A reliable and simple apparatus is provided for connecting interchangeably on the flow path of fluids from a plurality of fluid inlet pipes to a plurality of fluid outlet pipes between multiple systems of flow paths without the provision of any valves or any other moving parts. This apparatus can be configured to be prefabricated to provide the desired flow path selection, and can be manually installed in a minimum period of time with very little skill. Selection of another desired combination of flow paths can be achieved by replacing the apparatus with another apparatus suitably assembled to provide a different combination of flow paths.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fluid flow routing device and method for its use and, more particularly, relates to a device for combining, splitting, and otherwise conveying liquid streams of photosensitizing solution to designated pipelines through designated systems flow paths.
2. Description of Related Art
In the manufacture of photographic products, it is often necessary to combine multiple streams of fluids and to split other streams of fluid to produce streams of fluids having the desired characteristics. This is especially true in applications in which the fluids are applied in a multiple layer coating process. Traditionally, one of two methods has been used to select a designated combination of flow paths.
The first method employs a system of multi-port valves connecting a plurality of inlet pipes to one another and to a plurality of outlet pipes. The valves are actuated either electrically or manually to provide the switching operation required to produce the designated combination of flow paths. While this method provides acceptable flow path selection where only a few lines are involved, the large number of valves required for applications requiring more than a few lines takes up a great deal of space and is undesirably heavy. Moreover, assembly of these complicated systems is difficult and expensive, decreasing the versatility of the system. In addition, since automatically controlled switching systems are extremely complicated and thus fail often, and since there is a high rate of occurrence of human error in manually controlled systems, these systems must be shut down relatively often to identify and solve the problem. While this is not desirable in any application because it wastes fluids and increases operating costs, it is especially troublesome in applications in which materials must be stored while the problem is being identified and solved, since the photographic properties of these materials may change unacceptably during such storage.
The second method of fluid path selection employs a plurality of large two-dimensional panels having fixed optional connections between valve fittings and a number of hose connections, typically six, which must be manually disconnected from one another and reconnected in new ways with each change of product type being manufactured to produce the desired combination of flow paths. These connections are made one at a time according to a previous plan without physical guidance or assurance that the mechanical connections are correct. One such panel is sold under the name Flo-vertor, and is manufactured by TCI-Superior, a Mueller Company.
While these panels provide acceptable flow path selection, they exhibit several disadvantages. First, they are very large and thus require a great deal of operating space. Second, since hydraulic hoses must be manually matched to appropriate locations in the panel, the selection operation requires a great deal of time of a skilled operator. This decreases the efficiency and increases the operating expenses of the device. Third, since the connection and disconnection operations are quite complicated, the chances of human error are relatively high. While the chances of such error can be reduced through the provision of proximity switches on the panel, such proximity switches increase the complexity and operating costs of the device.
There has thus been a need for the provision of a device for selecting the flow paths of photosensitive fluid streams which is sanitary, reliable, compact, and simple to produce and operate. There has also been a need for the provision of a device for selectively switching the flow paths of a system of fluid flow paths in a simple and reliable manner, and to provide a process for simply and reliably selecting a combination of fluid flow paths from a plurality of combinations of flow paths. It would therefore be highly desirable to provide a simple flow path selection device which has no moving parts, which can be installed or changed by an unskilled operator in a short period of time, and which can operate unattended and reliably for as long as necessary.


An impact mechanism for a hammer drill, which has a housing and a drill bit protruding outside the housing, is provided. The mechanism includes firstly an impact platform within the housing; the impact platform is in connection with the drill bit for receiving impact forces and for transferring the impact forces to the drill bit. The mechanism also has a plurality of cams within the housing, and the plurality of cams are angularly spaced apart and arranged about an axis of rotation. The mechanism further includes a plurality of hammers placed within the housing and interactable with both the impact platform and the plurality of cams. The plurality of hammers are angularly spaced apart and arranged about the axis of rotation, and each hammer is capable of reciprocating along the axis for exerting the impact forces on the impact platform. Each of the plurality of cam is driven to interact with each of the plurality of hammers alternatively such that the plurality of hammers are driven to reciprocate along the axis so as to generate the impact forces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hammer drills, and more particularly, to an impact mechanism for a hammer drill.
2. Background of the Invention
When drilling through hard surfaces such as rocks or stone, many times it is desirable to impart a reciprocating motion to the drill bit to facilitate drilling. This hammering motion of the drill bit helps break up the material while the rotating of the drill bit allows the broken up material to be removed from the hole being drilled.
A primary disadvantage associated with existing impact mechanisms for hammer drills is the fact that in order to accomplish a desired high blows per minute (BPM) for efficient hammer drill performance, an undesirable high output speed is required. High BPM can also be achieved by increasing the number of ramps on the impact mechanism. However, an increased number of impact ramps tend to produce a "skipping" effect and efficiency loss due to the smaller area of surface contact for each ramp.


A data slicer with a source-degeneration structure is described. In particular, this invention can be implemented in a FM demodulation system. It located at the end of the demodulator. The data slicer can slice a signal transmitted through air and demodulates the same with a demodulator to produce a frequency-shifted modulation (FSK) signal. The signal is a perfect square-wave and is transmitted to a base band circuit. The data slicer with a source-degeneration structure obtains the exact reference voltage. The reference voltage is not affected by noise and doesn't need the coupling capacitor, so it can reduce the difficulty of manufacture and cost. The present invention has a common-source unit with a source-degeneration resistor for producing an input signal and a reference voltage, and a comparator unit for comparing the input signal and the reference voltage and outputting a square-wave signal that corresponds to the input signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data slicer with a source-degeneration structure. In particular, this invention can be implemented in a FM demodulation system. It is located at the end of the demodulator, the data slicer can slice a signal transmitted through air and demodulate the same with a demodulator to produce a frequency-shifted modulation (FSK) signal. The signal is a perfect square-wave and is provided to a base band circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
The image data or the data transmitted by a digital method is modulated to a square-wave signal before the signal is transmitted and is transmitted to the receiver through a specified medium. Usually, the high frequency signal is deformed after the frequency-shifted modulation (FSK) signal is transmitted by the air and is demodulated by the demodulator. The reference voltage of the modulation signal is not correctly obtained because the modulation signal is deformed and the circuit can't produce a square-wave with a 50% duty cycle. Therefore, the data slicer needs to produce a perfect square-wave signal for the base band circuit later.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional data slicer that uses a pluirality of series resistors to produce a reference voltage. The data slicer comprises a plurality of resistors R11, R12, R13, R1n, a bias-voltage threshold switching apparatus 10 and a buffer 12 comprising an amplifier. The drawbacks are that the bias-voltage of the output signal is needed and the reference voltage is not located in the center level when the input signal is small.
FIG. 2 shows a prior circuit that uses a received signal spectrum detecting (RSSI) circuit and a low pass filter to obtain an average value of the input signal as well as a reference voltage for a data slicer. The circuit comprises a received signal spectrum detecting (RSSI) circuit 16, a resistor R21 and a capacitor C21. The drawback is that the circuit averages the signal and the noise signal when the signal is small and increases the reference voltage.
FIG. 3 shows a prior circuit that uses a received signal spectrum detecting (RSSI) circuit to obtain the spectrum of the input signal and subtracts 6 dB to provide a reference voltage. This is called a peak detector method. The circuit comprises a RSSI circuit 20, a capacitor C31 and a decreasing 6 dB circuit including a transistor T31, a resistor Rd1 and a current source Id1. The drawback is that the method detects the disturbance peak and sees it as a high level when the low level signal has a disturbance peak. Therefore, the method obtains the wrong reference voltage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,734,918, entitled "Data Slicer Circuit", provides a data slicer circuit, and is illustrated in FIG. 4. The data slicer comprises a capacitor C1 for receiving the image signal, a clamping circuit 24 for receiving the image signal by a current coupling method, a first settle capacitor C2 for holding the voltage of the image signal, a second settle capacitor C3 for obtaining the average voltage of the image signal within a fixed period and holding the average voltage, a comparator 26 for comparing the above two holding voltage and outputting a signal when the holding voltage of the second capacitor C3 is greater than the holding voltage of the first capacitor C1. However, this method needs a coupling capacitor to prevent the direct voltage of the front end from affecting the operation voltage of data slicer. At the same time, the capacitor value is big for preventing signal deformation, and this will increase the difficulty of manufacture of the IC and require a large capacitor. Besides, this method obtains the reference voltage by charging and discharging the capacitor. The above method obtains the wrong reference voltage when the circuit deals with a high frequency signal due to the capacitor charging and discharging incompletely.

Data slicer with a source-degeneration structure


A method of imaging comprises performing a scout image of an object and aligning major regions of interest within the object by comparing the scout image with a pre-determined atlas image. In a further embodiment, a method of imaging using a computed tomography (CT) scanner is provided and comprises performing a scout image of a subject and aligning major anatomical regions of interest within the subject by comparing the scout image with a pre-determined atlas image. Further, an imaging system for us with a computed tomography (CT) imaging device is provided and comprises a processor configured to perform aligning major anatomical regions of interest within a subject by comparing a scout image with a pre-determined atlas image, and wherein the major anatomical regions are used for automated localization for Scan Range and/or Exam split.

In the current computed tomography (CT) image acquisition process, X-Ray scout images are acquired for anatomy localization. An operator reviews the scouts and sets scanning parameters to acquire images of patient region of interest. Patient anatomy is unknown to the scanner. Furthermore, after the images have been reconstructed, typically the operator has to divide the scanned images into anatomical regions to bill and network to the appropriate department within radiology e.g. Chest, Abdomen etc. This is called Exam Split.
The annotation on the images depends on the patient's orientation within the gantry at the time of scanning. This orientation (whether head first or feet first etc) is manually entered by the operator. There have been times when this orientation is either entered incorrectly or due to other factors, the patient orientation was changed after the orientation on the scanner prescription was entered. This causes the annotation of the patient images to be incorrect which can lead to serious consequences.
There is a need for an automated process of Exam Split. Further there is a need for the scanner to be able to identify anatomy, and therefore it can also identify the orientation of the patient when scanning and the annotation of the images will be directly correlated to the actual scanned data, thus eliminating errors as described above.

System and method for automated patient anatomy localization


Provided is a system and method for matching documents by line item. In one example, the method may include receiving a target document from a target system and a source document from a source system which are linked, identifying a set of lines in the target document and a set of lines in the source document which cannot be matched based on initial conditions, determining, via a machine learning model, a target line from the identified set of lines in the target document matches a source line from the identified set of lines in the source document based on descriptions included in the target line and the source line, and updating the source system to indicate that the target line from the target document and the source line from the source document are a match.

When an electronic document with multiple line items is associated with a transaction (e.g., a purchase order, goods receipt etc.) in a different system, it can be difficult to match line items from the electronic document and the transaction. For example, the systems may use different terms when describing objects within the documents, different languages, different data fields, and the like. To further complicate matters, an organization may generate thousands of documents (e.g., invoices, orders, accounting, etc.) a week. As one use case, an organization may sell motors for automobiles. In this case, it may be common for the organization to sell a predetermined quantity of motors (e.g., 1, 5, 10, 25, 100, etc.) at predetermined prices. As a result, simply matching one or a few data values between line items (e.g., part number, price, quantity, etc.) may not be enough to accurately match the other lines of the two documents together. As a result, it is common for a user to read/inspect each document and perform a matching process. When there are dozens or even hundreds of possible matches, it can take a user a significant amount of time before making a final decision.
Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, unless otherwise described, the same drawing reference numerals will be understood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures. The relative size and depiction of these elements may be exaggerated or adjusted for clarity, illustration, and/or convenience.


An on-die temperature control variable is provided to throttle a thermal actuator for cooling an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a storage element to hold the temperature control variable. A temperature sensor is thermally coupled to the integrated circuit to sense an operating temperature of the integrated circuit. A thermal controller is communicatively coupled to the storage element and to the temperature sensor. The thermal controller throttles the thermal actuator when the temperature sensor indicates that the operating temperature of the integrated circuit is below the temperature control variable.

As processors continue to shrink in size and increase in speed, heat dissipation is evermore critical. Fans are often used to cool a processor and maintain the processor below a safe operating temperature. If a processor operates for an extended period of time at temperatures elevated beyond the recommended operating temperature, temperature induced degradation may lead to an unreliable processor. Low operating temperatures can be ensured by sacrificing operating speed, but do so at the expense of processor performance.
While an excessive high-speed fan ensures reliable operation, the acoustic noise generated by such can be bothersome and distracting to a user. If a computer system is operated in a noisy work environment, a noisy fan may not be of concern. However, placing the same computer system within a quiet home setting, a library, or the like, can be irritating and untenable. As such, acoustic noise level of a computer system has become a major influencing factor when making a purchasing decision. In fact, consumer advocate groups and government agencies have gone so far as to define acoustic specifications.
Computer manufactures have responded by developing ad hoc original equipment manufacture ("OEM") specific thermal solutions. These thermal solutions attempt to balance two diametrically opposing goals-fan speed reduction to attain a quiet system and temperature control to ensure long-term product reliability.

On-die temperature control data for communicating to a thermal actuator


Techniques for delaying the installation of an application are presented. An installation is downloaded to a portable device. The installation is associated with an application, which is to be loaded onto the portable device. The installation is delayed after download and is processed on the portable device when an alarm is raised indicating that the application is to be loaded on the portable device.

Generally, applications are installed on devices before they become operational on those devices. Installation entails creating support files for the applications, making entries in device registries, creating executables or dynamic linked libraries for the applications within the devices, and the like. Once properly installed the applications perform their designed services or operations on the devices.
Typically, an application can be downloaded from a remote network location onto a target device, it can be uploaded from removable media that is interfaced to the target device, or it can be pre-fabricated within memory or storage of the target device. Installation of the application usually occurs once the application is downloaded or uploaded within the target device. Alternatively, the application is installed when a target device is initially booted up for a first time. Sometimes an application is downloaded and the installation occurs once a user manually initiates the installation. This can occur as soon as the application is downloaded or it can occur at a time the user decides to manually initiate the installation.
In an enterprise environment, network administrators may desire to coordinate when a particular application is released and installed on a plurality of enterprise devices. If these devices are portable and disconnected when administrators attempt to install the particular application, then the administrators may have to manually address or put patches in place to account for such a scenario, since the administrators will be unable to effectuate installations on devices not connected to the network.
In addition, an enterprise application is generally downloaded to the target devices as the installation takes place. This means that administrators tie up significant network bandwidth to perform a coordinated mass download to the target enterprise devices. Thus, the enterprise network may be degraded or unavailable to users during scheduled enterprise installations.


A method of providing VoIP call routing in a virtual private network is disclosed. A first gatekeeper issues an information request to a gateway. The first gatekeeper receives from the gateway information organized in a string and based on the information in this string recommends to a second gatekeeper a transmission route through a virtual private network. The second gatekeeper then uses this recommendation to select the transmission route for a VoIP call through the virtual private network.

Virtual private network (VPN) routing and forwarding (referred to herein as VRF) has been used widely in data networks. There are many reasons for its popularity, including security, traffic engineering, and quality of service. A VRF site may utilize a routing and forwarding table associated with one or more directly connected VPN sites (such as customer edge routers and provider edge routers). This VRF table can also contain routes for other VPN sites not directly connected to the VRF site. Many platforms support VRF combined with multiprotocol labeled switching (MPLS) and/or VPN for data traffic.
The use of voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has gained momentum in the past several years and is increasing dramatically in both enterprise networks and service provider networks. However, in current VoIP solutions, call routing is handled by resolving a remote IP address, which doesn't satisfy VRF's routing requirement that a specified VRF label must be associated with a VRF route. Currently, there is no mechanism that provides efficient VoIP call routing over the current VRF environment.
Current VoIP standards, including H.323, session initiation protocol (SIP), media gateway control protocol (MGCP) and skinny client control protocol (SCCP), are completely unaware of the VRF routing. VoIP call routing by the existing VoIP protocols gives the remote IP addresses for both signaling and media, but it doesn't understand nor take advantage of the underlying VRF routing capability.
One approach to solving this problem is to use access control lists and virtual interfaces in local gateways to classify some VoIP calls into different VRF routes. This approach suffers several drawbacks. Access control lists and virtual interfaces fail if call routing is controlled by a central agent (such as gatekeeper, SIP proxy, or call agent), and don't provide necessary control on per-call VoIP routing. This approach also suffers scalability problems when more VRF routes are introduced.
Thus, there is a heartfelt need for an intelligent control mechanism for delivering VoIP call signaling traffic as well as VoIP media traffic through a desired VRF path. Also needed are intelligent controls such as bandwidth management and call admission control over shared VRF routes among all VoIP calls in a VRF environment, especially for H.323 zones controlled by a gatekeeper, SIP domains controlled by SIP proxy servers, and MGCP environments controlled by call agents.

Method and apparatus for providing optimal VoIP call routing in VRF environment


An output signal is controlled with adjustable hysteresis in response to a variable voltage input signal. One or more signals derived from the input signal are respectively compared with first and second reference voltages of different magnitudes. The output signal changes from a first state to a second state when one of the derived signals reaches a first reference voltage level threshold, and changes from the second state to the first state when a second one of the derived signals reaches a second reference level voltage threshold. A first derived signal may be varied to have a voltage magnitude that is greater or lesser than the voltage magnitude of a second derived signal while maintaining a positive hysteresis level. The circuit may be configured to output a signal representing an undervoltage and/or overvoltage condition of the input signal.

A wide variety of circuit applications require reliable generation of bilevel state output signals in response to input conditions. One example is a controller that must allow a circuit board to be safely inserted into and removed from a live backplane. When a circuit board is inserted into a live backplane, large bypass capacitors on the board can draw huge inrush currents from the backplane power bus as they charge. The high current can cause the backplane voltage to dip and can destroy the board's bypass capacitors, metal traces or connector pins. Undervoltage detection and responsive circuit disconnect regulation with precise under-voltage hysteresis is essential to prevent circuit fault damage.
A circuit 10, currently used for undervoltage protection, is shown in FIG. 1. Power supply voltage supply VIN is applied to an input node of a resistive voltage divider circuit comprising series connected resistors 12, 14 and 16. A junction point or node between resistors 12 and 14 is indicated by INH. A junction point or node between resistors 14 and 16 is indicated by INL. Normally open switch contact 18 is connected between INH and a negative input of comparator 20. Normally closed contact 19 is connected between INL and the negative input of the comparator. For explanatory purposes only, voltages VEXT and VINH, which respectively represent the voltages across resistors 14 and 12, are illustrated. A reference voltage REF is connected to the positive input of the comparator. The output of comparator 20 is applied to a relay or the like, not shown, that simultaneously controls operation of both switch contacts in response to the comparator output. While a well-known relay and switch are exemplified, this arrangement may represent known equivalent electronic switches and control circuits therefor.
The comparator output produces a bilevel state signal that can function as a switch signal to a controller connected thereto. A high level state of the comparator output indicates that the supply voltage VIN has decreased to an undesirable level. In response to this state, a controller can initiate appropriate disconnect protection. During normal supply voltage conditions, the comparator output assumes a low level state.
During normal level voltage supply conditions, as illustrated, switch 19 connects INL to the negative comparator input while switch 18 is open. As INL voltage is greater than REF, the comparator output is at a low level state. If VIN decreases, INL decreases proportionately. When INL voltage decreases to REF, the level at which VIN reaches an undesirable level, the comparator output changes to a high state, effecting a turn-off signal. In response to the high level comparator output, the comparator input switch contacts are activated to open switch contact 19 and close switch contact 18. At this time, the negative input of the comparator is connected to INH. The voltage VINH is a smaller fraction of VIN than the voltage at INL, and thus lower than, the INL voltage. As a result of the switch actuation, the voltage at the negative input of the comparator has decreased by VEXT, the voltage across resistor 14. The comparator will continue to output a high level state signal until the voltage at VINH rises to REF to change the output back to the low level state. At this time, the voltage at INL exceeds REF by the voltage across resistor 14. The voltage of VIN is higher than the VIN undervoltage threshold at which the comparator is activated to a high state output.
The circuit thus provides a hysteresis switching function. A high output is produced when the supply voltage decreases to a low voltage threshold and a low output is produced when the supply voltage exceeds a threshold that is higher than the low voltage threshold. That is, even if the supply voltage is increased from below the low voltage threshold, the output will not change state until the supply voltage increases further by the hysteresis value. The hysteresis value corresponds to VEXT, which is determined by the voltage divider circuit, particularly the value of resistor 14. Hysteresis can be adjusted externally by changing the value of resistor 14. The provision of hysteresis limits oscillation of the output signal between states when the supply voltage is close to the low threshold level.
A disadvantage of the circuit just described is that the voltage taps INL and INH can be inadvertently misconnected to the comparator input such that switch 18 is connected to INL and switch 19 is connected to INH. With such interconnections, the negative comparator input is coupled through switch 19 to INH during nominal VIN levels. As VINH exceeds REF, the comparator output is low. The output remains at the low state until VINH decreases to the threshold REF. The comparator changes output states to a high level, which then activates the switch to open contact 19 and close contact 18. As the resistor divider circuit has been improperly connected, the negative comparator input is now connected to INL. As the voltage at INL at this time exceeds VINH and REF by VEXT, the comparator again changes states to the low level resulting again in a change in switch contact states. Operation of the circuit becomes unstable with continuous oscillation of the states of the comparator output.
The need thus exists for a comparator circuit that has precise default hysteresis that can also be adjusted externally without risk of oscillation.

Circuit and method for controlling hysteresis for bilevel signal transitions


A non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprises an EEPROM cell, a dummy cell, and a sense circuit. The EEPROM cell, the dummy cell and the sense circuit are operatively connected to a drain column line and a control column line, and the sense circuit reads out the content written in the EEPROM cell by the difference between a current flowing through the EEPROM cell from the drain column line and a current flowing through the dummy cell from the control column line. Consequently, write/erase operations of data for each one bit can be carried out in one operation, and access time can be shortened and deterioration of a cell transistor can be decreased in a read-out operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-volatile semiconductor memory device, more particularly, to a non-volatile semiconductor memory device using an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) cell, a dummy cell, and a sense circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, EEPROMs, which can be reprogrammed by electrically erasing the contents previously programmed therein, have come to be preferred over EPROMs which are erased by being irradiated with ultraviolet light. For example, an EEPROM can be used for on-vehicle equipment (e.g., for setting control parameters or codes suitable for an application environment), a measuring apparatus, a camera, a telephone set (e.g., for storing telephone numbers), a telemetering system, a fuzzy control apparatus, and the like. Generally, in the EEPROM, a plurality of bits of a specific group (for example, each column unit, or each word unit) are erased together, and thus a non-volatile semiconductor memory device (EEPROM), which enables a read/erase operation of only one required bit in one operation (operation cycle), is required.
For example, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to the prior art comprises an EEPROM cell, transfer gates for selecting the EEPROM cell in response to a select signal applied to a word select line WSL, a write/erase circuit, and a current sense type sense circuit. The EEPROM cell includes a control electrode, a floating gate, a drain, and a source.
Further, in the prior art, a non-volatile semiconductor memory device using a differential sense circuit has been proposed in "An Experimental 5-V-Only 256-kbit CMOS EEPROM with a High-Performance Single-Polysilicon Cell" (IEEE JOURNAL OF SOLID-STATE CIRCUITS, VOL. SC-21. No 5. OCTOBER 1986).
Note, in these non-volatile semiconductor memory devices (EEPROMs), a plurality of bits of a specific group (for example, each column unit, or each word unit) are erased, and an erase cycle and a write cycle are carried out individually, so that the required time for a rewriting operation becomes long. Further, since the cell to be written into is previously erased and is then rewritten the cell itself is deteriorated. Furthermore, in a non-volatile semiconductor memory device using a differential sense circuit according to the prior art, the required time for a rewriting operation becomes long and cells are deteriorated in a short time, because an erase operation and a write operation are individually carried out.
In addition, in the prior art, a plurality of single polysilicon EEPROM cells are developed and provided. For example, such single polysilicon EEPROM cells are disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 59-155968 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,673), Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 63-156361 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,003), Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 63-166274, and the like. These single polysilicon EEPROM cells can be used in a non-volatile semiconductor memory device according to the present invention.

Non-volatile semiconductor memory device having EEPROM cell, dummy cell, and sense circuit for increasing reliability and enabling one-bit operation


A system and method of communication based on the Reverse Multiple-Choice Method of teaching and testing is disclosed where at least one communicant is a machine. The method is applicable for training a machine for knowledge engineering and artificial intelligence oriented applications, as well as for a trained machine to assist a human being engaged in the activity of teaching or testing.

Frederick J. Kelly invented multiple-choice question (MCQ) format in 1914, primarily to democratize education and wring out bias from student evaluation. Hence the alternative monikers "Objective," or "standardized" have been used for MCQs. While the colleges of Kelley's day were slow to adopt it, multiple-choice is now the world's most commonly employed testing format. Its use has grown even more rapidly since the advent of computerized tests, especially for examinations involving large numbers of students, presumably because MCQs lend themselves readily to automation.
In the last one hundred years multiple-choice format has essentially remained the same, despite its ubiquity and widely recognized shortcomings. A key reason for its popularity, it is safe to say, is this possibility of automation, from which flow the other advantages, such as, objectivity, uniformity and scalability of testing and grading. Open format, long or short essays are no match for MCQ format, as they are notoriously subjective, non-uniform and non-scalable, hence expensive to administer. The Reverse Multiple-choice Method was devised by one of the present inventors to address some of the shortcomings of multiple-choice testing format.
Multiple-choice questions remain a common way of testing students in virtually all subject areas, particularly in examinations taken by large numbers of students. In its most commonly used form, a multiple-choice question comprises three identifiable sections: a section containing a set of facts to be presumed, an interrogative sentence, and a set of answer choices. Together, the first and the second section, may be referenced as a "query." A student generally answers an MCQ by indicating the answer selection from the given answer choices. Whether the test is conducted on a computer or paper, grading can be automated or carried out nearly automatically.
By now, however, the long experience with multiple-choice tests in many academic settings has shown that these advantages of MCQs can turn into its disadvantages: The very ease and simplicity of selecting and recording an answer to a test question blurs the difference between knowledge and ignorance. All that the examinee has to do is click or mark an answer, which is possible to do completely at random with nary an inkling of the subject matter. The probability of scoring a passing grade is very low if an examinee is completely ignorant, but it is possible to improve the scores with a little knowledge and answer guessing techniques. Unlike the open format/essay testing format, a test-taker generally has little scope to actively reveal knowledge in a multiple-choice test, therefore cheating is harder for the examiner to spot when it occurs.
Reverse Multiple-Choice Method ("RMCM") was introduced in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/951,132, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,033,182, and extended in patent application Ser. No. 11/266,350, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,195,085. RMCM offers a promising alternative for teaching, training and assessment that may be automated/computerized, and thereby inherits many advantages of multiple-choice format. RMCM technology combines the uniformity, efficiency and grading ease of "objective" or "standardized" multiple-choice tests with the reliable "measure of knowledge and understanding" generally associated with open/long format tests.
The present invention stems from the observation that the advantages of RMCM are not limited to interactions between human teachers/examiners and students/examinees, but that it is possible to adapt and extend RMCM to the case where at least one of the communicants in an interaction, e.g., between teacher/trainer and student/trainee, is a machine. Such extension of RMCM, however, must respect the differences between humans and computerized machines as to the learning capacity and the accumulation, retention, recall of knowledge, as well as the "tacit knowledge" of the application environment. This invention relates to the improvement of RMCM when at least one party to such communication is a machine.

Reverse-multiple choice method for knowledge engineering and expert system implementation


Provided is cathode active material layer for a lithium battery. The cathode active material layer comprises multiple cathode active material particles and an optional conductive additive that are bonded together by a binder comprising a high-elasticity polymer having a recoverable tensile strain from 5% to 700% (preferably from 10% to 100%) when measured without an additive or reinforcement in said polymer and a lithium ion conductivity no less than 10−5 S/cm (preferably and typically from 1.0×10−5 S/cm to 5×10−2 S/cm) at room temperature.

A unit cell or building block of a lithium-ion battery is typically composed of an anode current collector, an anode or negative electrode layer (containing an anode active material responsible for storing lithium therein, a conductive additive, and a resin binder), an electrolyte and porous separator, a cathode or positive electrode layer (containing a cathode active material responsible for storing lithium therein, a conductive additive, and a resin binder), and a separate cathode current collector. The electrolyte is in ionic contact with both the anode active material and the cathode active material. A porous separator is not required if the electrolyte is a solid-state electrolyte.
The binder in the anode layer is used to bond the anode active material (e.g. graphite or Si particles) and a conductive filler (e.g. carbon black particles or carbon nanotube) together to form an anode layer of structural integrity, and to bond the anode layer to a separate anode current collector, which acts to collect electrons from the anode active material when the battery is discharged. In other words, in the negative electrode (anode) side of the battery, there are typically four different materials involved: an anode active material, a conductive additive, a resin binder (e.g. polyvinylidine fluoride, PVDF, or styrene-butadiene rubber, SBR), and an anode current collector (typically a sheet of Cu foil). Typically the former three materials form a separate, discrete anode active material layer (or, simply, anode layer) and the latter one forms another discrete layer (current collector layer).
A binder resin (e.g. PVDF or PTFE) is also used in the cathode to bond cathode active materials and conductive additive particles together to form a cathode active layer of structural integrity. The same resin binder also acts to bond this cathode active layer to a cathode current collector (e.g. Al foil).
Historically, lithium-ion batteries actually evolved from rechargeable "lithium metal batteries" that use lithium (Li) metal as the anode and a Li intercalation compound (e.g. MoS2) as the cathode. Li metal is an ideal anode material due to its light weight (the lightest metal), high electronegativity (−3.04 V vs. the standard hydrogen electrode), and high theoretical capacity (3,860 mAh/g). Based on these outstanding properties, lithium metal batteries were proposed 40 years ago as an ideal system for high energy-density applications.
Due to some safety concerns (e.g. lithium dendrite formation and internal shorting) of pure lithium metal, graphite was implemented as an anode active material in place of the lithium metal to produce the current lithium-ion batteries. The past two decades have witnessed a continuous improvement in Li-ion batteries in terms of energy density, rate capability, and safety. However, the use of graphite-based anodes in Li-ion batteries has several significant drawbacks: low specific capacity (theoretical capacity of 372 mAh/g as opposed to 3,860 mAh/g for Li metal), long Li intercalation time (e.g. low solid-state diffusion coefficients of Li in and out of graphite and inorganic oxide particles) requiring long recharge times (e.g. 7 hours for electric vehicle batteries), inability to deliver high pulse power (power density<<1 kW/kg), and necessity to use pre-lithiated cathodes (e.g. lithium cobalt oxide, as opposed to cobalt oxide), thereby limiting the choice of available cathode materials.
Further, these commonly used cathode active materials have a relatively low specific capacity (typically <220 mAh/g). These factors have contributed to the two major shortcomings of today's Li-ion batteries—a low energy density (typically 150-220 Wh/kgcell) and low power density (typically <0.5 kW/kg). In addition, even though the lithium metal anode has been replaced by an intercalation compound (e.g. graphite) and, hence, there is little or no lithium dendrite issue in the lithium-ion battery, the battery safety issue has not gone away. There have been no short of incidents involving lithium-ion batteries catching fire or exploding.
To sum it up, battery scientists have been frustrated with the low energy density and flammability of lithium-ion cells for over three decades! Current cathode active materials commonly used in Li-ion batteries have the following serious drawbacks:                (1) The insertion and extraction of lithium in and out of these commonly used cathodes rely upon extremely slow solid-state diffusion of Li in solid particles having very low diffusion coefficients (typically 10−14 to 10−8 cm2/s), leading to a very low power density (another long-standing problem of today's lithium-ion batteries).        (2) Current cathode active materials are electrically and thermally insulating, not capable of effectively and efficiently transporting electrons and heat. The low electrical conductivity means high internal resistance and the necessity to add a large amount of conductive additives, effectively reducing the proportion of electrochemically active material in the cathode that already has a low capacity. The low thermal conductivity also implies a higher tendency to undergo thermal runaway, a major safety issue in lithium battery industry.        (3) The most commonly used cathode active materials, including lithium transition metal oxides, contain a transition metal (e.g. Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, etc.) that is a powerful catalyst that can promote undesirable chemical reactions inside a battery (e.g. decomposition of electrolyte). These cathode active materials also contain a high oxygen content that could assist in the progression of the thermal runaway and provide oxygen for electrolyte oxidation, increasing the danger of explosion or fire hazard. This is a serious problem that has hampered the widespread implementation of electric vehicles.        (4) The practical capacity achievable with current cathode materials (e.g. lithium iron phosphate and lithium transition metal oxides) has been limited to the range of 150-250 mAh/g and, in most cases, less than 200 mAh/g. Additionally, emerging high-capacity cathode active materials (e.g. FeF3) still cannot deliver a long battery cycle life.
High-capacity cathode active materials, such as metal fluoride or metal chloride, can undergo large volume expansion and shrinkage during the discharge and charge of a lithium battery. These include CoF3, MnF3, FeF3, VF3, VOF3, TiF3, BiF3, NiF2, FeF2, CuF2, CuF, SnF2, AgF, CuCl2, FeCl3, MnCl2, etc. High-capacity cathode active materials also include a lithium transition metal silicate, Li2MSiO4 or Li2MaxMbySiO4, wherein M and Ma are selected from Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, V, or VO; Mb is selected from Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, V, Ti, Al, B, Sn, or Bi; and x+y≤1. Unfortunately, state-of-the-art binder resins for lithium batteries are incapable of deforming congruently with the active material particles without detaching or de-wetting from the particles. Presumably, SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber), as an elastomer, is capable of undergoing large elastic deformation; however, SBR is not known to be able to hold the active material particles together when they expand and shrink. This is likely due to its inability to bond properly to the active material particles. Prior to the fabrication of an active material layer, any polymerization or cross-linking reactions had already been completed and there were no longer any chemically active functional groups or chains left to chemically bond to the active material particles.
There is an urgent and continuing need for a new protective or binder material that enables a lithium secondary battery to exhibit a long cycle life. There is also a need for a method of readily and easily producing such a material in large quantities. Thus, it is a primary object of the present invention to meet these needs and address the issues associated the rapid capacity decay of a lithium battery.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Lithium battery cathode and method of manufacturing


A scheduler controls execution in a memory of operation requests received in an input request set (IRS) by providing a corresponding output request set (ORS). The scheduler includes zone standby units having a one-to-one relationship with corresponding zones such that each zone standby unit stores an operation request. The scheduler also includes an output processing unit that determines a processing sequence for the operation requests stored in the zone standby units to provide the ORS.

The inventive concept relates to memory devices, memory systems, and computational systems incorporating memory systems. More particularly, the inventive concept relates to memories and memory devices including a scheduler.
Contemporary memory devices operate to write data into memory and/or read data from the memory in response to operation requests received from a controller, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a processor, a memory controller, etc. Within a memory system, each memory device may receive multiple operation requests. Accordingly, a specialized circuit and/or software routine hereafter referred to as "a scheduler" is provided to efficiently control the receipt and execution of multiple operation requests.


An improved modular landing gear harness for use on a jet aircraft is disclosed. The modular landing gear harness is divided into four sub-assemblies including the main sub-assembly, the brake temperature monitoring sub-assembly, the weight off wheels sub-assembly, and the anti-skid sub-assembly. The various sub-assemblies may be connected to form a unitary harness that provides a protective conduit for wiring for critical landing gear systems. The use of light-weight composite connectors facilitates troubleshooting and substantially reduces the overall weight of the harness assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical systems for jet aircraft, and more particularly to a modular electrical harness assembly for use on the main landing gear of a jet aircraft.
2. Description of the Background Art
The aviation industry is generally divided into two major providers, major air carriers and regional air carriers. The major carriers are those who operate larger jet aircraft that are capable of transporting passengers over greater distances. These aircraft are routinely used both in intercontinental and trans-oceanic operations. The second provider, the regional carrier, provides point to point service on shorter routes and feeder service to their major air carrier partners according to the hub and spoke method. This service is accomplished through the use of smaller turbo propeller and fan jet aircraft, normally ranging in size between 45 and 90 passengers.
With the increased demand on air carriers to provide more point to point and better on time service, the regional carriers have flourished through partnerships with major air carriers. Major carriers usually sign long term contracts with regional partners on a fee per departure basis which guarantees the regional operator a fixed price every time the aircraft leaves the gate, whether it is full of passengers or not.
The major carriers typically handle all of the reservation services and advertising, with the regional carriers aircraft painted to look like those of their major carrier partners. The only responsibility the regional carrier has is to make sure that the aircraft leaves the gate on time. For this their cost for operating the aircraft are covered and they are given an agreed upon profit margin. The major carrier is responsible for filling the seats. Accordingly, it has become ever more important to make sure that the aircraft operated by the regional carrier is able to depart on time when scheduled in an airworthy manner, because when it is unable to perform, the regional carrier looses money.
One of the major problems causing certain regional jet operators to miss and/or cancel flights was electrical failures in the landing gear anti-skid system. The landing gear anti-skid system includes an electrical harness which is mounted on the main landing gear of the aircraft. There are four harnesses of this type per aircraft and they monitor and control the anti-skid system along with the brake temperature monitoring system and the weight off wheels system.
Electrical harnesses send signals about different aircraft functions and parameters to the aircraft flight control deck for monitoring by computers and the aircrafts crew. A failure in the harness sends false signals which can cause erroneous readings and interpretations. These false readings and interpretations can cause flights to be cancelled and lengthy troubleshooting efforts to identify and repair the problem.
Extensive research found that a landing gear anti-skid harness had several flaws that contributed to the failures and/or to the lengthy troubleshooting and repair efforts. The first problem with a harness was that it had no feature to prevent the contamination of a harness by dirt and/or liquids. The second, and more important problem, was that when troubleshooting a harness, because of its design nature, it was impossible to remove and replace a single portion of a harness, without disrupting the entire harness. This usually meant that the aircraft would have to be removed from the gate and returned to the hangar for extensive troubleshooting and maintenance. Flights were cancelled and revenue was lost when this problem occurred.
Once back at the hangar, the work of troubleshooting and repairing a harness had just begun. Once the problem with a harness was found, which usually was attributed to a failure of the anti-skid portion due to moisture ingress, the entire harness would have to be replaced. This procedure called for the complete aircraft to be lifted into the air via jacks and then the harness in question to be removed in its entirety. This process would normally take a skilled crew between four and six hours to accomplish.
Once a harness had been removed a complete new harness would have to be reinstalled and the landing gear would have to be retracted and extended several times along with other functional tests in order to calibrate the new harness and confirm all systems were operational. Since the complete harness assembly would have to be removed and replaced, additional harness assemblies would have to be maintained in stock, at different locations, which would add additional inventory and cost burden to the carrier.
In total, an aircraft needing to have one harness replaced in this manner would usually be removed from service and at the hangar for at least eight to ten hours. This would mean that its total usage for that day would have to be cancelled and if another aircraft was not put into service to cover its original flight cancellation, then additional flights within the system would be adversely effected. This would cause loss revenue and customer dissatisfaction which could have catastrophic consequences in the long term.
In addition, is has been found that certain portions of prior art harnesses were burdened with significant limitations. More particularly, it has been found that prior art harnesses, and particularly the upper main sub-assembly failed after, and mostly as a result of, repeated retraction and extension of the landing gear. Failure of the main sub-assembly may result in exposure and/or damage of the internal wires.
Accordingly, there is a need for a harness that is more reliable and user friendly. This harness should incorporate the latest technologies in corrosion and contamination prevention. In addition, a harness should be designed to be modular in nature, allowing the troubleshooting and replacement of only those sub-assemblies that had failed without the disruption of the rest of the systems and cancellation of flights. Since a harness of this kind would be modular in nature, then only those sub-assemblies would need to be maintained in inventory, vastly reducing the cost associated with operating this harness.

Modular electrical harness for jet aircraft landing gear systems


Live payment terminals employing payment system public keys are evaluated. Dedicated test payment cards are internally issued by an operator of the payment system. Presentation of at least one of the cards to at least one of the terminals is facilitated. Testing the at least one of the terminals for proper management of the payment system public keys is facilitated. The testing can be in a test transaction conducted when the at least one of the cards is presented to the at least one of the terminals. The steps of facilitating presentation and facilitating testing can be conducted substantially without auditing.

Payment cards are used for enabling and securing payment transactions. Payment cards based on Integrated Circuit Cards (ICCs) provide for comprehensive (and complex) use of authentication techniques. One of these techniques allows the authentication of the card to the merchant by the so-called offline Card Authentication Method (offline CAM). This technique is implemented by ICCs that are compliant with the EMV (Europay-MasterCard-Visa) standard (discussed more fully below).
Offline Card Authentication Mechanism
ICCs offer the possibility of using public key cryptography for card authentication. EMV defines mechanisms that enable the payment terminal to authenticate the payment card "offline," that is, without requiring online communication to the card issuer during the transaction, and without requiring the card issuer and the terminal to share secret keys.
Such an offline card authentication is based on the ICC providing data that is signed, either statically or dynamically, by the private key of a party trusted by the terminal. This party is typically the card issuer or the card itself, and the trust relationship is established by having the terminal validate a certificate chain, up to a trusted root public key, which is owned by the payment system to which the issuer belongs.
The offline mechanism is either "static", wherein the same authentication data is provided by the card to the terminal for every transaction, or "dynamic," wherein the authentication data provided by the card will be different for each transaction. The EMV2000 specifications (discussed more fully below) define one static offline CAM, namely, Static Data Authentication (SDA), and two dynamic offline CAMs, namely, standard Dynamic Data Authentication (DDA), and Combined Data Authentication (CDA).
For SDA, the issuer pie-signs unique static card data using a private key to protect against alteration of the data after personalization. During a transaction, the terminal can retrieve this signed static data from the ICC and verify the correctness of the data. For both DDA and CDA the issuer personalizes the ICC with a private key unique to the ICC. During a transaction, the ICC produces a dynamic signature on a random challenge received from the terminal. By verifying this dynamic signature, the terminal can authenticate the ICC itself (under the assumption that the ICC private key is known only to the ICC), and confirm the legitimacy of static ICC data. Additionally, with CDA, the dynamic signature of the ICC covers all the transaction data necessary for the terminal to confirm the integrity of the ICC response for the current transaction. The underlying asymmetric signature algorithm is typically RSA (Rivest, Shamir and Adleman), but the same mechanism may be used with other asymmetric signature algorithms.
Card authentication is quite significant in payment transactions, as successful card authentication is typically a prerequisite to the conduct of an approved financial transaction and an enabler of other security techniques, such as offline Personal Identification Number (PIN) verification.
Payment System Keys
Payment system keys are a significant aspect of the EMV offline CAM Payment system public keys form the trusted root public key of an EMV certificate chain. Under the EMV specifications, each payment system generates several payment system key pairs, each including a payment system private key and the corresponding payment system public key. Each payment system generates its payment system key pairs in a secure system known as the payment system Certification Authority (CA).
Payment system private keys are used by the CA of each payment system to produce issuer public key certificates for the issuers. These certificates are stored by the issuers on the EMV ICCs that they issue. The payment system public keys are distributed by the relevant service of each payment system to all their acquires. The acquirers load them into their EMV terminals.
When an EMV offline transaction takes place at a terminal, the terminal identifies the payment system under which card issuance took place, then uses the relevant payment system public key to validate the issuer public key certificate read from the EMV ICCs. As described above, this validation step is a prerequisite to successful offline authentication of the card, and therefore to successful offline processing of the payment transaction.
Each payment system public key has an associated expiry date, which relates to the security properties of the key (that is, its resistance to attacks). Typically, the expiry date is determined by the key length. From time to time, existing payment system keys expire and are removed, while new payment system keys are introduced.
Payment System Keys and Interoperability
It is typically quite important that payment terminals are loaded with a correct set of payment system public keys. The unavailability of a valid payment system public key in a terminal adversely impacts the overall acceptance of cards. An EMV card featuring an issuer certificate generated using a given payment system private key can only be authenticated offline when the terminal is loaded with the corresponding payment system public key. If the relevant payment system public key is unavailable on the terminal, the transaction is either performed online (in the event that both (i) the terminal supports online authorization, and (ii) the card allows it) or declined.
The availability of an expired payment system public key in a terminal puts the payment scheme at risk. An EMV card featuring an issuer certificate generated using an expired payment system private key should normally not be accepted offline, as that private key is no longer secure.
In addition, the size of the keys (and of some related parameters, for instance with RSA keys, the size of the public modulus and the size and characteristics of the public exponent) impacts the terminal performance when performing offline CAM. Longer keys result in longer transaction times. When cards with long keys are used on slow terminals, performance may degrade down to a point where transaction time becomes unacceptably long, resulting in actual transaction failure.
Existing Terminal Testing Method
Testing of live terminals for the presence or absence of the payment system public keys and/or the correct operation of the offline CAM function is typically performed using live payment cards issued by a genuine issuer and loaded with valid certificate(s). Such an approach has several drawbacks. Payment systems have to pass agreements with some of their issuers that are keen issuing cards for test purposes. Some of these cards need to be personalized with the longest, most probably not yet deployed keys for the sole purpose of helping the payment system to conduct tests. Further, there is a financial risk associated with these cards as they could potentially be used frequently. Therefore, they are typically deployed under the control of accredited auditors, and can hardly be distributed to a wider panel. Yet further, the testers have to perform actual purchase transactions, hence generating costs to the payment system. Still further, tracing facilities need to be activated on the network conveying the financial transactions, and somewhat complex log analysis is required to check whether the transaction has been performed offline or online.
Accordingly, further improvements would be desirable.

Techniques for evaluating live payment terminals in a payment system


An enhanced patch panel indicia system includes a cover to receive a backing as the primary indicia receiver and to receive labels as auxiliary indicia receivers. The indicia system further includes an enhanced patch panel with a front face. The cover can include clip members to allow the cover to be snap-fitted onto the front face of the patch panel with the cover in juxtaposition with the front face, and in some implementations, the backing positioned therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cable management devices for network equipment racks including patch panels.
2. Description of the Related Art
A patch panel is useful as a support panel for mounting reconfigurable ports for patching components in a network rack. Conventional patch panels involve various cables for patching, rack mounted components, and other aspects that at times may require identification or otherwise association via textual or graphical means. Conventional approaches are helpful in this regard, but can be improved upon.


A nightlight including a light emitting diode (LED) is provided. The nightlight includes a switch that is operative to control the flow of power to the LED. The nightlight also includes a driver circuit that is configured to convert alternating current to direct current, where the direct current provides power to the LED. The nightlight also includes a housing coupled to the nightlight that contains the driver and is configured to fit within a single-gang junction box. The switch includes an LED that is powered by the driver circuit, where the LED is illuminated without regard to the position of the switch.

The use of light emitting diodes (LEDs) in place of conventional incandescent and fluorescent lighting in consumer lighting applications has a number of advantages. LEDs tend to be less expensive and longer lasting than the conventional incandescent and fluorescent lamps. Further, conventional LEDs can output more light per watt of electricity than incandescent and fluorescent lamps.
However, the use of LEDs presents a problem. Because LEDs are biased semiconductors that only pass electricity in a single direction, and because LEDs only provide light when current passes through them, LEDs do not work properly when connected to a standard electrical power source, such as conventional 120V 60 Hz alternating current (AC), which is the power that is commonly used in residential construction throughout the United States.
Accordingly, when an AC source is used to power LEDs, additional circuitry is required to convert the AC source into direct current (DC), or a close approximation thereof, to provide power to the LEDs. This circuitry tends to be large and unwieldy, and can add size to a light fixture that employs LEDs. The space the driver circuitry requires causes problems when the LED is to be used in a very confined space, such as a conventional single-gang junction box. Indeed, conventional solutions for placing AC powered LED lights in junction boxes typically require large driver circuits to be installed in the wall or in empty neighboring junction boxes.
Both conventional solutions are undesirable. If an LED driver is placed in a second junction box (or in a double or triple-gang junction box), the driver wastes space that could be used by another outlet or switch. If the driver is installed in the wall, additional time, effort, and expense is required to install the light.
A further problem is presented by LEDs and the size of their accompanying drivers. Because of the space the driver circuitry requires, there is generally no space in the junction box for additional components such as switches. Thus, conventional LED lighting solutions do not include a self contained LED light and integrated switch unit. Such a unit, which would allow an individual to control the LED light directly from the light's location, rather than from a remote wall switch in another part of the building, can be very useful when only a small amount of light is desired and/or that light is desired for a short period of time. This need is especially acute in healthcare scenarios where healthcare professionals must constantly check on their patients at night—which generally requires reading and writing—without disturbing the patient.
Accordingly, a need exists in the art for an LED light that includes a driver circuit that is configured to fit within a single-gang junction box. A further need exists in the art for an LED nightlight having an integrated switch. Yet a further need exists in the art for the integrated switch to be illuminated so that it can be more easily located by individuals who require the use of the light.

Switched LED nightlight for single-gang junction box


These compositions comprise a polyamide (PA) resulting from the polycondensation of an aliphatic .alpha.,.omega.-dicarboxylic acid with xylylenediamines and a salt of a metal chosen from the transition metals of group VIIIA of the Periodic Table of the elements, manganese, zinc and copper; the polyamide (PA) contains less than 150 ppm of phosphorus.. These compositions may be made into packaging materials, such as containers (bottles).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to polymeric compositions with barrier properties, more particularly oxygen-impervious polymeric compositions containing semiaromatic polyamides. It also relates to packaging materials, especially for beverages and food products, made from these compositions.
2. Discussion of Technology
The use of polymers with barrier properties is at present practised on a vast scale in the manufacture of plastic packaging materials, chiefly for packaging beverages and foodstuffs.
Polymers which form a physical barrier to gases, especially to oxygen, and which therefore make it possible to lengthen the preservation and storage life of the packaged products without deterioration of the latter, are chiefly copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohol, vinylidene chloride copolymers and the polyamides resulting from the polycondensation of m-xylylenediamine with adipic acid (MXD6).
For cost reasons and/or for practical reasons (for example to impart other desired properties to the packaging material), it is often necessary to use these polymers in combination with other polymers such as, for example, ethylene, propylene and vinyl chloride polymers and polyalkylene terephthalates. These combinations are embodied in the presence, in the packaging material formed, of a plurality of layers of the chosen polymers with optional interposition of suitable adhesives. Typical structures of such materials in which the barrier polymer is MXD6 and the other polymer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) have been described, for example, in Patent Applications EP-A-0,161,625 and EP-A-0,186,154 (Mitsubishi Gas Chemical) and are particulary applicable to the manufacture of containers (bottles, flasks, etc.).
Containers of this type, in which an impervious layer consisting of a mixture of PET and of barrier polymer (MXD6) is interposed between two PET-based layers, especially to improve the adhesiveness between the layers after the biaxial orientation produced by the blow-moulding of the preformed parison, have been described in document EP-B-0,092,979 (Yoshino Kogyosho).
For reasons of cost and of final appearance of the packaging material, the MXD6 content of these mixtures is generally lower than 10% by weight.
To enable the MXD6 content to be decreased further while simultaneously improving the imperviousness to oxygen it has been proposed to incorporate into the MXD6 a carboxylate of a metal such as cobalt [Patent Application EP-A-0,301,719 (MB Group)]. It is assumed that the cobalt catalyses the oxidation of the MXD6, adding an effect of a "chemical barrier" to oxygen to the physical barrier consisting of the mixture of polymers (Revue des Industries Agro-Alimentaires, issue for 9 to 23 Apr. 1990, pages 34 and 35; La Recherche, volume 21, no. 222, June 1990, page 752).
This solution has not been found completely satisfactory because the MXD6 in which the cobalt carboxylate is incorporated contains phosphorus compounds. These compounds are incorporated during the polymerisation [see, for example, Patent Application DE-A-2,341,895 (Toyobo); Japanese Patent Applications (Kokai) published under numbers 74/53,945 (Toyobo) and 78/125,460 (Toyobo); Patent Application EP-A-0,361,636 (Amoco Corp.)] and/or added during the stabilisation of the MXD6 [see, for example, Patent Application DE-A-1,570,609 (Bayer AG); Patent GB-A-1,146,157 (Du Pont); Japanese Patent Application (Kokoku) published under number 73/20220 (Toyo Spinning); and Japanese Patent Application (Kokai) published under number 84/87,132 (Mitsubishi Chemical)]. These phosphorus compounds are generally chosen from (hypo)phosphorous, (hypo)phosphoric, phosphinic and phosphonic acids, their salts and esters and, in most cases, from sodium, manganese, calcium and zinc (hypo)phosphites. A phosphorus co pound which is frequently employed is sodium hypophosphite.
As a general rule, these phosphorus compounds can be found in MXD6, present in the abovementioned packaging materials, in concentrations which, expressed as phosphorus, can reach 500 ppm, in most cases between 150 and 400 ppm. For example, the product Reny 6001, which is the MXD6 typically employed for manufacturing the packaging materials according to Patent Application EP-A-0,301,719 (page 9, lines 10 to 13) contains 200 to 350 ppm of phosphorus.
This relatively plentiful presence of the phosphorus compound in the MXD6 is a source of disadvantages. It interferes with the "chemical barrier" function performed by the oxidation catalyst based on cobalt carboxylate, with the result that the latter, costly and ecologically dubious, has to be incorporated into the MXD6 in relatively large quantities. Furthermore, when the phosphorus compound is a reducing agent, as is frequently the case, and when the MXD6 is combined with PET to manufacture the packaging material, interfering reactions between the phosphorus compound and the catalyst residues from the polycondensation of PET (particularly organic antimony salts) give rise to discolorations in the packaging material which are particularly unacceptable in the case where articles intended for the packaging of liquids (sparkling beverages) are involved.
Finally, bearing in mind the antagonist effects exerted by the phosphorus compound and by the cobalt carboxylate on the oxidation of MXD6, a long delay, called an "induction period" hereinafter, may elapse between the time when the packaging material is manufactured and the time when its imperviousness to oxygen has reached an acceptable value. During this induction period, which may, for example, reach 30 days (Patent Application EP-A-0,301,719, page 8, lines 7 to 9), the initial oxygen permeability gradually decreases. This disadvantage is counteracted by costly (aging) techniques or by incorporating more oxidation catalyst (ibid., page 8, lines 2 to 7).

Polymeric compositions with barrier properties and packaging materials made from these compositions


The object of this invention is to decrease a memory capacity required for a lookup table. To achieve this object, in an image sensing apparatus which causes an image processing section to execute image processing to convert digital image data, which is obtained by A/D-converting the output from an image sensing element, into output image data, the image processing section includes a matrix arithmetic processing section and an N-dimensional (N is a positive integer) lookup table arithmetic processing section. The image processing section causes the matrix arithmetic processing section to process the digital image data before the N-dimensional lookup table arithmetic processing section.

In recent years, to improve color reproduction of an image sensed by an image sensing apparatus such as a digital camera, more complex image processing is used to convert image data, which is obtained by A/D-converting an image from a CCD, into a final output image. Examples of the image processing are color conversion processing corresponding to chromatic adaptation as a human color perception characteristic and color conversion processing for converting a color into a memory color that is felt by humans as desirable.
The present applicant has developed a processing method using a three-dimensional lookup table for the above image processing. However, in the color conversion processing corresponding to chromatic adaptation, to change color reproduction in accordance with a change in photographing light source (color temperature), three-dimensional lookup table data equal in number to light sources corresponding to photographing light sources (color temperatures) must beheld, as shown in, e.g., FIG. 4 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-9241. However, the size of the three-dimensional lookup table data is very large. To hold a plurality of three-dimensional lookup table data, the memory capacity in the image sensing apparatus must be increased. To hold three-dimensional lookup table data equal in number to light sources is not realistic from the viewpoint of cost. There is another method in which three-dimensional lookup table data equal in number to a minimum number of light source color temperatures are held, and at the time of photographing, interpolation arithmetic processing corresponding to the light source color temperature at that time is executed using the three-dimensional lookup table to create three-dimensional lookup table data corresponding to the light source color temperature. However, the less the number of three-dimensional lookup tables becomes, the lower the color conversion accuracy becomes. In addition, since at least two three-dimensional lookup tables are still necessary, the memory capacity must also be increased.

Image sensing apparatus and method, program, and storage medium


Image derogating optical noise due to light scattering of an object under examination, embedded in a light scattering medium, is substantially reduced by passing a modulated signal laser beam through the scattering medium, and interfering the emerging signal with a coherent modulated reference beam to produce a hologram in a photorefractive member of the object, which in turn is read out of the crystal by a third unmodulated coherent beam to retrieve a clear image of the object. A smart pixel image convertor light valve may be substituted for the photorefractive member.

Imaging through a light scattering medium or imaging an object within a scattering medium is one of the most challenging problems in optical signal processing, and has significant importance in tomography and image processing, and has significant importance in tomography and image formation in biological tissues. One popular "first light" approach to solving this problem is based on the principle of the first arriving light, wherein a time gate is used to separate the information carrying light, or the first light, from the noisy light, namely the subsequent scattered light. In a specific implementation by Mantic and Duguay, a hologram was used as a time gating processor. See "Ultrahigh-speed photography of picosecond light pulses and echoes", Applied Optics, 10, pp. 2162-2170, (1971). Since then, different time gating techniques have been used for performing the time gating, involving electronic and real time holograms, Kerr and Raman cells, and spatial filtering techniques yielding improved signal-to-noise ratios. Unfortunately, these first light techniques require ultrafast pulses and sophisticated instrumentation for ultrafast imaging, thus making them expensive to implement.
An alternative to the first light approach is to use the photon density approach. In this case, the pulsed light is replaced by ultrafast modulated light. When such light propagates within a scattering medium, the intensity of the light, as well as its phase, is determined by the properties of the media. The photon density waves in different scattering media have an analogy to light propagation in materials with different indices of refraction. It has been proven that the photon density waves obey Snell's law of refraction. See M. A. O'Leary et al., "Refraction of Diffuse Density Waves", Physical Review Letters, Vol. 69, No. 18. Therefore, when the photon density waves pass through two different scattering media, one embedded inside the other, the waves refract as if they were passing through materials with different indices of refraction. The result is that by monitoring the output wave, in terms of amplitude and phase, much can be determined about the nature of the object inside the scattering media. In essence, the method of detecting variations in the phases due to different indices of refraction using interferometric techniques, can also be applied to photon density waves passing through scattering media. The difference is that in the interferometric approach, the variation is between the phase of the reference and the signal beams, while in the photon density approach, the variation is between the phase of the modulation of the reference and signal beams.

Imaging in a scattering medium using photon density waves

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


Disclosed is a correlation method to adaptively operate in a time varying phase and a correlator thereof. A correlation method according to the present invention includes performing the first correlation according to a certain reference value and a certain reference interval for correlation of a received signal; calculating an average variation of the received signal through the result of performing the first correlation; deciding a new reference value for the second correlation through the average variation; performing the second correlation according to the new reference value and the reference interval; and selecting the maximum value among the result of performing the second correlation. Accordingly, plural references are decided considering variation of a response signal between tags and also separate plural references are decided considering bit variation of a response signal in the same tag, so that a digital signal can be ideally demodulated in the environment where signal phase variation occurs.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a correlation method and a correlator. More particularly, the present invention relates to a correlation method to adaptively operate in a time varying phase and a correlator thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A correlator is an electronic device to separate a weak information signal from noise by estimating a correlation function. Correlators such as a magnetic correlator and a cross correlator are known in the art.
Bit variations frequently occur in tags, specifically in low-cost tags that are essential to implement a ubiquitous computing technology. These variations can occur in a single tag according to the communications environment. However, variations also occur in tags needing no variation.
FIG. 1 shows types of a variation in a tag.
In FIG. 1, a positive phase variation of a1 is present in Tag 1, and a negative phase variation of a2 is present in Tag 2. In addition, there is also a bit variation T2-T1 between Tag 1 and Tag 2.
That is, there can be a variation of a signal phase in the tag because of reader backscatter communications where a symbol section changes due to the fast-changing communications environment. The variation can also be due to an unstable tag clock. Moreover, a symbol section can change between tags due to a different communications distance.
Conventional zero crossing detectors or cross-correlators can deal with the problems. However, the zero-crossing detector requires relatively large SNR which can not be frequently provided in backscatter communications.
It should be noted that the cross-correlator is based on the assumption that the symbol section of the received signals is essentially invariant. If the assumption of invariance in question is violated, the mentioned technique is likely to produce errors.

Correlation method to adaptively operate in time varying phase and correlator thereof


A pulsator type washing machine having a washing function and a drying function in one unit, includes a first tub, a second tub disposed in the first tub, and a structure operatively coupled with at least one of the first and second tubs to receive air from the second tub, dehumidify the air and recirculate the dehumidified air back into the second tub to dry laundry in the second tub during a drying operation of the washing machine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a washing machine and, more particularly, to a pulsator type washing machine having a washing function and a drying function in one unit.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Washing machines remove contaminants from the laundry by applying different forms of impact force to the laundry. Generally, washing machines can be categorized into pulsator type washing machines, drum type washing machines, and agitator type washing machines according to the type of impact force applied to the laundry. In these cases, an impact force is generated and applied to the laundry by means of a pulsator or an agitator, or by dropping the laundry using a rotating drum. A detergent is typically added to the washing machines to enhance the washing process.
In general, these conventional washing machines provide only the washing function to wash the laundry such as clothes. Therefore, a washing machine user is required to take out the laundry from the washing machine after completion of the washing process to dry the wet laundry.
Apartment living arrangements and other living styles often demand an artificial drying of the laundry within a short time period after the laundry is washed. To this cause, dryers have been developed. A conventional dryer permits the user to dry the wet laundry more quickly and easily. However, the size of a conventional dryer is typically equal to or larger than the size of a conventional washing machine. Thus, installation of both the washing machine and the dryer requires much installation space. Further, the washed laundry from the washing machine must be manually moved to the dryer before it can be dried, which can be extremely inconvenient and tedious to the user.
Accordingly, a washing machine having the drying function has been in need, and a drum type washing machine that can also dry the wet laundry in the drum has been proposed. However, conventional pulsator type or agitator type washing machines, which have a better washing performance than the drum type washing machines, do not provide the drying function. As a result, a need exists for a pulsator type washing machine that facilitates drying of laundry and provides excellent washing of the laundry.

Pulsator type washing machine with drying function


Within a single integrated circuit, a bus operates in accordance with a bus protocol. The bus protocol includes a first control signal which, when not implemented within a single integrated circuit, is implemented using a pull-up resistor and tri-state gates within functional blocks attached to the bus. A first functional block includes a first input line for receiving an input component of the first control signal, and includes first logic means for generating a first output component of the first control signal. A second functional block includes a second input line for receiving the input component of the first control signal, and includes second logic means for generating a second output component of the first control signal. A logic block includes first logic for generating the input component of the first control signal. The first logic utilizes the first output component and the second output component to generate the input component of the first control signal.

The present invention concerns input/output busses for computing systems and pertains particularly to logic implementation of control signals for an on-silicon multi-master data transfer bus.
For an input/output (I/O) bus, such as an I/O bus which uses the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus protocol, a pull-up resistor is required for certain signals in order to maintain an inactive state. For example, in the PCI bus protocol, the following sustained tri-state and open drain signals require a pull-up resistor to maintain an inactive state: FRAME#, IRDY# TRDY#, STOP#, LOCK#, DEVSEL#, PERR#, SERR#, INTA#, INTB#, INTC#, INTD#, CLKRUN#, REQ64#, and ACK64#. These tri-state and open drain signals often are required to maintain an inactive state for many clock signals.
While use of tri-state and open drain signals which require a pull-up resistor is generally an efficient way to implement an I/O bus, this is not an efficient strategy when using the bus protocol to connect logic blocks within a single integrated circuit. This is because pull-up resistors which are capable of meeting the specifications for buses that operate in accordance with the PCI bus are generally not available on an integrated circuit. Thus, on an integrated circuit, "bus keepers" whose purpose is to keep tri-stated signal voltage levels from drifting out of specification for inordinate lengths of time are not guaranteed to keep a tri-stated signal in its inactive state and may switch to an active state unintentionally.
When integrating functional blocks connected by a PCI bus onto a single integrated circuit, it is therefore generally necessary to strip off the PCI local bus interface from the blocks to be integrated and to define new bus protocol control signals which are not shared. However, this stripping of the PCI protocol bus interface creates many problems to design integrity. Further, defining and verifying a new bus protocol control requires resources and time. Additionally, a new bus protocol, while optimal for one project may be less optimal for another project. Also, stripping off a PCI protocol bus interface and substituting another bus interface greatly increases the risk of introducing logic and architectural errors because of the dramatic changes to blocks that have been verified already as functionally and architecturally correct with the PCI local bus interface.

Logic implementation of control signals for on-silicon multi-master data transfer bus


A membrane electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane, and a pair of electrode layers which sandwich the electrolyte membrane. The pair of electrode layers include a pair of catalyst layers which sandwich the electrolyte membrane, and a pair of gas diffusion layers disposed on the pair of catalyst layers on opposite sides to the electrolyte membrane. At least one catalyst layer contains a fibrous electric conductor, catalyst particles, a particulate electric conductor, and a proton-conductive resin. The at least one catalyst layer has a first region at a distance of 200 nm or less from the fibrous electric conductor, and a second region at a distance of more than 200 nm from the fibrous electric conductor. Pores are present in the first and second regions. A mode diameter M1 of the pores in the first region and a mode diameter M2 of the pores in the second region satisfy M1<M2.

Fuel cells are a highly efficient clean power generator, which generate power through electrochemical reaction of fuel and oxidant (hereinafter, each simply referred to as "gas"), to produce water. A fuel cell includes, for example, an electrolyte membrane, a pair of catalyst layers disposes so as to sandwich the electrolyte membrane, a pair of gas diffusion layers so as to sandwich the electrolyte membrane, with each of the catalyst layers interposed therebetween, and a pair of separators disposed on outer sides of the gas diffusion layers, so as to sandwich the electrolyte membrane. Gas supplied to the gas diffusion layer from the separator diffuses in the diffusion layer, and is oxidized or reduced in the catalyst layer. Increasing gas diffusion performance in the catalyst layer can improve the efficiency of the electrochemical reaction.
To increase gas diffusion performance in the catalyst layer, Patent Literature 1 teaches adding a plate-like carbon member to the catalyst layer, to form voids.

Membrane electrode assembly and fuel cell

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


Method of and system for transmitting signals, e.g. control signals, request signals, interrogation signals etc. to a node in the form of a controllable unit associated with a device, e.g. a controllable device, measuring means, etc. and wherein said controllable unit may be linked to at least one further node by means of a communication bus, at least one of said nodes comprising radio frequency receiving means, said method comprising the steps of a) transmitting a signal from a controller, b) reception of said signal by at least said node comprising radio frequency receiving means, c) detection of at least part of said signal indicating a destination node, and d) retransmittal of said signal or part of said signal by said more comprising radio frequency receiving means to said destination node via said communication bus.

Systems for transmitting signals, e.g. controls signals to controllable devices such as openers for doors, gates, windows etc. have been provided in the form of wired control systems. Such a system, however, lacks user friendliness because the set up is inflexible, e.g. the use of mobile remote controls will not be possible.
Wireless systems have been provided, e.g. using radio frequency signals, infra red signals etc, whereby enhanced user friendliness may be provided, e.g. by using wireless remote controls. However, such wireless solutions have a number of disadvantages; for example, a transmitted control signal may not always be received by the intended controllable device, e.g. because of less than optimal transmission circumstances, shielding effects caused by walls and other structures, etc.

Method and system for transmission of signals to nodes in a system


A converter is provided having an AC input and a DC output. The converter includes a rectifier that receives the AC input and that provides a rectifier output, a series connected current to magnetic field energy storage device and current interrupter connected across the rectifier output and a series connected gallium nitride diode and output charge storage device connected between a midpoint of the series connected magnetic field energy storage device and current interrupter and a terminal of the rectifier output and wherein the converter is characterized in not needing a transient voltage suppression circuit.

Portable power supplies have become an increasingly important part of our society. Examples of where portable power supplies are needed include portable computers, cellular communication devices and video games.
Power supplies for portable devices are typically constructed from silicon semiconductors (e.g., silicon diodes). The pervasive use of silicon diodes, in no small part, is because of the inexpensive manner in which such devices can be fabricated.
While silicon diodes are inexpensive, they also suffer from a number of disadvantages. One of the biggest disadvantages is electrical noise. Silicon diodes, in fact, typically require the use of noise suppression (snubber) circuitry. However, the use of snubber circuitry results in a considerable increase in the size and weight of power supplies. Another disadvantage is the efficiency of the circuit, especially at high frequency, because of switching losses due to high reverse recovery times in the silicon devices.
Alternate materials, such as silicon carbide (SiC), have been proposed. The publicly available CREE Application Note No. CPWR-AN01 Rev, available from Cree, Inc. 4600 Silicon Dr., Durham, N.C. 27703 (Copyright 2002), asserts that SiC diodes could significantly reduce electrical noise and would be expected to eliminate the need for snubber circuits in some power supplies.
However, there are significant disadvantages to the use of SiC. One of the chief disadvantages of the use of SiC is cost. The relatively high cost makes the construction of power supplies with SiC diodes commercially unacceptable.
On the one hand, the use of SiC diodes in portable power supplies makes those power supplies smaller and lighter. On the other hand, the use of Si PiN diodes makes a power supply too heavy and may run hotter.
In addition, where SiC diodes have been described, their use has been limited. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,657,874 to Yu describes a voltage inverter that uses SiC diodes for reverse blocking of switching elements. Yu Differs from the subject matter of the invention in that Yu is directed to the generation of an AC output. Yu also differs in that the switching elements of the Yu inverter operate at a relatively low frequency (e.g., 60 Hz versus several kHz for the switching elements of power supplies providing a DC output).
One alternative material for making diodes that has not been generally recognized is gallium-nitride (GaN). However, prior uses of GaN has been limited to light emitting diodes (LEDs). Because of the importance of portable devices, a need exists for power supplies as small and light as those using SiC, but a cheap as those using Si PiN diodes.

GaN semiconductor based voltage conversion device