle based on a driver's private medical information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, vehicle control devices have been able to perform operations to offer the driver optimized conditions for driving, such as adjusting the driver's seat angle or adjusting the air conditioner.
Recently, a method has emerged for ensuring safe driving even if the driver gets into trouble due to the worsening of his/her health condition by enabling the driver to control driving conditions of the vehicle in response to his/her health condition.
Specifically, in such a method, the driver's medical information is stored in his/her mobile terminal, and when the driver gets in the vehicle with the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal is connected to a head unit for controlling operations of vehicle control nodes related to the vehicle's driving conditions, such as the rearview mirror, the air conditioner, the seat, etc. of the vehicle.
The driver's medical information is transferred from the mobile terminal to the head unit, and if it is determined from the driver's medical information that the driver is not in a proper condition to drive the vehicle, a warning phrase is displayed on a screen of the vehicle that the driver is not in the proper condition to drive the vehicle.
In other words, in the conventional method, information about the driver's medical condition stored in the driver's mobile terminal is transferred to the head unit of the vehicle and, if the driver's medical condition is not proper for driving, a warning phrase is displayed on the screen.
However, since the head unit simply presents an alarm to the driver, the driver may not clearly know of his/her health condition while driving.
Even after receiving the warning, it may be difficult or inconvenient for the driver, especially if the driver is a senior citizen or a disabled person, to manually establish and change operations of each of the vehicle control nodes to change the current driving condition. Furthermore, the driver may simply choose to ignore the warning.
In addition, if the driver manually controls operations of each of the vehicle control nodes while driving, the driver may possibly get into an accident due to the distraction.

Vehicle control apparatus and method using private medical information, and mobile terminal


A lighting device is disclosed. The lighting device can be battery-powered and can include one or more LEDs within a light source housing. The device can also include a base connected to the light source housing, and a clip removably connected to the base. The base can act as a stable support for the lighting device when the lighting device is positioned upright over a flat support surface with the clip disconnected from the base. Similarly, the clip (or the clip in conjunction with a portion of the base) can act as a stable support for the lighting device when the lighting device is positioned upright over a flat support surface with the clip connected to the base. The clip can be configured to releasably connect to the base in a first orientation and a second orientation substantially opposite to the first orientation.

Several varieties of lighting devices having clips for mounting are known. For example, some conventional lighting devices include clips in place of standard bases. Clips can make a lighting device essentially integral with a stationary object. This is useful, for example, when the lighting device is to be mounted on a non-horizontal surface (e.g., a picture frame) or when the lighting device is adjustable into positions that would cause an unclipped lighting device to tip over. In contrast to other mounting systems, clips also typically allow a lighting device to be removed and remounted with relative ease.
One example of a known clip-on lighting device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,177 (Matthews). Mathews describes an articulated task lamp adapted for mounting to a drafting table (abstract). The lamp described in Mathews includes a base portion defining "a clamping zone . . . adapted to receive edge margins of a table top or drawing board" (FIG. 1 and column 3, lines 49-53). A "clamp knob" can be tightened to frictionally grip the edge margins of the table top or drawing board within the clamping zone (column 3, lines 54-57). As another example, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0179572 (Schnell 1) describes a small utility light adapted to clip onto the pages of a book to provide light for reading (abstract). As a final example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,813 (Schnell 2) describes a small light removably mounted to a clip member and sized to be attached to a key ring (abstract).


A method of designing an interface system that allows users to map the representation of their task directly to the interface. There are three major phases to the Customer-Centric Approach to Interface Design (C-CAID). End-users' tasks are categorized to determine the frequency of reasons or tasks of why users interact with a particular system. These reasons and their relative frequencies are used to design interface options that emphasize the user's task categories. Finally, the customer-centric interface designs are evaluated and compared with existing system interfaces using usability tests with actual users performing the tasks. The results from usability tests are used to pinpoint the task-option combinations that do not work well and which should be revised. Benefits of this customer-centric design are improved systems performance and increased user satisfaction.

Every year, millions of customers call various customer service centers looking for assistance with various tasks that they want to accomplish or looking for answers to various inquiries. The end goal for both the customer and the customer service center is to route the customer's call to an organizational representative who can best accomplish the customer's task, while minimizing the number of misdirected calls. Presently, most customer calls are answered by an IVR whose primary function is to direct the call to an appropriate service center. To get a specific call to the correct center, the customers have to map or correlate their reason for calling onto the applicable IVR menu choices.
A major shortcoming of many of the present prior art interface design methods is that these methods simply map customer service departments onto an organizational hierarchy and allocate tasks to these departments based upon this organizational structure. Interface design is often accomplished with little or no empirical data or user centered methodology to guide the design process. If there is a department that handles new accounts, "New Accounts" becomes a menu option and incoming calls are routed to that department. The remaining services provided by the various organizational service centers are allocated accordingly. The interface design is forcibly fit onto the existing organizational structure.
Another shortcoming of this approach is that many of the organizational structure names do not translate easily into language constructs that a user would readily understand. For example, a service organization entitled "High Speed Internet Access Modalities" when converted into a menu option would not convey the same information content to the average user as "Ordering a new ISDN Line".
The underlying problem common to all of the prior art systems is that there is no user data or user information input into systems development in the early design stages. The resulting user interface merely mirrors an organization and there is no customization or optimization folded into the design of the interface. The resulting menu is simply imposed on the user with no consideration or forethought for what are the actual requirements of the user or how to best address the needs of the user.
The goal of an effective interface design methodology is to use as much user input as possible to ensure that users are presented with choices that they need and are able to understand, while simultaneously minimizing and potentially eliminating unproductive time spent looking at and having to choose between selections that do not address or solve the specific problems that customers want solved or addressed. The choice of style, type, structure and language used in the interface design all have a significant impact upon performance.
In contrast to traditional methods of interface design, the current methodology takes into consideration end-user task frequency and applies the language of the user in the design of the interface menu options. It is much easier for a user to understand and make an intelligent and informed selection of a requested service or task in their own words and in the language of more common usage, rather than listening to recitations of technical jargon and organization-specific descriptions. In a conventional system, a user may have to hazard a guess (with the resulting possibility of an incorrect guess) as to which category applies to their particular situation. Such guessing is minimized by the present interface design method.
Therefore, a method is needed to design an interface that maximizes the performance of the users during operation, reduces misrouted calls, and ensures that the users arrive at their desired destination after successfully (i.e., rapidly and directly) navigating through the menuing system. The present customer centric design methodology has been shown to improve system performance by mapping the user's task representations to the task options of the user interface. The C-CAID approach allows customers to make the correct menu option selection and reach the correct service department without requiring additional assistance or intervention from an operator or customer service representative.
Following the C-CAID approach results in a user interface that the customer can easily understand and successfully navigate. In other words, the interface according to the present invention is designed to be customer friendly. This increases system performance, reduces operational costs, improves customer satisfaction, and leads to general improvements in overall efficiency.

Interface and method of designing an interface