A clothes washing machine includes an accessory mounted on top of an agitator. The accessory includes fan blades that are stored in one configuration to be out of the way of articles being moved into or out of a washing tub of the washing machine and are deployed into an operational configuration by centrifugal force when the washing machine operates in a spin dry cycle. In the operational configuration, the fan blades are oriented to move air through ports defined in the door of the washing machine to and over articles being spun in the machine, and then out of other ports in the door. The air flow enhances the drying process occurring during the spin cycle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general art of textile fluid treating apparatuses, and to the particular field of machines for treating textiles with combined operations, and most particularly to clothes washing machines.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In the field of textile treating apparatuses, there are numerous designs for clothes washing machines and accessories therefor. Clothes are generally placed into such washing machines, washed, then rinsed, and then spin dried. These machines generally have some sort of agitator to move the clothes in a desired manner to make the washing, rinsing and drying more efficient.
The spin dry cycle generally involves draining the wash tub of all water and then spinning the tub at a very high rate of speed with the agitator generally operating at a speed different from that of the tub. The spinning motion of the tub causes the clothes to move radially outward against the sides of the tub and then the centrifugal force squeezes the water out of the clothes.
This operation has worked well in the past. However, in recent times, the efficient use of energy has become more important. The inventor has discovered that the spin dry cycle of most presently available washing machines, while somewhat adequate, can be improved. This is especially evident when heavy clothes, such as jeans, or other heavy articles, such as towels, are washed. In many cases, these heavy articles are not dried as well as they could be during a spin dry cycle of a washing machine.
Because some articles are not dried as thoroughly as possible during the washing machine spin dry cycle, such articles may require extra time in a dryer, or even repeated dryer cycles to fully dry them. This may be wasteful of energy. Furthermore, some articles that are washed in a washing machine are left in the machine for some time. If the articles are too wet, mildew may begin to form, which is not desirable. Still further, wet articles may not be as clean smelling as many people would like.
Therefore, there is a need for a clothes washing machine that has a spin dry cycle that has efficiency improved over the efficiency of presently available washing machine spin dry cycles.
Many people who use washing machines have several tasks that they are performing simultaneously with the clothes washing/drying task. This situation creates a time management problem. These people do not want to waste time during the washing/drying task. In some instances, especially if the laundry load is heavy, the washing machine cycle is not completed in timed relationship to a dryer cycle. This requires the user to wait for the dryer to complete its cycle before emptying the washer into the dryer. This wastes time.
Therefore, there is a need for a washing machine that can dry the clothes in an efficient manner so that it is more likely to complete its cycle in a better timed relationship to a dryer cycle.
Still further, many people having washing machines do not wish to purchase a new washing machine to take advantage of the latest technology associated with washing machines. However, energy saving is such an important consideration, everyone who can take advantage of an energy-saving device will want to have such a device.
Therefore, there is a need for an accessory that can be retro-fit onto existing washing machines whereby such existing machines can take advantage of the savings associated with improved technology.
It is a main object of the present invention to provide a clothes washing machine that has a spin dry cycle that has efficiency improved over the efficiency of presently available washing machine spin dry cycles.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a washing machine that can complete its washing cycle in an efficient manner so that it is more likely to complete its cycle in a better timed relationship to a dryer cycle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an accessory that can be retro-fit onto existing washing machines whereby such existing machines can take advantage of the savings associated with improved technology.
These, and other, objects are achieved by an accessory for use on a clothes washing machine that produces air flow over clothes undergoing a spin dry cycle in the washing machine. The air flow from the accessory is added to any air flow that normally occurs in such a spin dry cycle and increases the efficiency of the washing machine. The accessory includes fan blades that are stored out of the way so articles can be easily placed into the machine and removed from the machine, and automatically moves into a deployed configuration when the washing machine is in a spin dry cycle.
One form of the invention uses centrifugal force to deploy the accessory into its operational configuration. The accessory includes a fan with fan blades that are oriented to move air into the washing machine tub and over the articles in that tub during the spin dry cycle. Air ports can be included in the door of the washing machine to facilitate the flow of air created by the fan.
The increased air flow associated with the fan increases the drying efficiency of the washing machine spin cycle and thus decreases the time required to effect the spin dry cycle. This dries the articles more efficiently than is possible using presently known machines. Drier articles, such as clothes, from the washing machine reduces the time required for a dryer, and the number of dryer cycles required, to fully dry clothes. This is especially true for heavy loads, such as jeans and towels. The drier articles in the washing machine also reduces the possibility of mold forming on any articles that are left in the washing machine, and even makes the articles cleaner-smelling when they are removed from the washing machine.
The accessory can be sold with the machine as original equipment or easily added onto existing equipment thereby increasing the versatility of the accessory.

Air-circulation enhancer for use with a clothes washing machine


A system for removing mercury from combustion gas. The system includes a combustion device, a stack, and a duct system that couples the combustion device to the stack. The system further comprises an injection system that is coupled to the duct system. The injection system injects sorbents including alkali-based sorbents and carbon-based sorbents into the duct system.

This invention relates generally to methods, systems, and compositions for removing mercury from combustion gas, and, more specifically, to methods, systems, and compositions for removing mercury in flue gas from coal-fired processes.
Volatile metals such as mercury (Hg) are among several air pollutants produced by combustion processes. The U.S. EPA has determined that Hg emissions from power plants must be reduced. Many utilities are actively seeking effective and inexpensive technologies to control Hg emissions.
Presently, there are several technologies available that remove mercury and other substances. For example, injecting activated carbon into the flue is one of the most developed and researched methods for reducing mercury from coal-fired flue gas. Depending on the specific configuration and coal type, the efficiency of Hg removal by activated carbon injection ranges from 40% to 90%. However, the cost of mercury control using activated carbon injection can be very high ranging from $8,000 to $70,000 per lb Hg removed.
Furthermore, due to numerous factors, including the composition of the fuel, the combustion process, the configuration of the power plant, and the number and variety of substances to reduce, no single available control technology can provide effective mercury reduction for all applications. Thus, alternatives for removing mercury and other substances are desired.

Sorbents and sorbent composition for mercury removal


An edible material made from fish, shellfish, crustacean, poultry or animal meat by adding to 100 parts by weight of said meat 1.0 to 6.0 parts by weight of ethanol and 0.2 to 1.0 part by weight of an alkaline substance and grinding the mixture in a vacuum below 100 torr. The material has a low fat and a high protein content, a high caloric value and a high quality and is soft to the touch in the mouth and less likely to be contaminated with microorganisms and suitable as a material for various kinds of processed food. A process for preparing the material is also described.

This invention relates to an edible material or "surimi" prepared from fish, shellfish, crustacean, poultry or animal meat, and a food product prepared from the edible material. This invention also relates to a process for preparing the edible material and the food product from the edible material.
Japanese Unexamined Pat. Publ. No. 51-86163 discloses a method of sterilizing fish meat by adding 1 to 6 parts by weight of ethanol to 100 parts by weight of fish meat to be processed. Japanese Unexamined Pat. Publ. No. 7-67587 discloses a protein food which is prepared by treating raw fish or shellfish meat, or poultry or animal meat with an alkaline solution, and which has a high capacity to retain water and ingredients to give the food characteristic taste and deliciousness. Japanese Unexamined Pat. Publ. No. 53-142561 discloses a method by which a proteolytic enzymatic substance is added to minced fish meat to produce a food which has a texture similar to natural fish meat and is less resistive to mastication than "kamaboko", a traditional Japanese food made from heat-coagulated fish meat paste, and which is superior in shape, flavor, taste, color and mouthfeel. Japanese Examined Pat.Publ. No. 54-14174 discloses a method of preparing fish meat "surimi", wherein minced fish meat, the pH value of which has been adjusted between 6.5 and 7.0 by addition of alkali, is treated with lipase to produce "surimi" deprived of fat which would otherwise cause oxidation and coloration of the product made of the "surimi", without the danger of decomposing the actomyosin contained in the fish meat and degradation of the elasticity of the product. Japanese Unexamined Pat. Publ. No. 6-113796 discloses an enzymatic agent which contains transglutaminase and alkaline earth metal salts of organic acids, and makes it possible to prepare from low grade "surimi" a food product which has improved quality and water-retaining capacity and plasticity even with an increased amount of water contained therein.
A typical process for preparing fish meat "surimi" includes a rinsing step in which those ingredients such as amino acids which give the meat characteristic flavor and taste, taurine which is believed to be useful in preventing geriatric diseases, EPA, DHA and other useful ingredients are lost. With respect to animal meat, on the other hand, there is a limit to the forms to which the meat can be processed. As people of advanced age increase in present-day society, there is an increasing demand for highly nutritious, high-protein processed fish meat, crustacean meat, or poultry or animal meat products of high grade which are free of contaminating microorganisms or bacteria, low in fat content, and soft and smooth to the touch in the mouth. The demand, however, has not been met by any of the foods prepared by the above-mentioned prior methods.

Processed meat product and process for preparing same


A graphics processing device for converting coefficients in a video data stream from a first type, e.g., frequency-domain, to a second type, e.g., color-domain. The device includes an input for receiving the video data stream including a set of coefficients of the first type and a storage medium holding a data structure containing a first set of coefficients of the second type. The device further includes a processor communicating with the input and with the storage medium. The processor uses the data structure to convert the set of coefficients of the first type to a second set of coefficients of the second type. The device also includes an output in communication with said processor, for releasing an output video data stream including the second set of coefficients of the second type. The same data structure is used repeatedly for each incoming set of coefficients of the first type, thus allowing a transform, such as an IDCT, to be computed efficiently.

It is desirable to compress image signals that are used with computer systems, since an image signal for a single uncompressed high-resolution digitized color image can easily consume several megabytes of memory. Because images tend to have low information content, very good compression rates are usually possible. This is especially true if, as is often the case for image signals used with computer systems, perfect reproduction is not required. In such instances, the low-frequency components of a frequency-domain image signal are perceptually more important in reproducing the image than the high-frequency components of the frequency-domain image signal. Thus, compression schemes that are applied to the frequency-domain version of an image signal do not waste bits in attempting to represent the relatively less significant high-frequency portions of the image signal.
Accordingly, it is desirable to transform an image signal from the spatial domain (also referred to as the "color domain") to the frequency domain prior to compressing the image signal. Naturally, an inverse operation is required to transform the image signal from the frequency domain back into the color domain prior to representation on a screen, such as a computer monitor. One type of mathematical transform that is suitable for transforming image signals in this manner is the discrete cosine transform (DCT). A DCT includes a pair of transforms, namely a forward DCT (FDCT), which maps a digitized (color-domain) signal to a frequency domain signal, and an inverse DCT (IDCT), which maps a frequency domain signal to a signal in the color domain. The DCT and IDCT are important steps in several international standards such as MPEG-2 (H.262), MPEG-1 (H.261) and MPEG-4 (H.263).
However, although the encoding of an image signal using the FDCT provides a definite advantage in terms of compression, there is an associated penalty in terms of the amount of processing required to decode the image signal when successive images are to be displayed. That is to say, a processing unit designed to decode image signals must be capable of performing the IDCT operation sufficiently quickly to allow full-frame video playback in real time.
By way of example, to perform decoding of a 1024-by-1024-pixel color image requires 49,152 IDCTs of size 8-by-8 (namely, 3×(1024×1024)/(8×8)). Furthermore, the calculation of a single 8-by-8 IDCT in a conventional manner requires more than 9,200 multiplications and more than 4,000 additions. Thus, if 30 images are to be displayed in each second, as is suggested to provide full-motion video, then the total number of multiplications per second rises to over 13 billion and the total number of additions per second reaches more than 5 billion. Such tremendous processing requirements heavily influence the design of the processing unit hardware and software.
With the aim of providing the requisite processing power, several approaches have been considered. One such approach consists of performing a set of single-dimensional IDCTs on the individual rows of each successive received matrix of frequency-domain values, followed by a series of single-dimensional IDCTs on the resultant columns. Such a technique can reduce the number of multiplications and additions required to perform a complete IDCT. It has also been known to perform fused multiply-add instructions to further reduce the number of computations involved in performing the IDCT. In both of these cases, however, the decoding speed of the algorithms is directly dependent on the degree to which the main processor of the host system is occupied with other tasks, such as input/output (I/O) handling.
Other prior approaches have consisted of using a relatively simple software algorithm in conjunction with dedicated hardware support in the form of a dedicated IDCT co-processor. The use of a dedicated IDCT co-processor in the GPU has the potential to offer a more scalable solution since the decoding speed of the IDCT is no longer tied to the speed or availability of the main processor of the host system. However, the addition of a dedicated IDCT co-processor increases the cost and complexity of the hardware employed to effect video decoding.
Yet another way of providing hardware support for IDCT execution has consisted of providing specialized logic gates in the GPU. This approach affords marginal reductions in cost and complexity relative to the IDCT co-processor approach, while continuing to provide a decoding speed that is independent of the processing speed or availability of the main processor. However, the sheer amount of semiconductor real estate occupied by specialized logic gates capable of implementing a standard IDCT algorithm leave little room for the implementation of other important functional blocks of the GPU.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to enable fast decoding of the IDCT in a GPU but without the need to provide additional hardware and without unduly monopolizing the resources of the main processor in the GPU.

Efficient video processing method and system


Complex metal oxide-containing pellets and their use for producing hydrogen. The complex metal oxide-containing pellets are suitable for use in a fixed bed reactor due to sufficient crush strength. The complex metal oxide-containing pellets comprise one or more complex metal oxides and at least one of in-situ formed calcium titanate and calcium aluminate. calcium titanate and calcium aluminate are formed by reaction of suitable precursors in a mixture with one or more complex metal carbonates. The complex metal oxide-containing pellets optionally comprise at least one precious metal.

Numerous methods for producing hydrogen gas are known in the art. The production of industrial-scale volumes of hydrogen is typically accomplished by application of the steam-methane reforming process, which entails the catalytic reforming of natural gas with steam at elevated temperatures (800-950° C.). This process yields a crude synthesis gas, which is a mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide, and the crude synthesis gas is further reacted in a catalytic water-gas shift conversion step to convert carbon monoxide with water to additional hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The shifted synthesis gas is purified to yield a final hydrogen product containing greater than 99 volume % hydrogen.
An alternative process for the production of hydrogen is the partial oxidation of methane to form synthesis gas, which is subsequently shifted if necessary and purified. Partial oxidation is known to be highly exothermic.
Another alternative process to generate synthesis gas for hydrogen production is autothermal reforming, which is essentially a thermally balanced combination of the steam-methane reforming process and partial oxidation. One considerable drawback associated with these alternative processes is that partial oxidation requires a supply of high purity oxygen gas to the reaction system. Therefore, the use of these processes requires the additional step of separating air to produce the oxygen gas, and the air separation process increases the capital and operating costs of hydrogen production.
More recently, a new process for producing hydrogen utilizing complex metal oxides has been disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/165,720 (Pub. No. U.S. 2006-0292066-A1), Ser. No. 11/165,731 (Pub. No. US 2006-0292069-A1), Ser. No. 11/339,060 (Pub. No. 2007-0172418-A1), Ser. No. 11/339,806 (Pub. No. US 2007-0172419-A1), and Ser. No. 11/737,942.
The hydrogen producing process using complex metal oxides may be operated in an autothermal and cyclic manner for the synthesis of hydrogen from a hydrocarbon, (e.g. methane), steam and air. It utilizes the complex metal oxide as a CO2 sorbent and as a source of oxygen for methane oxidation during reforming of methane with steam. In the production step of the process, largely pure hydrogen is obtained by the reaction of steam and methane in the presence of the complex metal oxide and a steam hydrocarbon reforming catalyst. The methane oxidation during the production step reaction provides heat for the reforming reaction. During the production step, the complex metal oxide sorbs CO2 and the complex metal oxide is reduced. In the regeneration step of the process, the spent complex metal oxide is regenerated with air or other oxygen-containing gas, thereby liberating CO2, and reconstituting the complex metal oxide.
Complex metal oxide is generally synthesized in a powder form. Since the use of powder in a fixed bed reactor may result in an unacceptably high pressure drop through the reactor, it would be desirable to form this powder into pellets for use in a fixed bed reactor. Pellets are useful to allow a reasonable pressure drop through the fixed bed reactor. Pellets may also be useful for ebullated, expanded, or fluidized beds.
It has been found that conventional methods for forming pellets are not suitable for forming dimensionally stable pellets from complex metal oxides for long term use in hydrogen production. Complex metal oxide material undergoes more than a 40% volumetric expansion and contraction due to the sorption and desorption of CO2. Because of the expansion and contraction, complex metal oxide-containing pellets prepared using conventional binders and conventional techniques such as extrusion or pelletization of powder fall apart within a few CO2 sorption and desorption cycles. Furthermore, complex metal oxide-containing pellets using conventional binders and conventional techniques do not have sufficient crush strength to be useful in a fixed bed reactor.
It would be desirable to produce hydrogen in a fixed bed reactor using complex metal oxide-containing pellets having structural and dimensional stability.
It would be desirable to form complex metal oxide-containing pellets having structural and dimensional stability from complex metal oxide powder.

Hydrogen production using complex metal oxide pellets


Disclosed are a flame retardant composition for a cable covering material and an ocean cable using the same. The flame retardant composition of the present invention includes 100 parts by weight of a base resin; 30˜150 parts by weight of a flame retardant; 1-30 parts by weight of a cold resistant plasticizer; 0.5˜10 parts by weight of a silane coupling agent; 0.5-8 parts by weight of a co-crosslinking agent; and 3-20 parts by weight of a crosslinking agent, and the ocean cable using the same. The composition for a cable covering material according to present invention has an excellent oil resistance to oil components without deteriorating mechanical properties, and has a superior durability such as a cold resistance at −40° C. as well as minimally generates toxic gases upon firing and has an excellent flame retardancy.

Cables, used for shipping crafts and offshore structures at an early stage, was used without any difficulty if they have predetermined levels of flexibility and durability in combination with electrical properties in use environments. However, many offshore structures have been installed for oil well drilling as an amount of used crude petroleum increases in recent years. Such offshore structures were installed mainly in the sea near the coast, but have been located in the see remote from hot regions such as Africa in recent years. Also, structures have been generally installed in isolated severe cold regions, for example the structures have been installed and operated in very low temperature regions such as near coastal regions of Siberia, Russia.
The cables used in such severe environments should essentially have suitable characteristics for the use environments, and standard requirements according to the conventional standards have been reinforced as uses of the cables increase in the severe environments. For example, there was required a cable having a cold resistance at −15˜−30° C. in prior art, but there has been required a cable having a cold resistance at a temperature of −40° C. or below in recent years in order to meet specific test standards. In addition, there have been many difficult attempts to develop materials and cables that meet desired characteristics including specific standards in addition to the conventional standards.
In recent years, since the offshore structures are installed and operated in the isolated severe cold regions as described above, the offshore structures should be equipped with means capable of solving problems by themselves in an emergency, particularly when a fire breaks out. Accordingly, there has been required a cable having a high flame retardancy, which has been used for the offshore structures in recent years, in order to ensure stability of the cable on firing.
Also, conventional flame-retardant cables may satisfy other desired characteristics and easily ensure flame retardancy by using various rubbers and polymeric resins containing halogen as a halogen content of the cables is regulated to 18% or less. For example, the halogen-containing rubbers such as polychloroprene or chlorosulfonated polyethylene have been used to develop suitable materials and cables for their special purposes. However, these halogen components emit many toxic gases on firing, which cause a loss of lives, as well as do damage to enormous properties, for example corroding expensive equipments used in the offshore structures. In recent years, there have, therefore, been increasing attempts to develop a technique for inhibiting emission of corrosive gases, particularly halogen gas during the combustion by basically regulating a halogen content to 5% or less according to IEC754-1. In addition, the halogen-containing materials are deteriorated in an oil resistance against specific oils such as gasoline or oil containing aliphatic compounds as a main component, and therefore there is a limit to their uses.
There have been attempts to solve basic problems on the halogen content in the prior art by employing non-halogen materials, but the non-halogen materials may not be used for specific applications since they are so expensive and it is difficult to meet desired characteristics except for the basic standards.
The oil resistance of an ocean cable was required to just satisfy durability against specific gasoline components or general water based muds in the prior art, but wide long-term durabilities against specific water based muds such as ester based mud, oil based mud, cement slurry, synthetic oil based mud and the like have been required in recent years.
As described above, there have been attempts to develop a cable that satisfies various standards by developing novel materials that satisfy oil resistance, cold resistance, low toxicity and flame retardancy together. However, there have been many technical limits that a cable meets low toxicity and cold resistance in addition to the basic properties such as oil resistance and flame retardancy, etc., and particularly it was increasingly difficult to ensure a cable covering material that satisfies a cold resistance at −40° C. or below, an oxygen index of 30 or more and IEC 60332-3 Cat.A for flame retardancy together due to conflicting properties of the flame retardancy and the cold resistance.

Flame retardant composition for cable covering material and ocean cable using the same


A data storage system is disclosed that is capable of performing a double check on data read from a storage media to determine whether the data is the data desired by a requesting host computer. If the data is not the desired data, the system discards the data before it reaches the host. The data storage system uses a randomizer unit having a variable initialization value. The initialization value is based upon the address of the data storage location being accessed by the host. If the initialization value used to read a piece of data is different than the value used to write the data, uncorrectable data errors result and the data is discarded.

A disk drive is a data storage device that stores digital information in concentric tracks on a storage medium, such as a magnetic or optical disk. The data is generally stored in separately addressable data sectors on the tracks of the disk that can each be individually accessed by a host computer as the disk rotates about an axis. To access a particular data sector, the host generally delivers an access request to the disk drive indicating the location of the desired data sector and whether data is to be read from or written to the desired data sector. The disk drive then moves a transducer to the position of the desired data sector and performs the requested operation.
To be able to move the transducer to the required location, a disk drive must include some means for determining the present location of the transducer. Once the present location has been determined, the disk drive can calculate how far the transducer is from the desired data sector and move the transducer accordingly. When the transducer reaches the beginning of the desired data sector, the requested data transfer can take place.
One technique for determining the present location of a transducer involves reading servo positioning information from the disk surface. For example, the disk may include a plurality of servo sectors on each track, each including an "address" that may be read by the transducer. The address may include, for example, a cylinder number identifying the track that the transducer is presently above and a sector number identifying the data sector that the transducer is about to cross over. Using the address information, a servo system determines how the transducer must be moved to access a desired data sector.
A problem with the above described method is that errors may occur while reading the servo information from the disk that result in the reading or writing of data from/to the wrong location on the disk. For example, address information from a servo sector on the disk may be incorrectly read during a seek operation so that the incorrectly read address matches the address of the desired data sector (i.e., the data sector being sought). Data will then be written to or read from an incorrect location on the disk. As data densities on disks increase, the probability of incorrectly reading address information from a disk increases as well.
Another technique for determining the present location of the transducer above the disk involves using software to estimate at least one aspect of the present location of the transducer. This technique is used, for example, in id-less disk drive systems. In an id-less drive, some or all of the address information is left out of the servo portions of the disk. For example, the disk servo sectors may include the cylinder number, but not the sector number. The sector information is determined by software in the disk drive that counts the number of data sectors that have been traversed by the transducer since a known transducer position. The count is then used to determine which data sector the transducer is presently traversing.
As is apparent, the software estimation method of determining present transducer location is also prone to error. For example, in the example above, the transducer may "miss" a data sector as the disk rotates beneath it, thereby corrupting the sector count. Also, calculational errors may occur whereby the present location of the transducer is incorrectly calculated from the various parameters being relied upon by the software. As with the previously described method, errors produced using the present method are increased as disk data densities increase.
Ideally, it is desirable that an error free method of determining the present location of the transducer be found. However, a totally error free method will probably never be discovered, especially since disk data densities are constantly increasing. A need therefore exists for a method of checking data read from the disk drive during a read operation to determine whether it is the data desired by the host. That is, the method should be capable of detecting when data is read from an incorrect location on the disk and/or when data is read from the proper location, but was incorrectly written to that location when originally stored. In addition, it would be advantageous if the method required little or no overhead on the disk surface as low overhead is always a concern in data storage systems.

Method of insuring data integrity with a data randomizer


A personal security apparatus includes a transmitting device having an event detector initiating different signals which indicate different event types. A transceiver receives the signals from the transmitting device and interprets each signal as corresponding to a particular event type. The transceiver sends respective event type alert signals to a remote monitoring device. The remote monitoring device provides a plurality of respective event type indicators for each of the event type alert signals received.

Generally, medical and other personal emergency transmitters are known in the art, and may include an emergency button for alerting a responsible party or emergency personnel of a need for assistance. However, medical and other personal emergency sensor/emergency button transmitters such as those worn around the neck, or on a wrist band used with personal emergency response systems are only effective when they are worn by the individual being monitored. If the individual forgets or deliberately chooses not to use or wear the emergency transmission device, there is no mechanism to notify the monitoring agency that the individual can not signal an emergency or for emergency assistance.
It would therefore be desirable for a monitoring agency or party to be able to receive notification or an alert that the emergency transmitter is not being worn. Further, a need exists for alerting the monitoring agency or party of various assistance situations, such as a person falling.

Personal emergency notification device with usage monitoring


Benzofuran compound, composition thereof, kit thereof, and/or method thereof. A benzofuran-2-carboxamide moiety may be N-arylated and/or N-alkylated, and the resulting benzofuran compound may be a sigma receptor ligand that binds to, e.g., a σ1 receptor and/or a σ2 receptor with relatively high affinity and/or selectivity. For example, the benzofuran compound may be 5,6-dimethoxy-3-methyl-N-phenyl-N-(3-(piperidin-1-yl)propyl)benzofuran-2-carboxamide, 3-methyl-N-phenyl-N-(3-(piperidin-1-yl)propyl)benzofuran-2-carboxamide, or 6-methoxy-3-methyl-N-phenyl-N-(3-(piperidin-1-yl)propyl)benzofuran-2-carboxamide. The composition may include the benzofuran compound and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

The sigma receptor includes at least two subtypes, σ1 and σ2. (Marriott et al., JPET, 343:578-586 (2012); Marriott et al., Bioorg. Med. Chem., 20:6856-6861 (2012)). The sigma receptor is an intracellular receptor that is present throughout the human body, including the central nervous system and peripheral organs. (Marriott et al., JPET, supra.). For example, the mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane (MAM), which is known to physically associate with the outer mitochondria membrane (OMM), consists of ER subdomains enriched with σ1 receptors. (Hayashi and Su, Subcell Biochem., 51:381-398 (2010).
The MAM may play an important role in supplying calcium to mitochondria as well as in lipid synthesis (e.g., phospholipids, cholesterol). (Hayashi and Su, Subcell Biochem., 51:381-398 (2010). In addition, cholesterol transported from the OMM to the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) is the primary step (the rate-limiting step) in steroidogenesis. (Bose et al., N. Engl. J. Med., 335:1870-1878 (1996); Marriott et al., JPET, supra.). Cholesterol is transported from the OMM to the IMM where it is catalyzed to form pregnenolone, which is subsequently transported back to the ER for the synthesis of several other steroids. (Miller and Bose, J. Lipid Res., 52:2111-2135 (2011)). Transport of cholesterol to the site of steroidogenesis may be facilitated by steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), which interacts with voltage-dependent anion channel (e.g., VDAC1) at the OMM. (Bose et al., J. Biol. Chem., 283:8837-8845) (2008)). The sigma receptor may also play a role, as transfection of dominant-negative σ-1 receptors has been shown to disrupt the compartmentalization of cholesterol at the MAM. (Hayashi and Su, supra.).
The sigma receptor has also been investigated as a target for therapeutics in a variety of diseases. For example, the σ1 receptor has been investigated as a target for therapeutics in addiction, amnesia, pain, depression, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, stroke, retinal neural degeneration, HIV infection, and cancer. (Maurice et al., Pharmacol. Ther., 124:195-206 (2009); Hayashi et al., Expert Opin. Ther. Targets, 15:557-577 (2011)). In one example, the σ1 receptor ligand dimemorfan (with an affinity of 151 nM) has been shown to block the amnesic effects induced by β25-35-amyloid peptide treatment in mice. (Maurice et al., supra.). In another example, the σ1 receptor ligand donepezil (with an affinity of 14.6 nM) has been used to treat Alzheimer's Disease. (Maurice et al., supra.). In a further example, σ2 ligands have been shown to induce cancer cell death, and combining σ2 receptor selective ligands with gemcitabine chemotherapy in vivo or with doxorubicin in several in vitro cancer cell lines demonstrated an additive effect in the blocking of tumor growth. (Niso, J. Cancer Biol. Res., 1:1007 (2013).

Benzofuran compounds, compositions, kits and/or methods thereof


An outdoor unit for an air conditioning device includes an outdoor unit main body, a heat exchanger, a fan provided in an upper part of the outdoor unit main body, the fan blowing out the air taken in from a side surface of the outdoor unit main body upward, a ventilating member surrounding an outer circumference of the fan and forming a blow-out port, and an electric component unit accommodated in the outdoor unit main body and arranged in an opening portion between one side end portion and the other side end portion of the heat exchanger, wherein the electric component unit is provided so as to cross over a lower end of the ventilating member in the up and down direction, and on the upper side than the lower end of the ventilating member, the electric component unit is arranged on the horizontally outer side than the ventilating member.

Patent Literature 1 described below discloses an upward blowing type outdoor unit that blows out the air taken into an interior from a side surface of an outdoor unit main body (casing) upward by driving a fan provided on an upper part of the outdoor unit main body. In this outdoor unit, a heat exchanger formed into a U shape in a plan view is provided so as to face three side surfaces of the substantially cubic outdoor unit main body. In an opening portion formed between one side end portion and the other side end portion of the heat exchanger, a control box (electric component unit) is arranged so as to face the remaining one side surface of the outdoor unit main body.

Outdoor unit for air conditioning device


A drill bit is connected to a drill in a simple and rapid manner and used to drill a hole in a backing which may be of wood, plastic or other material in which threads can readily be formed. A threaded insert which has a slightly greater diameter than the hole is then connected to the drill bit in the same manner as the drill and driven by the drill into the hole. The insert forms matching threads in the walls of the hole so that the insert is threadably attached to the backing. A retainer from which a hook is suspended is formed in the insert to permit the hanging of fixtures on the insert.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an insert hanger device for mounting fixtures or holiday lights on a wooden support or the like and a method for its installation in which the same drill chuck can be utilized to both drill a hole and drive a threaded insert into the hole to form a mating thread on the sides of the hole.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices are described in the prior for forming a hole in a support member, often concrete and then driving a stud or an insert into the concrete. In most of these devices, there is sealing resin placed in a container in the hole, and this container is pierced by the pointed end of the insert to form a seal for holding the insert in place. U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,193 issued on Mar. 24, 1987 to Hibbs and U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,875 issued Sep. 20, 1983 to Sadanandan describe such devices in which a hole is first formed in concrete with a drill and then an insert is attached to a drill bit and driven into the hole by a drill. In both of these devices, there is a container with resin or the like placed in the hole which is pierced by the insert so that the resin flows around the insert to seal it in place.
In both of these devices the insert is sealed in place and cannot readily be removed should this be necessary. These prior art devices are constructed to attach implements to the concrete surface with nuts and not to hang fixtures or the like therefrom. Further, these devices are not adapted to utilize the same drill chuck for both drilling the hole and driving the insert or stud into place and for rapidly and easily alternatively connecting the drill chuck to the drill bit or the insert and removing the chuck therefrom.

Method and apparatus for hanging lights and other fixtures


An acoustic signal receiving apparatus including: a Fabry-Perot sensor including a Fabry-Perot interferometer configured to convert an acoustic wave into a light intensity signal; a control unit configured to set a first wavelength and a second wavelength; a detecting unit configured to convert light intensities obtained by irradiation of the Fabry-Perot sensor with light from the first light source and the second light source into electric signals; and a signal processing unit configured to acquire a difference between an electric signal corresponding to the first wavelength and an electric signal corresponding to the second wavelength, wherein the control unit is configured to set the first wavelength and the second wavelength so that differential values of reflectivity spectrum of the Fabry-Perot sensor are different at the first wavelength and the second wavelength.

1. Field of Art
This disclosure relates to an acoustic signal receiving apparatus in which a Fabry-Perot interferometer is used.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of known techniques of imaging an interior of a biological body include a photo-acoustic tomography (hereinafter, referred to as PAT).
The photo-acoustic tomography is configured to irradiate an object to be examined with pulsed light generated from a light source and detect acoustic waves, that are generated when energy of the pulsed light is absorbed in a biological body tissue (hereinafter, referred to as a photo-acoustic wave), at a plurality of spatial positions.
With photo-acoustic tomographic technology, signals of the acoustic waves are analyzed and processed and information such as distribution of optical energy absorption is visualized as a tomographic image.
As a method of receiving the acoustic waves such as the photo-acoustic waves described above (converting acoustic wave signals to electric signals), a technique that converts an acoustic wave signal once to a light intensity modulation and then converts the light intensity modulation to an electric signal is known (E. Zang, J. Laufer, and P. Beard, "Backward-mode multiwavelength photoacoustic scanner using a planer Fabry-Perot polymer film ultrasound sensor for high-resolution three-dimensional imaging of biological tissue", Applied Optics, 47, 4. (2008)).
As a device configured to convert an acoustic wave to a light intensity signal, a structure including a relatively soft substance interposed between two parallel reflection mirrors to allow light to resonate between the two reflection mirrors, which is generally referred to as a Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) is employed.
Hereinafter, the above-described structure composed of the Fabry-Perot Interferometer including the relatively soft substance interposed between the two parallel reflection mirrors is referred to as a FPI sensor.
Subsequently, a mechanism of receiving the acoustic wave by the FPI sensor will be described.
When an acoustic wave enters the FPI sensor, the film thickness between reflector plates changes, and a resonance wavelength of the FPI sensor changes. Since the FPI sensor has a resonator construction, a plurality of dips are generated in light reflectivity viewed from above the FPI sensor at positions having the resonance wavelength. The above-described dips are generally referred to as Fabry-Perot dips.
Here, when light (herein after, referred to as probe light) different from the light that generates acoustic waves is applied to the FPI sensor, and the wavelength of the probe light is adjusted to a wavelength near the resonance dips of the reflectivity of the FPI sensor, the resonance wavelength is changed when the acoustic wave enters and, consequently, the intensity of reflected light changes.
Subsequently, the light modulated in intensity by the FPI sensor is converted into the electric signal with a photo detector, whereby the acoustic wave signal is changed to the electric signal.
Hereinafter, an acoustic signal receiving apparatus including a system of receiving an acoustic signal on the basis of the above-described method of receiving the acoustic wave is referred to as FPI-PAT.

Acoustic signal receiving apparatus and photo-acoustic tomography


A controller equipped with a user interface having multiple-day programming capabilities, including methods of programming such devices, are disclosed. The user interface may include one or more menus or screens that can be used to program a schedule for one or more selected days during the week. An illustrative method of programming the controller may include the steps of entering a scheduling routine, selecting multiple days for schedule modification, changing the schedule parameters for one or more periods during the selected days, and then exiting the scheduling routine.

Controllers are used on a wide variety of devices and systems for controlling various functions in homes and/or buildings and their related grounds. Some controllers have schedule programming that modifies device parameters such as set points as a function of date and/or time. Some such device or system controllers that utilize schedule programming for controlling various functions in homes and/or buildings and their related grounds include, for example, HVAC controllers, water heater controllers, water softener controllers, security system controllers, lawn sprinkler controllers, and lighting system controllers.
In a typical HVAC application, for example, such controllers can be employed to monitor and, if necessary, control various environmental conditions occurring within a home or office building. The controller may include a microprocessor that interacts with other components in the system to regulate the temperature, humidity, venting, and/or air quality occurring at one or more locations. An internal sensor located within the controller and/or one or more remote sensors may be employed to sense when the temperature and/or humidity level reaches a certain threshold level, causing the controller to send a signal to activate or deactivate one or more components in the system.
The controller may be equipped with a user interface that allows the user to monitor and adjust various parameters of the controller. With more modern designs, the user interface typically comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD) or light emitting diode (LED) display inset within a controller housing that contains a microprocessor or the like, an I/O interface, and other components of the controller. The user interface may include a menu-driven interface that allows the user to scroll through one or more menus or screens to adjust the different settings on the controller. In some cases, a program within the controller prompts the user at each menu or screen to input various commands into the interface to adjust the controller settings.
In certain designs, the user interface can be configured to permit the user to program the controller to run on a certain schedule. For example, the controller can include a scheduling routine that allows the user to adjust the heat and cool set points for one or more periods during a particular day in order to conserve energy. Once the parameters for that day have been programmed, the user can then repeat the process to change the settings for the other remaining days. With some designs, the controller may include a feature that allows the user to program a separate schedule for weekday and weekend use, or to copy settings for a particular day and apply those settings towards other days of the week.
Interaction with the user interface can often prove difficult, discouraging many users from attempting to program the controller to run on a schedule. While some modern controllers allow the user to copy settings from one day to another, the number of steps typically required to program the controller are often deemed too complex or time consuming. In some cases, the user interface may not allow the user to select multiple days outside of the normal weekday/weekend scheme. Accordingly, there is an ongoing need in the art to decrease the time and complexity associated with programming a controller to run a multiple-day schedule.

Controller interface with multiple day programming


The disclosure relates to an electrically operated vehicle having an electrical charging cable, by which a vehicle-side accumulator is chargeable by a vehicle-external power supply network in a charging procedure, wherein the charging cable can be unplugged from a vehicle-side terminal at least after completion of the charging procedure, in particular independently and without locking. According to the disclosure, the vehicle and/or the charging cable has a check function, which enables a charging cable usage if a usage authorization is present and blocks the charging cable usage if a usage authorization is not present.

To charge an accumulator of an electrically operated vehicle, the accumulator is connected via the electrical charging cable to a charging station.
In a generic electrically operated vehicle, the charging cable is plugged during the charging procedure into a vehicle-side charging socket and secured therein via a locking unit. Unintentional or unauthorized unplugging of the charging cable from the vehicle-side charging socket can thus be avoided.
In regard to the increase of charging convenience, the charging cable can be automatically unlocked immediately after completion of the charging procedure to enable easy unplugging of the charging cable for the driver. However, theft protection is no longer ensured in the case of such an automatically unlocked charging cable after completion of the charging procedure.
A device for transmitting an item of identification information is known from DE 20 2010 004 148 U1. A communication unit of the charging cable is used to transmit the identification information to a charging station. A method for identifying a vehicle connected to a charging device is known from DE 10 2012 002 842 A1. In this case, an item of identification information is transmitted from the vehicle via a charging cable to the charging device. A theft protection measure for a charging cable is known from DE 10 2014 213 757 A1, in which an unauthorized withdrawal of the charging cable is registered. In this case, a blocking command is transmitted to the charging cable. Unblocking of the charging cable is implementable by inputting an unblocking code.

Electrically operated vehicle having charging cable


A securing or holding element is incorporated into a gastric band to prevent slippage or migration of the gastric band after installation thereof around the stomach to restrict the size of a stoma opening. The securing element includes laterally extending, perforate end portions which are adapted to be secured by suturing to stomach tissue adjacent to the gastric band. The end portions of the securing element can be folded over onto the gastric band to reduce the cross sectional profile presented, and thus facilate introduction into the patient of the gastric band and securing element through a laparoscopic cannula during a laparoscopic procedure employing the band.

Gastric banding devices of the general type discussed above, which are also referred to as, depending on the characteristics thereof, stoma adjustable silicone gastric banding ("SASGB") devices or stoma laparoscopic adjustable placement ("SLAP") gastric band devices, are described in a number of patents including U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,449,368 (Kuzmak), 5,226,429 (Kuzrnak), 5,074,868 (Kuzmak), 4,696,288 (Kuzmak, et al.) and 4,592,339 (Kuzmak, et al.) and the references cited therein. While reference is made to these patents for a more complete description of these device in general, gastric bands of this type are introduced in the body, either by open wound surgery or, preferably, by a laparoscopic procedure, and secured in place around the stoma opening by various means described in the above patents and in other prior art. The bands include an inflatable or expandable section which encircles the stoma opening and which can be controlled by a remote reservoir or fill port, normally sutured to the body, to adjust the size of this opening.
Although these gastric bands have been highly successful (in European countries, in particular), there have been occasions where a problem has occurred with slippage of the band over time, i.e., with migration of the band within the body from the site around the stoma opening at which the band was initially placed and secured, e.g., by suturing. It will be appreciated that such slippage or migration is undesirable and in an extreme case could cause medical complications.


The present invention includes a swinging switching structure of outlet device fixed below a shower body, a water-dividing body sealed and fixed above an outlet device; said water-dividing body having at least two water-dividing bores so as to connect to the water cavities with different function of said outlet device having a movable switching device in the shower, and by the co-operation of shower and water-supply pipe-joint, when flapped, the shower will swing and inclined, then the movable switching device will control the water to spray out through different bores of water-diving body, thus achieving the switching of function. This water switching function of the shower is more efficient and flexible.

Shower is no longer has simple function of spraying only, multi-spraying functions such as bubble watering, massage watering or shower watering etc. can be achieved by the co-operation between the different inlet cavities of the cover and the different outlet bores. The selection of different spraying is to rotate the cover of the shower relative to the inlet bores of the water-dividing body to let the water flow into different inlet cavities of the cover, both hands must be used in such a structure-switching process, and the hand holding the cover will contact to the spraying water, moreover, the rotating moment is larger, thus the operation is not very convenient accordingly.

Swinging switching structure of outlet device


An apparatus comprising a sensing unit configured to detect a physiological response from a user of a breast pump and to trigger a change in an operation of the breast pump in dependence of the detected physiological response, the sensing unit being located separately from a funnel of the breast pump.

An expression of milk from a female breast during breast feeding is preceded by a milk ejection reflex (MER), in which a contraction of the myoepithelial cells around milk glands in the breast forces milk to flow towards the nipple. Until an MER occurs, little or no milk will be expressed.
An MER is naturally instigated by the suckling action of a baby. After an MER has occurred, a baby will naturally alter its suckling action to one which encourages a continued flow of milk from the breast.
It is desirable that an artificial breast pump should not only be able to instigate an MER but should also be able to mimic the second stage of the natural suckling process by altering the type of stimulation provided to the breast after an MER has occurred. However, in order to implement the change in stimulation at the correct time, it is first necessary to detect when an MER has occurred.


A remote socket splicing system includes a first computing device and a second computing device that are coupled to a router device. A proxy system is coupled to the router device. The proxy system is configured to operate on a first connection with the first computing device through the first router device, and operate on a second connection with the second computing device through the first router device. The proxy system is also configured to send an instruction to perform a socket splicing operation to the first router device subsequent to operating on the first connection and the second connection. The first router device is configured to perform the socket splicing operation to provide a data path between the first computing device and the second computing device that does not include the proxy system.

The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to performing socket splicing in a remote information handling system such that a proxy information handling system may be removed from data communications between a plurality of other information handling systems.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
In information handling systems networks, proxy information handling systems such as, for example, proxy servers, are sometimes provided as intermediaries for requests from client devices seeking resources from resource servers. In such systems, the client devices may connect to the proxy server, request a service provided by a resource server, and the proxy server may act as a gateway between the resource server and the client to provide the service. For example, a client device may request a file available from a resource server, and the proxy server may forward the request to the resource server and maintain a relay between a first socket on the proxy server that is coupled to client device and a second socket on the proxy server that is coupled to the resource server. When the resource server responds with the requested service (e.g., the file), a proxy application in the proxy server will receive the responses from the resource server through the second socket, copy the responses to a memory buffer, and then forward the responses to the client device through the first socket. Thus, the use of the proxy server requires all responses from the resource server to pass through the proxy server (as well as through a router multiple times when the router connects the proxy server to each of the resource server and the client device) and be processed by the proxy application as discussed above, which introduces inefficiencies in the data communication path between the client device and the resource server while also using up resources in the proxy server.
Conventional attempts to remedy inefficiencies associated with proxy servers include the use of socket splicing. Continuing with the example above, the use of a conventional socket splicing system would allow for the association or "splicing" of the first socket on the proxy server that is coupled to client device with the second socket on the proxy server that is coupled to the resource server, and results in the copying of responses received at the second socket directly to the first socket by the proxy kernel in order to free up the proxy application in the proxy server (e.g., to receive requests from other client devices). Such conventional solutions offload the serving of the resource server response from the proxy application to the proxy kernel, but still utilize proxy server resources while doing nothing to address the inefficiencies resulting from the need to route all of the data communication through the proxy server.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved proxy server system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


It is an object to control quality of a microcrystalline semiconductor film or a semiconductor film including crystal grains so that operation characteristics of a semiconductor element typified by a TFT can be improved. It is another object to improve characteristics of a semiconductor element typified by a TFT by controlling a deposition process of a microcrystalline semiconductor film or a semiconductor film including crystal grains. In addition, it is another object to increase on-state current of a thin film transistor and to reduce off-state current of the thin film transistor. In a semiconductor layer including a plurality of crystalline regions in an amorphous structure, generation positions and generation density of crystal nuclei from which the crystalline regions start to grow are controlled, whereby quality of the semiconductor layer is controlled. In addition, after generation of crystal nuclei from which the crystalline regions start to grow in the semiconductor layer, an impurity element serving as a donor is added to the semiconductor layer, whereby crystallinity of the semiconductor layer is increased and the resistivity of the semiconductor layer is reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor and a manufacturing method thereof, and a semiconductor device and a display device which include the thin film transistor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thin film transistors (hereinafter also referred to as "TFTs") are already widely used in a field of liquid crystal displays. A TFT is a kind of field-effect transistor and is named after the fact that a thin semiconductor film for forming a channel is formed. At present, a technique for manufacturing a TFT using amorphous silicon or polycrystalline silicon as the thin semiconductor film has already been put into practical use.
A semiconductor material called "microcrystalline silicon" has been known for a long time together with amorphous silicon and polycrystalline silicon, and there has also been a report on microcrystalline silicon related to a field-effect transistor (e.g., see Patent Document 1: U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,987). However, TFTs using microcrystalline silicon has been buried between an amorphous silicon transistor and a polycrystalline silicon transistor up to today; thus, there has been a delay in practical use, and reports thereof are made merely at an academic society level (e.g., see Non-Patent Document 1: Toshiaki Arai et al., "SID '07 DIGEST" 2007, pp. 1370-1373).
A microcrystalline silicon film can be formed over a substrate made of glass or the like, by decomposing source gases with plasma (weakly-ionized plasma) by a plasma CVD method; however, it has been considered that it is difficult to control generation of crystal nuclei and crystal growth because reaction proceeds in a non-equilibrium state.
Various researches have been made on microcrystalline silicon. According to a hypothesis, growth mechanism of microcrystalline silicon is as follows: first, a portion of an amorphous phase, in which atoms are aligned randomly, grows over a substrate, and then nuclei of crystals start to grow (see Non-Patent Document 2: Hiroyuki Fujiwara et al., "Japanese Journal of Applied Physics (Jpn. J. Appl. Phys.)" vol. 41, 2002, pp. 2821-2828). In Non-Patent Document 2, it is considered that the density of microcrystalline silicon nuclei can be controlled with the concentration of a hydrogen gas used in forming a film because peculiar silicon-hydrogen bonds are observed on an amorphous surface when nuclei of microcrystalline silicon start to grow.
Further, influence on a growing surface of a microcrystalline silicon film due to an impurity element such as oxygen or nitrogen has also been considered. There is knowledge that by reducing the concentration of the impurity element, the crystal grain diameter of a microcrystalline silicon film is increased, and thus the defect density (especially, the defective charge density) is reduced (see Non-Patent Document 3: Toshihiro Kamei et al., "Japanese Journal of Applied Physics (Jpn. J. Appl. Phys.)" vol. 37, 1998, pp. L265-L268).
Further, there is a point of view that in order to improve operation characteristics of a TFT, the purity of a microcrystalline silicon film should be improved, and a microcrystalline silicon film in which the concentrations of oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon are 5×1016 cm−3, 2×1018 cm−3, and 1×1018 cm−3, respectively, and effective mobility is improved was reported (see Non-Patent Document 4: C.-H. Lee, et al., "International Electron Devices Meeting Technical Digest (Int. Electron Devices Meeting Tech. Digest), 2006, pp 295-298). In addition, a microcrystalline semiconductor film in which a deposition temperature by a plasma CVD method is 150° C., the concentration of oxygen is reduced to 1×1016 cm−3, and effective mobility is improved was reported (see Non-Patent Document 5: Czang-Ho Lee et al., "Applied Physics Letters (Appl. Phys. Lett.), vol. 89, 2006, p 252101).

Manufacturing method of thin film transistor by controlling generation of crystal nuclei of microcrystalline semiconductor film

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A first device captures session data for each application session that is executing on a first device, and provides the session data to a second device in order for the second device to reconstruct the application sessions. A first device identifies one or more application sessions currently executing on the first device. Each of the application sessions include a media object and session data, which includes a media object identifier that corresponds to the media object and a first device media session position. The first device captures the session data transmits the captured session data to one or more second devices. The second devices are adapted to reconstruct at least one of the application sessions using the received session data and positions the application sessions at a second device media session position that corresponds to the received first device media session position.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for seamlessly reconstructing application sessions originating on a first electronic device onto a second electronic device. More particularly, the present invention relates to capturing application session data on a first device, which includes a first device media session position, and seamlessly reconstructing the application session on a second device by positioning the reconstructed application sessions at a second device media session position that corresponds to the received first device media session position.
2. Description of the Related Art
Users typically utilize multiple electronic devices for performing tasks, such as a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a mobile phone, an audio player, and etcetera. These electronic devices typically perform functions, or application sessions, similar to each other. For example, each of the electronic devices listed above may be capable of playing an audio file and some of electronic devices may be capable of playing a video file.
Users typically select a particular electronic device to utilize based upon their surroundings. For example, a user may utilize a desktop computer at an office, utilize a mobile phone on a bus, and utilize a laptop computer at an airport. When users switch between a first device and a second device, the user is required to perform actions on the second device that the user already performed on the first device in order bring application sessions on the second device to the same point as they were on the first device. For example, a user may be viewing a web page on the first device and in order to view the same web page on the second device, the user is required to re-enter the web page address. In another example, a user may be watching a video on the first device and, in order to start watching the video on the second device at the same position on the second device, the user is required to fast forward through the video to the appropriate position.

Seamless application session reconstruction between devices


A joiner assembly for joining and supporting a first linear light fixture with a second linear light fixture. The joiner assembly includes a joiner bracket including first control surface connected to a second control surface and a draw fastener hole therebetween. The first control surface is configured for controlling a position of the first linear light fixture in a prestressed condition, and the second control surface is configured for controlling a position of the second linear light fixture in a prestressed condition. A draw fastener is connected to the draw fastener hole. A draw fastener constraint is connected to the draw fastener and configured for connection to at least one of the first linear light fixture and the second linear light fixture.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to linear lighting fixtures, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for joining linear lighting fixtures to eliminate sag.
2. Description of the Related Art
Linear light fixtures are known which are suspended from a ceiling using a wire cable hangar, or other type of hangars, at each end of the fixture. Such fixtures are sometimes suspended end for end in a linear array or combination of fixtures. It is advantageous to minimize the number of hangars used in such a system, in order to save installation cost and time. However, sufficient hangars, and/or other structural support, must be present in order to maintain alignment of the adjoining fixtures, and also to provide sufficient structural support for the fixtures, and to eliminate any sagging of either of the fixtures. If one of the fixtures is misaligned or sags with respect to an adjoining fixture there is a less than an attractive look to the lighting system, which diminishes the aesthetic appeal of the lighting system. If the lighting system is not sufficiently structurally supported, and as the lighting fixtures can have relatively heavy metal housings which include the light source(s) and electrical components such as ballast systems, an insufficiently supported system can be a safety concern since such a system can potentially fall from the ceiling and a falling fixture is a hazard to people and/or property.
An apparatus and method for joining and aligning lighting fixture modules in an end-to-end relationship is known which utilizes paired interlocking connectors. The apparatus and method are suited for connecting fluorescent light modules which are suspended from a wall or ceiling, with minimal end-to-end distance between the ends of the fluorescent light tubes in adjacent modules. The connectors are placed at the ends of the modules, with a body portion of each connector adjacent a module end. Tapered tabs, joined to at least one body portion of each pair of connectors, are insertable through tapered openings in the body portion of the other connector in the pair to connect the two modules to each other. The tabs and openings are adapted for interconnection in at least two positions, including a first position for supporting an end of one of the modules while the module is hung and while electrical connections are made between the modules, and a second position where the tabs are fully inserted through the body portion of the adjacent connector to interlock the connectors. The tapered sides of the tabs and the openings aid in aligning the modules as the tabs are inserted through the openings. While this system may be adequate for aligning the ends of adjoining fixtures, it still requires a hangar for the adjoined ends (center) of the two fixtures, in order to sufficiently structurally support the two fixtures, and to eliminate any sagging in the center of the two fixtures. Therefore, only one of the four hangars are eliminated, the system still requiring three hangars, one at each end and one at the center.
A lighting system is known where individual fixture sections of a continuous row lighting assembly are joined together with end panels of adjacent sections abutting one another. The abutting end panels include registered apertures which carry an L-shaped fastener. Each fastener includes a first leg which engages the inner face of one end panel and a second leg having a threaded aperture which carries a screw. The screw is tightened to bear against the inner face of the other end panel to secure the fixture sections together in a continuous row. While this system may be adequate for aligning the ends of adjoining fixtures, it still requires a hangar for the adjoined ends (center) of the two fixtures, in order to sufficiently structurally support the two fixtures, and to eliminate any sagging in the center of the two fixtures. Therefore, only one of the four hangars are eliminated, the system still requiring three hangars, one at each end and one at the center.
What is needed in the art is an apparatus and method for joining and aligning lighting fixture which only requires two hangars, and which provides sufficient alignment and structural support for the adjoined fixtures while eliminating any sag of the fixtures.

Method and apparatus for joining linear lighting fixtures to eliminate sag


The invention relates to a method and a device for the production of two-channel or multi-channel pulse-width-modulated rectangular pulses. According to the invention, exactly one pulse is discharged within a period in each channel. The inception of a pulse in relation to the moment of inception is delayed by an actual dead time. The dead time is respectively kept constant for at least one period and a new value for the dead time is produced for a modulation of the pulse width and/or a new value is produced for the duration of the period and the actual dead time and/or the actual duration of the period is set at the beginning of the desired period according to the new value of the dead time and/or duration of the period.

For the control of specific forms of circuit, e.g. transformers, multiphase motors etc. it is often necessary, if two or more pulse-width modulated activation signals are used, for these signals to have a specific waveform, in order to avoid such a transformer becoming saturated, and is thereby damaged or destroyed.
Previously such control signals have been produced by using two or more pulse-width modulated signals which must have the same switch-on time in consecutive time segments. In addition the other control output must be blanked in each second phase in each case.
This procedure is complex and time consuming however, and if a microcontroller is used for control, in some cases up to 80% of the resources of the microcontroller are used just for the production of symmetrical, pulse-width modulated control signals, so that only a few of the microcontroller's resources are available for other tasks.
For the control of multi-phase motors for example, such as 5-phase motors, which is possible with the signals mentioned at the start, high transition losses occur with the conventional method of changing the speed of the motor.

Method and device for the production of two-channel or multi-channel pulse-width modulated rectangular pulses